Sup friends! 10 days until Christmas Eve - holy moly. I have Christmasy things sprinkled through this newsletter, so if you are on the hunt for those you gotta read the whole thing. Here is today's podcast episode, for your listening pleasure. Now onto the fun stuff!

From Boise flash sale

We are doing a pre-Christmas flash sale on ALL From Boise merch! Here's the deets:

Sale runs Friday, Dec 15 - Wed, Dec 20
Use promo code MERRY at checkout
Buy one, get one 50% off on sweatshirts & shirts
$2 off enamel pins
$1 stickers (!!!)
Surprise with EVERY purchase

Shop the sale here!

Ski news

Bogus Basin is opening up more this weekend. Night skiing starts tomorrow, Friday December 15 and the back side opens on Saturday, December 16. Wooohoo!

Tamarack Resort is opening this weekend. This Saturday, December 16, Tam will open the Tamarack Express and Summit Express lifts, which gives you access to 2,800 vertical feet. They also have 2,000 meters of beautifully groomed Nordic trails open and ready for your enjoyment.

A schitty weekend at The Modern

Fri-Sun Dec 15-17: Get ready bébés, The Modern Hotel's infamous Schitt's Creek Weekend is back! This was soo fun last year. In short, The Modern transformed the tv series Schitt's Creek.

There's dinner & drink specials, a Schitt's Creek town sign photo booth in Room #118, Rose Apothecary in Room #116 with different vendors each day, & much more! You can reserve a table for dinner & drinks here.

Or you can make a whole night of it by booking the Rosebud Motel Package. Use promo code ROSE to get 20% off your stay, in-room cocktails & snacks for two, and a $50 gift card to the Modern Bar for $40! Funnn!

NYE prep

Makin' plans for New Year's Eve? Here's a few ideas and parties to get tickets for:

Hap Hap Lounge is doing a black & white NYE party with DJs, a special drink menu, & champagne toast at midnight. Tickets start at $30 with group packages and VIP seating available. 21+

Lounge at the End of the Universe is throwing a Rabbit Rager! New Year's Eve Party. It's a wonderland of DJS spinning electro-swing, plus costume contests, food, champagne toast & more. Tix are $35-$100.

Voodoo Cellar is having a party and doing a beer for a year giveaway. It's $20 at the door between 9pm-12am and includes a raffle ticket and champagne toast! 21+

Thick as Thieves NYE Party is spendy but a sweet deal. Tix are $150-$175 and includes reserved seating, open bar, snacks, and a midnight champagne toast, and gratuity. Tables seat 2-6 guests. 21+

Gatsby New Year's Eve Gala is $225 per person and includes table seating, open bar, food, party favors, live music and a champagne toast. Also fyi Gatsby has a dress code. 21+

Mad Swede Brewery Hop Drop is happening at the brewery (2772 South Cole Road #140, Boise). It's inside and they drop a giant hop at midnight. There's live music by The Soulmates, free parking, pizza, drinks, and champagne toast at midnight. It's free!

Mad Swede Brew Hall Hygge New Year's Eve is happening downtown (816 West Bannock Street in Boise). Hygge is a Nordic concept describing a quality of coziness. Mad Swede downtown is having a cozy NYE party with hot mulled wine and beer all night long, Guru donuts, board games (byo if you want), and if you wear pajamas you get $1 off your first drink. It's free!

Downtown Boise's New Year's Eve Block Party is happening at the 6th & Main bars: Amsterdam Lounge , Dirty Little Roddy's, Karma, and StrangeLove. It's a $25 ticket to enter all 4 bars and includes champagne toasts and drink specials all night, plus door prizes and more. You can also reserve limo service and table reservations. 21+

Sturman's Wine & Cigars New Year's Eve Party starts at 7pm. You can reserve tables and fire pits which includes an assortments of apps, dessert, and bottle of champagne. If you don't make a reservation it's $25 at the door & includes a glass of bubbles. 21+

There are more NYE events happening, these are just a few I thought you might want to buy tickets for and/or plan ahead for. I will post more events next week and the week after!

BBP needs your help

Boise Bicycle Project desperately needs your help.

Last Friday a drunk driver crashed their vehicle into the front of the BBP's shop. Unfortunately the crash didn’t just result in the single impact area – there's cracks and damage across the entire front side of the building. The offices upstairs and downstairs are either unsafe or unusable. They anticipate that the entire front of the store will need to be rebuilt, which means temporary shop closures that will impact operations, programming and revenue in the coming year.

This is especially bad timing, as BBP is gearing up for its annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway (happening this Saturday!!). Every year BBP gives over 500 local kids a new-to-them bicycle, helmet, lock, and bike light. Remember what it was like getting your first bike? It's a core memory, and BBP makes that possible for over 500 kids every single year! It's truly one of the most amazing events.

BBP needs our help, bad. Here's what you can do to help:

Make a donation to BBP. Any amount helps.
Adopt a kid's dream bike. There's over 100 bikes/kids left to adopt before this Saturday.
Tell people about this. Share this post. Forward this newsletter to a friend. Tell your friends/family/coworkers/rich uncles.

Damage to BBP's building, credit Boise Bicycle Project

Sponsored by Visit Southwest Idaho

Did you know you can dash through the snow on a horse-drawn sleigh in Southwest Idaho?

Hap & Florence Sleigh Rides in Donnelly takes you through a mountain valley and out to a herd of wild elk. The elk will come right up to you and feed off the hay bale seats you’re sitting on!

There’s also Idaho Sleigh Rides in Garden Valley, which takes you through the winter wilderness of garden valley and you can also see wild elk up close on this ride. Idaho Sleigh Rides provides complimentary hot drinks and snacks for the journey, and you can add on a dutch oven and live music dinner for after your sleigh ride. There is also a wheelchair accessible sleigh if you need those accommodations.

If you are visiting Idaho around the holidays, be sure to check out a scenic sleigh ride in SW Idaho!

Elk seen on a Hap & Florence Points sleigh ride, credit Visit Southwest Idaho

Tunes & shows

TONIGHT: Concert for a Cause with Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness + Michigander + Wildermiss at Knitting Factory
TONIGHT: Rae Gordon Band at The Sapphire Room
TONIGHT: Skid Row at Revolution Center
Fri Dec 15: Hayden Pedigo + Jens Kuross at Shrine Social Club (Basement)
Fri Dec 15: Endless Atlas + Classtronaut at Neurolux
Fri Dec 15: Zakk Sabbath at Revolution Center
Fri Dec 15: Jingle Jam for Boise Rescue Mission Ministries at The Egyptian Theatre
Sat Dec 16: The Biggest Rave in US History at Treefort Music Hall
Sun Dec 17: Grieves + Oble Reed + Special Guests at The Olympic
Sun Dec 17: Tanner Usrey at Knitting Factory
Tue Dec 19: Sisters in Songwriting: A Holiday Duet Showcase at The Sapphire Room
Tue-Wed Dec 19-20: Solitary Band at Shrine Social Club (Basement)
Wed Dec 20: Gill Landry at The Sapphire Room

Comedy & storytelling

Sat Dec 16: Boise Banter, a live late night talk show, is happening at Mad Swede Brew Hall from 8-10pm. Tix are $20.
Sat Dec 16: Untold Stories of Christmas Comedy Show is happening at Lounge at the End of the Universe at 8pm. Tix are $5-$15.
Wed Dec 20: Comedians Adam Tiller + Tyson Gusman + Aaron Wiemiller are at Voodoo Cellar at 7:30pm. Tix are $15.
Weekly comedy open mics: Mondays at Mad Swede (Cole Road), sign ups 7:30pm/start 8pm. Tuesdays at Hops & Bottles at 6:30pm. Wednesdays at The Handlebar at 8pm. Thursdays at Mad Swede (Downtown), online sign ups, starts at 8pm. Saturday at Mad Swede (Downtown), sign ups 10:30pm, start 11pm.

Food finds & things to drink

I'm sure you know, In-n-Out in Meridian is open. I've never had it, but I am very intrigued by the hype. Also if you are vegan and looking for a burger, go to Oh Vegan Soul!
I finally made it to Lost Grove Hyde Park for dinner and it was really good! We got ramen and the drunken noodles - both were good but the drunken noodles were my fave. Also the dumplings are amazing.
Have you been to Nomad Bev Co? It's right around the corner from White Dog Brewing on Capitol Blvd, and construction is kinda blocking them right now so they could really use your business! Nomad serves coffee and tea drinks and amazing brunch foods. Go check it out!
My new fave Mexican restaurant is Barrigas, and they are taking order for Christmas tamales right now! So good.
TONIGHT: Barbarian Brewing is releasing three new beers. A Peppermint Bark Ale, Wolves on Parade Hazy IPA and Vienna Lager. Go taste them!
Sat Dec 16: Last chance to get something from Flour Child. Saturday is their last day in business.
Next Th Dec 21: Get your tix for Telaya's Solstice and Sparkles Soiree, an evening of live music, dancing, good food & great wine. Tix are $30.

Birria grilled cheese from Nomad Bev Co, credit Nomad Bev Co

Things to do

TONIGHT: Go watch A Christmas Story shown on 35MM Film at The Egyptian Theatre! There is also a conversation with star Peter Billingsley and moderator Mark Johnson. Proceeds benefit The Official Launch of The Idaho Film Society. Tix are $25. There is a second screening on the 19th.
TONIGHT: Hackfort Happy Hour is happening tonight at Trailhead from 5:30-7pm. Meet other tech enthusiasts, learn more about Hackfort at Treefort Music Fest, and hear from Casey Scalf of Sensebellum, a company focused on expanding our understanding of the world through multi-sensory interactive art installations. It's free!
TONIGHT: Barbarian Brewing is hosting Holiday Pop-Up Market: Part 2. Get your holiday shopping done with a beer in hand. Goes 5-8pm and it's at the Garden City brewery.
Fri-Sat Dec 15-16: Idaho Steelheads hockey are playing at home this weekend on Friday and Saturday at 7:10pm. They are currently leading their division!
Fri-Sun Dec 15-17: Ballet Idaho's The Nutcracker is this weekend! There's multiple showtimes over the weekend. Tix start at $38.
Sun Dec 17: Sagebrush Collaborative has artists doing pop ups in the store this weekend!
Sun Dec 17: Lost Grove Brewing is hosting another Winter Market with local vendors from 12-5pm. It's at the La Pointe Street (by BSU) brewery location.
Sun Dec 17: Go watch some Christmas movies at The Egyptian Theatre! Dr. Seuss' The Grinch is showing at 11am, White Christmas is showing at 1:30pm, and The Polar Express is showing at 4pm. Tix are $10 for adults and $7 for kids.
Wed Dec 20: Procrastinator's Market at Split Rail Winery. Last min shopping season.
Wed Dec 20: Join Upcycled Christmas Craft Night at Mad Swede Brew Hall (downtown) and make some fun Christmas crafts. So fun! It goes 5-9pm and it's all ages. Free!
Any night: Go see Christmas in Color at Expo Idaho! It's a drive-thru Christmas light event. This year, use promo code ALZ2023 and 20% of your ticket will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association Greater Idaho Chapter. It's up through the end of the year.
Any day: Visit the Idaho Community Foundation Giving Station in the lobby of JUMP! It's basically a vending machine where you can donate to a bunch of different local nonprofits. Hours are Tue-Fri 8am-7:30pm and Saturdays 9am-7:30pm. Closed Sundays and Monday.