I will admit that I was a little late to hop onto the Michael Buble' train. Of course I've heard the name for years, but I tend to gravitate toward the original tracks of all the greats rather than remakes and remixes. I'm not trying to sound like a snob, I just love the old crackles and pops of the recordings of Sinatra, Nina, and Redding etc.
However, a couple of months ago I stumbled across his 2006 release "It's Time" at Half Priced Books for under ten bucks and thought it was steal. It didn't take long for me to appreciate the croonings of the Canadian born singer and start scooping up his other albums as well.
Mr. Buble' has been off of the radar since 2007 but has put himself back in the game this summer with a two disc CD/DVD combo called "Michael Buble' meets Madison Square Garden". The package includes a 10 track CD with a DVD documentary as well as the behind-the-scenes buildup and performance of his Madison Square Garden concert. The performance not only spotlights Buble's obvious vocal ability but he also shines as an entertainer, connecting with his audience and stagemates. Fully loaded with a big band, the live tracks feature a few of Sinatra's classic favorites including "I've Got the World on a String" and Buble's co-written original "Home".
All in all, it's simply an example of a great singer doing what he does best during his first performance in one of the most desired venues in the world. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes intimate moments where Buble' talks about everything that led up to the big event. There are a few clips available on his site michaelbuble.com if you want a tasty preview and two-disc combo is available online for less than $30 bucks.
Liz Williams
Live Music Director
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
In support of technology
I don't consider myself a techno geek but I will admit to owning one of the early cellular phones (The Brick). I am also a big fan of PC Banking/Bill Payment and have done so for over 20 years.
In the restaurant business, I am a big proponent of Point-Of-Sale systems. They help streamline an operation, provide better records and enable everyone to communicate with each other. When a POS is working properly, the business just hums and I am thankful that we have a great POS here at Mercy.
I just recently returned from a few days of vacation and used my time away from Mercy to visit friends in the cooler climate of New York State. For those of you that are required to travel often for business, my hat goes off to you. After witnessing the inefficiencies, first-hand, of the automated baggage kiosks and online booking of seat assignments, I can only imagine the mistreatment the frequent flyer is subjected to.
The airline that I had the misfortune of using for my flight had no "automated" record of my reservation. So, I was unable to use their baggage kiosk for checking in. While standing in line to wait my turn to check baggage, it appeared that I was not the only person with that issue. Only one out of four attempts at self-check in was met with a success that yielded a boarding pass; the other three passengers that were denied took their place in line behind me.
I had made my reservation for this round trip flight two months prior to its departure. During that two month period, I was required to make new seating requests on four different instances by the airline. With each successive seating request, the availability of seating assignments diminished to the point that, yes, ultimately I was relegated to the dreaded middle seat on my flights.
Mercy has partnered with Open Table to provide us with an online Restaurant Reservation System. It's - Free • Instant • and Confirmed ! Another prime example of technology working properly. Open Table allows our guest to make reservations directly from our web site by clicking on the Reservations tab whereby, you will be whisked away to make your reservation. Upon making your online reservation, it is instaneously delivered to Mercy and available for us to view.
Again, I tip my hat to all frequent flyers for the technology blunders that you have to endure. For my excursion, I was glad to be back home at Mercy. On my first day back to work, I stepped up to our POS terminal. I ordered a bottle of Figi water (the ticket was sent to the bar) and a Grilled Swordfish Steak dinner with a substitution of grilled vegetables. Our POS deftly handled the order, the substitution and sent the order to the Kitchen to be prepared.
I am tempted to contact the airline and let them know about our Point-of-Sale System and Open Table Reservation System. They could probably use the suggestion.
There is no place like home.
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
In the restaurant business, I am a big proponent of Point-Of-Sale systems. They help streamline an operation, provide better records and enable everyone to communicate with each other. When a POS is working properly, the business just hums and I am thankful that we have a great POS here at Mercy.
I just recently returned from a few days of vacation and used my time away from Mercy to visit friends in the cooler climate of New York State. For those of you that are required to travel often for business, my hat goes off to you. After witnessing the inefficiencies, first-hand, of the automated baggage kiosks and online booking of seat assignments, I can only imagine the mistreatment the frequent flyer is subjected to.
The airline that I had the misfortune of using for my flight had no "automated" record of my reservation. So, I was unable to use their baggage kiosk for checking in. While standing in line to wait my turn to check baggage, it appeared that I was not the only person with that issue. Only one out of four attempts at self-check in was met with a success that yielded a boarding pass; the other three passengers that were denied took their place in line behind me.
I had made my reservation for this round trip flight two months prior to its departure. During that two month period, I was required to make new seating requests on four different instances by the airline. With each successive seating request, the availability of seating assignments diminished to the point that, yes, ultimately I was relegated to the dreaded middle seat on my flights.
Mercy has partnered with Open Table to provide us with an online Restaurant Reservation System. It's - Free • Instant • and Confirmed ! Another prime example of technology working properly. Open Table allows our guest to make reservations directly from our web site by clicking on the Reservations tab whereby, you will be whisked away to make your reservation. Upon making your online reservation, it is instaneously delivered to Mercy and available for us to view.
Again, I tip my hat to all frequent flyers for the technology blunders that you have to endure. For my excursion, I was glad to be back home at Mercy. On my first day back to work, I stepped up to our POS terminal. I ordered a bottle of Figi water (the ticket was sent to the bar) and a Grilled Swordfish Steak dinner with a substitution of grilled vegetables. Our POS deftly handled the order, the substitution and sent the order to the Kitchen to be prepared.
I am tempted to contact the airline and let them know about our Point-of-Sale System and Open Table Reservation System. They could probably use the suggestion.
There is no place like home.
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
Monday, July 6, 2009
Awards for Best Lounge and for Best Place to Sip Wine
Over the 6 years Mercy has been open, we have received numerous awards for our wine bar. Many have been industry awards and several have been national in scope. The ones we are most proud of come from our customers.
This week Mercy was awarded 2 People's Choice awards: one for Best Lounge and the other for Best Place to Sip Wine in Addison, Texas.
The Addison and the North Dallas Corridor Guide conducted a public survey which covered everything from best doctors, to furniture stores (btw which my friend Howard Freed won for Freed's Home Furnishings. You go Howard!) to restaurants. Mercy was the only winner of 45 to have been given 2 awards. Have to mention here that Sebastian's Closet won for Best Boutique shopping.
It is the ultimate compliment when our customers take the time to vote and tell us they think we are the best. This fuels our fire to do an even better job and continue to raise the bar for providing both great products and world class service to each and every guest every time they visit us.
Thank you for your continued vote of confidence and we'll look forward to seeing you at Mercy...........
Glen Agritelley
Owner
This week Mercy was awarded 2 People's Choice awards: one for Best Lounge and the other for Best Place to Sip Wine in Addison, Texas.
The Addison and the North Dallas Corridor Guide conducted a public survey which covered everything from best doctors, to furniture stores (btw which my friend Howard Freed won for Freed's Home Furnishings. You go Howard!) to restaurants. Mercy was the only winner of 45 to have been given 2 awards. Have to mention here that Sebastian's Closet won for Best Boutique shopping.
It is the ultimate compliment when our customers take the time to vote and tell us they think we are the best. This fuels our fire to do an even better job and continue to raise the bar for providing both great products and world class service to each and every guest every time they visit us.
Thank you for your continued vote of confidence and we'll look forward to seeing you at Mercy...........
Glen Agritelley
Owner
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
In celebration of the Tour de France
Every year a major event takes place in my native country of France. Care to guess what it is? It is one of the most prestigious and physically demanding sporting events, better known as the Tour de France. The annual bicycle race covers more than 3,500 kilometers or 2,200 miles throughout France and usually lasts 23 days attracting cyclists from around the world. Millions of spectators, TV viewers and avid followers tune in year after year not only to watch the race but also get a taste of new places, climates and lifestyles.
We here at Mercy have been thinking and decided to participate in the excitement! It actually makes perfect sense because wine allows us to travel, learn and experience through the pallet. So, starting Monday July 6 until July 26, you will be able to take a personal tour through your taste buds with wines from the various regions and sub regions of the hexagon. Just like the race, your Tour de France celebration at Mercy will begin in the Principality of Monaco and end in Paris on the Champs-Elysées. We put together a calendar on the Mercy website featuring all the stages of the race and the accompanying wines from the related region. These wines will be available “by the flight” and “by the glass”, ranging from $8 to $16 each. Let the tour begin!
Vincent Havard
We here at Mercy have been thinking and decided to participate in the excitement! It actually makes perfect sense because wine allows us to travel, learn and experience through the pallet. So, starting Monday July 6 until July 26, you will be able to take a personal tour through your taste buds with wines from the various regions and sub regions of the hexagon. Just like the race, your Tour de France celebration at Mercy will begin in the Principality of Monaco and end in Paris on the Champs-Elysées. We put together a calendar on the Mercy website featuring all the stages of the race and the accompanying wines from the related region. These wines will be available “by the flight” and “by the glass”, ranging from $8 to $16 each. Let the tour begin!
Vincent Havard
Monday, June 22, 2009
Las Vegas is alive and well
I am writing to you this time from sunny, hot Las Vegas where I am on my annual pilgrimage with my two teenage boys and 2 of their friends. I thought I'd take a different slant on my blog this month and give you my impressions of the economy from the Las Vegas perspective. I heard how bad it was here and my expectation was to find it nearly dead, based on the press I had heard so far this year. Well, Las Vegas is alive and well. I have tried to conduct my own, personal study while here and talk to as many people as I could about how they see this city now; from cab drivers, who, by the way, are never shy at giving you their opinion; to restaurant managers, dealers, pit bosses, and hotel concierges and finally, my own powers of observation.
First, it is packed here! The people are here. I have taken the the boys to shows every night and they are packed! 2 nights out and 2 sell out shows. One more to go! Every show is discounting its tickets from 20-30% to entice people to go out. And they are.
This being our 5th year going with the boys and we usually end up at at least 1 or 2 five star restaurants. This year, we have decided to scale back a bit and are hitting more of the upper mid-tier restaurants. We have had no problems just walking up and being seated, with no reservations. A year ago, we could have never done this. I was told that the higher end, more fine dining establishments are down, some as much as 30%, while the more casual dining is up. Service has been excellent and the waitstaff, appreciative of the business, are taking extra care in their service. Let's hope this trend stays once the economy rebounds.
It is my experience that the gambling tables bump their minimums up on Friday and Saturday. Usually there are NO $10 tables available and everything is $25 minimum. I have had no problem finding a $10 or $15 minimum table on a Friday or Saturday night. The casino was packed as well. Dealers and pit bosses told me that even the "big whales" are not spending as much gambling.
Hats off to Vegas! They have successfully enticed the public to continue to spend money to travel there. They are offering some great rates at all of the major hotels. Once you are there, they are doing their best to entice you take part in all they have to offer by making it more affordable to "play". While people are not spending as much, they are still going out. Club lines are as long as they have ever been. People still want to go out and enjoy themselves. It is a time for "treading" and keeping your head above water. I have a friend who is a long time Vegas retail shop owner in Ceasars' Palace shops. She indicates that the crowds still flock in but not as many people buying as they use to.
The message has been consistent: spending down a bit, but people are still going out. The good news is that people feel good about going out and are not ready to give up on their entertainment. While times may be tougher than they were a year ago, people still need their entertainment and they value that time. As an owner of 2 retail establishments that is a good thing!
Mercy.....
Glen Agritelley
First, it is packed here! The people are here. I have taken the the boys to shows every night and they are packed! 2 nights out and 2 sell out shows. One more to go! Every show is discounting its tickets from 20-30% to entice people to go out. And they are.
This being our 5th year going with the boys and we usually end up at at least 1 or 2 five star restaurants. This year, we have decided to scale back a bit and are hitting more of the upper mid-tier restaurants. We have had no problems just walking up and being seated, with no reservations. A year ago, we could have never done this. I was told that the higher end, more fine dining establishments are down, some as much as 30%, while the more casual dining is up. Service has been excellent and the waitstaff, appreciative of the business, are taking extra care in their service. Let's hope this trend stays once the economy rebounds.
It is my experience that the gambling tables bump their minimums up on Friday and Saturday. Usually there are NO $10 tables available and everything is $25 minimum. I have had no problem finding a $10 or $15 minimum table on a Friday or Saturday night. The casino was packed as well. Dealers and pit bosses told me that even the "big whales" are not spending as much gambling.
Hats off to Vegas! They have successfully enticed the public to continue to spend money to travel there. They are offering some great rates at all of the major hotels. Once you are there, they are doing their best to entice you take part in all they have to offer by making it more affordable to "play". While people are not spending as much, they are still going out. Club lines are as long as they have ever been. People still want to go out and enjoy themselves. It is a time for "treading" and keeping your head above water. I have a friend who is a long time Vegas retail shop owner in Ceasars' Palace shops. She indicates that the crowds still flock in but not as many people buying as they use to.
The message has been consistent: spending down a bit, but people are still going out. The good news is that people feel good about going out and are not ready to give up on their entertainment. While times may be tougher than they were a year ago, people still need their entertainment and they value that time. As an owner of 2 retail establishments that is a good thing!
Mercy.....
Glen Agritelley
Monday, June 15, 2009
Indie Film Summer Movie Guide
The dog days of summer are upon us, and one of my favorite ways to escape the Texas heat is to retreat into an overly air conditioned movie theater. I'm sure you have all heard the hype over Star Trek, Transformers, and Harry Potter, but I'd like to point out a couple of independent gems that are getting a lot of underground recognition from film festivals across the globe.
The Brothers Bloom (Comedy/Heist)
Release Date: Now
Cast: Rachel Wiez, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo
Plot Synopsis: The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPXfmqIy-4
Moon (Sci Fi/Thriller)
Release Date: July 3rd
Cast: Sam Rockwell
Plot Synopsis: Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhIB0mqbPiE
It Might Get Loud (Rockumentary)
Release Date: August TBA
Cast: The Edge, Jimmy Page, Jack White
Plot Synopsis: A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: the Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)and Jack White (The White Stripes).
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl9iS2egnC0
Liz Williams
The Brothers Bloom (Comedy/Heist)
Release Date: Now
Cast: Rachel Wiez, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo
Plot Synopsis: The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPXfmqIy-4
Moon (Sci Fi/Thriller)
Release Date: July 3rd
Cast: Sam Rockwell
Plot Synopsis: Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhIB0mqbPiE
It Might Get Loud (Rockumentary)
Release Date: August TBA
Cast: The Edge, Jimmy Page, Jack White
Plot Synopsis: A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: the Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)and Jack White (The White Stripes).
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl9iS2egnC0
Liz Williams
Monday, June 8, 2009
Eating simple food
By way of an introduction,my name is Mike Castagne,Operations Manager at Mercy.I have been with Mercy since its inception,yet I am probably the least known of Mercy's management team.
My normal work day comprises different duties at Mercy. Front of the House ~ guest relations, Back of the House ~ kitchen supervision, Computer Point of Sale, Special Events and Party Planning and finally,
E-mail response and delivery.
The idea for this week's Mercy blog entry came from an e-mail that I received from a guest concerning one of Mercy's newest menu selections;our Grilled Swordfish with Pappardelle Pasta and Puttanesca Sauce.
Pappardelle pasta is an Italian flat pasta cut into a broad ribbon shape.In width,the pasta is between tagliatelle and lasagna.This pasta is traditionally served with very rich, heavy sauces. This pasta's name comes from the Italian pappare, a verb which means “to gobble up.”
Our pasta sauce is comprised of: anchovies, Roma tomato, capers, basil, olive oil, red wine, Kalamata olives, minced garlic, dried crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
As I was researching, I found this interesting fact. Puttanesca Sauce is famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" were able to quickly make it between clients. It is a fast and easy sauce and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.
Our swordfish steaks are grilled, then baked and served atop the flavorful pasta and sauce, a mouth watering dish, which is sure to satisfy your tummy.
Eating simple food, what some called "Peasant Foods" are often equated with subsistence living. These are however, the simplest of recipes. Hearty, healthy and tasty meals made from grains, flavored with vegetables, and maybe seasoned with a bit of meat.
Mangiare !
Mike Castagne
My normal work day comprises different duties at Mercy. Front of the House ~ guest relations, Back of the House ~ kitchen supervision, Computer Point of Sale, Special Events and Party Planning and finally,
E-mail response and delivery.
The idea for this week's Mercy blog entry came from an e-mail that I received from a guest concerning one of Mercy's newest menu selections;our Grilled Swordfish with Pappardelle Pasta and Puttanesca Sauce.
Pappardelle pasta is an Italian flat pasta cut into a broad ribbon shape.In width,the pasta is between tagliatelle and lasagna.This pasta is traditionally served with very rich, heavy sauces. This pasta's name comes from the Italian pappare, a verb which means “to gobble up.”
Our pasta sauce is comprised of: anchovies, Roma tomato, capers, basil, olive oil, red wine, Kalamata olives, minced garlic, dried crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
As I was researching, I found this interesting fact. Puttanesca Sauce is famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" were able to quickly make it between clients. It is a fast and easy sauce and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.
Our swordfish steaks are grilled, then baked and served atop the flavorful pasta and sauce, a mouth watering dish, which is sure to satisfy your tummy.
Eating simple food, what some called "Peasant Foods" are often equated with subsistence living. These are however, the simplest of recipes. Hearty, healthy and tasty meals made from grains, flavored with vegetables, and maybe seasoned with a bit of meat.
Mangiare !
Mike Castagne
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