Entertainment
During the WNBA season, bars and restaurants say they have seen greater customer demand for women’s sports
CHICAGO (AP) Josh Pehlke remembers just a number of years ago when he needed to beg and beg at bars and restaurants to point out WNBA games. Too often the answer was a categorical no.
Nowadays he doesn’t have to fret a lot.
As general manager of Signature Bar & Restaurant in Chicago’s South Loop, he has something to say about the three-point shot from the home of the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. But even when he is not at work, he’s noticed a difference.
“I went to Cubs games this season, went to sports bars in Wrigleyville and found the WNBA on TV, whereas two or three years ago that wasn’t happening,” Pehlke said.
The WNBA drew sellout crowds and unprecedented rankings in a breakthrough season that ends with the final match between the New York Liberty, fighting for its first title, and the Minnesota Lynx, which takes a record fifth place. The best-of-three series began Thursday when Minnesota defeated New York in additional time.
Whether it was Caitlin Clark from Indiana or Angel Reese from Chicago, putting on a spirited competition from universities to professionals, Simone Biles wins more gold at the Olympic Games or 92,003 fans packed a football stadium in Nebraska for a volleyball gameoverall, women’s sports are attracting more attention.
Sports bars and restaurants are taking note, adapting their marketing and menus to draw a wider range of shoppers. At least some say they see an increased demand for women’s sports on TV, although the evidence is more anecdotal than statistical. In recent years, several catering facilities have opened specifically for women’s sports, similar to Sports bra in Portland, Oregon.
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Either way, fans have a selection if they wish to grab a bite to eat, drink and watch the game away from home.
“You’ll see small groups of women coming out to watch sports,” said Brian Wright, general manager of Bar Louie. “You see a lot of men now asking to play women’s sports. So this is a kind of paradigm shift in the way women’s sports are perceived. Very rarely did you see a group of men asking, “Can you turn on this WNBA game?” Now it’s really becoming commonplace.”
Bar Louie has restaurants in 21 states from coast to coast and as many as 20 TVs in each location. As for what number of persons are suited to a selected sport, Wright said there isn’t a scientific basis to find out that. But he is certain of a number of things.
The chain attracts an increasing percentage of female customers. And when Clark or Reese played, it was good for business. For example, their NCAA tournament games over the past two years have seen an roughly 10% increase in business.
CEO Joe Hummel said that at Twin Peaks, where most locations have 16 satellites and 75 TVs, the customer base is about 80% men. But the gender gap is narrowing.
“Five years ago, we might not have advertised or promoted Women’s March Madness,” Hummel said.
The company evaluates the schedule day by day to find out what number of TVs might be tuned in for each game. Restaurants can adapt to recent customer news and needs, which is crucial. Hummel said Twin Peaks doesn’t track what number of televisions are tuned to specific events or how many purchasers have requested a seat at a location to observe a selected game.
“It would be very difficult,” he said. “Our operators often communicate with the guest, and if we overwhelmed our operators – having to constantly keep track of this, this and this – they would end up worrying about the statistics and not even dealing with the guests.”
Nicole Bond, associate director of promoting strategy at Mintel Comperemedia, said her company’s research shows 71% of consumers imagine women’s sports will proceed to grow in popularity. She sees this up close in her side job as a bartender at Bernie’s Tap & Grill near Wrigley Field in Chicago.
“Men prefer women’s athletics,” said Bond, a former Northwestern softball player. “And I hear them talking about what is going on on in the W, or what is going on on in the NWSL, or whatever it’s. This became really interesting and became the norm in bar conversations. I feel people want to observe these games and groups, similar to you do if you invite people to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup.
Pehlke became a WNBA fan a few decade ago and began following Sky when Chicago product Candace Parker was added ahead of the 2021 championship season. He grew up as a Los Angeles Lakers fan in northern Wisconsin.
Pehlke, whose friend has season tickets, repeatedly visits Wintrust Arena for Sky games. He even collects WNBA trading cards.
The Signature facility, owned by former Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije, opened in January. There are 13 TVs on the partitions, 10 of which watch WNBA games on Friday night at the end of the regular season. Six of them showed Sky playing in Minnesota.
Pehlke said during the playoffs, the restaurant saw more requests to tune its TVs to WNBA games. He also expected a revival in business.
“The demand was incredible throughout the playoffs,” he said. “I was very happy to see that it wasn’t just for Fever games, but apparently for all games.”
Entertainment
An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit
Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”
She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.
Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.
On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”
One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.
Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.
Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, cropped a photograph of him in a jumpsuit and then set Instagram on fire with her look.https://t.co/n7YNGctQFE pic.twitter.com/DNKP2i9o9C
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) December 2, 2024
When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.
Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”
Lauren Sanchez 2003 vs. Lauren Sanchez 2024
Nothing to see here, people, move on#LaurenSanchez pic.twitter.com/mgr4vj6mFq
— Occam was right (@OccamWasRight) November 21, 2024
Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”
Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.
Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.
Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.
Entertainment
Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape
India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.
“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”
Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.
Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.
Name:
India Shawn
Hometown:
Los Angeles
Artistic soundscape
Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric
The oldest musical memory
Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.
Influences
For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.
Creative process
Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”
Challenges and development
As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”
Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.
Current project
“There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”
Entertainment
ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence
With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.
Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.
From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.
In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.
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