Saturday, August 04, 2012

Budget Update

Other costs for the year that need to be included in the budget is the expense of this site and the Doughty 500 Family Site at MyHeritage.com.

The annual expense for both is approximately $200.

That would then leave us with $3644 in the D500 reserves.

Thursday, August 02, 2012

The Next Time You're in the UK...

Doughty's Brasserie: a relaxed dining experience (no Josh, it's not what you think):

Relaxed dining in the heart of Hitchin, at Fairfield Park, Stotfold,The Crown in Northill and now at The Red Lion, Milton Bryan.

We offer a sophisticated and relaxed dining experience in the heart of Hitchin’s vibrant town centre, at Fairfield Park in Stotfold, The Crown in Northilll and now at The Red Lion, Milton Bryan for lunch, brunch or an evening meal. Both restaurants and the pubs are situated in fantastic listed buildings which have all been lovingly restored after years of neglect, they all exude a warmth and personality all of their own.

We are committed to using only the finest seasonal produce prepared with a simplicity that will delight even the most discerning of tastes. We hope there is something for everyone, whether you are out for a snack or a special occasion.

Doughtys Brasseries, The Crown at Northill and The Red Lion are ideal for the casual visitor, business lunches or evening functions. We can cater for up to 60 guests in all the locations for events and we tailor all our menus totally to your personal requirements.

The Happiest Place on Earth

The planning responsibility for the 2013 Doughty 500 has been assigned to Hal Doughty. Rumor has it that Hal wants to take the tour “back to the south” again. While no one is quite sure exactly what that means, I’d suggest that we all start brushing up on our Spanish. The Doughty 500 has been to a lot of places over the years. Imagine the fun we could have in Tijuana.

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Budgetary Matters

Quick update on the fiscal situation with the Doughty 500 auction proceeds.

Coming into to this year's tour there was approximately $3009 in reserves. We used $280 of said reserves to pick up the tip for dinner on Thursday night at The Ranch in Hayward. Then, we raised an additional $1115 on Thursday night at the auction at the hotel (thanks again to Dixie for managing the bookkeeping side of things).

I’m no math wizard but my top of the head calculations would indicate that we now have a total of…

…ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

Wait, I think I carried a couple of extra zeros there. $3844 seems more like it.

A couple of proposals have been made to spend invest some of this loot. One was to help rehabilitate the headstone of great-great-great (to me at least) grandpa Doughty. Apparently, the man sired thirty some children with two different wives so the least we could do as his descendants is to ensure that his final resting place is maintained. I can’t recall exactly what the other proposal was, but I suspect it involves providing high quality alcohol and a decent sound system to the hard working auctioneers.

If you have an idea of your own, drop me a note and we’ll pass it around for consideration.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

An Old Fashioned Experience

Last night, I happened to catch a documentary on the local public television station called WISCONSIN SUPPER CLUBS: AN OLD FASHIONED EXPERIENCE:

Wisconsin supper clubs have been a dining tradition for generations, but as corporate chains increase, are these family owned establishments fading away or will they find a resurgence with their unique identities and scenic locations?

Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience shows why supper clubs are such a big part of Wisconsin's food culture and the full experience of supper club dining: a brandy old fashioned sweet at the bar, relish trays at the table, huge portions of steaks, seafood and game, and the friendly, loyal customers who have been dining at their favorite places for so many years.




If you get a chance, I'd encourage you to watch it. Just make sure you've already eaten and have a supply of brandy at hand.

Friday, February 24, 2012

2012 Tour Announcement

Assuming that the world doesn't end before then, the 2012 Doughty 500 will begin on Monday, July 23rd and end on Friday, July 27th. The tour will be based out of Hayward and rooms have been secured at the palatial Comfort Suites. They're a mere eighty-nine bones a night and you can reserve yours by calling 715-634-0700.

And yes, we did explore the option of having the 500 based at one of many resorts throughout northern Wisconsin and actually taking advantage of the natural beauty and splendor that the area has to offer. But apparently the stingy streak runs pretty thick in the Doughty blood and the prices that would have to be paid--while seemingly reasonable in our view--would be too steep for some tour attendees.

So instead of a lake and drinking by the bonfire we'll once again have an indoor pool and a "party" room in the hotel. Never underestimate the high costs that are sometimes involved with low prices.