the Christmas Session, Notes from the Watt

"The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun."  - J. Buffet

  A cold front moved in at the end of the week.  By the weekend it would be in the 30s.  Water's still around the 50 mark, and the air..that flippin' air...no way.  So we enjoy the season... shoppin', traffic, crowds... the chaos that ensues.  Lights, stars, music...the celebration of Christmas. We got it all on our patch of the Right Coast!

   Our pursuit of the Wing thru the chaos took us to Specific Gravity in South Salisbury.  A pizzeria and tap house would ensure us that we'd have quality craft brews with the night's sampling (which we paired with a Big Mac pizza, complete with fries on top...seriously!).  We chose the Buffalo...medium heat.  Very meaty, these "Buffalo Styles" had a slight sweet taste goin' in the background with a zing to finish. Good wings, good beer, very good service from our bartender.  Only issue (and ya knew it was comin'), need more flat screens.  Only 2 in the whole joint. And oddly placed.  Always somethin'. Gotta move on... Next!

Wing Session 12/15

Period Of Necessary Defrosting, notes from The Watt

Hit it!  courtesy Malibu's 12/2

      The season of stress, of rush, of pressure.  Most of what we feel during this time of year can wear on ya.  Let's face it, most of it is self imposed. Follow the true meaning of what's going on around us, and we find it is really the season of "do for."  Do for family, do for friends, and do for yourself.  Yeah, that's right, yourself.  Don't get me wrong, it's not all about you...or me.  But, do something to relax and relieve the stress.  Kind of a period of necessary defrosting.  NO, not shop.  Hit the gym. Hit the road (run).  Hit the surf... just don't forget the rubber.  Engage the season.

                                        Salisbury's Winter Wonderland

 

 


   Last evening we hit the Lagoon Bar & Grill on the east side of Salisbury.  We had a lagoon, we had fountains, we even had an acoustic duo playing.  We had cold beer; 24 to choose from! Most importantly, we had wings.  Jerk and Lagoon's Spicy BBQ.  Well cooked and fat, the wings definitely satisfied.  The Jerk were spot on while the BBQ were fair...in the words of Target, "nothing special."  Myself, I felt they could have been saucier.  As far as the atmosphere- the place was practically empty, maybe because football was NOT on the TVs....maybe.  We were 2 of a total of about 11 head including the entertainment.  By the way, a man and woman duo that played off each other very well, nice mix of classic and current rock....nothing really hard, but they had the chops to do it well. The acoustics of the room were lacking- empty rooms will do that, and with that crowd ya gotta ask...what are we missing?  Obviously, the shore quest must move on.

Last Surf of DST '11, notes from The Watt

First few frosts begin to burn the green to the ground

 

Bodybuilding 6:01(pm) 11/3

   6pm Sunset. Man!  It goes down fast!  The tide was on it's way out, swell was chest and building and gettin' a might choppy.  Add a south moving sideshore current and fading light and positioning becomes a challenge. The first few sub-freezing nights this past week have brought the water into the mid-50s.  Threw on the boots and gloves.  Damn it! After the first slice, twilight was on me, and I just took one after the other on the head.  Couldn't get that groove.  This was it for 2011.  Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend and so do our weekly sessions.

   Well...we still have our wing sessions.  The "Quest" knows no season. This week featured Johnny's Pizza & Pub on 56th and Ocean Highway. Slick atmosphere, considering they're in the corner of a strip center, with a digital jukebox playin' some serious classic rock and eclectic sport deco featuring football, baseball, AND surfing.  Nice beer selection and decent service. The reason we were here- the wings- very good. We chose the "Glazed Jerk" and "Buffalo Hot." The  Jerk Wings were on point.  Nice jerk seasonings with a light spicy-sweet taste.  The Buffalo didn't seem to feature much heat, and a bit salty for my tastes.  But, in both cases they were well cooked and fat. A bit pricey with domestic beers at $3.50 and crafts at $5.75.  All in all, definitely worth another visit to try some of the other wing seasonings.  What's next? The search resumes next week...

October Close, notes from The Watt

Peeling 'em off, 10/27

   Bringing in the close of October, Thursday past and we could not have ordered up a better evening.  Warm 70 degree winds across the beach, 63F water that keeps the feet bare, avoidin' the layer of rubber that deadens the feel of the deck, no gloves...sweet.   Building waist high frontsides rollin' in three at a time....stoked.  Surfed till post-dusk. The Target couldn't even pick up the last glide into ankle high shorebreak.  Dark.  Niiiice.

Holiday break.

 











 
   Post session Wing Quest brought us back to Pickles on 8th to catch Game 6 of the Series.  Short and simple, disappointing.  We ordered the BBQ and the Hot...well done (last time a bit under cooked).  Neither tasted that good.  The Hot, not so hot.  The BBQ...thin sauce, odd taste.  Still one of the better establishments in terms of beer offerings, service, and atmosphere.  Wings...a weak pop fly....didn't even make it outta the infield. The Search...
goes on...

 




 


 
   Final note,  as I had mentioned earlier, nice calm night with light SW breeze.  Same when we sat down at Pickles.  At tab time- rain, cold, high winds.  Like "that's it boys, pack it in and head on out for the winter!" We've got one weeknight session left before Standard Time.  Could get interesting...may need to pull out the boots.  Maybe.

Darkness Falls, notes from The Watt

 














 
   Not much time left in the day by the time we reach the beach during the week.  Sunset hits by 6:25pm and with gettin' off work at 5, a 30 mile drive, touchin' down in the sand by approx. 5:45, you have an hour roughly.  On tap tonight was a front heading our way outta the west, so darkness falls even quicker.  Nice waist to neck high semi-clean walls.  A couple of frontsides stroked.  Short night.

  

      Short rides, short night;
10/13

 



   Post surf destination found us across the street at Dead Freddies Island Grill.  Nice deco considering the cheesy animated pirates and skeletons, but hey...we are the Crew!  Service fair, wings plump, hot, and well cooked.  We ordered up the Old Bay (fast becoming Sinjin Walstonian's favorite), and a Spicy Barbecue.  Only the BBQ brought a noticeable critique.  I felt they could have been BBQier, and HT felt they were not spicy enough (it's been a while).  So we paddle on. An aching agenda yearning to be filled (?)...

Free cheese at entrance

Fading Fast, notes from The Watt

  It didn't take long for Autumn to firmly establish itself.  Since feeling the initial blast of temperature drops into the lower 60's last week, we finally got a reprieve back into the 70s.  But the evenings and early mornings remain in the upper 40s to 50s seemingly whisking away summer before anyone could mount a debate.  I mean Damn!  I've even gotta wear the full suit.  Not because of the water...still upper 60s warm, more the cool evening winds, tonight, outta the Northeast.  Nothing stopping the sun from setting a few minutes earlier each day leaving no doubt our weekly surf sessions are fading fast.  On a sweet tip - this time of season provides consistent surf.  We've had waist+ bangin' since the last weekend and this evening's session, no exception.  Not the cleanest.  But fun...even more so once I git acclimated to this f#%kin' rubber again.

NE onshores, Backsides provided 10/6

  Target and I came to a revelation tonight.  We are not so much in pursuit of wings that exceed Smitty's tradition (which we do value), but rather enhance our experience.  Not so much a replacement as an addition.  What is life without choices, eh?  More choices = Enhancement.  An augmentation to our post session experience, so to speak.  Tonight...Blue Ox Bar and Grill.  

Endless Summer Cruisin' thru the weekend

   A restaurant tryin' to do the sports bar thing, not quite pulling it off.  The bar was airy, but a bit bright.  Slow tonight.  Definitely off-season here.  The bartender called it "winter."  I mean C'mon Man!  Next thing ya know you'll have 'em puttin' up Christmas lights... actually the town Has already started.  The music play, a poor mix.  All over the board.  No focus (but no Christmas music either...good thing).  Beer selection fair, but more importantly cold.  Service was good.  Pricey though, getting only 8 wings an order vs. our accustomed 10.  But...they were good.  The Maryland style (Old Bay) were excellent.  Hot.  Crispy. Tender.  The Spicy Honey BBQ - I liked.  HT not as enthralled.  They were fat.  Well cooked. Just couldn't get past the Stoke Killer lack of football on the main screens (Oregon tonight!).  This is the life we live.  The hunt continues into yet another week...

Squeezing Out the Last Drops of Summer -notes from The Watt

 
   Evening air temps near 80 degrees, water in low 70s.  I'd say that is still pretty warm for us.   Squeezing the last few drops of summer outta the early fall, the sessions swell offered up some thigh highs with a rare waist here and there making for promising rides.  Problem was I didn't catch $hit until the sunset had turn the sky a near orangy purple.  Our Sony Digital is off for repairs, so a decent shot has literally become a "hard target" for HT using an older model Olympus.  Regardless, he does manage some artistic shots, no thanks to me.  The rides began pumpin' as I strung a few together in the waning moments of twilight. And, this led me to make that wave smashing, ride denying request..."one more ride."  Not tonight.

Early Fall summer squash, 9/29

 















   Post surf's search led us to Duffy's Tavern in Montego Bay, 130th street. I am being truthful in saying that as patrons, we were the youngest in the house (that's sayin' somethin'...just sayin').  A local shuffle bowl league of retirees was in full swing when we got there, but that only seemed to enhance the atmosphere.  A true old OC locals bar, Duffy's had a nicely priced menu and decent selection of drafts.  The dark paneled interior added to the feel.  Our bartender, Ryan, excellent service.  The wings...we ordered Mild and "Kickin' Hickory."  Meaty, well cooked, very good taste.  Could have been bigger...maybe little more variety of sauces.  Still a great stop.  Very pleasant night. But like the summer, I do do not believe we want the quest to end just yet.

Game Time!, notes from The Watt

   Tropical storm Ophelia gave us thigh to occasional waist frontsides on Thursday evening, High Stakes Bar & Grill gave us the post session wings (damn good actually, meaty, well cooked, though the BBQ had a bit of an aftertaste so, ...the search continues),

Ophelia's joy, 9/22

and the University Of Maryland via the Target Man gave us incredible seats for the Terrapin game on Saturday. A weekend full of stoke. 

Gametime! -the Crew 9/24

Ave Maria, notes from The Watt

Ave Maria!

  A Wednesday instead of a Thursday.  Warm night (75), warm water (74). Promising waist high sets that seemed to go from semi-clean to semi- chop purty quick.  A weekend with potential for overhead sets that few may challenge, ie. not clean.  This is our latest system.  Maria.  She sits off the Georgia coast (far enough not to create too much havoc), as a tropical storm with momentum to become a Cat 1 before the weekend.  We bow down with respect to her power as well.  Finally, surf with some level of consistency, regardless of how clean.  Ocean City's Hurricane season and 2nd season appear to be in full swing.

Door closed, 9/14

This evening's wing search took us to Whiskers Pub on 120th street.  A Redskin hangout fer shore.  The Target and I ordered 10 Hot and 10 BBQ.  Fat, well cooked.  The Hot wings were tossed in a buffalo sauce with jalapenos. The Barbecue appeared to be a vinegar base.  Both very good taste, although both of us were partial to the Jalapeno spice. Atmosphere- a bit quiet, but it was a Wednesday, no football, and an older crowd.  Tied for second with Mothers and Pickles (both of which we agreed to another eval).  Alas, we trudge on, the quest persists.

Hail to the Stoke!

The Not-So-Calm Before The Storm, notes from The Watt

Irene From above, 8/25

   Earlier in the afternoon the Mayor of Ocean City pulled the trigger to evacuate due to the hurricane bearing down on Delmarva.  It's an eerie feeling when you cruisin' into Ocean City, a resort town at the peak of the summer season, and everyone is beatin' it outta town.  F^#k'd up to say the least.  Every gas station packed to the gills comin' and goin'.  A little unsettling.  In town it was quiet.  Plenty of parking.  2nd season in August.  Storm on the horizon.

    The beach...disconcerting; uncrowded considering even with wind it was still a humid feeling low 80's.  Condo units looking spotted- some with their storm shutters down, others not yet concerned.  The surf itself played choppy thigh highs with occasional waist close-outs jacking up here and there.  Not so calm considering.  Like a scratched vinyl.  A lot of it due to the thunder-boomer out of the northwest that was bearing down.  Unfortunately, premature to do any pushing offshore of Miss Irene.
 
   Waves, rides, not so much.  More down than up.  Hard to find a line.  And we got there late.  Ah, the pressure of an immediate ride.  Let's hope Irene finds her ride outta here!

Get a line!  8/25

Come on Irene, notes from The Watt

Poor old Johnny Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
He moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried and sang along
And who'd blame them?
Now you're grown, so grown
Now I must say more than ever


Go, toora loora toora loo-rye-aye
And we can sing just like our fathers
                                       -Dexy's Midnight Runners
COME ON IRENE (who's Eileen?)

Waves are a comin'...Finally!

A Line In Every Trace, notes from The Watt

Find your line, 8/18

   The surf reports call it small trace swell, ankle to knee high.  That was about right.  Choppy, sloppy, blown out.  The churned water a muddy brown with sand lacing the short stocky walls of the incoming like so many veins.  Call it what you want, it was a small day.  But, not such small traces that you couldn't lock into a few lines to ride.  Ya gotta figure, when it's that small, a nice SE shoreline wind'll rustle ya'll up some stoke here and there. Even if you're finishing up in a foot of soup.  My luck was the best ride occurred just before Targetman with the lens showed up.  No matter...gimme an ice cream, I know it happened.

Trace rides

Always looking for the Humor

 

  Post surf, the Quest for the best wings continued with tonight's stop at Pickles Pub on Coastal and 8th. A sports pub with 24 beers on tap. Niiiice!  Flatscreens everywhere, at least a half dozen pool tables and giant screen at center stage (perfect for those bandless nights).  Atmosphere-wise, the best yet.

   Then there was the wings...  We chose Hot Buffalo and Baltimore (Old Bay spice) style.  Nice and meaty, these wings would have fit the bill, IF they had been cooked all the way.  Some were a little underdone, some were a LOT underdone.  Oh when we fall short! The hammer dropped, the judgement passed.

   The Quest marches on.