November 16th. Mark Your Calendar (Updated)

Updated

November 16th is today.  A lot of restaurants and businesses have stepped up to make this a decent evening.  It’s less of a specific event, and more about getting you downtown for dinner, theater, and/or drinks.  If you can’t make the show, go to dinner.  If you’re working late, stop by the bar at one of these places and hang for a bit.  Vin Grotto, Over the Moon Cafe, and Stadium Bistro are all small places.  Make you reservations now and let’s fill them.  Enough of you have said you’re coming downtown that it should be possible to pack these restaurants. 

Over the Moon Cafe: (253) 284-3722
Vin Grotto: (253) 722-5079
Stadium Bistro: (253) 576-1917 (temp number)

Some have asked me how many people are coming downtown.  I have no idea.  Show up, order and drink, and find out.  Other folks have asked where I’m going to be tonight.  Let’s just say that we’re probably starting at Matador after work.  Then, we’ll finish at Stadium Bistro five…six… seven hours later.  In between the two we’ll be stopping at most of the places on this list and riding Link at least once.

Be a part of a new Tacoma and support our arts scene and downtown businesses.  I hope to see you on the streets of our town tonight. 

Sound Transit
Sound Transit has stepped up and will be offering Link Light Rail service until 10:00 pm.  This is two hours later than usual for a Thursday night.  Thank you Sound Transit. 

Star Rentals
Star Rentals are providing some supplemental lighting to brighten a dark corner street or two near the Pantages.  Thank you.

EVENTS

Artwalk

November 16th just happens to be the 3rd Thursday of the month.  What does that mean?  From 5:00 to 8:00, the museums in town plus several galleries are all open to the public and totally free.  If you haven’t done it before, this is a great reason to get downtown.  Try it!  For a list of locations, check out the website. 

Address: All Over Town
Website: www.artwalktacoma.com

Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital

Join Met Vet from 6-8pm as we kick off the holiday season! This will be our last art installation for 2006, so we’re celebrating Arts Tacoma with a Double Show, featuring paintings by Jennevieve Schlemmer and C.J. Swanson. Both of these artist’s are opening their studios for this weekend’s Art at Work Studio Tours, as well, so we feel very fortunate that they were ‘ready, willing, and able’ to extend their considerable talents our way. You won’t want to miss this, and we look forward to seeing you all.  It would also be a great opportunity to donate to our First Annual Pet Food Drive!

Address: 401 S. Fawcett
Website: www.metvetpets.com

Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
The gorgeous newly renovated Pantages is the cornerstone of our evening.  The show for the evening is 3 Mo’ Tenors and I’ve heard at least one person mention that they saw the same show in Chicago and loved it.  Buy tickets!  Sell it out.  If you don’t want to go to the show, buy your friends tickets.  Give them as gifts to friends that wouldn’t normally head downtown.  Then you can meet them after the show at Matador or Vin Grotto.  The show starts at 7:30.

Address: Corner of South 9th and Broadway
Website: 3 Mo Tenors at the Broadway Center

Tully’s Coffee
Live music from 5:00 to 7:00 pm booked for this evening only.  This would be a great reason to come downtown early, park, and relax before the Tenors show. 

Address:  At the corner of South 9th and Broadway

The Horatio
Do you want to be a part of something new and exciting in downtown’s theater scene?  The Horatio Theater is opening its doors to show off its newly leased space on Opera Alley.  Come by, say hello, and show your support for live theater in Tacoma.  Open from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm on Thursday. 

Address: 708 Opera Alley

FOOD AND DRINK

Vin Grotto
Wine tasting and dinner from 5:00 to 8:00.  Barnard Griffin Winery will be onsite.  Vin Grotto will be Open late for the after theater crowd.  We’ll be here for at least a little bit on Thursday.

Address: 813 Pacific
Website: www.vingrotto.com

Over The Moon Cafe
Over the Moon Cafe is hosting at least a few friends’ dinners before this show and is acting as a central meeting point for many of the folks behind this evening.  Fill the place up. 

Address: 709 Court C

Meconi’s Pub & Eatery
Open to 11:00 pm and just blocks from the theater.

Address: 709 Pacific
Website: www.tacomapub.com

Stadium Bistro
The absolutely brand new and spotless Stadium Bistro is offering a free tapas and 50% off a glass of wine after the show on Thursday night.  Stadium Bistro is open until 1:00 am.  For us this may be our post-show place of choice.  Anybody want to join us? 

Address: 208 St. Helens

Varsity Grill
First Annual Ice-block Party!

Check out the Ice-block Party at Varsity Grill on November 16. Taste all the hot winter beers – Just five bucks will get you six generous pours.  Plus you can get the scoop on how they’re made, what they pair well with, etc. Feeling lucky? There will be prizes, live music, snacks and more.

Beer tasting (from breweries like Georgetown Brewing and Deschutes) is on the patio from 5 pm to 8 pm but the restaurant is open late so stop by any time. Mention that you read about this on Exit133 and you’ll get an appetizer on the house.

Tents and heat lamps will help ward off the elements but this is a rain or shine event.

Address: 1114 Broadway
Website: www.varsitygrill.com

Matador
The much anticipated Matador Restaurant & Tequila Bar will be one week old on November 16th.  Check out Tacoma’s hottest new food and drink destination.  Gourmet tex-mex and a large tequila menu would be a great way to end the evening. 

Address: 721 Pacific
Website: www.matadorseattle.com

TwoKoi
The hip new Japanese restaurant TwoKoi offers Happy hour from 5:00 to 7:00 and is normally open until 11:00 pm on Thursdays.  If folks show up after the show or simply for a late evening meal, they’ll stay open for you tonight.  Complimentary parking in Lot C on Broadway starting after 5:30 pm.  Mmmm…  Sake. 

Address: 1552 Jefferson

Others

There’s a pretty long list of restaurants that are normally open late including Pacific Grill, El Gaucho, The Swiss, The Rock, and many others. 

Our emphasis on this night is the theatre district but, to be honest, I don’t care where you go, as long as you’re downtown on this evening.  Why?  To show those restaurants and organizations that we can support a downtown scene and to show you, if you haven’t been coming downtown, that it’s already happening. 

If you want your bar, restaurant, or event added to the list, or send me an email.  I’m particularly interested in places open late for the after show crowd. 

I apologize if I’ve forgotten anybody.  Now remember, tell a friend.

If, for some reason, you won’t be able to make it out on the town Thursday night, there will be more opportunities.  Have you heard about all the events happening on the 18th yet?  What about the 30th?  More news to come…

Previously on Exit133