Thursday, October 30, 2008

Get Your Movember Teams Together!

Movember is fast approaching! In just two short days, all participants will need to shave clean and get those mustaches growing and begin raising money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Participation is quick and easy. Start a team of friends, colleagues or family (women too!), register your team at Movember.com, then email us at info@hoteldonaldson.com so we can track your progress. From there, use the tools available at Movember.com to raise some serious cash ... raise enough and you'll qualify for some great prizes. Also, mark your calendars for the big Movember bash, Bros On Broadway, on Sunday, November 30th. We'll have bands, food, beverages and a lot of mustache related fun.

If you're on the fence about growing a mustache, remember this: it's for a great cause and it will be a lot of fun. You'll make every guy you see without a mustache green with envy. Come on. You know you want to try it just this once.

Call 701.478.1000 for details. Click here for more information, or visit www.movember.com.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Invasion of the Brinsk!


Jazz is chock full of pioneering spirits unwilling to retread ground. Miles Davis comes to mind, as does Ornette Coleman, Thirsty Ear Records and the skewed klezmer of John Zorn. Add Brooklyn's Brinsk to that mix. Led by Fargo expat Aryeh Kobrinsky, this five-piece runs the devilish suspensions of metal music through the filter of free jazz, and the result will definitely wake you up in the morning. The show, part of Brinsk's national tour, will stop in at the HoDo Lounge tomorrow night at 8 p.m. There's a $3 cover and it's 21+.

For more information, check out Matt Beshear's article in the latest High Plains Reader. To listen - and you really should - visit The Brinsk on MySpace.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Bra Garland is Up!


Yesterday was a beautiful autumn day, crisp and sunny. We had perfect weather in which to string up the bra garland made from the bras collected during this year's "Bucks and Bras" drive (you can find out more about it here). There are over 1300 bras, about twice as many as last year, and they will be up through Thursday when we host Bras On Broadway, our annual breast cancer benefit/art auction. Speaking of which, there are still tickets available at fargostuff.com.



Understandably, we ended up turning a lot of heads in downtown Fargo during the process. Many passers-by stopped to talk and lend their support. If you're so inclined, stop down while the garland is up and take a moment to check it out.

A big thank you to everyone who made a donation this year. The funds we raise will benefit people in our area living with breast cancer by deferring their travel expenses and purchasing wigs.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Put Another 'X' on the Whiskey Jug

The Legionnaires, Fargo/Moorhead's favorite country-fried jam outfit, come correct with a night of barnstorming, PG-13 impropriety. No cover, 21+, and the whole shebang gets under way tonight at 8 p.m. in the HoDo Lounge. Don't forget to try the world famous Cowboy Martini, a favorite among city slickers and trail hands alike.

If you're electronically inclined, be sure to visit the Legionnaires website to hear a whole heapin' helpin' of music, including scads of live tracks. It's like having them in the room that you're sitting in right now!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Mustache Rides Again!


Face it, folks. The much-maligned mustache is staging a comeback. Not only is it coming back but, contrary to popular belief, it's also a force for good.

We're asking men to grow a lip warmer during the month of November while raising money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and generating awareness of men’s health issues. Participants will start clean shaven on November 1st, then grow their mustache over the course of the month. All men - and women - can join a team of coworkers, friends or family and get in the fun by gathering donations. This local effort is part of the global “Movember” fundraiser with participants throughout the United States, Australia, Europe and Canada (“mo” is Australian slang for a mustache).

We're spearheading the local effort and will host the all-ages Fargo Movember party, Bros on Broadway, on Sunday, November 30th with prizes for local fund raising groups. We will also award prizes for the best mustaches and ... wait for it ... costume/mustache combinations. Who would you be? Magnum P.I.? Borat? The Stranger (above)?

Find out more or register your team and team members at www.movember.com. Also, tell us about your team here at the HoDo so we can track your progress. You can reach us at 701.478.1000 or via email at info@hoteldonaldson.com. Keep tabs on the local Movember fun through our Facebook page.

Why do this? Part of the answer is a lack of awareness about the health issues faced by males. Also contributing to the problem is an attitude of having to be tough "real men" and men's reluctance to see a doctor about an illness or to go for regular medical check ups. The aim of Movember is to change this attitude, make men's health fun by putting the "Mo" back on the face of fashion and in the process raise some serious funds for key men's health issues.

Get your team together today!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

26.3 Watts


There is a psychological tendency to equate Americana/folk music with a dusty image of cropland with a plow in the foreground. One strongly expects lyrics about redemption in the face of weakness or about a car heading west.

Leave it someone like Drew Peterson (of Minneapolis's 40 Watt Bulb) to muddy those waters. With a classic Springsteen-ish voice, spare-but-clever arrangements, and a wry awareness of the modern condition, he turns the acoustic guitar into a go-between for folksy simplicity and the complexity of today's human relationships. It's clear that he's also having a lot fun doing it, allowing him to follow easily in the footsteps of Bob Schneider or Josh Ritter, even rivaling their considerable songwriting talents. Listen for yourself on the 40 Watt Bulb MySpace page.

Drew, along with part of the 40WB crew, will be our guest Thursday night in the HoDo Lounge. The show starts at 9:00 p.m. No cover, 21+.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

October's Third Wednesday - Cline Cellars Dinner


We're continuing two traditions on October 15th. The first is our Third Wednesday of the Month series of special restaurant events, each designed to explore the many facets of cuisine. In the past, we've ventured into the territories of sushi, French cooking and tapas.

The second is our continuing effort to bring attention to the world of quality wine through tastings and pairings. Both traditions come together in the Cline Cellars Dinner, October's Third Wednesday of the Month. You can try five different Cline wines expertly paired with five different courses for $85 a person (tax and tip included). Plus, the tasting will be guided by Cline Cellars representative Coleman Craft.

Don't miss this perfect opportunity to learn about the art of winemaking while enjoying an excellent meal. The fun begins at with a social at 6:00 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Space is limited, so please call 701.478.8888 for reservations.

To learn more about the Cline family of wines, visit clinecellars.com.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Get to Know a HoDoan #3 - Pete

(It's time for another sneak peek into the gritty innards of the HoDo. This time around, we're talking with Pete. He's a tall drink of water with plenty of talent and a great personality. Pete also has the distinction of being a guitarist/vocalist in a bluegrass outfit, the Johnson Family Band. Let's learn more...)

Any nicknames?
Pete. Just Pete.


What do you do here at the HoDo and how long have you been here? I'm a bartender. I've been here for about six months.

What is your most memorable HoDo moment? Probably seeing the sun set, framed by the buildings on Broadway, from the stage at Dalefest.

What do you like to do in your free time? I have an Australian cattledog named Scruggs and a bluegrass band. Right now, I'm also learning the fiddle.


List some favorites of yours. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," by Robert Persig; films by David Lynch; the album "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake; the Foghorn Stringbad; and "Lost."

What do you recommend to do while in Fargo? Hike at Buffalo River State Park, drink at the HoDo and see the Johnson Family Band, of course!

What is your favorite menu item on the HoDo menu? You can't beat a wild rice burger and a Bells Two-Hearted ale.

What is your dream vacation? I would love to go climbing and chase women in Thailand.

Who are your heroes? John Hartford, Tom Waits, Barack Obama and Dale (all-around smooth talkin' manager of the HoDo Lounge - ed.).

What would you do if you won the lottery? Become a full-time alpinist (mountain climber - ed.), or something equally self indulgent.

(A special thanks to Pete for his willingness to be poked and prodded. Be sure to check out his mixology skills behind the bar at the HoDo.)