Apps for Autism!

All day on Friday, April 1st, order any appetizer and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks as part of their Light It Up Blue campaign. We will also be lighting up the atrium with blue lights and donning blue for the cause.

 

In celebration of the fourth annual World Autism Awareness Day, Light It Up Blue seeks, "to shine a light on autism by raising awareness in communities across North America." Over the evenings of April 1 and 2, important buildings around the world will be turning their lights blue for the cause! Additionally, many individual communities, businesses, and even just families will be hosting their own events to raise awareness as well as funds for Autism Speaks.

Affecting one in every 110 children (and one in every 70 boys), autism prevalence figures continue to grow. Founded in 2005, Autism Speaks is now the United States' largest autism science and advocacy organization. Autism Speaks remains, "Dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families."

So join us in supporting this great cause by ordering Beef Skewers or Calamari, Walleye Fingers or Crab Cakes, Diablo Bites or Shrimp Cocktail, or make a dinner of it and share several Apps for Autism!

Around the World with Chateau Ste. Michelle - RESCHEDULED

Stay tuned for our next food and wine experience. In June, Woolley's will be hosting an Around the World casual Food & Wine Experience with Chateau Ste. Michelle.

The wine will be served with four, region-inspired buffets as well as a cheese course during the reception! Space is limited, and the cost will be $45 per person (not including tax and gratuity).

The wines to be sampled (by region) include:

Washington 

Eroica Riesling

Northstar Merlot

California (Napa)

Antica Chardonnay 

Antica Cabernet

Italy (Bolgheri, Tuscany)

Guado al Tasso Vermentino

Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato

New Zealand

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Villa Maria "Taylor's Pass" Pinot Noir

If you would love to see more "experiential" dining like this, let us know, and we'll see what we can do! 

St. Paddy's Day the Woolley's Way

We're loving the warm weather this week's brought. Plus, it's St. Patrick's Day tomorrow! Spring is well on its way.

In order to spread the fun around and share the day with our favorite friends and guests, we've come up with some delicious St. Paddy's Day specials. (Lucky you!)

Lunch Specials

Fish & Chips - $12

Beer-battered Alaskan Pollock and homemade chips served with malt vinegar and tartar sauce

Shepherd's Pie - $12

Rich brown gravy with braised lamb meat and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and Parmesan cheese

Dinner Specials

Corned Beef & Cabbage - $16.95

Traditional Irish dinner of boiled corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes

Rack of Lamb - $29

Grilled rack of lamb served with an Irish whiskey sauce, potato pancakes, and baked carrots

Drink Specials (6pm - 12am)

Pints of O'Hara's Irish Stout - $2.50

Jameson Drinks - $3

Black n' Tans - $3

We hope to see you tomorrow! If not, here's an Irish blessing to tide you over until we meet again. 

May the sun shine, all day long,

everything go right, and nothing wrong.

May those you love bring love back to you,

and may all the wishes you wish come true!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Oh, and while we're thinking spring, we're in the process of putting together our new lunch menu! Leave a comment if there are certain items you'd like to see on the menu, or even if there's anything we could do better lunch-wise. We'd love to hear from you!

15th Annual Diamond Service Awards

"Providing outstanding customer service is key to ensuring repeat business and growth for the Bloomington hospitality industry." Put on by the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Diamond Service Awards are a great way to recognize the individual contributors to our collective success as a destination community.

Employees in the tourism, hospitality, and retail trades are nominated in categories based on their job function. The seventeen categories encompass guest relations positions for everything from reservations agents, drivers, housekeepers, and retail associates to servers, bartenders, hosts, and maintenance professionals. Staged like an awards show, one winner from among the nominated finalists wins per category.

This year's Diamond Service Awards will be held on Sunday, March 13, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel Minneapolis South. From among our wonderful staff, it was so tough to narrow it down to 11 nominees! Not that we were surprised, but when six of the eleven nominees made it to finalists, we couldn't have been prouder!

Please join us in celebrating the following 2011 Diamond Service Award nominees (and finalists)!

FINALIST: Bethany Berry

FINALIST: Mauricio Condo

FINALIST: Laura Gomez

FINALIST: Danis Fuentes

FINALIST: Natalie Sasseville

FINALIST: Grandma Sue Miller

Juliana Feltrin

Jose Fuentes

Nae Lee

Paco

Roxanne Winfield

Hannah Worthington

Jose Yepez

We'll keep you posted as to how our wonderfully deserving team members fare on Sunday!

What does your industry do to reward your top performers and encourage positive guest experiences? Is it similar to an awards show style setting like the Diamond Service Awards or does your company do something specific? We'd love to hear from you!

Fire Up Those Grills!

"Beef, it's what's for dinner." rings out in your mind as your senses are tantalized. The sizzle of the grill pure music to your ears, while your nose takes in that glorious aroma wafting in from under the lid. 'Tis that wonderful and short-lived time known to Midwesterners as Grilling Season.

Grilled meat, from hamburgers and hot dogs, to steak, pork-loins, and ribs, can bring a grown man to tears of joy. Add in grilled accompaniments, such as vegetables, corn on the cob, and even pineapple, and you've got yourself a full-on feast, that's easy to prepare and a snap to clean up!

Become a master-griller this summer and impress your neighbors and friends. Thanks to Certified Angus Beef, grilling mastery is close at hand. From their handy beef cuts chart:

to their Grilling Guide, grilling beef is a snap! Simply access their Grilling Guide, and click on the link for the cut of beef you would like to cook. Let's say for example, I would like to make Beef Kabobs, (a grilling favorite in my neck of the woods). I simply click on the link for Beef Kabobs and voila! I am presented with background information about beef kabob meat (i.e. the cut, etc.), and several recipes to choose from for my desired method of preparation!

Kudos to Certified Angus Brand for coming up with such a great tool for finding new recipes for the grill this summer, or even just as an answer to that ever-haunting nightly question, "What's for dinner?"

Happy Grilling!