Andy Warhol was a visionary. He understood that the image, whether that image was a painting, photograph, or video clip, would trump the spoken or written word. The latter might backdrop or frame the event. However, the former would serve as the authentic and verifiable record.
Like Warhol, “Other Voices, Other Rooms,” comprehends the visual’s importance. The exhibit is brilliant in it’s layering of the photographed image alongside the painted image alongside the video image. Every piece was unique. Every room inspired new thoughts and questions.
They also inspired sensory deprivation. In one room, you marveled at Warhol’s signature pop art, while a half dozen screens showed his movies, and a collage of purple-faced Chairman Mao’s stared at you from across the room… It was almost as if, while you were concentrating on the art, the room was consuming you….
What I loved about the exhibit (which I saw twice), was that it wasn’t a flogging of the obvious… When you say Andy Warhol, most non-art patrons would respond with something about a soup can… This exhibit showcased the soup cans… But, it also paraded Warhol’s “Interview” magazines, his MTV work, and his habit of being a pat rack, which was never more evident than when walked past the display of newspapers from the day he was shot…
The Wexner Center for the Arts was even meticulous with his quotes… Yes, they featured his sound bite about fifteen minutes, which everyone can recite with their eyes closed… But, they also, on their elegant red carpet complimented wall, spotlighted his other sphinx-like, less well known pronouncements… The menagerie included “Publicity is like eating peanuts. Once you start you can’t stop.”
When the grand art cities of the world are discussed, Columbus will never be a topic. We fall after New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, and possibly Omaha (just kidding)… The Wexner Center’s exhibition of Warhol didn’t change anyone’s minds and it didn’t vault Columbus into world art consciousness… It gave us fifteen minutes… For that, the Wexner Center merits congratulations…
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Another Coleman Calamity: City Cuts Tow Trucks
NBC 4: City budget cuts continued Friday with another round of layoffs. Seven of nine tow truck drivers with Columbus police have been laid off. Could their pink slips impact public safety?
The tow truck drivers are trained police drivers who are key to keeping evidence secure. Columbus police tow truck drivers are trained to treat vehicles involved or around a crime scene as evidence. Now that seven of nine drivers will be cut, private tow truck drivers will have to be escorted by police officers to and from impound lots because of the vehicle evidence value.
The absence of the drivers also ties up officers who should be patrolling the streets, not escorting an empty vehicle. In fact, according to Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Gilbert, there are five to ten vehicles a day involved in serious crimes that need police tow truck drivers.
In addition to the cuts, Sgt. Rich Weiner with Columbus police said city money will be lost because when a police cruiser breaks down, the division will have to pay a private tow truck company to pick them up.
The tow truck drivers are trained police drivers who are key to keeping evidence secure. Columbus police tow truck drivers are trained to treat vehicles involved or around a crime scene as evidence. Now that seven of nine drivers will be cut, private tow truck drivers will have to be escorted by police officers to and from impound lots because of the vehicle evidence value.
The absence of the drivers also ties up officers who should be patrolling the streets, not escorting an empty vehicle. In fact, according to Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Gilbert, there are five to ten vehicles a day involved in serious crimes that need police tow truck drivers.
In addition to the cuts, Sgt. Rich Weiner with Columbus police said city money will be lost because when a police cruiser breaks down, the division will have to pay a private tow truck company to pick them up.
Quick Read
After viewing this Dispatch’s excellent dissection of the stimulus, I am lost as to which category Mayor Coleman’s Columbus Commons project fits into…
The front page and Life and Arts get into the spirit of the holiday (or non-holiday, if you’re sitting home bitter and single)… Amy Saunders’ “Too Picky, Too Perfect” (front page), which discusses the value of niche dating sites, is exquisite and Joe Blundo’s review of the “Red Roses Poetry Contest” is enjoyable…
Sports leads with solid coverage of the Blue Jackets important 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings… Unfortunately, Rob Oller’s column makes me wish I could give the victory back… Steve Mason is a top five goaltender? He is better than Chris Osgood, who has two Stanley Cup rings? I like Mason also, but Oller’s column was hyperbolic and stupid…
Mike Pramik’s feature (business) on a central Ohio homeowner burned by the stimulus package was this edition’s most interesting… And the Metro section’s front page about the Franklin County Coroner was this edition’s most insipid… I understand she improved the offices services… But, when does the coroner rate front page of anything (except possibly obituaries)…
The front page and Life and Arts get into the spirit of the holiday (or non-holiday, if you’re sitting home bitter and single)… Amy Saunders’ “Too Picky, Too Perfect” (front page), which discusses the value of niche dating sites, is exquisite and Joe Blundo’s review of the “Red Roses Poetry Contest” is enjoyable…
Sports leads with solid coverage of the Blue Jackets important 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings… Unfortunately, Rob Oller’s column makes me wish I could give the victory back… Steve Mason is a top five goaltender? He is better than Chris Osgood, who has two Stanley Cup rings? I like Mason also, but Oller’s column was hyperbolic and stupid…
Mike Pramik’s feature (business) on a central Ohio homeowner burned by the stimulus package was this edition’s most interesting… And the Metro section’s front page about the Franklin County Coroner was this edition’s most insipid… I understand she improved the offices services… But, when does the coroner rate front page of anything (except possibly obituaries)…
Columbus Bored With Jackets
In HBO’s “The Wire,” reporter Scott Templeton spells out his story objective… “What I’d really like to do,” he says. “Is find some chaw chewin old timer, who would rather die than miss an Orioles opener.”
The Blue Jackets don’t have those diehard fans. Why? The Blue Jackets have only been a franchise for eight years. Dakota Fanning is six years older than them.
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd was impressive. Yes, the number of Detroit Red Wings jerseys equaled the number of Blue Jackets jerseys, but what should you expect. The Red Wings have won four cups in eleven years. Fans wearing their jersey are like fans who wore Dallas Cowboys jerseys in the 1990’s… They might wear them because their fans… They might wear them because its popular…
As the clash commenced and six minutes into it, the Blue Jackets accrued a 1-0 lead, I found what was not popular among the “fans” was actually watching or discussing the game… Occasionally, their eyes glanced toward the screen… But, the vast majority of their conversations discussed rich young millionaires or their friend’s divorce or their pet’s surgery (yes, someone was actually talking about)… Rick Nash could have, in the first period, walked into the bar and I don’t think anyone would have asked “Why aren’t you still playing?”
As I returned for the third period, the Red Wings knotted the game at 2-2. I can assume every Detroit fans reaction to this… I don’t have to assume or imagine Blue Jackets fans reactions… there weren’t any… The reactions were even scarcer when, with less than ten minutes remaining, the Blue Jackets assumed command for the third time, 3-2…
In 48 meetings, the Red Wings have defeated the Blue Jackets 35 times with one tie. You would think that everyone inside Frog Bear and Wild Boar would be ecstatic at the prospect of (a) defeating the Red Wings, (b) evening the season series with that win (at 2-2), and (c) notching a two game winning streak versus the Red Wings, something the Blue Jackets have only managed on two occasions previously… Sadly, the final pair of exciting minutes passed with barely and sound and only a crackle of cheers as the Blue Jackets kept their playoff hopes brightly alive…
Now, I know what you’re thinking… it’s a Friday night, people are out to have fun, and it’s the regular season, why should anyone hang on every minute… Allow me this irrefutable argument… On any given Saturday during the college football season, no fan, wearing a jersey or not discusses divorces, millionaires, or pet surgeries… Every moment is tension filled and every reaction is communal and verbal…
As much as anyone would like to claim the Blue Jackets and the season their having as a milestone for the franchise and this city, tonight illustrated why Nash may as well be wearing a stamp across his forehead that reads “Property of Ohio State Football…”
The Blue Jackets don’t have those diehard fans. Why? The Blue Jackets have only been a franchise for eight years. Dakota Fanning is six years older than them.
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd was impressive. Yes, the number of Detroit Red Wings jerseys equaled the number of Blue Jackets jerseys, but what should you expect. The Red Wings have won four cups in eleven years. Fans wearing their jersey are like fans who wore Dallas Cowboys jerseys in the 1990’s… They might wear them because their fans… They might wear them because its popular…
As the clash commenced and six minutes into it, the Blue Jackets accrued a 1-0 lead, I found what was not popular among the “fans” was actually watching or discussing the game… Occasionally, their eyes glanced toward the screen… But, the vast majority of their conversations discussed rich young millionaires or their friend’s divorce or their pet’s surgery (yes, someone was actually talking about)… Rick Nash could have, in the first period, walked into the bar and I don’t think anyone would have asked “Why aren’t you still playing?”
As I returned for the third period, the Red Wings knotted the game at 2-2. I can assume every Detroit fans reaction to this… I don’t have to assume or imagine Blue Jackets fans reactions… there weren’t any… The reactions were even scarcer when, with less than ten minutes remaining, the Blue Jackets assumed command for the third time, 3-2…
In 48 meetings, the Red Wings have defeated the Blue Jackets 35 times with one tie. You would think that everyone inside Frog Bear and Wild Boar would be ecstatic at the prospect of (a) defeating the Red Wings, (b) evening the season series with that win (at 2-2), and (c) notching a two game winning streak versus the Red Wings, something the Blue Jackets have only managed on two occasions previously… Sadly, the final pair of exciting minutes passed with barely and sound and only a crackle of cheers as the Blue Jackets kept their playoff hopes brightly alive…
Now, I know what you’re thinking… it’s a Friday night, people are out to have fun, and it’s the regular season, why should anyone hang on every minute… Allow me this irrefutable argument… On any given Saturday during the college football season, no fan, wearing a jersey or not discusses divorces, millionaires, or pet surgeries… Every moment is tension filled and every reaction is communal and verbal…
As much as anyone would like to claim the Blue Jackets and the season their having as a milestone for the franchise and this city, tonight illustrated why Nash may as well be wearing a stamp across his forehead that reads “Property of Ohio State Football…”
Access Columbus
For a century or so, philosophers, physicians, and poets have, in their own way, pondered one question… What is life about? I don’t know their answer, but I know mine and I believe (in my unbiased opinion), mine should be acceptable as universal… If life is about anything, it’s about access… Access to conversations with the right people, access to the right events, access to opportunities… Access, access, and access….
After spending the first hour of my evening at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar (see above), I arrived at Lodge Bar. Whereas the crowd at Frog Bear and Wild Boar was subdued and social, groups of between two and six; the crowd at Lodge Bar was scorching… The groups were eight or ten, the energy was palpable, and the bunnies (Miller Lite and otherwise) were everywhere…
Fifteen minutes after my entrance, Lodge Bar commenced their Date Auction, which benefited the very worthy Make A Wish Foundation… If only the crowd had realized how worthy the cause was… The ten employees (five men and five women) were charming… They even had little biographical spreads which accompanied their appearance (some of the material on those, obviously altered for effect)… The “Auctioneer,” while not perfect was certainly better than the calamity that voiced the Columbus Crewzers Auction… And the packages that went with the dates, great restaurant gift cards, Blue Jackets tickets, without question exceeded the dinner you received with the Crewzers…
Still, the bidding was sparse (and that’s the kindest word I can use)… The auctioneer honestly appeared to be begging at times… Mark and his Blue Jackets tickets received only one bid, Lindsay and Brittany, as gorgeous as they were, scored only slightly higher than him… Only Amanda, rocking her curves in a black dress, that I believe was spray-painted onto her, caused a bidding frenzy…
Now, money is money and obviously Make A Wish (any charity actually), will accept donations with thanks and thankful hearts… And it certainly isn’t a reflection on Lodge Bar that their patrons were lazy… Still, Lodge Bar is such a great venue and their employees are amazing people… Both deserved so much more…
With the auction concluded, I walked the sidewalk, bridge, and brick ground from Vine Street back to the Arena District for the third period of the Blue Jackets and Red Wings (once again, see above)… As the game ended, I happened into (yes, that’s a random term, but the conversation was random also) with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Co-Owner David Allsbrooks… As we spoke, I could clearly understand why his establishment is one that I enjoy… It’s a complete reflection of its exemplary owner…
As much as I enjoyed conversations with Allsbrooks and Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promoter Jeff (who I will mention again momentarily), those discussions fell miles short of the satisfaction I enjoyed speaking with Abbi… For those of you who don’t remember, Abbi was (my words paraphrased), “the present every male was hoping to receive for Christmas.”
Her personality exceeds her perfect appearance (if that’s even possible)… Her personality is delightful and sparkling, she is an engaging person, and fifteen seconds with her easily confirmed everything I had written… I have to say as someone who types adjectives about amazing people, you never know if meeting those people will live up to what you have written… Trust me I say that five minutes with Abbi was a like a country music fan scoring five minutes with Taylor Swift… Exquisite…
I said I would return to my conversation with Jeff and here is the reason… Prior to the Menus (yes, that’s actually the bands name) taking the stage, Jeff had described the lead singer to me as “heterosexually flamboyant…” I know I said this on twitter, but I must repeat it, Jeff could not have coined a better description if he had sat down and spent four hours attempting it… From the moment he took the stage, the Menus lead singer was worth the price of admission…
With the personality of Boy George and the preening of Freddie Mercury, I half expected to hear “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” or “Radio Gaga…” Instead, I heard one of the most impressive set lists from any band I have seen… The perfect trio of “Sweet Caroline,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” and “Little Pink Houses” fell over the crowd like milk chocolate raining from heaven… And the crowd slurped every available drop (myself included)… As I left to return to Lodge Bar to conclude the night, I was beyond impressed with the Menus…
Wish that I could say the same for Jeremy Hoyle… Lodge Bar’s Friday night choice was, in a word, mediocre… He wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t terrific… Even the crowd (which had increased by dozens when I returned) was unimpressed, as they threw up only a somber reaction to his version of “Hang On Sloopy…”
Hoyle played “Hey Jealousy,” which I loved and overall his set list was acceptable… But I have been in Lodge Bar when the crowd was so energetic that they could rip the boards from the floor… He didn’t inspire that… Thankfully, I had several great conversations to drown him out and this returns to me where I began…
As I walked out of Lodge Bar, my singular thought was what was in my opening… More specifically, how lucky I am to be able to afford everyone who cant get five minutes with a club owner or the promotions person or the best bartender… I always viewed this website and my words as a privilege and a responsibility, but never more so than this typing… Until the next time you have access vicariously, you know I love you Columbus…
After spending the first hour of my evening at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar (see above), I arrived at Lodge Bar. Whereas the crowd at Frog Bear and Wild Boar was subdued and social, groups of between two and six; the crowd at Lodge Bar was scorching… The groups were eight or ten, the energy was palpable, and the bunnies (Miller Lite and otherwise) were everywhere…
Fifteen minutes after my entrance, Lodge Bar commenced their Date Auction, which benefited the very worthy Make A Wish Foundation… If only the crowd had realized how worthy the cause was… The ten employees (five men and five women) were charming… They even had little biographical spreads which accompanied their appearance (some of the material on those, obviously altered for effect)… The “Auctioneer,” while not perfect was certainly better than the calamity that voiced the Columbus Crewzers Auction… And the packages that went with the dates, great restaurant gift cards, Blue Jackets tickets, without question exceeded the dinner you received with the Crewzers…
Still, the bidding was sparse (and that’s the kindest word I can use)… The auctioneer honestly appeared to be begging at times… Mark and his Blue Jackets tickets received only one bid, Lindsay and Brittany, as gorgeous as they were, scored only slightly higher than him… Only Amanda, rocking her curves in a black dress, that I believe was spray-painted onto her, caused a bidding frenzy…
Now, money is money and obviously Make A Wish (any charity actually), will accept donations with thanks and thankful hearts… And it certainly isn’t a reflection on Lodge Bar that their patrons were lazy… Still, Lodge Bar is such a great venue and their employees are amazing people… Both deserved so much more…
With the auction concluded, I walked the sidewalk, bridge, and brick ground from Vine Street back to the Arena District for the third period of the Blue Jackets and Red Wings (once again, see above)… As the game ended, I happened into (yes, that’s a random term, but the conversation was random also) with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Co-Owner David Allsbrooks… As we spoke, I could clearly understand why his establishment is one that I enjoy… It’s a complete reflection of its exemplary owner…
As much as I enjoyed conversations with Allsbrooks and Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promoter Jeff (who I will mention again momentarily), those discussions fell miles short of the satisfaction I enjoyed speaking with Abbi… For those of you who don’t remember, Abbi was (my words paraphrased), “the present every male was hoping to receive for Christmas.”
Her personality exceeds her perfect appearance (if that’s even possible)… Her personality is delightful and sparkling, she is an engaging person, and fifteen seconds with her easily confirmed everything I had written… I have to say as someone who types adjectives about amazing people, you never know if meeting those people will live up to what you have written… Trust me I say that five minutes with Abbi was a like a country music fan scoring five minutes with Taylor Swift… Exquisite…
I said I would return to my conversation with Jeff and here is the reason… Prior to the Menus (yes, that’s actually the bands name) taking the stage, Jeff had described the lead singer to me as “heterosexually flamboyant…” I know I said this on twitter, but I must repeat it, Jeff could not have coined a better description if he had sat down and spent four hours attempting it… From the moment he took the stage, the Menus lead singer was worth the price of admission…
With the personality of Boy George and the preening of Freddie Mercury, I half expected to hear “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” or “Radio Gaga…” Instead, I heard one of the most impressive set lists from any band I have seen… The perfect trio of “Sweet Caroline,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” and “Little Pink Houses” fell over the crowd like milk chocolate raining from heaven… And the crowd slurped every available drop (myself included)… As I left to return to Lodge Bar to conclude the night, I was beyond impressed with the Menus…
Wish that I could say the same for Jeremy Hoyle… Lodge Bar’s Friday night choice was, in a word, mediocre… He wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t terrific… Even the crowd (which had increased by dozens when I returned) was unimpressed, as they threw up only a somber reaction to his version of “Hang On Sloopy…”
Hoyle played “Hey Jealousy,” which I loved and overall his set list was acceptable… But I have been in Lodge Bar when the crowd was so energetic that they could rip the boards from the floor… He didn’t inspire that… Thankfully, I had several great conversations to drown him out and this returns to me where I began…
As I walked out of Lodge Bar, my singular thought was what was in my opening… More specifically, how lucky I am to be able to afford everyone who cant get five minutes with a club owner or the promotions person or the best bartender… I always viewed this website and my words as a privilege and a responsibility, but never more so than this typing… Until the next time you have access vicariously, you know I love you Columbus…
Friday, February 13, 2009
Valentine’s Day 2009: McFadden’s
Commencement: 9:00Venue: McFadden’s (South Campus)
Sexiest Black Dress receives Andrew’s Jewelers Gift Card
Drinks (Available All Night)
$6 Black and White Martini
$5 Black Ice Drinks
$4 Black Out Shots
Valentine’s Day 2009: Lodge Bar
Commencement: 9:00Venue: Lodge Bar (Arena District)
Song Trivia (Winners receive $100)
Drinks (Available All Night)
$4 Red Hot Shots
$3 Martinis
Valentine’s Day 2009: Frog Bear & Wild Boar
Commencement: 8:00Venue: Frog Bear & Wild Boar (343 N Front Street)
First 200 people score free admission for rest of the year
Domestic Decline Disturbing
Whenever we run crime stories like this, inevitable e-mails follow asking why the fact that the crimes are domestic was omitted… The answer is simple… Domestic or not… A crime is a crime… And even if “domestic” were a valid excuse for crime(and it’s not), doesn’t the thought of one loved one assaulting or murdering another loved one scare you?
NBC 4: Specific details are still developing, but a shooting occurred at a home in the 400 block of West Rich Street at about 4:45 p.m... According to initial reports, a woman called police and said that someone knocked on the door of a home where she and her boyfriend live. When her boyfriend answered the door, she said, someone shot him. The victim was taken to Mt. Carmel Hospital West in critical condition. He has been identified by police as Douglas T. Shirley, 21.
NBC 4: A Columbus father was arrested and charged after CPD said his story wasn’t consistent with his baby daughter’s injuries. CPD said Christopher Ulmer, 20, made a 911 call close to noon Thursday. Ulmer said a baby was burned in a bathtub. When CPD and CFD medics arrived on the 1200 block of North Fourth Street, they discovered the victim with severe burns to her body, according to a police report. She was transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and admitted to the burn unit. Ulmer was the only adult home at the time of the incident, CPD said. A police report said the story Ulmer provided was not consistent with the baby’s injuries. He was arrested and charged with a third-degree felony of endangering children.
NBC 4: Specific details are still developing, but a shooting occurred at a home in the 400 block of West Rich Street at about 4:45 p.m... According to initial reports, a woman called police and said that someone knocked on the door of a home where she and her boyfriend live. When her boyfriend answered the door, she said, someone shot him. The victim was taken to Mt. Carmel Hospital West in critical condition. He has been identified by police as Douglas T. Shirley, 21.
NBC 4: A Columbus father was arrested and charged after CPD said his story wasn’t consistent with his baby daughter’s injuries. CPD said Christopher Ulmer, 20, made a 911 call close to noon Thursday. Ulmer said a baby was burned in a bathtub. When CPD and CFD medics arrived on the 1200 block of North Fourth Street, they discovered the victim with severe burns to her body, according to a police report. She was transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and admitted to the burn unit. Ulmer was the only adult home at the time of the incident, CPD said. A police report said the story Ulmer provided was not consistent with the baby’s injuries. He was arrested and charged with a third-degree felony of endangering children.
Quick Read
The Dispatch succeeds in one day, where President Obama could not in three weeks… Explaining how the complex stimulus package will affect ordinary citizens….
While that front page choice was inspired, burying Robert Vitale’s article on petitions potentially scuttling three city council nominees on Metro B3 was insipid… You would think after all the acrimony related to the last council replacements, the paper would realize that city government is a story…
Bob Baptist and Tom Reed frame sports coverage of the Daytona 500 with excellent local contributions… Baptist’s on the NBA Draft status of three young Buckeyes and Reed on the ascendance of former AHL players into the Blue Jackets lineup… Mary Willow leads Life and Arts with a brilliant premise on Friday Night Television that ultimately was flat (great graphics, wretched reporting)…
While that front page choice was inspired, burying Robert Vitale’s article on petitions potentially scuttling three city council nominees on Metro B3 was insipid… You would think after all the acrimony related to the last council replacements, the paper would realize that city government is a story…
Bob Baptist and Tom Reed frame sports coverage of the Daytona 500 with excellent local contributions… Baptist’s on the NBA Draft status of three young Buckeyes and Reed on the ascendance of former AHL players into the Blue Jackets lineup… Mary Willow leads Life and Arts with a brilliant premise on Friday Night Television that ultimately was flat (great graphics, wretched reporting)…
BREAKING: Spice Suffocates
Spice Bar will close next month, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated bluntly, “You don’t know have to know the economy is bad to know they’re in trouble. All you have to do is walk in and look around.”
Originally developed by Sugar Bar Owners Chris Corso and Mike Gallicchio, the 6,290 square foot Spice Bar was purchased by BOMA Developer Tom Starker in October 2008. No one associated with Spice Bar could be reached for comment concerning this story.
Originally developed by Sugar Bar Owners Chris Corso and Mike Gallicchio, the 6,290 square foot Spice Bar was purchased by BOMA Developer Tom Starker in October 2008. No one associated with Spice Bar could be reached for comment concerning this story.
Three Bars, All Wow
Walk the four minutes between Park and Vine Streets… Not the city’s most famous stretch (that’s Lane)… Not the city’s most traveled stretch (that’s High)… But, those four minutes reverberate with a beat and an energy and a pulse, which is truly unequaled…
Upon my arrival at Lodge Bar (approximately 9:40), I could have counted stools or logs or cracks in the bar…. The place was that empty… I know Thursday night crowds are traditionally late arriving, but seriously, less than ten people (not counting staff) in a major bar on a quasi-weekend evening?
A potential factor in the lackluster commencement was the cancellation of the OSU Greek Guest Bartending Competition (which we promoted and came out to cover)… According to a source, the Kappa Delta representative was prevented from competing due to the sorority’s regulations against alcohol (Greek Life regulations against alcohol? Are you serious?)…
Amidst this non-competition lull, I started speaking with Rick, a bartender with which I had previously spoken…. What started as a conversation about the hiring of two former guest bartenders as actual bartenders evolved into a lesson from a master craftsman… Twenty minutes with Rick (and I know I wrote something similar to this on twitter), reminded me of something I had never forgotten, but never appreciate until I am in this situation… When you have the chance to listen to an artist with passion… Savor it… There is nothing better in this world…
Alright, maybe there is one thing better in this world, and it’s something I never thought I would witness in this venue… A bunny equal to Lodge Bar’s Crown Princess Kadi… If you’ve read before (and I know you have), you know I gushed about Kadi’s every aspect…. You know I called her the incomparable unquestioned standard… For now, she remains this…. However, Lauren is a challenger… If beauty is any indication of personality (which I know its not, but let’s pretend it is)… Lauren should own the hearts (and phone numbers) of every male under twenty-six in this city…
As two hours passed, Lodge Bar went from dead to dull to delicious… As I left to walk those four minutes to Park Street, specifically, the Sugar Bar Columbus Crewzers Date Auction, the crowd was improving… Improving, but nothing equal to what I would encounter at Sugar, which was littered with patrons outside, patrons at tables, patrons on the dance floor, at the bar, and throughout every walk way… When I arrived, Sugar had been open less then two hours and they were crammed (so much for a late arriving crowd)…
Teen minutes after my arrival, I learned that the Date Auction would take place at Park Street Patio… I walked the jammed dance floor, down the darkened hallway, up the stairs, and into Park Street and the vibe couldn’t be more different… Whereas Sugar is a rhythmic, intoxicating enclave of bunnies and bunny chasers, Park Street is a mellow ensemble of conversation and quarters enjoying their evening out… Yes, there is a DJ in both and music in both… But, the adjoining buildings may as well be separated by a couple of continents…
After three trips between Sugar and the Park Street, each more dizzying than the last, the Date Auction commenced… I will discuss the charitable proceeds and the DJ in a moment, but first, I cannot say enough about the auction items… As many of you know from previous writing, I am not a soccer fan… But I think these bunnies could change that…
As they danced and posed and smiled, they looked like normal college women, enjoying their drinks and flaunting their attributes, but once the bidding began, you knew they were so much more… Yes, they are soccer professional cheerleaders, but they are cheerleaders nonetheless and what American male doesn’t want a cheerleader?
The answer to that question was reflected in the bidding… Eight pairs of girls, dozens of bids, and $645 raised for Children’s Hospital… An unbelievably worthy cause… The girls couldn’t have been better representatives of their organization either… Encouraging the bidders and showcasing the personalities that obviously make them worth watching on a nightly basis…
Not worth watching or listening to on any basis was the Auctioneer\DJ, a putrid, unprepared weasel, whose hours preparing jokes about the Crewzers sexual preferences obviously trumped (by a substantial margin), his hours preparing for this auction… Half of the names he read for the auction weren’t in attendance, he didn’t know until half way through who the benefiting charity was, and he decided at the opening to do the girls in pairs, rather than individually (which likely could have made more money)…. Don’t get me wrong, the auction was a success and Sugar and Park Street should be proud of themselves… I am proud of them… But that DJ should never work again…
After the auction wrapped, I walked the four minutes back to Lodge Bar…. Why you ask? Because a manager had told me to stop back because, in his words, Lodge would be slammed busy after midnight… I would have bet my alcohol consumption for a month that wouldn’t the case… Glad I didn’t bet… When I walked in, the previously impressive bunny population had quintupled…
Bunnies on the dance floor, music pumping, a thousand random conversations (as opposed to the ten that were taking place when I left)… I found the manager and asked how did he know… Seriously, was he hiding these people in a closet when I left? I know what I’m doing he told me… Apparently, he does…
In addition to a more favorable impression of their evening, my return to Lodge Bar netted me an extensive conversation with WNCI DJ Gonzo… As the lights came up and Lodge Bar closed for the night, he and I discussed everything from the economic impact on clubs to the economic impact on the average person… It was the kind of meaningful conversation two young professionals have when they know potential, far outweighs their present circumstances…
The long conversation, which finally ended around 2:20, concluded an evening in which two events were covered, three venues were entered, three potential interviews (Gonzo, the Crewzers, and the political interview we teased on twitter) materialized, and tidbit after tidbit of breaking news was whispered into my ear… That’s the thing about this city… On any given evening, if you just listen, reverberates with a beat and an energy and a pulse, which is truly unequaled…
Upon my arrival at Lodge Bar (approximately 9:40), I could have counted stools or logs or cracks in the bar…. The place was that empty… I know Thursday night crowds are traditionally late arriving, but seriously, less than ten people (not counting staff) in a major bar on a quasi-weekend evening?
A potential factor in the lackluster commencement was the cancellation of the OSU Greek Guest Bartending Competition (which we promoted and came out to cover)… According to a source, the Kappa Delta representative was prevented from competing due to the sorority’s regulations against alcohol (Greek Life regulations against alcohol? Are you serious?)…
Amidst this non-competition lull, I started speaking with Rick, a bartender with which I had previously spoken…. What started as a conversation about the hiring of two former guest bartenders as actual bartenders evolved into a lesson from a master craftsman… Twenty minutes with Rick (and I know I wrote something similar to this on twitter), reminded me of something I had never forgotten, but never appreciate until I am in this situation… When you have the chance to listen to an artist with passion… Savor it… There is nothing better in this world…
Alright, maybe there is one thing better in this world, and it’s something I never thought I would witness in this venue… A bunny equal to Lodge Bar’s Crown Princess Kadi… If you’ve read before (and I know you have), you know I gushed about Kadi’s every aspect…. You know I called her the incomparable unquestioned standard… For now, she remains this…. However, Lauren is a challenger… If beauty is any indication of personality (which I know its not, but let’s pretend it is)… Lauren should own the hearts (and phone numbers) of every male under twenty-six in this city…
As two hours passed, Lodge Bar went from dead to dull to delicious… As I left to walk those four minutes to Park Street, specifically, the Sugar Bar Columbus Crewzers Date Auction, the crowd was improving… Improving, but nothing equal to what I would encounter at Sugar, which was littered with patrons outside, patrons at tables, patrons on the dance floor, at the bar, and throughout every walk way… When I arrived, Sugar had been open less then two hours and they were crammed (so much for a late arriving crowd)…
Teen minutes after my arrival, I learned that the Date Auction would take place at Park Street Patio… I walked the jammed dance floor, down the darkened hallway, up the stairs, and into Park Street and the vibe couldn’t be more different… Whereas Sugar is a rhythmic, intoxicating enclave of bunnies and bunny chasers, Park Street is a mellow ensemble of conversation and quarters enjoying their evening out… Yes, there is a DJ in both and music in both… But, the adjoining buildings may as well be separated by a couple of continents…
After three trips between Sugar and the Park Street, each more dizzying than the last, the Date Auction commenced… I will discuss the charitable proceeds and the DJ in a moment, but first, I cannot say enough about the auction items… As many of you know from previous writing, I am not a soccer fan… But I think these bunnies could change that…
As they danced and posed and smiled, they looked like normal college women, enjoying their drinks and flaunting their attributes, but once the bidding began, you knew they were so much more… Yes, they are soccer professional cheerleaders, but they are cheerleaders nonetheless and what American male doesn’t want a cheerleader?
The answer to that question was reflected in the bidding… Eight pairs of girls, dozens of bids, and $645 raised for Children’s Hospital… An unbelievably worthy cause… The girls couldn’t have been better representatives of their organization either… Encouraging the bidders and showcasing the personalities that obviously make them worth watching on a nightly basis…
Not worth watching or listening to on any basis was the Auctioneer\DJ, a putrid, unprepared weasel, whose hours preparing jokes about the Crewzers sexual preferences obviously trumped (by a substantial margin), his hours preparing for this auction… Half of the names he read for the auction weren’t in attendance, he didn’t know until half way through who the benefiting charity was, and he decided at the opening to do the girls in pairs, rather than individually (which likely could have made more money)…. Don’t get me wrong, the auction was a success and Sugar and Park Street should be proud of themselves… I am proud of them… But that DJ should never work again…
After the auction wrapped, I walked the four minutes back to Lodge Bar…. Why you ask? Because a manager had told me to stop back because, in his words, Lodge would be slammed busy after midnight… I would have bet my alcohol consumption for a month that wouldn’t the case… Glad I didn’t bet… When I walked in, the previously impressive bunny population had quintupled…
Bunnies on the dance floor, music pumping, a thousand random conversations (as opposed to the ten that were taking place when I left)… I found the manager and asked how did he know… Seriously, was he hiding these people in a closet when I left? I know what I’m doing he told me… Apparently, he does…
In addition to a more favorable impression of their evening, my return to Lodge Bar netted me an extensive conversation with WNCI DJ Gonzo… As the lights came up and Lodge Bar closed for the night, he and I discussed everything from the economic impact on clubs to the economic impact on the average person… It was the kind of meaningful conversation two young professionals have when they know potential, far outweighs their present circumstances…
The long conversation, which finally ended around 2:20, concluded an evening in which two events were covered, three venues were entered, three potential interviews (Gonzo, the Crewzers, and the political interview we teased on twitter) materialized, and tidbit after tidbit of breaking news was whispered into my ear… That’s the thing about this city… On any given evening, if you just listen, reverberates with a beat and an energy and a pulse, which is truly unequaled…
Thursday, February 12, 2009
INVITE: Date Auction
Commencement: 8:00Venue: Lodge Bar (Arena District)
Auction Winners Receive
Date with an Employee
$50 restaurant gift card.
Auction Proceeds Benefit
Make A Wish
Drinks (Available 5 – 9 p.m.)
$3 you call it drinks
$2 martinis
$1.50 Domestic Pitchers (32 ounces)
$1 wells
INVITE: U-Weekly Dating Game
“Win A Hot Date or At Least, A Hot Meal”Commencement: 9:00
Venue: McFadden’s (South Campus)
Winners will receive date and $50 prize
O-Bowl Introduction
$15 Barcardi (92 ounces)
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