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Rhode Island: Pub to open in Providence funeral home

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Owners plan bar in home’s garage

Source: WPRI

Tuesday, 21 Sep 2010

Providence city officials have granted a liquor license to the owner of an east side funeral home, clearing the way for the business to open an Irish pub inside.

Mark Russell, who operates Monahan Funeral Home, plans to convert a garage attached to the funeral home into a pub, which will be called McBride’s.

“Inside there will probably be seating for 55 to 60 people,” Russell tells Eyewitness News. “There will be a full kitchen. It will serve pub grub.”

Monahan Funeral Home is located in Wayland Square, in an area filled with high-end shops.

Area business owners tell Eyewitness News they aren’t thrilled with the idea of a bar opening up in the upscale area.

“We didn’t really want a bar, per se,” Wendy Brown said. “We didn’t want people to start drinking at nine in the morning then stay until two (in the morning).”

To keep his neighbors happy, Russell said he has agreed to several restrictions.

McBride’s will close earlier than other city establishments. It will shut down at 11 p.m. on weeknights and at midnight on weekends.

“Our reputation has been here in Wayland Square since 1934, and on the east side of Providence since 1876,” Russell said. “We’d never allow something to develop that would be adverse to the neighborhood.”

That is something neighbors tell us they can live with.

“New business for Rhode Island is important,” Brown said, referring to the state’s struggling economy and high unemployment rate.

Russell hopes to have McBride’s open by March 1, which would be just in time for St. Patrick’s Day

Iconic Crown Royal Bags Being Shipped to Troops Overseas

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It’s still purple! The iconic Crown Royal purple bag is heading to Afghanistan, but in camouflage

ATLANTA, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ — On their most important mission to date, camouflage-designed Crown Royal purple bags will be packed with gift items for America’s bravest, just in time for the holidays. The makers of Crown Royal, teaming up with non-profit Operation Troop Aid, is dispatching 10,000 of the specially designed bags to legal-drinking age troops on overseas deployment, including Afghanistan and Iraq. Volunteers in select events across the country will stuff the bags with personal care items, snacks and phone cards.

“I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for troops to be away from their family and friends, especially during the holidays,” said Yvonne Briese, Crown Royal Brand Director.  “We hope they like the CAMO-bags and that this small gesture shows we are thinking about them back home and wishing them a safe return.”

Included in the bag, service members will receive well-wishes in the form of a hand-written message from each member of the Crown Royal team, including NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth, legendary football coach Jimmy Johnson, along with thousands of Diageo employees and partners.

To kickoff the program, a special event was held earlier today in Atlanta at Piedmont Park.  During the event, hosted by legendary football coach and Crown Royal spokesperson Jimmy Johnson, the first Operation CAMO Care Packages were filled, and the parties unveiled a special mural that represents the program’s mission to ensure that soldiers serving abroad are reminded that those at home truly admire and acknowledge their on-going commitment to protecting this country.

“After traveling to Afghanistan last year, I witnessed first-hand the daily struggles experienced by our troops to keep this great country of ours safe, and it had a profound affect on me,” Johnson said. “When one of the troops opens a Crown Royal CAMO bag, I hope they crack a smile and are reassured that home is not that far away.”

Operation CAMO Care Package kits include personal care items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap, shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, disposable razor and sunscreen. Soldiers will also find snacks such as trail mix, peanuts, cookies and candies. Select units will also receive 120-minute international phone cards to call their loved ones.

For more information on Operation CAMO Care Package and Crown Royal’s commitment to supporting the military, visit http://www.crownroyalmilitary.com/ . Crown Royal reminds adult consumers to always please drink responsibly.

About Crown Royal

Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the US by value and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky’s smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. The Crown Royal Company is a primary sponsor of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford Fusion driven by Matt Kenseth. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal reminds adult consumers to always please drink responsibly.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).

For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Bartending For Dummies, 4th Edition

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IT’S BACK!

Bigger and better, BARTENDING FOR DUMMIES 4th EDITION

With over 1,000 up-to-date cocktail recipes, tips, and easy-to-follow instructions

Making Everything Easier!

The ONLY cocktail book you will ever need.

PLUS:

10 Crazy Cocktails You Really Ought To Try

  • Pickelback
  • S.O.B.
  • Meat & Potatoes
  • Zipperhead
  • Cement Mixer
  • PLUS 5 MORE!

10 Cocktails That May Not Go Down So Easy

  • Gold Furnace
  • Iguana
  • Mind Eraser
  • Oil Slick
  • Scorpion
  • AND 5 MORE!

The best fun, informative, and full coverage of cocktails and how to be a great bartender or mixologist at home or work!

ARE COCKTAILS TOO COMPLICATED

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The classic cocktails contain only two or three ingredients:
The martini (gin/vodka and vermouth)
The Manhattan (rye/bourbon and vermouth, and of course Angostura Bitters)
The Rob Roy (Scotch and vermouth)
The Rusty Nail (Drambuie and Scotch)
The Highball (rye and ginger ale)
Gimlet (vodka/gin and lime juice)
The Screwdriver (vodka and orange juice)
Rum and Cola
Scotch and water
And, of course, gin/vodka and tonic
In the late ’90s, cocktails started to change. Bartenders were no longer
bartenders. Some, not all (only those with PR teams) started calling
themselves ‘mixologist,’ ‘King Kocktail,’ bar-chef, Lady Libation, bartendrix
(WOW), Master Mixologist, Bar Guru, and more and more, while getting
less and less back in the making of great, popular recipes, and having a joke
or giving good service, even saying hello.
Some had little or no skill behind the bar. Some had never had any
experience behind a bar. Some just PR themselves or get free PR from
someone at the bar.
During the last ten or so years, the recipes became longer and longer. They
contained ingredients that could not be found behind any bar, but had to be
searched for high and low at gourmet shops!
Ingredients I found in cocktails on the internet: pumpkin spices, lemongrass
egg whites or whole eggs (to make foam, but very dangerous with the
salmonella virus). I see these cocktails in food magazines and internet sites.
I was informed by a public relations figure that the editors want drinks that
are hard. But do they want drinks that will be made into classics or sold in
bars? That is the question.
The PR firms may get you on the internet or in a magazine, but they are
not getting you behind bars or to the customers at the bars. They are not
becoming CLASSICS or trying to make a classic.
Now how about time to prepare? I talked to someone with over 30 years in
the business. They had a new product they were introducing in New York.
They went to a mixologist in a so-called ‘trendy,’ small restaurant downtown.
They asked the mixologist if he could make a Manhattan with the new
product. No problem! He was the Bar Chef and Master Mixologist of Trendy
Spot.
10 to 13 minutes later, he produces the Modern Manhattan. Did it taste like
a Manhattan? NO. Did it have vermouth? NO. It had an artichoke-based
Italian bitter aperitif. It had two different types of bitters, one an angostura
bitter, the other from some former bartender from England. This was all
muddled with two herbs in a bottle from behind his bar. One was cinnamon,
the other a home secret.
Did it taste great? NO. Would it help sell the new product? NO. Was the
Master Mixologist spreading his peacock feathers behind the bar? Of course.
Because this is the New Modern Manhattan! For Trendy Bar, U.S.A. The
New and only Modern Manhattan. Two drinks, one place. The end of the
Modern Manhattan.
I guess I know it’s a different challenge for a bartender to create a cocktail
with two or three ingredients than to fill a shaker with off-the-wall
ingredients that make the cocktail almost impossible to drink and to make.
The PR person would say, “But it looks good on paper and makes my client
happy to see his name in print.”
How about in a cocktail?
Life is complicated enough. Shouldn’t our cocktails be simple?

Entrepreneur Reveals America’s Best Bars for Business

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Story Also Pours Over The Rules of Engagement in Bar Negotiations

IRVINE, Calif., July 6 /PRNewswire/ — Where is business getting done in America?  Over cocktails.  In a publishing first, Entrepreneur magazine, in collaboration with Esquire magazine, reveals America’s best bars for business. The list and the accompanying stories appearing in the July issue of Entrepreneur magazine cover the ins and outs of the top 15 bars and the etiquette for getting the deal done (http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2010/july/207194.html).

“Finding a corner booth that substitutes well for the corner office is no flimsy pursuit. Choose the right bar and you’ve found the place to deepen a connection, make a pitch, close a deal–and, not least of all, enhance a client or prospect’s opinion,” says Amy Cosper, Editor in Chief at Entrepreneur. “But the refreshing ease that comes with clinking glasses can melt as quickly as crushed ice if the lights suddenly dim low and Lady Gaga starts blaring.”

According to Entrepreneur, the ingredients for a great business bar include discreet seating, friendly staff, compelling crowds, manageable din, full range of liquor, good lighting, good food and decent decor. Topping the list of bars that have the right recipe for business is One Flew South in Atlanta, Georgia.  What’s shocking is its address – Terminal E of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. That’s right, the airport. Rounding out the rest of Entrepreneur’s America’s Best Bars for Business list are:

—  The Chateau Marmont – Los Angeles
—  Al Biernat’s – Dallas
—  Miracle of Science Bar+Grill – Boston
—  Gilt – New York
—  Madera Lounge – Silicon Valley
—  Seasons Bar and Lounge – San Francisco
—  Proof – Washington, D.C.
—  Purple Cafe and Wine Bar – Seattle
—  The Living Room – Minneapolis
—  Sage – Las Vegas
—  Motel Bar – Chicago
—  Churchill Bar – Denver
—  Tria – Philadelphia
—  The Wild Turkey Bar & Lounge – Raleigh, N.C.

“I hate the office,” growls Doug Ellin, the creator and executive producer of the hit HBO series Entourage. “I’d much rather do meetings in a great bar, where people aren’t nervous and you can relax and be more creative.”

But knowing where to go is only half the battle. In the pages of Entrepreneur on America’s Best Business Bars, Esquire editor Ross McCammon tackles the sobering rules to drinking for success. The rules for engagement answer the most perplexing questions of:

—  When do you show up?
—  Where to sit (or stand)?
—  Beer, wine, whiskey or something with an umbrella?
—  Bottle or tap?
—  Order like others or chart your own course?
—  Pay or pee?
—  When to hit the business talk?
—  When to leave?

“Drinking is good for business when done the right way in the right place,” concluded Cosper, while sipping her own glass of whiskey after putting the July issue of Entrepreneur magazine to bed.

To learn more about the featured bars and rules of conduct for doing business in them, pick up a copy of the July issue of Entrepreneur on newsstands or visithttp://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2010/july/207194.html.

Atlanta bartender in Playboy

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Photo courtesy of Playboy.comPhoto courtesy of Playboy.com

Ashley Krystle serves ‘em strong at the Havana Club in Atlanta, and bares her secrets (and more) in the July edition of Playboy magazine. She was selected for the feature as part of Playboy’s “Hottest Bartender Search.”

In a Q&A with the magazine (since we know you read it for the articles) she reveals that club owners prefer to keep her front and center so patrons see her as soon as they arrive, and that she’s pretty friendly with the paying guests.

“It’s really cool,” she says in the article. “Most of the clientele are regulars and have become friends, so basically I get paid to hang out and do shots with my friends.”

Here’s her secret recipe for what she calls an A.M. shot, so named, she explained, because after you slam one, “you’ll want to party into the a.m.”

1 part Cîroc Red Berry

1 part Cîroc Coconut

Splash of simple syrup

Splash of sour mix

Splash of 7Up

Mix and serve in a shot glass

Thirsty? Drink up at one of these top 10 roofdeck bars

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roofdeck bar | Bartender.comIt’s been a long day, it’s hot outside, and you need a cold beverage – stat! Maybe you’re celebrating a good friend’s promotion, or commiserating over a failed board meeting. Whatever the reason, rooftop bars were created for a reason – to relax, rejoice and re-hydrate while taking in some of the best views. Here are the top 10 roofdeck bars not to be missed:

1. Sky Terrace, on the Hudson Hotel –New York, NY

The Sky Terrace is an outdoor bar featuring some of the most amazing views New York and the Hudson River. Grab a chair or hang in an hammock. Caveat: the rooftop is only accessible if you are staying in the hotel or know someone who is.

2. 230 Fifth Rooftop Garden – New York, NY
Another from the New York, NY area is the 230 Fifth Rooftop Garden. Situated in the heart of Manhattan this 22,000 square-foot rooftop bar can accommodate about 350 people. The rooftop has 1940s furniture surrounded by palm trees and fountains, giving it a most tranquil atmosphere. Order up some eats from the mostly Malaysian-influenced menu and sip on a specialty cocktails. The bar is open year round, and guests get complementary robes during the colder season.

3. Float, on the Hard Rock Hotel – San Diego, CA

In San Diego‘s Hard Rock Hotel lives the Float, featuring a comfortable bar, spacious pool deck for lounging and multiple fire-pits for keeping warm on those cold Southern Californianights.

4. Spire Bar & Lounge, on The Hotel – Miami, FL

The Spire Bar and Lounge is located in The Hotel in Miami, and is a great place for young spring breakers. Located in Miami’s Art Deco District this stylish bar offers great views of the Miami skyline and beach, both of which may be enjoyed with the bar’s extensive cocktail and tapas menus.

5. Rooftop Lounge, on The Townhouse Hotel – Miami, FL

Also in Miami is the Rooftop Lounge at the top of The Townhouse Hotel. During the day this is an excellent place to kick back and relax by the pool. At night, the roofdeck turns into one of South Beach’s great social hot spots. There are regular parties every Friday and Saturday nights with a maximum capacity of 250 people. The affordable drinks and panoramic views make this a rooftop you don’t want to miss.

6. Medjool Sky Terrace – San Francisco, California

Medjool Sky Terrace in San Francisco is the rooftop of the world-famous Medjool Restaurant. It Features a Mediterranean style tapas menu, cocktails, and breathtaking 360-degree views of San Francisco. Medjool Sky Terrace does not take reservations, so in order to take advantage of the bar and lounge it is best to arrive at a reasonable hour.

the peabody memphis default | Bartender.com7. The Peabody – Memphis, TN

A well known hotel for rooftop parties in Memphisis The Peabody. Playing host to parties for some 80 years now, The Peabody Hotel is a historical and elegant place, perfect for vacationers and residents, alike. The cover? A mere $5. The result? A night to remember in Memphis.

8. Sky Bar, The Hilton – Virginia Beach, VA

On the rooftop of the Virginia Beach Hilton is Sky Bar, offering exceptional views from the 21st floor. On a clear night, you can see all the way to North Carolina. Featuring a specially prepared menu, high-end beers, wines, and spirits and the infinity-edge pool, this is the perfect place to experience this hotel’s full beauty.

9. Above Beverly Hills, The Thompson Beverly Hills – Los Angeles, CA

Rising above the not-to-clean air of Los Angeles lies the Thompson Beverley Hills rooftop bar, located just off Rodeo Drive. Only to hotel patrons and their invited guests, this rooftop bar has become a favorite LA hot-spot for those looking out for the newest place to see and be seen. T

10. Highbar, The Gramercy Park Hotel – New York, NY

Nestled on the top of the world famous Gramercy Park Hotel is the Highbar. A likely place to see celebrities, this 18th floor New York terrace bar offers panoramic views of Manhattan. Open until 3 a.m. on weekends, the Highbar hosts drinks and simple foods, such as hot dogs and hamburgers.

The Naked Bartender® Prefers His Drinks All Natural

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After Grueling Competition, Carlo Romero Wins Hearts of Hostesses Everywhere and Earns the Title of Stirrings Naked Bartender

NEW YORK, June 25 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Stirrings, the line of all-natural mixers and bar ingredients, has found their man.  After a grueling finalist search all across the country in search for the country’s most “naked,” all-natural men and an all-out Stirrings Naked Bartender competition yesterday in New York, Stirrings has tapped Carlo Romero of San Diego, CA, as the official Stirrings Naked Bartender, a brand ambassador and official bartender who embraces the brand’s simple, fresh lifestyle and will tour the country helping Stirrings consumers serve simply better cocktails in the coming year.

During the Stirrings Naked Bartender competition, which happened yesterday at the Time Warner Center in New York, a panel of no-nonsense judges, including Celia Chen, Founder & Editor of Notes on a Party, and Joaquin Simo, a bartender at the ultra-chic New York City lounge, whittled down the competition. Six Naked Bartender hopefuls were scored on their creative and classic cocktail creation, a judges’ challenging Q&A and on-the-spot consumer questions.  But at the end of the day it was Carlo who won over the judges and the hearts of hostesses everywhere.

“We wanted to bring our lifestyle to life and demonstrate that Stirrings’ ever-growing portfolio makes it simple to create all-natural, world-class drinks,” said Jody Samuels Ike, Senior Brand Manager, Diageo Cocktails.  “The Naked Bartender will be the voice of the brand, spreading the word that better ingredients make better cocktails and that drinking and serving responsibly is simply better.”

“I’m extremely excited to tour the country on behalf of Stirrings as the Naked Bartender,” said Carlo Romero.  “My lifestyle is all about serving the best natural ingredients so I’m excited to encourage my fans to embrace the all-natural lifestyle as well.”

Consumers who miss out on The Naked Bartender event can still participate in all of the all-natural excitement.  Fans can visit Stirrings.com and the Stirrings Facebook page to view recipes, photos and video messages directly from The Naked Bartender.  In fall, 2010, the Naked Bartender also will tour the states, conducting cocktail demos and encouraging consumers to celebrate the all-natural lifestyle with Stirrings.

LeROY NEIMAN POURS HIS ART OUT FOR BARTENDER MAGAZINE

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LeRoy Neiman is arguably America’s most popular living artist. His unique talents have made his work so admired that he has brought art into the lives of millions of Americans.

In 1954, Neiman began his association with Playboy Magazine. Since 1960, he has traveled the world observing and painting leisure life, social activities and athletic competitions including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Kentucky Derby, championship boxing, PGA and the Masters golf tournament, Wimbledon, and other Grand Slam competitions, as well as night life, entertainment, jazz, and the world of casino gambling.

Neiman has received five honorary doctorates and numerous awards, a recent Lifetime achievement award from the University of Southern California, an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame®, and proclamations and citations. Most recently he has received The Order of Lincoln on the 200th birthday celebration of Abraham Lincoln given by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

LeRoy Neiman has authored twelve books of his art. A documentary on his jazz painting, “The Big Band,” had its world premiere in Los Angeles, February 2009. His work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian, the Whitney Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the State Hermitage Museum in Russia, Wadham College at Oxford and in museums and art galleries the world over, as well as in private and corporate collections.

BARTENDER Magazine is humbled to have the great LeRoy Neiman paint an original piece for the cover of our Spring issue.

The 25 Most Influential Cocktail Personalities of the Past Century

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The May/June 2010 issue cover story features the 25 Most Influential Cocktails of the Past Century. Compiling that list got us thinking about the people behind some of those cocktails, so we thought it only fitting to create a list of the 25 most influential cocktail personalities of the last 100 years. For this list, we considered the type of influence someone has had on the cocktail world as well as the duration of that influence—and keep in mind that these are people who have specifically influenced cocktail culture, not spirits. Whether they’ve created an iconic cocktail, spawned a cocktail trend or dedicated themselves to educating the public about the craft of cocktails, the following 25 people (listed alphabetically) have undoubtedly impacted the way we all drink cocktails today, and for that, we toast each of them.

Ray Foley
A former Marine and bartender, the always outspoken Ray Foley (no relation to Imbibe founder, Karen Foley) launched Bartender Magazine three decades ago, serving for a long stretch as one of the few magazines dedicated to bartending. He’s authored several bartending books (as well as a few joke books) and founded The Bartenders’ Foundation, a non-profit that raises scholarship money for bartenders and their families.

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