September 23 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum
What a busy weekend gone by. Wow! There was no way to make every event on the lake. In fact, there were so many parties on Monkey Island, I never even made it off the peninsula. The fun started earlier last week, so I had to watch out for my liver a little. Thursday night was tough enough between the South Grand Chamber Business After Hours event and Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell’s “Luau on the Green” – both at Shangri-La. But then came a Friday night gathering at The Blind Swine that went way too late; but at least it got me in shape for Saturday night’s Member Appreciation Party at Shangri-La, the Ultimate Sports Fan party at Monkey Island Pub and a night cap at the End of Summer Protest Party at Big Shots. By Sunday, I just had to sip bourbon slowly and chew on Fried Chicken. This week looks equally busy.
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After Lieutenant Governor Pinnell’s big luau Thursday night, he hosted a Golf Tournament at Shangri-La Friday. I predict a bright political future for our outgoing #2 executive in the state. He not only managed to have a lot of fun and raise a lot of money; but he also managed somehow to win his own golf tournament! Requests for a thorough score card audit were politely refused.
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Since Oklahoma is officially in the Tenth U.S. Court Circuit, there is a new court ruling that allows everybody to go topless in Oklahoma, if you like. No, really! The city of Fort Collins, Colorado has decided to end the fight defending its ordinance banning women from walking around topless in public. In February, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals said the law amounted to unconstitutional discrimination, saying the ordinance was based on “negative stereotypes depicting women’s breasts, but not men’s breasts, as sex objects.” The court ruling is a victory for a group called “Free the Nipple,” a global movement seeking equal treatment for women. The people who got this battle started are tough folks, for sure! I’m still trying to figure out how drunk you have to be to walk around topless in Colorado in February!
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In this week’s sports news, the New England Patriots cut Antonio Brown. Good for them. It is rumored that he already has signed an endorsement contract with McDonald’s, though – one that is thought to be perhaps the largest in McDonald’s history. $17.50 an hour.
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According to the calendar, Fall is officially here. I’m still holding out for October 31 to be the last day of Summer since we got a late start, but the calendar lists September 23 as the official first day of Fall. So…for all you people who enjoy sitting around in the smoke eating burned food and watching everything die – your time of the year is approaching!
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DINING AND DRINKING ON GRAND LAKE: Domino’s in Grove (3rd & Main) is now open. The Quarterdeck Restaurant at Tera Miranda is closed for the season. Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina and Ugly’s Grill & Bar at Thunder Bay Marina remain open.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: As recounted in Ken Burns' country music series, singer Johnny Cash's birth name was simply "J.R." Cash. Why the change? The Air Force wouldn't allow him to enlist with just initials for a name.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: One day YouTube, Twitter and Facebook will join together and be called “You Twitface!” (thanks to Susan Graham for sharing this one)
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MOST HELPFUL VOICEMAIL HEARD THIS WEEK: “If you have received this recording, please hang up and text me. I haven’t checked my voicemail since 2005.”
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Septic tanks pumped. Swimming pools filled. Not same truck.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Sorry I took my pants off at your gender reveal party. I thought we were all participating. My bad.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: The three hardest things to say are 1) I was wrong; 2) I need help; 3) Worcestershire Sauce.
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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Did you hear about the dog that gave birth by the side of the road? She was ticketed for littering.
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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: This week is the 49th anniversary of the first Monday Night Football broadcast. Remember those hilarious trend-setting comedy routines by Cheech & Chong? Cheech Marin is now 73 years old. Tommy Chong is 81. It was 34 years ago last Saturday that a little-known actor made his first appearance as a handyman on the popular TV sitcom The Facts of Life. He appeared in 17 episodes of the show, which aired from 1979 to 1988 and chronicled the lives of a group of young women who meet at a fictional boarding school. It must have been a good start for him. His name is George Clooney.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Gay Cornell, Jill Kelly, Fred Northrop, Bill Davis, Kathy Lungren Baker, Bill Durrett, Mickey Tyrrell, Tim McCrary, Danny Head, Carl Fiddner, Gary Hardman, Mike Mitchell, Jim Anderson, Mike Lillie, Russ Soderberg, Chris Merillat, and Mary Bulten!
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why do doctors’ offices set appointment times, then ask you to come 15 minutes early? Why don’t they just give you the right appointment time to begin with?
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: If food is your thing, this is your week at Grand Lake. The Grove Rotary club has a social Thursday evening (6:00-8:00) on the Grand Lake Queen Riverboat. Saturday is the South Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Hook N Cookoff at South Grand Lake Regional Airport (9:00-2:00). Saturday night is “A Taste of Grand” at the Integris Grove Hospital campus with food tasting opportunities from virtually every restaurant in the Grand Lake Area – plus live entertainment (6:00). For lovers of rock crawling, Friday & Saturday is the GCO Off-Road Expo at the Pensacola Dam off-road area.
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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s great entertainment around the lake again this weekend. On Monkey Island, Jason Morgan will kick off the weekend at Doc’s Patio at Shangri-La Thursday at 6:00 with DJ and karaoke fun combined with the weekly Thursday night Shrimp Boil. Eddy’s Lakeside Bar features the music of Western Justice Saturday night. The Balcony Bar at The Shebang is open Friday & Saturday nights for karaoke fun; and there’s great dance music featuring DJ $way right across the street at Big Shots Rhythm & Booze. At Monkey Island Pub, Cale Lester will perform Saturday night. At the Blind Swine, Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night followed by DJ Deeko. Sunday nights are Open Jam Sessions for musicians at the Swine. Tuesday is DJ fun with Deeko and Wednesday nights, Erin Fitzgibbon is back for karaoke fun. At Littlefield Corner, there’s great music every weekend at the Road Hog Saloon.
In Grove, The West Hart Band will entertain at Saturday night’s annual “A Taste of Grand” event at the Integris Grove Hospital Campus.
On South Grand, Southbound Mule provides the musical entertainment Saturday at the annual Hook N Cookoff Saturday midday at South Grand Lake Regional Airport in Ketchum. The great Don White will provide Saturday night’s entertainment at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.
Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino Grove features the music of Lyle Parman & the Slidebar Band Friday night, followed by 80 & Out Saturday. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke, and Brandon Butler will be on stage at Bordertown Friday night followed by Cedar Creek Saturday. Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 features music by Blank Earth Friday night and karaoke fun Saturday night. At River Bend Casino, Big Smitty performs Friday night and DJ 5Star Entertainment will provide the entertainment in the Club 60 West Bar Saturday night. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar, Earl & Them will entertain at Legends Sports Bar Friday night followed by Mayday by Midnight Saturday. The Widowmakers provide the music in Downstream’s Lovers Leap Lounge both Friday & Saturday nights. At Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill there is live DJ action every Friday & Saturday night at 10:00. Chris Hyde will provide the music Thursday night at Indigo Sky Casino’s Echo Bar; and Jesse Joice will be on stage Saturday night.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action including College Football, Major League Baseball, NFL football and NASCAR and the PGA Tour golf are Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Blind Swine, Road Hog Saloon, 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: Living Grand on Grand Lake airs Thursday night at 7:30 on RSU-TV. Thursday night is also the premiere of Carol’s Second Act at 8:30 followed by the debut of Evil, both on CBS. The season premieres of How to Get Away with Murder and Law & Order: SVU are both Thursday night at 9:00 on ABC and NBC, respectively. The debut of The Politician is available Friday on NETFLIX. Discover Oklahoma airs Saturday’s at 6:30 on KTUL-Channel 8, Tulsa; and the season premiere of Saturday Night Live features host Woody Harrelson Saturday night at 10:30 on NBC. Sunday night is the season premiere of NCIS: Los Angeles at 8:30 on CBS.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Smallfoot, Little Women, Judy, and Night School
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Politics is the art by which politicians obtain contributions from the rich and votes from the poor on the pretext of protecting each from the other.” – Oscar Ameringer
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SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, October 5 – Chuckwagon Dinner & Dance at Har-Ber Village. Sunday, October 6 – Folds of Honor Classic Golf Tournament at Shangri-La. Monday, October 7 – Progress Shopping Dinner in Grove and Monkey Island (5:00-8:00). Thursday-Sunday, October 10-13 – Pelican Festival in Grove. Saturday, October 12 - 0.5K Walk/Run (benefitting DCCSN) and a big OU-Texas Tailgate Party at Shangri-La Resort beginning at 9:00 a.m. Friday-Saturday, October 25-26 – Ghosts of Grove Haunted History Tours from the Grove Community Center. Saturday, October 26 – Shangri-La Annual Fall Festival & Halloween Party on Monkey Island. Saturday, October 26 – Halloween Party at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina. Saturday, November 2 – Halloween Party, Hog Roast & Hayride at Grand Meridian RV Park (5:00-9:00). Saturday, November 2 – Last day of Daylight Saving Time. Sunday, November 10 – Thanksgiving Potluck at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina (2:00). Saturday, November 16 – Monkey Island Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner at Monkey Island Pub.
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It’s week #5 of the college football season. Action starts Thursday night with Navy at Memphis (7:00 on ESPN), followed by Friday night action featuring Penn State at Maryland at 6:00 (FS1) and Duke at Virginia Tech at 7:00 (ESPN). OU hosts Texas Tech Saturday morning at 11:00 (Fox). OSU hosts Kansas State Saturday evening at 6:00, but the game is not on television – only ESPN+. Tulsa does not play this week. Other games to watch include Texas A&M at Arkansas (11:00 on ESPN), Kansas at TCU (11:00 on FS1), Ole Miss at Alabama (2:30 on CBS), Virginia at Notre Dame (2:30 on NBC) and Mississippi State at Auburn (6:00 on ESPN).
NFL action moves into week #4 with Philadelphia at Green Bay Thursday night at 7:00 on Fox. Sunday games include Kansas City at Detroit (noon on Fox), Cleveland at Baltimore (noon on CBS), Jacksonville at Denver (3:30 on CBS) and Dallas at New Orleans Sunday night at 7:00 (NBC). Monday Night Football features Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (7:00 on ESPN).
Major League Baseball action this is highlighted Saturday afternoon games featuring Cleveland at Washington (3:00 on FS1) and the Cardinals hosting the Cubs (6:00 on Fox).
NASCAR drivers are in Charlotte this week, running on the road course. Coverage of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 starts at 1:30 Sunday on NBC.
The PGA Tour is in Napa Valley this week for the Safeway Open. Coverage is on the Golf Channel beginning at 41:00 Thursday and 5:00 Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
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Summertime continues through the weekend ahead at Grand Lake. Look for and light winds with high temperatures in the mid-80s and lows around 70. We may have a little shower Friday morning but, other than that, sunshine! Get out and have a fabulous time both on the lake and at your favorite club or restaurant. 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
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
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)
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