On Saturday afternoon Toney and I wanted to go out for our traditional two pints each, but neither of us had much enthusiasm for the yuppie bar. It always smells like disinfectant in there, and there are far too many socks-less loafers shuffling around.
Bennigan’s offers a surprisingly good lineup of beers, but the place has the atmosphere of one of those display kitchens at Home Depot. And the clientele is often a little… sad.
We don’t like to venture too far from home, so what to do? Jim Dandy’s is gone, Toney won’t set foot in the dive bar, and those are pretty much our options. We’ve basically been adrift, without a decent public house to call our own.
Then one of us suggested a bar/restaurant we wrote off several years ago. I can’t remember exactly why we stopped going there, the food was pretty good, I think. But I seem to remember it smelling like a wet dog all the time, like the carpeting had been mildly moist since Watergate.
And I also recall having a few beers in their bar, when I first moved to Pennsylvania, and it was so smoky you practically needed a miner’s helmet to navigate the joint. I know bars are often smoke-filled (oh, I know bars), but this place was ridiculous. I always felt like throwing my clothes away, and taking a bath in tomato juice.
But, Toney reminded me, smoking isn’t allowed in bars and restaurants anymore… So maybe it was worth a revisit?
And it most certainly was. The place has a real pub-feel, there were lots of neighborhood folks in there enjoying the golden elixir, and a respectable lineup of drafts was available. We both chose a Sierra Nevada to start, and the bartender was friendly and welcoming.
Wow. And this was available to us all along?! For some unknown reason we’d canceled it out in our minds, to the point where we didn’t even see it when we drove past anymore. You know how that happens? A decision is made, and that’s that, even after the original reason is forgotten?
We went with Bass Ale for the second round, and marveled at the collection of regular folks, just out having a few beers on a late Saturday afternoon. I didn’t see any chronic drunks, white trash itching to stab something, or anyone sobbing uncontrollably. It was our kind of crowd.
The only small downside? The beers were $4.50 each. If they’d been one dollar cheaper, I’d be ready to proclaim it PERFECT. But after our long tortured search for an appropriate drinkery… I‘ll pay the extra four bucks per week without (too much) bitchin‘.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we might’ve found our place. Our quest might finally be at an end! …I’m sorry, I’m getting a little emotional here.
Next weekend, however, we’ll be doing a rare birthday edition of the Saturday two-pints, and going all the way to (gasp!) Scranton. Toney’s birthday is on Sunday, so we’re going to start the festivities at Cooper’s (300 bottled beers, 35 taps), and see where that leads us.
And if all goes well, we might do it again in a couple of weeks, when it’s my birthday. Dat’s right.
Unfortunately, on the same day we experienced our grand pub breakthrough, we also found out the local Don Pablo’s has gone out of business. And that eats it from the ass-in.
Yeah, I know it’s a chain restaurant, and completely Americanized, blah, blah, blah. But we enjoyed it. In fact, it was one of our favorites.
When we lived in southern California we were spoiled by the kick-ass Mexican food on almost every corner, and I always wondered if I was losing my edge by liking Don Pablo’s so much when we got to PA. Every time I scarfed down another of their delicious platters of goodness, I had a nagging concern my standards were slipping.
And that might be true, but I don‘t care. I’m going to miss that place. We ate there at least once a month, for eight years. It’s in our blood.
Why are you abandoning us, Don?! I thought we were friends? Please come back! We need you!!
There is another Mexican restaurant nearby, but I had one of those (ahem) Sunshine-style run-ins with the management staff the only time we were there.
I think I might have to lobby the family for a revisit, since the one on Saturday worked out so well… I’ll let you know how that goes.
Some of you might already be aware of this, but today is Election Day. Right after I hit PUBLISH on this update, I’m going to cast my votes, over at the school administration building.
I’m not going to tell you my choice for president (longtime readers shouldn’t have a problem figuring it out), but I will tell you who I voted for in my FIRST presidential election: Walter Mondale in 1984.
And my guy received 13 electoral votes, versus 525 for Reagan. Heh.
Let’s not get into a big political brawl here, I think we’ve all had just about enough of that particular turd fiesta. But I’m interested in the first presidential candidate you voted for, in a general election. Use the comments link below to tell us about it.
Also, did anything interesting happen to you while voting today? Or do you even plan to vote? Bring us up to date, won’t you?
I’ll leave you now with yet another sign I’m getting really old, and tie it all together with a punk(ish) song about drinking and Election Day. I tried to think of one about drinking, Election Day, and Mexican food, but couldn’t come up with one. So this will have to do.
See you guys tomorrow.
Bob Dole. I’ve never voted for a winning President.
Dole, Nader, whoever the communist on the ticket was, and most recently (Friday) Bob Barr. Unless he pulls a HUGE upset, he ain’t winnin’.
I just can’t wait for it to be over and I hope some bullshit doesn’t happen to drag it out.
And I bet tomorrow the sun will still rise no matter who wins.
I first voted for President in 1996 and I voted for Bob Goddamn Dole.
I went to vote at the Methodist Church earlier. There was one lady from way across town, insisting that she was registered to vote at that particular voting place. They told her where her polling place was, based on her address, and she still went batshit. Maybe she wanted to vote at every place in town? I don’t know she finally gave up.
There was a lady doing exit polls when I left. I lied about who I voted for, just for fun.
I also wrote my name in for Neport, KY Mayor this past time. I will get about 0.001% of the vote I think.
I lost my virginity to Bob Dole.
“And both my grandfathers are spinning FURIOUSLY in their graves.”
Well, being a West Virginia boy myself that probably means that Jeff voted for McCain, seeing as any TRUE West Virginian has always voted Democrat, as I’m sure his Grandfathers and my Grandfathers and Father have always done. I was brought up that Republicans were always the bad rich guys who sucked all of the money out of us salt-of-the-earth West Virginians.
the wvsr cam is priceless – i work in a lab analyzing evidence for ignitable liquids (accellerants) and this pic is now prominently posted. we have our suspect!
When I was born I had dual Canada/U.S. citizenship, but given that I have never actually lived in the U.S. and had given up the U.S. half of my citizenship before I turned 18 I was never allowed to vote in a U.S. election. For the record I likely would have voted for Bush (Sr.) in 88′ had I chosen the southern option on the whole citizenship question.
I did cast my first vote in a Canadian election for a conservative fellow named Brian Mulroney (he and Ronny Regan were apparently buddies). It was a regrettable choice as he somehow always managed to have deficit budget even in the 80’s when the economy was great. Seriously, it takes a special kind of idiot not to run a balanced budget when the economy is good.
The author of the Dilbert comic called the election a choice between “the Antichrist and the only guy that scares the piss out of the Antichrist.”
I once heard that if you vote Republican before you’re 30 you have no heart, and if you vote Democrat after 30 you have no brain.
My first vote was in ’88 and I’m pretty sure it’s obvisous who I voted for. After all, I am a heartless bastard. I just wished I could have voted for Reagan just once. Man, I miss The Gipper.
We haven’t voted yet, but when my wife get’s home we’re waliking down to the elemementary school with The Peanut and casting what I believe will be merely symbolic votes.
And best of luck to the next president, whoever he is. I hope he’s not really the anti-christ.
WTF with the sockless loafers phobia already. Unless I’m dressed for work, church (ahem), or a decent restaurant, I never, ever wear socks….and yes, it is 100% loafers for me.
got my sticker, free Starbucks, and I’m going out later for my free Ben and jerry’s
I voted for Slick Willie the first time 🙂
Nothing exciting happened while I was voting. I usually just vote a straight ticket and then get out. My eldest daughter happened to be with me, and let’s just say our candidate is not as popular here in Texas. So of course she starts asking quite loudly why anyone would want to vote for the “OTHER guy”. That is probably a shooting offense here in the middle of nowhere in Texas – putting down the majority party. lol.
Needless to say, we got the heck out of there before someone called us “dirty hippies” and used us for target practice.
“We haven’t voted yet, but when my wife get’s home we’re waliking down to the elemementary school with The Peanut and casting what I believe will be merely symbolic votes.”
I think your family and mine just cancelled each-other out, Jorge. Lol. But my vote was symbolic too in my state.
That is funny. But that is what I love about being American – the gestures of futility in the name of freedom.
my first presidential vote went to perot. i actually voted a week ago, mail-in ballot in OR…
i work with a bunch or non-registered douchebags who actually think thier opinions count. not registered? non-voter? silly douches…your opinion DOES NOT count!
Oh! Is it election year already?
My wife and I just got back. We were in and out in mere minutes. There was no one in line, we got our ballots and voted.
We used to have punch cards but this year they went to the optical scanners. My wife went to the litte stand up “booth” and I was directed to an 8′ table with a refridgerator box that was folded to make little carrols. I didn’t care for it, but whatever.
But all in all the voting went off without a hitch.
Nothing doing in the voting excitement department….in and out in under 5 minutes. Just like high school.
The dood across the street was aghast at my vote, but hell, it’s mine to spend. I threw a few bones to HIS party in the judges column, so why’s he complaining? This is the first year that I did my homework and read the issues of most of the ‘less then big ticket’ candidates, and am now confident that I voted MY conscience, and not the conscience of a particular party. Even snuck a libertarian or two into the mix, jus’ for fun.
I miss the New England voting experience, with the big ‘ker-chunk” lever machines and the wood stove blazing…this paper ballot thing seems a little fake after all that scene-setting.
Next time we vote for President I think we should just pick three people at random, and whoever they vote for wins. Then I’d hope and pray that I’m one of the three picked. Because if you want me to pick your guy, you’re gonna have to grease my palms, baby.
A lot of people show up to vote first thing in the morning. Not me. Instead of standing in those lines I went to the grocery store, and then to Target. There were about 4 people in each store. And I checked out in record time. Thanks Obama / McCain!
Way to go Tiff, I like a little diversity in the judges column too!
Gerald Ford in ’76
I lost my virginity to Gerald Ford.
My first vote was in 1976, and it went to Eugene McCarthy – can’t for the life of me remember why. Since then I’ve voted for the winner exactly once. Maybe that will change tonight.
We arrived at the polling place at 5:42 this morning after a 4-minute walk from our front door. There were maybe 20 people in front of us, and we were out by 6:20-ish (polls open at 6:00am here). By then, there were more than 100 people lined up out the door.
I know for a fact my one grandfather is doing 100,000 rpm in his grave right now; I’m just not sure which one. The other, probably but not for sure.
Bring back The Monarchy!
At least with inbred lunatics what you see is what you get!!
The black guy won! Woo hoo! Now the rest of the world will like us! And now he can do here what Europe has done (you know, because it’s worked so well for them). But who cares? At least we’ll be LIKED!
Liked, liked, liked! I can’t wait to be liked. Bring on the free shit baby!
“that one” won and my 11 year old got her first period. All in all it’s been a glorious night.
You might say I’m a sore loser. I need booze.
My voting streak remains intact.
I did vote for the loser (presidential) once again.
Brandy,
11? Really? God Almighty. I was counting on at least 13 before having to buy pads, and I have two split-tails.
I’m getting drunk, no doubt. I have to run to the store before they close. Be back soon!
Jim! Stop that!
well… she’s almost 12, but still. The next 4 years of my life are going to be pure hell: A menstruating pre-teen and the other obvious thing.
Brandy,
11 or 12, close enough. I don’t know how Congress turned out. I can only hope that it isn’t 60 seats or more in the Senate.
Tick-tock. I have to get to the store before it’s too late. Shit.
Jason, go get some good imported booze while you can still afford it!
Brandy,
I’m back. Whew! Well, I have to say, I’m as right-wing as they come. And I’m afraid that we’ve made a very big mistake. But I remember the way that the left treated President Bush (calling him Hitler, Monkey, War Crimal, etc.) and I thought it was just crazy.
So, for better or worse, Obama is our President. I won’t call him “monkey” or “Hitler” or anything else. I’ll give him the respect that the office deserves. And I’ll hope that he does what’s right by America.
And now, I start drinking.
Brandy? (chirp chirp) Where you at, sugartits?
I done had about 8 too many. And I’ve turned on the 80s mix. So I’ll see yall in a day or two. SMOOCH! Bye Bye now!
sorry jason. when the beer ran out (Shock Top with an orange – YUM) I went in for the prescription pills and it was all downhill from there.
First election was GHW “Poppa” Bush in ’88.
Then “Slick Willy” Clinton in ’92, “Sweet Potato-hand” Dole in ’96, GWB in ’00, GWB in ’04, and Bob “Ain’t gonna win” Barr this time around. Heh. What was I thinking?
One or more of those choices were fueled by beer, of course. 🙂
My first time was actually the midterms in ’86, do not remember it and was very likely stoned at the time. My first presidential vote was for George I, and I recall that was a choice made solely on the basis of his having a less goofy-sounding name than Dukakis (albeit not by much). Since then, it’s been Clinton twice, Gore, Abraham Lincoln (not too impressed with the ’04 choice either way), and Mr. O a couple weeks ago by mail-it-in.
Brandy – I feel your pain with the daughter thing….from distant memory.
Glad I have two boys, just for that reason. At 13 and 11.5 years old, I’m sure that by now I’d have to be dealing with TWO of ’em and their Aunties, and I’m simply not strong enough for it.
Good luck with all that.
Damn, Brandy, looks like you’ll need to stock up your new bomb shelter with lots o’ maxi pads now, too. Hope it doesn’t get in the way of all the booze and vicodin!
My first vote was in 96, I voted Clinton, didn’t know any better. Shortly after, I wanted to take back my vote.
I am now a card-carrying member of the evangelical right. Republican until I die.
After that it was all Bush.
Neither of the two candidates we had this go around made me happy, so I voted the lesser of two evils.
I don’t give a flip what color our President is, I just don’t agree with 90% of Obamas policies… so while my vote was technically FOR McCain, it was actually more AGAINST Obama. Not that it mattered, I live in a red state that doesn’t have enough electoral votes to make a differnece.
THANK GOD that bitch Hillary didn’t get in though. A woman as VP would have been questionable, but a woman as President is just downright wrong. I like to consider myself the anti-feminist. Women belong in the background…
My voting process was easy. In and out in 10 minutes. Would have been quicker had the lady checking ID’s not been 150yrs old.
In WV, you can’t buy hard liquor on election day, but you can buy all the beer and wine you want. WTF? You can still get drunk, but it’ll take longer. Our county spent the big bucks and converted to touch-screen voting machines with paper backup. Voing was quick fun, but there were 18 “pages” to get through. I voted Oct. 17th. I live in a red county in a blue state, and that’s the way the vote went.
My first vote in a Presidential election was in 1992, in someone’s garage on Irving Street in the deepest Sunset in San Francisco. I was a young snot out on my own and cast my vote for the “Peace and Freedom Party” candidate. Take that, democracy!
Brandy,
No problem. It’s 11:00 am where I live and I just now woke up. My mouth taste like the Russian army marched across it last night and my dick is sore. Not sure what that’s all about.
BUT, I reading back over my comments and it doesn’t look like I made too much of an ass of myself. That’s a wonderful thing.
Ok, here’s the skinny on voting, at least in Kentucky.
(I work for the office that organizes and conducts the elections)
Poll Workers…are picked from a list of people who have no other responsibilities and are willing to work a 16 hour day, with no breakfast, lunch, or dinner breaks for the whopping amount of $125.00. So you guys do the math. The only responsible people you get are the elderly and I do mean elderly.
Write-Ins… I would like to invite all of you thoughtless d…ks who think its funny write-in Ted Nugent, Tony Stark, or Foghorn Leghorn (all write-ins from last night) for president to come to work with me on the presidential election. I have to show up for work at 5:15am take endless cussings and questions throughout the day only to end up at 10:00pm reading everyone of your delightfully witty entries, because we have to look at every write-in for races where someone has filed as a legitimate write-in candidate, which we had 6 such filings in Kentucky. Just so you know there is no record kept of non-legitimate write-ins except that which is seered into my weary brain. The next time you guys want to write-in something clever, don’t. Just tell everybody you did, I promise they’ll never know you didn’t do it and you will be making it a little easier for a weary election officer somewhere.
Long Lines…they happen because of stupid people.
You walk up to a table to be identified and then stop to rallte around in your purse for 5 miuntes to find your ID. HAVE IT OUT, DUH!
When they give you you ballot stand there with it until you get to the booth and then you start studying it. LOOK AT IT WHILE YOU WAIT, DUH besides we’ve had 3 years of this, how can you not know who you are going to vote for when you get in line? DON’T GO TO THE POLL UNLESS YOU KNOW.
When you’re done you stand there in front of the ballot box and talk to the workers, chase after your kids, screw around with your purse your jacket or whatever. WHEN YOU’RE DONE LEAVE, DUH! If 60 people waste one minute in the poll that’s one hour for somebody to wait, and hell yes it makes a difference, especially when you have 800-1500 people voting in a precinct in a day.
Lew in Bama:
…but a woman as President is just downright wrong. I like to consider myself the anti-feminist. Women belong in the background
I really hope you’re kidding.
Wow, good question. I believe I voted for Dukakis in 1988, as I had just turned 18 and was eligible to do so. Can’t say it was my best decision (since Bush swept him, as I recall, in a 4-to-1 electoral margin), but BushDaddy kinda scared me with his CIA service. So Dukakis it was.
I don’t think he is tiff. Sad huh…?
And go get me a beer!!!
Long Lines…they happen because of stupid people.
KYDave,
I’m with you on that one. Probably the same stupid idiots who spend 30 minutes at the ATM. WTF are they doing up there, anyway? Slide the card, enter the PIN, take the money, done. Stupid fucks. And I’m sure the same people use the self check out line at the grocery store or Home Depot. The qualification for using one of those seems to be that you can have no fucking idea how it works – “let’s see……scan item……okay. Pay………let’s see……………” Fuck off. Drink bleach, slow bastards.
these are the same dipshits that pull up to McDonalds to order their lunch and take 27 minutes to figure out what they want, as if the menu has changed drastically since the last time they were there.
Hey Lew in Bama,
Q: Why did the woman cross the road?
A: What the fuck was she doing out of the kitchen??!