If the idea of Jack Kerouac attending a wine tasting makes you giggle just a little, Friday night’s event at Malco Ridgeway Four might be a fun way to kick off the weekend.
Titled “A Timeless Rhyme & Endless Wine,” the $10 tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. also will feature open mic poetry readings before the local premiere of “On the Road,” a film adaptation based of Kerouac’s 1957 novel by the same name. The film, directed by Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles, opened nationally with a limited release before Christmas.
In addition, Friday night’s event before the film's screening will include surprise swag bags (look for gift certificates!) along with fruit, pasta salad, cheeses, bread, desserts and sandwiches from Newk’s Express Café.
The wine tasting, a mix of reds and whites, reflects the theater’s customers, not the film’s content. “Our customer base is diverse and appreciates the mix of art films, wine and gourmet food at the theater,” said Karen Scott, Malco’s director of marketing.
In fact, the theater holds several wine tastings a year, a good match for the extensive renovations that have turned Ridgeway Four into the most comfortable film house in the city. The seats alone are worth the price of admission: They are roomy, they rock, and they have arm rests large enough to hold a purse, drink and snacks. Plus, you don’t have to stand up to let late-comers pass by because of the extra leg room.
The remodel also include an overhaul of the theater’s concessions. Wine and beer join more traditional fountain drinks, along with gourmet Italian pizzas, lasagna, spanakopita and toasted ravioli from nearby Ciao Bella Italian Grill. But don’t worry Jack. Ridgeway still sells butter popcorn, Milk Duds and Twizzlers.
Ridgeway Four, 5853 Ridgeway Center Parkway (malco.com)
