by Debbi | Oct 15, 2007 | Places
A long time ago when we were returning from a Nashville adventure, we stopped at a little place on the interstate just outside of Columbia, MO. Imagine our surprise when we saw a sign at the gas station for the Sandbar, with an arrow pointing in the general direction of what looked like pretty much nothing. What the heck, we thought, we weren’t really on a schedule, so our caravan of cars proceeded up a hill in the country to find this Sandbar.
We weren’t entirely sure where we were going. The road kept winding up the hill, deeper into the country, and we were all getting skeptical of finding anything that resembled a Sandbar. Just when we were ready to give up, however, we found it- a tropical oasis hidden away from the college town of Columbia.
This was an outdoor Sandbar, complete with a small stage, a sand volleyball pit, an outdoor seating area with lots of picnic tables, and even a small wading pool.
It was obviously not open when we were there. The place looked totally deserted and didn’t appear to have served any customers in the recent past, but we thought it was cool nonetheless.
by Debbi | Sep 7, 2007 | Places
Another Sandbar has been spotted…
This one is in Jupiter, FL, where our friends Pat and Mandy lived for several years. Pat says:
We were fairly drunk when we stumbled upon this place. We had just left my Budweiser company Christmas party and we were hoping to find a bar similar to The Sandbar (in Lawrence). This place wasn’t even close, it was way too sterile, not enough of a dive for my taste.
This Sandbar kind of looks like a McDonald’s in New Mexico (I know, because I’ve seen them). It serves food as well as drinks.
So, if you’re ever in Jupiter, Florida, stop by their version of the Sandbar and check it out.
by Debbi | Jul 22, 2007 | Places
Our Saturday afternoon/Thursday early evening bartender, Coleen, is on vacation. She’s traveling the Atlantic Ocean on a yacht called Martini Time, and we’re jealous.
She sent some pictures last night of their travels. While they were docked in Beaufort, NC, they came across a little restaurant at the Town Creek Marina called none other than the Sandbar! Here’s a picture of their sign:
It kind of looks like something old and weathered that you would find on a beach…just the kind of thing we like to see.
You know, many years ago a group of Sandbar folks ‘borrowed’ a yellow plastic sign from a Sandbar they found in Florida. That sign still hangs in our bar today and can usually be found somewhere on our St. Patrick’s Day float. I doubt we could get Coleen to borrow this one though.
by Debbi | Jun 19, 2007 | Places
Captain Tony’s is a quaint little spot on the island of Key West. Their website claims they are a landmark and national treasure since 1851. The great American writer Hemingway frequented the bar located at 428 Greene Street, which was known at the time as Sloppy Joe’s. There’s apparently some animosity today between Captain Tony’s Saloon and Sloppy Joe’s Bar over who can actually claim Hemingway- it’s too confusing for me to try to figure out or explain to you here, but you can read about it on their website.
When Pat and Mandy vacationed in Key West to celebrate their fourth anniversary, they had a mini-moment of fame at Captain Tony’s. They were hanging out, listening to a guitar player who asked the audience for requests…but then couldn’t play anything the audience requested. So, folks started heckling him (one guess as to who started it!) and when Mandy started teasing him about not knowing any Grateful Dead songs, he called her out. That’s right, he made her get up on the stage and play his guitar. She entertained the audience with her rendition of "Southern Cross."
When Dave and I visited Key West last month, we didn’t make it to Captain Tony’s. We didn’t have a lot of time there and ended up spending most of it at Schooner Wharf. Thanks to Pat and Mandy for providing some info about another cool Key West spot.
by Debbi | Jun 6, 2007 | Places
Some time ago I did a post about Margaritaville, and the three different Margaritaville’s that we had visited. New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Jamaica. Now we can add Key West to that list. 
All of the Margaritavilles have their own distinct differences, and Key West’s location did too. The decor was hurricane themed, complete with a swirling storm painted on the ceiling of the restaurant. We of course loved this, as it gave us new ideas for things we could do at our own hurricane-themed establishment.
The menu may or may not have been the same as the others- we certainly weren’t there for the food. The margaritas were good as was expected, and you can be assured that I’m not just saying that because we were in Margaritaville. I’m actually quite picky about margaritas, so if I say it’s good, then it must be good.
One thing we’ve noticed about Margaritaville, though, is that it’s become so much more "corporate." Instead of actual weathered wood signs with painted words, the signs are manufactured to look like weathered wood. The manufactured atmosphere somehow just isn’t as charming as the original dive-bar look.
The cool thing we discovered in the Key West restaurant, though, was in the gift shop. They have license plates from all over the country decorating the walls, and as we were standing contemplating whether or not to buy yet another t-shirt, Dave saw Patrick’s license plate. Yes, Peach’s brother’s very own "Creola" Kansas license plate was hanging right there in front of us! It had a label on it with his name and 
location. Of course we had to call Patrick and tell him that we just saw his license plate- forgetting that it was around 8 a.m. back in Lawrence. As we kept wandering around the shop, we got a second surprise- Peach’s other brother Tom had a license plate there as well. It was kind of exciting to see a piece of Lawrence, KS, in Key West.
by Debbi | May 14, 2007 | Places
Key West- a place which, surprisingly, we have never visited in spite of Dave having worked at The Sandbar for nearly 14 years now.
On the wedding cruise last week, the Imagination docked in Key West early one morning. Even though it was early, we were determined to not miss a minute on this island. A group of us rented scooters as soon as we debarked and proceeded to run around town checking things out- Margaritaville, Sloppy Joe’s, the Southernmost Point of the U.S.A.
Our favorite place was the Schooner Wharf Bar. Our friends Pat and Mandy were married there several years ago; in fact, they are very possibly there right now, celebrating their four year anniversary. This place is a dive- an open air bar located at the end of William Street on the historic Harbor Walk. Live music, fresh seafood, and ice cold drinks. Rustic picnic tables and barstools. A second story deck overlooking the harbor full of yachts. Yes, this was our favorite spot on the island.
A Key West local, Michael McCloud, plays live music nearly every day at Schooner Wharf. Some cover songs, some originals. Some of the songs were pretty darn funny. We left the bar with all four of his CD’s. They might make it onto the Sandbar jukebox one of these days. There were several dogs lying around in the hot sun; apparently every day when they hear the music start they wander over to the stage, lay down, and listen.
If you get lucky enough to travel to Key West, make sure you check out the Schooner Wharf. You won’t want to leave. Oh, and make sure you put money in the parking meters.
