I don't have to tell you that the economy has been a very fickle beast for at least the past 2 years. Because of this small local businesses are popping up and deflating out, taking dreams with them. This is why I have decided to commit a certain amount of my time and energy to review and help bring attention to local businesses. This review of Four Friends Corner Cafe will be the first of Local Business segments, and hopefully a regular feature of Evansville Blog.

Get The Facts

Four Friends Corner Cafe
1400 North Main Street
Evansville, IN 47711

To get there head south on Main street from Garvin Park, it's 2 blocks down on your right. They have plenty of on street parking and a small lot suitable for 3-4 small cars or 1-2 big trucks. For companies close by it's an easy walk, especially on warm fall days.

Inside there are about 5-6 tables, where a small group or couples will probably be most comfortable. However, I feel like their meals and layout favor those who like their meals to-go. Also consider eating on their picnic table out front or taking your hot dog to Garvin Park and eat on one of their many picnic tables. I prefer to take mine to go and eat in my truck, parked at Garvin Park, while writing this review.

The decor is as expected from a local restaurant focusing on a hot dog meal niche. An antique toy pinball machine could even be found in the corner of the dining room area. What was unexpected was the number of scriptures written on various boards around the kitchen and in the seating area. It's obvious that the owners/operators are religious, hopefully this isn't a turn-off for you, it wasn't for me.

Food Facts

The staple of Four Friends Corner Cafe are there hot dogs. They use Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs for all their hot dog meals, which include Fries and a drink. Also, there is plenty of variety, including coney style dogs or anything you can dream up, they will build to suit. On this trip I had their Cincinnati Special, which was a loaded coney dog with lots of cheese and onion.

The meal was very good and very filling.

The Bad

I work for a business close to Four Friends Corner Cafe, so about 30 days ago an employee dropped off a menu. This is how I found out about the Evansville restaurant and what peeked my interest in trying out some of their unusual hot dog creations. So, I picked out my would be meal and headed a few blocks over to place my order.

After I placed my order I was informed that my specific meal was no longer available. Nor did the girl behind the counter remember how to make the DC Monumental Special. No biggie, I'll just take one of their other specials, which would have been fine if their prices had not been so high. In no way do I feel like I got value for my money and even after a full stomach I had buyers remorse.

Indeed, their prices had gone up from around $5 per meal, which included fries and a medium fountain drink, to over $7. Also, to add insult to injury there was no fountain machine, only cans of pop in the fridge. So now I'm full, but thirsty, and feel like a spent a fortune for a hot dog.

Short and Sweet

The food was fantastic, service was good, and there was plenty of places to sit, eat and enjoy my lunch break. I'd recommend anyone to check it out.  However, to get my repeat business prices will need to fall.

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Do you have a suggestion on where I should take my next lunch break?  Or is there another local business that needs reviewed or help with advertising?  Simply leave a comment here or drop me an email to let me know your thoughts.

We attended the final night for the Evansville Mesker Park Zoo's annual Boo at the Zoo. It was amazing! The last time we were able to attend was in the fall of 2007 and the difference was remarkable. We waited in line for about 45 minutes but it was well worth it.

Each year the zoo hosts this very fun trick-or-treating event after normal operating hours. Admission was $6 a person or $5 for zoo members. There are stops along a marked route for kids to trick-or-treat at booths representing businesses and organizations from the community. We followed the main zoo route and were led through a couple of the animal buildings including the Amazonia exhibit. The entire zoo was decorated with pumpkins, Halloween yard blow ups and decorations. Every employee and volunteer was also in costume. One of the many highlights of the evening were the zoo keepers who held creepy animals for visitors to pet. My 2 year old daughter pet large snakes, rats, scorpions and even an alligator! We used lots of hand sanitizer!

The zoo was so beautiful at night. We were there for a little over 2 hours and the lines were even longer as we left. My only complaint is the lack of traffic guards. We had to park pretty far away, like everyone else because of the large crowds and it was very hard to cross the busy street safely. We had such a fun family night that I know we will make attending Boo at the Zoo part of our Halloween traditions.

Written By: Lynn Davidson

A few weeks ago I went to the Duck Inn, to see the local hard rock band Calling Corners.  They were nice enough to take the time and provide an e-mail interview.  Please check it out below.

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You guys put on an awesome show a few weeks ago when I saw you at the Duck Inn.  It was very refreshing to see live music in Evansville that hits as hard as you guys do, I'm a big fan of face melting-high-energy rock and you guys delivered.  It was so intense that the people on the other side of the bar had to come see what all the awesome was about.

Thank you for the compliment and we appreciate you being there.

I think it's very refreshing to hear original music from a local band,instead of the tried and true covers.  There is also a lot to be said for a band that can create a very entertaining show, even though a listener may not be familiar with their songs.

That's really one of the main things we focus on, is our stage presence.  For two reasons, one...we're living in a visual world now-a-days.  And two, because most people go to a local bar/venue to see a cover band, a person may get bored with an original set until they know your material.  So no matter how good your songs are, you have to keep them entertained with your energy on stage.

At this stage in your career do you prefer to play original songs live or do covers?

Original music most definitely.  Matt (our guitar player) and myself spent a number of years in a couple of local cover bands and it's a great time, and there's money to be made.  But doing your own music, hearing people sing YOUR songs back to you, that's more rewarding than all the money in the world.

We know from your MySpace Page that your influences are Trapt, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, etc..  But explain to someone who has never heard your music before what it sounds like, in 3 words.

Heavy Melodic Rock

Where is your favorite place to rock in Evansville?

There's a couple of favorites actually.  We love Woody's and we appreciate everything Zack has done for us so far.  Great staff, great P.A., with national after national coming through.  And then, we love O'Brian's Sports Bar as well.  That's a bar with a great vibe, just relaxed.  You feel like you can do anything there and people are gonna love it.

You say you guys got to share the stage with Theory of A Deadman, how has that experience motivated you as musicians?

I think it's motivated us to really keep working like we're working.  The "dream" is very much a possibility, and the fact that on our level we can get on the same stage as bands like Theory, or any of the other bands on their level that we've played with, definitely shows that.  Hard work definitely pays off.

We talked a little bit about internet popularity playing a part in getting signed to a record label.  Do you personally think Friend Count equals popularity?

I'm not sure if it can define your popularity, but I think in the beginning it definitely helps you gain that popularity that you're looking for.  Because if you can pull 50 of your closest friends to every show, it sends the message that you have something going on, and that someone besides you believes in your music and what you're doing.  From there, other people get curious, come see your show, talk about your show, help build your show, and that's how you build your following.

You mentioned your MySpace Page and Facebook account numerous times throughout the night, does that generate a noticeable jump in online presence after every show?

MySpace not so much, we have a few friend requests here and there after the show so we keep plugging it.  But I think MySpace has went numb for the most part.  But our Facebook page definitely has.  We went from 3 fans to 200 plus in a matter of days.  And the cool thing about Facebook, it's honest.  Same goes with Twitter.  And what I mean by that is, you can't send friend requests from a FB band page or a Twitter account, so those are 200 plus people (on the FB page) that have searched us out because they liked the band and became a fan.  So those are the people that are gonna keep coming to shows and buying tickets.

Big name acts like Nine Inch Nails have embraced BitTorrent as a means to distribute music freely, assuming fans will be more inclined to buy your music if they like it.  Do you think there is any weight in that or considered this as a business model?

Ya know, I do think there's a lot of weight in this.  When this band first started we were so focused on how much money we could make once we got something recorded, or t-shirts, or whatever.  You're almost blinded by it, and by the time you see in front of you again, you're frustrated because you've only sold 3 cd's or whatever.  But I actually saw an interview with Trent Reznor a while back and he talked about this business model and giving stuff away and it makes alot of sense.  And we actually do that now.  We'll burn some songs to a spool of cd's and hand them out at our shows.  And then when people wanna hear more, they buy the actual disc.  And not only that, but we're looking at cheap things we can put our stamp on and hand out at shows as well.  People love free.

Where do you see Calling Corners 5 years from now?

Hopefully on the road doing this for a living.  We have a lot in the works right now and people should expect big things from us.  Because it's gonna happen.

Thanks a ton for your time, I look forward to catching you guys live again
soon.  Good luck.

Thank you.

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I can't stress enough how great these guys are live, it really is worth the cover charge.  Also, be sure to buy their album, which is available at Joe's Record Shack.

Lastly, be sure to add them as a friend on your MySpace and Facebook accounts.  And, if you twitter, be sure to follow them there as well.  Their next performance will be at Woody's on October 28th, see you there!

Calling Corners MySpace Account

Calling Corners Facebook Account

Calling Corners Twitter

Our final trip to Holiday World for this year was a blast! It has become a new tradition for my family and friends to meet there on the last day of their operating season. We have discovered the end of the season to be a unique way to experience all of the fun that Holiday World has to offer.

As I've written before, there is just something about enjoying the rides and attractions during the colder months that makes visiting the park different and fun! This year was no exception. The lines for the rides were short, the food was good and the weather was just cold enough to need a hoodie. We posed for countless pictures and made several laps around the park riding our favorite rides. One of my favorite aspects of Holiday World is how many rides we can enjoy as a group.

We took our daughter along this year and she was very excited to wear her favorite Holiday World hoodie which she proudly showed to each of the Holidazzles. She asks to go to "HaWoo" (as she calls it) everyday! I can't wait until next summer when she is a bit older and able to enjoy even more of great rides for kids. We will anxiously await the 2010 season and the new addition to the water park.

I'm so excited about this years West Side Nut Club's Fall Fest and other than some rain tomorrow it looks like we should have good Fall weather for it.  This will be the Nut Club's 88th Fall Festival and will be host to a ton of events through the week.  Starting with tonight!

-Introduction of the USI Men's and Women's Basketball Teams for 09-10 @ 5:30 PM

-Parade at 6:00 PM

-First round of the Amateur Talent Contest.

I plan on attending a few times throughout the week at lunch time, mainly for the pork chop sandwiches.  Brain Sandwiches and other exotic foods don't really appeal to me, but the atmosphere, good food, and cool weather will bring me out.

For official news and information visit the official website at Evansville West Side Nut Club Fall Festival.  See you there!

Greeks Pizzeria moved into the East Side of Evansville over one year ago, but I still don't think to eat there very often.  Not because the food is bad or the service rude and certainly not because of the location, but it's just not at the top of my eat-out choices.  Monday night I met with some friends and I realized why.

First of all there is no atmosphere, where other Greeks Pizzeria locations seem to have flavor, a buzz, a reason to want to be there.  Every time I go into the Evansville Greeks I half way expect to see batteries on the wall, thanks to the previous tenant.

Next, it took forever to get our food.  This becomes less of a problem when there is atmosphere to enjoy, but with a lack of entertainment and general frivolity I was left staring at my watch.  It took 1 hour to get our food after ordering.  This is waaaaaaay too long, especially without an explanation.

Once I did receive my food it was hot, tasty, and sat just fine on top of the adult beverages I had consumed while waiting.  In my opinion Greeks is good, not great, so it seems to live in a restaurant-choosing purgatory.  Greeks Pizzeria's are independently owned, but is there a reason Evansville is still not listed on the official website?

Traditions are extremely important to me and my family.  Looking back at my childhood, the events that stand out are those traditions that we did as a family each and every year.  One of the first traditions that my husband and I started was to attend the annual Ritzy's Fantasy of Lights.  I will never forget the first year we went, we rode in a mustang convertible with the top down, bundled up in winter clothes, hot chocolate in hand during a snowy evening between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It was magical.

This year they are hoping to find new sponsors for their huge light show.  I hope they receive all the help they need to maintain their 16th year.  The admission has always been reasonable and the proceeds benefit the Easter Seals organization.

We will be fitting the Fantasy of Lights into our family's busy holiday schedule in a few months.  I can not wait to see the reaction from my 2 year old daughter's face!  One day I will tell her all about mommy and daddy's first visit.  Until then I'll make new family memories by keeping up with our annual visit to Ritzy's Fantasy of Lights, because traditions are what holidays are made of.

It's a biased opinion, but I think our current public servants are dropping the ball big time.  Not all of them, all the time, but enough to make an embarrassment of our fine city.  There has been a lawsuit filed against the city of Evansville for excessive pollution of the Ohio River.  I say excessive because the state permits a small amount of pollution, it's alleged that we've over stepped those boundaries.

What this means for the city of Evansville are extremely steep fines.  According to the Courier and Press these fines can reach up to $37,500, per day!  Weinzapfel replied in a statement that this was bullying by the federal government to exert control.  Sounds familiar.

My opinion is that there have been way too many pet projects over the past 10 years, spending money that should have been put toward sewer and drainage upgrades.  The huge downpour in Evansville on Sept 5th, 2009 is cited as one example of how our sewers lack the volume to handle a lot of rain, thus dumping sewage into the Ohio.  I know the residents of the South Side of Evansville know a little something about down pours and no where for the water to go.

I really don't know if the money being spent on the stadium comes from the same purse as what's used for our Sewers, but it should.  There should be some way to dip into allotted budgets to take care of emergencies, like our sewer problems, to keep Evansville homes and businesses from flooding.

The beginning of fall is always marked by the closing of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari for me. This is my favorite time of year to visit Holiday World. There is just something about going during the cooler weather, when the crowds are gone and the lines are non-existent, that makes it so much fun.

I've had a season pass my entire life and have spent every summer there during the busiest and hottest times. This summer was no exception. I took my daughter almost every week, usually through the week but we did brave a few Saturdays. Holiday World will once again welcome more than a million visitors this year and are on track to set a new attendance record sometime in the next few weeks. However, as the cold weather slowly comes in and their seasons end approaches, for me, the best memories are made. We can ride any ride, over and over again. We can pose in all the "touristy" spots for dozens of pictures. We can be kids and take our time to enjoy the food, weather, entertainment and fun without the stress of crowds and lines.

We are planning on attending on the last day for Splashin' Safari this weekend and then later on the last day for Holiday World to be open. Hopefully the weather will become even more fall-like. We will say good-bye to the last of our summer traditions until the next year by screaming our heads off on the Voyage, posing one more time by the Santa statue, clapping along to one last show all while hopefully wearing a hoodie.

It's really starting to make me sick, reading comments off the Courier Press website and now even WFIE is running a story on the topic.  Are there residents of Evansville really blaming the Evansville Police department for the death of Kyle Parker?

Again the masses are subjected to the out cry of a few hypocrites that can't seem to understand split second decisions.  A police officer choose to pursue a suspect and the suspect decided to try and out run the law.  Unfortunately it ended with the death of Kyle Parker, because of the suspect, Samuel Manley, not because of the actions of the officer.

Manley's vehicle ran into Parker's car at an intersection, a mere 30 seconds after EPD attempted to pull Manley over.  Kyle Parker was killed and Manley apprehended, but now a few Evansville residents are questioning the validity of pursuing suspects.  It's suggested that it's better to let a suspect get away and try to apprehend them later, rather than risk dangering others in a high speed chase.  I don't agree.

Oh sure, it's easy to criticize and make 'what if's' from the comfort and safety from the couch, but law enforcement have to make real split second decisions and live with them.  Would we be having a discussion on how the EPD did not act had the officer not pursued?  Say Samuel Manley simply drove off and had an accident with someone else or shot someone in another crime?

I may not always agree with the EPD, but in these types of situations, they should have our full support.  There should be no 'Questions Raised' simply because an officer was doing what his job dictates, to serve and protect.  Let's support those that deserve it and condemn those that break the law.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Kyle Parker.