by Debbi | Dec 11, 2009 | Christmas, Good Things, Trinkets and Toys
Twelve extremely cool Sandbar themed gifts would seem like an easy blog idea, but I have to admit it came to me in a very roundabout manner.
The other day at my "real job," I got a rare spam email. I say spam only because it was an unsolicited email from a company I've never heard of, but it wasn't anything sneaky or poorly spelled. It happened to have pictures of cute socks, so I clicked to their website and promptly fell in love.
Hence, the inspiration for "12 Days of Sandbar Christmas Gifts."
Day 1: Shark Bite Socks
Anyone who loves our famous Shark Attack drink needs a pair of these socks. How could you not smile when wearing something like this?
Day 2: Palm Tree & Coconuts Salt & Pepper Shaker
I died laughing when I saw this set- it's exactly the sort of cheese that we love at The Sandbar and would be a perfect gift for our annual holiday gift exchange. Somehow I think boys, especially, might like this one.
Day 3: Pirate Lego Magnets
We love all things pirate. And who doesn't love Legos? They even have real magnets so you can keep them on your fridge or your file cabinet or wherever else they'll stick.
Day 4: Parrot Christmas Holiday Tree Art Thing
Not really sure where to start with this one. Most of the 12 days of gifts are things I'd dearly love to own. Not so much this one. It's rather unique. I suppose if you like to feed the birds, and you like parrots, and Santa, then you might like this. (It kind of looks like a rainbow-ish Jayhawk, too).
Day 5: Tiki Tissue Box
Can't get enough of the Sandbar hurricane and Tiki Ted? Get a Tiki Tissue Box. This box is sized to hold a standard tissue box, and he'll blow Kleenex out his nose. Really, I can't make this stuff up.
Day 6: Mermaid Cookbook
Need a gift idea for kids (or fun-loving adults)? Check out this mermaid cookbook, with recipes like Sea Foam Foats and Goldfish Gorp. I actually own this cookbook (thanks to Michelle!) and can vouch for it's coolness.
Day 7: Jimmy Buffett's new CD, Buffet Hotel
I should be slapped upside the head with a giant vinyl shark for forgetting that this CD was released just a few days ago (December 8, to be exact). Jimmy Buffett, hero of everyone who needs a little escape from life now and then, has another new CD just in time to fill your stockings.
Day 8: Beer Chapstick
Some of the options above a little too spendy for you? This stocking stuffer will set you back about the price of a drink. Yum, beer flavored kisses.
Day 9: Great White Shark Slippers
For all the shark lovers out there, here's a little something for your feet to keep them warm. I wonder if these come in Dave's size…
Day 10: The ShotCarver
Make your own shot glass using a piece of fruit and this little gadget. See, I'm helping you find ways to make drinking alcohol just a little bit more healthy.
Day 11: My Little Sandbox
Need a reminder of the beach for your desk? A toy for the kids when they can't go outside? Here's your very own tiny sandbox to play with when you need some stress relief.
Day 12: Mermaid Wine Bottle Holder
Our last gift in the series. A hand cut, hand finished, colored steel mermaid is ready to hold your favorite wine bottle. Ironic, a little, since we're not exactly a wine bar. But it's a neat gift anyway.
We hope you enjoyed our 12 Days of Sandbar Christmas Gift series! We'll do it again next year.
by Debbi | Nov 19, 2009 | Good Things, Random Questions, Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is upon us, so I thought this would be a good time to stop and think about what we're grateful for this year.
Something we are really grateful for is our wonderful staff. This is the longest period of time we've gone with no turnover that I can remember. Hayley mentioned last night that she is the "newest" member of the staff, and she's been working here for over a year. They all say they won't leave unless they move away or they're dragged kicking and screaming out the door.
And of course, we're grateful for all of our customers and friends. Many of you have been loyal to us for many years, and we appreciate it!
What are you grateful for?
Leave a comment and tell us. Be silly or serious. Maybe it's something personal, or something big. We'll compile all the responses and post a list next week to celebrate Thanksgiving.
by Debbi | Oct 22, 2009 | Events, Good Things, People
Every year for the past I don't know how many years, the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association has hosted the "Stepping Out Against Breast Cancer" Dance in October, usually just before Halloween. This is a night of entertainment and fun that also raises money for the Douglas County area. Proceeds benefit mammograms for the uninsured/under-insured, wigs and prosthetics for those who can't afford them, and education and awareness material.
You might be wondering what this has to do with The Sandbar. I'm going to tell you.
Long time bartender Coleen has volunteered for the decorations committee for the dance for a number of years now. She puts in time coming up with ideas and creating decorations, as well as actually going to the site and decorating the day before and the day of, and helping clean up on Sunday.
Another tie that we have to the LMHEA is our fearless leader Peach, who is on the Board of Directors. And, our friend Heather (not the bartender, but a Bahama-Mama loving customer) is employed by LMHEA and helped put this whole thing together.
The point of all this?
This year's event will be held on Saturday, October 24, at 8 p.m., at Crown Toyota in Lawrence. You should go. It will be fun.
Get out your best costume, grab a date or a bunch of friends, and head out for a night of dancing while helping to raise money for a good cause.
For more information about ticket prices or volunteer opportunities, contact LMH at 785-505-3315.
Edited: Oh no! I knew I'd leave someone out of this post, and sure enough, I did. Forgot to mention another Bahama-Mama loving customer, Becki, who is also employed at LMH and serves on the Dance committee. Of course the one I've known the longest is the one I forgot to include…sorry Becki!
by Debbi | Sep 22, 2009 | Good Things, People
Bartender Danny is riding in the MS150 for the third time, and he needs your help to meet his fundraising goal.
Here's what he has to say on his personal page:
Hello
friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers! Thank you so much for
taking the time to consider making a donation to this incredibly worthy
cause. I know that money is tight for everybody these days, but
unfortunately Multiple Sclerosis doesn't care what happened to my
mutual fund, your 401k, or what the Dow Jones Industrial Average is
currently sitting at. The fact is, people all over the country have to
live with this disease every day, and it isn't getting any cheaper, nor
are we any closer to a cure, save for the considerable efforts of the
MS Society and generous donors such as yourself.
This will be my
3rd year riding in this event, and while I am proud of my fundraising
accomplishments from the previous two years($600 and $1000
respectively), I know it's just a drop in the bucket compared to what
is really needed. I have upped the ante again for this year and I'm
hoping to raise $1200 for MS research and treatment for Kansas City MS
patients. The more involved I've gotten with this organization, the
more I've wanted to do more, and I'm excited to be a member of the Bike
MS Planning Committee for this year's ride!
You may not be able
to donate a large amount, and that is fine. Any small amount helps,
and I don't say that to sound cliche, but it's really true. Whatever
level you're comfortable donating at will be more than appreciated by
myself, the MS Society, and most importantly, MS patients everywhere
who are hoping for a cure. $50, $25, $10, or $5. It all makes a
difference to somebody.
I can think of three people off the top of my head who are affected by Multiple Sclerosis- and those are just the ones I can think of quickly. Many others are touched by this disease, either through having it or knowing someone who does.
As of the time of this post, Danny has raised $1,055 towards his goal of $1,200. That's 88%. Last year he shaved his head when he met his goal…who knows what he might do this year! If you're interested in contributing, go to his personal fundraising page.
Great job, Danny- all of us at The Sandbar are proud of you!
by Debbi | Sep 14, 2009 | Events, Good Things, Pub Crawl
Last Saturday afternoon, The Sandbar welcomed the Lawrence Pub Crawl participants to our little watering hole.
The Lawrence Pub Crawl is a benefit event for the H2 Foundation, which supports local charities through its grant process. The H2 Foundation has supported charities in the Kansas City area for awhile now and recently expanded to the Lawrence/Douglas County area.
A lot of our neighboring bars along Massachusetts Street participated in the crawl. The event was held during the day, which was perfect for us- we aren't normally very busy on a Saturday afternoon, but we're so small that if the event were held at night, we wouldn't be able to accommodate the teams.
Lots of our friends formed teams of anywhere from 5-12 members, paid their entry fee, and got their route of bars to visit. It sounded like a lot of fun! Maybe next year we'll sign up a Sandbar team.
I have a Polaroid picture of Blair and Joe from one of their stops….but I decided it would probably embarrass Blair if I posted it online. I decided to be nice.
Did any of you join the pub crawl? Any favorite stories or pictures to share?
by Debbi | Sep 9, 2009 | Events, Good Things
Looking for something to do in Lawrence on Thursday night? Check out the Twestival Lawrence!
What’s a Twestival?
A Twestival is a global series of events organized by volunteers in cities around the world. It’s a Twitter-themed event that brings users offline to meet, greet, and socialize- but with a twist. Twestival also raises money for a designated charity. The event is run 100% by volunteers, and 100% of the proceeds raised benefit the charity- no overhead expenses are deducted from the funds raised.
Read more about the history of Twestival.
Tell me about Twestival Lawrence!
This is the inaugural year of the Twestival Lawrence. Our neighbors in
Kansas City held one last February and it was a fun and successful
night, from what we’ve heard.
It will be held this Thursday, September 10 from 6-10 pm. The designated charity is the Lawrence Humane Society. Tickets are $12 in advance and can be purchased online here. Or, you can pay $15 at the door (cash only).
The ticket price is well worth it. Each attendee receives a goody bag that has fantastic freebies in it. There will also be tons of prize drawings all night, and even a silent auction for several premium items. Check out a list of the sponsors/prize sponsors, and let your imagination run wild with visions of the things you might win, including awesome Sandbar shirts or gift certificates!
And, remember that 100% of the ticket prices benefits the Lawrence Humane Society.
Although this event is Twitter-themed, it is open to everyone who wants to attend. You don’t have to use Twitter, Facebook, or even know what they are for that matter. Buy your ticket and enjoy a fun night of food, drink, prizes, networking, and entertainment- while knowing your money is going to a great cause.
If you can’t make it, you can follow the event as it unfolds on the Lawrence Tweetup page. And if you ARE on Twitter, be sure to follow @LtwupTwestival and use #ltwest when tweeting about the Twestival!
