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Congratulations!
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Our Newest Staff Member Has Arrived - Ella Grace Lannen by Ryan
About 6 weeks ago, we announced the birth of my daughter Emersyn Rose and
today, it gives me much excitement to announce that Emersyn is going to
have a lifelong playmate. We didn't plan it this way either.
Jimmy
and Trisha welcomed their 2nd daughter, Ella Grace, into the
world on August 21st. We got to meet Ella last week when she made her
first appearance at the Uptown. She looks just like her father!
This
means that Jimmy has two daughters and I have one daughter, so after
working with women all day on the floor at the Uptown, we go home and
spend the rest of our time with............... more women! It's been 6
weeks for me and a lot longer for Jimmy, but I know we wouldn't have it
any other way.
Jimmy and I are going to enjoy watching our daughters
grow up together. It's kind of exciting knowing that someday both of
them could be running around this place with their Uptown t-shirts
bussing tables together. I just hope that day doesn't come too quickly!
Congratulations Jimmy and Trisha. She is beautiful.
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Thank You Veterans
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Local World War II Vets Mark 65th Anniversary of the End of the War With Honor Flight by Ray and Ryan
From Ray,
Last Thursday was the 65th anniversary of the signing ceremony marking Japan's surrender in World War II. I am an avid reader of World War II history
and the politics that led up to it. My father in-law, Jim Barto, is a
World War II veteran. What fascinates me
about WWII, is how did something so terrible happen, what could have been
done
to prevent it, and most of all the incredible sacrifice of the "Greatest Generation".
Some of the old timers have told me that over a thousand of Spring
Valley's four thousand residents served, which is over one quarter of the town.
I
am incredibly proud of my father-in-law's service. In the winter of
1943, he was a senior in high school. He enlisted in the winter but wanted
to finish his basketball season before leaving for boot camp on the east
coast. In June as he was making his way to the Pacific coast, he just
happened to be passing through town during high school graduation. He
tells the story about how he did not want to go to the graduation
because he did not have suit to wear. His mother made him go and he
graduated high school in his navy uniform, on his way to war being just
18 years old. I would give anything for a picture from that night but as
far as I know none exist.
He served on the USS Nashville from 1943 to 1946. The Nashville
was one of two ships in the entire U.S. Navy that survived the war from the
beginning all the way until the end. His ship was hit by kamikazes twice in
which he narrowly escaped becoming a casualty. They took General
MacArthur back to the Philippines. The Nashville was also the ship that
was originally selected for Japan's surrender ceremony.
After the opening of the World War II Memorial
in Washington D.C in 2004, a group started what they called honor
flights. The purpose of these flights were to take veterans to see the
memorial that honored them which was so incredibly long over due. The
average veteran was in their mid 80s by then and time was running out.
This past Memorial Day, I was at a service in Spring Valley
at which Senator Gary Dahl spoke about being a guardian on an honor
flight. He talked about what a wonderful experience it was and how when
they returned to the Quad City
airport at midnight, there was over a thousand people there to greet the returning heroes.
When
my father in-law told me he was selected to go on an honor flight I
offered to take him to the orientation. I took him and one of his
friends, William Miller, who served in the Air Force, to Davenport for the session which
answered all their questions and got them all to fall back into
formation. Every veteran has a guardian assigned to them to help them
get through what is a very very long day, especially when you are well
over 80. I was touched that when they were asked how many of them had
not flown in the last 15 years more than 1/3 raised their hands. They
had to cover the new rules of flying. And yes they still have to follow
the same rules as everyone else. Also notable was that more than half of
them were starting the day in a wheel chair and the spokes person was
quite sure several others would
need one by the end of the day.
Honor Flight of the Quad Cities
has done 10 of these flights. The jets are chartered and they have the
737 for the entire day. This particular flight on Tuesday, September 7th
is the first time they have done back to back flights. They also have
one on Wednesday the 8th. About 160 of them, including guardians leave
at 6am. After they arrive, 3 buses take them to all of the major
monuments including the most important,
the one honoring them. They return to the Quad Cities to what sounds
like a rousing reception around 10pm.
From Ryan,
We arrived at the Quad Cities airport not knowing what to expect. As
soon as we pulled into the airport parking lot there was a mini caravan
of Harley Davidson's all with American Flags proudly flying from them.
As we walked into the terminal it was evident that this was a big deal.
To my best estimation there were close to 1000 people in the terminal
waiting for husbands, dads, grandpas, great grandpas, friends and WWII
veterans. At least half had an American Flag. There were two TV stations there. A legion group took tall
American Flags and formed a tunnel, kind of like a tunnel you might see
at a high school football game. They played 40's music and even had a
bagpipe player. A former veteran announced their arrival and each
Veteran on the flight went through the tunnel to an arousing applause
and display of gratitude. It was a very moving event! There were several
people with tears in their eyes.
On the way home with Grandpa and two other Veterans, William Miller and
Jake Bardo, the gentlemen said geez, "we never got a welcome quite like
that when we came home from the service." It was a well deserved welcome
for everything these veterans have done and sacrificed over the course
of their lives. It has to be a wonderful feeling to know that their
efforts are so much appreciated. They are, "The Greatest Generation,"
and we owe them more than we can give. Thank you for your service.
A few facts about Honor Flights....... -Rising health care costs have wiped out the life savings of most veterans -Most veterans lack the finances, physical strength, endurance and aptitude to travel alone outside the area -Most veterans have elderly spouses that cannot be left alone for more than one day -1200 members of the "Greatest Generation" die every day -The average life expectancy is 74 and the youngest World War II veteran is 79 -The program started in 2005 with 6 airplanes and 12 veterans -They receive no government funding at all -In 5 to 10 years almost all World War II veterans will
be gone -The overwhelming majority of World War II veterans have waited over 60 years for their memorial and will not live to see it -There are 71 hubs in 39 states -18,000 veterans have made the trip so far, all safely -There are 6,000 still on the national waiting list -$550 will pay the way of one veteran
To donate, find out more, or even take a trip and welcome our heroes home one night go to www.honorflightqc.org
To see a video of their homecoming, click the link below Veterans Homecoming
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Things to do in the Illinois Valley |
Boggio's Orchard and Produceby Jimmy
The seasons have changed and it is now time for fall produce. Over the course of the past 5 years, I have always brought my family to Tanners Orchard in Speer, Illinois to buy our family pumpkins. This is a large family owned and operated orchard and produce farm that is just north of Peoria. I keep going year after year to Tanners because of the variety of produce and activities available for young children. You can pretty much spend a whole day with your family while shopping for apples, pumpkins, pies, jams and other autumn produce. Although this is an excellent place to take the family on a weekend, this past year, I brought my family to Boggio's Annual Pumpkin Harvest Craft show in Granville. This is also a large family owned and operated orchard and produce farm, but this is right here in the Illinois Valley area. It had been years since I had visited Boggio's but they have everything for a fun filled day with your children, and you don't have to drive an hour away. There are pumpkins and apples to pick, animal rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and playground equipment. For the adults, the orchard includes freshly picked produce, bakery, and a craft store. Spend a day out there and get that autumn season feeling. I enjoyed my day out there at Boggios, and I suggest those that have never been there to go check it out. On the last weekend in September they hold a craft show. It goes on from 9 am till 5 pm both Saturday and Sunday. With over 50 crafters, the craft show is a great place to find those fall decorations you were looking for, even children's crafts. Each booth offers different types of crafts for different types of people. No two booths will be the same. For more information on Boggio's Orchard and Produce click on the link below.
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Employee Updates
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September Birthdays and Anniversaries
Birthdays Chris Plankenhorn Craig Bartlett Geoff Heijl Jeff Boyd Andrea Neff
Anniversaries Jen Love - 8 years Mary Halberg - 14 years Kristen Eustis - 4 years Marlee Giacometti - 1 year Debbie Claudnic - 7 years Erick Raya - 2 years Sheila Powell - 1 year
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Around the Industry
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Food Lover Links by Ray
What should it cost to cut the cake? Ten bucks a person?
So-called "cakeage" fees charged by restaurants when diners bring in their own confections to put the finishing touch on birthday celebrations help eateries recoup expenses for serving food they haven't sold, writes Inside Scoop's Michael Bauer. What constitutes a reasonable fee may be up for debate, Bauer says, but restaurants shouldn't take diners by surprise -- communicating the policy and additional charges at the beginning will go far toward staying in patrons' good graces. Read More ; InsideScoop
CSPI: "Super-sized" portions are the new normal The customer gets what the customer wants.
Portions that restaurants serve as "regular" are actually at least twice the size of the government's definition of a serving, according to nutritionists with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The advocacy group says consumers concerned about their waistlines should stop midway through the portion when dining out on a host of dishes, including burgers, steaks and pasta. Read more ; USA today Trouble at Tony Packo's Looks like another dining landmark is on it's way out.
Thanks to the enduring popularity of TV sitcom M*A*S*H, Toledo, OH, restaurant Tony Packo's has worldwide name recognition to go along with a 73-year track record of solid operations. It's a level of stability that any operator would envy, but it's not quite enough for lender Fifth Third Bank, which is foreclosing on the place. If you think a bottomless well of free publicity means smooth sailing for a restaurant, think again.Read more ; hospitality.com
Food fights: Locavores, conventional food fans battle over benefits- Is Locavores the new buzz word? Find out what it means.A growing chorus of writers, politicians and bloggers is challenging the locavore movement, painting it as naive and elitist at best and dangerous to the livelihood of conventional commodity farmers at worst. Read more ; chicagotribune.com
July brings 4th month of declining restaurant sales - Please make it stop. Sales at 44% of U.S. restaurants fell in July, as consumers continued belt tightening amid an uncertain economy, according to new data from the National Restaurant Association. Some, including Ryan Dudley who owns the Cellar in Fullerton, Calif., say deep discounts and Groupon deals were the only way to keep customers coming through the door. Read more ; LAtimes Is it a bar or a restaurant? - Introducing the restobar? A fundamental shift seems to be going on in restaurants. As with life, things keep getting more casual and the line between a bar and restaurant continues to blur. Read more ; Insidescoop |
Not Your "Everyday" Specials |
Friday Nights, Seafood Mixed Grill It includes a 4 oz lobster tail with drawn butter, 4 oz salmon filet with basil cream, and 4 oz whitefish parmesan with lemon caper butter. All for only $19.75
Monday Nights, Steak Diane Every Monday after 4 pm, we will be serving Steak Diane for $13.75. This will be just like the Red Door Inn. With Victor's stamp of approval.
Wienerschnitzel Every Wednesday after 4pm, we will be serving authentic German Wienerschnitzel. Served with roasted asparagus, spaetzel and veal demi glaze it is only $11.75.
Sunday, All Day, Sizzling Sunday Fajita and Margaritas You get a chicken fajita for two with a 64 ounce pitcher of margaritas for only $20! Imagine this on a Sunday afternoon on the patio or at a sidewalk table with the sunshine and a nice breeze! No, your not in Cabo, but it sure feels like it!
A Lamb Lovers DelightEvery Saturday night after 4pm we will be serving slow roasted herb crusted leg of lamb with mint demi glaze. It will be served with our mashed potato of the day and roasted cauliflower topped with parmesan cheese. $19.50Prime RibAvailable after 4pm every Friday and Saturday night is our herb crusted prime rib of beef. Our prime rib is slow roasted for several hours in our 1980's alto shaam. It is served with au jus, mushrooms and your choice of side dish.
Available in 12oz $18.75 or 16oz $21.75 |
On Special This Week |
Roasted Beet Salad Topped with Salemville Bleu Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and a Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette
Tune Poke
Blackened Chicken and Bowtie Pasta Salad
Panini Sandwich with Madrange Ham, Stone Ground Mustard and Aged Gruyere Cheese
Sauteed Halibut Cheeks Over Anglehair Pasta
Broiled Escolare Steak Served With a Roasted Red Pepper Butter and Sauteed Arugula
Salmon and Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
10oz Lobster with Roasted Cauliflower and Mashed Potatoes Roasted Cauliflower
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Win a Free Lunch
| Foodie Fight Free Lunch Contest by Jimmy
Each week in the newsletter we will ask 3 questions from the foodie fight cards. The first person to email us (see link below) the correct answers to all 3 questions will receive a complimentary lunch. The winner has to have the correct answer for all 3 questions, no exceptions! The following week we will publish the correct answers and the winner of the previous week. So come in and have a drink, study the cards, test each other and have fun. Good Luck!
1. What Italian high-alcohol, after-dinner drink is made from the residue of pressed grapes?
2. What dish, often served at high tea, is the English version of the American grilled-cheese sandwich?
3. What cow's milk blue cheese is England's "king of cheeses"?
email your answers to [email protected]
Fine Print... You must be the first person to respond with all three correct answers. The response must go to the email address in the above link. You must reply within 24 hours from the time the newsletter is published. Participants are eligible to win a limit of 3 times a year.
Last Week questions and answers....
1. What herb can taste like soap to a person with a particular saliva enzyme? Cilantro
2. What has contributed to ocean pollution, habitat destruction, and loss of food sources for wild fish? Fish Farming or Aquaculture
3. What has the highest sugar content of all vegetables and comes in varieties that are red, purple, white, gold, or striped? Beets
Last weeks winner of the free lunch ... Steve Wrocynski
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Uptown Playlist Theatre
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Upcoming Shows
Griffin House
Sunday October 3rd Tickets Sold Out
Johnny A
Friday October 15th Tickets Available Now
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Uptown Grill 601 First St. La Salle, Il 61301 815-224-4545 Mon - Thur 11 am to 10pm - Fri & Sat 11 am to 11 pm Sun Noon to 10 pm Uptowngrill.com
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You can read all of our past UPtown UPdates by clicking the link below. UPtown UPdate Archives |
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Email Policy
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Uptown respects your privacy and will not sell or distribute your personal information.
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