'Tude Killer, notes from the Target

"It's not the tales of Stephen King that I've read, I need protection from the things in my head."     - Jimmy Buffet

Malibu's 11/4.

   Halloween.  The juncture of the undead.  Vampires, Mummies, and the Holy Ghost as Mr. Buffet would tell ya.  Supernatural timing this year.  The Skeleton Crews' last surf of the year.  We'd tie our sesh in (no play on words...seriously) with Smitty McGee's annual Halloween Bash. Wattman's got his own high goin' as his woman is flyin ' in clear from Chi-Town to join us. With the light fading muy rapido upon each passing week even the last ride on a full moon promised to make this night unique.  A real wrap up the year.  Feed the beast for the winter.  The Stoke is always hungry.  Never hibernates, no matter how cold or dark.  The Target?  Feeds on Duds and M&Ms.  Milk Duds, nuff said.  M&Ms... decimate them one color at a time.  My own ADD  energy.  But, I digress.
   Early PM,  DWatt emails status.   Circumstances have changed. Stronger than any imagined apparition, Life has struck.  Kids plus job equals no Chicago Girl.  Pile on end of the month workload to keep the Watt in OT mode.  I press on to catch the last light of the last sunset of the last session of the year.  Wattman buzzes in.  Gonna miss the surf, will have to meet me at Smitty's.  Troopers we are.  Had some time to kill.  Hit the local outlet stores to join the Trick or Treat festivities.  Damn It Man! Even dressed as the infamous Hard Target could not score me any more candy. Time passes.  By the time DWatt gets free it's become too late to catch the "Bash."  Party's over.  At least I had my M&Ms to get me through.  Save the Reds for last...like to bleed 'em out.  Kinda like the night.

Standard Time.  No more weekdays. 11/7

  This past week, much better.  A much needed improvement over the disaster that was our Halloween. But with Standard Time completely moved in, the weekly surf is but a smile in memory.  Driving down this week, the explosive colors of earlier Fall have become a more muted tint. Kirby's Red Onion Grille on 130th offers the local respite.  We're local.  Been here. You really do get the provincial vibe here that no summer, tourist-trap bar can attain in the off season.  The Barkeep comes up, introduces himself... "hey yo, Paulie,"...and gets to it.  The cold beers drop first.  Not frosted, but cold. An average beer selection, but refreshing.  Nice multiple 42 inch flatscreens.  We got football. We got baseball, We got hockey.  Paulie even asks what we want on in front of us.  Service!  We order up the Old Goat Wings an original garlic-buffalo style and the BBQ.  Meaty, temp hot, and fresh. Well cooked.  Better than we've had in a while. Nothing quells a 'tude killin' Halloween better than good wings.  The tab? Extremely reasonable. No wonder we came back!

THE RATINGS-

Old Goat Wings: B

Red Onion BBQ: B

Beer: C

Atmosphere: B+
Overall Score = 2.81