Naples Originals’ “10 Strategies for Successful Dining in Lean Times” Reveal the Timeless Secrets of Savvy Diners
Naples, FL (PRWEB) March 25, 2009
Joining the ranks of “top 10″ lists, Naples Originals, a group of 38 locally-owned, independent restaurants in Naples, Fla., announces its “10 Strategies for Successful Dining in Lean Times.”
“It’s a great time be a diner,” says Naples Originals founding member, restaurateur Tony Ridgway. “We want diners to be in our restaurants as much as they want to be there.” Naples Originals Founder and President, restaurateur Lisa Boet advises diners to “engage owners in conversation. Ask for advice on best values. Inquire about upcoming promotions and events, new dishes, just-arrived wine selections.”
Strategies for successful dining are more than cost-cutting tips for dining on-the-cheap. Great dining is not necessarily expensive dining, reserved for special occasions. If diners employ some or all the following strategies, they can stay within budget and still indulge in the pleasures – and the people – at favorite local restaurants.
“10 Strategies for Successful Dining in Lean Times”
1. Small plates are making a comeback. Dining out is about taste, not waste of entrees one may not be able to finish (though Naples Originals endorses “people bags” — see below). If one’s restaurants of choice don’t have a “small plates” section on their menus, cruise the appetizer and sides sections and put together interesting meals. This strategy delivers flavor as well as savings.
2. “People bags.” If an entrée is too generous for a smaller appetite, turn it into two meals. A dish often reaches its full flavor potential the next day, ideal for a nice lunch.
3. Dine early. Many Naples Originals chefs have created thoughtful early dining menus that feature their signature dishes at significant savings, usually 20% to 30%. Diners save money and beat the prime time crowd.
4. Upgrade your wine choice. Use a Naples Originals gift certificate and put the 30% savings toward an upgraded wine selection. The savings, .50 on a gift certificate and on a gift certificate, can be put toward a wine one might normally shy from. Many member restaurants have extraordinary by-the-glass programs and this is a great opportunity to upgrade a wine choice and still keep the tab reasonable.
5. Turn breakfast and lunch into a dining event. Breakfast or lunch on-the-fly? Why not turn the morning and afternoon meal into a dining experience? It’s a good opportunity to enjoy a restaurant’s cuisine at savings of up to 50% over dinner.
6. Eat cake! Visit a favorite restaurant later in the evening for dessert, at about 8:00, after the dinner rush winds down. It’s important to sweeten one’s mood in these sour economic times. Even the most expensive dessert is rarely more than . Pair a decadent chocolate dessert with port, or strawberries with champagne, and voila, the result is a dining event for about .
7. Share entrees. For a wider range of flavor, order appetizers and share entrées. Many restaurants offer this option for a small sharing charge, but the total tab is still considerably less than two, three-course meals.
8. Buy a bottle of wine and take it home. Case in point: Recently a couple dined in a Naples Original restaurant. She had white wine by the glass, and the wine he wanted was available only by the bottle. No problem. He ordered the bottle and took it home still half-full. The law allows diners to take home unconsumed wine as long as it is securely recorked and placed in a sealed bag.
9. Dine at the bar. The bar is the equivalent of a communal table, great for singles and couples and a wonderfully social event if one is feeling friendly. The benefits of bar-dining are myriad: no reservation needed, bartender entertainment (or free therapy!), amusing people (or TV)-watching, and a light meal of small plates and appetizers, selections from the bar menu.
10. Clip coupons. Old-fashioned, yes, but restaurants continue to publish coupons in local guides and publications, print and online. Coupons offer percentage discounts as well as complimentary dishes or wine based on a minimum check amount.
Naples Originals’ members share a desire to raise awareness of independent restaurants as well as all locally-owned and operated business. Research shows that every 0 spent at an independent restaurant generates of local economic activity compared with just for every 0 spent in a chain.
For more information, visit the Naples Originals Web site or the Eat Originals blog.
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Wine Experts: Reveal Secrets of New Wine Diet & More Inspiration for Women
Los Angeles (PRWEB) October 4, 2006
International wine experts and speakers, Barbara Nowak and Beverly Wichman, have made quite a name for themselves as The Saucy Sisters. In their conversation, they will reveal secrets about their new wine diet, tips on the FUNdamentals of wines, categorizing men with different wines, how they wrote bestselling wine books and more. Teletalk participants will ask questions and chat with the ‘Sisters.’
Nowak and Wichman will give insider wine tips and holiday wine advice. They even plan to surprise one listener with a free copy of their bestselling book, “The Saucy Sisters’ Guide to Wine.”
“We’re really excited to be a part of this special event,” says Nowak, who along with her sister recently co-authored, âThe Everything Wine Book.”
The October 10th “Teletalk” is The Saucy Sisters’ first teleseminar ever. And it is the last conversation in the 2006 Spirited Woman Circle series with famous women authors, actresses, radio personalities, and more.
To sign-up for The Saucy Sisters teletalk visit: http://www.TheSpiritedWoman.com/registration/ or call Nancy Mills at 888-428-1234.
About Spirited Woman
Presented by Spirited Woman, http://www.TheSpiritedWoman.com a growing and highly-inspirational womanâs empowerment community, the Spirited Woman Circle is an interactive conversation series, meant to uplift women and convey the message that anything is possible in your life and career. Several of the women in the series achieved mega-success post 40.
Nancy Mills, a writer and workshop leader, founded Spirited Woman in 2002, and is known as the Creator of the Spirited Woman Approach to Life. She moderates the calls and interviews each guest.
Mills says enthusiastically, âThe famous women in our Circle, collectively have sold more than five million books, had several made into hit movies, and none of them has ever done a teleseminar before,â says Mills. âWe are so very excited about our series.â
For a list of all MP3 or transcript versions of past conversations, go to: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/spirited_woman_circle/.
Some famous guests include:
Janet Fitch â Author of âWhite Oleander,â an Oprah pick, and âPaint it Black,” currently on the New York Times Bestseller List
Fannie Flagg â Author of âFried Green Tomatoes,â and her latest Amazon Best Seller âCanât Wait to Get To Heavenâ
For more information about the Spirited Woman Circle and Spirited Woman, a growing and very inspired woman’s community, contact Nancy Mills, the Creator of the Spirited Woman Approach to Life. Founded in 2002 by Nancy Mills, Spirited Woman is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. 888-428-1234 or visit: http://www.TheSpiritedWoman.com
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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Related White Wine Press Releases

Hudson Valley’s Finest Chefs Share Their Cooking Secrets During the Hudson Valley Wine Fest
Red Hook, NY (PRWEB) September 1, 2005 -
ÂÂ The 4th Annual Hudson Valley Wine Fest to be held at the Greig Farm in Red Hook, NY on September 9th, 10th and 11th will once again feature the Gourmet Food Showcase where local celebrity chefs will perform free cooking demonstrations to attendees of the Fest. Sponsored by WineRacks.com, Viking Range, AckermanÂÂs Appliance, The Kitchen Drawer, and Kingston Kitchen and Restaurant Supply, this yearÂÂs Gourmet Food Showcase welcomes returning demonstrators Andrew Selz of Culinary Home Education with Friends (C.H.E.F), Dan Budd of Taste BuddÂÂs Chocolate Desserts and Jean Jaques Carquillat of Le Canard Enchaine, as well as newcomers to the Fest demonstration stage, Ric Orlando of New World Home Cooking, Josh Kroner of The Terrapin, Jesse Frederick of Gigi Trattoria and Jessica Applestone of FleischerÂÂs Meats.
The demonstrating chefs at this yearÂÂs Wine Fest have a varied and extensive background, not only in food preparation, but also in educating the public about food and wine. Chef Andrew Selz is owner and founder of Culinary Home Education with Friends, C.H.E.F. Chef Selz forte is exclusive private events and he specializes in culinary education whether it is in a private home, corporate environment or large fundraisers. Chef Selz also specializes in research and development for which he has developed his own gourmet product line that can be found in specialty stores in the Hudson Valley. He will be explain how to ÂÂEnhance Salad Dressings with WineÂÂ as well as ÂÂCedar Plank CookingÂÂ in addition to demonstrating a great new product ÂÂ The Freedom Grill.
Ric Orlando, chef-owner of New World Home Cooking in Woodstock New York will be demonstrating ÂÂAsian Food with WineÂÂ. Ric learned the art of chef-dom from the bottom up, starting as a dishwasher, moving to salad man and up from there. Great chefs he worked under such as Bob Kinkaid, Emmet Fox & Jake Jacubus, inspired his cooking. His unique style of World Cuisine was formed by combining the essential knowledge these chefs provided him with his curiosity and enthusiasm for ethnic foods in their own element (or as he says “eating in the neighborhoods”). In his public television series ÂÂRic OrlandoÂÂs TV KitchenÂÂ, Ric helps his audience to prepare excellent tasting and exciting food using ‘clean’ food. That is, using ingredients that are pure, healthy, organic and environmentally sustainable.
Once again Chef Dan Budd will regale us with one of his marvelous chocolate creations. This year it will be ÂÂDrunken Berries with White Chocolate SabayonÂÂ. Chef Budd has been the pastry chef at such famous eateries as New York Cities River Cafe and Adrienne and was the opening pastry chef of the highly acclaimed Park Avenue Cafe in both New York and Chicago. Both Chocolatier and Pastry Art and Design magazines have named Chef Budd on their lists of the “Ten best pastry chefs in America”. He has spent 5 1/2 years sharing his knowledge with others as a full time Associate Professor in Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America, our nations most prestigious culinary and pastry arts college and this will be his fourth year appearing at the Hudson Valley Wine Fest.
You can learn to make ÂÂThe Perfect RisottoÂÂ from Jesse Frederick of Gigi Trattoria in Rhinebeck; Jessica Applestone of FleischerÂÂs meats will educate us on the uses and advantages of organic meats, Josh Kroner and Jean Jaques Carquillat will be cooking up some surprises as well. So come taste New York StateÂÂs best wines and enjoy food from some of the best chefs in the Hudson Valley during the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest, September 10th and 11th at the Greig Farm in Red Hook, NY. Fest hours are from 10am to 5pm with cooking demonstrations running throughout both days. For more information visit http://www.hudsonvalleywinefest.com or call toll-free, 888-687-2517.
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©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
