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Bartender Portrait: Phoe Mess
I sat down with Phoe Mess for this issue’s bartender portrait. Phoe and I have a known each other for over 10 years. We’ve mostly gotten to know each other as customers at some our favorite local bars, but she
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Employee vs. Apprentice: The Value of ‘How’ vs. ‘Why’
I barely remember Jerome Didier. I remember standing in an aisle of the grocery store where my father worked. I was staring at the collection of sewing thread, in every color imaginable. My dad was talking to Jerome. That’s it.
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Our Favorite Patios in Omaha 2017
With spring and summer making its appearance, patio season is now in full effect. The ability to enjoy some delicious food, beers and cocktails on a deck is, once again, ours for the taking. With that in mind, Food &
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Sodas in Which You May Not Be Entirely Aware Of: Kickapoo Joy Juice
Well, I have decided to write about Kickapoo Joy Juice, and I’m already regretting it. Sentence one, and I have all but given up hope. You see, usually there isn’t much documentation on these sodas I write about, so I
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Pesach Sameach! (Happy Passover!)
I remember vividly my first Passover Seder. I had been invited by dear friends, Lou and Rose Leviticus, into their home for this special Jewish celebration. It wasn’t terribly unlike many of the other nights I had spent with the
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Wine, a Melodrama: How They Got it All Wrong, but it Turned Out All Right
Act 1, Scene 1 It is a cool, foggy evening circa late 1970’s or early ‘80’s. The curtain rises. Mandolin music plays softly in the background. Somewhere in the back room of a secluded local restaurant in Napa, California sit
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Wine Recommendation: Varozza Vineyards
Every year, twice a year, I make it a point to attend the bi-annual fall and spring open house events at the Omaha Wine Company, in order to reunite with old friends in the industry, make new connections and, of
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Portrait of a Bartender: Aaron Halbert
This issue of Food & Spirits Magazine’s bartender profile features Aaron Halbert. Aaron has worked at a variety of places around Omaha and, most recently, is one of the co-owners of SamFam, LLC (along with his uncle, Ron Samuelson, and
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No Bubble Trouble
I am coming up on my 20-year anniversary as a bartender/hospitality professional, which has caused me to reflect on how much the beverage industry has changed in the Midwest during that time. Like many who enter the industry, I began
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2017 Omaha Happy Hour Map
Happy hour is a tradition and an excellent way to treat yourself after a long, hard day at work or to take it easy on a Saturday or Sunday. Omaha has a bar, restaurant or pub to suit every
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