FUN-TOBER?

O'ZAPFT IS!

Your humble scribe of all things cheap and fun hasn’t had much fun lately. I’ve been sequestered in the dark cold confines of control rooms busily working, working, working. I’m “tapped out,” as it were. But, I know there is a big world there, like the one I see on TV, and people out there, somewhere, are having fun. If freed from these chains of commerce though, I have a fun wish list a mile long, but as this is October I’ll whittle it down to two favorites, Oktoberfest and apple picking.

GET YOUR OOMP-AH ON

Oktoberfest begins with the proclamation “O’Zapft Is!”… It is tapped. And, that’s about as much information about the traditions and history of this 16 day German celebration here. You can read about how it began in Munich in the early 1800’s elsewhere. You can fret that in America the beers served at the myriad of copycat fairs and harvests and Oktoberfests around the country may not have been brewed within the city limits of Munich or that German purity laws, or Reinheitsgebot, are ignored, but I won’t. You may even say that Oktoberfest begins in September and should be over by now, that no matter how many German Oomp-ah bands honk and chortle, no matter how many people cavort in a chicken dance, eat pretzels, follow around the two guys dancing with a roasted pig on a spit over their shoulders, no matter how many Alphorns warble, it can’t be Oktoberfest because it’s over! I say, I’m gonna elbow past you to get to the bar.

If I get out of this dark room anytime soon I’m going to try to hit three different places.

Zeppelin Hall Biergarten

One is the Zeppelin Hall Biergarten, 297 Grand Street, Jersey City, NJ. It’s loud and airy and a lot of fun. Live bands, but no lederhosen. It’s more hipster than anything else, but the array of beers is fascinating. They claim to have Oktoberfest festivities through to the next October. 

ZEPPELIN HALL - JERSEY CITY, NJ 

Radegast Hall & Biergarten

More traditional in its beer offerings, the Radegast Hall & Biergarten has a lot of German beers on tap. Located on the corner of North Third and Berry in the hipster capital of the world, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Radegast is vast, with live bands, but still no lederhosen. Food is exceptional here. Spring for the Currywurst or Venison Sausage!

RADEGAST HALL - WILLIAMSBURG

Stoudt’s Brewery

The Oktoberfest experience in Stoudt’s, North Reading Road, Adamstown, PA, is much more traditional and worth the long drive out there. Indeed, here you’ll find men in Lederhosen and families doing the chicken dance. They serve only their beer here, but when the two guys with a roasted pig on a spit slung between their shoulders shimmy along the dance floor you’ll swear you hit the jackpot by saving on the airfare to Munich. $30 gets you 3 drinks and a mug and all the knee slapping fun you can handle. 

Their Oktoberfest goes on every Sunday through to the end of the month.

 STOUDTS - ADAMSTOWN, PA

Tree-Licious Orchards

Apple picking is fun and I’ve been doing it for years with the kids. I remember great times trolling the rows with the kids communicating via walkie talkies as to where to find the best apples. Countless families have similar experiences, but for me what makes Tree-Licious in Port Murray, NJ special is its solitude. The rolling hills make for beautiful scenery and the rural setting makes for sparser crowds. There have been times our only other contact while at the farm was their Yellow Lab who would lope along with us. Supposedly they are only open on the weekend, but we always managed to talk our way in during the week. (There we go, the chains of commerce forcing me to work weekends even back then…sigh).

It’s too late for their Apple Festival held last weekend, but you can pick apples until November 22^nd.. Come for the apples, the cider and fresh baked goods, or just hang out in this beautiful setting in western Jersey. Earlier in the growing season you can pick your own peaches, plums and pears and for the first time this year through Halloween you can pick your own pumpkins.

This weekend, October 17^th, Tree-licious is holding their final Farm to Table dinner of the year. This BYOB series, features food grown on the farm, costs $35 per person. There will be live music.

TREELICIOUS ORCHARDS

Please! Some of you get out there and enjoy life! Please....

WHERE THE ROAD ENDS THE PARTY BEGINS

Aloha in the Kingdom of Hawaii

The Aloha spirit is pervasive in Hawaii, thankfully. We could all learn from living with Aloha. Smiles are in abundance in Hawaii and a relaxed attitude permeates the very air no matter what the heck is going on. From native to local and (hopefully) tourist alike, the Aloha spirit is everywhere, off-setting the idiosyncrasies of life. No matter what is going on, keeping the Aloha spirit will get you through the day. A volcano is spewing lava and threatening your home and the very island? Acceptance through Aloha and all will be fine. What will be will be many will say. Lava is now covering the road, but sparing your homestead? It must be the provenance of good Aloha in your life!? After the lava decides to go off in another direction your house is now at the end of the road with nothing but miles of black cooled lava flow afterwards? Why this is a great reason to throw a party. 

 

Uncle Robert

PARTY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

There is nothing else south of the Big Island of Hawaii for thousands of miles, except Antarctica, and clinging to the very edge of this island, that is growing daily from the Kilauea Volcano lava flow, is the partially hewed town of Kalapana. When the world’s largest shield volcano started its unpredictable eruption in 1983 it buried much of the town of Kalapana, but spared the homestead of Uncle Robert Keli‘i­ho‘o­malu. Before this current eruption Uncle Robert’s compound was already a place for weekend parties and music for his family and friends, but now the tradition continues for anyone who comes to the edge of the world where the Kalapana-Kapono Road abruptly stops. Whether native, local, or tourist, everyone is accepted at the weekly Wednesday night party at Uncle Robert’s Farmer’s Market and Awa Bar.

ALOHA SPIRIT 

UNCLE ROBERT’S FARMER’S MARKET

When we began to research the Big Island as a possible destination last summer, the Wednesday night event that is Uncle Robert’s Farmer’s Market was mentioned several times by possible AirBnB hosts. At first we did not think much of it, but after three or four “mentions” we decided to go to experience this Hawaiian block party.

Uncle Robert’s homestead was spared the lava flow in 1990 and now this farmer’s market was THE destination on a Wednesday night in the Puna District.  More than simply arts and crafts and food, although we ate some of the best seared Tuna in Hawaii while there, Uncle Robert’s Farmer’s Market is a party, with live bands and dancing late into the night.

Your immersion in the Aloha spirit is inescapable at Uncle Robert's and we quickly understood why this party was on the lips of many in the Puna District. In all our travels in Hawaii, going to Uncle Robert's was for me the closest ideal of a Hawaiian experience. Going to a luau was fun for it's history, but this farmer's market/block party was more Hawaiian for its Aloha. At Uncle Robert's you are partying WITH the natives, while at a luau you're watching them perform. 

As word gets out, Uncle Robert's Farmer's Market as a destination grows in popularity. Area resorts have begun to bus patrons in to this weekly fete. It is free to attend except for a small parking fee and whatever you spend on food, crafts and alcohol. It begins in the early afternoon and throbs late into the night. Pull up a bench seat and listen to live music, peruse the stands for food or trinkets, or take a short walk along the cooled black lava to the beach that did not exist 20 years ago. You can bring your own drinks or purchase beer, mixed drinks or Awa at the thatched roof bar. No one cares. Everyone brims with smiles and it is a wonderful night. It is a true Hawaiian experience and should be on the do to list for anyone visiting the area. Mix with locals and natives and your tourist outlook will swiftly melt away. 

Stirred in with the revelry of the night is a little political news about the Kingdom of Hawaii. Those attending who are not familiar with the history of the annexation of this island chain are given a bit of news about the sovereignty movement. A sign near the entrance to the farmer's market proclaims this land as the Kingdom of Hawaii.The information that is shared with the crowd is just a few notes; no one is militant about it; but it is met with applause before the music begins anew. You can follow the Kingdom's agenda here:

THE HAWAIIAN KINGDOM

Sadly Uncle Robert Keli'iho'omalu passed away earlier this year, but his Aloha spirit lives on. The farmer's market party is every Wednesday. For me, personally, it was a highlight of our trip. We left Hawaii just two days after going to Uncle Robert's making our departure for the mainland much more difficult. 

   

LIFE IN THE SLOWER LOWER SLOW LANE

Your favorite mooch crew is house sitting for friends in Milford, Delaware this week. We’ve been here before and it is a comfortable setting. Their development is approximately 20 miles from Lewes, the first of the ocean beachs and so it is not a lighthearted decision to head out there. When Route 1 and 9 and later route 24 converge in Lewes traffic is a mess. The phrase Slower Lower Delaware is kind of appropriate. Beach traffic, outlet shopping traffic and general back and forth traffic as well as the time of day or day of the week weighs heavily in planning a day around here in Slower Lower Delaware.

GOING BACKWARDS

The other day we decided to drive into Rehoboth Beach to ostensibly stroll along the boardwalk, although we really had our eye on the Dogfish Head Brewpub. It stopped raining by the time we reached the tony beach burg, but the traffic going through the Lewes/Rehoboth Beach corridor was horrendous. Because of the rain there were a lot of people heading to the outlet shopping malls that line route 1 in this area. It took us half an hour to go three miles! I remarked that had we been going any slower we would have been going backwards. Janet told me to shut up.

A HAPPY PLACE

Our patience with the traffic was rewarded with a stop at Dogfish Head Brew Pub. While there Janet had a black and tan of Chicory Stout and 90 minute IPA and I had a Burton Baton and we shared Duck Poutine; fries covered with duck confit and gravy made from their stout.  

DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY

MULTI-TASKING

Today is Friday around 9 am. We’re heading out to the beaches soon. We are going to the “Tower” Beach which is south of Dewey and so we figure if we leave now we’ll get there about mid-afternoon.  Our thinking is to shower off the sand at a beach stall later and head to Big Fish to avoid “commuting”. Big Fish Grill in Rehoboth Beach is another of those "must" visit establishments here in Delaware. Great food and a great atmosphere.

BIG FISH GRILL

A WEEK OF PUBBING

Other places we’ve “visited” this week include:

Arena’s Sports Bar, Milford

A Small chain establishment. We were there on wing night. $6.99 for 10. $1.00 extra for fries. Nice sampling of beers. Friendly place. Sit outside along the Mispillion River! Nice setting.

Irish Eyes, Lewes

No visit to Delaware is complete unless we stop at Irish Eyes along the canal. Typical shore bar. Not a great selection of beers, but their happy hour prices are great. We had half dozen oysters for $7.00

Modern Mixture 2, Milton

Cute setting in historic quaint town. I had a burrito and Janet had coconut shrimp. Great margaritas and a wonderful selection of Dogfish Head Beer; the brewery is just around the corner. Reasonable prices.

Dogfish Head Brew Pub, Rehoboth Beach

We like this place enough that we traveled there for a New Year’s Eve celebration! That night was a lot of fun.

Meding's Seafood, Milford 

They are north of the town on Route 1. You can easily find this place because it has a huge propeller on the front lawn. Nice to not have to drive through the mess on Route 1 to get a great meal. Thursday is oyster day. We shared fried oysters for an appetizer. Janet had scallops and I had blackened catfish.

MEDING'S SEAFOOD

Mispillion River Brewing, Milford

Growing in popularity, the bar has a great selection of their beers. Growlers and six-packs for sale.

MISPILLION RIVER BREWING

                                                                

BLOB FEST

IT EATS YOU ALIVE!!!

Today in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania BLOBFEST begins. The weekend-long event has been held yearly since 2000 to celebrate the 1958 cheesy science fiction horror film THE BLOB. Much of the film was shot in Phoenixville. One unforgettable scene in the movie is when the Blob, an alien amoeba that absorbs every living thing it contacts and now massive, comes oozing out of the projection room at the Colonial Theater and the audience runs screaming onto the street.

HEALTHFULLY AIR CONDITIONED

The Colonial Theater is still on Bridge Street and the chaos of that scene in the movie is recreated with the “Run Out” which kicks off BLOBFEST tonight. Prior to the actual mayhem there is a stage show and screenings of The Shorty Amateur Film/Trailer Contest. Shorty was the nickname of the film’s director, Irvin Yeaworth. Sadly tickets for this coveted event are sold out, but you can hang out on the street and watch the antics. The Run Out happens at 9 pm. But that’s just the beginning of the hilarity for the weekend. All things Blob will consume this vibrant burg as there will be live music in the streets and the numerous pubs will be brimming. Tonight there is a Blob Ball being held at the Great American Pub down the street from the Colonial Theater. 

 THE BLOB BALL

Saturday there’s a street fair, with vendors selling all kinds of Blob memorabilia, a costume contest and a parade of fire extinguisher wielders mid-afternoon! (Fire extinguishers were used in the movie to quell this extraterrestrial foodie.)

Also on Saturday double features will play at the Colonial. THE BLOB will be paired with features like the Creature From The Black Lagoon and Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein. Sunday there is yet another viewing of The BLOB and paired with The Ghastly Love Of Johnny X…and afterwards there’s a Q&A session with the director.

 

PLAQUE INSIDE THEATER

Here is a full list of the weekend’s activities.

BLOB FEST STUFF

• RUN DON’T WALK

THE BLOB was the sort of film created for the newly-established drive-in genre when it was shot in 1958 and it starred a young Steve McQueen in his first starring role. Paramount Pictures released “The Blob” as a “B” or double feature along with “I Married A Monster From Outer Space”.

The enduring popularity of The Blob is evident and not just in Phoenixville. It is 21^st on IMDB’s most popular “B” Horror Films list.

For those interested in taking a self-guided tour to filming locations for THE BLOB.

THE BLOB SHOOTING LOCATIONS 

A BORING VACATION?

Marco Island

Team VFH tries to get the most out of spending the least and so our excursions are usually wroth with activities and exploring adventures with little “down” time. Relaxing on a vacation is a foreign concept as we run hither, thither, and yon.  Our reasoning is that we’ve spent so much money we’d BETTER enjoy the trip and see EVERYTHING! Gosh, after our vacations another vacation is needed for us to recover. With this current thinking about currency and travel it has been a good long while that our main objective was to simply relax on a vacation, but this was our very aim for our recent trip to Marco Island in southwest Florida. We were traveling there with Janet’s expansive family, including her new grandchild, so our antics would have to be somewhat curtailed. We would not be able to just flit off on a whim. Janet warned me that it could be boring, but looking back on our week is was a wonderful time.  Perhaps this is a new concept in travel for us? Imagine…relaxing while on vacation.

Marco Island Beach

PATRICK TV

Courtesy of Janet’s cousin the family was arrayed throughout several apartments of the Charter Club of Marco Beach time share with our balconies overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The water was warm and placid the beach hard packed powdery white sand with sea shells. We spent much of our days at the beach, either lounging on the chaises we rented for the week from the club or lolling about in the water just chatting with other family members.

Starfish and sand dollars could be found in the water and shelling was a week-long activity for us. Free activities at the Charter Club also included ocean kayaks and paddleboards and Hobie Cats. We also went Parasailing, rented a Waverunner for an hour and went on the Calusa Spirit Eco Tour through the 10,000 islands of the Everglades, these last three, courtesy of the Marco Island Watersports.

Sunset from the porch

By far though our favorite pastime throughout the week was watching the young Patrick, Janet’s five month old grandson; frolic in the water or sleep on one of the rented chaise lounges or flounce about in the pool. Some people like to toss a ball or a Frisbee on the beach, but we took turns holding onto the cooing Patrick. (Of course, when Patrick TV switched to the Creature Feature of the day, he was foisted upon his Mom.)

THE CHARTER CLUB MARCO ISLAND

MARCO ISLAND WATER SPORTS 

 

Turtle nest on Marco Island

TURTLE NESTS

Sea turtles drag themselves onto land to lay their eggs. Nightly volunteers walk the beach looking for signs of these large lumbering, endangered creatures and their nests are cordoned off by police tape so they would remain undisturbed. After 9 pm the curtains in the apartments are to be drawn tight so no light would be emitted which would lure the turtle hatchlings away from the sea. Evidently hatchlings are attracted by the heavenly lights reflected off the water and any other artificial light will lead them astray and sadly to their demise. We got a phone call one night telling us to close our curtains and one time when we were out for dinner someone from the Charter Club entered our apartment to draw the blinds. We were embarrassed that we had not done our civic duty! No one wants to hornswoggle a baby turtle.

PROTECTION OF SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDA

CRITTERS GALORE

Sadly the sectioned off nest sites were the only visible signs of the sea turtles. We did not see any turtles swimming in the waters off shore, like we did last year in Hawaii, although, we had the great fortune to see a manatee passing by one morning, looking like a massive swimming potato. Dolphins were a regular sighting. One afternoon while out on paddleboards, one dolphin breached a few times within just a yard or two of us.

Little silvery fish darted about in the surf line to poke at the sand kicked up by our thrashing and curious schools of larger fish with black stripes on their back circled us at times. If we remained still enough we could “pet” their tails as they slowly swirled around us. The water was warm and gentle. On one occasion I picked up a shell for collecting and discovered it was still occupied by the original tenant. I had already taken the little fellow up to the room when his foot nudged my hand looking to make a speedy escape. I marched him back down to the gulf where incredibly there was another of his kind right there and they began to fornicate.

She's a Manatee!

CONCH FRITTERS AND GROUPER!

We ate a lot of seafood while in Florida although we did gravitate to less fancier restaurants. Nonetheless the food was fresh and good wherever our palate alighted.

I insisted on getting conch fritters each time we went out although I was hoping for a ceviche of the delicacy, but never found it on the menu. We had a full kitchen in our apartments, but we never used the facilities except to keep our beer and wine cold.

Here’s a quick list of some places we ate during our week.

CAPRI FISH HOUSE

I was overdressed in my Aloha shirt as we sat at the water’s edge at this very casual restaurant a few miles off Marco Island proper. The fritters were so so and expensive, but the Grouper Sandwich was huge and was excellent. Ja net says her fried oysters were “yummy.” Drinks, like Margaritas were reasonably priced. They made a very good seafood chowder.

http://www.caprifishhouse.com/

 

Goodland FLA awaits

LITTLE BAR RESTAURANT

Locals in the small community of Goodland, population 267 +/- tool around in golf carts and the Little Bar Restaurant was hopping. There was a band playing inside and hundreds of nutcrackers staring down from the walls approved of our presence. This popular local joint served better fritters and Grouper Balls for appetizers. Janet and I both had blackened Grouper drizzled with a mango curry sauce.  http://www.littlebarrestaurant.com/

THE SNOOK INN

A very popular Marco Island bar and restaurant, The Snook Inn is also located at the water’s edge, although the seating was all out in the open. The other two had screened in seating. A busy but convivial setting, the wait staff handled our large group readily without getting too many of our drink orders wrong. The menu was massive and varied. There was a seafood buffet but we all ordered. Great fritters and spicy blackened Caribbean style Grouper for me. Afterwards we posed for pictures along the dock.

http://www.snookinn.com/

MARCO ISLAND SUNSETS

It is great sport to gather on the beach to watch sunsets in Southwest Florida. Marco Island, our home for this week is on the Gulf of Mexico and the light here is fantastic. Open air brilliant views of the vast sky and horizon. The clouds change colors with the waning sun and people come down to the white sand beach to see pinks and blues and yellows dapple on the water and glow in the clouds and stand awestruck by the majestic display.

Each evening at sunset we stop everything to stand in reverence.

The summer solstice sunset 2015

THE DUDE HATES CANCER, MAN

THERE'S A BEVERAGE INVOLVED HERE
The Dude and all his fellow Duderinos will be represented this Saturday, May 16, in South Philadelphia. I'm sure a number of Walters and Donnys will come along too, as they shuffle around East Passyunk Avenue seeking out the best White Russians and all for a worthy cause. This "Big Lebowski"-themed bar crawl will raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and well, the Dude hates cancer. 

This bar crawl has been going on since 2006 in Philadelphia and over the years this laid-back movement has extended into Buffalo, Cleveland, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Dude Hates Cancer bar crawl has raised over $500,000 so far. You see, the Dude is NOT a nihilist and this cancer will not stand, man! 
NICE MARMOT 
The Dude is the character played by Jeff Bridges in the 1998 cult classic Coen Brothers film The Big Lebowski. Here's your opportunity to evoke the Dudeness in all his glory, drink a bit, go bowling and maybe win a prize! Being one of the top three fundraising "teams" of Dudes  will get you that coveted thing, whatever it'll be. Go to their website for details:THE DUDE HATES CANCER

Later in the summer there will also be a Charity bowling tournament. The flat rate registration fee for that is for a team, three hours of bowling, free shoe rental, free t-shirt and free admission to the Jackie Treehorn After Party. Currently details for that event are sketchy, but follow them on Facebook for future details.
B.Y.O BATHROBE 
To properly participate in this worthy cause this Saturday show up in your bathrobe (pajamas optional) at 12 noon at Stogie Joe's Tavern. For a $10 donation special "Dude" sunglasses will be sold and these sunglasses will get you drink specials at the seven bars participating in the event. 

They are:  
1)  STOGIE JOE'S TAVERN
2)  LUCKY 13 PUB
3)  BIRRA
4)  PUB ON PASSYUNK EAST (POPE)
5)  DEVIL'S DEN
6)  RAY'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAR
7)  GARAGE


Philadelphia is a great beer town and the Dude is well the Dude. This winning combination is a good way to spend your Saturday afternoon. Come down and get a beverage.