Latest news with #Sips
Time Out
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
We tried Montana, Hong Kong's latest great cocktail destination with a Latin soul, and here's what we thought
The construction boards had not even come down yet around Montana, but the minute Lorenzo Antinori, of Bar Leone fame, popped his head around the plywood and motioned us into the black-and-white tiled interiors accented with dark wood and ox-blood red, a little zing of electric funky energy was already running through our veins. Bar Leone has just been crowned top slot in Asia's 50 Best Bars for the second year in a row, but Antinori already has his sights set on this new venture with Simone Caporale, co-founder of the acclaimed Sips in Barcelona. The pair met in 2012 while working for different bars in London, and bonded over late-night drinks and a shared vision: that bars should be fun, candid, and alive. Montana leans into this perspective, taking inspiration from the golden age of Cuba, where the pours were long, the beats fluid, and the atmosphere alive. Interestingly, the interiors itself are more of a nod to the Miami dive bar, reminiscent of iconic venues like Mac's Club Deuce on South Beach. Miami in the 1970s saw a lot of Cuban migrants who brought their culture and music to America's shores, and Montana is a love letter to that hedonistic era of rum-soaked, neon-drenched, disco nights. We started with the Montana Daiquiri, a concoction of Havana rum, raspberry eau de vie, and lime, served in a flower-shaped glass with a maraschino cherry. Light, fruity, and the perfect opener to the evening, this drink follows the original recipe found in the 1930s manual of the Club de los Cantineros, Cuba's legendary bartenders' association. The menu of nine cocktails gets progressively stronger the further you move down the list, but you can't go wrong with their signatures marked with a star. Hotel Nacional features rum, apricot brandy, lime, sour pineapple, and absinthe – it's tangy and palatable, but might well put you under the table if you have three or more. Speaking of pineapples, Montana has an oven perched behind the bar, where they roast their own rotisserie chickens or seasonal pineapples. It's well worth asking about their piña of the month snack: rum-marinated pineapple slowroasted with house seasoning and served with a shot of frozen coconut rum. Other bar bites worth mentioning are the chips generously topped with prosciutto, pickled chillis, mascarpone, and Bar Leone's famous smoked olives; the pan con tomate focaccia with tomatoes, Cantabrian anchovies, and salsa verde; and the spicy corn ribs. We've already marked the Doritos veal tonnato to try next time – it sounds like a crispy version of vitello tonnato, so basically mouthwatering. Our favourite among the cocktails so far is the Café Havana, their twist on an espresso martini, made with Beefeater gin, cold-brew coffee, sherry, salted honey, and banana cream. The mouthfeel is immediately smooth, with a rounded taste that lingers on the palate. It's also slightly savoury – a plus in our books – and the banana cream is so beautiful that if we could make off with a tubful of it and get away with it, we probably would. What's also very interesting is that Montana serves an El Presidente, a classic Cuban cocktail that is rarely found in Hong Kong's bars. Featuring rum, fig leaf bourbon, chinotto, quince vermouth, and bitters, it is 'aged' in a bottle coated with dulce de leche, which imparts a smooth sweetness of cacao butter to balance this typically spirit-forward drink. The upstairs seating area of Montana is a little more upscale than the fun rowdiness of the bar below, offering lounge seating in an intimate space bearing shades of dark green, burnt sienna, and images of musical icons. Tunes are a big part of the bar's Cuban vibe, and their playlist is full of throwback hits, Latin funk, and moving beats where the likes of Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Abba, and Selena all share the limelight. There's also a piano upstairs, and the plan is to host live music nights to keep us all grooving into the wee hours. Antinori has taken the laid-back, unpretentious vibe of Bar Leone (as well as some of his friendly staff) and transplanted it within the halcyon days of Cuban pleasure-seeking in its prime. With every spirited shout of 'Ritmo!' – 'rhythm' in Spanish – when newcomers enter the bar, customers are transported back to a sunny, hedonistic, electrifying time, with the drinks to match. If you're a fan of jazz, Latino beats, salsa and disco, vintage moments, not taking yourself too seriously, and a perfectly shaken daiquiri, then Montana will be waiting for you. Visit Montana at 108 Hollywood Road, Central.
Buzz Feed
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
29 Thoughts I Had While Watching The First Ep Of "Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives"
🚨CONTENT WARNING🚨 If you've been on the internet lately, then I'm sure you've seen all the buzz around The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The second season recently concluded in the most dramatic reunion. So, to keep up with the masses, I decided to watch the first episode! To my shock and awe, it's not a sequel to The Secret Life of The American Teenager. Though, spoiler alert, they're not that far off from one another! Going into this journey, my knowledge of Mormonism didn't extend past The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, The Book of Mormon and a soda shop called Sips. At the very least, whether I like the show or not, I'm excited to learn something new! And if that comes with drama, then so be it. (Spoiler alert: I learned nothing, but there was a lot of drama.) So, even though no one asked, here are all the thoughts I had while watching the first episode: Before we jump in, here's the synopsis that Hulu gives for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: "The scandalous world of a group of Mormon mom influencers implodes when they get caught in the midst of a swinging sex scandal that makes international headlines. Now, their sisterhood is shook to its core. Faith, friendship and reputations are all on the line. Will #MomTok be able to survive and continue to give the rulebook a run for its money, or will this group fall from grace?" Talk about starting off with a bang, am I right? The fact that "Unholy" by Sam Smith ft. Kim Petras is the first song we hear tells me all that I need to know about this series going forward. All I can say is that I AM LOCKED IN! Is this relegated Mormon-wear? Or did they just get a really good deal at T.J. Maxx? A child having a child... I'm not judging! But I am wary... So it appears that #MomTok was created by Taylor Frankie Paul and it was supposed to showcase a new generation of Mormon women. They danced, they cussed, they hooked up with each other's is the future, people! We're meeting our ladies — this season will feature: Whitney, Mikayla, Jen, Jessi, Layla, Demi, Mayci, and Taylor. I was hoping that they would each get their own intro a la Real Housewives, but alas, they did not. Looks like the OGs of #MomTok were Taylor, Whitney, Mayci, and Mikayla. Kinda sad that Taylor's life imploded after the swinging came to light and even more sad that she couldn't talk to her mom friends for MONTHS. However, I am confused as to why Taylor felt the need to share activities? Was there a leak? Or did she think that the world needed to know how she and her friends got down? Seems like not EVERYTHING needed to be shared on the internet, but that's just me. Been there also, let's unpack this! Taylor is talking about her new boyfriend Dakota who is a cutie, but also, comes with drama — allegedly, he was hooking up with other girls at the beginning of their relationship. Meanwhile, Taylor is going through her divorce and co-parenting with her ex ALL WHILE dealing with a public scandal. If there were ever a time to be single, now is it girl! More info: Taylor shared that she and her ex were getting divorced because, while swinging, she stepped out on their marriage in a way that wasn't agreed upon at the time. Like, kudos to Taylor for taking also, I don't think this needed to be said on TikTok one coulda stayed in the drafts, IMO. To be honest, I still don't quite know what #MomTok stood (or stands) for but get your bag, I guess! A wise man once said: "Do it lady!" Any community who will judge you for your past wrongs is not a community you wanna be in! A lil' harsh, Mama Liann. I do not kink shame. All God's children! The not-so-secret lives of Mormon wives. Based off of the conversation between the ladies, it seems like a lot of these couples either need to be in open relationships or not in relationships at all... This is Demi. She is 29. She and her husband, Bret, have been married for three years. He is 46. Do with that information what you will. So, not ONLY is Taylor hopping into a new relationship months after her divorce and in the middle of a scandal, the man she's now dating is a recovering addict AND THEN she drops THIS bombshell? Do condoms not exist in Utah? I'm not even 20 minutes in and we have several sex scandals (swinging AND cheating), a potential pregnancy, a recovering drug sound like the set up to a really bad joke. ^Live footage of me watching all these women younger than me living the lives they live. The prodigal Whitney returns! Whitney and her family moved to Hawaii to escape the backlash from Taylor and #MomTok, but now she's back and better than ever? (Spoiler alert: She was not, in fact, better than ever). I'm any of these women actually like each other? Like, regardless of the scandal, are they even friends? I also wanna know why! Normalize keeping things to yourself! I thought one of the pillars of Mormonism was abstaining from pre-/extra-marital sex and alcohol. Perchance, the Mormon church isn't the one for you? Taylor, girl, this is a bad take: You hurt a lot of people / aired out a lot of dirty laundry...a little remorse would be a good thing. I have to remember that all these women are, like, early-to-mid 20s. Their frontal lobes are still developing! On one hand, I get it. On the other hand, Kim, there are people that are dying. Earlier in the episode, some of the #MomTok ladies were discussing a potential cheating scandal between Whitney and her husband, Conner. Whitney immediately shut it down, but looks like there was some truth to those rumors! Soft swinging? Lying? Cheating? DIVORCE, BABES. DIVORCE! Whitney just revealed that Conner has been sexting girls he met on Tinder for their entire marriage... To the tune of "Hot To Go" by Chappell Roan: D-I-V-O-R-C-E! Put the cameras down and get every single one of these women in therapy, I swear to God. I am speechless. This is not the reaction you should have when your "best friend" tells you about her miscarriage: After Whitney shared that Conner's been sexting other women their entire marriage, this is her reaction to Taylor's news. RELAX, MY GUY! In that same breath, Dakota says that he cannot be with anyone who "parties." Taylor says she won't give up alcohol. I believe this is what we call an impasse. WHAT IS GOING ON????? A neighborhood called the cops because there was a domestic dispute between Taylor and Dakota. And just like that... Shock. And. Awe. Somehow, I think they have bigger problems than this: I am Team Therapist! Wow. OK. Talk about an emotional roller coaster, one that I'm unfortunately on because I am officially hooked. Do I want to be? No. Am I going to binge-watch Seasons 1 and 2 like it's my job? Absolutely. Watch The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives on Hulu.
Axios
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Historic Ruan space revived for Sips in the City
Sips in the City, one of Winefest Des Moines' most anticipated events, is returning downtown this year with a fresh twist — it's happening inside the newly renovated Ruan Pavilion at the Ruan Center. Why it matters: This is the first time the Ruan Pavilion — a former bank lobby turned office space — is being used for Sips, marking a new chapter for the used downtown venue. Ruan Center officials aim to transform the 11,000-square-foot space into a regular events destination. Catch up quick: The Ruan Center, added to the National Register of Historic Places this year, encompasses the 600 block of Grand and Locust avenues. The 36-story office building includes the Pavilion and the adjacent 14-story Two Ruan, which is under residential redevelopment. Flashback: The pavilion space was once a bustling public area with bank tellers. Over the decades, it was sectioned off for private offices until 2021, when those offices were relocated and the open space was mainly used for Ruan Center employee activities, building manager Jona Schmidt tells Axios. State of play: Ruan officials recognized the potential for an events space following a Des Moines Metro Opera gala there last year. Sips will help them assess possible future enhancements, Schmidt said. Zoom in: Sips was at Smash Park in West Des Moines in recent years and is moving downtown partly in response to guest feedback, Winefest board member Chris Diebel tells Axios. If you go: 6-9pm June 13.
Business Journals
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Dining news: Rita's Italian Ice launches new flavor; Tela's to close in Fairmount
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . Join the Philadelphia Business Journal to unlock even more insights! As one Fairmount restaurant prepares to close, two ice cream shops are readying to open in Rittenhouse Square. With the weather warming up, Stephen Starr's seasonal Parisian cafe is set to return for its fourth year and Center City District is bringing back its annual Sips summer happy hour. Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is adding a new limited-time flavor ahead of summer, and two new ice cream shops are ready to open in Rittenhouse Square. Here's what you need to know about the Greater Philadelphia dining scene this week: GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events Rita's launches new flavor Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard added a soda-inspired flavor ahead of the summer season. The Trevose-headquartered dessert maker started selling a limited-time cola Italian Ice at all of its locations across the country on Friday. The new flavor is meant to give customers the taste of "old-school cola nostalgia." Rita's new flavor will also be served in a Cola Float Gelati, made with layers of cola Italian Ice and vanilla frozen custard, and a Twisted Cola Blender that tops the cola Italian ice with CocoLime Cream. With the blender, Rita's aims to jump on a recent social media trend of beverage experimentation, Rita's senior director of marketing Madalyn Weintraub said in a statement. Last month, Rita's launched a limited-time Skittles Italian ice and Skittles Pop'd freeze-dried candy topping in partnership with the rainbow-colored candy's owner Mars Inc. expand Tela's Market & Kitchen in Fairmount will shutter next month after more than 11 years in operation. Google Maps Tela's closing in Fairmount Fairmount restaurant Tela's Market & Kitchen plans to close its doors next month. The concept will shutter after brunch service on May 4, owners Daniel and Alex Greenberg announced in a social media post on April 21. Tela's is located on the ground floor of 1833 Fairmount Ave., an apartment building developed by Daniel's North Broad Living. In the post, the Greenbergs said it is "simply time to move on" after more than 11 years of running the eatery. "We will miss the breakfast meetings, our laptop remote-workers, our happy hour and dinner guests, our bottle-shop wine customers, and our weekend brunch crowd," the owners wrote. The Greenbergs added that they hope to share who is moving into the Tela's space in the coming months. Tela's Market & Kitchen opened in late 2013. The concept offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend brunch. expand Brooklyn-based ice cream shop Malai will make its Philadelphia debut next month when it opens a location in Rittenhouse Square. Morgan Ione Yeager Malai, Weckerly's ready for Rittenhouse debuts Two ice cream shops are preparing to open in Rittenhouse Square next month. Fishtown spot Weckerly's Ice Cream will debut at 1600 Spruce St. on May 9. The following week, Brooklyn-born South Asian shop Malai will open to the public on May 17 at 260 S. 18th St. Weckerly's Rittenhouse Square shop, first reported by the Business Journal last fall, will serve up to 24 rotating small-batch ice cream flavors, along with its traditional ice cream sandwiches and to-go pints. This new location, however, will expand its offerings by selling coffee, tea, vegan ice cream flavors, and soft-serve ice cream. Owner and CEO Christina Torres took over Weckerly's in late 2023. Since then, she has expanded the business with a second location in the King of Prussia Mall. expand Weckerly's Ice Cream will open at 1600 Spruce St. next month. Weckerly's Ice Cream Malai's Philadelphia outpost will span 1,500 square feet and seat 15 people inside. The ice cream shop was founded in 2015 by Pooja Bavishi, a Pennsylvania native and winner of Food Network's Chopped Sweets competition. Bavishi will offer a new flavor, Cinnamon Honeybun, for the Philadelphia shop's opening. The ice cream flavor is inspired by Tastykake's Honey Buns. Quick bites: Cherry Hill Jewish delicatessen The Kibitz Room has opened its second location in King of Prussia. The 128 Town Center Road restaurant is open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. has opened its second location in King of Prussia. The 128 Town Center Road restaurant is open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Philadelphia-born chain Federal Donuts & Chicken opened its first location in South Jersey at 300 Route 73 S. in Marlton on Friday. The fried chicken, coffee and donut shop is the first of four locations for franchisees Mark Heinz and Debbie Grady, with another lease signed for an undisclosed location in Princeton. opened its first location in South Jersey at 300 Route 73 S. in Marlton on Friday. The fried chicken, coffee and donut shop is the first of four locations for franchisees Mark Heinz and Debbie Grady, with another lease signed for an undisclosed location in Princeton. Center City District's Sips returns for its 21st season on June 4. The popular summertime happy hour will run every Wednesday through Aug. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring food and drink discounts at dozens of bars and restaurants throughout the city. returns for its 21st season on June 4. The popular summertime happy hour will run every Wednesday through Aug. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring food and drink discounts at dozens of bars and restaurants throughout the city. Restaurateur Stephen Starr's Parisian outdoor eatery Café Click will reopen at the Comcast Center Plaza for the summer season on May 5. The cafe will serve lunch and dinner on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through October. will reopen at the Comcast Center Plaza for the summer season on May 5. The cafe will serve lunch and dinner on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through October. The Asian American Chamber of Commerce is launching a new 10-day initiative called Asian Eats. Running May 1-11, the program will include special food and beverage menus at restaurants throughout Philadelphia's Chinatown neighborhood, with the goal of highlighting neighborhood concepts during AAPI Heritage Month. In case you missed it: Sign up here for the Philadelphia Business Journal's free newsletters, and download our free app for breaking news alerts.
South China Morning Post
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong hosting World's 50 Best Bars is proof its drinks scene is on the up
It's an exciting time to be in Hong Kong for enthusiastic imbibers like myself. A few weeks ago, it was announced that the World's 50 Best Bars awards will be hosted in the city for the first time, on October 8. Advertisement Having previously hosted two editions of Asia's 50 Best Bars, in 2023 and 2024 (both at Rosewood Hong Kong), the city has been upgraded to welcome the world's finest bartenders, following in the footsteps of London, Barcelona, Singapore and Madrid. Not bad for a place that, post-pandemic, had struggled to convince wary tourists that we had some serious 'night vibes' going on. The image is helped by Hong Kong's own Bar Leone in Sheung Wan being crowned Asia's Best Bar in 2024, and runner-up in the world edition of the awards a few months later. It only seems fair to bring the party back to this side of the world. Bar Leone was awarded the best bar in Asia at the Asia's 50 Best Bars awards. Photo: World's 50 Best Bars And this year, when the world's most discerning drinkers descend upon Hong Kong, they'll have a new spot to flock to. Advertisement Timed perfectly for their arrival is a new project by Bar Leone's Lorenzo Antinori, who has teamed up with Simone Caporale of Barcelona's Sips, which was crowned World's Best Bar in 2023 and is currently ranked third.
