Kick 'Im To The Curb, notes from the Target

Early Spring Glass, 3/20.          -pic courtesy Malibus

   First day of Spring.  Warm weather?  Sunshine? Flowers and trees buddin'?  None of the above. Average daily temps are still below normal. Snow every other week.  Like a woman facing mid-life, the Atlantic seems to dread breaking 40.  Spring really needs to kick Old Man Winter to the curb.  Like now.  Sometimes we tend to take matters into our own hands, and last Thursday we decided to hit America's Coolest Small Town, Berlin, Md. and warm up the spirits upscale like at the Globe Theatre.  I walked the area earlier on, and with the shopping well appointed and local restaurants doing a brisk business it's no surprise this town, six miles inland of Ocean City, is becoming quite the destination.
   The Globe, an early 20th century theater turned ritzy restaurant and bar. Ritzy/upscale, ie. higher priced.  Definitely not the price range of the dives we've frequented as of late.  But the food and beer offerings seemed to match the dollar value.  A fair beer selection with local crafts and Natty Boh on tap.  I was bold...went for the bottled Miller Lite.  Dwatt's Chi-Town Girl joined us once again as the food we ordered became a bit more adventurous.  Wings, gotta have 'em.  We ordered spicy Grilled Jerk Wings. and the Watt pushed for the sushi grade Tuna Tacos, both blackened and seared.  I was a little sceptical of these bad boys, but Wattman was right on point as these were seriously primo tacos...cooked perfectly.  Some of the best tuna I've ever had.  The barkeep warned of the Scoville levels of the house jerk sauced wings.  He was not lyin'.  Watt loved 'em, his woman wouldn't touch 'em, and I could take 'em or leave 'em...a bit over spiced for me.  Both live and pumped in music played in the background and the flatscreens were slingin' the NCAA Basketball Tournament games. As the bar became crowded, we carved deep into the pockets, paid the tab, and made our exit.  Couldn't help thinkin' the voters were spot on: this is a cool town.

THE RATINGS

Spicy Jerk Wings: B

Tuna Tacos: A

Beer: B-

 Atmosphere: B+

Overall Score = 3.25

da Crew

Pines Tour 2: Reverse Warming, notes from the Target

"I said, Doctor, doc-tor, Mister m. d., doc-tor, Can you tell me, what's ailing me?"  -Grateful Dead
Ocean City skyline across Herring Creek, 3/13.

   Finally.  We sprang forward and got that extra hour of light.  Just what the Doctor ordered.  It is at this time of year that we are usually chompin' at the bit.  But this year, Dr. Strange is doing the 'scripts.  Global warming in reverse. Nothing melting here.  With all this cold and snow, our Late Winter Tour of the Pines has found us scrounging for the smallest window just to get out.  No wonder the Siren of the 'Shore has been silenced; the continuous nip in the air has somehow hidden the sweet smell of Spring. OC's piece of the Right Coast pie still lingering around 40F.  Like havin' a broken radiator, the surf's looking to get pushed into May.  That'll suck!  To inundate our misery, we punched the clock at an Ocean Pines original, Whiskers Bar and Grill.
   Not that we were the only ones in the house, but with all of the retired locals we were fairly easy to pick out.  Our bartenders were on their toes and had us a couple of cold beers only moments after arrival.  The brew selection was limited.  No surprise in this place.  But the brews were cold, went down smooth, and available in both 12 & 16 oz....Really!  Traditional pub food, and we systemed up with buffalo wings and $1 tacos.
   I jumped on the wings (not literally), and found them to be sauce-less, breaded (a no-no), and otherwise not memorable.  The Wattman found the Tacos to be bland (agreed).  In fact we were willing to take bets that they had boxes of generic taco kits stacked ceiling-high in the back.  No chopped onions, no shredded cheese.  Even the salsa lacked kick.  TVs small and out of place.  Music was a local country station. An overall underwhelming experience.  Very affordable (it outta be).  And with limited choices in the Pines, it's no wonder the locals congregate here.  We got more lookin' to do.

"Hangovers installed and serviced."

THE RATINGS - 

Buffalo Wings: C-

Tacos: C-

Beer: C

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 1.88

   

Temptation Damned, notes from the Target

"I never seen you look so good.  You never act the way you should.  But I like it."
                                                                                                                             -Poison, Talk Dirty To Me
Holidays, 66th Street.  2/27

   I'd say, Dame Nature is taunting us.  Last weekend, temps in the lower 70's.  This weekend, mid-60's.  Chicks wearing skirts 'n shorts again.  All the while the Atlantic hovers around 40...ish.  Sometimes 38-39, sometimes 40-41.  Temptation damned.  At the outset of last week we got flurries, today the latest in winter storm fronts dumped sleet and snow up to 4 to 6 inches (in some places even more) on the area. That rat bastard, Jack Frost just don't wanna release his grip.  On the whole damn country for God's sake.  So I got my snow blower gassed up.  Wattman I'm sure, has his snow shovel all cleaned and honed.  Ready to do battle until Spring does arrive.  Course, I could just stay inside and catch baseball's spring training on MLBTV while the snow melts. This weather just mocks you. Damn it!  Damn it all to hell!
  Okay, better now.  This past week began our Tour Of The Pines.  Outside the confines of West OC, our Journey extended to the Northwest (of Isle of Wight Bay).  Racetrack Road/589 crosses right through Ocean Pines and at the southern terminus is a small locals dive, Shooters Sports Pub.   As we had last patronized the place a couple years back when it was formerly known as the Steer Inn, this was sorta a re-visit.  They've cleaned up the joint, added more pool tables and a game area.  But still small.  Obviously in it for the local business, not the summer crowd.  With this weather as of late, our timing is spot on.
   Once again we got our requests in before the end of Happy Hour.  I must say, the brews were cold... but not iced.  A little downer considering the small crowd.  But this place had limited space, so no surprise.  Fair selection, a couple micros with the standard domestic offerings, but HEY... at least half of 'em were tapped out!  Not cool.  Typical pub menu.  Ordered up the Western Wings and Crab Cake Sliders w/ fries.  Everything cooked up behind the bar on mini stoves and grills.  The sliders,  respectable taste, but not what we call "fresh caught seafood."  More like recently thawed Sysco.  The Watt liked 'em (still trying to get him to sharpen his pencil on these ratings).  Fries were good.  Wings...hmmm. Described as having a dry rub. Fry 'em up, add some grease, and you got Western Wings. Middling taste,  what I call "less than."  Music was fair.  DJ due in just about the time we were leaving.  Nothing to hold us there.  Average bar, really. Not on our game yet.  Hoping the next joint, warmer weather, and clearer heads will get the Mojo goin' again.

THE RATINGS-

Western Wings: C-

Crab Cake Sliders: C

Beer: (replace those kegs, bro) C

Atmosphere: C+

Overall Score = 2.0