The Sandbar...Home of the Indoor Hurricane!

And the filming continues...

Our new hurricane video is moving along smoothly. A group of participants met at the bar today to film several segments and for some reason- not really sure why- we managed to attract a lot of stares from people dining across the street and driving by. Of course we were on the roof of the bar...and wigs and costumes were involved...as well as some flying chickens.

We've got a great new video shaping up for our loyal patrons. Most of the video footage has been taped and the editing process starts this week. We're all excited to share the finished product with you. More details will follow about the world premiere of the new video.

Fight Club

One night when the guys were cleaning up the bar after what must have been an extraordinarily fun night, someone decided that it would be fun to wrestle on the floor.  It was also a night when Dave had the video camera at the bar, so fortunately (or not?) the escapades of boys rolling around on the floor wrestling amidst the remnants of a busy night were captured on film for the rest of us to see.

And lucky for you, we've got not one, but two videos! After watching Chris take on Ken, Brother Pants thought he needed to get in on the action. 

Hot Dogs!

Did you know we have more food now?

Dave found a hot dog warmer and decided to start serving hot dogs. There are two kinds, regular hot dogs and cheddar brats. Each comes with a bag of chips. You can buy one for $3 or get two for $5. Now you don't have to starve while you're hanging out at The Sandbar!

Of course, we still have popcorn available all the time. We also have chips and salsa from La Familia on Wednesdays, and wings from Jefferson's on Fridays.

Door Diaries, 7/31/99

1:44 am. A guy and girl tried to leave with their beer. Needless to say, their efforts deemed unsuccessful as Dave the waffle cone princess stopped them dead in their tracks.

--Bob

{I might add, this entry also has a note off to the side that reads 'no more drinking on the job, Bob.' Not really sure what the waffle cone princess is all about?}

Goodbye, Matt

It's the end of an era at The Sandbar. 

Matt's last bartending shift is tomorrow.  He's moving on to bigger things, namely vacation pay and health insurance.  It just won't be the same without him behind the bar...

Matt started working at The Sandbar six years ago when he was 21.  He actually worked at The Lodge in Baldwin City first, to get his foot in the door, until a shift opened up at The Sandbar.  And he's been a consistently good employee ever since then. 

Back when Matt started working, we used to put a counter/tabletop thing outside by the door, and the doorguy sat outside to card people and take their money.  The guys decided it would be fun to haze the new guy, and they told him that on everyone's first night, they had to wear the shark costume.  Matt apparently didn't argue with this and wore the costume.

Along the way we've been part of many of the things in Matt's life...graduation, marrying his lovely wife Ana, the infamous bus to the Boulevard tour, and all the fun days at the lake.

So, here's to many more fun years with Matt on the other side of the bar. Come on down to the bar on Tuesday and let Matt know how much he's been appreciated through the years.

Back from Down Under

Well after a year of being away, our boys Jake and John have decided to leave behind their lives of leisure in the land down under, and rejoin the fast paced world we have here.

They've been spotted at The Sandbar several times since arriving back in Kansas, reconnecting with old buddies and meeting new folks. Jake apparently will be heading back home to Minnesota in several weeks for a job, while John will remain in Overland Park.

It's good to have them back.

Drama in the Fish Tank

From the Sandbar diaries 6/6/03- a fish story for ya.

It is a full and exciting day within the Sandbar fish tank.  While Debbi may hope that the shark doesn't turn violent, it may be too late as there was a serious run-in between the shark and the cowfish.  Was it a little love bite or a snack? Either way, Sammy the shark had our beloved cowfishy in his predator mouth just a-shaking him to pieces. 

Linda and Phil came to a quick and immediate rescue.  Now the cowfish is recuperating in the little tank. 

Status update, 8:30 p.m: the cowfish is showing signs of life.

Status update, 1:00 a.m.: the cowfish is barely alive.  Michelle is loaded.

Sadly, the cowfish (otherwise known as Jet Ski, Focker, Bessy, or Ariel, depending on who you ask, because we can never all agree on a name for a fish) has passed on to another world. But out of the grief came some stellar poetry to remember our lost friend.

There once was a killer named Dave;
Some would call his manner depraved;
He bought up some fish,
the clowns were deee-lish,
Cuz Sammy the Shark was Dave's fave!
            --anonymous

Davey, he liked to play God;
Spoil the fish, spare the rod;
Sacrificed all the clowns,
on his omnipotent rounds,
To the shark, with a wink and a nod!
            --Justin, Heather, and Michelle

You just never know what you might find in that notebook kept by the door...especially when the patrons get hold of it.

Sandbar in the News

Well, if you consider the UDK news. 

I don't read our local college paper much, but I happened to pick up a copy of it the other day.  I was browsing through the sports section and saw a Q&A featuring a couple members of the women's soccer team and their coach, Mark Francis.  One of the questions that was asked of the athletes was "What's your favorite Lawrence hot spot." 

Our favorite soccer coach replied with The Sandbar (well, and Zen Zero and Jazzhaus).  Thanks, Mark! It's one of our favorite hot spots too.

Talk Like A Pirate Day

Aaarrrrr!  We almost forgot about this!
Tomorrow, September 19, is International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Thanks to Caroline for sending along a friendly reminder. 

You can read the great story of how this holiday got started here.  It truly is funny and these guys sound like people who would hang out at The Sandbar. 

We encourage all of you out there to talk like a pirate tomorrow. It's not hard- just throw in a few "arrrr's" and you're good.  We dare you to answer your phone like that all day long. And in honor of the holiday, we have fun new Bahama Mama toys in stock- bendable pirate guys. 

Rob the Bouncer

Sometime last year when I was randomly googling things on the internet, I found a blog called Clublife. It's written by a guy named Rob who's a bouncer at an unnamed club in New York City.  The blog is basically an ongoing tale of his life as a bouncer and all the crap he sees and has to put up with.  Actually, he calls it "an online journal of the nightly nonsense endured by a bouncer at two of New York's most popular night clubs." It's pretty entertaining and he's a great writer. It also makes me thankful that The Sandbar isn't a "club" and isn't in New York City and isn't any bigger than it is. 

Rob the Bouncer wrote his blog for a couple years and ended up featured in a New York gossip column. All of a sudden he started getting calls from editors and publishers who were interested in a book.  So he wound up with a book deal to chronicle his bouncing life.  The book was just released last month.  You can read about it here.  I think I'm going to buy it. It might become required reading at The Sandbar.   It will make the doorguys appreciate where they work, if nothing else.

Brother Pants, maybe you could use this one for your book club.