10 SEP 07: DINNER ON THE GROUNDS
If my memory is correct, this should have been the week that a Chinese acrobatic troupe performed at the RiverCenter. But I understand the performance has been postponed. I hope it wasn't because the acrobats had to stay home, and scrape lead paint off toys.
The RiverCenter made another announcement to its online subscribers over the weekend - one that could raise eyebrows. It's starting a trial dining program, where you can eat a fancy meal before or after selected concerts. And I mean fancy - as opposed to someone bringing Chick-fil-A party trays.
The RiverCenter admittedly calls this an "experiment" for six shows this season - called the "Act One Diners Club." If it catches on, they might actually accept Diners' Club cards as payment....
The Act One Diners Club is taking reservations right now for its first special meal, before next week's Four Tops concert. The "inclusive cost" with wine (I'm assuming this includes a concert ticket) is 75 dollars per person. Back when the Four Tops first made it big, 75 dollars was a lot of money.
For the 75-dollar price, the RiverMill Event Centre's chef will prepare a "trilogy of Angus beef, red wine poached salmon, braised beef short ribs and prosciutto wrapped beef tenderloin." Ruth Ann's Restaurant four blocks away will have a very hard time matching this.
(If all this isn't enough for you, the RiverCenter Patron's Room will have a cash bar. Who needs those special tax districts to improve downtown, when you're spending money like this?)
The Act One Diners Club already has recruited Chef Bludau from the Goetchius House to come up Broadway, to serve dinner at two shows. The menu for the Cleveland Orchestra's appearance next March includes a dessert of "Baked Alaska." You'd think this would be saved for a RiverCenter Sunday afternoon travelogue.
And the Meritage Café will serve a "blackened filet mignon" dinner in November, for the RiverCenter performances of "Hairspray." I'm assuming the salad will have specially-molded alfalfa sprouts on it, for the occasion....
Only one thing seems to be missing from these 75-dollar evenings at the RiverCenter -- but the e-mail makes no mention of visits by presidential candidates.
Why is the RiverCenter trying this top-dollar experiment at six shows? Its e-mail explains: "Though there are many wonderful restaurants in our area, it is sometimes difficult to get served, walk to or park at RiverCenter and get settled for the performance with time to spare." Translation: Some Broadway restaurants need faster chefs and servers.
The RiverCenter undoubtedly is a crown jewel in Columbus, and a cornerstone in the comeback of downtown nightlife. But could an offer like this wind up hurting some of the other businesses which can benefit from the RiverCenter's success? Or are Quizno's Subs across the street simply not good enough, for eating with a Motown group?
Speaking of downtown dining, I continue to be puzzled about why the former Krystal near 13th and Veterans Parkway remains vacant. When farmers set up watermelon stands there on weekends, it simply doesn't look right....
P.S. I told my older brother about this RiverCenter dinner package Sunday night. He was surprised that a "Performing Arts Center" would even schedule a concert by the Four Tops - because a title like that makes him think of operas and classical symphonies. Imagine his surprise when I told him George Carlin would be there in October.
E-MAIL UPDATE: Sometimes the messages we receive are a little puzzling....
Richard!
If you're going to do color on the football games, you better recognize! Honestly, I don't know who is worse, you or the Ledger with that bogus headline about not fearing Steve Spurrier anymore. Let me help you! How 'bout that Granger Blake Mitchell and the Gamecocks risin' up righteous baby. And oh by the way, Mr. Spurrier is still the hottest thing patrolling the sidelines (at the ripe ol age of 60) since Steve Young!!! But I digress.
My husband kicked me out of the house after the game Saturday night for my "inappropriate" and "insensitive" post game. Those Dawgs are such sensitive creatures!
Well, all I'm sayin is ya'll need to show some respect to South Carolina.
Robbie
Well, OK - South Carolina beat Georgia, and has moved ahead of Georgia in the latest Associated Press poll. But in Sunday's entry, I didn't even mention the South Carolina-Georgia game. Since when did silence become a sin - well, I mean other than opposing al-Qaeda?
Let the record show I didn't talk about my old alma mater Kansas crushing Southeastern Louisiana 62-0, either. Some things make you want to giggle, but that doesn't always mean they have punch lines.
So what else do we simply NEED to talk about here, in the wake of the weekend? Let's take some guesses....
+ Which Columbus resident is complaining about Paul Olson yakking for more than 30 minutes, at a recent Columbus Council meeting? Is this yet another reason why WDAK needs to start a local daily talk show?
+ The Ledger-Enquirer analyzed the e-mail hoax which led to the Brookstone School lockdown. The front-page story didn't track down where the e-mail rumor began. But if you see police detectives looking over the computers at Pacelli High School, they might be playing a hunch.
+ The Prison and Jail Project began its annual "FreedomWalk" across southwest Georgia. This year's week-long march is protesting overcrowding in county jails. So how many marchers are willing to take in convicted burglars and identity thieves, and help ease the situation?
+ The 1960's band The Grass Roots performed before a good crowd at the Phenix City Amphitheater. After this year's drought, some people were anxious to see any sign of grass at all....
+ NBC Sports reported an advisory was issued to golfers about this week's P.G.A. Tour Championship in Atlanta. The drought has damaged some greens so badly that no practice shots will be allowed toward them. You know, it might be fun seeing Tiger Woods putt barefoot.
+ Instant Message to Evangel Temple: I think I've figured out the "Heroes" banner outside your building. You want to save the cheerleader and save the world - only in a different sort of way....
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