The space formerly known as Duke's (and many other nightlife businesses over the years) at 843 Lee Road, is reinventing itself once again. This time as 1112 Lounge, a lounge/sports bar hybrid. Sounds a lot like Duke's still but with a face lift. They have a MySpace page describing the spot in a little more detail and although there is no grand opening date as of yet, they have a New Year's Eve party scheduled so I guess they'll be open by then.

Now this is something that shouldn't be missed. Wally's on Mill's Avenue in Orlando will be throwing a costume/Halloween party at the bar on Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. - midnight. There will be prizes that they haven't disclosed but best of all it's free. But get there early, Wally's is a tiny joint, and some of those costumes are going to be quite warm to be in, mix that with a couple of drinks with Wally's strong pour and you won't have time to make it to the bathroom.

If that's too far in advance for planning, Friday night there's a beer festival out in Kissimee as part of the Sunshine Challenge, the annual Central Florida Homebrewers Convention. The price is a bit steep for the festival, but I've been and it's well worth it. For $30 you get to sample all of the beers from 7 - 11 p.m. and there will be an Italian buffet to soak up all of that alcohol. The price is $30 in advance, $40 at the gate. It's taking place at the Orlando Sun Resort in Kissimee, go to cfhb.org for more info.

So earlier today I called Voyage nightclub in downtown Orlando to get some info on one of their nights. I of course get the voicemail because it's before 1 p.m. I'm glad I did though because the guy on the voicemail cracked me up. He actually pronounced the club as Voy-ahge, versus Voyage. Like people say Tar-jay for Target, except they're joking and I don' think this guy is.

What a tool.

Wow, it's good to be back. Sorry I've been gone so long, but it's been quite a couple of weeks making sure this site is all pretty and ready for you, but I think we did a good job. What do you think of the new digs? 

But just because I've been working my little digits to the nub on this site doesn't mean I didn't have time to go out, I know where my priorities lie. In fact, I went way out, like Volusia county out. But since my imaginary Harley is in the shop, it wasn't for any of the Biketoberfest events. It was actually a downtown Deland trip, to hang with the kiddies at Stetson and enjoy what their bars have to offer. Two places I discovered in my brief time there on Saturday night were The Abbey and Issues, both in downtown Deland off of Woodland Boulevard.

My friends and I spent most of time at The Abbey, a haven for beer snobs that seriously needs to open a second location closer to Orlando. The feel was a lot like Dexter's but with sliding glass doors in the front that open the space to an outside/inside feel and doesn't make the smokers feel like second-class citizens. The beer/wine menu rivals the food menu at Cheesecake Factory in size, with dozens of imports to choose from. The waitress was incredible allowing us to sample as well. Not that the beers were expensive, they were all extremely reasonable for the amount and type you were ordering.  

Issues, everybody has them, or so the sign read outside our next stop. I really can't go on too much about this bar, because it was a quarter to 2 and the small, narrow bar smelled like vomit upon opening the door. Which really didn't turn us off believe it or not, the place was packed and we were intrigued by its dive bar feel which we always like. So we'll definitely be returning soon. Okay, back to work. I just wanted to check in and let you guys know I'm still here!

 

If you want to get shnockered at a festival this weekend, you won't have to look far. And if you live in downtown Orlando, that's even better, I got two biggies:

Rumfest 2007 at Wall St. Plaza in downtown Orlando. Pay $20 in advance, or $25 day of for nonstop samples of daiquiris, punches, and anything you can imagine rum-related. These are one of those fests that are definitely worth it. It's Saturday from 5 p.m. - 2 a.m. and from past experience I can tell you that you should get there as early as possible.

Beertoberfest at Church Street in front of Mako's in downtown Orlando. If the Monsters from Real Radio 104.1 FM are holding court for a festival, it's going to be wild. A Miss Monster Bikini contest and $3 giant beers just seals the deal. It's $10 to get in and lasts from 4 - 10 p.m.

Turns out Cameron Kuhn is not incredibly worried about what he'll do with the space that The Improv once occupied. He already has something lined up for it in fact. How surprising: another high-end steak house! Because the one up the street just isn't enough for an area where the only draw for the past few years was a comedy club that brought in big-name comedians from around the U.S. But since that's gone, another steakhouse should do the trick. Yeah, right.

Here's the story on it from the Sentinel today:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-church0407oct04,0,6061434.story?coll=orl_tab03_layout

After writing yesterday's blog I started thinking about how many nightlife spots Kuhn has killed over the last couple of years. I'm all about the lists lately! If I'm leaving any out feel free to comment folks!

Scruffy Murphy's

Eli's Cribb

Thee Grotto

Alpha Bar

Corner Bar

Global Grape

Orlando Improv

According to Bob Joyce, general manager of the Tampa Improv, the Orlando Improv is closed effective immediately. Both comedy stores are under the same ownership and Joyce has been in Orlando trying to help with some of the problems the Orlando location has been having with now landlord of Church Street Station Cameron Kuhn. Joyce says they are seeking a lawsuit against Kuhn for breaches in contract, one of them being not renewing the club's liquor license. He wouldn't comment any further but to say an official press release will be sent out on Monday and the Orlando Improv is actively seeking a new location.

For those of you who remember the days of the Dolive Building, when it actually had cool bars and shops and wasn't just an eyesore on Orange Avenue, should remember Eli Tobias.

Eli was owner of Eli's Cribb and Thee Grotto in downtown Orlando before he was forced to close so the building could stand vacant for years in downtown Orlando. But now, Eli has opened a compound of sorts in Winter Park on Fairbanks Avenue. He calls the area "Eli's Chop Shop" and it consists of Black Chapel Tattoo Studio, a mixed martial arts academy called American Combat Club and his wife's business, the Sandi Tobias Photography Studio.

It's the tattoo shop I'm really interested in, according to Eli it's "a nightclub/tattoo shop hybrid." He says the best decor from Thee Grotto is in there including the giant fish tank.

Welcome back Eli, I'll be stopping by the Black Chapel real soon.

I was hanging at McRaney's Tavern the other night, celebrating Jen's birthday, she would be one of the bartenders who work at the bar and one of the best in town.

It was the second occasion this month I've had a sake bomb, we ordered them for a birthday toast. Earlier in the month Jen had ordered a round for my birthday, so my wonderful fiancé Casey returned the favor for Jen.

Normally a sake bomb consists of a pint of beer and a shot of sake as illustrated in the diagram to the left. But the version we all drank that night in cheers to Jen had Sparks instead, which I actually preferred at the moment considering I was still doctoring a hangover from the night before at karaoke with the kids who dug Axl. It also makes sense because most "bomb" drinks have an energy drink in the ingredients.

I'm really not a drink "bomb" kinda gal, it's just screams frat house party to me, but from all the "bomb" specials you see in bars and the amount of people who get them (who usually look like they're in a fraternity), it's obviously popular. While I was wondering this, I wondered how many bomb concoctions have been formed around this drinking trend? So when I should had been working I came up with the list below, not a lot but still more than I thought, I've only heard of the first two.

Sake bomb I mentioned above.

Jägerbomb: a cocktail combining one shot of Jägermeister dropped into a glass of an energy drink, usually Red Bull.

A-Bomb - a shot glass with Jägermeister dropped into a glass of Tequila mixed with Sambuca.

UniBomber - Unicum and Mountain Dew AMP Energy Drink.

Looks like whoever was behind these energy drinks' campaigns was a genius. Damn, I'm thirsty.