Rear View Mirror, from the Target's notebook.

Like I told you so many times before, you're gonna come back...   -the Rolling Stones
Though clad in the cold steel blue and iron green of a winter swell, the allure of the Ocean calls. OC's 49th St., 1/20/2019.

   We look upon the past and make our decisions for the future. Like driving a car, using the rear view mirror to see where you've been so you can have a clearer understanding of where you are going. This is not as easy a process as one might expect. We mediate on new membership, evaluate the status quo, and blacklist delinquent sub- performing members (you know who you are).

Consistency makes for clean Stoke.

Hard to beat Castle's summer break,

 8/2/2019.

Toward this end I have scrutinized several years of our annual reviews and have come to a single conclusion. While they say the days, weeks, and months pass slowly, it is the years that fly by. After re-reading the reviews my mind is boggled at all we have done. All the places we have seen, the people we have met and the camaraderie we have enjoyed (and sometimes endured). It's hard to believe we've managed to keep this marathon on track for such a long time. Sometimes boisterous, diverting, amusing, yet simple. And it has become so entrenched as part of our lives. Thus, once again we are looking at another summer filled with the simple expectation of having no expectations. We will just deal with each others idiosyncrasies, and enjoy the rides no matter how big or small the break or the speed in which it seems to pass by.  Perhaps the Stones had it right so many years ago, "time is on my side, yes it is," especially when you have good friends to stand beside.

Trendkeeper..the new Number One, Albertino's pizza

delivered! 9/19/2018

   In 2018 we actually visited slightly fewer places than previous years. Part of this was due to my hatred of cold weather so our off-season collection of critiques was diminished. And of course, the Watts Hawaiian vacation and summer company, nearly another month of reviews forfeited. Wattman did do a good job of introducing several new locations some of which scored extremely well and some not so much.

Hurricane Florence's Carolina approach provided some of the

best mid week pre-storm conditions of the Tropical season.

46th-47th Street Front. 9/12/2018.

Bit more upscale than we're used to, DiFebo's

Veal Meatballs won us and 2nd in our scoring, 12/5/2018.

Ah, but that is part of the adventure and it's why we go. It was no surprise that the Crew's soon to become annual homemade lasagna dinner, an LWatt family recipe, scored the highest in our ratings. But having two new Italian taverns score first and second among the patrolled venues, (Albertino's and DiFebo's) showed a real trend.

Berlin's Globe maintained

a solid 3rd based in no

short order on their Tuna

Tacos. 12/13/2018

The Globe, after several years of our absence, still a strong number three. And, an up and coming Crew foodie favorite along the Maryland-Delaware beach parkway is the Off the Hook Restaurant Group. Just Hooked, their Fenwick Island location scored forth among the 31 total dives assessed. Yes, it was early...February actually, but Full Moon Saloon's low-man score didn't surprise anyone. Based on our original 2015 visit, not much had changed.

No chances taken...not unusual to find Target and LWatt

discussing the evening's choice prior to entrance.

Just Hooked, 4th place overall. 9/6/2018

Did someone mention Full Moon Saloon? Still reeling six

months later. Rodeway's, 8/8/2018.

   So we begin again, the quest to find the perfect joint or upscale locale. The "dive" that checks all the boxes. We may not have found it yet but we know it's out there, somewhere. In a rare occurance of exceeding expectations, Wattman came up with a list of 35 plus opportunities to explore over the upcoming season. Check behind, adjust our rear view, put the car in drive, and mash down on that accelerator. We need to check some boxes!

Change Up, from the Target's notebook.

Wouldn't take much for me to up and run,
To another life somewhere in the sun.    -K. Chesney

1st snow, Atlantic Avenue- the Boardwalk, OCMD. 1/13/2019                  -C. Parypa Pic

   Cold has set in. Winter was finally making itself known. First snow, though only three or so inches combined with freezing rain. Our nights now keeping below the icy mark. The Atlantic's waters in the balmy, lower 40s. Time to head out again. In years past we have always started at our original haunt, Smitty McGees. It was a rite of passage that was passed down for years. This year however, we decided to change up tradition and start the year at an alternate location. That being Tall Tales. Wattman's idea.

He claims it was done for my benefit. Closer to me, I must admit. But, it is a brewery. Hence, I must wonder. It is hard to feel the Watt's sincerity where beer is involved. As usual I arrived on time and had to wait...another Christmas wish unanswered. It had been some time since we last had seen the inside of this establishment, and some favorable improvements had been made. The back of the place that use to be outdoors has now been enclosed and serves as one of two bars. With two open wood-fired ovens and a gas heater the place was very comfortable, even on a cold windy night. It'd been over a month since having the Crew together, thus catching up on our doings from Christmas and New Years was priority as was the liquid refreshment which was soon ordered. This being a brewery there was a broad selection of beer, improved according to the Wattman's palate.

Another noticeable improvement was the menu. Little more bistro-like. We began with a Deconstructed Tuna Bowl...kinda like a seafood salad without the lettuce. The tuna was good but there was so little of it was hard to really judge. The cold crab was very bland but it did have several large crab chunks. Watt and I were hoping for more out of this item as the menu write up was better than what we had. LWatt went with the Southwest Cobb Salad which was large and abundantly presented. Finally the wings, specifically Moroccan Wings, with a BBQ, brown sugar, and cinnamon dry rub.I did not care for the resulting flavors, but Watt enjoyed the mix.

 The big problem here was, a couple of the wings were not completely cooked through. Uncooked chicken wings get penalty points in my book...automatically. However, with this being winter we did not spend the entire night at the bar debating proper wing prep techniques. We finished off our brew and cuisine, paid the robust tab, then said our good byes as we headed our respective ways into the cold night. Lot of improvements at Tall Tales. Decent music, plenty of TVs, good beer, and a comfortable atmosphere, we would definitely schedule a return visit. For the time being, at least until the spring thaw sets in...think I'll let Wattman handle the notes.Til then, bring on the next dive!

 Tall Tales Brewing, 1/17/2019.                                    THE RATINGS-

Deconstructed Tuna Bowl: C+

Southwest Chicken Salad: B

Moroccan Wings: C

Beer: B

Atmosphere: B

Value: C+

Overall Score = 2.58