Back To Normal...Sort Of, from the Watt's notes.

   They've kept talking about the "New Normal." The media, the papers- both have been crowding onto the bandwagon. We ain't up for the new normal, we just want normal. It's hard to do though, especially in these times. Everyone must wear masks. Everywhere there are the signs about social distancing that serve as constant reminders. But, the OC is open for business and the Crew has been out and about once again. Our Quest for that perfect surf session and follow-up appetizer now back in swing.

Back in black I hit the sack

I've been too long I'm glad to be back

Yes I am

Let loose from the noose

That's kept me hanging about...

-AC/DC

Sliding into another clean front-sider. Holidays and 66th, 6/25/2020.

   The ocean water was a comfortable 73F as I paddled out. The air in the low eighties. As is prevalent this time of year, we had small surf, around thigh...maybe a rare waist. However it was clean, slow rolling swell. Had a very relaxing session. Conditions on the beach were similar as LWatt commented several times how nice the weather was. Even the Target had gotten back on his game. Finally, a surf session that took us away from the recent craziness, and back into the groove. Slipped into a few rights, snagged a couple backsides and finally headed in wrapping up the leash around the board's tail as I left the water. LWatt and Target packed up the chairs and towels as we proceeded to walk back across the dunes directly into a picture-perfect Eastern Shore setting sun. The light banter between us reflected the favorable conditions and mood of the evening as we looked forward to the post- surf chow.
   Our first newbie in-season review had us pulling up to Alley Oops Midtown, the Ropewalk family's latest location in the former (and obviously remodeled) OC Brewing Company. The place was made for the times as there were big, roll-up garage doors everywhere, high ceilings, a couple bars with plenty of taps, one of which had a huge projection screen TV.

Video games, pinball, and a substantial duck-pin bowling alley in the back that was under construction, but near complete. A veritable arcade within a restaurant. All in an open air atmosphere. At the head of the building were picnic style tables with umbrellas or freestanding thatched roofing, palm trees, and sting lighting. All tiki style. We took a table in the corner fronting the main drag though clear glass panels. Our masked waitress was on the spot taking our drink orders as we scanned the menu. Order up would be the Bavarian Pretzels, Epic Old Bay Wings, and a half-pound of  Steamed Shrimp Baltimore Style. I'll start by saying the food was all served hot. The Pretzel was fresh, well salted with good beer cheese and mustard dips. The wings were fat and meaty, but just a bit over spiced. The shrimp was better than average, well cooked as they were easy to peel, but they could have been a little more plump.

The beer was cold, but in cups...what looked like 12 oz. cups. Plus a couple of the taps were already spent. Yeah, we were outside, in an area covered in sand, and we know glass is frowned upon in these areas, yet we still cringe at the idea of drinking cold draft beer outta plastic...unless it's a frat party. Oh, and give us a pint! Overall, maybe a little expensive. Regardless, it was a nice night. Our service was very good, the waitress very attentive. The top 40 music could be heard with out drowning us out. Our entertainment was just what was needed this time of year...watching the tourists and traffic go by. Good food, good friends, good conversation; it made it feel like we were back to normal...sort of. It's an adventure, for sure. Guess we'll see what next week brings.

THE RATINGS-

Beer: B-

Bavarian Pretzel: B

Old Bay Wings: B+

Steamed Shrimp: B-

Atmosphere: B+

Value: B-

Overall Score = 2.96

Lacking, from the Watt's notes.

"Hungry; But not interested. Entertained; Yet not convinced." -Kaluluwa
Looking...for  a position, for a wave, for a ride, for f#*king anything.
66th and Holidays, 6/18/2020.

   As I looked back upon this session, reviewing the surf conditions, reviewing the pictures, reviewing our dining experience, I found the entire experience to be lacking. It was difficult to find inspiration in not only these aspects, but our...the Crew's...overall performance. Personally, I was lazy. Had to push myself to get farther out in the lineup to even have a chance to catch the waves as they did a fast break over a more distanced sandbar and quickly fizzled out. Which also meant I had to catch 'em near the peaks and stay away from the dying shoulders. On top of which I felt a light tug on my leash and let it give reason to come out early...which I never do. I've still never seen a shark. Target struggled with the camera, as if he was having to re-learn it's habits (ie shutting down into power saver mode if there was a stretch between shots). I could've been eaten, and he woulda' missed it this evening. LWatt distracted Target with discussion on current events and life in general, thus failing to keep him on track. 

    Beaches were open, amusements were open, and now...on a limited basis, restaurants were open...inside and out. Concerning our comfort level, we had preferred outdoors (I miss the bar!). As aforementioned, we left prematurely and headed on over to Belly Busters. However, their limited outdoor seating made them a no-go. T-Man quickly ran into action. I mean literally Ran Into Action; 3 blocks north to verify that another establishment on 48th street, had seating availability. And, indeed it did. Upon his return, we drove on up to 48th and Ocean Highway, parked our vehicles and our keisters at an outdoor table in front of Dry 85, a pub we had visited a couple years ago just before our season was starting. Maybe it was the continued struggle to overcome this pandemic. Maybe it was the effort to find a place worthy to serve the Crew. Maybe it was the accident that occurred on the main drag as we waited to be served and the onslaught of gawkers it enticed. Maybe it was the fact that the first two draft beers I had chosen were already kicked.

Whatever the issue was, this evening's dining experience lacked motivation from the start. No one could decide what they wanted, and when we did, we debated the merits of the choices. Bourbon Barbecue Wings (we get BBQ a lot). After all, it was a whiskey joint. And the Dry 85 Burger,with bacon slaw, pulled pork, and more barbecue sauce. To continue to drive the stake through the heart of this experience, the lack of kitchen help meant we waited more than an hour to get what was, for the most part, a couple of appetizers. I got my 2nd, room temp beer just before the food arrived...also room temp. The food was completely cooked. Not sure who to hold responsible here...in addition to management...but to be served luke-warm or less meant the dishes had been sitting...for a while. The wings were good sized, and meaty. They had a decent amount of sauce. Regardless, they had become tough as they got cold. LWatt even struggled to cut them up with a knife. Not pleasant. The burger, which was the best of the two, could have been award winning, but again, served less than warm, and a little too pink inside for our taste. The accompanying steak fries had good taste, but were cold as well. Our server, although continuously apologetic, was fly by night. She would bring our drinks (don't get the water- unfiltered, ugh!) and apologize for the lack of selection, then disappear. We would flag her down and she would apologize for the wait, say she would check on our food, and disappear. After bringing the food, she apologized and disappeared. And then finally bringing our tab, which based on all-told, was too much, she apologized and disappeared. I actually had to go to the hostess to get it payed and even she was hesitant to help. In general, the staff seemed slow and lost. This was truly an exploit lacking. Lacking service, lacking quality, lacking inspiration. Seemed to be an underlying theme for the evening. However, what we lacked most was appreciation. We focused on what was missing when we should have focused on what we had. Appreciation for the pleasant weather, the fact that our Crew and our families are healthy, and for our continued ability to share in each others company and continue our weekly quest. We will do better next week!  

THE RATINGS-

Bourbon BBQ Wings: C-

Dry 85 Burger: C+

Beer: C-

Atmosphere: C-

Value: C

Overall Score = 1.90

Protest, from the Watt's notes.

"Come on, loosen up. Swing, man!" -Frank Sinatra
Less protest, more harmony...streaming through the sectioned swell. 47th Street, 6/10/2020.

   I'd like to say this was a politically savvy post, but it's really not. Sure, we see what's goin' on around us. The riots are concerning. And yes, we're over the Covid. We are actually a pretty laid back Crew. But when adverse conditions hit, we get tested. Like anybody else. LWatt had't seen her parents in while, so she was traveling to Chicago to surprise them. Testing conditions of travel. Target and I held down the fort, hitting the 47th street break. High winds surprised us as we crossed the dunes. I might have protested the ocean conditions. The surf report called out semi-clean waist high waves. Instead I fought ESE wind swell to get into the lineup, and a northerly current that had me hiking back up the beach several times. I could have decided to boycott SwellInfo. Instead, the warming water temps...hittin' 72F...and a few slides through the chop provided the stoke enough to put it behind me. No need to  fight what you can't control. Perhaps a more justified protest came from Target. He found his spot, got comfortable, then had his artistic focus (he is the cameraman) interrupted by an overly talkative woman who shoulda' spent more time watching her child kicking sand all over the place, than annoying him with stories of beach adventures that never happened. Target took advantage of one my many hikes up the beach to exit, coastline to the right, thus bringing out the escapist in himself. Even pulled a passive aggressive protest-like move commenting that the waves were more consistent on the left side of the stone jetty. Not so much, but Crew members support each other, especially in the face of a conversationalist run amok. On one particular hike, I came upon a young guy with four rods lined up in the sand, ready to take on the night feeders who brashly announced, "I'm here to catch shark!" Then he asks how deep it was in the lineup, to which I replied, "about chest or so." Heading on back out, he was still busy getting his set-up ready as I drifted north. In this case I managed to snag the longest run of the evening, promising myself I would end it there. Walking up to Target he asked mockingly, "Well? You done?" I wondered if he knew about the Shark Surf Fisher. It wouldn't surprise me a bit. But, not to be intimidated I declared, "last one." Bad move. I walked by the kid as he was getting the first rod ready to launch. Protesting, I called out, "hey, last time out and it's all yours." Fortunately he nodded in concession. But, you know what they say about announcing "last ride." I drifted north, probably an extra couple blocks, to no avail. No more rides. There is no protesting Mother Ocean. She don't listen. I wrapped up, and we headed back up to our vehicles. Restaurants were still not completely open, and it was better to begin our gastronomic commentary when we were all together. The Journey is now on firm footing. The local taverns better get ready. Might as well end the protest. The Crew is comin'.

Vented Boardwalk. The OC is opening, and the Crew will be there!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Left Wanting, from the Watt's notes.

Fast breaking thigh highs. Sluggish groove. Left wanting...more. 66th St & Holidays, 6/3/2020.

"You have been weighed, 
you have been measured,
and you have been found
wanting..."  -Count Adhemar

   The Crew, rejoined again after a long quarantine. One could argue self imposed or otherwise. I mean, was it really enforced? By law? Maybe local businesses had to abide by it. Larger organizations, certainly. But our little band of untouchables? I doubt it. Still, safety first...if not for ourselves then for family most assuredly. As local government and the state began to relax restrictions, we recognized our sign (beaches opened up) and set up the first surf session of the 2020 season. Water got warm early this year. If it wasn't for beach closings, I could've been surfing way back to near March as that was about the time the ocean started to exceed the fifty degree mark. Now we were about 67 degrees. Thigh high, right side fast breakers with maybe a waist high wave here and there. I had considered the full suit, no boots or gloves, but LWatt talked me into the spring shortie. More flexibility for my old ass. Really, in the end, added flexibility didn't help with the rust much. It took most of the sesh to start scraping it away. Clearly, this fit the bill for Target. He never complains about a good kook move.

Regardless, I was able to finish on a high note, though it left me wanting for more. I believe however, that the most perturbing portion of this episode was the fact that we were unable to continue our Quest. Yep, that's what it is...again...the Quest. The slack of further direction from our beloved Governor and his plan to continue to re-open the state's businesses, his hesitation to inject life back into our resort, to rebuild the Crews' mindset (i.e. cater to our sensibilities), left us wanting. If I were to weigh and measure the politicians at large, well, conspiracy comes to mind. At least toilet paper is on the rebound! Until the next session...think positive.

Feeling the frustration waiting for Phase 2 to open local restaurants.

"We can't control nature, or the economy, or our neighbors. But, at our

absolute best, we can control our attitude, the decisions we make, how

 we respond to the world around us, and how we treat other people." 

-Zach Weisburg, The Inertia Founder