Take a Leap ... Try Some Jazz!

It's a bonus day on the calendar; shouldn't you do something a little extra? Of course! We've got our old friends The Simon Rowe Trio back in the house for a night of jazz the likes of which won't return for another four years; 9 p.m., $7.50 cover.

If you're not in the mood for jazz, then plop yourself into a booth in the lounge for a martini with your friends. Why not? It's a bonus day!

We're Making a Jazz Noise Here

We're happy to welcome back Jazz ProFusion to the HoDo Lounge tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. JP brings a mix of jazz, funk and rock that matches our ethos quite well. Come out and groove!

Whistle Free Zone Now In Effect

Starting today, the train whistles that have characterized downtown Fargo-Moorhead for so long are silent. The downtown whistle-free zone, a long time coming, is finally here. (For some background, read the Forum story.)

Operating a hotel downtown made us acutely aware of the whistles. While we understand that they were there for the purposes of safety, we couldn't wait until the whistle free zone took effect. Many of our return guests agree.

The whistles won't disappear completely; engineers will still use them in times of imminent danger. But, the vast majority of them are gone. That means a better night sleep for our guests, something that definitely pleases them and, in turn, pleases us.

On the sentimental side, not having the whistles will take away a little of the character of downtown Fargo-Moorhead. They've been around for so long that they will be a conspicuous absence to those of us who spend a lot of time downtown. But, progress is progress, and the benefits of the whistle free zone are sure to outweigh any sentimentality. Come see (or hear, rather) for yourself; whether it's lunch, dinner or a night's stay, you're sure to notice the difference.

Up Late? Need a bite?

If you have a late night craving, we've got the solution. Beginning today, we will offer a menu for those burning the midnight oil. We'll have food available in our HoDo Lounge until 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. This is great news for late hotel arrivals or for our lounge patrons who may have missed dinner. Stop in and take a look.

Over the Line!

Our Big Lebowski Costume Contest went over well last night. There was a great crowd on hand and some fantastic costumes. The Johnson Family Band put on a great show, too; we thank them for helping us out, dressing up and even playing some songs from the movie. They were great sports and we look forward to having them here in the future.

Here are a couple photos; there's also an album created on our Facebook page:


The Big Lebowski fun isn't over yet. Our window display, which uses cool visual elements from the movie, will be juried today by the folks over at the Fargo Theatre. Don't forget; all of this is in anticipation of the Fargo Film Festival coming up in just under two weeks.

We're Gonna Throw Out a Ringer for a Ringer!

Our Big Lebowski Costume Contest is coming up tomorrow night! Come on down, have a White Russian and strut your stuff as The Dude, Walter, or The Dude's Landlord. We're getting started at 8:30 p.m. No cover, and prizes will be awarded.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Don't forget; tonight, the Deb Jenkins Band will be rockin' it proper in the HoDo Lounge tonight starting at 8:30 p.m. No cover, 21+. Bring your sweetheart or, what the heck, hug your bartender if you're flying solo.

Donnie, You're Out of Your Element!

We are very, very excited to announce that on Thursday, February 21st, we'll be holding a Big Lebowski Party and Costume Contest in the HoDo Lounge. Get your Walter, Jesus or Bunny outfits out of the closet and come on down to join us for some White Russians and oat sodas. The party will be held in anticipation of the upcoming Fargo Film Festival, and we'll be getting the buzz going early. Brand can't watch, though, or he has to pay a hundred.

The Johnson Family Band will be providing some foot stomping accompaniment starting at 8:30 p.m.; no cover, 21+. Too bad we don't have a bowling alley...The Dude Abides.

A Whole Lotta Pancakes

Congratulations are in order for the Fargo Kiwanis Club. They set a new world record for the most pancakes served in eight hours; a whopping 34,818. That beat the old record by just over 4,000 pancakes!

Not only should we congratulate the Kiwanis, but we should also congratulate every person who braved the cold weather and blizzard conditions this past Saturday to head out and support the effort. High five, everybody!

(Photo via the Fargo Forum)

The 50th Annual Kiwanis Pancake Karnival!

Do you want to be part of something so big, it might set a world record? At the same time, do you want to eat pancakes?

Get yourself down to the Kiwanis Pancake Karnival tomorrow and you could see this dream become a reality. To honor the 50th year (!) of the Karnival, the Fargo Kiwanis are shooting for a world record for the most pancakes served in an eight-hour period, a feat that will be witnessed by an adjudicator from the Guinness Book of World Records. For more information on the event and the effort, go to the Kiwanis info page and/or check out this Forum article from February 3rd. It starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m. but, if you want to be part of the record setting effort, try to get in before 3 p.m. Entry is just $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for kids under 10.

How will you live with yourself knowing that you missed a chance to be part of pancake history? And, don't forget, the proceeds go toward helping numerous community groups, so you'll be lending a helping hand as well.

We wish the Kiwanis a great pancake Karnival. Go get 'em!

Night Club After 9

Friday, the best day of the week, is upon us once again. The weather folks are talking blizzard and cold this weekend, so why not come on down to the HoDo Restaurant for some nice, warm jazz? Heating up our weekly Night Club After 9 will be our good friends the Simon Rowe Trio. Old man winter got you down? They've got the cure.

See you there!

Thank You, Too: Testimonial #1

If you don't mind us tooting our own horn a little bit, then toot we shall. We received the following comment from Irfan, who was a guest with us a few weeks ago, and thought we should pass it along (excerpted):

"I must commend your entire staff and the designer of the hotel. This, by far, is one of the best 'boutique' hotels I have ever been to. I have traveled all around the world and I travel way too often ... I certainly was surprised. I didn't think any place like this existed anywhere near Fargo."

We'd like to thank Irfan for his patronage and his kind words. If you have a Hotel Donaldson experience you'd like to sound off about, you can email us at info@hoteldonaldson.com . Also, feel free to comment on anything you read here or visit our forums on our Facebook page.

Have a great day!

Night Club After 9 tonight!

Friday! Woo hoo!

You know what that means. We've got the Simon Rowe Trio tonight in the HoDo Restaurant from 9 p.m. on. Maybe come on in a little early for dinner or dessert and coffee. Why not? Friday only comes around once a week.

Have a great weekend!

Valentine's Day Menu and Music

Valentine's Day is coming up in a couple short weeks. That's a perfect reason to stop by for a cozy meal with your sweetheart, maybe have a little wine and celebrate each other's company. We've got a few special menu items to spice up the night in addition to our regular seasonal menu available in the HoDo Restaurant.

In the HoDo Lounge, The Deb Jenkins Band will be along to give us all a reason to bump and grind. Music starts at 8:30 p.m., no cover, 21+.

Here's a peek ahead at our special menu items for the evening to get your mouth watering:

Valentine’s Day 2008

.Small Plates.

Mussels

steamed with garlic butter & white wine

Mixed Green Salad

Mixed greens, apples, dried cherries tossed in

a sherry vinaigrette & topped with walnut crusted brie

.Big Plates.

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut

with wilted spinach & new potatoes, finished with a blueberry beurre blanc

Maine Lobster

with purple Peruvian potato hash, broccolini & vanilla bean champagne sauce

Rack of Lamb

North Dakota raised & grilled to your liking, served with

roasted butternut squash & finishes with a stone ground mustard demi glace

Call 701.478.8888 for reservations.