KCTR: We’re Montana’s Own » billings

Great Thrift Store Find

Andy West — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:43:28 +0000

I have made a big deal about some of the great finds to be had at thrift stores in Billings. Last Friday I wandered in to the St. Vincent De Paul thrift store on the corner of Montana and 27th during my lunch hour. I did so because I knew I’d be out of town [...]

Swing Batter-Batter Swing!

Tara Nicole — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:17:40 +0000

So my son played his 14th game last night for Team Fuddruckers (Heights National Little League, 9-10 Majors) and it was a close one! The entire game my son’s team was behind! We couldn’t believe it. They have a 13-0 record! Most of us thought it was about time they had a super close game [...]

Great Find At Billings Thrift Store!

Andy West — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:21:11 +0000

Part of my Saturday routine is to walk from my loft apartment on Montana Avenue to my favorite local coffee roasting company downtown to get my iced mocha. On the way though I always make a couple of pit stops at St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store at the corner of Montana and 27th st. [...]

How Can An Ice Cream Store Close When Alive After 5 Is On It's Doorstep

Andy West — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:14:35 +0000

Because I needed the exercise I decided to walk the 9 blocks from our studios here at the Crowne Plaza to Andy’s Bar & Grill which was the site of yesterday’s Alive After 5 put on by the Billings Downtown Association. I grabbed a beer and took in the Jaded Ladies who did a great [...]

Pictures From Alive At Five @ Andy's Bar Featuring The Jaded Ladies And The Rock Bottom Drifters [GALLERY]

JP — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:13:49 +0000

The Alive at Five season has finally begun! Despite some bad weather that delayed the start of the music series by a week. Last night the event was hosted at Andy's Bar and featuring the music of The Jaded Ladies and The Rock Bottom Drifters.We had our camera on hand to snap a few pics. Check out our gallery below!

Sit Down And Talk To One Homeless Person This Year. It Will Change Your Perspective.

Andy West — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:58:22 +0000

This morning as I was walking to work here in the Crowne Plaza I noticed one homeless man helping another one back onto a bus bench on the corner of 1st ave and 27th street. It looked like the man slid right off the bench. He looked like he was in pain to me so [...]

There's A Winning Streak Going On In Heights National Little League Baseball

Tara Nicole — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:07:40 +0000

My son played his 11th, 9-10 Majors, Baseball game last night and won 16-2! That makes it 11 games in a row to make them undefeated! Way to go Team Fuddruckers! I know the time could come when they lose a game. I’m actually dreading it, really, after this kind of streak. But they are [...]

Alive After 5 and The Fix At 6 Are On!

Andy West — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:01:06 +0000

The unofficial kick off to summer in Billings is the last week of May when both the Downtown Billings Association’s Alive After 5 and Townsquare Media’s Fix At 6 kick off. Unfortunately, due to last week’s rain, both were postponed. Alive After 5 which was supposed to be at Bin 119 last Thursday was moved [...]

Homeless Entrepreneurs

Andy West — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:39:03 +0000

This morning as I was walking to work after buying my iced mocha a homeless gentleman ran me down from behind (figuratively) and when he caught up to me he asked me if I wanted to buy some sunglasses. Obviously this budding entrepreneur was not deterred by the fact my sunglasses were sitting on top of my head

Billings Crowne Plaza Might Be The Shakiest Building In The World

Andy West — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:01:35 +0000

According to the Brick Institute of America (who knew there was such a thing) the Cat Country studios are in the penthouse of the tallest load-bearing brick building in the world… The Crowne Plaza in downtown Billings. What that means is there is no other supporting structure other than the approximately 2.3 million bricks used [...]

The Rain Ruined My Weekend Barbeque

Andy West — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:54:03 +0000

As I have mentioned before I live in Billings historic district in one of the renovated brick buildings that was converted to lofts within the last couple of years. The back of my building has a cool deck that backs up right next to the railroad tracks. So I invited a friend of mine over [...]

Bike Trails On The West End Of Billings

Andy West — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 03:00:08 +0000

Once again I have to thank the Downtown Billings Association for loaning me a sweet Cannondale 24-speed bike from their ongoing Loan-A-Bike program. It is a lot like taking a book out of the library… you give them some information and they will loan you a bike free of charge (unless you fail to return [...]

The 2013 Montana Brewers Festival Is Underway!

Andy West — Fri, 31 May 2013 23:43:15 +0000

Who says there is nothing to do in Billings? Tonight is the first (of hopefully many) Montana Brewers Spring Festival featuring Montana made microbrews. It goes on until 10 tonight at The Depot on Montana Avenue. If you are a beer lovin’, food lovin’, music lovin’ and generally fun lovin’ human being then this party has your [...]

FIX At Six Cancelled Due To Weather

JP — Fri, 31 May 2013 16:41:07 +0000

Well Mother Nature strikes again! Due to the crappy weather outside today’s Fix at Six @ the Grand Stand featuring music from the Cosmic Roots has been cancelled. No word yet on if or when the show will be re-scheduled. We will update this post if we learn any new information.

Monster Trucks This Weekend!

Tara Nicole — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:29:52 +0000

In case you haven’t heard, the Redneck Summer Nationals are coming to town this Saturday to Metra Parks Grandstands! Woohoo! My kids are completely stoked about it too! Metra Park has this to say about this years Redneck Summer Nationals: The Red Neck Summer Nationals is a one of a kind, must see event that combines [...]

Things To Do When It's Raining Cats And Dogs

Andy West — Thu, 30 May 2013 22:34:43 +0000

Remember when you were a kid (for me it was mostly in the 70′s) and loved the rain? I remember putting on my galoshes (when rain boots were called galoshes) and jumping in puddles, having toothpick races with my friends and making mud pies. As adults though we sometimes lose that fun gene so I [...]

I'm An American Picker Wannabe

Andy West — Wed, 29 May 2013 00:37:59 +0000

So I stopped by the Flea Market they have on Hardin Road in Lockwood every weekend to see if I could find either cool mid-century modern furniture or an old cruiser bike I could fix up. I did find an old Raleigh cruiser but unfortunately it was not for sale. There was little in the [...]

Riding The Rims Part Deux

Andy West — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:01:07 +0000

So last weekend I borrowed a bike from the Downtown Billings Associations loan-a-bike program. It is fee free and a bike can be borrowed just by securing it with a credit card imprint and a copy of your I.D. Last weekend I borrowed a bike only to have my well thought out plan for getting [...]

Take Advantage Of The Tipsy Trolley Tonight

Andy West — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:36:54 +0000

Wasn’t that alliterative of me?! Seriously though, if you, like me, are one of the thousands of people that does not want to have to deal with driving with the holiday traffic tonight then enjoy yourself a cold brewski or two and one of Montana’s finest craft breweries here in downtown Billings. Also remember to [...]

My "Favorite Friday" Song Pick Of The Week Is…

Tara Nicole — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:27:11 +0000

Okay, so my pick this week is a bit early. I had to do it though! I’m sitting here in my room watching Coyote Ugly and was inspired. By what? Well…. By Coyote Ugly of course! I forgot how much I really did like this movie. I think it’s a little teenagery (if that’s even a word), [...]