Food Notes
Pucker up
Lipstick Lounge, the sexy new after-dinner cocktail lounge with live entertainment, debuted with a standing-room-only, cheek-to-cheek, private reception attended by nearly 300 gals and guys. LL is at 14th and Woodland streets in East Nashville, in the building that formerly housed Sasso. (Phone: 226-6343.) The narrow, two-story restaurant has been completely made over, with walls painted in deep, rich colors; seductive lighting; plush seating; original art by local artists Karla Deal, Jonda Valentine and Mickey Payne; and elaborately framed black-and-white photographs of classic Hollywood stars. Both small rooms upstairs are now themed, one furnished as a cozy “smoking room” and the other as a billiards room.
The Lounge will be open 4 p.m.-midnight Wed.-Thurs.; 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Fri.-Sat.; and 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sun., with a widescreen TV for Titans viewing. A short menu of quiche, pastas, salads and desserts is offered by caterer Sandee Massengale, and there is a full bar. On Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight, the fabulous vocalist Jazzmyn performs on the ground-floor stage.
Conceived, designed and owned by Broad Based Productions—Traci Oliver, Pamela Sheffer, Ronda Landers and Jonda Valentine—Lipstick Lounge was created “to provide an atmosphere that is open and accepting of all individuals, but is uniquely designed by women with women in mind, for patrons who embrace diversity in people and entertainment.” Or, as Mary Chapin Carpenter sings, just shut up and kiss me.
All scream for ice cream
Bobbie’s Dairy Dip will close for the season Oct. 27, but the Charlotte Pike drive-in is going out with a bang. A Sundae Concert series is now in full play, presenting live music in the parking lot on Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m. Upcoming shows include Kristi Rose, Sept. 15; Don Henry, Sept. 22; rock ’n’ roll covers with Bill Lloyd, Lorne Rall, Steve Allen and special guests, Sept. 29. During the show, discounts will be offered on hot fudge sundaes, Bobbie’s massive Kitchen Sink creations, chili and chili non carne.
An after-school special runs from 3 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays: regular fries, soda and a small “dancin’ dip” cone for $3. And in a nod to the Woolworth soda fountains of her Brooklyn youth, owner Claire Mullally is presenting Banana Boat Balloon Surprise Discount Tuesday: Order a banana boat (regularly priced at $4.25), pop a balloon and pay the price inside—from 50 cents to $3.75.
Finally, for the rest of the season, all ice cream will be half-off whenever it rains. Bobbie’s is at 5301 Charlotte Pike. Phone: 292-2112. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; noon to 8 p.m. Sun.
It’s only natural
On Sept. 16, Wild Oats Markets will donate 5 percent of their sales to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, which helps local organic producers become better farmers through research and educational initiatives. The chain-wide event helps kick off a new organic labeling standard, which goes into effect Oct. 21. The new standard provides assurance to consumers that all products labeled as organic with the new USDA seal meet a common set of criteria.
