We aren't sure how the ladies will feel about this one, some of you may love it while others will hate it.
Dave's mother-in-law sent him this picture:
A bar can be a little bit like a daycare center, though it's not really the goal we have in mind. The bar is a great place for spouses or partners to take a break while their significant other shops, relaxes or just needs a break; but we prefer that people in the bar have the ability to look after themselves!
Yes, we're going to attempt National Blog Posting Month again in November. This is the third or fourth year we've signed on for this adventure, and I think we were successful maybe once. It's hard to post something every day, especially in a short month with a lot of holiday time!
Find out more about National Blog Posting Month, or NaBloPoMo, here.
Are you participating? Leave us a comment with a link to your blog, and we'll check it out! Maybe we can help each other get to the end of this month.
And if there are burning questions you have about the Sandbar, or things you're dying to know, let us know that, too. We could use some ideas for things to write about!
Another Halloween has come and gone! Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, because we love to dress up in costumes.
Friday night was our annual Rocky Horror Picture Show party bus extravaganza, and there were plenty of costumes that night. Saturday night was the big Halloween party, even though the actual holiday was still two days away. We saw lots of great costumes again on Saturday!
Dave takes his costumes very seriously and loves to come up with new and creative ideas. He's definitely not one to buy a pre-packaged costume off the shelf- he'd rather put his own costume together with finds from places like the Antique Mall, Fun & Games and the costume closet in his basement. (Yes, there is a costume closet in his basement.)
This year, he was Scot Pollard, former KU and NBA basketball player. He grew out his facial hair, attached
a ponytail and painted his fingernails black. The only flaw in his costume was the number on his jersey, but otherwise he made a pretty good Pollard. And that's the real Scot in the photo above with Dave- another awesome costume.
Bartender Blair also decided to dress up as a real person- Friday bartender Phil. He might look like Santa on a tropical vacation, or even White Owl, but he's supposed to be Phil, albeit more of a hippy Phil than real Phil. Blair opted not to trim the wig and beard.
Some of the other costumes we saw on Saturday: bartender Heather as Elvira (and doorguy Nathan is such a youngster he didn't even know who Elvira was); Pocahontas; Mario & Luigi; various superheroes; Ace Ventura; a mermaid; and a cupcake.
Monday night rolled around and gave us a third night of Halloween costumes, and it was a busy night. Thanks to everyone who still felt like partying after a busy holiday weekend!
On Friday night the Sandbar hosted our third annual Rocky Horror Picture Show party bus extravaganza. We filled a school bus with fun people from the Sandbar, picked up more fun party people in Baldwin and headed for Ottawa.
Our first stop after we picked up a few people at the Lodge in Baldwin City was Dunn's Landing, a working farm outside of Baldwin. Our friends Robin and Kirsten decorated their barn with festive Halloween decor and treated all of us to chili. When everyone was finished eating, we loaded back up on the bus and traveled to Ottawa for the main event.
The party crew outside the barn at Dunn's Landing
The Crystal Plaza Theater in Ottawa has undergone a makeover. Owners Peach, Ted, Teddy and Amelia have added a kitchen and grill, and the lobby area features a small dining area along with a counter and bar stools in the concession area. There's a full menu of appetizers, sandwiches and burgers; and we were particularly amused with the "Happy Endings" section of the menu. It features desserts, silly.
We watched Rocky Horror in the smaller theater, where some of the theater seating was removed to make way for several tables and chairs so patrons can enjoy food while watching the movie.
If you've never been to RHPS, you need to go. It's not the movie itself that is so much fun, but the entire event, especially with the Sandbar crew. And particularly Movie Dave and Scotty Mac, who thoroughly entertained the crowd with their dialogue.
The party crew in the lobby of the Ottawa Crystal Plaza movie theater
After the movie, we loaded back up on the bus and headed home. Many thanks to our awesome bus driver, Jimmy Lee Rose. Anyone who can put up with our group is a rock star! We'll be sure to request him as our driver next time we rent a bus.
Here's a piece of exciting news for Jimmy Buffett fans: Peter Mayer, the guitarist for the Coral Reefer Band, is live in concert this Sunday in Lawrence!
You may not know that Peter Mayer has his own band, the Peter Mayer Group. They've actually performed small concerts at the Sandbar three times over the years, and they've always been a huge hit. (And sold out quickly.) He doesn't play Buffett tunes, though- he has plenty of his own songs that range from jazz, country, classical and gospel. It's good stuff.
This Sunday, the Peter Mayer Group is performing a benefit concert at Abe & Jake's. All of the ticket sale proceeds will go to eleven African countries for malaria treatment, prevention and education.
There's a VIP ticket option available for $100, and it includes a reception at 6 p.m. with appetizers, drinks, an auction and special seating for the concert.
To purchase tickets, click here. We'd love to see a contingent of Sandbar fans at this show, especially those of you who have missed out on the shows at the Sandbar in the past!
Thanks to our friends at 23rd Street Brewery for helping put on this concert and letting us know about it!