The University of Iowa Theater program usually hosts a ten minute play festival once a year. But apparently students want more. This last Tuesday (April 29th) I experienced my first 10 minute play festival at The Mill. It was hosted by a group called "Free Association Student Theater".
I only saw three of the plays (opting to go home due to illness), but my overall opinion was that they were average. Only one was slightly humorous, the others were slow moving and pointless, but I am not a theater major or a writer. The plays were written and acted out by undergrads. The best part of the 10 minute play festival is that it was at The Mill. Which means you can order a few pints and some fries while watching. I think I enjoyed the sustenance more than the plays.
Although this event was not particularly engaging, the back room at the mill (that some may not even be aware of) is a great place to grab drinks, great food, and watch the hundreds of other events they have going on weekly. To check out thier entertainment schedule go to icmill.com.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursdays @ ETC
Last thursday night my friend and I, both single and broke, decided to hit the bars alone. It was probably around 11 oclock when we strolled onto the ped mall and had to decide where our first stop would be. Considering our soberness and brokeness we chose ETC. There was no cover and they were doing $1 u-call it. Once we got in the bar we were surronded by a mass amount of people. It didn't take us long to get to the bar to order two vodka tonics, and it took an equal amount of time to finish the barely alcoholic drinks. I can't say I blame the bar. Offering free cover along with a $1 call its, pretty much guarantees weak drinks. For the rest of the night we stuck to safe drinks, beer and tequila shots.
I would say this is a great bar to start out at. Cheap drinks plus no cover. But you also have to add in getting stepped on, spilled on, and dripped on (I think that was the air conditioner).
I wouldn't spend my entire night there, but ETC has some cheap drinks for no cover. It can also be a fun place to dance, if you're in the mood.
I would say this is a great bar to start out at. Cheap drinks plus no cover. But you also have to add in getting stepped on, spilled on, and dripped on (I think that was the air conditioner).
I wouldn't spend my entire night there, but ETC has some cheap drinks for no cover. It can also be a fun place to dance, if you're in the mood.
Blackstone: Fine Drinking in Iowa City
Driving a few miles out of downtown Iowa City, my friends and I were looking for a place to have a few drinks and relax. What we found was Blackstone.
Located on the corner of Scott Blvd. and Rochester Ave., Blackstone is a trendy, middle class establishment, with not so cheap drinks and a vibrant and versatile atmosphere. From fine dining to a game room in the back, Blackstone has a wide variety of entertainment and dining options.
For my friends and I, the corner of the bar, the middle ground between fine dining and the rowdy, but older, bar population of the game room, was perfect. With only the slight turn of my head I could see back to the pool tables and dart boards and, in the other direction, the more formal dining room. The crowd was mostly comprised of middle aged men and women, most of who appeared to be regulars based upon their interaction with the bartenders and wait staff.
As for me, I opted out of choosing from the large drink menu, complete with flavored and specialty martinis, along with local twists on some original cocktails. Instead, I warmed myself with a Maker’s Mark on the rocks. Delightfully, the bartender poured me a significantly large glass. The special for the night, Saturday, was 20 oz. steins for $4.00. Not bad for a bar off the beaten path for downtown Iowa City regulars.
Located on the corner of Scott Blvd. and Rochester Ave., Blackstone is a trendy, middle class establishment, with not so cheap drinks and a vibrant and versatile atmosphere. From fine dining to a game room in the back, Blackstone has a wide variety of entertainment and dining options.
For my friends and I, the corner of the bar, the middle ground between fine dining and the rowdy, but older, bar population of the game room, was perfect. With only the slight turn of my head I could see back to the pool tables and dart boards and, in the other direction, the more formal dining room. The crowd was mostly comprised of middle aged men and women, most of who appeared to be regulars based upon their interaction with the bartenders and wait staff.
As for me, I opted out of choosing from the large drink menu, complete with flavored and specialty martinis, along with local twists on some original cocktails. Instead, I warmed myself with a Maker’s Mark on the rocks. Delightfully, the bartender poured me a significantly large glass. The special for the night, Saturday, was 20 oz. steins for $4.00. Not bad for a bar off the beaten path for downtown Iowa City regulars.
Monday, April 28, 2008
A Vacant Bar in IC?
Most would find it alarming that an Iowa City bar contained no more than 20 people on a Saturday night. And to make it even more shocking, domestic drafts were only a dollar!
Last Saturday I made my way to Sky Box, but remembered it was very hard to find. Like One-Eyed Jakes, a very narrow stairway led to the bar with a tiny sign out front; the bar was very easy to miss.
According to a Daily Iowan article in 2004, Sky Box was previously named Top Dogs and closed for 2 weeks in August of 2004 to remodel. Owner Mark Nolte claimed in 2004 that business for Top Dogs was slow, but it just needed to run it's course.
On the contrary, business didn't seem to be looking up last Saturday. Once I got up the stairs I noticed just two people sitting at the bar, we would make the occupancy 6. Little did I know that I would get cheap beer all night. But why wasn't a bar with dollar beers more happenin? According to a couple blog posts, their prices on food are ridiculously high. A Chicago style hot dog costs $6. So why must they mislead people with their prices?
You would think that those outrageous prices for food would turn people away. And sure enough, last Saturday night proved that Sky Box isn't on everyone's mind when they go downtown. It didn't help that I almost had to ask someone for directions, even though I have lived in Iowa City for 3 years now, with trips downtown totaling in the hundreds.
Last Saturday I made my way to Sky Box, but remembered it was very hard to find. Like One-Eyed Jakes, a very narrow stairway led to the bar with a tiny sign out front; the bar was very easy to miss.
According to a Daily Iowan article in 2004, Sky Box was previously named Top Dogs and closed for 2 weeks in August of 2004 to remodel. Owner Mark Nolte claimed in 2004 that business for Top Dogs was slow, but it just needed to run it's course.
On the contrary, business didn't seem to be looking up last Saturday. Once I got up the stairs I noticed just two people sitting at the bar, we would make the occupancy 6. Little did I know that I would get cheap beer all night. But why wasn't a bar with dollar beers more happenin? According to a couple blog posts, their prices on food are ridiculously high. A Chicago style hot dog costs $6. So why must they mislead people with their prices?
You would think that those outrageous prices for food would turn people away. And sure enough, last Saturday night proved that Sky Box isn't on everyone's mind when they go downtown. It didn't help that I almost had to ask someone for directions, even though I have lived in Iowa City for 3 years now, with trips downtown totaling in the hundreds.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Clarkson Canceled
I suppose most people have heard about the cancellation of Gridiron Bash 2008. Though Kelly Clarkson is not my top 5, or even my top 20 favorite artists, I was looking forward to the first concert to be held at Kinnick Stadium. It would have almost been like tailgating. My friends and my sister and I planned to meet beforehand to hang out, and then walk to the stadium for the concert. And with the recent acceleration of summer weather, it was looking like a great outdoor concert.
On the other hand, the recent cancellation has brought me to a brighter answer. Though I will have to drive 2 hours away, I will enjoy music like I would have in Iowa City on April 18th. Jimmy Eat World and Paramore, two currently hot artists, are playing at Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines. Jimmy Eat World has had 5 albums, including their recent album debut of “Chase This Light,” which ranked #5 on the Billboard in last November. Paramore has recently sky-rocketed in terms of airplay. With only 2 albums, they have been in the top 5 for Billboard’s “Hot Modern Rock Tracks” during 2007 and 2008.
Basically, Val Air Ballroom rocks with their consistent offers of featured artist performances. And though Kinnick tried to instate the first of hopefully many performances to come, their luck didn’t stay strong. For the convenience of location, along with the steep incline of gas prices, I hope that Kinnick Stadium has another opportunity to present their first musical performance. But in the meantime, I will enjoy great music wherever it occurs.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Martini's Beer Garden
After the long, cold, and wet Winter, I was anxious to get out of my apartment at the first sign of warm weather. The smoky and crowded bars that I have populated throughout the winter did not excite or even stir up my feelings with the temperatures now in the 60s. I wanted a beer garden, and I wanted it immediately.
As the sun began to fade early Tuesday evening, I ventured across campus to Martini’s in hopes that their beer garden would be open. My friend told me he had seen a sign outside of the bar that the beer garden was now open, and he was right. We were in luck.
On a typical Tuesday afternoon, Martini’s is not a crowded place. But on this Tuesday, other Iowa City residents had the same idea as me, for the bar was crowded and a steady noise could be heard from the patio in the back. Walking through the bar, my excitement boiling, I came upon a large gathering of happy drunks, ignited by the fire of beer and warm weather. I sought out a waitress, ordered a round of beers for my friend and I, and joined a group of familiar faces at a table in the beer garden. It was a beautiful night and the beers went down smooth. It was great to be at a bar outdoors at sunset. I am eager for the Summer to arrive and for nights of endless drinking under the night’s sky.
As the sun began to fade early Tuesday evening, I ventured across campus to Martini’s in hopes that their beer garden would be open. My friend told me he had seen a sign outside of the bar that the beer garden was now open, and he was right. We were in luck.
On a typical Tuesday afternoon, Martini’s is not a crowded place. But on this Tuesday, other Iowa City residents had the same idea as me, for the bar was crowded and a steady noise could be heard from the patio in the back. Walking through the bar, my excitement boiling, I came upon a large gathering of happy drunks, ignited by the fire of beer and warm weather. I sought out a waitress, ordered a round of beers for my friend and I, and joined a group of familiar faces at a table in the beer garden. It was a beautiful night and the beers went down smooth. It was great to be at a bar outdoors at sunset. I am eager for the Summer to arrive and for nights of endless drinking under the night’s sky.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Punch Card Night
One eyed Jake's is not one of my favorite bars. Its small, semi dirty, and the staircase scares the hell out of me. Yet I found myself in this second story bar last Wednesday night. Every Wednesday Jake's offers a great deal, 10 bucks gets you a punch card with 15 punches. So 10 bucks, 15 drinks. My brother and I opted to split a card. Seeing as we got there early (9:30ish) we had our choice of table and got drinks pretty easily. The bar was fun until around 10:30-11 when it became completely packed. It was difficult to get a drink, hard to maneuver through the crowd and the line to the girls bathroom was ridiculous. I spent half my time waiting to get drinks and the other half waiting to go to the bathroom. I may have enjoyed this type of bar scene when I was a freshman but now its just too much to go through, even for a cheap deal. When two freshman girls started making out I decided I had had enough.
In conclusion: I'd advise getting to Jake's early on card night to enjoy the bar before the rush.
In conclusion: I'd advise getting to Jake's early on card night to enjoy the bar before the rush.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)