What a start to the year!
On Monday, December 31. 2018 at the beautiful Crystal Dining Room at the 1886 Crescent Hotel& Spa, the MelodiKats musically ushered us into 2019 and ... it ... was ... spectacular.
If you are unfamiliar with the talented MelodiKats, here is some additional information about them. https://www.reverbnation.com/melodikats
The Melodikats are a classic rock and pop hits cover band, playing songs by Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Huey Lewis and the News, Doobie Brothers and even John Mayer. Eddy King is keyboardist and vocalist. His wife, Vonda King, also sings. They met when both sang in a gospel group. Vocalist Tim Martin is known for singing jingles on radio and television commercials. Now he performs both lead and background vocals for The Melodikats.
Bassist Mike Walker started out playing percussion in school. He learned to play several instruments before falling in love with the bass. Drummer Steve Kesler started playing drums professionally in his mid-twenties.
Pete Adams plays electric and acoustic mandolin, melodica and sings. After touring with a group that opened for stars such as Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb and Jerry Lee Lewis, he moved to the Mountain Home area and joined The Melodikats, whose namesake reflects Adams’ instrument of choice, the melodica.
Rob Styer has loved guitar since 1963, the year he heard The Beatles for the first time. In high school, he got the opportunity to open for largely popular bands such as The Doors, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull and a slew of others. He toured all over the United States before moving to Arkansas.
On this fine New Years Eve, the Melodikats brought us an evening of classic rock and pop hits and flooded the room with many well-known sing-a-long tunes. The dance floor was packed full with Revelers (locals and many out-of-towners) all in the holiday spirit of auld lang syne.
The evening began with a VIP Dinner experience: a four course meal with champagne which included admission to the Melodikats NYE party which kicked off at 10pm.
The menu was truly exceptional:
First:
--Fresh Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops with Champagne Butter Sauce and Sea Beans
--Field Greens topped with Roasted Beets, Toasted Pignolles and Heirloom Tomato Wedges drizzled with our Champagne Vinaigrette
Choice of the following for entree:
--6 oz Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Ginger Beurre Blanc and Sea Beans served over Organic Black Rice with Sauteed Pancetta, Spinach and Shallot side.
--Surf and Turf. 6 oz Seared Prime Center Cut Filet with Foyer Sauce topped with Grilled Maine Lobster alongside our House Made Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes, Tri-Color Baby Carrots and Steamed Asparagus.
--Smoked Heirloom Tomato Ratatouille Classical Ratatouille with Zucchini, Eggplant, Squash, Red Onion and Leeks topped with Smoked Heirloom Tomato sauce served alongside Sauteed Spaghetti Squash and Toasted Pignolles.
...and, of course, dessert
--Chocolate Decadence Cheesecake
Perched high above the Victorian village of Eureka Springs, Arkansas - recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations - is the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, a palatial structure and landmark hotel known widely as the "symbol of hospitality" for the State of Arkansas and Ozark Mountain region. An Icon for Eureka Springs lodging, the full-service Crescent Hotel features 72 rooms with upscale suites and 4 luxury cottages. Guests enjoy the hot tub, swimming pool, New Moon Spa & Salon, Cyrstal Dining Room, SkyBar Gourmet Pizza and more...