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link: FoodieHeadquarters.com
You can find local wine tastings, dinner events, and cooking classes.
related link:
LocalWineEvents.com
excerpt:
“But $1 extra because you don’t want ice in your martini? Frank Sinatra is rolling over in his grave.This unexpected charge recently was noted by William Dowd, associate editor of the Times-Union in Albany, N.Y. Though rare, it has been spotted at bars and restaurants across the country.
Dowd got dinged on a recent evening at the Water’s Edge Lighthouse in Glenville, N.Y., after ordering martinis at the start and end of the evening. “When I got the itemized bill, it said ‘Two Grey Goose martinis: $18’ and then later on ‘Two Grey Goose martinis: $20.’ ”
The waitress happily explained that she had simply forgotten to add the ‘up charge’ to the first set of drinks. He had ordered the drinks “up” and not on the rocks.”
source: “The $1 ‘straight up’ charge has drinkers all stirred up” by Elizabeth Weise (USA Today, 7/28/06)
excerpt:
“A new revolution is brewing here.It doesn’t represent the worldwide impact of that squabble with the British 230 years ago. And save for one cheese steak purveyor, this development is far less controversial.
Still, passions are high. Philadelphia, you see, has gone nuts about food.
…Amada illustrates Philadelphia’s culinary revolution. Like so many other eateries here, it’s packed nightly with diners in their 20s and 30s. Wednesdays and Fridays are particularly festive; between bites of serrano ham and cantaloupe, revelers enjoy flamenco-dancing shows.
Philadelphia also has emerged into the nation’s hottest “BYOB” destination, with an estimated 175 restaurants now inviting diners to bring wine, beer or liquor — and many charging no fee to open and serve it. Even Perrier, whose Le Bec-Fin wine list is renowned, has introduced a BYOB in the next block, Brasserie Perrier.”
source: “No shots fired for this food revolution” by Harry Shattuck (Houston Chronicle, Jun.30,2006)
related links:
BYOBGuide.com
BYOB’s in Philly
posted on WaiterBell (Mar.13,2006)
excerpt:
“Ohio wine lovers will be able to take a partially consumed bottle of wine home with them from a restaurant or winery beginning Sept. 20. Gov. Bob Taft signed the new law, dubbed the “Merlot to Go” bill, June 20.“The law is a tip of the hat to common sense,” Winchell said. “Its provisions are clear and straightforward so that wineries and restaurants can easily comply, and consumers will clearly understand their responsibilities.”
Prior to allowing a patron to leave with an open bottle, the seller must securely reseal it so that it is “visibly apparent if the bottle has been subsequently opened or tampered with,” according to the bill’s text. The buyer may then place the bottle in the trunk of a vehicle or behind a back seat – out of the driver’s reach.”
source: “Merlot To Go” by Justin Maynor (News Herald, Jun.27,2006)
To find out if your state has “Merlot-To-Go” Laws, click here (provided by WineDoggyBag.com)
excerpt:
“Most bar patrons have severe misconceptions about the actual lives of bartenders—who we are, what we do and why we do it. Also, remember that the interaction between bartender and customer is a delicate one; it’s both an economic and a social relationship that has stood the test of time. Most other relationships in life are fleeting but, if managed properly, the partnership between drinkers and their bartenders is sacred.Consider this a pocket-size operating manual for our mutual good times. And, if these points are taken to heart, we can continue to raise our collective glasses and toast to our long, drunken future together.
So forget all those third-person fluff pieces you’ve read everywhere else. Here it is: the plain truth about bartending, from someone who knows.”
source: “The Barman Speaks” by Ryan Osterbeck (MetroActive, Jun.21,2006)
WaiterBell Blog: In the Restaurant Customer Service Business 