I’m a big time Thanksgiving and Christmas guy. I think I’ve established that pretty well on this website over the last couple of weeks. But, just in case – let me make it very clear. Okay, it’s clear? It’s clear.
You can also include me in the group of people who are complete suckers for everything holiday-related. You’re going to hang up some Christmas lights around your big fancy hotel? My ass is gonna dredge along inside it, admiring every strand. Want to make some big ice sculptures and charge me a week’s pay to look at ’em? Guess what! I’ll be there! Have ‘peppermint’ this or ‘gingerbread’ that on your menu? NOM NOM NOM. I am just a big fan of all things Christmas. Call me a regular fuckin’ Clark Griswold.
So, when I saw the news that Nashville is going to be getting a couple of Christmas-themed pop-up bars soon? I was already in, ladies and gentlemen.
Courtesy of Eater Nashville (who I am still surprisingly not the Editor of):
Nashville’s beloved arcade bar Headquarters Beercade explodes into a winter wonderland on Saturday, December 1 with Reindeer Games — an immersive holiday pop-up. Located in the heart of SoBro at 114 2nd Ave South, Nashville’s biggest arcade bar will actually deck the halls with over-the-top decorations, interactive installations, specialty holiday-inspired cocktails, and more. Reindeer Games will take over the entire two-story, 6,500-square-foot space with traditional holiday decor turned on its head, designed and installed in-house to create a unique holiday experience. Guests can expect floor to ceiling decorations including walls adorned with 3D displays of Christmas trees and thousands of ornaments, 2,000 feet of twinkle lights illuminating the ceiling, 1,500 feet of garland draped on archways and windows, and life-size toy soldiers stationed throughout the space. Reindeer Games will also feature many experiential photo op moments, including a life-size Santa’s sleigh and a giant, four-person snow globe. There will also be activations inspired by cult-favorite Christmas films.
Reindeer Games’ menu of festive dishes includes Santa’s Sliders, Charlie Brown’s Christmas Queso served with red and green tortilla chips, and Rudolph’s Reindeer Snacks with fried cinnamon sugar apples drizzled with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. The specialty cocktail menu will feature creative riffs on classic Christmas drinks and holiday flavors with names like Naughty List, Red Ryder Rosé, and a basic-friendly pumpkin spice hot toddy.
First of all, if I were the Editor of Eater Nashville, I would point out that giant paragraphs are bad for SEO, but I’m not going to mention that. I don’t want to be petty just because they hated my guts and completely rejected the article I wrote clearly making my case for why I’m such an awesome Editor.
Instead, let’s focus on this news!
Christmas bars in Nashville! LFG! There’s also a Christmas pop-up opening at Noelle, but I haven’t been out there before and cannot vouch for it. Y’all know I only put my stamp of approval on places I love (one of the key hallmarks of my being a good Editor, not that I’m still asking to be Eater Nashville’s Editor or anything…). HQ is one of those places, so they will get my money. They will probably get a lot of my money. They will actually probably ask me to leave at some point because I’ll be there so much.
If I were the Editor of Eater Nashville*, I would probably write about HQ. That’s how much I love them. I wonder what kind of interactive installations we’re going to get, though. Hopefully, they’ve recreated the giant tree from Christmas Vacation, and will have a live squirrel for us to catch in the middle of the bar. I honestly don’t even know how that came to me – wow. Sometimes, I’m surprised at my own brain’s ability to just manufacture creative genius as is the standard mark of a good Editor.
I do have one concern, though. Are the life-sized toy soldiers real? Will they come after if me if I say the f-word in the bar? It just happens sometimes, but I’m really great at censoring that kind of thing thanks to my immense experience as an Edi…..
….you know what? This post has turned into something it wasn’t meant to be. I think it’s obvious that I need to work through some things and let the past be the past. Time for me to grow up and let some ideas go. Maybe I’m just not meant to be the Editor of Eater Nashville and that is okay.
Finally, does Santa’s Pub count as a Christmas pop-up?
*Also, bolding items is good for SEO.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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