It's Not a Cliche if It's This Good Lookin'

Today I discovered that cream is great on a blackberry snowcone, that nothing really beats a summer sunset, and that Louisiana was an independent nation from 1861 to 1862 (or so they claim).

In Arizona, you'll be happy to know the Raven is moving ever closer to opening the rooftop deck. Labor Day Weekend? Could be...Stay tuned as the date nears.

Monday: Pizza, Pitcher and a Picture night continues with "The Fisher King" starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges. It's like "Mork and Mindy" meets "The Big Lebowski" with a moral lesson...nanou, namaste...8:30pm

Tuesday: Tony is sharpening knives and opening the secret recipe book...his menu for Tuesday evening:

Apps.

Endive with Crab & Blood Orange
Diced Beet & Bleu Cheese Bruschetta
Fontina Cheese Skewers wrapped in Prosciutto
Flatbread Pizza, Pesto, Pinenuts, Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella

Entrees'

Chicken Roulade
-Stuffed with Salami, Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper & Feta
-Served with Potato Lyonnaise, Grilled Asparagus & Red Onion Marmalade
Beef Tornadoes
-Burbon Demi-Glace
-Served with Potato Lyonnaise, Grilled Asparagus & Portabello Mushroom Tapenade
Southwest Succotash
-Roasted Corn & Jalapeno Sauce
-Served on Seared Rice Cakes & with Grilled Asp.
Salmon Pasta
-Orzo Pasta, Salmon, Mint Cream sauce, Pickled Cucumbers
Spinach & Quinoa Salad
-Roasted Walnuts, Goat Cheese, Red Quinoa, Balsamic Vinegar

Also on Tuesday...Holy! Holy! Holy! markets themselves as traveling gypsy folk bluegrass. They will be joined by Leila Lopez and Courtney Robbins from Tucson. 8pm

Thursday: Michael Krassner and Try Me Bicycle return. Michael Krassner has worked with everyone from Wilco to Sonic Youth and is trying out his new material exclusively at The Raven. Not to be missed. 8pm

Friday: The Adam's Family Jazz Show. Local wonder-youth Nicki and Patrick Adams will showcase their jazz talent with support from Steve Annibale and Carlos B. Jones. 8pm
Saturday: From Merced California, El Olio Wolof makes their first appearance at The Raven. This is quintessential dreamy jazz-influenced indie rock. A great band on their way up. 8pm

Sunday: The Groovin' High Jazz Trio plays for brunch. Is there really anything better than Jazz and Brunch on Sunday? 10am

Your Album of the Week: Professor Longhair..."Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge". It makes you feel good in all the right ways.


Until Again

Raven

We Hold These Truths to Be Yummy

Fact 1: There are 18 different animal shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo. Fact 2: The names of Popeye’s four nephews are Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye and Poopeye. Fact 3: The Raven Café has a lot of great things happening this week. Coincidence? Maybe, but however you slice the pie you’ve still learned three important facts to carry with you until next Sunday.

This Week:

Monday: Pizza, Pitcher and a Picture night continues. This month’s theme is Terry Gilliam, and tonight’s feature is his most acclaimed expression of insane genius…”Brazil.”8:30pm


Tuesday: Tony is in the kitchen for a French Themed Menu:

Apps:

Roasted Garlic Custard with Roasted Hazelnuts, Salsa Fresca & Warm Baguette Pieces

Sauteed Crab with white wine & Cream

Brie & Potato Dumpling with Strawberry Jam

Entrees:

Salada Mimosa

Butter Poached Chicken Breast

Beef Wellington with Sauce Madere

Duck A L'Orange

Herbed Shroom

(Except for the salad & the Herbed Shroom, all dishes will be served with Boursin Mashed Potatoes & Haricot Verts (Green Beans))

Thursday: We’ve been getting so much great feedback about our monthly Jazz Jam Session . We’re excited to provide this opportunity for Jazz players of all ages to come together for a big night of music and fun. 8pm

Friday: One of our favorite bands from Phoenix has to be Farewell Review . They’ve asked if we could provide the venue for their cd release party, and we couldn’t be more honored. The album is produced by Jon Rauhouse, and they are every bit deserving of his attention and yours. You’ll be moved to dance…Imagine Tom Petty fronting Crazy Horse with a little Hank Williams-style harmony. 8pm

Saturday: Dennis Garvey and Remedy return for an evening of grooving to the blues. 8pm

Sunday: Don’t forget about Brunch…it’s the most important meal of the week…Jonathon Best will be on the Old Upright Piano.

Your Album of the Week: Tony Joe White “Black and White” … I can’t stress how important this album is to your collection. It’s what good swamp music sounds like.

Until Again

Raven

That Makes It Officially Summer

This week I learned about aggressive flying cockroaches...Turns out they live in my neighborhood too. تFirst rule of thumb: تDon't run. ت

For now, I've taken shelter in a secure facility...still connected to the outside world through the miracle of the internet...and filling you in on all you have to look forward to this week.

Monday: تIt's "Mystery Movie Monday"...with a great selection of personal pizzas and draft pitchers. تFun starts at 8:30pm

Tuesday: تIt's an evening of dinner and dancing with
The Prescott Playboys. ت



Chef Cody will be back in for Chef Tony this Tuesday. ت

His menu:ت

Entrees:

• Lamb- Bone in Lamb Medallions served with a Mint/Basil Pesto, Bamboo Rice, andVeggies.
• Ahi Tuna - Coriander Crusted Ahi under local/organic greens and served with Asparagus, Wasabi Creme, and Bamboo Rice
• Snapper- Princess Snapper served with a olive/mint tapenade, Bamboo Rice, and Veggies
• Scallops- Served in a pool of citrus sauce and layered with asparagus puree
• Arugula Salad - Spinach/Arugula, Roasted Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese, Lemon Vinaigrette, Cherry Tomatoes, and Avocados

Apps:

• Brie/Potatoe Dumplings - Served with Strawberry Jam
• Spicy Cucumber Boats - Cucumber boats stuffed with Spicy Red Quinoa and topped with Chipotle Creme

Thursday:

Benefit for Darfur:

• When: Thursday, July 10, 6:00 dinner, 7:00 Music by Jonathan Best
• Honored Guests: Lost Boys of Sudan
• What: This is a benefit to support Drumbeat for Darfur, the Arizona Lost Boys Center and World Children's Relielf, a Prescott-based organization partnering with countries in Africa to build schools and hope. Come early for dinner and conversation with our honored guests. Stay to enjoy the music and fun.
• Where: The Raven Café (142 N. Cortez)

Please note:

Raven Cafe is creating a great selection of African-inspired foods and contributing a portion of all food and beverage proceeds to the benefit. The music will start around 7, but come earlier if you want a quieter setting for dinner and conversation with the Lost Boys (though both will be available throughout the evening).

Jonathan Best and other local musicians will be featured entertainment.
Maria Flurry will join in with some lively percussion and the Lost Boys
are going to show us some of their drumming styles.
If you have drums,tambourines, maracas or other rhythm instruments, bring them along. And, with all that drumming, you can be sure there will be dancing.

This is not an evening for speeches. Instead you can expect a celebration of hope: good food, great people, lots of rhythm, raffles and, of course,displays and
print material to connect to the humanitarian crisis that persists in Darfur.

All proceeds from this benefit will be divided among three groups: UUSC's Drumbeat for Darfur project, the Arizona Lost Boys Center and World Children's Relief.

Friday: Patrick Sweany is back. Patrick's new album was produced by the Black Keys, and perhaps unsurprisingly he sounds a lot like the Black Keys. If you missed his last swing through the Raven, you missed an amazing show. You should definitely see this if you are a fan of The White Stripes, RL Burnside, TheBlack Keys, Junior Kimbrough or John Lee Hooker. 8pm

Saturday: Jonathon Best is performing another of his amazing solo looping shows. It's like Young Einstein meets The Beatles in the back of Michael J Fox's Delorean. 8pm

Your Album of the Week: You should be listening to
"Florida Funk" Funk 45's from the Alligator State 1968-1975.

Until Again

Raven

Calling All Artists!

This is something new we've got going on, so I wanted it to have its own e-mail. We're excited about "Art Bar" at the Raven Cafe, and our new art manager, Travis Patterson, who is putting all of this together. If you know anyone else who might be interested in this project, or any artists who should be a part, please forward this e-mail to them.

Thanks

Raven

Art Bar

Art Bar is a new initiative at The Raven Café that aims to display the production of artwork as an art form in itself. We believe that seeing an artist’s intensity and process leads to a more intimate connection with his or her product. In full support of our mission statement, Art Bar is yet another way in which our artists continually make our customers question the meaning of art and how itis done.

Tables are now positioned outside of our wine room for our patrons to sit and enjoy their meal or beverages while absorbing the bold impact that Art Bar is already having at our space. We encourage dialogue between our clientele and these energetic artists, as they are continually available to speak about their products and their work flow.

We are currently seeking artists of all mediums interested in creating in this space free of charge while gaining valuable publicity and wall space at The Raven Café. Finished pieces will be available for sale and may even be sold while in production. Artists are open to negotiations and our friendly bar staff will be happy to facilitate the transaction. Works not sold during production are professionally presented and exhibited at The Raven Café.

For more information, please contact our Art Coordinator, Travis Patterson, at travis@ravencafe.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

(No English People Were Harmed in the Making of This Blog)

In 1776 we celebrated our independence by ruthlessly hunting down Englishmen. Cut to 2008...The intentional maiming of those in service to the Royal throne has become less acceptable, and even, by some standards, politically incorrect. At the Raven we've managed to reach a happy medium: "Down with King George," we like to say, but since he's long gone we don't really run the risk of offending too many people while staying ahead of the curve by celebrating what we like to call, "Vintage Patriotism."

We've got an event coming up next week that we want to give you a heads up on:



When: Thursday, July 10, 6:00 dinner, 7:00 Music by Jonathan Best
Honored Guests: Lost Boys of Sudan
What: This is a benefit to support Drumbeat for Darfur, the Arizona Lost Boys Center and World Children's Relief, a Prescott-based organization partnering with countries in Africa to build schools and hope. Come early for dinner and conversation with our honored guests. Stay to enjoy the music and fun.
Where: The Raven Café (142 N. Cortez)

More details next week.

This week:

Monday: Pizza, Pitcher and a Picture night continues with the ultimate film about freedom..."Easy Rider." How much do you know about Venutians? Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper search for the answers to this question and many others while they chase the American dream from the back of custom-made Harley Davidson motorcycles. 8:30pm.



Tuesday: Tony is out of town and Cody is being given his first chance to take on Tuesday Night. Cody is an amazing cook, and he would love to have your support. His menu as planned so far:

Entrees:
Citrus Poached Salmon coated in a mango buerre blanc sauce. Served with Coconut Rice and Sauteed Veggies.

Seared Duck cooked in a Berry Bourbon Sauce over cooked greens, garlic, and sauteed mushrooms

Blue Cheese stuffed Pork Tenderloin coated in Parmesan and served over cooked greens and sauteed mushrooms

Zucchini/Feta Pancakes topped with a berry yogurt and served with Lemon (RED) Quinoa

Appetizers:
Potato Brie Dumplings. Served with Strawberry Jam.

Ahi Tuna seared in Chinese Five Spice and Brown Sugar. Served under Cabbage with wasabi soy sauce

Thursday: From Los Angeles...El Ten Eleven makes their first appearance at The Raven Cafe. This drum and bass duo creates lush soundscapes reminiscent of Tortoise, Radiohead, and Sigur Ros, but with a little more drive to the beat. They've been getting great write ups in Spin, Filter and the LA Times.


Friday: It's the 4th of July with Blue Wail. If you are looking for the best spot in town for dancing, eating, and plotting to overthrow the English throne...The Raven is where you want to be at 8pm.

Saturday: From Asheville, North Carolina and Colorado Springs, Colorado...Sven Hooson and Cahalen David Morrison are both super-talented acoustic musicians. They have that high-mountain John Denver meets Doc Watson sort of thing going on. You can preview their music online at: www.supersolarsounds.com

Your Album of the Week: John Lee Hooker "That's Where It's At"...This is what late night blues should sound like.



Until Again

Raven