April 12 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum
We still need about 15-20 more upward ticks on the ol’ thermometer to suit me, but we’re getting there! Spring has arrived for sure. There are more boats on the water every day – even some brave souls (or nuts) are out on personal watercraft. If you haven’t dewinterized your boat, you’re due! Trees are sporting leaves and flowers are poking their heads up as the grass turns a little greener every day. High school proms are underway (including this weekend’s All-Decades Prom Costume Party at The Pub) and the golf course tee times are getting snapped up. I think the winter is finally behind us! We’ll be eating and drinking outside before you know it.
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There’s more live entertainment around the lake every weekend this time of year, but last weekend gave us a chance to look at some Grand Lake talent of the future. The Ketchum Show Choir and Drama Department dazzled the crowd at Cherokee Yacht Club with their performance of the musical “Oklahoma!” If you think the younger generation is on a downhill slide, you need to look at what good kids can accomplish with good leadership. Good things are happening in our public schools!
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If you’re out and about in your boat after dark, slide by Shangri-La Marina. Wow! Crews from LakeLights365 have installed new Oelo accent lighting at the ship store and it adds an entirely new nighttime look. I had never seen that year-round invisible lighting system before, but I’m betting we’ll start seeing them pop up on private docks and homes around the lake once the word gets out. It marks the end of the era of strings of lights and electrical cords. Check it out. I’m impressed! I might check out a system like that for my boat slip.
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Congratulations are certainly in order for Brent Howard and his band of committed supporters of the South Grand Lake Regional Airport. They celebrated their new runway last week with some great festivities. It’s a fantastic Grand Lake asset, for sure!
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Speaking of Grand Lake assets, if you haven’t been to Shangri-La Resort since fall, you won’t recognize the place. The Anchor, the resort’s new indoor-outdoor activity park is taking shape. That place is going to boost the entire Grand Lake economy. We’re just a few weeks away from having that year-round entertainment option. It’s gonna be a popular spot for visitors and locals, alike! Another multi-million dollar drawing card for the lake. Thanks, Eddy Gibbs!
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I’m confused by all the people who say they’re “done with Major League Baseball” because MLB moved this year’s All-Star Game from Atlanta to another major league park. Like they were planning to go, anyway???
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If you have donated money to Donald Trump, you might double-check your credit card account and make sure you’re not repeating the same donation every week. Reporting bureaus say Trump’s website activity has resulted in 3% of the total reported credit card fraud complaints. Apparently, there was a box automatically checked on his website saying whatever amount you donated would be billed to your account every week. So far, he’s had to refund some $122 million. But, I imagine most of his donors may not have noticed. When making contributions of any kind #checksarebest.
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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: Shangri-La begins weekly Saturday breakfast & lunch cook-out service this week on the south patio of the club house. Sunday Brunch is served to the public at Doc’s Bar & Grill (9:00-2:00) and Mulligans at Patricia Island (10:00-2:00). The Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La is now open to the public Sunday evenings for dinner service. The first weekly “Shrimp Boil & Karaoke” night of the year at Doc’s Patio at Shangri-La is set for Thursday, April 22. The Waterway Café at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina is now closed. Remodeling is underway for the second location of Blind Swine, which will open at Harbors View May 1. Sharky’s Bar at Hammerhead Marina also opens May 1, although VIP Pizza at Hammerhead is open on weekends. Eddy’s Lakeside Bar has set 2021 opening day as May 14.
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: The legendary Wynonna Judd will be performing as part of festivities Thursday evening at The Coleman Theatre in Miami. Food trucks & shopping, too. The Northeast Oklahoma Regional Job Fair is Friday from noon-6:00 at the First Christian Church in Langley. The Har-Ber Village Museum is now open for the season. Saturday night, see if you can still fit in that size and style you wore to your high school prom. It’s another Flash Back Saturday with the All Decades High School Prom Costume Party at Monkey Island Pub.
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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Thursday Night Karaoke with Jason Morgan kicks off the weekend at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La this week. Friday night, Jacob Dement provides the live entertainment at Doc’s. KJ Flip will lead the karaoke fun Thursday night at Blind Swine. Erin Fitzgibbon entertains early Friday night (6:00) followed by Jump Suit Love late. Saturday night, The Faulconers will be at the Swine, and KJ Flip will be back with Cocktails & Karaoke Sunday night. Terry Jordan entertains Friday & Saturday nights at The Summit at Shangri-La; and Saturday night is Karaoke with Tim at Monkey Island Pub.
In Grove, The Off Broadway Cabaret April fun continues at Playmakers Friday night at 7:30. Jonathan Elmore, author of “The No Bull$#!t Wine Book,” returns with “Beer and the Bard – an English Pub” featuring European beers to accompany a rap version of Hamlet!
In Miami, Wynonna Judd will be in concert at The Coleman Theatre Thursday night at 8:00.
On South Grand Lake, Laron Simpson provides the Friday night music at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney; and the great Don White will entertain Saturday night.
Indigo Sky Casino this week presents Jack Stockton & the Outlaws in the Echo Bar Thursday night, followed by Torn Friday and Stonehorse Saturday. Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar features music of Eastern Heights Friday night and 90LB Wrench Saturday. At Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar, Brett N’ Terri will be performing Friday night, and Three Chord Justice will be featured Saturday.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Mickey Mantle bunted for a hit with the bases empty 80 times during his career, including 11 times in 1956 when he won the American League Triple Crown and hit 52 home runs.
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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: With another Masters Tournament in the books, it’s worth nothing that it has now been 20 years since Tiger Woods’ “Slam of 2001,” winning all four major championships.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Your pants will never be too tight if you don’t wear any.
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: I would rather be excluded for who I include than be included for who I exclude.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: I’m pretty sure my dream job would be Karma delivery person. (Thanks to Linda Wall for sharing this one.)
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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: I just saw some red-breasted birds sitting in the sun and selling ice cream. I think they were Baskin Robins.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: If you die and get cremated, you can be put into an hourglass and still be included in family game night.
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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: I imagine you have already heard, but Prince Philip, husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, died last week. He had a good run, though. He would have turned 100 in a couple of months. As for the Queen herself, she turns 95 next week. That may not be as much of a shocker as the fact that, the day after Queen Elizabeth turns 95, Star Trek/Boston Legal star William Shatner will turn 90.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Melanie Athey, TJ Phipps, Terrei Phipps, Ashley Davidson, Ron Lay, Mark Poole, Vicki Howard, Tim Howson, Natasha Wilcox, Liz Paden, Jeff Spielmann, Jason Faulconer, Don Bullard, Steve Long, Bobby Brewer, Bruce May, Sarah Scott, Larry Sanford, Jackie Moore, Creed Littlefield, Jessica Stoelzing, and Greg Bolton.
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: A new series Big Shot debuts Friday on Disney+. Why Are You Like This comes to NETFLIX Friday. Sunday is a big night. The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards will be televised live at 7:00 Sunday night on CBS following 60 Minutes. Kate Winslet also returns to television Sunday night at 9:00 in a new mini-series called Mare of Easttown premiering on HBO.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Night of the Sicario is a limited theater release this week. Monday, Vanquish, and Killer Among Us are all available for rent this week.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Maybe you have to be a Baby Boomer from Oklahoma or Texas to get the joke, but a Southern Baptist college just won the Big Dance.” – Argus Hamilton
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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, April 22 – Grove Spring Job Fair (10:00-4:00) at the Grove Civic Center. Thursday, April 22 – First weekly “Shrimp Boil & Karaoke” of the year at Doc’s Patio at Shangri-La (5:00-9:00). Friday-Sunday, April 23-25 – Civil War Historical Weekend at Har-Bar Village. Saturday, April 24 – Wild for Spring opening of The Oasis (11:00-6:00). Saturday, April 24 – It’s Tee Time Golf Tournament at The Coves Golf Club (9:00 a.m.). Friday, April 30 – CASA’s Cherish the Children Cruise Night at the Ottawa County Courthouse parking lot in Miami (6:00-9:00). Saturday, May 1 – Kentucky Derby Watch Party at Doc’s Bar & Grill (4:00-6:30). Saturday, May 1 – Opening of Blind Swine at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina. Thursday, May 13 – Grove Chamber Members Luncheon at Grove Civic Center. Friday, May 14 – Eddy’s Lakeside Bar opens for the season at Shangri-La Marina. Saturday, May 15 – Napa Nights at South Grand Lake Regional Airport. Friday, May 21 – South Grand Lake Chamber Golf Tournament at Shangri-La. Saturday, May 22 – Mad Dog 2021 Critter Run bar crawl scavenger hunt on Monkey Island. Saturday, May 22 – Grand Opening Celebration at Marina Del Ray Resort (6:30). Saturday, May 29 – First Farmers Market of the Year at Grove Community Center. Saturday, June 5 – Camp Bandage at Grand Lake RV Resort (noon-4:00). Wednesday-Thursday, June 9-10 – SLWGA Shangri-La Tee Da Golf Tournament at Shangri-La Golf Club. Thursday-Sunday, June 10-13 – Toes in the Grand Festival at Sniders Campground and Wolf Creek Park. Saturday, June 19 – Rock the Dock Concert at Check-In Bay (noon-5:00). Friday-Saturday, June 25-26 – Grand Jam Music Festival at Grand Meridian RV Park.
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SPORTS WATCH: The PGA Tour heads to Hilton Head, South Carolina this week for the RBC Heritage. Coverage begins on the Golf Channel at 2:00 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds Saturday & Sunday at 2:00.
In the NBA, the OKC Thunder are on a grueling road trip this week to face Utah Tuesday (8:00) and Golden State Wednesday (8:00), then on to Detroit Friday (6:00), Toronto Sunday (6:00), Washington Monday (7:00), and Indiana next Wednesday (6:00). All games are on Bally Sports Oklahoma.
NASCAR drivers are back on the track this week. They’ll be at Martinsville for some Saturday night prime time racing. Coverage of the Blue-Emu 500 begins at 6:30 Saturday night on Fox Sports 1.
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The weekend weather forecast for Grand Lake looks pretty nice, although it’ll still be a little bit cool. We may have a little shower Friday morning, but it should be mostly sunny after that, with high temperatures in the low 60s and lows around 40. There’s a lot happening all around Grand Lake. Enjoy all we have for wonderful weekend fun. Remember, though, wherever you party, be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you. It could be me!
GRAND LAKE BUM
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Looking for places to go, things to do, services to use or property to buy in the Grand Lake area? Here’s a starter kit listing of “open to the public” fun places to spend time at Grand Lake.
Ailey’s Café in Langley
Artichoke Restaurant & Bar in Langley
Balcony Bar at The Shebang (Smoking – open Friday & Saturday nights)
Big Shots on Monkey Island (Open Friday & Saturday nights)
Blind Swine on Monkey Island
Blue Bluff Café at Blue Bluff Harbor
Buffalo Bar at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Café at Har-Ber Village
Café Yum in Grove
Cesar’s Place in Vinita
Cesar’s Place in Langley
Checkered Past in Grove
Chickanella’s in Grove
Chicken Coop West of Langley
Clanton’s Café in Vinita
Copper Penny Bar in Ketchum
Coppers Tea & Coffee House in Grove
Cosby’s Catfish on Highway 28 in Eucha (East of Disney)
Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort Hotel
Docks Bar at Harbors View Marina
Domino’s in Grove
Downstream Casino in Quapaw (smoking)
Drake’s on the Lake at Blue Bluff Harbor
Drake’s Restaurant in Grove
Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina (smoking)
Gabby’s Place in downtown Grove
Goodfella’s Pizza (Cleora and Grove)
Grand Lake Casino, north of Grove on Highway 10 (smoking)
Grand Lake Public House in Grove
Hatfield’s Saloon in Grove
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
Honey Creek BBQ in Grove (south of Honey Creek bridge)
Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)
Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina
La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove
Lester’s Third Street Diner in Grove
Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum
Los Garcias in Langley
Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove
Marina’s Place at Littlefield Corner
Matt’s Place in Grove
Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)
Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)
Monkey Island Trail Rides
Monkey Island Winery
Mulligan’s at Patricia Island Golf Club in Grove
Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove
Pappy’s Bar on Hwy 10 east of Grove
Pickles at the Lake in Langley
Pistol Pat’s on Honey Creek in Grove
Pit Stop Café in Grove
Quarterdeck Cafe at Tera Miranda Harbor (smoking on the deck)
Raggedy’s in Grove
Rancho Viejo in Grove
Riggs & Company in Langley
River Bend Casino in Wyandotte (smoking)
Road Hog Saloon at the entrance to Monkey Island (smoking...but not at lunch)
Rusty Anchor (next to the cliffs at Dripping Springs)
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)
Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)
Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice
The Landings Market and Grill on Monkey Island (smoking on the patio)
The Parrot at Honey Creek Landing in Grove (Smoking on the patio)
The Pourhouse at The Regatta in Grove
The Stables Casino in Miami (smoking)
The Shebang on Monkey Island (smoking on patio and Balcony Bar)
Ugly’s Grill & Bar, Thunder Bay Marina (smoking)
VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina (smoking on deck)
Water Side Bar & Grill in Grove
Waterway Café, Harbors View Marina (smoking on breakwater dining deck)
Wolf Creek Diner in Grove