An Idea Whose Time Has Come – Here
by John Weckerle
Back in the 1980s, during a 5-year soujourn in Tampa, Florida, I enjoyed a great way to do dinner and a movie – cinema pubs. The idea was simple – the cinema pubs showed movies that had just completed their runs in the major theaters but were still showing in the discount theaters and at midnight shows, but they also offered dinner as well as beer and wine. Patrons sat at tables, and were served throughout the movie by waitstaff who seemed incredibly adept at minimizing their time between the patron and the screen. Both the movie and the food were reasonably priced, and well-suited to those of us who were students and/or in their first job out of school, and it was a nice experience. Depending on the film, I sometimes waited for movies to hit the cinema pubs because it was simply a better place to see them. And now, you can see them that way, too.
Following the recent success of movie showings at Mustang Mudd’s, in the former Le Barn building, entrepreneurs Maria Braendle of Le Barn and Miki Anaya of El Comedor Restaurant have teamed up to bring the experience to Moriarty. This weekend’s feature, Twilight (your editor, who has read the books and seen the movie, recommends it to fans of the Stephanie Myers series of vampire novels) will be the opening event (for details, see the flyer). Next week’s offerings, with shows from Wednesday to Sunday (with weekend matinees!), include Gran Torino, starring Clint Eastwood; Taken, starring Clint Eastwood; Bolt (voice of John Travolta); The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke; and Defiance, starring Daniel Craig (see next week’s flyer for show times and other info). For more information, call LeBarn at 832-9481 or El Comedor at 832-4492.
3 Responses “An Idea Whose Time Has Come – Here”
Oh my gosh John! I am from Tampa too! I loved the movie/pub houses. I went to the one in St. Petersburg (Cinema Draft House) often! Drinks, beer, pizza..you name it. This is a fantastic idea!
I’m pretty excited, myself. I frequented the one on North Dale Mabry in Tampa most often, with the occasional stop-in at others from time to time. I’m hoping people here enjoy it as much as we did!
Great story and I wish both of the ladies much success. But, the drink would be wasted on me. I and my boss person will check it out.
Thanks again.