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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/383488
www.cheersonline.com 8 Cheers • September 2014 DRINK CULTURE SHARKY'S RESTAURANTS GO SOLAR Venice, FL-based waterfront restaurants Sharky's on the Pier and Fins at Sharky's will be saving a boatload in energy costs, thanks to a solar fi eld installed in front of the buildings this summer. The 25 KW solar system is made up of 105 – 240 watt panels and is expected to produce $500 in energy savings a month (based on .11¢ per kilowatt hour). The joint venture between Sharky's parent company Venice Pier Group and Beechwood Builders of Venice, FL, involved developing a solar fi eld using unusable space at the bottom of a retention pond. The space is leased for $1 per year from the City of Venice. The project received the required approvals from Swift Mud, Division of Beaches & Coastal Management, F.A.A. and the City of Venice; it also qualifi ed for the Florida Power and Light (FPL) rebate program. Sharky's customers benefi t from the solar fi eld as well: The restaurant has two car-charging stations, as well as power for electric bikes and golf carts free of charge for the public to use in the parking lot. In addition to Sharky's on the Pier, which opened in 1987, and Fins at Sharky's, which opened this past December, Venice Pier Group includes Snook Haven restaurant. CHARLES JOLY NAMED WORLD'S BEST BARTENDER Charles Joly from The Aviary in Chicago beat 47 of the best mixologists from around the globe to be crowned the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2014. It's the fi rst time a contender from the U.S. has won the title During the week of intense competition in the U.K., Charles consistently wowed the judging panel, which included such cocktail lu- minaries as Dale DeGroff, Salvatore Calabrese, Julie Reiner, Steve Olsen and Gaz Regan. His sig- nature cocktail Above the Clouds, crafted for the fi nal Punch and Glass challenge, sealed the deal. Joly becomes the sixth bartender to be awarded the World Class Bartender of the Year, following in the footsteps of mixology greats including David Rios, Tim Philips, Manabu Ohtake, Erik Lorincz and Aristotelis Papadopoulos. Joly will now become a global ambassador for Diageo Reserve World Class, which involves traveling the world, educating and inspiring new talent while developing his own skills and knowledge.