By Judy Garrison
Sally O’Neill, co-owner of The Andes Hotel, with her husband, Chef Ed O’Neill, welcomed the chance to bring our readers up to date on the many diversions they have in store for us all.
Breaking news is the highly interactive Trivia Nite, coming to the Hotel for July and August (when it’s on hiatus at The Shire Pub in Delhi) on Thursday evenings at 7. It will be facilitated by Cara Vaughan, whom many know from her deft leadership of Wednesday Trivia Nite at the Shire. It’s mentally challenging, as competitive as a physical sport, and FUN! Especially so when your team wins and you get half off on your food and bar bill! The key to assembling a winning team (2-7 players), according to both Sally and this writer, is diversity. I occasionally play with a group of 20 and 30 somethings. One knows sports and history, another is a whiz at popular culture, a third is a font of all kinds of general knowledge. I’m guessing that I’m appreciated on the team for a memory, when it’s working, that goes way back in time. You can see how we complement each other.
The popular Cans ‘n’ Clams will be resuming on Memorial Day Weekend, 6-9 pm each Friday in the Summer Shack. They offer live music weekly, steamed clams and beer, and, when available, coconut shrimp, steamed crabs, clams and oysters on the half shell. They are introducing lobster this year, and corn on the cob when in season. With the freedom to wander in and out, stroll the village, who wouldn’t want to stop in solo or with friends and guests?
Also resuming in July and August, Sunday Brunch, 11:30-2:30, with rotating jazz groups, sometimes out on the porch.
Coming up in May:
Saturday, May 11. Comedy Night
Sunday, May 12. Mother’s Day Brunch, with jazz singer, Lindsay Webster, and Keith Slattery on keyboard. (This writer enjoyed their extraordinary talent at the Hotel’s Valentine’s Dinner.)
Saturday, May 18. A 5-course tasting dinner with brewery reps on hand
Coming in June:
Saturday, June 1, 2-6. Craft Beer Fest in the Summer Shack with the Jack Grace Band. $25 for a tasting cup. You can sample as many of the 20 different beers as you like. The Hotel will be selling beer-friendly food such as chili, bratwurst and soft pretzels.
We couldn’t possibly do justice to the numerous recent events and performances hosted by the Hotel, from dinner theater, to acoustic folk rock to the recent Easter Brunch. One I’ll pick to highlight was the festive Mardi Gras party with the incomparable Blues Maneuver band on March 2nd. The kitchen had whipped up lots of “Big Easy” food, from gumbo to po’ boys to shrimp étouffé, and fresh beignets that were as good as any ever tasted in New Orleans. The band had everyone, bedecked in beads and hats, dancing non-stop.
Have we mentioned Karaoke night, the first Friday of every month at 8 pm, an institution by now? So as not to miss knowing about the weekly happenings, we recommend that you visit the Andes Hotel website www.andeshotel.com to get on their list of regular e-blasts, or visit their Facebook page. And keep checking out the sandwich board on the porch.
Readers may not know about the Hotel’s lodging deal during early and late ski season, a great idea for those overflow houseguests. From December 1 through December 24, and from March 1 through April 15, they offer a BOGO (buy one get one night free). With 2 full sized beds in a room, a family of 4 can spend $105 for 2 nights (kids 12 and under are free).
Have some good entertainment ideas you want to share? Sally would like to hear from you: 845-676-3980 or
andeshotel@catskill.net. ~