Holiday Traditions

Happy holidays Omaha Stalkers! I wanted to share with you all my most recent night out on the town, discovering what Omaha has to offer. Since the holidays are upon us, I decided that it would be fun to share in the tradition that the Omaha Community Playhouse offers every year in their adaptation of A Christmas Carol.Before I tell you about the show, let me share a little bit about the Playhouse itself. It is considered the premier community theater in the nation and has been around since 1924. I learned this past week that it has hosted some famous actors throughout the seasons, including Henry Fonda! They put on a great show and they get a ton of support from the community, volunteers,and local corporations.

My mom and I went to see the 7:30 performance last Friday night and it was everything I remembered from when I was a child and more. The show has been running every year since the mid-1970s and it has truly become a part of Omaha's holiday traditions. The playhouse itself was decorated with Christmas trees and lights and there were even gingerbread cookies on sale for refreshments. The show is great for families. It features quite a few singing and dancing numbers that will get you into the holiday mood, and even Old Scrooge will bring a smile to your face. There are a few scenes that may be a little scary to the younger crowd, Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Future, namely, so just be prepared for that. Otherwise, the show offers the same message that is good to hear and keep with you throughout the year, and that is to be kind to everyone and charitable where you can, no matter what time of the year it is. And as a perfect reminder, as we entered the playhouse, there were several barrels scattered throughout the lobby that ConAgra Foods set out to collect donations for their Child Hunger Ends Here! campaign. These barrels can be found at the Holland Center and the Orpheum Theater as well. Another of the local sponsors was Rotella's Bakery. At the end of the show, they offered a free loaf of their homemade Italian Christmas Bread to each ticket holder as a gift of thanks (and it was delicious!) There are shows every weekend through Sunday, December 23 so check out their website to order your tickets now! http://www.ticketomaha.com/productions/A-Christmas-Carol

In the spirit of charity, it is also that time of year for the Channel 94.1 Diaper Drive that supports the women and children of the Lydia House. They have a new drop-off location this year at the Linden Market HyVee on 132nd and Dodge. The donations can be dropped off this weekend between December 14th and the 16th. For drop-off hours and details, please check out the Channel 94.1 December Diaper Drive Page:http://www.channel941.com/articles/130985488.html

Some other fun holiday events in town include the 2012 Holiday Lights Festival, which goes through January 6, offers family-friendly events every weekend and the mood is set by the 40 blocks of lights in Downtown Omaha. Some of the activities that are available include the Pacific Life Sounds of the Season which are various local choral groups that will be performing at different spots in the Old Market and Gene Leahy Mall throughout the rest of December. For a full schedule, just check out this link. http://www.holidaylightsfestival.org/pacific-life-insurance-company-sounds-of-the-season/

I have to give another shout-out to ConAgra for their outdoor Ice Rink they sponsor each year on their campus. For a $5 rental fee, you get your skates and the proceeds go to the Food Bank for the Heartland. They also encourage skaters to bring non-perishable food items for the Food Bank as well. For more information on their hours, parking, and the Food Bank, please follow this link.http://www.holidaylightsfestival.org/conagra-foods-ice-rink/

As always, Omaha has so much to do, regardless the season. There are so many awesome ways to experience the Big O! that are unique to the holiday season and I encourage you to check out the ones I have named or find some of your own and share with other Omaha Stalkers!

I wish you all a merry and bright holiday season! I hope you are able to share it with family and friends, whether it be in town or away. Safe travels to you and we will be back in the New Year! 

Fall Fun in O!maha

One of the most simple charms of Omaha is the changing of the seasons.  We are blessed with the beautiful hues of orange, yellows and reds as the trees prepare to rest for winter.  Omaha and nearby cities really get into the spirit of the season with apple picking, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and local holiday festivities.  

Laura and I thrive on the fall energy and each year, we do our best to celebrate with at least a few of the local "haunts."  We kicked off this fall with some wine from Arbor Day Farm at The Lied Lodge  in Nebraska City (just an hour south of Omaha).  Although Nebraska City is (obviously) not in Omaha, it is a yearly tradition for many Omahans to make the trek south to pick apples and enjoy the expanses of Arbor Day Farms.  As you see below, Lied Lodge has a large deck on the back of the building overlooking hundreds of lush trees.  It is a relaxing location to drink some local wine and have a light afternoon snack with friends.  

We have tried several of their wines over the years.  They are extremely popular and the lodge frequently runs low due to high demand.  After requesting a bottle of "Apple Pie" which is made from apple cider with a touch of cinnamon, and then a bottle of their new wine, "La Crescent," which is a semi-sweet white wine with hints of apricot, peach, citrus and pineapple, we lucked out with another new wine, Edelweiss, which is similar to a Riesling.  In past years, we have enjoyed cheese plates with our wine on the deck, but this year, due to the chilly fall weather, we sat window side in the Lodge's cozy restaurant as we sipped on our wine.   

Once we finished our wine, we headed down to the Apple House Market to peruse the locally made items, ranging from Pumpkin Butter to those hard-to-come-by wines I mentioned to salsas, and of course, fresh picked apples.  We snacked on some hot apple pie before walking away with bags of apples, butters and salsas... We just couldn't say no to anything.  It was a great way to kick off our fall fun.

Laura here! Sarah and I decided to tag-team this edition of Stalking Omaha because we are both so passionate about the fall and all Omaha has to offer during this beautiful season. No fall is complete without a stop at the Bellevue Berry and Pumpkin Ranch. During the week, admission is just $6 for adults and it is $8 on the weekends. Admission includes a hayride around the property, the opportunity to pick pumpkins (or whichever fruit is in season) and unlimited access to all of the play areas scattered around the ranch. The cost of pumpkins is separate, but reasonable. There is also a small snack area in the main barn that offers hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and candy. On a beautiful fall day, it is the perfect place to bring the family and spend hours playing on the pirate ship or watching a magic show and having a nice fall lunch outside. 

My niece and nephew love the Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch

Sarah and our nephew picking out his pumpkin

Our niece found the perfect pumpkin

A successful day at the Pumpkin Patch

 If you are a brave soul, after dark you would really enjoy the Ranch of Terror and the Haunted Hayride. They boast that there is over an hour of scares across the ranch. You start in the multi-level ranch and work your way through a corn maze and a haunted mine. We walked through it during the day when there were no ghosts or goblins lurking, so I can only imagine how scary it is when the sun goes down. Even if you don't enjoy haunted houses, you can always rent a fire pit and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows with a group of friends.

In preparation for Halloween, we decided to do some research on costumes and decorations. Two of the best places in town to do that are David M. Mangelsen's at WestGate Plaza on 84th St. and Nobbies  at either 120th and Center or the Bellevue location located just off Highway 370. Both stores are locally owned and operated, and you know how much we love local businesses.

Mangelsen's celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. Walking in to Mangelsen's is like walking into about 10 different holidays or events at once. Right now, one whole side of the store is dedicated to Halloween costumes and accessories, which are all located near the permanent and well-known Prop Room that displays hundreds of monster masks and make up. As you travel towards the main entrance you will pass by one of the largest scrap-book departments with all kinds of stickers, themed paper, and other accessories for just about any occasion you can think of. They also have a huge area dedicated to weddings and on the far side of the store they have a permanent room dedicated to Christmas, complete with trees, decorations and music. You may also realize it smells like popcorn when you walk in. That's because they have a popcorn machine with FREE popcorn that all customers are welcome to partake in while they shop. During the Halloween season, Mangelsen's also hosts their own haunted house located in the parking lot called the Shadow's Edge. It is sponsored by Channel 94.1 and it is $10 per person. If you are looking for other haunted houses to get your juices flowing, you can find them all in one convenient spot on Channel 94.1's website. (channel941.com/halloween)

 Nobbies, another great party supply store, really gets into the Halloween spirit. Over half of the store is set up with hundreds of costume ideas. Some are pre-packaged and some are "build it yourself." They also make it easy on you by organizing different parts of the store by theme. For instance, with the upcoming election they have a whole aisle dedicated to USA-related decorations like flags, necklaces, hats, ad just about anything else you can think of. (I am going to use this as a quick plug to remind you all that another thing that happens in the fall is the Presidential Election and if you are of age to vote, you should make sure you are registered and get out there and vote in November.)

I hope you are all having as amazing a fall experience in Omaha as Sarah and I are! There is definitely something for everyone. Enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, the crisp fall air, and the fact that you are able to do it all here in Omaha.

Live Music O!ut West

Omaha is an up and coming music town.  In recent years we have become home to Red Sky Music Festival with big names like Journey, 311 and Rascal Flatts.  We have rocked more local and independent music at festivals like Maha, featuring groups like Garbage and Desaparecidos.  Who doesn't love a good music festival every once in a while?  But where do you go when you want live music the rest of the year?

Well, in Omaha, in the past, the answer has been either downtown or in Benson.  And that's still true.  Good music can be found regularly in both locations, but as we all know, Omaha is growing South and West very quickly and you know, if you live South and West, you know how far of a drive it can be to Benson or downtown.  So what other options are there, especially in Southwest Omaha?

Here's your answer...The Lauter Tun Fine Ales and Spirits. Chad Rozniecki and Co-Owner Chris Acker are both classically trained jazz musicians.  Chris is the President of the Omaha Musicians Union.  Between the two of them, they have connections with some of the best local bands around including the well-known Confidentials.  Although many bars may host music sporadically, The Lauter Tun hosts bands three to four nights a week and music ranges from jazz to acoustic rock to cover tunes. In addition to being a home to known local musicians, The Lauter Tun has recently opened up there stage for Open Mic Night on Tuesdays with Austin-based singer/songwriter Lee Carroll. 

However, one drawback to live music can be cost.  Many bars charge a cover at the door of a minimum of $5 per person, regardless of how long you're there, but at The Lauter Tun, Chris and Chad, being musicians themselves, wanted to find a good compromise so the bands will be compensated and guests are not penalized if they can't stay to get their money's worth out of an expensive cover charge.  During live performances, guests are charged an additional 15% on the total bill in lieu of a cover.  So if you're only there for 1 drink, you end up with a cover charge of less than a dollar!  Pretty awesome deal if you ask me.

And if you think the positives end there, you're wrong!  During live performances, specific beers and cocktails are on special.  Right now, during Open Mic Night on Tuesdays, 312 and Blue Paddle are $3 during performances.  The Lauter Tun also features a reverse happy hour EVERY NIGHT from 11-close, Wednesday-Friday The Lauter Tun features happy hour prices from 4-6 and on Sundays ALL DAY!!! 

Check out The Lauter Tun website and sign up for there weekly newsletter so you are always up to date on who is playing at The Lauter Tun.  Their newsletters are very informative including a detailed description about each upcoming band and/or event, pictures, new beers on tap and new bottled beers. 

Speaking of beer, I can't feature The Lauter Tun and not talk about the beer.  If you have been to the bar, you will notice that the tap box is ON the stage.  That was done as a symbol of fusing amazing beer with amazing music and when you visit The Lauter Tun, you will see that to be the case.  With more than 20 taps and dozens of bottles, selection is always fresh and you have a wide variety to choose from, whether you're looking for a specific brewery, a certain style of beer, or a great seasonal. And be sure to take a look at our blog's video bar featuring some of the highlights of The Lauter Tun--everything from why they use the glasses they use to how they keep their beers blended to perfection. They take beer seriously.

And we must not forget that The Lauter Tun does feature FINE ALES AND SPIRITS.  If you don't believe me, go in and try a Polish Lemonade, a Pink Squirrel, a Moscow Mule, or one of their classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Pimm's Cup. 

Here's a list of upcoming music and new beer at The Lauter Tun.  And come out to watch a Husker game or two on the Lauter Tun's 6 Foot Projection Screen!!!  GO BIG RED!

Enjoy Omaha!!

Upcoming Music Events

Marcus Lewis Quartet

Thursday 09/20, 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Marcus Lewis is currently on tour with his group celebrating his debut release "Facing East." In 2001, Marcus graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelorʼs Degree in Jazz Performance and continued on to receive a Masterʼs Degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Notable Performances include the Birthday of St. Petersburg Russia in 2001, the Klipieda Jazz Festival in 2003, and the Jimmy Carter Summer Concert Series in 2008. As a member of Janelle Monae's ArchOrchestra, Marcus Lewis performed at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, the 2011 Glastonbury Festival, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert and the 2010 North Sea Jazz Festival. Marcus has also played at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz Fest while touring with the Ohio Players. Marcus was awarded the 2008 Betty Carter Jazz Residency and Outstanding Soloist at the Wichita Jazz Festival in 2003.



Crime Sena
Friday 09/21, 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Crime Sena offers an eclectic mix of mostly older pop tunes played with fresh arrangements. You can usually count on a revolving cast of sit ins at any given time since these guys have played for a lot of years with a lot of bands. Tom and Dan played together off and on since Guerilla Theatre days. Matt Wallace toured with Maynard Ferguson and played with um....everyone. Troy Johnson joins us this evening on bass and has played with most bands in town in typical bass whore fashion. Selections from Rundgren to Billy Joel to Maroon 5,...ya we said eclectic.


No Collateral
Saturday 09/22, 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm
No Collateral is a high-energy jazz quintet that is sure to impress music lovers of all backgrounds. The band combines elements of jazz, funk, popular, and dance music for a fun, dynamic show. No Collateral features music from Chris Potter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Adam Rogers, Chris Bucher, and others. Chris Bucher leads the ensemble and has written several original tunes for the specific instrumentation of No Collateral. The quintet features Chris Bucher on baritone saxophone, Kevin Sullivan on guitar, Kevin Lloyd on keyboards, Tim Kasl on bass, and JB Ferguson on the drumset. Please visit www.chrisbuchermusic.com for video and audio clips.


School of Rock Scholarship Fund
Sunday 09/23 and 9/30, 6:00pm-8:30pm
(15% added in Lieu of cover charge goes directly to the scholarship!)

Come support the children and the arts by attending this wonderful event sponsored by The School of Rock. Children of all ages will be performing songs varying from Metallica to The Police and Queen on our Stage. It gives them live performance experience and helps raise money for music scholarships!  

NEW BEER
DRAFT:

 Today we tapped a bunch of great, new beers! Summit Belgian Abbey Ale is a wonderful Belgian Dark Strong Ale. 8% ABV with wonderful notes of toffee sweetness and some dark fruit, but still very drinkable. And at under $4, it is a steal!!! New Belgium's PeachPorch Lounger is a wonderful Peach Saison with "Brett". Brett is short for brettanomyces, a wild fungus (a type of yeast) which adds an interesting "wild" character and sometimes a pleasant, unique tartness to the beer. Odell Myrcenary is a great Double IPA now on draft as well. Myrcene is a component of the aromatic oils in hops. This large IPA has an obvious hop bitterness, a wonderful floral hoppy aroma accompanied by a nice hint of light fruit like pineapple or apricot. We also have several seasonal Summit beers and a few Odell barrel-aged beers waiting to be tapped as well. Check our website, facebook ,or twitter for up to the minute information on our current listings.

BOTTLE:

The LT recently aquired Breckenridge's Agave Wheat. A crisp, clean, American wheat beer with a hint of Agave Nectar, adding a small amount of sweetness to the brew. We added Peace Tree Brewing's Hop Wrangler, an easy drinking American IPA. Hoppy enough for a hop head, but not so much that it will leave your mouth forever tainted. Of course we still have some Gouden Carolous Hopsinjoor, a wonderful Belgian IPA. Rich with malt flavor, great hop aroma, extremely effervescent, ending with a crisp hop finish, this beer is nostalgic to me as it was what I used at my wedding to toast with. Who needs champagne when you have Belgian Beer right? Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin is our first seasonal pumpkin beer and is a great introduction into fall (soon to follow will be Nebraska Brewing Co's Wick For Brains). Lastly, Lakefront's Riverwest Stein Lager, an amber lager, is now available. Slightly malty sweet on the front, finishing with a nice crisp dryness and hop bitterness. Very well balanced and drinkable.

BEERy Exciting! Great Nebraska Beer Fest and Local Eats

As the wife of a craft beer bar owner, I have been lucky enough to be introduced to the amazing world of craft beer and along with that, wonderful and interesting people who make up Omaha's craft beer community.  For the last three years, some of our great friends from Nebraska Brewing Company in Papillion, along with other regulars in the craft beer community, have worked together to bring great beers to our state at the annual Great Nebraska Beer Fest.  For their 4th annual event, there will be over 80 breweries represented for more than 400 individual craft beers!!  For just $40, you have 5 hours to try this extensive beer collection all in one place.


Anchor Brewing Co. July 2009



New Belgium April 2012

The Great Nebraska Beer Fest is hosted at Shadow Lake Towne Center in Papillion (home of Nebraska Brewing Company). In addition to some of the local Nebraska Breweries (including: Nebraska Brewing Company, Infusion Brewing Company of Benson, Moonstruck Meadery of Bellevue, Blue Blood Brewing Company of Lincoln, Ploughshare of Lincoln, Gottberg Brewery of Columbus, and Empyrean of Lincoln, just to name a few), the festival boasts many local homebrew clubs as well as awesome breweries and brew pubs from our neighboring states. I have had the pleasure of visiting a few who will be in attendance including: Keg Creek of Glenwood, Iowa, Avery of Boulder, Colorado, New Belgium of Fort Collins, Colorado, O'Dell of Fort Collins, Colorado, Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco, Twisted Pine of Boulder, Colorado, Tommyknocker Brewery of Idaho Springs, Colorado and Goose Island of Chicago.



Tommyknocker Brewery January 2009

Nebraska's craft beer community is also excited to host some breweries that have never been in the state before including: Stone Brewery of California, Maui Brewing Company of Hawaii, Free State Brewing Company of Kansas, Cigar City Brewing of Florida, Funkwerks of Colorado, and Blind Tiger Ale House of New York (again, just a few of many).  The Great Nebraska Beer Fest web site is extremely informative including a list of all of the participating breweries and brew clubs, a description of each brewery and/or club, as well as a description of many of the beers that will be featured at the festival.  There is a detailed description of what you can expect as a patron of the festival, there is a breakdown of the day, details on the featured beer seminars and a shout out page to the MANY sponsors of this great local festival. 

As the craft beer movement continues to grow in Omaha, this event will only get bigger and bigger.  In the mean time, check out some of the above-mentioned local breweries or some of our awesome local craft beer bars including:The Lauter Tun, Krug Park, Crescent Moon, The Huber Haus, Max and Joe's, The Library Pub, The Blatt, The Omaha Tap House, Jake's, and Brass Monkey.  Here's a cool local beer blog too, for all of you beer aficionados out there: www.beervanaomaha.blogspot.com

GNBF Itinerary

Friday August 24^th

4 to 6pm. Breweries beer drop off
7 pm Brewers Reception, Nebraska Brewing Company Patio.
Beer aplenty & food

Saturday August 25^th

10 am Brewers / Volunteers Brunch Nebraska Brewing Company
11 am to Noon Brewery setup, Dick’s Sporting Goods Parking Lot
Noon to 1pm VIP, Brewers & Volunteers Special Session
1 pm Beerfest Open to General Public
Food Vendors Open
Opening Music, Omaha Pipes and Drums
1:30 pm Seminar Tent - Beer Travel with TheBeerGeek.com
2:30 pm Seminar Tent - Homebrew Troubleshooting Panel with Brewers from Boulevard, Tallgrass and Nebraska Brewing Company
3:30 pm Seminar Tent - The role of the Internet in the growth of Craft Beer - Panel of Internet beer gurus, both local and from across the nation!
4:30 pm Seminar Tent - Chris Spradley - Beer and Food Pairing
6 PM Final Pour, Beer Fest Ends

Goose Island July 2012

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It's time for some more critiques on a few local restaurants. In the last month, I have experienced amazing Thai, Italian and Indian cuisine in the Omaha area. Since the Old Market is such a hub for entertainment, it shouldn't surprise you that two of these restaurants are located there. The first is Nicola's Italian Wine and Faire at 13th and Jackson. Similar to many of the restaurants in the Old Market, Nicola's ambiance is due in large part to the old exposed red-brick walls. Patrons have the option of eating in the dining room or in the large outdoor patio (which does have a fair amount of shade available).  Based on Northern Italian cooking styles, each entree is accompanied by two large pieces of bruschetta.  Meals are moderately priced.  The menu reflects the common Italian restaurant--pastas, seafood dishes, paninis and sandwiches, soups and salads, and dessert, but within each category, there are some twists on classics that make Nicola's worth the trip.  For example, during my most recent visit, I tried the Spaghetti Aglio & Olio.  This dish reminded me of a capellini pomodoro.  It's described as " a lighter dish; spaghetti sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil with roasted garlic, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian bread crumbs, sprinkled with fresh parsley and Parmesan."  The saltiness of the kalamata olives along with the tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes created the perfect flavor profile on that hot summer night.  Nicola's is also home to more than 100 wines.  If you're looking for a new local Italian restaurant, check out Nicola's.



Nicola's Outdoor Patio

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Omaha is lucky enough to have a few authentic Indian restaurants spread out across town.  My husband Chad is a huge fan of Indian food so we recently planned a date night to the Old Market's Indian Oven.  We arrived around 8:30 after taking in a movie and we were pleased to find that the restaurant was open until 10, allowing us the luxury of a leisurely dinner.  Due to the extreme heat and humidity, we opted to eat inside, although they do offer a small patio out front.  There were a handful of customers in the restaurant, so the noise level was pleasant.  The decor consists of beautiful paintings, low lighting, and candlelight--simple and elegant.  We started the meal by sharing a bottle of Taj Mahal--a light, crisp refreshing lager, and a piece of garlic naan and a cilantro pesto dip.  The bright flavors of the cilantro accented the crispness of the beer and again, with such a hot summer, this was a refreshing starter to our meal.  Although I am fairly adventurous, when it comes to food, I shy away from the unknown, but with my trusty guide, Chad, at my side, I took a leap of faith as I read through the menu of unfamiliar foods.  He informed me that anything with tandoori in the tile would be spicy so I steered clear of those dishes.  After reading through the descriptions of the chicken dishes, I based my decision on the dish that contained the most familiar ingredients and settled on the Chicken Kadai.  It was phenomenal.  It was stew-like and even with the hot weather, the herbs and spices used somehow managed to create yet another refreshing dish.  Chad let me taste his chicken tikke masala which would be another easy transitional dish for thsoe of you who are new to Indian food.  It is a chiken dish with a tomato cream sauce.  I am officially a fan of Indian food now.  The Indian Oven describes its food as "fun, playful Indian street food" and I assure you--you will feel like you are eating in an exotic Indian city when you eat at The Indian Oven.

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Mai Thai Original Location 144th & Center

Thai has not been such a stretch for me.   I have loved Asian cuisine for much of my life--everything from Chinese to Japanese to Vietnamese.  Thai food overlaps with dishes like beef and chicken fried rice; however, Thai food also uses Jasmine rice (a.k.a. sticky rice), ginger, pad Thai noodles, fresh spring rolls... There are several authentic Thai restaurants in Omaha.  One of my favorites is Mai Thai.  The original location at 144th at Center is small, but the modern Asian influence in the decoration creates a fancy, yet cozy feel.  Recently, Mai Thai has opened a second location at Aksarben Village--a new developing area complete with housing, shopping, bars, restaurants, a movie theater, and a gym.

 The new location is much larger than the original.  There is even a trendy bar inside.  The menu is the same between the two locations.  Much like in other ethnic cuisines, there are some staples to Thai food including Pad Thai, spring rolls, ginger chicken, chicken/beef fried rice, Pad See Eew-- the list goes on.  I almost always have the Pad Thai because it is, in my opinion, the spaghetti of Thai food.  Mai Thai does a wonderful job with their Pad Thai so I figure, why mess with perfection.  My other staple are the fresh spring rolls--fresh veggies wrapped in rice paper with homemade peanut dipping sauce.  However, Mai Thai does have a substantial menu.  They even have a dish created by their chef called Chicken Mango.  I recently had the mango fried rice with chicken.  The sweetness of the mango brightened up an old favorite.  There are several dishes that use basil as well.  During my most recent visit, since I was lucky enough to be joined by family and friends, I had the opportunity to try a new appetizer as well as deferring to my spring rolls.  This time we tried the fried calamari with sweet chili dipping sauce.  Calamari tends to be hit or miss, sometimes too chewy, sometimes looking entirely too much like a baby octopus, but Mai Thai's calamari was just tender enough.  The flavors were delicious and the portions were perfect to share with a table of 6.  Mai Thai is the place to be if you want great Thai food and thanks to their new location, you shouldn't have too far to drive if you're hungry for some Thai!

Supporting L-O!-cal Art

When you think of Omaha and Art, your first thought is probably the beautiful Joslyn Art Museum (which is probably why it is one of the select "pin point" attractions promoted by Omaha's Visitor Center; however, you should know... that is just the beginning!

In addition to the Joslyn Art Museum, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art is a more modest site for art in Omaha.  Housed at the south end of the Old Market, the Bemis is a classic red brick building with a simple, yet noticeable, orange sign adorning their east wall and it houses artwork and artists from all over the world.  Bemis is a rarity, in that it offers residencies to artists which includes "3 months of uninterrupted, self-directed work time" (in other words, "no deadlines"), "space--each artist is provided with a generously sized live/work studio with a private bathroom and 24 hour access to facilities including a wood shop, installation spaces, and a large sculpture fabrication facility," and Residents receive a $750/month stipend to assist the artists financially.  This programs is based on their mission:

"The spirit and programs of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts are based on the conviction that exceptional talent deserves to be supported. Our practical commitment to this belief is achieved by providing well-equipped studio spaces, living accommodations and a monthly stipend to artists who are awarded residencies. These artists come from around the world to work within a supportive community of like-minded people. The atmosphere and environment offer an ideal situation for creative growth and experimentation and encourage artists to confront new challenges."

The Bemis is open to the public to view exhibitions free of charge with the option to leave donations.  In addition to exhibiting the work the Residents produce, the Residents also conduct art talks where they share information and pictures describing their artistic journey that led them to the Bemis and then they spend time describing the work they are producing at the Bemis.  After the artist finishes his or her talk, there is time for the audience to ask questions. 

I attended an art talk put on by Hendrikje Kuehne & Beat Klein who have been developing idealized landscape collected from historical paintings of paradise gardens.  They are here in Omaha all the way from Denmark.  I discovered their work via Facebook.  The piece that I was most drawn to was created by tearing up postcards of landscapes up into tiny pieces and putting them back together to create a new landscape:

Another artist presented as well.  His name is Brian Porray.  I will direct you to the Bemis website to view his bio (as well as the bio of the other current fellows), but Brian's art was EXACTLY why these art talks are perfect for people (such as myself) who do not consider themselves to be "art people."  Here is an example of his work and perhaps you'll see what I mean:

Now, if I had been in a gallery and seen this, I would have quickly dismissed it to be nothing more than random colors and shapes, but the art talk gave Brian a chance to discuss his work and it gave lay people like me the chance to understand the thought process.  If you are one of these people, I suggest you peruse their website for more information for art talk lecture series or check out the Bemis (and other area art galleries on the First Friday of every month in their "open house" style attempt to share local art.  I will definitely be back.

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Omaha is also starting to make a name for itself on the music side of the art spectrum.  We have been home to the Red Sky Music Festival for the last two years, we have a flourishing music neighborhood in Benson, we have great venues such as The Slowdown and  The Lauter Tun that promote great local artists.  We even have our own record label--Saddle Creek Records.  For the last three years, Omaha has been home to a new music festival--Maha which is completely dedicated to promoting independent music and local artists, not to mention support all things Omaha... Just like our blog!!

This year me and my fellow bloggers had the distinct honor of attending Maha due to the extreme generosity of one of their extremely enthusiastic "Street Teamers"--Sherry Huffman.  As a result of her generosity, we experienced many of the awesome things Maha had to offer.  Our first stop was the beverage tickets which also happened to be the first pleasant surprise of the day (well, actually second to the glorious weather). I am used to paying upwards of $3 or $4 for non-alcoholic beverages and $6 or more for beer or other alcoholic beverages.  Not at Maha!!  I paid a mere $2.50 per bottle of water and thanks to Omaha's own Diventures, the nation's largest indoor scuba center, I was able to refill that bottle for free at their water station.  Beer and mixed drinks only cost $5 a piece and the options extended beyond Bud Light.  Maha included a local brewery in the Lucky Bucket Beer Garden!!  Maha food also went beyond your typical hot dog and hamburger stand.  Maha had Greek food!! 











There were two reserved seating areas as well as a satellite bar in the midst of the wide open green space at Aksarben Village's Stinson Park.  Fans had more than enough room to spread out with blankets and lawn chairs and although not all of the lyrics were family-friendly, children had more than enough room to run in addition to the playground that sits in the park.  In addition to the opportunities exert physical energy, children were also kept entertained by the free craft stand sponsored by the Joslyn Art Museum as well as the opportunity to decorate free t-shirts at the Goodwill booth.  Finally, there were several blank canvases available for artists to graffiti.  The next highlight was the extensive table of band swag.  Posters, buttons, t-shirts--you name it. 

After I hit all of the cool tables and tents, the Omaha Stalker blog team found a spacious area in the middle of the green space.  We could see both stages--oh... Did I forget to mention that there were TWO stages?!  This made the festival extremely efficient.  As a band performed on one stage, another band was setting up on the other. The festival even ran ahead of schedule!  Due to work, I was not able to stay to see Garbage or Desaparecidos (band of Omaha's own Conor Oberst), but 4,300 fans did--in the rain, no less.  I did, however, get to see a few interesting bands including my favorite of the day--Josh Rouse of Paxton, Nebraska.  He had a very Jason Mraz feel to his music, right down to the fedora he wore.  Check out Maha's web site for more information on the bands that performed.

I will definitely be back to Maha next year.  And after such a pleasant experience on Saturday, I didn't think I could be more excited for such an awesome local event until I read on their website the reason the bird was chosen as their mascot.  I will leave you Omaha Stalkers with these words:

"Maha Music Festival is about a pride of place. It’s uniquely Omaha — founded and run by people deeply rooted in our city, committed to adding a healthy dose of independent music and arts to the city’s robust cultural mix.

When Oxide Design Co. partnered with Maha to develop a new visual identity for the festival, we set out to capture all of that: pride, place, and independence. And we found it in the great chief of the Maha tribe, Chief Blackbird. The Maha were the most powerful Native American tribe in the Great Plains — a tribe whose name inspired our city’s, and then our festival’s."



Dining and drinks and music! O! My!

Hello to all of our fellow Omaha Stalkers! We have decided to add a new component to our blog. In addition to blogging about our experiences in Omaha, we are going to start pre-blogging about upcoming events we plan to attend. We will still feature direct links to web sites for upcoming events on the right hand column of our blog (since we certainly can't attend ALL of the amazing and fun events Omaha has to offer), but we figured that by previewing some events that only come around once a year or events that are only available for a limited time, you would all have enough information to decide if you want to attend while you still have the chance. Finally, we would ask that if any of you would like us to preview any events or at least give an honorable mention to something that we have neglected, please let us know and we'd be happy to spread the word about your favorite things to do in Omaha.

That being said, I will begin with a brief summary of some of my recent experiences with drinks and dining at LOCAL establishments and I will end with some previews of a few upcoming events.

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Summer brings some of my favorite days of celebration including my birthday and my anniversary. As you already read, I celebrated my birthday for an entire weekend by eating and drinking my way across Omaha. Well, Chad and I followed suit as we celebrated our second wedding anniversary last week. Chad and I went on our first date four years ago. We started our evening at a quaint bistro in Omaha's own Dundee neighborhood (Readers--there will be a future blog dedicated solely to Dundee, so be patient.) and we have eaten there to celebrate our anniversary every year since. Mark's is located on the upper level of a two-story building, just east of 49th and Underwood. The first decision you're required to make when you get to Mark's is where to sit. You have the choice of their fabulous outdoor patio, complete with colorful landscaping and the cool shade of trees, or you can choose a seat in their cozy dining room which gives you a complete view of Underwood and the Dundee Neighborhood via the wall-length window on the south wall. Mark's offers an extensive wine menu, a full bar, local craft beers on tap (last week they featured Lucky Bucket and Hopaluia), and a lengthy choice of bottled beers. Chad and I often choose items off of their regular menu (I highly recommend the cheese plate, the hummus, or the bruschetta appetizers and the Pad Thai or their famous Macaroni and Cheese entrees). We started with the hummus which was light, served with veggies rather than bread, and refreshing with a lemon wedge adding a light citrus flavor. All in all a nice appetizer--just filling enough and the citrus cleansed the palate before our main course. For our min course, Chad ordered the burger (cooked to order) and when he asked for a steak sauce, the waiter went behind the bar and began mixing a few ingredients together. In moments, Chad was served with a ramekin filled with a delicious homemade steak sauce. I ventured into the unknown with one of their specials: venison stuff toasted ravioli on a bed of sweet tomato sauce, completed with heirloom tomatoes picked from their own rooftop garden. Being 1/4 Italian, I have a special place in my heart for good homemade ravioli and this definitely ranks above good. And nothing beats home grown tomatoes. The sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Needless to say, we were too full for dessert. The final important note about Mark's is the service. Our waiter perfectly timed our order, allowing us time to eat our appetizer without rushing us with our entree. When asked if we were celebrating anything, we shared the story of our first date at Mark's and before we knew it, our appetizer was comped as an anniversary gift. Mark's is the perfect place to go, no matter what you're in the mood for.

View from street

Chad and I have a few favorite haunts when it comes to drinks, depending on what we're in the mood for. Being a bar owner and a mixologist, when we want a cocktail, if we aren't drinking at The Lauter Tun, we have cocktails at The Boiler Room. And that's just what we did after we finished at Mark's. The Boiler Room is located at 11th and Jones in the Old Market. For those of you who are familiar with the Old Market, Jones Street marks the south edge and although it is a regular city street, it has a bit of an alley feel to it. The Boiler Room sign is in no way flashy--a classic black sign with white block lettering--so if you aren't looking closely, you might miss it. The first thing you will notice when you walk in is the extraordinary meeting of the industrial feel brought out by the exposed iron beams and brick walls and the modern feel brought by the wire banisters, local art donning the walls and the orchids which bring a delicate balance of color to the room. You enter on ground level, but you will quickly see that the two-floor restaurant was built downward into the old brick building. The bar is on the bottom level and has limited seating, but it is worth it if you can get a seat. Our bar tender immediately added to the ambiance, wearing a black vest, white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up, and a black tie, and more importantly, a deep knowledge of unusual and old-fashioned cocktails. I was in the mood for a light and crisp cocktail (given the 100 degree temperatures outside) and our bar tender guided me through cocktails on their menu. He encouraged me to order "...Something Borrowed, Something Blue" which boasts a host of liquors I was unfamiliar with including: Old Genever, Creme de Violette, lime and Prosecco. Chad was in the mood for whiskey, but after looking through their binder which includes several pages of aged liquors and wines (they have an extensive wine cellar too, for you wine fans out there), he asked our bartender for a suggestion. He made Chad a Rattle Snake, a cocktail popular in 1910, that included a blended whiskey, egg white, and a few other ingredients--this cocktail was not on the menu. If you are looking for a great cocktail, knowledgeable bartenders, and a nice evening out (and you happen to be downtown), check out The Boiler Room

View of the bar from upper level

Upper level dining area

Another successful celebration thanks to Omaha's fine dining and drinking options!

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Upcoming EVENTS!!!

The Lauter Tun Homebrew Showdown

The Lauter Tun is hosting a homebrew competition on August 5th. The goal, hopefully, being that the winner will be able to brew his or her beer at the Tallgrass Brewery in Kansas and then we will put that beer on tap at our bar!

Instructions:

Delivery no later than August 4th

Personal Delivery Only no Mail

3 12oz bottles per entry or 2 22oz bombers

Limit 2 entries per person

Entry forms are online on facebook

Beers will be judged as a “mini best in show”

Judged by stylistic accuracy, as well as technical merit

Open to ALMOST all categories excluding BJCP Styles 17, 20, 21, 22, 23

The goal of this competition is to recreate your masterpiece at a brewery and have The Lauter Tun put that beer on tap at our bar. The aforementioned excluded styles may be entered if you wish but they will not be able to be recreated at a brewery. The most likely beer style for recreation would be any style of ALE, as most Microbreweries product a majority of Ales. So any extreme beers including spiced, wood aged, some sour beers, etc. that will either take too long to age, contain too many specialty ingredients not regularly available to the large brewery, or a beer that will destroy a draft line at the bar if left on for long periods of time (ie: habanero ale), may be judged, but may not be recreated at the brewery. E-mail chad@thelautertun.com to get main entry form and bottle labels.

The Lauter Tun: Fundraiser - Global Partners in Hope
When: August 9, 2012 6:00 PM
How Much: $10-15 cover for charity
Global Partners in Hope are hosting an event which will help raise money to build drinking wells in sub-Sahara Africa. You can register online or at the door. There will be a cover charge $10 in advance or $15 at the door. We normally never have a cover, but this is not for the music, this is for a great cause. All of the cover will go toward the charity and we will increase certain drink prices slightly, the increase will of course also go toward the cause. There will be live music and some catered food. A great cause and some great entertainment. Be sure to check this out! Please feel free to click on one of the links to get more information.

Maha Music Festival

Where:Stinson Park at Aksarben Village

When: Saturday August 11, 2012 from Noon to Midnight!!

How Much: $35 for 12 hours of awesome local bands!

2012 Schedule

Noon		Gates Open
12:10	Centris Stage	The Seen
12:45	Weitz Funds Stage	Conduits
1:30	Centris Stage	Eli Mardock
2:05	Weitz Funds Stage	Frontier Ruckus
2:55	Centris Stage	Universe Contest
3:30	Weitz Funds Stage	Josh Rouse
4:35	Centris Stage	UUVVWWZ
5:10	Weitz Funds Stage	Dum Dum Girls
6:15	Centris Stage	The Mynabirds
7:00	Weitz Funds Stage	Delta Spirit
8:10	Centris Stage	Icky Blossoms
9:10	Weitz Funds Stage	Garbage
10:40	Weitz Funds Stage	Desaparecidos (featuring Conor Oberst)
Midnight		Show Over – See you in 2013!

This is Maha's 4th year-- the first two years were at Lewis & Clark landing, and then after the flooding, it was moved to Stinson park. Thanks the green space at Stinson Park, festival guests have lots of cool, cozy grass to sit on. There are two alternating stages: Main and Supporting. Main stage acts are the more 'big name' bands, and Supporting stage has more local acts from Omaha/ Lincoln. It is a non-profit festival and completely volunteer-run from street teaming before hand to day-of-show workers. There is free parking in Aksarben Village. TWELVE HOURS of music for $35?! Can't beat that.

Mapping Out the Weekend

Hello all! It has been a few weeks since I have shared, but hopefully you enjoyed the Swimmer Superlatives that Diana and Katie presented a few weeks ago and I know that reading Sarah's latest on good-eats around town made my tummy rumble.

My latest story goes back to the original idea for this blog. I had the opportunity to visit not one, but two of the points on the "Omaha's Top Attractions" map last weekend. The first stop was the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. This was the first time I had been there since the aquarium re-opened after the amazing renovations. My sister and I took my niece and nephew because it was going to be the coldest day of the week (mid-90s). We got there just after the zoo opened and decided to start with the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Pavilion. This building includes a lot of small animals and insects in small cases around the main room. There are also interactive learning opportunities for kids to get an up-close look at snake skins, butterflies, and other assorted items.

Our next stop was the newly renovated Scott Aquarium. It was amazing. As soon as you walk in, you may run into a line of people off to the right. That is because there is a small area that includes several different types of aquatic animals that you can touch. If you aren't interested in that you can bypass the line and head in to the aquarium. A lot of the main attractions are still located in the same areas like the penguins, sharks, and jellyfish, but each area has had a make-over that just enhances the experience. When we left the aquarium we HAD to stop for popcorn at the snack stand right outside before continuing on to the Grewcock Butterfly & Insect Pavilion.

We did visit a few of the outdoor exhibits like the zebras and sea lions but it was so incredibly hot that our main focus was finding an indoor attraction. Although it was hot, there were hoses and sprinklers set up throughout the zoo to cool off while walking from place to place and most of the buildings are air conditioned as well. If you aren't interested in walking around the whole zoo, you can also pick up the train either by the giraffe complex or at the Train Depot near the Children's Play area. There is also the Skyfari (similar to a ski lift) that takes you over the middle of the zoo as well as a tram that you can get on at different locations. We visited the bears, the cats, and the gorillas before deciding to call it a day.

Here are a few helpful tips for visiting the zoo: 1) If you are visiting in the summer, be sure to go early. The zoo opens at 9:00 throughout the summer and it is a great way to beat the heat.  2) Look at your map. The map includes the times that the tram, train, carousel, and Skyfari are available. It also list the times of different presentations throughout the zoo. 3) Although I LOVE zoo food, you can bring in your own snacks and eat at any of the snack areas scattered throughout. 4) Be sure to check out their website for events in the zoo. They are open year round and offer different family-oriented events at different times in the year. www.OmahaZoo.com

Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden

Large Covered Wagon
(The pioneer woman is puffing on a pipe
and her two rowdy pioneer children are about to fall
out of the back of the wagon. It is supposed
 to be a likeness of a family on a cross-country vacation.)

The second map point I visited was the Joslyn Art Museum. Now I will admit, I am not an art buff by any means, but I will say that you don't need to be to appreciate this beautiful Omaha landmark. When you drive past it on Dodge, you can see only the profile of the beautiful building. As soon as you pull into the parking lot, you will have a few unexpected, but very welcome surprises.  The building is surrounded by several beautiful sculpture gardens. There is the Discovery Garden at the northwest corner of the campus that includes a number of different interactive sculptures and of course the main garden directly in front of the museum includes a giant reflecting pool, numerous sculptures, and an amazing full-on view of the museum. 

This is called the Story-Telling Hut
(This exhibit will disintegrate
within 18-24 months.)

I call this "Laura Riding the Pencil"

After spending some time outside admiring the beauty of these gardens, I took advantage of the free admission that is offered on Saturday mornings between 10:00 and noon. My first stop was the gift shop located just inside on the main level. Since Omaha is celebrating 150 years of the Union Pacific Railroad, there were a lot of train-related items available, but as always, they had a good assortment of items that are related to the exhibits. You can get anything from books to prints about some of the pieces on display.

In the main atrium there is also a little cafe that is open at different times throughout the day. It is a quiet area that is lit mainly by the natural light  provided by the open space. To the right of the atrium is a staircase that leads up to the gallery that houses their traveling exhibits. The current exhibit being shown is called The Great West Illustrated. It includes photographs and paintings that celebrate the Union Pacific Railroad.

On this same level, you can cross above the atrium area into the permanent galleries. But before you do, make sure to check out the beautiful glass sculpture created by Dale Chihuly that is placed in the floor-to-ceiling window. (My picture doesn't even do this piece justice.) Some of the other permanent pieces of this collection include works from Edgar Degas, Claude Monet,  Jackson Pollock, and El Greco. 

Chihuly: Inside & Out

Beyond viewing the artwork, there are also educational programs and research opportunities that you can participate in. There are also lectures, musical performances, and art classes for people of all ages. For more information on these programs and services, please visit www.joslyn.org.

I had a great time marking a few more map pins off my list and I hope you are all doing the same. Please be sure to share with us if you have any places you would like us to report on or if you have any fun adventures to share from any of the places we have already visited! 

Goodbye for now Omaha Stalkers!