Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy 2009!


The entire Hotel Donaldson staff wish you and yours a happy new year. As you head out on the town tonight, remember to mind the roads and plan ahead.

There's lots of fun to be had around the HoDo tonight - a fantastic spread for dinner at $65/person and a good ol' HoDo hoedown with the Johnson Family Band. But whether you spend the holiday with us or elsewhere, be sure to mind the roads, bundle up and think ahead. Let's end 2008 on a safe note.

Above all, have a great 2009!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Fargo's 'Renaissance Zone' Bearing Fruit

Click here to view a recent Forum article commenting on the status of Fargo's burgeoning downtown area. The future certainly looks bright. New buildings and renovations continue to pop up, new businesses continue to open and property values continue to rise. And still, downtown Fargo has retained a neighborhood feel with a healthy mix of people.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Happy Holidays from the HoDo!

Our warmest wishes go out to everyone during this holiday season. The entire staff of the Hotel Donaldson, the HoDo Lounge and the HoDo Restaurant thank you for making 2008 incredibly fun and exciting. We're looking forward to continuing the fun in 2009.


We thank each person who spent a night in our hotel. Whether for business or leisure, it was a pleasure serving you during your stay.


We thank each person who dined in our restaurant. Preparing and serving food is a passion for us and we appreciate your sharing in that passion.


We thank each person who spent time in our lounge. It is our desire to create an atmosphere where you, your friends and family can enjoy each others' company, talk and have a laugh. Thank you for helping to create that atmosphere.


We thank each person who spent time in any of our event spaces.

We thank everyone who simply stepped through the door.

We thank each person who shares our commitment to our fantastic community and our arts.




We had a great year and we owe it all to you. This might be a place where people gather but it's those that gather here that make it all worthwhile.



Again, we wish you the best this holiday season. And (we can't say this enough)...




Friday, December 19, 2008

Party Like It's 2009!

Cue up "Auld Lang Syne." Find a funny hat and a noise maker. And, most importantly, get your friends together and join us for a fond farewell to 2008. While we're at it, we'll give a hearty welcome to 2009.

To start the evening off, we'll have a special prix fixe menu in the HoDo Restaurant (click here to view the menu) at $65/person. Tom Johnson and Nick Fryer will add jazz accompaniment to the dinner from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Please call 701.478.1000 - or click here - to make a reservation.

For the coup de grace, make your way to the HoDo Lounge for a year-end stompathon from the Johnson Family Band. They'll take the stage at 10 p.m. and take us into the new year. No cover, 21+.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Movember/Bros On Broadway Wrap Up


It was a mustache to remember. The Hotel Donaldson, our compatriots in Grand Forks, a bunch of mustached guys, some caring non-mustached women and plenty of supporting area businesses raised just over $30,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation during the month of "Movember." (For more on Movember, click here, here and here.) If you were involved, give yourself a big round of applause.

We capped off Movember with Bros On Broadway, a benefit event and celebration of the mustache. We had great music, lots of chili and nachos and, well, a lot of mustaches. A hearty thanks to Britta at Milestones Photography for the great photos.

Here's Bill "My Name Is Earl" Lempe, who was also our Man of Movember. Singlehandedly, he raised over $1,000 and, for an encore, played some tunes:


Mustaches were painted on the mustache-less:


... while others did their best to "Sabotage" things.


It was a star-studded event. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying "E = mustache squared," but Charlie Chaplin let his "toothbrush" 'stache do the talking:


We gave away plenty of mustache awards, including the "E for Effort Never There Award," which went to Austin (left). He really did try, folks...


...but there were some serious mustaches. The real deal:


(For more photos, please visit our Facebook page.)

We thank everyone who was involved with Movember and with Bros On Broadway. We had a blast and raised some serious funds for a great cause. If you didn't get in on the fun this year, there's always next year. And, in the meantime, please use this opportunity to educate yourself on men's health issues - particularly prostate health - and give a hand to the Prostate Cancer Foundation while you're at it. You can visit them online at www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.

We'll see you next Movember!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

You Can Feel It Your Very Soul - Charlie Parr on the Radio


Charlie Parr - fingerpicker extraordinaire and man of the people - will return to the HoDo Lounge this Thursday evening with special guests the Johnson Family Band. The JFB will kick things off at 7 p.m., there's a $5 cover and it's 21+. Bring your favorite whoopin' boots and stamp along.

You can also catch Charlie on Prairie Public radio's "Hear It Now" at 3 p.m. (Central Time) this Thursday, the 18th. He'll do an in-studio performance with host Merrill Piepkorn. Tune in on 91.9 FM in Fargo and on your local Prairie Public station elsewhere in the state. You can also stream the show online here.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Dig Out Day!

It was a humdinger! If you haven't heard, the Fargo-Moorhead area was smacked by a big ol' blizzard yesterday. Upwards of eight inches of snow fell, with some areas getting close to a foot. The wind blew and it was dangerously cold, too.

But, that was yesterday. Today is a Dig Out Day, one of those rare times where thousands of people have the same goal: get the snow out of the way and get things back to normal.

Here was the scene around the HoDo today:


(Above: Looking west down 1st Ave. from the roof. Normally at 10 a.m., there would be plenty of traffic.)


(Above: Our cab stand along 1st Ave. The drift out front was about three to four feet high. The plows added another foot in spots.)


(Above: The cab stand drift from ground level.)


(Above: A ridge rift on the roof. Pretty, but it's also about three feet high.)



(Above: A sundog, one of the most peculiar weather phenomena on the Upper Plains. It means it's very, very cold - when I took the photo, the air temp was -11.)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Thursday Carriage Rides for the Holidays


In all the hustle and bustle of the season, remember to savor the holiday vibes going on downtown. The Fargo Downtowner is presenting Clydesdale carriage rides every Thursday night through the month of December. Cap off your downtown holiday shopping trip, bring your sweetheart, or bring your family for a carriage ride. It's a perfect compliment to a blanket of snow and the lights of Broadway.

Rides are available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and cost $5 a person.

The Front Fenders - Recession Proof Rock


A recent New York Times article highlighted the (mostly) good news concerning the North Dakotan economy. Even as the rest of the country must deal with the realities of a recession, we have managed to keep our heads above water and maintain a sense of cautious optimism. Even though we North Dakotans can give ourselves a pat on the back, we're not out of the woods yet. There is still anxiety and apprehension in the air.

So, what does this have to do with the Front Fenders?

Consider this. Art is not a distraction, but rather the medium through which we come together under common goals and ideals. Rock music, for example, provides an opportunity to unite around the exuberance of being human. It is an uplifting common experience. Now, picture this. A comfy downtown hangout, a group of your friends, your favorite beverage, and a good ol' rock show. Would that brighten your mood enough to, say, return to work the next day poised to make things better, maybe put a spring in your step, make you work a bit harder? And, collectively, would this give us the optimism we need to keep ourselves afloat?

Let's hope so. You can find out yourself if the theory holds true - the Fenders take the stage tonight at 7:30 p.m., 21+. And, no cover charge.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Amanda Standalone and the PSG: Folk a-Poppin'


The buzz is out on the street about Amanda Standalone and the Pastry Shop Girls (by all means, listen here), and for good reason. Amanda's sincere voice, multi-instrumental talents and strong folk ethic have been wowing crowds and have been building a steady following for several months. The HPR folks gave her "Best Bet" honors for her upcoming show in the HoDo Lounge tomorrow night, so the cat's out of the bag. Come see what the fuss is all about. 9 p.m., no cover.