Latest news with #HardRockHotelandCasino
Perth Now
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Country star Darius Rucker pulls gig mid-set: 'I just can't sing'
Darius Rucker was recently forced to cut his set short, telling the crowd, "I just can't sing". The 59-year-old country star was performing at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City on July 12, when he told fans he physically couldn't perform any longer. The musician - who shot to fame as the frontman of Hootie and the Blowfish - was left devastated after being forced to abandon his gig mid-set, and vowed to make it up to his fans and offer them a refund. He said onstage in a viral clip on TikTok: "I'm going to play one more song. I promise you, we are going to figure this out. You're going to get your money back. I just can't sing. "This [has] never happened. I physically can't sing, and I promise you on everything that I stand for I will make this up to you. The audience then helped him by singing the lyrics to Wagon Wheel. Apologising to the crowd, he said: "I'm so sorry." Darius only managed to fully perform three songs (Life's Too Short, It Won't Be Like This for Long and For the First Time) - the fourth being Wagon Wheel, for which head the crowd's assistance. He has not yet addressed why he could no longer sing. Darius is next due onstage on Saturday (19.07.25) in Florida. Last year, Darius shocked fans when he took a tumble onstage at his Riverfront Revival concert in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. He was performing his solo hit Alright when he appeared to trip before being helped back up by venue staff. He quipped to the crowd: "I'm old as f***." Laughing it off, Darius later said: "We've been doing this all summer. I hadn't [fallen] once. But I busted my a** in my hometown."
Chicago Tribune
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: Courtesy of Cary Grant, a romantic minty tradition continues today
It's become more of a rare, traditional 'added touch' gesture, compared to the usual practice of hospitality by most of today's hotels. But there are still a selection of luxury hotels which offer a nighttime 'bed turn-down service,' including leaving a foil-wrapped chocolate mint on each of their guests' bed pillows. I can recall early travel moments over the past 30 years when I wasn't familiar with this sweet gesture and headed to bed, not noticing or expecting the nicety, and waking up the next morning to find a melted chocolate mess. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino franchise takes this tradition one step further for branding and leaves large wrapped 'chocolate guitars' nightly on the pillows of their hotel guests, treated like rock stars.' I recently discovered we have actor Cary Grant to thank for this 'chocolate mint on pillows' tradition. Grant was married to actress Betsy Drake from 1949 until their divorce in 1962. According to Grant's biographers, his marriage to Drake was already rocky by the early 1950s while he was traveling through St. Louis to promote his latest movie project. Booked downtown at the luxury 18-story high-rise Mayfair Hotel, while staying on property, Grant had his eyes on a potential companion to keep him company. He contacted the hotel manager's office to send up all the available boxes of chocolates to be found. Grant's idea was to create a 'trail of chocolates' through his hotel penthouse from the sitting room parlor into the bedroom and along the bed and ending the bite-by-bite bait on the pillow of his bed, all as a not-so-subtle hint to the guest he planned to court in his suite that evening. (Allegedly, there was also a handwritten note on the pillow with the final piece of chocolate.) The hotel manager not only helped with the unusual whim of his famous guest, he liked the clever symbolism of a confection left on a guest's pillow so much, he decided to adopt it as standard practice. Other luxury hotels heard about the complimentary nightly chocolate offering and followed the lead. Though Grant died at age 82 in 1986 and would marry two more times, while his ex-wife Drake, who never married again, died at age 92 in 2015, the chocolate mint on the pillow of fine hotels continues. After the Mayfair Hotel was purchased in August 2014, it was renamed as the Magnolia St. Louis and it continues to place chocolate mints on the pillows of each room, and guests have the chance to stay in 'the Cary Grant Suite' on the 18th floor. My own minty tradition continued earlier this month when I returned to judging duties at the 48th Annual Mint Festival in North Judson for the annual 'Cooking with Mint' contest. Recipe entries were judged based on flavor, originality, taste and texture. There was an array of various recipes, ranging from homemade ice cream to salads, cookies, candy, fudge and main entrees. The Cooking with Mint contest was started soon after the launch of the first festival, as the idea of the North Judson Artisans' Club and leader Louise Surma. After Louise passed in 2004, her daughter Carol Meister continued her mom's tradition of organizing the event along with other volunteers. In recent years, the contest has been held in honor of the memory of Ellen Peters and sponsored by the Brown Family. Ellen was a frequent winner of this contest with her wonderfully dreamed-up 'mint to be' recipes, many of which have been included in my own published 'From the Farm' cookbooks. This year's overall recipe winner for the 2025 contest is a scrumptious 'Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet Salad with Spearmint and Feta' created by Mary Gumz of North Judson. The wife of potato farming heir Dan Gumz, I featured Dan's mother Cherry Gumz's recipe for her yummy potato casserole in a previous 2023 column. 1 medium sweet potato, cubed 1 medium beet, cubed 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup raw walnuts 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use Salt and pepper 4 cups arugula (or green of choice) 1/2 cup thinly chopped fresh spearmint leaves 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Directions: Mix sweet potato, beet and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add walnuts to the rest of the vegetables and roast for 15 minutes more or until vegetables are soft. Set aside to cool. For dressing, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Combine roasted vegetable mixture, arugula, mint, feta cheese and dressing to serve.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Food Bank of Siouxland to host 3rd annual KenDUCKY Derby
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The Food Bank of Siouxland and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino have announced their plans for the 3rd Annual KenDUCKY Derby. This year's KenDUCKY Derby will take place at the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA on Feb. 21. Vermillion holds annual 'Polar Plunge' to raise money for Special Olympics Those who attend can purchase ducks for a chance to win two tickets to the Kentucky Derby and a $500 travel fund. The ducks will begin their race at 10 a.m. You can watch live in-person at the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA or on the Food Bank's Facebook page on the day of the event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
North Natomas resident wins life-changing jackpot at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
( — North Natomas resident Selina takes a big win from Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Sacramento on Wednesday. According to a spokesperson from Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Selina took home around $330,000 after playing on the Frankenstein machine by Light and Wonder. The jackpot was hit while only playing on a one-cent denomination with only a $3 bet per spin. Rob Bonta Announces He Will Not Run for California Governor in 2026, Instead Seeks Reelection for Attorney General 'We love to see our guests win big with jackpots that can be impactful and life-changing,' explained Mark Birtha, President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hotel Sacramento at Fire Mountain. 'We certainly hope it made for a memorable visit!' A lucky winner on the same game on April 7, 2024, hit a jackpot for around $426,000. The jackpot will reset at $200,000 for the next winner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
