May 6 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum

Our first scavenger hunt of the year is in the rearview mirror. We have burned our socks, gotten everyone fitted for new golf clubs, rolled in the rodeo stock, lined up wine glasses to inspire artists, got all the kinks out of our boats, lined up new boats in the water for folks picking a better ride, sent two big groups out on yacht charters, opened a couple of waterfront bars for the season, put another year of Kentucky Derby parties (and an historic Derby finish) in the record books, and pretended we were all from Mexico for a day. And that’s just last week! It’s officially Grand Lake play time! This week, we’re Poker Running to raise money for the Monkey Island Trail.

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It sure made a mess of the lake last week when half the state of Kansas washed in! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a log-rolling competition break out at a raft-up. Sunday afternoon there was a seaplane flying around all afternoon. I’m assuming it’s because he was nervous about finding a place to land.

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I celebrated Cinco de Mayo Sunday night. I know it’s not Mexican Independence Day (that’s September 16 if you need to mark your calendar). I know it’s not even a holiday that people in Mexico pay much attention to at all, in fact. But I’m among a big group of Grand Lakers who don’t need to know the reason for the holiday. In fact, we don’t usually need a reason at all! A big stack of tacos and a few bottle of tequila provide all the reasons we need for a party!

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An important lesson comes from Bridgeport, Connecticut. If you’re a passenger in charge of a drive-by shooting, you should probably instruct your driver to put the intended target on the passenger side of the car. If Terrell “Big Baby” Evans had made such a suggestion to his driver, Kyree Kennedy, he wouldn’t have had to try to shoot across Kennedy out the driver’s side window – and he wouldn’t have killed his driver. Unintended consequences.

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Just in case you’ve been searching for the official definition of a “Key West Moment,” perhaps Gary Hill can help. When he and Crystal Frances were caught having sex on the sidewalk in front of the police station, he explained to the arresting officer that there was a pint of vodka involved and that Ms. Frances had “offered.” He described the incident to officers as “a Key West moment.” Now you know.

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DINING AND DRINKING ON GRAND LAKE: A new restaurant opens this week at 1623 South Main in Grove – Grand Lake Public House. The Balcony Bar at Shebang on Monkey Island is now open Friday & Saturday nights for karaoke. Don’t miss Mother’s Day Brunch at Doc’s Bar & Grill Sunday 9:00-2:00.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: The television series “Hill Street Blues,” considered by some the first of the modern police dramas, was nominated for 98 Emmy Awards in its seven seasons. In 1982, all five candidates for best supporting actor were members of the cast, the only time all nominees for a single category have been from the same series.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: The London Marathon is over. Last year, I managed a respectable 3 hours, 45 minutes and 9 seconds. I tried to beat that this year, but I got bored and ended up tuning over to watch something else.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: People are always shocked when they find out I’m not a good electrician.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: I’m so single that I stood on a cliff and shouted “I love you!” and my echo replied “I just want to be friends.”

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Technically, if you don’t cut a cake and just eat the whole thing with a fork, you still only had one piece.  

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BEST LINE OF THE WEEK: I’m fat, but I identify as skinny. I’m trans-slender. 

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FEEL-OLD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: “I Love Lucy” superstar Lucille Ball was 77 when she died. That was thirty years ago.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Cherie Long, Donna Belt, Roger Haglund, Marc Moser, Pam Wyrick, Curtis Landry, Roger Cook, Renae Ryan, Darryl Gupton, Lyn Goss, Stacey Bryant, Ben Quick, Josh McAffrey, Lorri Dyer, Pat McConn, Donna Altmiller, Joe Landon, Shari Bell, Chance Grubb, and Kevin Brady.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: If all is not lost, where the heck is it?

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Friday morning is an Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Grove at 8:00 a.m. Saturday is the  Monkey Island Golf Cart Poker Run to raise money for the Monkey Island Trail extension (Noon-3:00 – starts at Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda – awards at Doc’s Patio at Shangri-La Resort). Saturday is also a free one-day Safe Boating Course at the GRDA Ecosystems Center in Langley. Don’t forget Mother’s Day Sunday.

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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s plenty of great entertainment around the lake this weekend. On Monkey Island, The Balcony Bar at The Shebang is now open Friday & Saturday nights for karaoke fun. There is also karaoke at Monkey Island Pub Friday nights and a Saturday night DJ. At the Blind Swine, Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night, and KJ Flip hosts karaoke Sunday and Tuesday. Big Shots has great dance music Saturday night. At Littlefield Corner, Lickitty Split will be on stage Saturday night at Road Hog Saloon. In Grove, The Blackwood Brothers will be in concert Saturday night at 6:00 at Trinity Baptist Church.

On South Grand Lake, Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina will feature acoustic music of Zene Smith Friday night followed by J.J. Taylor and Bourbon Highway Saturday. Thursday night is Trivia Contest night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney. Friday night is Karaoke Night at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina.

Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino Grove features music of D’ Elegantz Friday night and RocKFiscH Saturday. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke. Whiskey Poet Society will be on stage at Bordertown Friday night, followed by a Saturday night performance by James Muns.  At River Bend Casino’s Club 60 West, Jesse Joice will be on stage Friday night, and D.J. Goodwin will provide the entertainment Saturday night. Friday night music at Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 will be provided by BC & the Big Rig. At Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill, Sugarpill will perform Friday night, and there’s always Friday & Saturday night live DJ action beginning at 10:00 p.m. Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar will feature the music of Jake Gill Friday night, and Larry B. and the Cradle Rockers Saturday.  At The Pavilion at Downstream, superstar Ronnie Milsap will perform Friday night. Indigo Sky Casino offers three nights of musical entertainment this week. Jeff Fox performs Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Blank Earth Friday night and The Rumor Saturday night.

The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including NBA playoff games, Major League Baseball, PGA Golf, and NASCAR 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: Season 3 of Easy and the movie Wine Country are available on NETFLIX Friday. Season 6 of Marvels Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. debuts Friday night at 7:00 on ABC.  The HBO special What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali airs Tuesday night at 7:00.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: The Hustle, Poms and UglyDolls

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.” – Will Rogers

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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, May 16 – Vinita Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic at The Coves. Friday, May 17 – Grove Rotary Club Boot Scootin’ BBQ at Woody Crest Farms, Monkey Island. Saturday, May 18 – Ales & Tails at the Craig County Fairgrounds in Vinita. Saturday, May 18 – Barkaritaville Party (fundraiser for 2^nd Chance Pet Rescue) at The Parrot in Grove (5:30-9:00). Thursday, May 23 – Grand Lake Queen riverboat cruises begin for the season. Friday-Saturday, May 31-June 1 – Toes in the Grand celebration at Wolf Creek Park in Grove. Friday-Wednesday, May 31-June 5 – MLF Stage Seven Bass Pro Tour out of Wolf Creek Park. Saturday, June 8 – Camp Bandage (10-2) at Grand Lake RV Resort. Saturday, June 8 – Home of Hope Annual Gala at Shangri-La. Saturday, June 15 – Splash Bash in Ketchum Cove. Monday-Wednesday, June 17-19 – Junior Players Academy at Shangri-La Golf Club. Saturday, July 20 – Grand Bobber Drop. Saturday, July 20 – Aquapalooza adjacent to Grand Lake RV Resort. Friday-Saturday, July 26-27 – GLOC Performance Boat Challenge.

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NBA Playoffs continue this week as find out who the conference finalists will be in both the West and the East. Conference final series will start early next week.

PGA players are in Dallas this week for the AT&T Byron Nelson. Coverage begins at 2:30 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday on the Golf Channel. CBS picks up the final two rounds at 2:00 Saturday & Sunday.

NASCAR drivers are in Kansas City for Saturday night prime time racing. Coverage of the Digital Ally 400 begins at 6:30 Saturday evening on Fox Sports 1.

There’s some good Major League Baseball action on the tube this week including Cleveland at Oakland Saturday afternoon at 3:00 (FS1) and Milwaukee at the Chicago Cubs Sunday night at 6:00 (ESPN).

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The Mother’s Day weekend forecast for Grand Lake looks pretty nice. We’ll have partly cloudy skies with high temperatures in the low 70s and low temps in the mid-50s.  Of course, the weather is always perfect for indoor dining & drinking at Grand Lake.  So, grab a Mom and party on! Remember, though… 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

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 (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.)

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