March 16 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum
Welcome to Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees – Oklahoma’s official Covid-19 Coronavirus quarantine site! With ball games, golf tournaments, and major concerts canceled, museums and other tourism venues closed, half the United States shutting down and air travel discouraged, almost everybody I know is headed to Grand Lake for extended Spring Break. Come on! Rent a room, grab a bar stool, grab your golf clubs, make sure your boat is dewinterized and let’s have some fun! There’s no place safer than out on the golf course or out on the open water enjoying the first official weekend of Spring, 2020! I think a good ol’ fashioned raft-up would be a fun way to kick off the Spring season. It’s okay. Think about it. Raft-ups do NOT make up a big group of 3,000. Check your boat capacity. It’s just 300 groups of 10!
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The Coronavirus news has made me think of a lot of things I never thought of before; but I think the most surprising thing is the number of people who apparently never before thought of washing their hands.
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Nothing impacted the plethora of St. Patrick’s Day parties on Grand Lake over the weekend. I grabbed one of the specially priced St. Patrick’s weekend $99 rooms at Shangri-La Resort and took the shuttle to every party on the Island. My research revealed one thing for sure: Grand Lake party animals apparently thought “Coronavirus” was something brought on by not being able to withstand consumption of excessive amounts of Mexican beer – and they were up to the challenge!
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Monkey Islanders have planned another big event next month – mark your calendars for the “Tour d’ Island” weekend of fun April 17-19, including a glorious return of the famed “Monkey Island Pub Crawl” April 18. Complimentary transportation will be provided between Island bars & restaurants; and clubs have lined up great entertainment and some awesome drink specials. Put the dates on your calendar. It promises to be a memorable weekend, for sure. Shangri-La will also offer a late-night buffet from midnight-to-4:00 a.m. to help knock out the cobwebs. Better reserve a room while you can.
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I saw on Facebook where Port Carlos Marina was looking for someone to fill their restaurant & bar space. It sounded like a great opportunity to me, so I hopped in the boat and dashed right over. As it turns out, they were looking for someone to actually work there. Never mind.
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GRAND LAKE DINING & DRINKING UPDATE: Teri Smith will be the Guest Chef at The Shebang Wednesday night, preparing Cornish game hens! VIP Pizza is open for the season. Eddy’s, Sharky’s, and Quarterdeck all plan openings the first weekend of May.
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DRINK OF THE WEEK: Quarantini – it’s like a regular martini, but you drink it at home by yourself.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Besides having a mathematical theory named for him, Pythagoras did not eat beans, possibly because he believed flatulence expelled the soul.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Some people are not shaking hands because of the Coronavirus. I’m not shaking hands because everyone is out of toilet paper.
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Arguing with a woman is like reading a software licensing agreement. In the end, just ignore everything and click “I agree.”
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: I just found out that “SMH” means “shaking my head,” not “sex might help.” Who knew?
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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: I hate how funerals seem to start mostly at 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. I’m not really a mourning person.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: A belly button is basically a scar from when you got in a knife fight with a guy in a mask after being evicted from your first place.
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FEEL OLD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel – Dr. Seuss, author of 40 classic children’s books – would have turned 116 last week.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Carla Steckline, Dana Able, Bill Slepka, Richard Lippitt, Rusty Fleming, Drew Faulkner, Julie Londagin, Jan Smith, Paul Loving, David Ogle, Jason Macer, Todd Segress, Helen Oden, and Ryan Dalton.
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Do twins ever realize that one of them was unplanned?
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: John Sumner’s 20th Annual Big Meat Run is this weekend (Friday-Sunday) at the Off-Road Area below Pensacola Dam in Disney. Friday morning at 8:00 is the Grove Chamber’s legislative “Eggs & Issues” breakfast at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Grove.
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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s great entertainment around the lake this weekend. On Monkey Island, Jason Morgan provides the karaoke fun at Thursday Night Prime Rib & Karaoke at Doc’s Bar & Grill; and he is back with the trivia questions Tuesday night at Doc’s. Terry Jordan performs Saturday & Sunday nights at Shangri-La’s Summit Restaurant. At the Blind Swine, Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night and KJ Flip hosts Cocktails & Karaoke Sunday night. Monkey Island Pub hosts Karaoke with Tim Saturday night. At Littlefield Corner, the Road Hog Saloon has live entertainment every Saturday night.
On South Grand Lake, there are two big nights of live music at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney this weekend. Barrett Lewis and Rick Huskey will entertain Friday night, followed by Dustin Pittsley Saturday night.
Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino Grove features Brett & Terri Friday night and 90lb. Wrench Saturday night. Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 offers live music from Time Machine Friday night and Karaoke Saturday night. At River Bend Casino, DJ 5 Star Entertainment puts on the show Friday night in Club 60 West Bar. D’ Elegantz Band will be live at Club 60 West Saturday. At Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill, The Cowtippers will perform Friday night, and there will be DJ action Saturday night. At Downstream Casino, there is a ton of live entertainment this week in Legends Sports Bar and in Lover’s Leap Lounge. Rosy Hips open the week Wednesday night at Legends followed by Jesse Joice Friday night, Larry B & the Cradle Rockers Saturday night and Retrorockerz next Wednesday. In Lover’s Leap Lounge, The Widowmakers entertain both Friday & Saturday nights. Indigo Sky Casino has three nights of great entertainment this week, starting with Johnny Dale Roberts Thursday. Morgan Squared will be on stage Friday night, followed by Big Smitty Saturday.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action including PGA Golf NCAA Tournament and NBA basketball action and NASCAR are Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort, Road Hog Saloon, Blind Swine, 1909 in Grove, Pickles at the Lake in Langley, and Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Top Chef airs Thursday night at 9:00 on Bravo. The Blacklist returns to NBC Friday night at 7:00 and a sneak preview of Council of Dads airs next Tuesday night at 9:00 on NBC.
BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Emma and A Quiet Place Part II
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Forgive me for noting that conservatives seem to believe that the rich will work harder if we give them more, and the poor will work harder if we give them less.” – E.J. Dionne, Jr., Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution
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SAVE THE DATE: Friday-Sunday, March 27-29 – Shangri-La Oldtimers Reunion for former Shangri-La employees from over the decades past at Shangri-La Resort, Doc’s, Shebang, and Blind Swine. Saturday, April 4 – GEFFE Gala at Grove Civic Center. Saturday, April 11 – Kentucky Derby “Fun Run” at Ridgerunner Stadium in Grove (2:00-4:00) – stick horses – too much fun. Friday-Sunday, April 17-19 – Tour d’ Island Weekend on Monkey Island. Saturday, April 18 – Monkey Island Pub Crawl. Saturday, April 18 – The fabulous Old Bulldog Band performs for a fundraiser at Big Shots. Saturday, April 18 – South Grand Chamber Bootleggers Ball at Cherokee Yacht Club. Saturday, April 25 – Monkey Island Trail “Golf Cart Poker Run” fundraiser. Friday, May 1 – Season Opening for Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina. Friday, May 1 – Season Opening for Sharky’s Bar at Hammerhead Marina. Friday-Sunday, May 1-3 – Nichols Marine In-Water Boat Show at Shangri-La Marina. Saturday, May 2 – Season Opening for Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda Harbor. Saturday, May 2 – 10th Annual Cedar Port Marina Scavenger Hunt benefiting the Ketchum Backpack Program. Friday, May 8 – Grove Chamber Golf Tournament at Patricia Island.
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SPORTS NON-WATCH: March Madness is not here after all. The NCAA canceled the iconic Basketball Championship Tournament games – the first time the tournament has not run since its inception in 1939. The NCAA has canceled all spring championships in all sports. Tune to ESPN Classic Channel if you need a sports fix.
Pretty much everything else has fallen victim to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, as well. No NBA games, no NHL, no PGA, no soccer, no professional fights – and most concerts have been canceled. NASCAR plans to run – but with no fans in the stands. MLB has canceled spring training and delayed the start of the regular season by two weeks. Most major college basketball conference championship tournaments were canceled last week.
NASCAR drivers are in Florida this weekend - at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Dixie Vodka 400 – but with no fans in the stands. You’ll have to catch it on TV. It shouldn’t be hard to find. It will be the only sporting event anywhere. Coverage begins at 1:00 Sunday on Fox.
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The weather for the first weekend of Spring looks very Spring-like. The rain should wrap up Friday morning, giving way to weekend sunshine, but a little cooler temperatures. Highs will be in the upper 50s with lows in the low-to-mid 40s. Enjoy Spring Break on Grand Lake and all the many entertainment options that abound! Remember, though… wherever you decide to 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.
1909 in Downtown Grove
Ailey’s Café in Langley
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
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
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
Henrie’s Grill 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
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.)
Morrow’s Bar & Grill at Morrow’s Landing
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 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