B DUBS

Buffalo Wild Wings in all its glory

          It is no secret that Flagstaff prides itself on its privately owned operations, such as bars and restaurants. While that is unproblematic, there are those select people, such as myself, who occasionally prefer the reliable nation wide franchises that will supply the goods we are accustomed to. Do people like me need to change and begin to experience a greater variety of life? Of course. The beauty of the world lies in the diverse cultures and those brave souls willing to give themselves freely to the ways of a foreign lifestyle. But in the meantime, the rest of us need those places willing to cater to our life choices, willing to serve us good ol’ American food while we gather and watch our favorite team year in and year out, even though they continuously disappoint us. Whether we are basking in glory, crumbling in defeat, or having a good time socializing with our peers, hot wings are a prime dish to consume. You have seen the commercials and probably have done it once in your life, (If not I highly recommend it) and a mighty fine location to receive delicious hot wings can be found minutes away from the campus of NAU at Buffalo Wild Wings.

WHAT THEY OFFER

Honey BBQ wings.
Cooked to perfection

            Everyone knows that a chicken wing just isn’t the same without a delicious yet mildly spicy sauce coating around it. Holding a total of 14 select sauces and having the courtesy to rate them on a hotness scale, Buffalo Wild Wings provides their customers with the power to choose their journey. It is impossible to rate the actual level of hotness each sauce provides since every person has his or her own tolerance. However out of 14 choices you are bound to find one that suits you best. I personally am a fan of the honey bbq. It’s on the mild side of the spectrum but I find that I’m more of a flavor guy anyways. Or a sissy. I can’t really tell. I’ll just say flavor to save face.

            Ultimately, Buffalo Wild Wings is a sports bar. Eating wings while watching a big game is almost ceremonial for plenty of Americans, and not too many do it better than B Dubs. Waiters are polite and approach you when need help, but also know to stay away when a pivotal moment is occurring during your game of interest. There are plenty of televisions broadcasting different events, although priority unsurprisingly belongs to UFC, Football, Basketball, and Baseball. So I am truly sorry to you die hard soccer fans, but while European pubs become packed for the current Soccer match, not in America.

BLAZIN CHALLENGE

            For those of you who pride yourselves on being able to handle any range of spiciness, Buffalo Wild Wings provides you with the coveted “Blazin Challenge,” which involves one taking on the task of finishing 12 wings coated with Buffalo Wild Wings hottest sauce, simply named “Blazin.” A brief interview with a manager at Buffalo Wild Wings has netted me the follwing information: no ranch or other dipping sauce is allowed, no drinks are allowed during time of contest, an average of 2 daring souls partake of the challenge a week, survivors receive a stylish t-shirt and are immortalized upon a wall of fame. There was no word of the success rate, but for the sake of the legend we will just say that more people than not fail.

All 14 of the coveted sauces in order of their spiciness.
Beware of the one on the far right

            I was personally challenged by my fellow university students to partake in the challenge, however am sad to say I chickened out. Lets be real, this is the same guy who actually shed tears the first time he came in contact with vintage New Mexican green chile, (Native New Mexicans always remind me that it is by far the milder of the two. Because of this I am deathly afraid of New Mexican red chile.) Maybe after I spend a little time working up a tolerance to spice will I be able to muster up the courage. As for those manlier than I, just beyond the doors of Buffalo Wild Wings lies immortality. Glory. All you must do is reach out and receive it. And finish 12 painfully hot wings in 6 minutes. Not too bad, right?

ANY DEALS?

The first view upon entering Flagstaff's Buffalo WIld Wings

            In a town where the larger consumer crowds are college students, how would I dare suggest a location that has no deals? Buffalo Wild Wings has two great money saving deals that occur every Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday is known as traditional wing day, when they sale each wing for 45 cents. Let’s say a satisfying portion for the average person is 12 wings. On Tuesdays, one could by 12 wings for about $5.50 and save around $3-$4. Or maybe boneless is more of your liking. If so, Thursday is your day as you may receive a wing for about 60 cents and going back to the 12 wing model can save around $2-$3. Either way, its quite the deal for a delicious dish.

            Buffalo Wild Wings offers other food items, but we all know it is all about the wings. A rough estimate by the aforementioned manager suggests that on average 70% of sales belong to wings, 30% everything else. The plasma televisions and giant projection screens which always have some sport event showing give it a nice sports bar touch, while jerseys hanging up from past NAU sport greats highlights the company’s determination to display their desire to be involved with the community. Even if you are not crazy about the whole sports bar scene, they offer food to go. No one can resist a wing dipped in a sauce of their own liking in the comfort of their own home. No one. A quote by Ludwig Feuerbach "Man is what he eats." So what are you? Are you honey bbq like myself, preferring a sauce a touch hotter than mild sauce reflecting a cautious yet occasionally spicy life? Are you an expert and prefer to live on the dangerous side with the Mango Habeneros and the Buffalo sauces? Are you a master who will not consume anything but the Blazin sauce? Whats your flavor?

For more information, visit the Buffalo Wild Wings site at

http://www.buffalowildwings.com/

The Show Goes On

Harkins sitting humbly in its place on a beautiful Flagstaff morning

            It’s a lovely Flagstaff Friday night and you aren’t quite old enough to go to a bar, but are sick of the mostly unfulfilling house-party scene. As you sit on your hand-me-down loveseat, graciously gifted to you by your favorite aunt, you become disappointed as every single show on television seems as dry as your 75 year-old professor’s (whom by the way is only a few months away from retirement) two hour long lectures. While most of the festivities occurring seem unattractive, you desperately wish to make the most out of your well-deserved weekend. Here is a grand idea; on the corner of University Drive and Woodlands Village Boulevard in the middle of numerous college student filled apartments lives a entity capable of ending all of your birthed out of boredom woes. You guessed it, Harkins Movie Theatre.

         
           Now, before you jump all over me with your excuses and reasons as to why you shouldn’t waste your time and what little money college students claim to own on a flick at the local theatre, here me out. I understand that you are very well capable of watching a movie in the comfort of your own house, eating your own popcorn, drinking your own Coke out of your favorite glass and please know that I agree in some cases this is the best plan of action for the evening.  However, watching a mainstream movie at a credible theatre is an experience that simply cannot be replicated. A movie theatre is an adventure. The vast projection screen, the surround sound, the comfortable seating, the red vines. RED VINES! In my humble opinion, red vines always taste better at the movies. Plus, few combinations in this world are better than Dr. Pepper with a red vine as your straw. Like I said, that’s just my opinion though.  

You may also dislike the idea of gathering with strangers in order to watch a production that, once again, you can view on your own. This is my answer to those who feel that way. If you will, compare going to a movie to a professional basketball game. Both are capable of being viewed in the safety provided by television, but yet no one ever looks down upon going to a professional sport contest. And let’s not get started on the ticket price difference between the two. The fact is both involve a joining of strangers spending their hard-earned cash in order to be entertained by the works of professionals. Opinions of a movie will differ just as those of opposing fans will, but just as you feel elated when the crowd goes wild as the home team makes a crucial play, the same is said for the feeling one gets when everyone in a theater laughs at an evidently funny portion in a movie. Part of the beauty lies in that momentary joining with someone whom you probably never see again.

Let us move on to a more practical section and everyone’s favorite topic, money. A highly attractive aspect of the Harkins Theatre is the discount it offers for students of both Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College. With a valid school picture ID, students may purchase tickets for a price of $6.50, the same price for a matinee ticket. Is that not a great deal? If you don’t agree try this next one; a one-time purchase of a Harkins Theatre Loyalty Cup, costing $4.50, will entitle you to $1 refills for the remainder of the year. If you are an avid moviegoer such as myself, this is basically a steal. I personally classify popcorn and candy as luxuries, however if you want to know more about how I feel on that subject, check out the sub-section titled “A Few Hints For the Uneducated Moviegoer.”

Harkins loyalty cup designed
                     with cartoons of popular movies.
            Can you spot your favorite?

Flagstaff has many local treasures that make this community unique. However, at times we need a taste of mainstream entertainment that reminds us that while Flagstaff prides itself on its independence and unique culture, it isn’t lost in the dark ages. We need the bit of nostalgia presented by the movie theatre. (Don’t act like you didn’t view going to the theatre as an adventure when you were a child. We all did. I still do.) Guys, spend $13 to take your girlfriend out to the new Pirates of The Caribbean movie coming out in a few weeks. Sure she secretly thinks Johnny Depp is cuter than you but 2 hours of Penelope Cruz? Fair trade I’d say. Girls, invite your closest friends to see the latest chick flick so that you all can receive more false hope about how love should be. Yea, I went there. Anyways the moral of the story is even in lovely, nature filled, independently owned, culturally rich Flagstaff, one of the best forms of public entertainment lies in the shape of Harkins Movie Theatre.