28 NOVEMBER 2020 By Rachael Bouley I f there’s ever been a perfect time for a cocktail, 2020 is it. With the COVID-19 pandemic turning the hospitality industry upside down, a new project is bringing the community together to support female bartenders and the greater bar and restaurant scene. The All Women Take-Out Cocktail Initiative launched by Barter & Shake is the passion project of Kailee Asher. She is the marketing director at Barter & Shake Creative Hospitality, which owns and manages Century Grand and UnderTow, two popular cocktail bar concepts in Phoenix. Years of work in the hospitality industry inspired Asher to put together a project that highlights female bartenders across the Valley. The goal of the project is to bring awareness to gender equality by having seven female mixologists craft a signature drink. Proceeds from the program support Another Round Another Rally (a COVID-19 relief fund) to kickstart the nonprofit’s professional development fund for females in the hospitality industry. “This initiative is designed to benefit our local community and build some unity, reengage people and get them excited,” Asher said. “Our hospitality folks thrive off of human interaction, and when they are all stuck at home, it’s pretty tough on them.” While Barter & Shake originally envisioned the event as an in-person experience with dinner and drink pairing to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, the pandemic forced them to make some adjustments. The food component was eliminated, and it was shifted to a more casual, virtual version with a focus on the craft cocktails and the talented bartenders who made them. In October, each participant was featured on Barter & Shake’s social media pages with a photo, their workplace, background in All Women Take-Out Cocktail Initiative supports hospitality industry ASHLEY CIBOR Bartender – UnderTow KYLA DAHL HEIN Beverage Director – Pigtails Desert Ridge IESHA FAIRRINGTON Bartender – Century Grand SAMANTHA HICKMAN Bartender – Windsor GRRRL POWER Open Sun-Wed 11am-9pm; Thurs- Sat 11am-10pm. CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY • Dine in • Patio Service • Happy Hour Specials • Pickup Orders • Delivery Orders within a 5-mile radius Try our full catering service: 602-300-7133 ORDER YOUR TAMALES FOR THE HOLIDAYS $30 PER DOZEN 4144 E. Indian School Road | teepeemexicanfood.com | 602-956-0178 ENJOY YOUR TEEPEE FAVORITES! Safety guidelines are being followed. Thanks for your support!

29 NOVEMBER 2020 bartending, their inspiration for their cocktail – and, most importantly, how to prepare it. New cocktails are released weekly. All of the drinks are batched into 50 bottles with two servings each and are available for sale online or in the Grey Hen Rx store until they run out, with the option for curbside pickup at Barter & Shake’s restaurant locations. Asher said that getting some of the Valley’s brightest female bartenders involved in the initiative, along with nationally awarded female mixologists, has helped generate conversation, appreciation and support for one another. This is especially important in a year where many bartenders have been out of work. “This gives the bartenders a chance to share their career path and stories of how they have succeeded as females in the hospitality industry,” Asher said. “It’s intended to be a positive and engaging program for our community of female bartenders.” The initiative will make a new professional development fund possible, aiming to promote gender equality and diversity in the industry by eliminating barriers to entry and advancement. This fund will offer reimbursement for courses and accreditations from The Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. From the mentorship program to the drink sales, Asher is pleased with the feedback and hopes the program will continue to grow. “I think that its general purpose was successful, and it got these bartenders back into the mindset and mentality of making drinks, ideating cocktails and going back to work. So that was great,” Asher said. greyhenrx.com KRISTINA JONAS Bartender & Manager – UnderTow NICOLE GIAMPINO Bartender – Century Grand CHANEL GODWINMCMAKEN Lead Bartender – Little Rituals This initiative is designed to benefit our local community and build some unity, reengage people and get them excited.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAILEE ASHER CATARACTS - PREMIUM IOL’S - DIABETIC RETINOPATHY - GLAUCOMA - DRY EYE OCULOPLASTICS & CORNEA - LASIK - MACULAR DEGENERATION - ROUTINE EXAM 300 E. Osborn Rd., # 100 Phoenix, AZ 85012 (Optical Shop Available) 2855 E. Brown Rd. # 10 Mesa, AZ 85213 (Optical Shop Available) 9746 N. 90th Pl., # 101 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (Optical Shop Available) 7245 E. Osborn Rd., # 4 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (Optical Shop Available) Arizona Eye SPECIALISTS WE’D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST PHYSICIAN TO OUR PRACTICE - DR. JOSHUA RODEN! WWW.ARIZONAEYES.NET CALL 480-994-5012, OPTION 2, TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. 5620 W. Thunderbird Rd., # H-3 Glendale, AZ 85306 4915 E. Baseline Rd., # 114 Gilbert, AZ 85234 13555 W. McDowell Rd., # 102 Goodyear, AZ 85395 Dr. Roden’s special interests include fitting specialty contact lenses for irregular corneas and ocular surface diseases, fitting multifocal contact lenses, diagnosing and managing ocular diseases and comprehensive eye exams for all ages. An Arizona native, Dr. Roden enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and their two dogs. He also enjoys traveling, woodworking, leatherworking, photography and being involved in his church. For his complete bio, go to www.arizonaeyes.net/doctors/joshua-j-roden-o-d/. Joshua J. Roden, O.D. Medical & Vision Care