Hello my friends. Happy Winter Solstice & Merry Christmas weekend! Thank you to everyone who purchased something during our flash sale. I am grateful for the support & I hope you love your things!

Today's newsletter has lots of stuff for you to do over the holiday weekend, plus some of my fave spots to take visiting friends & family. You can listen to me talk about a few of these things on today's podcast episode.

Winter solstice tonight

Today is the darkest & shortest day of the year. Here's a few events going on to celebrate:

TONIGHT: Solstice Sober Banger: An Open Heart Conscious Dance is happening at Lounge at the End of the Universe. The evening begins with a guided yoga and stretch sesh, leading into ceremony with intention setting and cacao. Followed by over an hour of specially curated music from local DJ Coalesce. It's from 6:30-9:30pm. Tix are $15 advance or $20 at the door.

TONIGHT: Barbarian Brewing is having a Krampus Krawl Winter Solstice Party. Dress up in your best Krampus outfit, as holiday elves, or even Nordic mythological creatures for a night of winter solstice debauchery. Goes 6-9pm & it's at the Garden City location.

Fri Dec 22: Yule Fest is happening at Mad Swede Brewing (2772 South Cole Road #140 Boise) from 3-10pm. It's a Nordic celebration of the Winter Solstice & sounds so fun! Hear classic viking folklore read aloud by the talented Boise Bard Players, make your own Yule wreath, taste a "Braggot" which is a hybrid of mead and beer, fire pits will be burning the Yule Log all day, and you can carve or burn a magical rune into a log and sacrifice it to Odin in the Yule fire, plus more. It's free & all ages!

Ways to entertain your people

Have family or friends visiting? Getting together with people this weekend? Here's a few ideas off the top of my head to entertain your guests (& yourself):

Go see Christmas lights. Here's the Boise Christmas Lights map. There's also the drive-thru Christmas in Color at Expo Idaho, Wintry Garden aGlow at Idaho Botanical Garden, or Winter Wonderland at Indian Creek Plaza.

Go hiking. Some easy/leisurely hikes are Crestline, Lower Hulls Gulch (be sure to check if its downhill bike or hike day), Military Reserve, and Corrals. I also love Five Mile and Watchman. Here's the interactive trail map which shows you lots of info including mud level. You can also find daily trail conditions here.

Check out the Old Boise Model Railroad Club (and read my story about them).

Play arcade games at Realms or Spacebar (21+).

Get a yummy breakfast at Trailside Bakery, Good Times Bagels, Certified Bakery, Java, Sunshine Spice, The Griddle, Sunrise Cafe, Broadcast Coffee, or Primal Coffee.

Go out for dinner at Eight Thirty Common, The Wylder, Stagecoach Inn, Alyonka's, Wepa, 10 Barrel, Percy, Anthony's, Kibrom's, The Modern, Bar Gernika, Coa de Jima, Andrade's, Black Moon, Tavolata, or the new Acero Board & Bottles.

Grab a drink at Thick as Thieves (make a reservation), Pengilly's, Hap Hap Lounge, Water Bear Bar, KIN, Suite 104, Ochos, Atlas Bar, and if you are like me and like dive bars, go to Little Dutch Garden or Symposium.

Scroll on for entire newsletter with more ideas :)

Tunes & shows

• Th Dec 21: Strangelily + ​​Yaam + ​​Looom at Shrine Social Club [Basement]
• Fri Dec 22: Joshy Soul + ​​Fonteyn at Treefort Music Hall
• Fri Dec 22: Joshy Soul Afterparty feat. RahKeem at Hap Hap Lounge
• Fri Dec 22: Latin Night feat. DJ Kscheff + DJ Fresh + DJ Frank at Neurolux
• Fri Dec 22: Noble Holt & Captain Snafu at Pengilly's Saloon
• Fri Dec 22: Buckin' Country at Indian Creek Steakhouse
• Fri Dec 22: Cliff Miller Band at Heritage Social
• Sat Dec 23: Nightmare Christmas at Treefort Music Hall
• Sat Dec 23: Christmas Carol Singalong at Mad Swede Brewing
• Sat Dec 23: DJ Bodie - Slow Down Disco at Hap Hap Lounge
• Sat Dec 23: Dave the Fave at Spacebar Arcade
• Sat Dec 23: Sheep Bridge Jumpers + ​​Floating Witch’s Head at Shrine Social Club [Basement]
• Sat Dec 23: The Blues Addicts + The Brass Tacks Horns at The Sapphire Room
• Sat Dec 23: Marcos Dominguez at Indian Creek Steakhouse
• Tue Dec 26: Idaho Songwriters Association Forum at The Sapphire Room
• Wed Dec 27: Downtempo Night feat. Ukiah Bogle at Hap Hap Lounge

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Comedy & storytelling

• TONIGHT: Comedians Adam Tiller + Miles Mathews + Greg Dube are at Volume 1 Bar & Lounge in Meridian. Tix are $20. I think it's 21+
• Fri Dec 22-23: Thomas Nichols + Adam Tiller at Mad Swede Downtown Brew Hall for three shows in two nights! Friday show is at 7pm. Saturday shows are at 7pm and 9pm. Tix are $20.
• Sat Dec 23: Go see the Christmas Comedy Show at Lounge at the End of the Universe at 6pm. Tix are $15. 21+

Food finds & things to drink

• Sat Dec 23: Join the Morning Perfect At Home Coffee class with Dawson Taylor. It's an interactive class where you'll explore the secrets of making the perfect cuppa coffee at home. Tix are $20 & going quick!
• Wed Dec 27: Join the Charcuterie Essentials class at Telaya Wine Co. Tix are $100 (for two people) and includes instruction, wine, bottle of wine to take home, and a sustainably packaged charcuterie kit for two. Almost sold out!

Things to do

• TONIGHT: Winter Wonder Village: Merry & Bright is happening at the Idaho State Museum tonight from 5:30-8:30pm. Explore their winter village, museum exhibits, and hear holiday classic songs by local jazz duo Ellie Shaw. It's $5 and 21+.
• TONIGHT: The Egyptian is showing The Nativity Story (2006) at 7pm. Tix are $10 for adults and $7 for kids.
• TONIGHT: Join Christmas Movie Trivia at Warehouse Food Hall. It starts at 7pm and it's open to all ages.
• TONIGHT: There's a Christmas Pajama Bar Crawl happening in downtown Nampa. Get in your cozies and drink at six different bars. There's drink specials, prizes and more.
• Fri Dec 22: Join the Boise Old Time Square Dance at Shrine Social Club! This would be fun to do with the fam! Everyone is welcome, no experience or partner needed. All dances are taught to live music by Idyltime and friends with Ava Honey and friends calling and teaching the dances. All ages. Tix are $10 and kids 13 and under are free with a paying adult. Doors at 6:30, music and dancing from 7:00-9:30pm.
• Fri Dec 22: Humpin' Hannahs is having a ​Fugly Sweater B4 Christmas Party​. Rocci Johnson Band performing from 10pm-close. Prizes for ugliest sweaters! 21+ ​
• Fri Dec 22: Go see XXXMas, a Christmas musical variety show at Lounge at the End of the Universe. There's comedians, entertainers, short films & musicians. Starts at 8pm and tix are $15.
• Fri Dec 22: CopenRoss Growlers is hosting Christmas Carol-oke, an evening of festive karaoke. You get 50% off your drink if you wear a Christmas sweater (ugly or cute), Christmas pjs, or a Christmas beard. I had to google that last one and I'm impressed not gonna lie lol. Also CopenRoss has good food!
• Sat Dec 23: Go watch Christmas movies! The Egyptian is showing The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) at 11am, Elf at 1:30pm, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) at 4pm, and Die Hard at 8:30pm. Die Hard is 18+, fyi. Tix are $10 for adults and $7 for kids.
• Sat Dec 23: The Idaho Potato Bowl football game is happening on Saturday at 1:30pm. It's the Georgia State Panthers vs Utah State Aggies. Tix are $20-$80 depending on where you sit.
• Sat Dec 23: Need to do some last min panic shopping? Go to Procrastiganza: A Holiday Pop-up Market at Mad Swede Brewing on Cole Road. It's a carefully curated, broad range of locally-made art, crafts, and goods for the toughest people on your Christmas list. It's happening from 11am-7pm and it's free!
• Sun Dec 24: Sagebrush Collaborative is open & having a weekend artist pop up from 11am-5pm.

Just trust me...

​holiday party practice​

Thanks for reading & Merry Christmas!

With love from Boise,

Marissa

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