Latest news with #Mugsy
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
From bathtub gin to Instagram: 5 speakeasies to check out in Vancouver
What is a speakeasy? During the four years of Prohibition in Vancouver (1917-1921), they were the kinds of places that served bathtub gin and that you could only find through people with names like Mugsy or Vinny the Viper. Today, they are 'hidden' drinking establishments with elderflower-infused cocktails promoted by social-media influencers. Still, the contemporary speakeasy does have characteristics separating it from your ordinary bar — false fronts or hidden signage, small and windowless, sexy interiors and limited hours, among them. Here are five Lower Mainland spots that tick most of these boxes: Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. When: Tues.-Sat., 5 p.m. until late Where: Lions Pub, 888 W. Cordova St., Vancouver Vancouver's newest speakeasy is in one of the city's oldest clubs. Through a classic red British telephone booth in Lions Pub, in Terminal City Club, guests enter a space decked out in black with red roses, plush red curtains, round lighting sconces, and a wall covered with real retro phones. Fully open to the public (same as Lions Pub), the former flower shop seats 22 people. On the menu: Small plates and cocktails. A post shared by Call Me Back (@callmebacklounge) When: Sun.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-1 a.m.; Fri-Sat. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Where: 2305 Main St., Vancouver Info: David Duprey opened this cleverly hidden (behind an accounting office false front) spot in 2019 as a kind of sequel to his first speakeasy, The Narrow Lounge. 'I had always dreamed of doing the full-on fake storefront as bar entrance,' the restaurateur says. 'I had been to some super fun spots all over the world, where you enter through fridges or phone booths, and thought that Vancouver would love it. When we took over the building at Main and 7th, I knew that was the spot. I wanted it to feel like it had been there since the 1970s and was just a forgotten hideaway. Putting an accounting office in the front seems so benign that you don't think there's anything behind it. And I wanted the interior to look like a porno movie poster from the '70s, like a place where the who's-who of the city would rub shoulders with pimps and con men.' The menu features cocktails with Boogie Nights-ish names like The Side Piece, Moneyshot and The Lovelace. A post shared by Key Party (@keypartyvancouver) When: Thurs.-Sat., 6 p.m. until close Where: 1815 Commercial Dr., Park Drive Restaurant, Vancouver Info: Usually, Park Drive is the kind of local best suited for a patio drink, a game or a trivia night. But on weekends, it's also a place where you can enjoy a chill vibe and a tiki drink. Hidden by velvet curtains, The Gemm is a bar-within-a-bar, with a menu that includes cocktails, wine, beer, blistered shishito peppers, grilled halloumi skewers and more. When: Thurs.-Sun., 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Where: 3980 Fraser St., Vancouver Info: Windowless and warmly lit, with a street sign visible only in the dark, this second-floor raw bar transforms from an intimate lounge to a thriving neighbourhood hot spot after 10. Drinks include the Zaachila Breeze, with mescal, rose umeshu (Japanes plum liqueur), grapefruit, lime, strawberry and soda. Food items include raw bar dishes, such as sashimi and nigiri, as well as an uni pasta dish and wagyu bacon cheeseburger. Ama also hosts DJs and live music. Read Mia Stainsby's review here. When: Thurs-Sun, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Where: New Westminster Tickets and info: $50 (GA) at Shawn Farquhar's Hidden Wonders is a speakeasy-style performance venue hidden behind a fake business facade in downtown New West. Confirmed guests are given the address once their tickets have been purchased. Inside the 30-person venue, they're treated to a magic show that includes tricks that Farquhar has used on Penn and Teller's hit series Fool Us. Food and beverage-wise, the fare is limited to pops and popcorn. You will have to book well in advance: As of this writing, the next available date was in August.
Time Out
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Dealer's Choice
Patrick Marber's reputation as a playwright was sealed with 1997's Closer, but wowee his debut Dealer's Choice is good. '1995' screams a giant projection at the start of Matthew Dunster's production. It's a fun gesture but it does not foreshadow a nostalgia fest. It's actually a remarkably prescient play - a mobile phone is showcased prominently and there's a whole bit in it about the gentrification of Bow. One running joke about how Hammed Animashaun's hapless Mugsy wants to turn a disused public toilet into a restaurant sent chills down my spine (I live in Beckenham where we have literally turned the old public loos into a cafe). Above all, it is a play about men, under pressure, playing poker. If anything truly does date it to its era it's that the fizz and crackle of Marber's lads-only dialogue recalls the Brit gangster films of the time (although it does actually predate most of them). Regardless, it's a lean and thrilling beast, that centres on a group of blokes who work in the restaurant in which the after hours poker games are played. The first half is all set up, as we're introduced to the ensemble. Alfie Allen – brother to Dunster's regular muse Lily – was kind of billed as the star, but really the show belongs to Animishawn's ebullient Mugsy. His toilet-centric dreams are mocked by all and sundry, but really he's the only one who feels like he might be able to move on from the gambling. At the start of the story Theo Barklem-Biggs's deadpan chef Sweeney protests that no, he's not going to play a late night poker game hours before being granted a visit with his daughter; it's obvious what will happen. Posh restaurant owner Stephen (Daniel Lapaine) needs the game for myriad reasons – to vent his demons, to validate his uninspiring eatery, to give him an excuse to see his son Carl (Kasper Hilton-Hille). Allen's fey, rootless Frankie says he wants to move to Vegas and become a professional gambler, but is that really escaping this room or doubling down on it? And Carl has fallen into gambling debt, trying to piggy back on Mugsy's toilet scheme to con a couple of grand out of his dad; now the man he owes money to – Brendan Coyle's Ash – has come to collect. The first half of Marber's script sets it all up beautifully. Then, following what I can only describe as a supremely cunty change in Moi Tran's set that moves us from restaurant to basement with maximum ostentatiousness, it's time for the games. Nobody depicts blokes on stage quite like Dunster, who is pretty much the Guy Ritchie of theatre directors. It can sometimes cause problems with subtler fare, but he's in his element with this grimy thriller, getting the best out of his cast for what is, ultimately, an enjoyable story of terrible male desperation. We feel the stakes of the games, but we also recognise the hopelessness of most of these men's situations - nothing is going to free them from the cages they've built for themselves. But that's why Animishawn's Mugsy is so delightful. He's an idiot, but he's a beautiful idiot, a big happy puppy with big (well, toilet-sized) dreams who sails through life unfettered by the mind-forged manacles that hold the others back. Later on, Stephen surreptitiously does him a massive favour, and you sense that it's not out of pity for Muggsy, but because there's still hope for him.
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dealer's Choice review – Hammed Animashaun is the ace in a busted flush
In 1995, two British playwrights made their debuts with all-male, six-character chamber-pieces strongly influenced by Pinter and Mamet, and set over one long, tense night in London. Jez Butterworth's Mojo and Patrick Marber's Dealer's Choice proved to be superficially dazzling calling cards rather than enduring classics. Now a pallid 30th-anniversary revival of the latter reveals its weaknesses. Set in a restaurant where the manager Stephen (the Paul Bettany-esque Daniel Lapaine) and his employees Frankie (Alfie Allen), Sweeney (Theo Barklem-Biggs) and Mugsy (Hammed Animashaun) are gearing up for a late-night card game, the play brims with bants. Mentions of the National Lottery, which was only a few months old when the play premiered, hint at an incoming gambling epidemic. There are even period-correct beer labels, though credulity is stretched when someone repeatedly gets phone reception in a basement. It is when the writing veers away from jokes and jibes that the play sags irredeemably. Two-thirds of the characters have no inner life, and half are prone to sudden outbursts which resemble artificial attempts to raise the stakes. That almost succeeds when Stephen discovers that his son Carl (Kasper Hilton-Hille) has been gambling with Ash (Brendan Coyle), a rival patriarch, and reacts like a spurned lover. But the absence of peril and gravitas in Matthew Dunster's staging, and in his conception of character, is total. Ash is defeated rather than dangerous. Carl, a slot-machine addict, is about as troubled as Doogie Howser MD. The card games are fatally boring. There are compensations. In Moi Tran's design, the restaurant is dominated by a pebbledash wall the colour of dried blood, which hints at the premises' butcher-shop origins. A spectacular piece of engineering makes us feel as if we are descending into the basement for the second act. This is eclipsed by the most special effect of all: Animashaun, an exuberantly geezerish geyser of charm, toweringly tall and quarterback-shouldered but with a dancer's grace. It is fitting in a play about competitive masculinity that a single performer should emerge victorious, but the contest isn't even close: this is practically a one-man show. 'You've lost the plot,' someone tells Mugsy. 'I am the plot,' he snaps back. Hear, hear. At Donmar Warehouse, London, until 7 June
Ottawa Citizen
28-04-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Fashion to Fine Wines & Spirits: Ryder Customers Share "Stories from the Supply Chain" in National TV Ad Campaign
Article content Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Article content New ads feature Ryder customers navigating real supply chain challenges, including men's apparel brand Mugsy and alcohol beverage distributor Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Campaign highlights Ryder's port-to-door operational expertise and advanced technology solutions with 100% real-time visibility, 99.5% fulfillment accuracy, and 98% on-time deliveries. Spots to air April 28 – June 22 on ESPN, TBS, and TNT during the NHL playoffs and Bloomberg TV. Article content MIAMI — Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) launches a national television ad campaign, 'Stories from the Supply Chain,' showcasing real businesses navigating logistics challenges in an ever-shifting supply chain environment. From fashion to fine wines and spirits, the initial campaign highlights two Ryder customers – Mugsy and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits – candidly recounting the moments they realized it was time to call the supply chain experts. Article content 'Businesses don't just need logistics providers; they need strategic partners with expansive port-to-door capabilities and the expertise to make supply chains work smarter,' says Ryder Chief Marketing Officer Karen Jones. 'With 'Stories from the Supply Chain,' we put our customers front and center, real businesses solving real challenges, and show how we help them stay ahead of demand, quickly respond to and capitalize on market trends, and scale for growth – all of which lead to resiliency and, ultimately, greater customer satisfaction.' Article content Mugsy, which started as a digitally native brand focused on comfortable men's jeans, quickly found its stride expanding into brick-and-mortar stores and diversifying its menswear line. Article content 'We were growing fast, and we needed help,' says Mugsy Director of Operations and Stores Mike McGee. 'Based on recommendations from other brands, we chose Ryder – first for e-commerce fulfillment and then, once we saw what they could do, omnichannel fulfillment for our store replenishment – and it's been a perfect fit. Between Ryder's people and their advanced technology and warehouse automation solutions, we now have the most control over our operations that we've ever had.' Article content With Ryder and RyderShip™, a purpose-built e-commerce technology platform, Mugsy has tripled its order fulfillment capabilities and is delivering an average of one to two days faster than previous solutions, while still balancing costs. Article content 'And, we're able to make dynamic business decisions on a day-to-day basis and quickly launch customer experience initiatives, such as sales and promotional packaging, based on trends we're seeing in the marketplace,' adds McGee. Article content When Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, the world's preeminent distributor of alcohol beverages, suffered delivery delays and limited tracking and monitoring of inbound goods – a veritable supply chain hangover – the distributor tapped a trusted resource, one it had been relying on for 40 years. Article content Article content 'We started working with Ryder on the leasing and maintenance side of the business back in the '80s, and it's been a great experience; so, it only made sense to expand on that relationship and explore Ryder's other capabilities,' says Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Chief Supply Chain Officer Bobby Burg. Article content Ryder restructured Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits' inbound transportation with a flexible transportation management solution and the implementation of RyderShare™, a one-of-a-kind visibility and collaborative logistics technology. The result: 100% freight visibility and 98% on-time deliveries. Article content 'Ryder has delivered once again. Between their operational expertise and their top-shelf technology, the improvements we've seen in productivity and efficiency have strengthened our supply chain at every level.' Article content The 'Stories from the Supply Chain' commercials will air April 28 through June 22 on ESPN, TBS, and TNT during the NHL Stanley Cup playoff games and on Bloomberg TV business news. Article content Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) is a fully integrated port-to-door logistics and transportation company. It provides supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, including warehousing and distribution, contract packaging and manufacturing, e-commerce fulfillment, last-mile delivery, managed transportation, professional drivers, freight brokerage, cross-border solutions, full-service fleet leasing, maintenance, commercial truck rental, and used vehicle sales to some of the world's most-recognized brands. Ryder provides services to businesses across more than 20 industries throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition, Ryder manages nearly 250,000 commercial vehicles, services fleets at approximately 760 maintenance locations, and operates nearly 300 warehouses encompassing more than 100 million square feet. Ryder is regularly recognized for its industry-leading practices; technology-driven innovations; environmental management; safety, health and security programs; and recruitment and hiring initiatives. Article content Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and information included in this news release are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
National Post
28-04-2025
- Business
- National Post
Fashion to Fine Wines & Spirits: Ryder Customers Share "Stories from the Supply Chain" in National TV Ad Campaign
Article content Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Article content Article content New ads feature Ryder customers navigating real supply chain challenges, including men's apparel brand Mugsy and alcohol beverage distributor Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Campaign highlights Ryder's port-to-door operational expertise and advanced technology solutions with 100% real-time visibility, 99.5% fulfillment accuracy, and 98% on-time deliveries. Spots to air April 28 – June 22 on ESPN, TBS, and TNT during the NHL playoffs and Bloomberg TV. Article content MIAMI — Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) launches a national television ad campaign, 'Stories from the Supply Chain,' showcasing real businesses navigating logistics challenges in an ever-shifting supply chain environment. From fashion to fine wines and spirits, the initial campaign highlights two Ryder customers – Mugsy and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits – candidly recounting the moments they realized it was time to call the supply chain experts. Article content 'Businesses don't just need logistics providers; they need strategic partners with expansive port-to-door capabilities and the expertise to make supply chains work smarter,' says Ryder Chief Marketing Officer Karen Jones. 'With 'Stories from the Supply Chain,' we put our customers front and center, real businesses solving real challenges, and show how we help them stay ahead of demand, quickly respond to and capitalize on market trends, and scale for growth – all of which lead to resiliency and, ultimately, greater customer satisfaction.' Article content Mugsy, which started as a digitally native brand focused on comfortable men's jeans, quickly found its stride expanding into brick-and-mortar stores and diversifying its menswear line. Article content 'We were growing fast, and we needed help,' says Mugsy Director of Operations and Stores Mike McGee. 'Based on recommendations from other brands, we chose Ryder – first for e-commerce fulfillment and then, once we saw what they could do, omnichannel fulfillment for our store replenishment – and it's been a perfect fit. Between Ryder's people and their advanced technology and warehouse automation solutions, we now have the most control over our operations that we've ever had.' Article content With Ryder and RyderShip™, a purpose-built e-commerce technology platform, Mugsy has tripled its order fulfillment capabilities and is delivering an average of one to two days faster than previous solutions, while still balancing costs. 'And, we're able to make dynamic business decisions on a day-to-day basis and quickly launch customer experience initiatives, such as sales and promotional packaging, based on trends we're seeing in the marketplace,' adds McGee. Article content UNCORKED POTENTIAL Article content When Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, the world's preeminent distributor of alcohol beverages, suffered delivery delays and limited tracking and monitoring of inbound goods – a veritable supply chain hangover – the distributor tapped a trusted resource, one it had been relying on for 40 years. Article content 'We started working with Ryder on the leasing and maintenance side of the business back in the '80s, and it's been a great experience; so, it only made sense to expand on that relationship and explore Ryder's other capabilities,' says Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Chief Supply Chain Officer Bobby Burg. Article content Ryder restructured Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits' inbound transportation with a flexible transportation management solution and the implementation of RyderShare™, a one-of-a-kind visibility and collaborative logistics technology. The result: 100% freight visibility and 98% on-time deliveries. Article content 'Ryder has delivered once again. Between their operational expertise and their top-shelf technology, the improvements we've seen in productivity and efficiency have strengthened our supply chain at every level.' Article content The 'Stories from the Supply Chain' commercials will air April 28 through June 22 on ESPN, TBS, and TNT during the NHL Stanley Cup playoff games and on Bloomberg TV business news. Article content Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) is a fully integrated port-to-door logistics and transportation company. It provides supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, including warehousing and distribution, contract packaging and manufacturing, e-commerce fulfillment, last-mile delivery, managed transportation, professional drivers, freight brokerage, cross-border solutions, full-service fleet leasing, maintenance, commercial truck rental, and used vehicle sales to some of the world's most-recognized brands. Ryder provides services to businesses across more than 20 industries throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition, Ryder manages nearly 250,000 commercial vehicles, services fleets at approximately 760 maintenance locations, and operates nearly 300 warehouses encompassing more than 100 million square feet. Ryder is regularly recognized for its industry-leading practices; technology-driven innovations; environmental management; safety, health and security programs; and recruitment and hiring initiatives. Article content Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and information included in this news release are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
