OKTOBERFEST IN PHOENIXVILLE

THE POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKING

As if anyone needs an Oktoberfest celebration for a reason to drink beer. This is especially so here in Pennsylvania where there is a rich history of beer drinking.  Philadelphia even has a section called “Brewerytown” and during its height in the late 1800s there were several breweries clustered in a 10-block area, and at one point there were 100s of breweries scattered across the city.

Early on Pennsylvania embraced the “craft” and "micro-brewery” movement and the proliferation of these varied brews can be found in every corner bar and hipster hang out throughout. Even the dive bars have at least one or two or more beers that ARE NOT Bud, etc. on-tap.

KEEP ON QUAFFING ON

So, as the Oktoberfest season is upon us there is not a lot of extra “celebrating” here in southeast Pennsylvania, it is just another weekend. And, in Phoenixville, just a 5-mile uber drive from our Collegeville address, the beer flows generously as each weekend the main street is blocked off and beer revelers crawl from pub to pub, with nary any lederhosen in sight.

PURITY LAWS

Although, there are scattered attempts in Pennsylvania at upholding the Oktoberfest tradition that started in 1810 in Munich as a celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, with wavering results.

In the past we have attended some lively Pennsylvanian Oktoberfest celebrations that featured oompah bands and dancing and a parade with the roasted pig. Some even serve beer only brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot or “purity laws” that state only barley, water, hops and yeast are the only allowable ingredients.

DIRNDL, LEDERHOSEN AND KOLSH OH MY!

PARTY ON

There are two notable Oktoberfest celebrations around Reading. One is the highly rated Reading Liederkranz, it is considered quite authentic. We haven’t had a chance to get to this one. Here is their website:

READING LIEDERKRANZ

Stoudt’s brewery in Adamstown, not far from Reading, used to have a phenomenal Oktoberfest, like if you’re not sporting lederhosen you’re underdressed. It featured everything from requisite brews and a parade through the crowd with a roasted pig, dancing and bouts of drinking songs.

One of the earliest craft breweries, Stoudt’s started in 1987 but closed when the brewmaster Carol Stoudt retired in 2020. We attended this one several times over the years. Janet even got on stage to flail about with her accordion.

*There is an update on Stoudt’s. It turns out that a collaboration between Stoudt’s and another area craft brewery, Evil Genius, have restarted the brand with Carol giving advice on recipes, etc. There was also this past weekend the second annual “Stoudtoberfest”. Set in a faux Bavarian village square created as a shopping area, Stoudtoberfest had beers, music and stein hoisting contests. Despite the slight constant dreary drizzling we had a great time.

STOUDTOBERFEST

Here is the website for Munich’s Oktoberfest:

MUNICH OKTOBERFEST 

RISING FROM THE RUST BELT

But, this article is really about the beer scene in Phoenixville.

The town had a rich history before it became a beer destination.

Phoenixville was once the site of the historic Phoenixville Iron Company, which cast most of the cannon used in the Civil War by the Union. When the company closed its doors in 1987 the town suffered a severe economic downturn.

The 1958 science fiction horror film The Blob was filmed mostly in town and the Colonial Theatre was featured prominently when the titular critter from outer space oozes out of the projection booth. Each July the Blobfest is held, and patrons can recreate the pandemonium of the film as they partake in the “run-out,” which is a highly sought after ticket.

Colonial Theatre
Plaque 

Activities like the Blobfest and the convivial atmosphere of the many restaurants, shops, distilleries and breweries have had a great positive impact on the regrowth of Phoenixville.

Here’s a sample of what Phoenixville offers as a beer destination and drink responsibly:

 

BREWERIES:

Rec Room at Conshohocken Brewing

Rec Room

Spacious area with several bars on premises offering Conshohocken Brews, with free (at least during the day) shuffleboard, table tennis and pool tables.

CONSHOHOCKEN BREWING 

Stable 12 Brewing Company

On Bridge Street, the main drag that’s closed off weekends, but beyond the enclosed area. Good beers, finger foods, open area with tables and a small stage for music.

STABLE 12 BREWING 

Root Down Brewing

Big airy building steps away from Bridge Street. Great array of beers.

ROOT DOWN BREWING 

Twelve78

Newest brewery in town. Nestled near the parking lots when you first enter town coming south. In a converted garage. Live music sometimes.

TWELVE78 BREWING

TWELVE 78 BREWING 

Rebel Hill Brewing Company

Across the street from the Colonial Theatre

REBEL HILL BREWING 

Sly Fox

Various locations. Phoenixville’s is just outside of town on Route 113. Great burgers, even better beers. Try my personal favorite their 113 IPA or Odyssey if it’s on tap.

SLY FOX BREWING 

RIP:

Stable 12

Iron Hill

One of the original brewpubs. Fantastic array of beers and great food. Various locations were in Delaware and Pennsylvania, but in September they abruptly filed for bankruptcy and all brewpubs were closed. Very sad

BANKRUPTCY OF IRON HILL 

Notable Drinking Establishments in town:

Bistro on Bridge - Oktoberfest

Large rotating taps of beers from all over the area, plus descent food. There’s an open air bar upstairs that only serves cans, although the recent weekend we went there, they were having their mini-Oktoberfest celebration. Several Bavarian beers on tap, German delicacies and even the mayor of Phoenixville pranced around looking resplendent in his lederhosen.

BISTRO ON BRIDGE 

Rivertown Taps

RIVERTOWN TAPS 

Steel City Coffeehouse and Brewery

It is a coffeehouse, a music venue (we saw Steve Forbert there a while ago) and they serve food, coffee and a couple of beers brewed specifically for them by an area brewery.

STEEL CITY CAFE 

Great American Pub

In the beginning of Phoenixville's regrowth, it was only Iron Hill and the Great American Pub in town. A beautiful old Oak bar inside and a modern airy bar in the back. Different beer lists at either bar but can order from both. Good food.

THE GREAT AMERICAN PUB 

Sedona Taphouse

A chain establishment but has good food and a nice beer list…. In Phoenixville they’d better.

SEDONA TAPHOUSE 

Molly Maguires

Standard issue Irish bar. Guiness for all. Seating on the street and on the balcony overlooking the steel works across the street.

MOLLY MAGUIRES 

Fenix

Next door to Molly Maguires. It’s quieter and a great place for mixed drinks. Our go to for a martini.

FENIX BAR

Foodery

Don’t worry about finding a particular beer in this beer emporium. You want it, they probably have it. A chain, there is one on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. Some food available and there are tables outside to enjoy your choice. 

THE FOODERY 

Distilleries: (In case you don't want a beer)

Boardroom (partnered with Boardroom Spirits Landsdale)

THE BOARDROOM 

Blue Bird Distilling

BLUE BIRD DISTILLING 

Nearby:

Lock 29 (across the bridge in Mont Clare)

LOCK 29 MONT CLARE 

Fitzwater Station

FITZWATER STATION

Along the canal across the river from Phoenixville proper. Mont Clare is where the Sundance Kid (not Robert Redford) was born. Great beer list and even better barbeque. Sit on the deck overlooking the canal. You can even rent kayaks.

FITZWATER STATION 

Troubles End (Collegeville)

The day after Troubles End opened the COVID pandemic hit, but this thriving establishment just down the block from our place in Collegeville has a great selection of house and guest taps and cans. Great chef. Great location, because we can walk there!

TROUBLES END BREWING COLLEGEVILLE 

So, Oompah your way through the Oktoberfest in Phoenixville, even if it’s just another weekend.

Prost!

Thanks for reading, and you’re all welcome to come by and buy us a beer.

Love, Janet and greg

© 2025 by Gregory Dunaj

                                                                    Lou

SUMMER HOME BODIES 2025

redefining the locus

REDEFINING THE LOCUS  

Those of you who are repeat and highly revered visitors to this blog may be wondering why we haven’t “gone” anywhere recently. Apart from our early summer visit to the upstate New York area, we have spent this summer close to home. It’s a big world out there you’ll say, parroting my oft uttered view about traveling, so rightfully you may think “what the heck?”.

A reasonable question. I mean, so far this year we’ve been in England and Thailand and the Big Island of Hawaii. So, why the lapse these last three months?

LOCUS=LUGGAGE    

Well, during the summer months it was necessary to redefine our locus from luggage and travel to home and family commitments. July was taken up with housesitting and dog watching for other family members as they traveled in Europe. They have two dogs who require lots of TLC, so we were happy to help. Truthfully, we couldn’t say “no”.

We travel a lot, and because they watch our cur while we are gone, we HAD to return the favor. Sometimes you need to pay the piper.

Because we had this large commitment in the middle of the month we needed to stay home. Thankfully we had access to a cement pond of a dear friend, and we puttered in our garden between dips. So, it wasn’t THAT bad.

Evansburg SP

August though was a month-long tornado.

THE BRITISH ARE COMING

For most of August Janet’s grandchildren from England and their family stayed with us. Of course, we welcomed them and enjoyed their company, but it was as if a tornado descended on our middle-class garret in the normally quiet Philadelphia suburb of Collegeville.

Throughout their stay in was a flurry of movement and activities that had us conjuring up more things to do with them when they got bored.

Inert they ain’t. 

Ocean City NJ

We played pickleball, basketball, climbed trees, kicked a soccer ball around for hours (they are English), played rounds of miniature golf that often descended into World Cup final hysteria, had spirited water pistol fights at our friend’s pool, went hiking, kicked a soccer ball around some more, rode scooters (which they brought with them from England) daily at the local skate park, walked our dog so many times that she would hide when we fetched her leash, went horseback riding at nearby Evansburg State Park, and endured hurricane Erin as it lashed the beach at Ocean City New Jersey while we stayed in the “dry” town.

Ocean City NJ

(No bars or alcohol sales are allowed in the family-friendly OCNJ).

At least the storm was far offshore. Unfortunately, the ocean was treacherous and no one was allowed onto the beach. So, we spent our time in the arcades and amusement rides on the Boardwalk, and we ate a lot of pizza and a lot of ice cream and a lot of chocolate-chip pancakes.

They may be a poor substitute for Pad Thai or Shave Ice, but it we had a great time enjoying the company of the grandchildren.

SEPTEMBER RECOVERY

We took it slow in September and busied ourselves with our pepper gardening. Janet makes a very popular Pineapple/Habanero Jelly, and I make an array of hot sauces. I also made pulled pork and we went to a Phillies/Mets game. 

Phillies game

It was nice to enjoy our home and drink coffee of our back deck.

Don’t worry, we’ll be hitting the road again soon.

OCNJ

Ocean City NJ is very family oriented. There are no bars or even liquor stores on the barrier island, though it’s not that far from Atlantic City. The beach is wide and sandy.

While there we played more miniature golf, frequented several arcades, spent a night on the amusement rides, and one morning rented bikes on the boardwalk.

We stayed in OCNJ for 4 days as Hurricane Erin churned the waters offshore and caused some flooding during high tide as water crept into town from the bay.

We were concerned and spent the evening monitoring the situation, but the water only got to be shin deep. It was not until our last day in OCNJ that bathers were finally allowed on the beach, but the lifeguards kept everyone close to the surf line and so the grandchildren were not able to boogie board.  

OCEAN CITY NEW JERSEY

HORSE BACK RIDING

Evansburg State Park is five minutes from our house, and the Red Buffalo Ranch offers guided trail rides through the 3,500 acres of green space on 15 miles of trails. Cost was $60 pp, tips not included.  

RED BUFFALO RANCH 

CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Chinese Lantern Festival

A yearly event at Franklin Square by Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Bridge. Displays change, but the long Chinese Dragon is a constant. This year there was an aquatic motif. It was as entertaining for us as it was for the grandchildren. We ate at the festival.

PHILADELPHIA CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL 

Thanks for your patience and thanks for reading.

Love, Mom mom and greg

© 2025 Gregory Dunaj

SARATOGA SPRINGS and LAKE GEORGE

HEALTH, HISTORY AND HORSES

Kayaking on Lake George

We accepted another invitation from dear friends to visit them at their home in upstate New York. They live near the tony town of Saratoga Springs. Like our previous visits we spent the weekend partaking in the revelry of the many drinking establishments in town, especially around Caroline Street. That’s a normal occurrence in Saratoga Springs, but this time we also went kayaking on nearby Lake George at the “camp” their family owns, and we also visited the mineral springs that first lured tourists to this area.

…AND THEY’RE OFF

Today, Saratoga Springs is known for horse racing. Thousands of people come to town for the thoroughbred racing season at the Saratoga Race Course which runs from mid-July through September. Added recently to the schedule is the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, while Belmont Park is being renovated through 2026.

During the racing season the population of Saratoga Springs swells with tourists who hit the many bars even if they didn’t hit it big at the races, but the revelry does not abate with the off season. We have experienced the crush of patrons in the bars when the track wasn’t open during our previous visits.

RACING AT SARATOGA SPRINGS

THE DRUNKEST CITY IN NEW YORK

Saratoga Springs also has the dubious distinction of being the drunkest city in New York State, with 24% of the population admitting to excessive drinking in a recent pub crawl poll. This number is about 5% higher than the national average.

We have been known to partake in “some” drinking during our visits with this humble scribe’s personal favorite being the Bourbon Room on Caroline Street.

BOURBON ROOM, SARATOGA SPRINGS

NEW YORK'S DRUNKEST CITY

VIVA L’ESTAT UNIS

This was our third visit to the area and previously we toured the battle sites of Saratoga which was a turning point in the Revolutionary War as the Americans’ victory here convinced France to help in our cause. We also used Saratoga Springs as a jumping off point to experience the thrilling solar eclipse in 2024. We settled in on the storied speed skating rink for the Lake Placid Olympics and watched the heavenly display.

And, of course, for both visits we slaked our thirst at the many establishments in and around Saratoga Springs…for medicinal purposes you know.

TAKING THE WATERS

Saratoga Springs has long been a wellness destination for those seeking the curative naturally carbonated spring waters in the area. By the mid-1800s doctors would routinely prescribe a visit to the spas of Saratoga Springs where nearly everything, from skin, kidney and liver ailments to rheumatism to cancer to stress relief, was rumored to be cured by taking the waters at spas like the Roosevelt Baths and the Lincoln Baths. Elite members of society like the Vanderbilts, Whitneys and the Morgans often visited the spas.

Today only the Roosevelt Bath and Spa remains. Located on the grounds of the Saratoga Spa State Park, visitors can soak privately in individual rooms filled with the naturally effervescent mineral water—keeping the centuries-old wellness tradition alive.

WHEREFORE THE WATERS

Saratoga Springs lies on a geological fault line, and the underground water sources contain dissolved carbon dioxide gas. This carbonates the water as it passes through layers of shale, rock and soil, absorbing minerals and gases along the way. The carbon dioxide dissolves in the water and creates the sparkling, fizzy waters that have lured tourists to Saratoga Springs since the Revolutionary War era.

Geyser Island with tufa

Soda water is created by artificially infusing the water with CO2 gas under pressure, but in Saratoga Springs this occurs naturally.

TASTING THE WATERS

Essential minerals to humans like calcium, magnesium, and potassium are absorbed by the water and the natural carbonation has an alkaline PH that helps reduce acidity in the body which also helps with indigestion. It is possible to purchase Saratoga Springs water in deep blue bottles in area stores, or one can fill their personal containers at any one of 21 mineral springs located in the vicinity.

Each of the springs vary slightly in its chemical makeup and flavor, some even change with the season. Some of the springs have an accumulation of tufa, a type of limestone carbonate that is deposited as the carbonated water breaches the surface. Over time some of the tufa mounds have become massive.

Geothermically heated hot springs produce a similar limestone carbonate called travertine.

Here is a map of the area’s springs:

Here is a description of each of the springs:

THE SPRINGS OF SARATOGA SPRINGS 

CAMP, CABIN OR COTTAGE DIFFERENCE?

Nothing.

Depending on where you are from, your plot of heavenly getaway can be called a cabin or a cottage, or a camp. With our upstate New York friends, their little house on a finger of the lengthy and historic Lake George is called a camp. With a screened porch, brilliant views, refreshing waters and kayaks it was a great way to spend a relaxing day. Even when I fell out of the kayak at the pier it was all fun.

Camp on Lake George

Their camp is far enough away from the relative tumult of the tourism around the state run Million Dollar Beach which is a quick walk to Fort William Henry, which was part of a chain of forts erected by the British during the French Indian War and the living museum there is a major tourist attraction. The fort figured prominently in James Fennimore Cooper’s novel, The Last Of The Mohicans. Parking at Million Dollar Beach is $10 per car.

My family traveled to the area when I was a gawky teenager. There’s a photograph somewhere of me tormenting my younger siblings while on the parapet.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2025 by Gregory Dunaj

MY TIME IN EDEN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

The alternative is final. Our time is fleeting. Never say never and never have a false sense of permanence. Our joys in this vast beautiful world are boundless today but tomorrow is a guess at best. Enjoy this Eden while you can. There is so much to see and to do and the past doesn’t matter because you can’t do anything about it. The here and now is all we got.

In the words of the Buddha: “Let that shit go and party on.”

Perhaps I’m paraphrasing?

SUMMER OF LOVE

Yes, I turned 69 today. Other than the bawdy reference to “love” the number is significant because my age, my waist and my IQ are finally all the same, a perfect confluence of meanings. I will not allow my girth, age or stupidity to get in the way of having a great time today.

Gotta go.

Love greg

© 2025 Gregory Dunaj

UNCLE ROBERT’S AWA BAR

A PARTY ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD 

entrance to Uncle Robert's

For this poser who calls himself a kamaʻāina, or child of the land, the “real” Hawaii is on the east coast of the Big Island. Here in Kalapana, in the Puna district, nestled below the capricious Kilauea the Aloha spirit twists and twirls, dances and smiles. Pele might have cleaved the town in the late eighties and added Kaimu a new black sand beach to her island, but in Kalapana where the road ends the party begins.

Head south on Kalapana Kapoho Road to reach Uncle Robert’s Awa (kava) Bar and Farmer’s Market. Open every day except Friday, it is a typical market where vendors and artisans sell food, produce and crafts. The bar sells Awa, smoothies and alcohol. Wednesday though is the most popular day because at night local bands take the stage to play reggae and Hawaiian music and people from the area and tourists come to dance and celebrate another day of living.

Hippies are alive and kicking (up their heels) at Uncle Robert’s and the eclectic crowd, in various stages of disheveled dress, take seats at picnic tables gathered around the dance floor to eat food or watch the dancers. There are young people and old people all milling about the grounds and everyone is smiling broadly, even the lady who was wearing a horse head mask as she cavorted on the dance floor in rhythm to the music.

At one point the floor cleared so a man and woman could do a hula dance, but the rest of the night the dance floor was packed. It’s fun and great for people watching. At Uncle Robert's you never have to comb your hair, bathe, change your clothes or even wear the same two shoes, but can dance the night away.

We had been to Uncle Robert’s the last time we were on the Big Island in 2014, and it worked out that we would be in the area for the Wednesday night revelry.

This time there was an entry fee of $10.00 pp, although locals were probably not charged and there were three bands instead of just one that we saw last time.

SMALL WORLD

The next night we went to Kaelo’s restaurant in Orchidland for dinner and one of the bands from Uncle Robert’s was there. At the bar we noticed several people from the previous night, wearing the same clothes and enjoying a drink and the music. 

This trip we went to both Kaleo’s in the area. Kaleo’s in Orchidland is a block from Keaau-Pahoa Road. The location in the sleepy town of Pahoa is on the main street. We got a reservation for Orchidland and sat at the bar in Pahoa.

KALEO'S 

In both places I made a point of wearing a matching pair of shoes, although in either place shoes were not necessary to be served.

Mahalo for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2025 by Gregory Dunaj

STARGAZING ON MAUNA KEA

at the summit on Mauna Kea

SHE PROMISED ME THE MOON AND THE STARS

Janet sure can deliver.

She knows I am fascinated by the night sky. I grew up just outside of New York City in Harrison New Jersey. My night sky then was usually an orange glow. Occasionally I’d see a planet, or was that a plane overhead?

Janet has had a better experience with celestial sightings. She hiked in the mountains of Colorado and camped out in the Alaskan wilderness. She rafted through the Grand Canyon. She’s been under some dark skies and yeah, she’s gotten up close and personal with the Milky Way several times.

For me, the Milky Way is a candy bar.

A visit to the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island was supposed to change all that for me.

Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world, if measured from its base on the sea floor to the summit at 33,500 feet. Mt. Everest rises to 29,032 feet. Still, at 13,803 above sea level Mauna Kea is quite tall. Taking advantage of the extremely dry air and the many clear nights are several observatories at the summit. The dark skies of Mauna Kea are absolute and a great place to see a glorious display of stars and Janet picked out a tour company to drive us up to see the sunset and to explain the night.

You don’t need a tour company to take you, but you’ll need a 4x4 vehicle to get up the steep gravel road, and unless you’re packing a telescope that can coordinate its position to the night sky, your experience at the summit will be limited to catching the setting sun. That’s worth the trip alone, with the clouds below and Mt. Haleakala on Maui in the distance.

But for the whole shebang, which included a pick-up at Waikoloa Village, a drive to the summit with knowledgeable guides showing us various constellations and how the stars aided seafaring Hawaiians, telling us about the various observatories, as well as providing snacks and hot chocolate and necessary warm coats and gloves and taking our pictures with the array of stars above us, we decided to go on the “Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stars tour” with Hawaii Island Holiday through Viator.

Mauna Kea observatories

It is expensive at $289 pp (not including tips), but well worth the convenience of traveling to the summit of Mauna Kea and the invaluable advice the guides gave us so we could enjoy the excursion safely.

TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY

It was in the eighties at our resort, but we were told to bring along jackets. It gets cold up at the summit, but the tour guides also offered full length coats decorated with a Hawaiian flower motif that we could borrow for the night or even purchase them afterwards.

The company recommends travelers to be in good physical shape with no medical conditions that may impede breathing, and they recommend that no one under 13 should travel. This is not a wheelchair accessible trip. There are good reasons for all these precautions. The air is much thinner at the summit and the guides cautioned us not to move too quickly while at the top and altitude sickness is a very real concern.

To acclimate to the thinner air the guides stopped first at the visitor center at 9,200 ft. Remember the summit is at 13,803. It was tough at first to walk around, your lungs never quite get enough oxygen.

t-shirt for sale

There’s a small display at the visitor center of the several observatories at the summit and the religious significance of Mauna Kea to the Hawaiian people. There’s a souvenir store offering t-shirts, posters and knickknacks, but no water.

It is important to remain hydrated while at these higher altitudes. There are fountains to refill your personal water containers, but no water for sale at the visitor center. 

Make this a priority to remember. 

PICTURE PERFECT

To reach the summit beyond the visitor center there is only a gravel road, making 4x4 vehicles the only allowable means to travel. The guides, driving an appropriately geared van, slowly climbed the steep, winding road chatting away like there was nothing to be worried about, but there are steep drop-offs and visibility can be low. We would not want to have done this trip on our own.

We finally parked along with several other vehicles amongst the observatories to watch the sunset. The guides pointed out Mt. Haleakala on Maui and took our pictures with our resplendent coats and a location plaque denoting our elevation.

As the sky slowly darkened, we watched the observatories stir and their panels open for the telescopes to begin their night’s work.  

Mauna Kea observatory

I’M BEING FOLLOWED BY A MOON SHADOW

Check your lunar calendar before booking a trip for stargazing. We were graced with a brilliant full moon on the star gazing part of our evening. As you might have guessed, a full moon impacts the dark sky, so the overall experience was lessened. Still the guides set up their telescope and geo-positioned it for us to see distant galaxies. We also got a very detailed view of the moon through the telescope. They took pictures all everything and passed them along to us via email and even took our picture with an “almost” heavenly array of stars behind us.

beam us up Scotty

With handheld laser markers they pointed out certain stars that were important to the seafaring Hawaiians to guide them across vast stretches of the Pacific. They pointed out the Southern Cross constellation, normally only seen south of the equator. We were that high up in elevation to “peer” that far south.

This was a unique, breathtaking experience.

Pun intended.

MAUNA KEA OBSERVATORIES 

BIG ISLAND SUNSET AND STARGAZING

Maholo for reading.

Love Janet and greg

Following pictures courtesy of Hawaii Island Holiday

© 2025 by Gregory Dunaj