December 24 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum
And now… boating, bands, booze, and bowl games. The best weekend of the non-summer season is coming up. It doesn’t get any better than an entire weekend of great entertainment with the focus on absolutely nothing but eating, drinking, and fun, fun, fun. Enjoy the send-off of 2018 – and let’s roll on into another Grand year!
*****
So, now it’s on to the New Year – and time for resolutions. This year, I’m sticking to my resolve to work less and play more, spend less time on land and more time on water, and waste less time by sleeping; but I’ve decided to complete some skills that I have only half-mastered. I can do laundry with the best of them, for example, but I still can’t fold a fitted sheet. I’m a great sports fan, but I don’t have the Watch ESPN app. I can work a remote, watch TV and DVR movies and events, even find them on NETFLIX – but I haven’t mastered Apple TV. I can drink with the best of ‘em, but have never mastered the keg-stand drill. I’m working on technological skills, so I think I’m ready to move up from an iPhone 7. I may even move up from Windows 7, and, while I have everything down pat on my boat, I’m determined to finally learn what all those buttons are for on the dash of my car. I may be 19 years late, but I think this is finally my time to move, kicking and screaming, into the 21st Century! Happy New Year.
*****
I had a great time kicking off the long Christmas weekend with the “Winter Solstice Party” on the patio at The Shebang. What a great idea to fill the longest night of the year with a party. Nothing could be more appropriate on Grand Lake!
*****
I’m not sure President Trump’s push for private funding to build a wall on our southern border is going to work – but it does indicate how incredibly expensive it would be. In the first three days of private fundraising, the group raised $4 million. According to Fox News, the proposed wall would cost $25 billion. That means if fundraising continues at the same pace – roughly $1.3 million per DAY – it will take 51 years, 4 months, and 19 days to fund “the wall.”
*****
RANDOM POLITICAL THOUGHT: If General James Mattis runs for President, his campaign will be “Mad Dog 2020.”
*****
DINING AND DRINKING ON GRAND UPDATE: Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort will be open all day and all evening Saturday, December 29, Monday December 31 and Tuesday, January 1 for all the big college football bowl games.
*****
BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: I’m opening a gym called “Resolutions.” It will have exercise equipment for the first two weeks, then it turns into a bar for the rest of the year.
*****
RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: As a U.S. Marine in the late 1940s, actor Steve McQueen was assigned to the detachment guarding the presidential yacht U.S.S. Williamsburg.
*****
JIMMIE TRAMEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK (trying to steal Randy Krehbiel’s thunder): The only Oscar won by the holiday classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” was a technical achievement award earned by a special effects man because of his innovative snowflakes.
*****
BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: You can’t fight Destiny. Because if you try to fight Destiny, then you have to fight the bouncers and the rest of the strippers, too!
*****
TWEET OF THE WEEK: Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licensing agreement. In the end you just ignore everything and click “I agree.”
*****
FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Elvis Presley was drafted into the military 61 years ago this month. The great director Penny Marshall, who was also the feisty star of the hit TV series “Laverne & Shirley,” died last week. She was 75.
*****
BEST IDEA FOR THE NEW YEAR: I’m in favor of a law that requires all telemarketers to wear shock collars that can be activated by pressing the pound (#) key. Pre-recorded telemarketing pitches would self-destruct.
*****
IMPORTANT DINING AND DRINKING ON GRAND UPDATE: The “Monkey Island Family” is requesting your presence at Guest Chef night Wednesday, January 2, 2019, at The Shebang for a benefit for the family of Stella Jacobs, beloved Islander we lost last week. The guest chefs will be preparing roast beef, potatoes, carrots, gravy, rolls and dessert for $16.95 per person (Full dinner price will go to the Jacobs family). Please RSVP by December 27th. If you can’t attend, please consider a donation.
*****
GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Dave Faulkner, Jay Storey, Nancy Wyatt, Linda Ballard, Chandra Farmer, Barbara Smith, Barbara Staten, Mike McCurdy, Larry Minden, Debbie Dooley, Robert Vandommelen, Chuck Harris, Judy Harris, and Reggie Wallace.
*****
UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: How are boys supposed to write their names in the snow when they pee if they aren’t taught cursive in school?
*****
BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Winter Wonderland Christmas Lights Tour at Pine Lodge Resort and The Park of Lights Tour at Twin Bridges continue. Worth the drive. Saturday there are big football watch parties at Doc’s Bar & Grill, Monkey Island Pub, Road Hog Saloon, Mooney’s, Pickles, and Cherokee Yacht Club for OU vs. Alabama in the Orange Bowl. The same is true Monday afternoon, December 31 for OSU vs. Missouri in the Liberty Bowl. Monday night, there will be New Year’s Eve Parties almost everywhere you look on Grand Lake. Party on! At midnight New Year’s Eve, Doc’s Bar & Grill will begin serving a breakfast buffet. New Year’s Day – there’s an all-day Bowl Game marathon watch party at Doc’s.
*****
GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s plenty of great entertainment coming up around the lake over the holiday weekend. On Monkey Island, don’t miss the gigantic New Year’s Eve party with a rockin’ DJ at Big Shots. There’s also a great New Year’s Eve 1920’s Costume Party at Monkey Island Pub. At the Blind Swine, there’s live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night (including Erin Fitzgibbon Friday), and KJ Flip hosts karaoke Sunday and Tuesday, in addition to the big New Year’s Eve party. At Littlefield Corner, Lickitty Splitperforms on New Year’s Eve at the Road Hog Saloon.
On South Grand Lake, Friday night is Karaoke Night at Michelle’s Bar & Grill at Grand Lodge in Ketchum – and there’s always live entertainment at Michelle’s on Saturday night.
Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Four nights of entertainment start Friday night at Cherokee Casino-Grove with a great show featuring Brent Giddens as ELVIS. Saturday night entertainment is by Elton Dan/Gypsies, Doves and Dreams followed by DJ MIB Sunday night. New Year’s Eve entertainment begins at 5:00 with 80 and Out. Material Girl closes out the celebration beginning at 9:00. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke. Lickitty Split entertains at Bordertown Friday night, followed by The Boston Mountain Playboys Saturday. New Year’s Eve music at Bordertown features both Johnny Dale Roberts and DeWayne Bowman. Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 features music by 90 lb. Wrench Friday night. At River Bend Casino’s Club 60 West Bar, Blank Earth will perform Friday night followed by NighTTrain Saturday night. New Year’s Eve festivities feature Paralandra, all in Club 60 West Bar. Indigo Sky Casino offers five consecutive nights of holiday musical entertainment this week. Brett & Terri perform Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Dirty SaintsFriday night, Big Smitty Saturday night, and Diversity both Sunday and Monday nights.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including NFL games, college football bowl games and college & NBA basketball games are Doc’s at Shangri-La Resort, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Monkey Island Pub, Blind Swine, Road Hog Saloon, 1909 in Grove, Pickles at the Lake in Langley, and Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.
*****
BUM MUST-SEE TV: A two-hour season-opening episode of The Orville airs Sunday night at 7:00 on Fox. Monday night, there are great New Year’s Eve celebrations on ABC (Ryan Seacrest), Fox (Steve Harvey), CNN (Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen), and NBC. The Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour is also available New Year’s Eve on NETFLIX. The series premiere of The Masked Singer airs Wednesday night at 8:00 on Fox.
*****
BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Vice, Welcome to Marwen, and Second Act
*****
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “New Year’s Eve, when auld acquaintances be forgot. Unless, of course, those tests come back positive.” – Jay Leno
*****
SAVE THE DATE: Friday-Sunday, January 11-13 – OKC Boat Show at the State Fairgrounds in OKC. Monday-Sunday, January 28-February 3 – Tulsa Boat, Sport & Travel Show at River Spirit Expo, Tulsa State Fairgrounds.
*****
College football Bowl Games are on a serious roll this week. Among many other games, Baylor faces Vanderbilt Thursday night at 8:00, West Virginia faces Syracuse Friday at 4:15, followed by Iowa State and Washington State at 8:00. Saturday is playoff day. Notre Dame and Clemson face off at 3:00 followed by Oklahoma and Alabama at 7:00. Oklahoma State takes on Missouri Monday afternoon at 2:45. The New Year’s Day line-up includes Mississippi State and Iowa, LSU and UCF, Kentucky and Penn State, Washington and Ohio State; and the day wraps up with Texas and Georgia at 7:45.
It’s the final week of regular season play in the NFL. All games are Sunday this week. At noon, Oakland is at Kansas City (CBS) and the Cowboys are in New York to face the Giants (Fox). At 3:30, the Broncos host the Chargers.
There’s great NBA action this week, too. The Thursday night double-header on TNT features Boston at Houston and Philadelphia at Utah. The OKC Thunder are on the road in Phoenix Friday night at 8:00. Sunday and Monday they have back-to-back home-and-home games with the Mavericks. They’re in Dallas Sunday night at 6:00 and in OKC Monday night at 7:00. All games are on Fox Sports Oklahoma.
PGA Players are off for the holidays. They’ll be back on the course in Hawaii the first two weeks of January for the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open.
*****
The weekend weather looks perfect for indoor activities – ball games, parties, and lots of dining and drinking. Highs will be in the mid-40s with lows in the upper 20s and a chance of rain on & off throughout the holiday weekend. It’s a great weekend for bowl games and parties. So, party on, and remember…wherever you decide to party, be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you. It could be me. Happy New Year!
GRAND LAKE BUM
Want more information on advertisers you see in the Grand Lake Bum? No problem. Just click on their ad and you will be connected to their website. If you would like to join the growing list of sponsors of The Grand Lake Bum e-blast and the Bum’s page on both grandlakenewsonline.com and www.360grandlake.com, as well as Grand Times on Grand Lake, the cost is only $50 a week and the list of readers is growing. E-mail or contact grandlakebum@gmail.com to sign up. The Grand Lake Bum column is also published in The Grand Laker.
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.
1909 in Downtown Grove
Ailey’s Café in Langley
American Grill in Grove
Aquabar & Grill at The Landings Marina on Monkey Island (smoking on the deck)
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
Bobbers Café in Langley
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Café Italia on Monkey Island
Café Yum in Grove
Carlos Montez in Langley (smoking in bar)
Ceasar’s Place in Vinita and at Littlefield Corner
Checkered Past in Grove
Chickanella’s in Grove
Chicken Coop West of Langley
Clanton’s Café in Vinita
Coffee Shelter in Ketchum
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
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
Gabby’s Place in downtown Grove
Goodfella’s Pizza (Cleora and Grove)
Grand Lake Casino, north of Grove on Highway 10 (smoking)
Grand Lodge in Ketchum (smoking)
Hatfield’s Saloon in Grove
Henrie’s Grill in Grove
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
Hilltop Café in Grove
Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)
Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina
Karrie's Kaboose in Langley (smoking)
La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove
Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum
Los Garcias in Langley
Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove
Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)
Monkey’s Uncle at Littlefield Corner (Breakfast & lunch)
Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)
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
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)
Scooters in Langley (smoking)
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)
Sticky Fingers Barbecue in Ketchum
Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)
The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice
The Landings Marina (smoking on the deck)
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 Office Gentlemen’s Club on Monkey Island (smoking)
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