Latest news with #Willo
Los Angeles Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
It's time to escape to California's Gold Rush towns for postcard charms and swimming holes
You could argue that Nevada City peaked 170 years ago, along with Charles Darwin, Herman Melville and Queen Victoria. But we're still talking about them all. And Nevada City, 60 miles northeast of Sacramento in the Sierra foothills, is reachable without a séance. In the 1850s, it grew from a miners' outpost into a Gold Rush boomtown of 10,000 (heavy on the bars and brothels) before anyone got around to naming that other Nevada as a territory or a state. Today it lives on as a tiny town with a lively arts scene and a liberal bent, home to about 3,200 souls. Advertisement Perhaps because there's so much to escape from these days, Nevada City and its larger, more middle-of-the-road neighbor Grass Valley have been drawing more visitors than ever lately. Nevada County's hotel and vacation rental tax revenues have doubled in the last five years to a record high. Planning your weekend? Stay up to date on the best things to do, see and eat in L.A. 'A lot of people are coming up from the Bay Area and settling up here because Nevada City is in a lot of ways like the Bay Area,' said Ross Woodbury, owner of Nevada City's Mystic Theater. 'It's a very blue town in a very red region.' If you're from elsewhere, it's easy at first to overlook the differences among these Gold Rush towns. Once your feet are on the ground, however, the distinctions and fascinating details shine through — as do historic rivalries. 'Nevada City thinks it's a little better than Grass Valley and Grass Valley think it's a little better than Nevada City. I don't think that's ever going to change,' said restaurateur John Gemignani, standing by the grill of the Willo steakhouse in Nevada City. Advertisement 'That's never going to change,' confirmed his wife, Chris Gemignani. Nevada City's intimate size, upscale shops and throwback 19th century architecture alone are enough to win over many people. Its downtown is a 16-acre collection of more than 90 historic buildings, cheek by Victorian jowl. Say you have breakfast at Communal Cafe, lunch at Three Forks Bakery, dinner at Friar Tuck's, a drink after at the Golden Era. You haven't even hit 1,000 steps for the day yet, unless you've been dancing to the live music that often fills the area. (One night, I stepped from Spring Street into Miners Foundry — an 1856 landmark now used as a cultural center — and found about 200 locals gathered for a community sing, a chorus of Beatles-belting Boomers.) For those who seek higher step counts, forested foothills and miles of trails wait outside town, along with often-perilous springtime whitewater and summer swimming holes along the South Yuba River. And in surrounding hill country, the Empire Mine and Malakoff Diggins, once the major employers (and polluters) of the region, now serve as state historic parks. The Beat Generation poet Gary Snyder (95 years old and well represented on the shelves at Harmony Books on Main Street) still lives on a ridge outside town. Meanwhile, four miles down the road from Nevada City in Grass Valley, changes are afoot. The Holbrooke Hotel (statelier sibling to Nevada's City's National Exchange Hotel) reopened after a dramatic renovation in 2020. Soon after, spurred by the pandemic, the city closed busy Mill Street to cars, making it a permanent two-block pedestrian promenade full of restaurants, bars and shops. About This Guide Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@ Still, if Los Angeles moves at 100 miles per hour, Foggy Mountain Music store clerk Pete Tavera told me, 'Grass Valley is like 60.' Advertisement Both towns preserve their mining heritage, and when you stroll through them, you can just about hear echoes of those raucous Gold Rush days. Here's a little more of what I learned during a three-day visit: In the early days of the Gold Rush, most of the area's mine workers lived in Grass Valley while the owners, bosses and other white-collar people built their upscale Victorian homes in Nevada City, the county seat. The Great Depression of the 1930s never really reached this corner of Gold Country, because the big hard-rock mines kept on producing gold. In 2024, when a company tried to restart gold mining at the nearby old Idaho-Maryland Mine, residents of Nevada County, which includes Nevada City and Grass Valley, rose up and the county board of supervisors shut down the idea, citing environmental risks. These days, it seems, Nevada County wants to remember gold mining, not live with it. Because everybody needs a break now and then, here is a closer look at 15 essential spots, starting in Nevada City, continuing with Grass Valley.
Scotsman
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Innis & Gunn begins search for Scotland's top beer taster
Fancy free beer and VIP tickets? They could all be yours – all you need is a love of lager. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Innis & Gunn, the award-winning Scottish beer brand, is on the hunt for Scotland's most discerning pint lover, with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could land you the title of official Beer Taster. To mark the launch of their on-pack promotion this month, Innis & Gunn have teamed up with video interview platform Willo to bring the job interview experience to life, quite literally, with a pop-up booth at The Social Hub in Glasgow. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The booth, which stopped busy Glaswegians in their tracks, invited passers-by to answer a few tastefully curated questions, ranging from the serious ('Describe the flavour of a pint in five words') to the slightly more frothy ('Let's see you pull an imaginary pint'). Innis & Gunn Pint Pro The result was a hilarious reel of passionate pitches from potential pint professionals. Applicants who impress the judges could be in for more than just bragging rights: successful beer tasters will be rewarded with VIP tickets to Scotland's top cultural events, including Belladrum, Edinburgh Christmas Market, Celtic Connections, and even The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Successful candidates will also have access to new beers and a training session at the Innis & Gunn Taproom. Five beer tasters will be selected for a full year, effective from July 1 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn said: 'Glasgow's got personality by the pint, so it made perfect sense to kick off our search for Scotland's top beer taster right here. Innis & Gunn Pint Pro 'We wanted to do something that felt less like a job interview and more like a laugh down the pub, and that's exactly what happened at The Social Hub. 'With help from our friends at Willo, we've captured some brilliant characters who know their way around a beer, and we can't wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring. This could genuinely be the best gig in the country - so get your applications in as soon as you can.'
STV News
08-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Scottish brewer launches search for year long 'beer tasters'
An award winning Scottish brewer has launched a search for year long 'beer tasters'. Innis & Gunn have teamed up with video interview platform Willo to search for five candidates to be offered the position of Beer Taster for a full year, effective from July 1, 2025. Successful applicants will gain early access to new beers and will receive VIP tickets to some of Scotland's top cultural events, including Belladrum, Edinburgh Christmas Market, Celtic Connections, and even The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Full training will also be provided at the Innis & Gunn taproom. The process started with a pop-up booth at The Social Hub in Glasgow, where passer-by's were invited in to ask questions, ranging from 'describe the flavour of a pint in five words' to 'let's see you pull an imaginary pint'. You apply for the next pop up booth on the Innis & Gunn website. Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn said: 'Glasgow's got personality by the pint, so it made perfect sense to kick off our search for Scotland's top beer taster right here. 'We wanted to do something that felt less like a job interview and more like a laugh down the pub, and that's exactly what happened at The Social Hub. 'With help from our friends at Willo, we've captured some brilliant characters who know their way around a beer, and we can't wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring. This could genuinely be the best gig in the country – so get your applications in as soon as you can.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Fancy a job tasting pints? Innis & Gunn are on the hunt for Scotland's top beer tasters
Innis & Gunn are on the hunt to find Scotland's biggest beer fan for the role of a lifetime. In a unique recruitment campaign, the Scottish drinks company are searching for a new official Beer Taster. Beginning the hunt with a pop-up booth at The Social Hub in Glasgow - with the help of video interview platform Willo - potential "professionals" were asked a number of questions, ranging from "describe the flavour of a pint in five words" to "can you pull an imaginary pint". And for those who missed out, but who firmly believe their palate meets the brief, Innis & Gunn are also calling on lager lovers from around the country to apply online. We hit the streets of Glasgow to conduct some *very serious* pint-erviews 😉 No CVs. No awkward handshakes. Just plenty laughs and free beers! Want to be our Beer Taster? There's still time to apply - simply pick up a promo pack of our lager and scan the QR code. — Innis & Gunn (@innisandgunn) May 8, 2025 With five open roles, successful candidates will be offered the position of Beer Taster for a full year, effective from July 1, 2025. In addition to early access to new beers, successful applicants will receive VIP tickets to some of Scotland's top cultural events, including Belladrum, Edinburgh Christmas Market, Celtic Connections, and even The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Full training will also be provided at the Innis & Gunn taproom. Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn said: "Glasgow's got personality by the pint, so it made perfect sense to kick off our search for Scotland's top beer taster right here. "We wanted to do something that felt less like a job interview and more like a laugh down the pub, and that's exactly what happened at The Social Hub. "With help from our friends at Willo, we've captured some brilliant characters who know their way around a beer, and we can't wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring. This could genuinely be the best gig in the country - so get your applications in as soon as you can." Fancy becoming a Beer Taster for Innis & Gunn? Here's how If you're looking to throw your hat in the ring and become a Beer Taster all you need to do is pick up a promotional pack of Innis & Gunn Lager in-store and follow the instructions to apply online.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Can't I Get A Job? This Hiring Expert Might Have The Answer
If you've been struggling to find a new role this year, you're not alone. In fact, according to The Guardian, there are 1.5 million jobseekers in the UK at the moment and the hiring landscape is 'nightmarish'. Additionally, according to the Willo Hiring Trends 2025 report, this year will see a sharp decline in the number of companies planning significant hiring – 48% fewer businesses intend to expand their workforce substantially compared to 2024. This means that even people who have been in their careers for 20+ years, are educated to degree level and look fantastic on paper are struggling to just get to the interview stage in what is an incredibly fierce job market. Now, the hiring experts at Willo have warned jobseekers about a key CV mistake that could be hindering their chances at getting roles. Andrew Wood, co-founder of Willo, a UK-based global candidate screening platform that works with major employers including Toyota, the NHS, easyJet, and Din Tai Fung, explains that an overreliance on AI has led candidates to create overly polished CVs, devoid of personality and unable to stand out in a 'sea of sameness'. Wood said: 'Increasingly, we are hearing that talent acquisition teams are grappling with an overwhelming number of near-identical applications, a problem that is no doubt fuelled by the use of generative AI.' Generative AI has been on the rise over the last couple of years, with Deloitte reporting that over 18 million people in the UK have now used Generative AI, and seven million people have used generative for work, up 66% from four million a year ago. According to Wood, if you want your CV to stand out, you may want to try a video CV. 'A video CV is a great way to stand out from the crowd, and showcases skills and attributes that a traditional CV might otherwise miss. 'It isn't wrong to use AI in some capacity when applying for jobs. Employers are, after all, using the same software to sift through applications. Issues start to arise when CVs become devoid of personality, losing the 'spark' that might draw an employer to a candidate.' However, if you do still feel the need to use AI, Wood does have a little more advice for you: 'If you are using AI, try to remove those tell-tale GPT traits, such as overly generic phrasing, lack of specificity, overuse of the em dash or over capitalisation. 'Write a bio that showcases your enthusiasm for your chosen field and lets a bit of your personality shine through.' Noted. This 1 Factor Might Be Behind 74,000 Women Losing Their Jobs Each Year What Are 'Ghost Jobs,' And How Can You Avoid Them? These Types Of Jobs Are Linked To A Lower Risk Of Dementia
