Lose A Little, Get A Little, notes from the Target

Thigh high shorebreak.  61st And Rt 90, 6/25/2014

  More heat and humidity on the Eastern 'Sho this week.  Summer is in, and now we begin to lose a little of that lucky 'ol sun just a hair earlier each day. Gotta make the most of each session dude.  Vacation time too.  We gonna be out of it for a week or so.  Plans changed to hump-day this week.  And to make the evening start a bit latter, DWatt has me pick up an unknown package from an unknown person at his work.  Hey, I did it for a Bro. Would have thrown 'im under a bus if it cost me, but no worries.  Camera and change of clothes.  Personally, I think the Wattman causes others to need a vacation more than him.  Personally.
   The surf reports called out for semi choppy thigh high surf.  To find any kind of lineup we shift down five/six blocks just to find a break that's not crashing directly on shore.  A warm SE cross shore wind pushes the swell to the right. Good for Watt as he favors the frontside.  Regardless, time and time again, the Watt found himself bailing fast after the initial drop. Bodyslams into the sand ain't no fun, but the man seems to enjoy a few. Managed to finish up with a nice one after the curl rolled him, and still he popped up with a smile.  Funny, the month of June has seen Wattman get pounded time and again just trying to scratch the small stuff.  Myself... another windy day with humidity thick enough to dampen me without even being sprayed by the shorebreak.  I think we're seein' an unwelcome trend here.

Gettin' a little, 61st St.  6/25

   The evening's heading was Papa Grande's on Rt. 54 in Fenwick.  We've passed it by aver that past year or so and decided it was time they needed a review.  Another two story barn structure, but with one end open and facing the Assawoman Gut.  Dining downstairs, bar upstairs.  up we went. Huge projection TV at the opposite end.  O's baseball.  All you need.  Quiet night.  Only eight others, but hey- less wait.  We order up a couple of themed brews (ie Corona and a Troegs Holy Mole IPA).  Pulled from the menu the Jumbo Wings and the Pincho, two combo skewers of chorizo and scallops with toast and hot sauce.  Here I get harsh.  1 scallop, 1 small chunk of chorizo, per skewer.  14 bucks.  Not happy.  The wings, nice taste, big spice, but only three uncut whole wings (= 6 cut wings).  Very pricey for the small portions.  bigger portions would have made all the diff. On top of that the place closes at 10pm.  Every night!  If not for the two baskets of free chips and salsa, we'd have left mucho hungry (may explain the thin crowd).  This experience will make us think twice before a return engagement is even considered.  We move on in 2.

THE RATINGS-

Jumbo Hot Wings: C (need more)

Pincho: C (need mucho more)

Beer: C+

Atmoshere: B-

Overall Score = 2.25

Gimme The Heat, notes from the Target

Holidays, 66th.  6/19/2014

   Just a few short days before Summer.  A heat wave type of week. In the words of Lovin Spoonful, "Hot town, summer in the city."  The heat index exceeded 100 for three straight days.  You hafta wonder what the summer's gonna be like if it continues.  But if there is one thing that can overcome a heat wave, it is the beach.  Hot weather.  Fair nights.  Crowded shore.  More variety than a handful of tourists crowding my space.  Ah, no. Not to be.  As we ride up to the dune crossing the sun has been shrouded. A cool onshore wind replaced the earlier signs of summer.  Across the sand were people in jackets with their dogs.  A few dudes surf fishing.  C'mon man, gimme the heat! As I slipped on another shirt layer, the Watt marched on.  Water temps are around 70 now, less rubber, easier to maneuver.  Swell was about knee to thigh. Close-outs mostly.  First wave was a faceplant as the wall collapsed. However, lots of daylight left.  Time to grab several decent rides, and Watt took advantage.

Semi-chopped thighs, grab 'em while ya can.  

  New rodeo this night.  Ye Ole Christmas Shop on 34th is now Barn 34. Kept the wood floors and stairs to the 2nd floor.  Original barn feel.  A nice bar area on each floor.  Fine dining downstairs, more casual up.  What we felt was an unfortunate feature was the lack of taps at the downstairs bar. Headed upstairs to the taps and as there were no seat available, settled up to a table.  They feature a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.  On order, the Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos and the Barn Wings.  Honestly, nothing that stood out.  The tacos were bland and the wings, while meaty, were your basic buffalo style.  Fair beer selection that they rotate, and they were served in a cold (not chilled) glass.  No Miller Lite (boo).  Not quite sure what crowd they were going for.  A couple of TV with college baseball over the bar, and a large flatscreen showing a surf flick over the west end windows.  Kinda a pirate-surf-western flare.  They did bring in a band (we had to move to the bar at this point). Colossal Fossil Sauce. We stayed for a number or two, though we had to wait a bit for them to get started.  Even had bongos. Good sound.  Original.  The place is owned and run by the former owners of the Pirates Den.  Former tenants of the (now demolished) Yankee Clipper Motel.  The staff seemed to be lost at times.  No surprise.  This is a start up.  Hopefully still there in the seasons to come as the potential is deserving of another chance.  Onward!

THE RATINGS - 

Barn Wings: C

Mahi Fish Tacos: C

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: B

Overall Score = 2.31

Onshore Chaos, the Target's notes.

Predictable end...pulling from the shorebreak crash, 46th St.  6/12/2014

   Chaos theory.  Seemingly random events are actually predictable.  Why am I going all intellectual on you?  Well it seems this theory has my name written all over it.  Hard Target aka Captain Chaos.  This week as we crossed the dune at 47th Street, we were met with overcast skies, an impending fog moving in, and an empty beach.  Wattman hit the semi-chopped surf, and I settled to enjoy the quiet beach-head and crashing waist high waves.  it's a calming effect for me.  Really.  The pounding waves forced up the sand and a fast withdraw to be repeated over and over, or a small ripple on those flat days that slowly creep up the shoreline and then recede almost forcibly, as if being pulled by unseen hands.  But as I get my center on the surf sitting on my small portions of a beach so wide, long and empty, the Chaos Theory comes into play.  For the third time this year, my random act of choosing a space of beach for myself seems to instantly attract others.  I'm not talking a couple strolling by, or a few peeps here and there.  No, no, no.  I'm talking families.  In my line of sight.  Talking on cell phones so loud it's as if they're including me in the conversations. Kids... preshoolers, running amok (which kids will do), up and down, in and out of the surf's edge, parents too busy on their cell's, only half-assedly paying attention.  Chaos.  I move out of the way.  They seemingly follow. Meanwhile the Watt is racing the incoming fog and fighting a hightide beachbreak. Onshore NNE winds  make for more lefts than rights, and each ride (or at times attempt) reins in the fog closer.  But the water has finally kissed 70F and it's twilight before we head back.
   This evening's Journey stop was the 45th Street Taphouse.  We did this place a couple years back when it first opened.  Definitely went through growing pains, but their perseverance shows. The Lauren Glick Duo, live music at it's best, was playing up front as we waited at a table in the back. Ten minutes...ignored by the same guy.  Mr. FatTat should be fired as he gave the one poor impression to an otherwise gleaming experience (a similar problem the first time 'round).  Finally two seats opened up at the bar and our service instantly improved.  Our bartender set us up with a couple of craft drafts, not as cold as you might expect at a taphouse, but tasty. We even tasted a few samples.  Ordered up the Tall Draft Hot Wings and Taphouse Pulled Pork with spicy coleslaw.   The wings had a different taste, but were very good.  The pulled pork- spicy slaw combo was near excellent...coulda' slapped on a little more pork though.  Merge the great live music with the excellent bar service and we almost forgot about Zippy Pinhead (no, we didn't like the waiter).  Beer- great selection and while we prefer iced glass, they need to at least run 'em through a chiller spray before serving.  Here n now, just pull' em off the shelf.  The band was fantastic, but their break was our queue to hit the road.  Nice improvement here.  Maybe again in two.

THE RATINGS-
Tall Draft Hot Wings: B
Taphouse Pulled Pork: B+
Beer: B+ (chill that glass!)
Atmoshere: A-
Overall Score = 3.31

Off Probation, notes from the Target

...what da Crew do.

  We have spoken of the need to make the most outta every ounce of possibility during the 100 days of Summer.  Well, it seems this year Mr. DWatt is having some trouble.  First it was work,  then the Woman, and finally a dubious sick day.  Three weeks of possibilities missed.  To be truthful I was wondering if he'd run outta gas, couldn't throw the heater no more, maybe time to put him down.  I am harsh.  A fact.  However, as a friend I was considering putting him on double secret probation.  In the words of Dean Wormer, "the time has come for someone to put his foot down.  And that foot is Me." Etc., etc., etc...

   But this week The Watt returned, full of need to feel the speed of the fast rights that have been sparking the swell conditions all week. An overcast afternoon that all but disappeared as we crossed the dune line,  we were met with bright sunshine, a light warm onshore SE breeze, dead low tide, and one of the most promising sessions in a long time.  Empty line-up and surprisingly, an empty beach.  Imagine that...start of June-Bug season and no bugs on the beach!  Sets fell into two categories, short closeouts with no stamina, and extended right breaks.  DWatt felt the hammer a few times as he scratched to find his groove, but he was able to savor a few sweet extended jaunts into the second half.

Claw of the Hammer...say bye bye.

Taken off probation.  Holidays at 66th, 6/5/2014

   You steal as much light as you can this time of year, but as the shadows fell we headed to 22nd and the bay - Fish Tales.  Two bars to choose from, we found us a couple of seats at the open air bar on the marina.  Wattman went old school and grabbed the special, a PBR in a can.  Myself, the usual Miller Lite in a cup...A Damn Plastic Cup!  I don't care that it has a fancy bar logo on it!  Beers weren't even ice cold.  Just colder than room (ie below 25C).  Still, beer is good.  We ordered up a couple of Mahi Fish Tacos and the Rooster Agave Wings.  The tacos were average.  Fish a bit dry. Overpriced for the offering.  The wings, different.  Nice sweetness with a hint of spice.  The keeper of the night really.  The view, the music, sand to go around, nice.  What we expect from a summer beach bar.  Sure as the night wears on it gets fun.  Come again?  Yes, but it may be awhile.

The local Brews Brothers.

THE RATINGS-
Rooster Agave Wings: B
Mahi Fish Tacos: C
Beer: C
Atmosphere: B
Overall Score = 2.50