Northern Lights Theater Pub

I have to admit that I'm not much of a movie goer. Okay, I'm not much of a movie watcher at all. To me, movies are an event. So when I do have time to see a movie I like the whole movie theater experience. Generally, I enjoy movies at Salem Cinema which is near my home, but last night I decided to go to Northern Lights with a friend. We really wanted to see The King's Speech and it was playing at Northern Lights. And at exactly the right time for our schedule!

I haven't been to Northern Lights in some time. I forget how much I like it. Its a local theater with second run movies for $3. I love that you can order food to be delivered during the movie. I like the happy, helpful staff members. I like the fact that I can get a beer or a glass of wine to drink during the movie.

Maybe its because I'm just not a movie buff, but I can't imagine spending $10 on a movie at the Regal theaters here in town. At Northern Lights I could get a movie, popcorn, AND a soda for that same $10. And I'd be supporting a local business in the process. Sounds like a win/win situation to me.

Oh, also, if you haven't seen The King's Speech, you should go see it right away. Amazing. That is all.

News Flash: Salem Has a University!

Okay, so it's not actually new information. Willamette University claims to be the oldest university west of the Mississippi or something. Its been around for....pretty much ever. Yet, it seems strangely detached from the city it lives in.

There is often consternation in people's voices when they talk about the lack of interaction between Willamette University students and downtown Salem. This detachment seems to be a mystery no one can figure out.

A couple of things happened recently which made me realize maybe there is a solution to this issue:

1. I visited a military town
2. I saw a conversation on Twitter about deals for college students

If you've ever been to a military town, and many college towns do the same, you'll notice that military/college deals are prominently advertised.

Why don't Salem businesses cater to the Willamette crowd with special nights, deals, percentages off, etc. 

What do you think? Would this actually entice Willamette students to come downtown? What about state workers? Would the same things work for them?

The La Capitale Bar

Once in awhile you find a little spot that just makes you feel good about life. The bar at La Capitale is that way for me. It's one of those places where I walk in and, on any given night, I'm likely to run into a few people I know. The food is always good, the company is amusing, and the drinks are always scrump-diddly-umptious!

Twice, last week, I happened to be there. Okay, well, I planned to be there to meet friends, but it just so happened twice in one week, which is not my norm, but it was a nice treat. Both times I ran into multiple people I knew, not including the group I came with. People stopped by to say hello, chatted for a minute and then went on to their own meals and drinks.

Rob (@robdrinkenstein on Twitter) was behind the bar, mixing up his magic drinks. On one evening he even took time from his busy schedule to stop and give our little group of single ladies some advice on love. Love advice AND perfectly mixed martinis? If that's not the epitome of a good bartender, then I don't know what is.

Good drinks, good food, good friends and a place where everybody knows your name? Hmmm. Is this Cheers? If so, it is a little more upscale version with better decor, nicer people, and tastier food.

And you know what's even better? They have Happy Hour now from 4-6 PM! Yes! I love HH. See you at La Cap!

Venti's on Sunday Evening

I seem to be on a theme lately. What is open and when in the downtown area of Salem?

Well, Venti's is open on Sundays. Yesssss! I get really excited about this sometimes because there are so few options on Sundays downtown. What I really hope is that the word is getting out and that people will come down and patronize this excellent establishment.

I met a friend there last night for a little bite to eat at about 7:00 PM. There were 4 tables of 2-4 people upstairs and 5 or 6 people in the basement bar. It was a nice relaxing time. I had a cider and my friend tried a couple of different beers. Since it wasn't busy the bartender on duty, Nick, had time for suggestions and tastings of the beers and cider on tap. We also ordered food which was delicious, as usual.

If you've ever been to Venti's and thought it was just a little too crowded in that cozy basement bar, you should really try it on a Sunday. They are open from 4-10 Sundays and it's just right for a nice, relaxed Sunday evening meal. And there's always PLENTY of parking downtown on Sunday evenings!

Downtown Late at Night? Hope You're Not Hungry.

You know what's missing in downtown Salem? Well, okay, I know a lot of you will come up with a laundry list as soon as you read that question. But really. You know what is seriously missing? Late night food options. The only thing you can find downtown after about 10 PM is greasy bar food from the fryer.

Now, I have nothing against greasy bar food once in awhile, but sometimes I'd like some other options.

I was downtown with a friend last Friday night and we had a couple drinks and then decided we needed some food. We searched the streets and bars of Salem for someplace with a decent late night menu. Even a sandwich or nachos would have made us happy, but everywhere we went, they told us the kitchen was closed down except for the fryer.

Very frustrating indeed.

I know La Perla is sometimes open late, but by the time we thought of that it was just before closing. We also did not check The Brick, but perhaps someone knows if they have a decent late-night menu.

You know what we really need downtown? Late night food carts! I'd like a grilled cheese cart and a nacho cart, please. And perhaps a good BBQ cart would be nice as well.

The f/stop Fitzgerald - A Gem in Salem

I've been meaning to write this post for the last week, but life got a little busy and time got away from me.

Salem's teeny, tiny, cozy little pub with the great patio had it's one year anniversary this month. Yay for f/stop Fitzgerald! It is a wonderful and welcome addition to Salem's beer and cider scene. They now have eight beer and cider taps and have a great selection of local brews. Plus, its where all the cool kids hang out.

If you've never been to f/stop, you should really make it a goal to get there and check out the laid back, cozy atmosphere with a friend, a group, or just by yourself. People are friendly and welcoming in this little establishment and on most evenings you will find a fire out in the firepit on the patio.

The f/stop is a little off the beaten path, but that's part of what makes it so neat. It is a neighborhood pub, north of downtown, smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood and an industrial area. It's in an old house, so it fits right in and its hardly noticeable unless there are a load of people drinking around the firepit outside.

It's a destination pub, if you don't happen to live in the neighborhood, but, in my oh-so-humble opinion, it hovers right up there at the top of the best places to hang out in Salem, Oregon.

So, check it out. Just don't steal my seat by the firepit!

f/stop hours: Wednesday through Sunday 4:00-Whenever people wander home (11 or 12ish or later if its busy)
Location: 335 Grove St NE Salem, OR 97301

My Go-to Places

What are your go-to places for dinner/drinks in Salem? When a friend asked for happy hour ideas the other day, the first three places I thought of were La Capitale, Venti's, and Boon's. Those are kind of my go-to places, I guess. I never really thought about it before, but I started to wonder what made those my go-to spots. All I really know is that I feel happy and comfortable in each of those places. Of course there are many other spots I love around town - f/stop Fitzgerald, Pete's Place, Sushi Kyo, La Margarita Express, Thai Beer, Vietnam Restaurant, etc, etc.

But when put on the spot, my first three spots were La Cap, Venti's, and Boon's. And I know I'm not the only one who loves these places. Tell me, friends and Salemites, why do I love them so much?

By the way, we ended up at Venti's, drinking Anthem's Cherry Cider. OMG. Just try it. That's all I can say.

Loving Salem

It's not always easy to do, to love your hometown. When you know it inside and out and can see all its flaws its often easier to criticize and complain than it is to love. Last night, though, was one of those nights that reminded me of my great love for this quirky little place.

I met with two retired coworkers/mentors for happy hour at the Wild Pear. We sat outside, enjoying the fine weather, catching up on our summer escapades, and just enjoying each other's company. Then we wandered over to Venti's for a glass of local cider and two of us stayed and ended up spending hours sitting on the sidewalk, talking, meeting people that I'd seen around town but never talked to, people watching, and enjoying summer.

We split up around 9, but I still wasn't quite ready to go home because the weather was so perfect for walking around, so I ended up stopping by Clockworks for a little bit of the open mic night and heard some GREAT guitar music.

Then, as I wandered along the streets, I ran into some acquaintances sitting outside at Brown's Towne who asked me to sit down and quickly moved from acquaintances to friends.

I finally wandered home around 11:30 and fell into bed. Happy.

Spring Break, Part 2

Spring Break was just all around a good week for me. I felt productive, but I also got in a lot of fun and socializing. I finished my taxes and dropped state taxes off at the Revenue office downtown, saving myself a stamp. I dropped off a huge bag of stuff at Goodwill, and sold some books at The Book Bin, resulting in a nice little credit for future book buying. I spent a lovely, rainy evening at f/stop Fitzgerald playing trivia and drinking Wandering Aengus cider with friends.

Then I took off to Seattle for a weekend getaway with some girlfriends. We stayed at the beautiful Alexis Hotel in downtown Seattle right down the street from Pike's Place Market. The weather gods blessed us with beautiful weather and we wandered the market, had lunch at Pike's Brewery, and generally enjoyed the sunny day. In the evening, the four of us girls decided it would be fun to have a few cocktails on the town, so we hailed a taxi and made our way to The Chapel on Capitol Hill for happy hour martinis. We had a great time and ended up at a little pizza joint in Belltown on 1st Ave. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place (Hmmm. Perhaps one martini too many??), but it was delicious and made a great nightcap slice before we headed back to the hotel.

Boon's: My Local Bar

Boon's Treasury on odd little corner of High and Liberty has a lot going for it. It's got the best patio in town, good happy hour, yummy microbrews, and a wood stove for cold evenings.

But there are some other things that make Boon's a great hangout too. I have discovered that they have free Wi-fi and on less busy days, like Monday nights, they are happy to let you sit and work on homework for hours while sipping a beer and munching on some Cajun tots. At the end of a long term, coffee shops can start to feel a little redundant and since Boon's is walking distance from my house, it has become a my new favorite alternative.

And, miracle of miracles, I actually finished my homework before the midnight deadline! I think the beer really helped.