Flood '09 Update #2

It's wait and see time here in Fargo-Moorhead. The river has crested (hopefully) and seems to be on its way down. However, this isn't a time to breathe free and clear. Dikes need to be watched and maintained around the clock. Nothing is remotely close to normal. Schools and many businesses are still closed.

We're in the same boat here at the HoDo. We've cleared out our basement and put up our furniture on the first floor. As for being open, it's a little touch and go. Be sure to give us a call at 701.478.1000 before stopping by.

Stay dry, Fargo-Moorhead, and keep your spirits up.

Flood '09 Update

(Photo courtesy Britta Trygstad)

It's the eleventh hour here in Fargo-Moorhead. Everyone with a pulse is out sandbagging right now, trying to hold back this tremendous river, and we probably will be for the next 48 hours.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to everyone in our area filling and placing sandbags, trying to save their homes, neighborhoods and businesses. You can find lots of coverage of the flood fight at www.in-forum.com and http://minnesota.publicradio.org. A cadre of area photographers have been out documenting the flood, too: Britta Trygstad, Dave Arntson, Penny Burns, Bruce Crummy, and Ann Arbor Miller. Check out their extraordinary coverage to get a sense of what's going on.

As for the HoDo, we're on a bare-bones operating schedule and may not be open. Tonight's Front Fenders show has been cancelled. Please call ahead at 701.478.1000 to ensure that we're open for business. And, if you're able, please get out and help sandbag.

This Weekend: Art of the Guitar at the Plains Art Museum

The Plains Art Museum's "Art of the Guitar" exhibit should be seen by anyone who enjoys music. By rough calculation, this includes everyone. You'll see handcrafted instruments and learn about the art of luthiery. Pieces run from the 16th century to the present and showcase the intricacy, beauty of form and beauty of function that go into this most ubiquitous of musical instruments.

A noteworthy fact about the exhibit: many of the pieces were crafted right here in our backyard. The renaissance of luthiery has been driven by local and regional craftspeople, including Fargoans, making this exhibit particularly interesting.

Duckhorn Wine Dinner Benefiting the Red Cross

Reservations are still available for tomorrow's Duckhorn Vineyards wine dinner, a spectacular lineup of five wines paired with five courses. In addition, Executive Winemaker Bill Nancarrow will be on hand to guide you through the tasting process. March is National Red Cross Month, and proceeds from the dinner will go to our local American Red Cross chapter. View the menu here.

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Co-founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting Bordeaux varietals from the Napa Valley for over 30 years. Duckhorn Vineyards' seven meticulously farmed estate vineyards, located throughout the various microclimates of the Napa Valley, are an essential element in making wines of the highest quality. One of the first wineries to focus on Merlot as a premium varietal, Duckhorn Vineyards now produces four elegant Merlot and four distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings to showcase the characteristics of its various vineyard sites. In addition, the winery produces a full-flavored Sauvignon Blanc, and an exceptional red Bordeaux blend under the Decoy label. (www.duckhorn.com)

Congratulations NDSU Bison Men!

A big tip of the hat to our hometown NDSU Bison men's basketball team as they prepare to play in the NCAA tournament tomorrow night in Minneapolis. Congratulations on a great season ... that's not over yet. We're proud of your accomplishment and what it means for the school and for our community. We'll be watching tomorrow night! Go get 'em!

Kickstart My Heart - The Legionnaires

You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both and there you have The Legionnaires. The Legionnaires. F-M's premier rock/country/jam/whatever experience returns to the HoDo for another unforgettable evening of danceable groove and R-rated songs (8 p.m., no cover, 21+). Remember to try the Cowboy Martini, which probably began as a dare and has now worked its way into Legionnaire/HoDo lore.

There's a time you gotta go and show you're growing. Now you know about The Legionnaires. The Legionnaires.

March's Flavor of the Month - Beer ... Is There Anything It Can't Do?

March will have its Ides. It might come in like a lion and go out like a lamb, or vice versa. It should also be the month when our snow shows signs of retreating (fingers crossed). This is a cause to celebrate.

What better way to celebrate than with a delicious meal paired with equally delicious beer? The seven courses paired with six beers of March's Flavor of the Month will take you on a true taste odyssey and local beer experts will be on hand to decipher it all. Sound delish?

Celebrate March. Celebrate spring. Celebrate beer this Wednesday, March 18th starting at 5 p.m. Beer experts will speak at 6:30 but the menu will be offered all evening - $65/person, tax and tip included. Call 701.478.1000 for reservations.

This Weekend: FM Symphony Presents Haydn and Mahler

This weekend, take some time to enjoy a little orchestral music. The FM Symphony will feature Symphony No. 104 ("London") by Franz Joseph Haydn and Symphony No. 4 by Gustav Mahler, featuring soprano Lucy Thrasher.

"Haydn and Mahler both use folk songs to inspire and infuse their orchestra music with the joy, poetry, and richness of folk tradition, with some country fiddling and sleigh bells for added fun." - (Culture Pulse)

Tickets range from $10 to $38, depending on student status, adult/senior and seating. Click here for details.

Charlie Parr ... He'll Play Forever If You Let Him

There's still a lot of winter between here and Duluth. As we emerge into the post-blizzard albedo, it's comforting to know that such mistreatment from nature won't stop the irrepressible Charlie Parr, fingerpicker extraordinaire. It's the Nth time back here for Charlie and, like spring, it's better to have him here than not.

Good friends The Johnson Family Band will start the show at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the HoDo Lounge. Charlie and the JFB will make a running start at exorcising this late winter torpor. $5 cover, 21+.

The Fargo Film Festival is under way!

Movie buffs unite! The 9th Annual Fargo Film Festival is now under way and will run through this Saturday, the 9th. Huzzah! As a proud sponsor, we extend a hearty welcome to all filmmakers, moviegoers and students.

If you've never been, get ready to see movies in a way you rarely see them. There's a huge array of truly independent films, short films, animated films, documentaries ... just about anything your little heart desires. Our advice: pick up a schedule (or don't!) and just start seeing them - you're bound to see something interesting. Expect a lighthearted and enthusiastic atmosphere.

For ticketing and schedule information, go to www.fargofilmfestival.org. And, have fun!