April 26 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

As we shove April out the door, we’re finally enjoying the kind of weather we always imagine in the Springtime. The only thing better than the weekend gone by is the weekend ahead. Warm sunshine is finally pushing away those pesky April rain clouds. Before you know it, the lake level will be up and the water will be clearing up. It’s gonna be a great summer at Grand Lake.

*****

We got to show off d\our lake to the entire country last weekend, with GRDA hosting the Western Caucus Foundation with tours of Mid-America Industrial Park and the Pensacola Dam ahead of a weekend of fun at Shangri-La Resort. Seventeen members of the U.S. Congress from thirteen states enjoyed a couple of days. Whether they’re examining economic development efforts, energy production & distribution, or fun on the water at a fabulous resort, it’s nice to see that so many of our nation’s leaders know where to look – Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees!

*****

Members of Congress aren’t the only ones coming to Grand Lake. Everyone is doing it! I’ve never seen so many people around the lake this early in the year. When that new activity park opens at Shangri-La, it’s no doubt going to be this way year-round.

*****

With more seasonally operated bars opening this weekend, I’ve been trying to get in drinking shape for the season; and I’ve had unexpected help. I’ve been hanging with boat sales and real estate sales pros who have nothing else to do. Supply has finally surpassed demand. If you’ve tried to buy a boat or a house in recent weeks, you know what I’m talking about. Until somebody builds more boats and more houses, there’s not going to be much to buy around here!

*****

Karma struck another blow last week. Infamous COVID-19 denier and adamant anti-masker and anti-vaxxer Ted Nugent admitted last week he has tested positive for the virus and “I feel like I’m dying.” Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.

*****

Would you like your name on a highly publicized building? Do you have a big stash of extra cash? The OKC Thunder have announced that, under the terms of its “restructuring,” Chesapeake Energy must refrain from spending money on things like putting their name on buildings they don’t occupy. The Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City will soon be named something else (as soon as someone comes up with a stack of money big enough to match their corporate ego).

*****

DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: “Thursday Night Shrimp Boil & Karaoke” is underway for the summer every Thursday (6:00-9:00) at Doc’s Bar & Grill Patio.  Tuesday, May 4, Doc’s also begins the weekly “Craft Burgers & Booze Tuesday” special (5:00-9:00). Wednesday, May 5, Doc’s will host a Cinco de Mayo Street Tacos Cookout party on the patio. Sunday Brunch is served to the public at Doc’s Bar & Grill (9:00-2:00) and Mulligans at Patricia Island (10:00-2:00). Doc’s has now added Saturday Brunch to their schedule, as well. Friday night at Playmakers in Grove, Joe Van Auken will present a taste of Scotch “the right way” with Sea Chantys and a few lines from Robert Burns’ “Scottish Bard.” The fun starts at 7:30 at Playmakers. The new Blind Swine on Duck Creek opens at Harbors View Marina Saturday, Sharky’s Bar at Hammerhead also opens Saturday; and Eddy’s Lakeside Bar has set 2021 opening day as May 14.

*****

BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK:  My goodness there’s a lot happening this weekend as we kick off another month. Thursday evening, there’s a South Grand Chamber Business After Hours at The Casitas (5:00-7:00). Friday is CASA’s Cherish the Children Cruise Night at the Ottawa County Courthouse parking lot in Miami (6:00-9:00). Saturday is a Scavenger Hunt by land or water benefiting Ketchum Backpack Program, starting at Cedar Port Marina at 11:00, ending at Sharky’s at 8:00. Sharky’s opens for the season Saturday, as well. There’s a Kentucky Derby Watch Party at Doc’s Bar & Grill Saturday (4:00-6:30); and, at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina, the annual Burning of the Socks is also Saturday at 4:00.

*****

BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Thursday Night Karaoke with Jason Morgan kicks off the weekend on the patio at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La this week. Friday night, Cory Lee provides the live entertainment at Doc’s. KJ Flip will lead the karaoke fun Thursday night at Blind Swine. Erin Fitzgibbon entertains early Friday night (6:00) followed by Midas 13 late. Saturday night, it’s a night of Dueling Pianos at the Swine, and KJ Flip will be back with Cocktails & Karaoke Sunday night. Terry Jordan entertains Friday & Saturday nights at The Summit at Shangri-La; and Saturday night is Karaoke with Tim at Monkey Island Pub.

In Grove, KJ Flip will provide karaoke fun upstairs Friday night at The Regatta, and Porter Crossing entertains Saturday.

On South Grand Lake, The Downbeat will perform Saturday afternoon at 4:00 for Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina’s annual Burning of the Socks, and The Faulconers will be the opening act at the new Blind Swine at Duck Creek that night at Harbors View. Randy and Franklin from RocKFisch will perform for the scavenger hunt wrap-up at Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina.  

Indigo Sky Casino this week presents The ShotGunBillys in the Echo Bar Thursday night, followed by Big Smitty Friday and The Rumor Saturday. Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar features music of Brent Giddens Friday night. At Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar, Brett N’ Terri will be performing Friday night followed by FM Live Saturday.

*****

RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: By some estimates, only about 30% of the gold in California has been extracted.

*****

FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: Saturday is officially World Naked Gardening Day. Be sure to show your best side.

*****

BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: A total of 14 muscles are activated when you open a bottle of wine. Fitness is my passion.

*****

BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: As a kid, I never had any imaginary friends. We didn’t have Facebook back then.  

                                                                             *****                                                                          

TWEET OF THE WEEK: I’d like to thank whoever told my Mom that WTF means “Wow, That’s Fantastic!” Her texts are so much more fun now.

*****

BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: A monk refused novocaine when he had his tooth pulled. He wanted to transcend dental medication.

*****

OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Just had my first shot. Gonna have my second as soon as the waitress gets back.

*****

FEEL-OLD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Iconic music legend Cher turns 75 years old May 20. Have some Google fun and see if you can tell which picture of her is age 29 and which is age 73.

*****

GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Julie Morgan, Becki Farley, Tom Haynes, Emily Tyrrell, Robin Markwell, Nancy Brandwein, Jami Longacre, Connie King, Lori Stanphilll, Dick Lane, Gregg Lorimor, Leslie Gray, Chad Borin, Terry Jordan, Carla Lillie, Cale DeLozier, Charlie Wallace, Josh Goff, Michael Garner, and Brent Beyers.  

*****

UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why is the longstanding #1 choice of a pencil still referred to as No. 2?

*****

BUM MUST-SEE TV: The 2021 NFL Draft airs live on ABC Thursday night at 7:00k. Let’s Be Real is a fun new series premiering Thursday at 8:30 on Fox. Monday night Antiques Roadshow: Celebrity Edition airs on PBS at 7:00. Next Wednesday, Kids Say the Darndest Things returns to CBS at 7:00. The Mosquito Coast is available this week on Apple TV+.

****

BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Triumph is a theater release this week. Eat Wheaties is available for rent. Things Heard and Seen and The Mitchells vs. The Machines are available on NETFLIX Friday; and Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is available on Prime Video.

*****

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Before you marry a person, you should make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are.” – Will Ferrell

*****

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, May 13 – Grove Chamber Members Luncheon at Grove Civic Center. Friday, May 14 – Eddy’s Lakeside Bar opens for the season at Shangri-La Marina. Saturday, May 15 – Napa Nights at South Grand Lake Regional Airport. Thursday, May 20 – Grove Chamber Business After Hours at The Regatta. Friday, May 21 – South Grand Lake Chamber Golf Tournament at Shangri-La. Saturday, May 22 – Mad Dog 2021 Critter Run bar crawl scavenger hunt on Monkey Island. Saturday, May 22 – Grand Opening Celebration at Marina Del Ray Resort (6:30). Monday, May 24 – Grove Chamber Trivia Night at The Regatta (6:00-8:00). Friday, May 28 – Grove Chamber Eggs & Issues Breakfast at Episcopal Church (8:00-9:15 a.m.). Saturday, May 29 – First Farmers Market of the Year at Grove Community Center. Saturday, June 5 – Camp Bandage at Grand Lake RV Resort (noon-4:00). Wednesday-Thursday, June 9-10 – SLWGA Shangri-La Tee Da Golf Tournament at Shangri-La Golf Club. Thursday-Sunday, June 10-13 – Toes in the Grand Festival at Sniders Campground and Wolf Creek Park. Saturday, June 12 – Daisy Dukes of Hazzard Party at Sharky’s. Friday, June 18 – Grove Rotary Club Lobsterfest at Grove Civic Center.  Saturday, June 19 – Rock the Dock Concert at Check-In Bay (noon-5:00). Friday-Saturday, June 25-26 – Grand Jam Music Festival at Grand Meridian RV Park.

*****

SPORTS WATCH: It’s the biggest weekend of the year for Thoroughbred Horse Racing Fans. Coverage of the Kentucky Derby is on NBC beginning at 11:30 Saturday. Actual post time for the race is 6:00 p.m.

The PGA Tour heads to Palm Harbor, Florida this week for the Valspar Championship. Coverage begins on the Golf Channel at 1:00 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds Saturday & Sunday at 2:00.

In the NBA, the OKC Thunder wrap up a long road trip in Philadelphia Monday (6:00) and Boston Tuesday (6:00). The Thunder return home Thursday hosting New Orleans (8:00). They’ll host Indiana Saturday (7:00), Phoenix Sunday (7:00), and Sacramento Tuesday (7:00). All games are on Bally Sports Oklahoma.

NASCAR drivers are in Kansas City Sunday afternoon for the Buschy McBusch Race 400 (no, really). Coverage begins at 2:00 Sunday on Fox Sports 1.

*****

Weather for the weekend ahead looks fantastic. We’ll have sunshine and high temperatures where they belong – in the mid-to-upper 70s. Lows will finally be in the 50s instead of the 40s. With outdoor venues beginning to open for the season this weekend, there’s a lot happening all around Grand Lake. Enjoy all we have for wonderful weekend fun. Remember, though, wherever you party, be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you. It could be me!

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  Grand Lake Living and www.360grandlake.com, 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 newspaper. 

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. 

Ailey’s Café in Langley

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 Duck Creek at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina

Blind Swine on Monkey Island

Blue Bluff Café at Blue Bluff Harbor

Buffalo Bar at Shangri-La on Monkey Island

Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)

Café at Har-Ber Village

Café Yum in Grove

Cesar’s Place in Vinita

Cesar’s Place in Langley

Checkered Past in Grove

Chickanella’s in Grove

Chicken Coop West of Langley

Clanton’s Café in Vinita

Copper Penny Bar in Ketchum

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

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

Lester’s Third Street Diner in Grove

Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum

Los Garcias in Langley

Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove

Marina’s Place at Littlefield Corner

Matt’s Place in Grove

Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)

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

Monkey Island Trail Rides

Monkey Island Winery

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

Pistol Pat’s on Honey Creek in Grove

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)

Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)

Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)

Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La on Monkey Island

The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice

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 Pourhouse at The Regatta in Grove

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

Wolf Creek Diner in Grove