food beverage Archives - Page 2 of 5

Red Stag Supperclub in Minneapolis is closing

Posted on02/04/202508/08/2023Author

This month is the last for Red Stag Supperclub, a restaurant that has served hearty, homey fare in Northeast Minneapolis for 15 years.

Opened in 2007 by restaurateur Kim Bartmann, Red Stag was a prominent example of the trendy Twin Cities supper club with a mid-century Wisconsin vibe, adapted most recently by The Apostle Supper Club across from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Red Stag announced the closure last month, writing on Instagram that the “restaurant business has been challenged since the onset of COVID-19, and in turn, the changing of consumer habits.”

“These challenges have affected how all restaurants do business,” the post continued.

The restaurant will serve its final meals on Dec. 31 but is continuing regular service — including weekly events such as Friday fish fries and Sunday chicken dinners — until then. Red Stag is also hosting a holiday craft market on Dec. 11.

Bartmann’s business practices during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic landed her in hot water with Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office. Following a state investigation into alleged wage theft, Bartmann’s company was required to repay more than $230,000 to employees last year. In response to continued criticism earlier this year when Bartmann was named a semifinalist for a James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurateur, she blamed the backlash on “double standards” and “misogyny.” Bartmann’s restaurant group, Placemaker Hospitality, did not return a request for comment.

As Red Stag closes, Placemaker Hospitality is making other moves in Minneapolis. After the Italian spot Amore Uptown closed last month, Bartmann bought the space — which is located across Lake Street from another restaurant of hers, Barbette — and she plans to reopen an Italian restaurant there in the near future.

Bartmann also operates the Minneapolis restaurants Book Club, Tiny Diner, Gigi’s Cafe and Pat’s Tap, and the concession stand Bread & Pickle at Lake Harriet. She also helped open Kyatchi in Lowertown, which closed earlier this year.

Red Stag Super Club: 509 1st Avenue NE, Minneapolis; 612-767-7766; www.redstagsupperclub.com/

Macon bar fights date rape with drug test coasters

Posted on10/01/202508/08/2023Author

Brandon Lawler says it’s hard to know if drugging drinks are happening for sure. So he ordered coasters that test for two common date rape drugs.

MACON, Ga. — Every now and then, it’s fun to go out with your friends and grab a cocktail! However, it can take just one unattended drink to be taken advantage of.

That’s why one Macon bar is taking a shot at helping folks protect themselves from date rape drugs.

“We have a lot of live music, we’re open six days a week. We do a lot of great cocktails,” said the owner of JBA Bar and Venue Brandon Lawler.

Lawler says they opened their doors in 2019 and around 400 people walked through their doors on the weekends. He says, as a nightlife business, some crime is bound to happen.

“Drugging drinks, date rape drugs,” Lawler said. “I would say we haven’t had a direct issue here, but we have heard of issues in the downtown area over the past year or so.”

Lawler says it’s hard to know if drugging drinks is happening for sure. He says there should be a way for folks to know in a simple way, so he reached out to Drink Safe Technology– a Florida-based company– and created coasters that test for two common date rape drugs.

“There are two tests per coaster. You’re supposed to get a drop of your drink and you put one drop on each of the A and B of one test, and you kind of smear it around, and make sure that it absorbs in those spots and let it dry,” Lawler said.

He says if the dot stays white, and doesn’t change in color, it’s a negative test. If the dot turns blue you should dump out the drink.

“You can take these in your pocket, your purse. If you’re here and you’re going to another place, you know, take it with you. To make people more comfortable and safe not just here but everywhere,” Lawler said .

Kayra Hoyle grew up in Macon.

“I think it’s a wonderful show of taking care of Macon’s women,” she said.

Hoyle says it’s great that JBA is helping women ease their worries.

“I have a 25-year-old daughter and I am thrilled to see that she will have this available to her,” Hoyle said.

Aryan Grush has been working as a bartender downtown Macon for the last six months.

“This should’ve been a thing a long time ago,” Grush said.

She says she has to constantly monitor women’s drinks when they go to the bathroom, or to mingle because it’s easy to take advantage of.

“You can’t even be holding it and looking in the opposite direction talking to someone because it’s, boop, that simple,” Grush said.

She says this should be widely available.

“This needs to be everywhere. I think every girl should have one in her pocket. It should be at the bar on the counter so you can grab it. It should be discrete.”

According to Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, some symptoms of being drugged with these substances can be difficulty breathing, feeling drunk when little alcohol has been consumed, nausea, loss of memory and more.

Lawler says the coasters are free for folks to ask for and take. He says he would eventually love these tests to be in all drinking establishments in Macon.

He says if any other businesses would like to reach out to him for more information about the coasters, contact him at [email protected].

Lakers fan Annika Hutsler chugs beer out of her prosthetic leg in viral video

Posted on24/12/202408/08/2023Author

US Marine Corps veterans Annika Hutsler took off her prosthetic leg and chugged a beer out of it at the Lakers-Pacers game on Monday – and the crowd went wild.

The now-viral stunt was captured on the Jumbotron at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Hutsler was named “Fan of the Game.” She also received a $100 gift card.

“I won the fan of the game for drinking out of my leg,” Hutsler wrote on his Instagram Story, including a photo of an envelope containing the award.

In video footage, which was shared by ESPN Los Angeles, Hutsler can be seen holding her prosthetic leg in the air while resting her leg on a railing. At one point, she pulls a cup of beer out of the prosthetic and chugs it while fans cheer her on.

US Marine Corps veteran Annika Hutsler took off her prosthetic leg and chugged a beer out of it at the Lakers-Pacers game on Monday.

It was perhaps the only thing Lakers fans had to cheer about, as the team blew a 17-point lead on the way to a loss to the Pacers, 116-115.

Hutsler, who was enlisted in the USMC in 2017, had her right leg amputated in April 2019 after multiple procedures due to a tumor in her foot. She medically retired from the USMC in Jan. 2020.

Now, Hutsler works various jobs in modeling, acting, and sports, including coaching and training. The veteran — who goes by the name “Annika The Amputee” on social media — also models for women’s fitness apparel brand, Athleta.

Hutsler won silver medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter wheelchair races at the US Department of Defense Warrior Games.

Last year, TikTok user Shannon Frandreis went viral after she caught a ball with her prosthetic leg at a Chicago White Sox game.