A Fantastic January Weekend In Review by The Grand Lake Bum

I had a really great time in Oklahoma City over the weekend visiting with good buddies and enjoying a little tour around some great new models at the OKC RV & Boat Show. It was a good show, and I was glad to see my Grand Lake pals from Shangri-La Resort, Nichols Marine at Shangri-La, and Ugly John’s Custom Boats showing off their stuff at the show. They couldn’t fit everything they have in the OKC show, though, so they’re joining all the other Grand Lake dealers this week setting up for the Granddaddy of ‘em All – the Tulsa Boat, Sport & Travel Show.  Get ready, kids.  The big one opens Monday night, January 30at River Spirit Expo at the Tulsa Fairgrounds. You’d better brush up on your drinking. It’s a Grand Lake week in T-Town!

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The warm-up weekend at the OKC Boat Show reminded me once again of the things that amaze me about boat shows: 1) the large numbers of people who show up at boat shows despite the fact they seem to have no interest and no knowledge of boats or boating; and 2) the surprising number of inconsiderate parents who turn their kids loose to scramble on and off of boats, apparently thinking the dealers who work so hard on the show were mostly intent of setting up a multi-million-dollar playground for out-of-control kids with thoughtless parents.

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If the weather turns cold and you need to warm up your car, be glad you don’t live in Roseville, Wisconsin.  Police in that community are issuing $128 tickets to automobile owners who leave their cars unattended in their own driveways to warm up. The cops say the unattended autos are an invitation to car thieves – and car theft burdens the police department schedule…so the owners of idling autos should pay the price. I thought the “physical control of an auto” penalty for napping drunks was the stupidest law I had ever heard of…but I believe this one tops it.

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I guess tickets aren’t the worst possible result of errant behavior by auto owners, though. In New York, David Martinez must not have realized where he was.  He was having difficulty finding a parking place, so he removed an orange cone which had obviously been placed in a spot to reserve it. David probably didn’t realize the penalty for taking the reserved space – because he probably didn’t realize who had reserved the space.  As it turns out, he had parked in a previously reserved spot in front of a Hell’s Angels clubhouse. They didn’t write him a ticket, though. They shot him.

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Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos finally cleared up a question of longstanding for me. During her Senate confirmation hearings, she finally cleared up why we need to have guns in schools. “To protect the children from grizzly bears.”  No, really.

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If you still want to get in on the fun of a great worry-free trip to the Tulsa Boat Show Monday night, South Grand Lake Chamber buses -$35 per person including show tickets – will leave from the Grove Civic Center at 4:00 and Reasor’s in Langley at 5:00Monday afternoon. To reserve seats, call the Chamber at 918-782-3214.

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MEATS AND EATS ON GRAND: Popular butcher Gene Kirkland has moved from Littlefield’s Country Store to the newly opened Gene’s Meats & BBQ in Ketchum. Don’t worry, Monkey Islanders. Littlefield’s store will begin serving breakfast & lunch again about February 1, and equally popular Harrell Pickens will take over the butcher shop at Littlefield’s on February 10.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK (during the Women’s March in Tallahassee, Florida): Hell hath no fury like 157 million women scorned.

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SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: A 30-second commercial in this year’s Super Bowl goes for $5 million!  By comparison, the same commercial in the very first Super Bowl would have cost you $42,000 – and the highest ticket price for a seat at that first Super Bowl, by the way, was $12. That wouldn’t even buy a soft drink at this year’s game.

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LEGAL TIP OF THE WEEK (from Michael Haggerty): Your court appearance is not the best time to test the theory that leggings are pants.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy Birthday wishes go out this week to Cathy Weatherford, Hunter Hays, Danny Brumble, Paula Brumble, T.J. Barnow, Bud Wyatt, Jim Gibbs, Sarah Jackson Thompson, Michael Blackman, Linda Vasseur, Monte Province, and Jody Lorimor. A big “congrats” goes to Grove High School Band Director Joe Wilhelm who was inducted last week into the Oklahoma Music Educators Hall of Fame. Congratulations, too, to Dennis & Melissa Patrick, owners of Clanton’s Café in Vinita. Their club sandwich made the list of onlyinyourstate.com’s “10 Oklahoma Sandwiches You Have to Try Before You Die.”

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK:  What is the difference between boycotting an event…and just not going?

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Saturday night (8:00) and Sunday afternoon (3:00) – A Musical Evening with Ron Young at Big Shots on Monkey Island.  Monday is opening night for the Tulsa Boat, Sport & Travel Show which continues throughSunday, February 5.

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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There are plenty of entertainment options around the lake this weekend, including Randy Lunsford performing through the weekend in the Burlesque Room at The Shebang. Saturday evening at 8:00 – and again Sunday afternoon at 3:00 – Monkey Islander and former Broadway performer Ron Young will present “A Musical Evening with Ron Young” at Big Shots. Friday night is karaoke night at Monkey Island Pub, and there’s always great weekend music at the Road Hog Saloon.

On South Grand Lake, it’ll be a big Saturday night at Pickles on the Lake this week. Jim Sweney and Chris Campbell will provide the live entertainment.

Area casinos have excellent musical options this weekend, as well, starting with a Throwback Thursday Free Concert Series presentation by The Traveling Wheelbearings at Downstream Casino’s Legend Sports Bar. Friday night The ShotGunBillystake the stage, with The Nace Brothers Band wrapping up the weekend Saturday night. Kenny Babb will be in the Lover’s Leap Lounge both Friday & Saturday nights. The Uncrowned Kings kick off the weekend Friday night at Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar, followed by Phil Vaught Saturday night. At Wyandotte Casino’s Club 60 West Bar, Noisy Empire will perform in a free show Friday night. The weekend at Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill features great music fromFM Live both Friday & Saturday nights. At Indigo Sky Casino, there is live entertainment in the Echo Bar starting Thursday night with music by Honkytonk Renovators. Friday night, Dirty Saints will entertain, followed by Lost on Utica Saturday night.

The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including NBA & college basketball, PGA Golf, and NFL action are the Buffalo Bar at Shangri-La, Monkey Island Pub, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Road Hog Saloon, and Pickles at the Lake in Langley.

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Suits returns to USA Network Wednesdays at 9:00. Scandal is back for a sixth season Thursday at8:00 on ABC. Great Performances on PBS Friday night at 8:00 features Brad Paisley in concert this week. The Miss Universe Pageant is Sunday night at 6:00 on Fox – and Tuesday, January 31, you can catch The Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials on CBS at 7:00.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Moana and Gold

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “People that elect corrupt politicians are not victims…but accomplices.” – George Orwell

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SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, February 8 – Home of Hope Chocolate Affair at Craig County Fairgrounds. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 – Grove Home & Garden Show at Grove Civic Center. Friday & Saturday, February 10-11 – Valentine’s Sweetheart Dinner at Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La. Friday-Sunday, March 3-5 – Welcome Back Weekend on Grand Lake!Thursday-Sunday, March 9-12 – Grand Lake Boat Show at Grove Civic Center.

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Now that the Super Bowl teams are in place, all we have to do is wait.  While we’re waiting, we can enjoy the best of the best, though.  The Pro Bowl is Sunday night at 7:00 on ESPN.

In the NBA, the OKC Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks in the early game (7:00) of TNT’s Thursday night double-header. The Lakers visit the Jazz in the late game (9:30). Friday night, Miami is at Chicago on ESPN (7:00). Saturday night’s televised game should be a good one. The Clippers take on the Golden State Warriors at 7:30 on ABC. Sunday afternoon, the Thunder are back in action in Cleveland at 2:30 on ABC. Monday night’s double-header sends Detroit to Boston in the early game (7:00) and Phoenix hosts Memphis in the late game (9:30). Tuesday, the OKC Thunder wrap up the month in San Antonio to take on the Spurs at 7:30 on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

College basketball has some really good games this week, too. Saturday, all three Oklahoma teams are on the court, and all three are nationally televised – and Monday night is Bedlam Basketball with OSU at OU at 8:00 on ESPN.  Saturday’s games start with Tulsa hosting UCF at 12:30 (ESPNEWS), coinciding with Florida at OU at 1:00 (ESPN) and Kansas State at Tennessee (1:00 on ESPN2), followed up with OSU hosting Arkansas at 3:00 (ESPNU). Baylor is at Ole Miss at 5:00(ESPN2), playing the same time as the ultimate game of the week – Kansas at Kentucky at 5:15 on ESPN.

The PGA Tour gets really serious this week, as the players head for Torrey Pines South in San Diego and the Farmers Insurance Open. By the way, Tiger Woods, a seven-time winner of this tournament, has committed to play – his first official PGA start since August, 2015. Coverage starts on the Golf Channel Thursday & Friday at 2:00, Saturday & Sunday at noon. CBS picks up the final two rounds Saturday & Sunday at 2:00.

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The weather looks pretty good for the weekend ahead. Lows will be around the freezing mark with highs pushing 50 under sunny skies all weekend. There’s plenty of fun around the lake this weekend – so go get you some! Wherever you decide to play, 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

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 (smoking upstairs—open Friday & Saturday nights)

Bobbers Café in Langley

Book ‘ems at South Wind Marina in Bernice

Buffalo Bar at Shangri-La on Monkey Island (smoking on the patios)

Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)

Café Italia on Monkey Island

Carlos Montez in Langley (smoking in bar)

Ceasar’s Place in Vinita and on Monkey Island

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)

Docks Bar at Harbors View Marina

Downstream Casino in Quapaw (smoking)

Drake’s Restaurant in Grove

Frosty & Edna’s (west of the dam in Langley)

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

High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)

Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)

Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina

Karrie's Kaboose in Vinita (smoking)

La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove

Lakeside Bar & Grill in Grove at Sail Boat Bridge

Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum

Los Garcias in Langley

Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove

Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)

Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)

Morrows Bar & Grill in Raper Hollow

Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove

Okie Smokies Barbecue in Grove on Hwy 59 South

Book ‘ems Restaurant & Pub at South Wind Marina in Bernice

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

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)

Smokin’ Spur BBQ & Trading Post at Old Towne Plaza, Cleora

Sticky Fingers Barbecue in Ketchum

Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)

Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La on Monkey Island (smoking on the 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 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

Wyandotte Nation Casino at Twin Bridges (smoking)