Renee Hesse, of Plaza Discount Liquors in Alexandria, was recently honored and presented the Patriot Award by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Hesse was nominated for this award by one of her employees, Specialist Mackenzie West.

This award recognizes supervisors and bosses nominated by a Guardsman or Reservist employee for support provided directly to the nominator.

Pictured (r to l) is SPC Mackenzie West, Renee Hesse and Don Nolting, ESGR area representative.   

Click Here for More Information on the Award  

This issue celebrates all that is fabulous about the local dining scene, so I have a thought or two on how some restaurants can be even more fabulous.

First, restaurants, keep your bathrooms up to snuff. Nothing annoys me more than going to a restaurant I frequent often-perhaps for years-and the restroom is worn and tired.

C'mon, how much does it cost to apply a fresh coat of paint? Or

to trash dusty decorative accessories? Repair the broken door hooks? Redo nasty grout?  

We all know the importance of a tidy powder room in our homes; I expect the same when I'm a guest of a restaurant. Yes, I'm there for the food, but a lousy bathroom leaves a bad taste.

Knowledgeable wait staff is also important. I was at a neighborhood restaurant near downtown Minneapolis last summer. I hadn't had lunch, it was late in the afternoon, and I needed a little "something."  

The kitchen wasn't fully open, so there were only a few items available. I ordered a cheese plate.  

As I made my way through the different cheeses, honey, meats, and fruits, I pondered each bite, wondering which cheese the chef intended for the honey and which for the apple. I experimented in search of winning combinations.

Finally my server checked back in, and I asked about the cheeses. He said he didn't know. There was no one in the kitchen, so he just grabbed stuff that he thought looked good and created a plate from what he could find.  

That gave me quite a chuckle. It reminded me that not all is what it seems.

On the flip side, I love servers who guide me effortlessly through the menu making suggestions and steering me to something l might not try.

It's obvious they have insights from the kitchen and have tried the dishes. My life is filled with making decisions, so it's a treat to have someone just order for me. And a great server rarely steers you wrong.