Double Date at Organ Piper

The double date.

Like any other first date, the first double date can be quite the high-stress situation. In fact, it can be even more high-stress than a regular date, since it's not just one person you're hoping to hit it off with, but two; and at the same time, you're hoping that your significant other will hit it off with those two people, as well.

Kiersten and I have been close friends since we were 15 years old. Throughout college, though, we only saw each other a few times per year, and until Friday, we hadn't seen each other since my wedding. When she called last week and asked if Dave and I would like to meet her and her longtime girlfriend, Angie, for dinner Friday night, since they'd be visiting from Oshkosh for the weekend, I was more than excited.

Then I thought, hmmm, Kiers and I haven't hung out on our own much the past few years, and we've certainly never thrown the significant others into the mix. Would we all have a good time together?

She suggested we meet at the Organ Piper in Greenfield for pizza, since it's on the way from Burlington, and since we had one particularly memorable night out there back in high school and she thought it'd be fun to go back for old time's sake. I relaxed a bit – it certainly wouldn't be a high-pressure double date when we were feasting on pizza and surrounded by noise!

Dave and I drove out to the Organ Piper around 7:45 Friday night and walked in to get a table. Just as I remembered, long tables filled the large room, will smaller tables of four sitting around the perimeter. We started to sit on a bench inside the entrance to wait for Kiers and Angie when an older lady came up to me, grabbed my hand and with a big smile asked if we were here for dinner. I explained we were waiting for two more, and then she, still holding my hand, said well, let me get you a table and then you can wait there!

When we got to the table, she asked if I'd been here before. I shouted at her over the music and conversation, telling her it'd been about ten years since my last visit. She grabbed both of my hands in hers and said well we're so glad you came back! I just wanted to hug her, she was so friendly.

She explained that we were to order our drinks and food at the counter, that the Organ Piper doesn't have waitstaff. We'd get a number which would light up on the big Bingo-looking board on the wall when our food was ready.

The place was chaotic, and I think as a twenty-something couple there on our own, we stood out a bit. It was almost all big groups and families, there to entertain the kiddies and/or celebrate a special occasion.

Kiers and Angie showed up about five minutes later and we settled in with our drinks (we ladies drank Brandy Old Fashions – when in Rome, I say!) to catch up a bit before ordering our food.

We giggled at the atmosphere, the kids running around, the huge organ (The Mighty Wurlitzer!) perched above us and the lights that bordered the ceiling lighting up at sporadic intervals. Duck statues above us even quacked along with certain songs. It's quite apparent that very little has changed about the Organ Piper in the 31 years it's been in business – and that's what makes it so special.

We ordered zucchini fries, garlic bread and a large pizza for dinner and our total came to just 27 bucks, which we handed over at the register after we'd placed our order. We picked up plates and forks and napkins from the counter and headed back to our table with our second round of drinks. We filled out little request cards for the organist, which are provided at each table. Kiersten requested some Billy Joel and Dave requested Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and the organist played both.

Our apps were up in no time, and our pizza followed ten minutes later. The pizza was incredible. Perfect crust, tangy sauce, and generous cheese and toppings. Mmmmm.

It got to be about 9:00 and the place had emptied out and the lights had come up. The website says that they serve til 9:45 p.m. but it seemed to be closing time. We packaged up our leftover pizza and drove over to the closest bar, The Bosch, on the corner of Highway 100 and Janesville Road.

We had a couple more drinks there as well as a couple more hours of great conversation. Our first double date couldn't have gone better – we had a blast together! The Organ Piper was the ideal fun and inexpensive haunt to hit up for our first night out as a foursome. It definitely won't be our last time hanging with Kiers and Angie; and it won't be our last time at Organ Piper, either!

We'll have to take our own kiddies there in a few years, and tell them about our big nights out there back when we were kids … or twenty-five-year-olds, whatever.

The rest of our weekend was a double date of sorts, too. Amanda and Mark came to stay with us Saturday until Sunday. They're moving here later in the summer, so Saturday we took them to the lakefront, the Third Ward, downtown and to the East Side to have a little look around.

When we were in the Third Ward, we hit up the Public Market and bought some chocolate, and then on our way back to the car , we passed by two somewhat odd-looking folks, a man and a woman. I was just about to turn around and give the others a funny look when I heard Dave say "Hi Mark."

Oh crap, I thought, Dave knows this fella?

After a minute-long, very strange conversation, we walked on, Dave with a huge grin on his face. He said to Mark, "you know who that was right?" Mark looked a bit confused and then it hit him – "that was Mark Borchardt!"

Having never seen American Movie, Amanda and I were still a bit lost, but Dave and Mark thought it was the coolest thing ever.

We wanted to take Amanda and Mark to our favorite Shorewood spots while they were here, so we had dinner Saturday at Harry's and breakfast yesterday at Jean Pierre. Dave and Mark went and saw Andrew Bird at Alverno College Saturday night while we ladies stayed at home and drank wine, watched my wedding video and looked at her wedding-dress-shopping photos.

Dave and I were zombies for most of the day yesterday, recovering from our weekend of way too much food and drink. But what a great weekend it was!

Comments

[bluesphee]

That's awesome that you ran into Mark Borchardt. I was walking past Koppas last Halloween and they were filming a zombie movie in the store. I went up to Mark and started talking to him about Coven. I made the mistake of asking "when is it coming out" forgetting that at the end of American Movie it actually is released. His response was hilarious and he told me to make sure I rent it from some video store in Riverwest. Next we watched him and Mike Schank film the movie for a little bit. They had the guy behind the meat counter play a role in it as a zombie. Let's just say we left before they asked us if we wanted to be in the movie.

Dave, how was Andrew Bird? I saw Bright Eyes last night @ The Pabst and it was insane (literally). Go to Mirr World and make sure you watch the last video.

[Christi]

I miss Kiersten =(

[Amanda]

Just wanted to say thanks again for hosting us this weekend. We had such a great time with you and Dave, and it got us so excited to move to the area! I really think that Milwaukee is going to be good to us. :)

A note on the Organ Piper - I love that place! Great pizza, great music, great ducks, what more could a gal ask for on a Friday night?!

[Christi]

I'm so excited you are moving back Amanda!!! Milwaukee is a FANTASTIC city, I know you guys will be very happy here =)

[kelly]

The Organ Piper is so great. I have so many childhood memories there. $27?!? That is fantastic. I too, have not been there in about 10 years. I think its time for a return.

[Kiersten]

ditto Chris ":_)()*&#*$" (I meant to frown). I haven't the faintest idea of how to create emotion faces! What a bizarre concept.

Anyway, bet I'll call you first!! ">>:?./%$@+={}:"

Oh, and btw, that was a smiley, yet squeemish, brow-raised, lips-fished, nose-flared, gleeful (like my mother), smirk
(just in case you didn't understand my special, cool, untapped-but-patented, language of keyboard/pad symbols)

[Christi]

haha Kiers, I think that's your very first comment on Erin's blog. Congratulations!!!! =)

[Sarah M]

I'm pretty sure last time I was at Organ Piper, Kiersten licked my eyeball. Ah, memories.