Twas 13 Days Before, Notes from the Target

Crews' Break - no waves to be seen, 12/12.

But, plenty of surf paraphernalia available...

  Twas thirteen days before Christmas and all around Delmarva, not a Shoreman was stirring except for those who needed Hot Wings.  Time for the Crews' annual Christmas session, the last of the year. This one held at Nick's House of Ribs on 145th street.  Over the years our numbers have diminished.  For the last couple of years it's been two...DWatt and myself. But Christmas celebrations are about friends and good times, so we have persevered just fine.
   Into the Sports Bar we went.  Not overly crowded...in fact we totaled four.  Decked to the hilt with wreaths and garland in every available space, we pull up a couple of stools in front of 3 flatscreens... basketball, college football awards, and Thursday Night Football.  Not bad.  Classic Rock playin'.  Our seasoned barkeep asks us for our drink preferences and immediately has a couple of ice chilled mason jar drafts in front of us.  Not much of a selection, but ice cold- liquid gold I tell ya.  I was thinkin' Santa came by early as these were the coldest beers we've had in 9 months! Maybe this was actually "St. Nick's" place.  Ok, so we were getting a bit giddy with the whole cold brew holiday mason jar thing they had goin.' Obviously the Grinch had some influence as well.  Scanning the menu, only one type of wing...breaded, deep fried, and seasoned.  Came with Hot and BBQ dipping sauces.  We ain't your dipping sauce kind of wing fans here. And honestly, the wings were actually better plain.  The seasoning was admittedly tasty.  And after all, it's Christmas.  No damper happenin' here!

THE RATINGS - 

Seasoned Wings: C+

Wings w/ Sauces: C

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 2.13

  On the way outta town we do a drive by the Winterfest of Lights, an Ocean City tradition for many a year.  As with most of our weekly sessions, the cold air was whuppin' putting wind chills into the single digits.

Target carves thru the WOL entrance.

Did a quick walking tour.  Emphasis on quick.  Wished each other well for the Holidays, and jumped back into our warm vehicles for the trek home. "And I heard them exclaim as they drove out of sight, 'Mele Kalikimaka to all and to all a stoked night!'"

"Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!"     -Home Alone

No Limits, notes from the Target

Still there.  14th Street break, 12/7

   One of our best qualities is that we do not over think what we, The Crew and this Journey, are all about.  When the weekday afternoon light allows, and the Atlantic warms it's all about what break to surf, what bar to hit.  You would think without the beach involved on a consistent basis we'd lose our line of sight.  But, this week proved such admonitions wrong.  Yes, the plan was Nick's Ribs in North OC.  But The Watt's brother wanted to join us for wings.  Believing Salisbury to be easiest for all, we chose Market Street Inn. After all, it is on the water (the Wicomico River).  A small, local establishment that has been around for quite a while and kept it's roots thru several ownership changes.  Funny, Watt's bro actually drove from OC to meet us. See...it's not just about the beach, it's more of an Eastern Shore thing.  Market Street delivered.
   The place had our football on the tubes, including our own in the booth we slid into.  We even had a one man band as the evening progressed.  The Brother arrived with an associate from work.  We're thinkin', "Two accountants...exciting conversation.  Yeah, ok."  It was. These guys had us rollin.'   Wings all around.  Asian, Hot, Stealth BBQ, and Spitfire.  Our waitress, a WVU grad, manged the beers with minimal guidance, but the wing orders were completely botched.  Did I mention she was a WVU grad?  Much to The Watt's surprise...he ended up with the Spitfires...the hottest of their hot.  Mouth on fire, eyes waterin', lips swellin', coughin'.  We all HAD to try 'em.  Hottest of the year...definitely met all descriptive adjectives in the menu.  The BBQ, Asian, and standard Hot were damn good too!  After putting out the fires with another round of brews, we finished our night enjoying the joking, bustin' chops, even the tax talk.  Ya see, the Journey has no boundaries.  No limits. The expansion continues.

THE RATINGS-

Spitfire Wings: A-

Stealth BBQ Wings: B+

Beer: B

Atmosphere: B+

Overall Score = 3.31