June 17 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum

Seasons are changing! Prepare to take off more clothes and put in your ear plugs. The first day of summer 2019 is Friday. That’s the good news. Here’s the bad news: next week is the official kick-off of another Presidential election campaign. The first debates for Democratic Presidential candidates are scheduled for next week.

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Curiosity got the best of me over the weekend, and I stopped by Monkey Island Pub to check out their annual “Pimps and Hoes” party.  I was surprised. The place was really busy. I had no idea those professions had made such a resurgence on Grand Lake!

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Tyson Foods, the company that processes one out of every five pounds of beef, chicken & pork processed in the U.S. each year, is now expanding its focus on “meat alternatives.” I was scared a little when I heard the announcement of their new products on the radio… “veggie chicken nuggets and pea-infused hamburger.” I felt better after seeing the announcement in print. “Pea-infused burger” is better when you see it in print instead of just hearing someone say it.

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If you forgot to get your Dad anything for Father’s Day and you need a really, really good make-up gift, perhaps Macallan Distillery can help you out. In celebration of the opening of a new distillery, they have released the Genesis Decanter filled with Macallan whiskey that has been aged for 72 years. It’s priced at $60,000 per decanter. Better hurry, though. There are only 600 of them!

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If you feel like you might “fall asleep” in your car at the Taco Bell drive-thru lane, don’t do it in Vallejo, California. After being called by restaurant employees, police officers showed up an awakened rapper “Willie Bo,” but he was groggy and didn’t respond to their commands. Police spotted a gun in the car and, when Willie Bo woke up and moved, it startled the officers. A police “consultant” has concluded there was no wrongdoing on the part of the six officers who responded to the rapper’s movement by shooting him…55 times.

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In Tulsa, River Spirit Casino & Hotel re-opens Friday after being closed due to the flooding along the Arkansas River in Tulsa. I find it both ironic and pretty funny that their first giveaway after the flood will be Saturday – a Bennington Pontoon Boat!

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Grand Lake Beer? Really? Just wait. You heard it here first.

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DINING & DRINKING ON GRAND LAKE UPDATE: Shangri-La is hosting open-to-the-public Shrimp Boils and Karaoke every Thursday night from 6:00-9:00 in “The Cave” on the patio at Doc’s Bar & Grill.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau) turned his father's pencil-making business into the largest in the United States by perfecting a better method of making pencil lead.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Wal-Mart will soon be opening dental offices inside their stores. There will be an express lane for people with 12 teeth or less.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Tables are for eating customers only!

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LGBTQ Observation of the Week: If you think it’s weird for grown men to put on wigs, heels, rouge and stockings…I have bad news for you about the founding fathers.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Bread is like the sun. It rises in the yeast and sets in the waist.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: It’s true that whiskey improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Timeline of laundry – wash: 45 minutes – dry: 60 minutes – fold and put away: 7-10 business days.

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BEST (FAKE) NEWS HEADLINE SEEN THIS WEEK: Kevin Durant Reportedly Looking at Houses in Toronto

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FEEL-OLD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Armstrong became the first men to walk on the surface of the moon – 50 years ago next month (July 20).

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Cory Bowker, Brittani Isaac, Sandy Busch, Gary Palu, Jeremy Mullen, Karin Loudermilk, Joe Langley, Autumn Love, Bill Thune, Jason Benson, and Jason Morgan.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why do people go to the unemployment office to look for a job?

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Thursday night is the weekly Shrimp Boil & Karaoke on the patio at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La. Friday night is the Grove Rotary Lobsterfest at Grove Civic Center; and Saturday afternoon is the Rock the Dock raft-up in Check-In Bay beginning at noon.

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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s great entertainment around the lake this weekend. On Monkey Island, Jason Morganwill 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.  Three Dollar Rocket will be on stage Saturday night at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina. The Balcony Bar at The Shebang is open Friday and Saturday nights for karaoke fun and there’s great dance music right across the street at Big Shots Rhythm & Booze. There is also great dance music at Monkey Island Pub. At the Blind Swine, DJ Flip entertains with karaoke Thursday night, and Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night followed byDJ Deeko. Sunday nights are Open Jam Sessions for musicians at the Swine. At Littlefield Corner, there’s always great live music Saturday night at Road Hog Saloon.

On South Grand Lake, Saturday is the “Rock the Dock” raft-up in Check-In Bay. Music will be provided by RPM and South of Vertical beginning at noon. Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina features music by Whiskey Poet Society Friday night followed by OMG Saturday. Thursday night is Trivia Contest night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney; Mooney’s will have music from The Zigs Saturday night. Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina features entertainment on the deck Friday & Saturday nights, as well.

Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino Grove features music of 90LB Wrench Friday night and Travis Kidd Saturday. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke. The Boston Mountain Playboys will be on stage at Bordertown Friday night, followed by a Saturday night performance by Asphalt Cowboys.  At River Bend Casino’s Club 60 West, DJ 5Star Entertainment will provide the music both Friday and Saturday nights. At Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655, Pony Up will provide the tunes Friday night. Thursday night at Downstream Casino’s Outdoor Venue, it’s An Evening with Lady Antebellum. Downstream’s Legends Sports Bar features the music of Chroma Friday night and FM Live Saturday night. Entertainment in Downstream’s Lover’s Leap Lounge will be provided by Ragsdale & Croy both Friday and Saturday nights. At Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill, there is live DJ action every Friday & Saturday night at 10:00. Indigo Sky Casino offers three nights of musical entertainment this week. Johnny Dale Roberts performs Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Donnie Ray Stevens Friday and Sweet Trouble Saturday.

The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action including the College World Series, PGA Golf, MLB, 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: Living Grand on Grand Lake airs Thursday night at 7:30 on RSU-TV. Thursday night, ABC premieres three new shows: Holey Moley at 7:00, Family Food Fight at 8:00, and Reef Break at 9:00. A new game show, Spin the Wheel debuts Thursday at 8:00 on Fox. Highwire Live in Times Square with Nik Wallenda airs Sunday night at 7:00 on ABC. Big Brother airs Tuesday night at 7:00 on CBS.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Toy Story 4, Anna, and Child’s Play

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Beer: helping ugly people have sex since 3000 B.C.” – W.C. Fields

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday, June 28 – Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at Patricia Island. Wednesday, July 3 – Wolf Creek Celebration & Fireworks in Grove. Thursday, July 4 – Duck Creek Fireworks. Friday, July 5 – Grand Lake Fireworks at Disney. Friday, July 5 – Horse Creek Fireworks. Saturday, July 6 – Summer Fun Fest at Grand Meridian RV Park. Saturday, July 6 – Monkey Island Fireworks & Family Fun Festival at Shangri-La. Saturday-Sunday, July 13-14 – SDBA Drag Boat Races in Wolf Creek. Thursday, July 18 – Grove Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet at Big Shots on Monkey Island. 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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The College World Series is well underway. Games are scheduled daily this week (except Sunday) with the final series set to begin next Monday. All games are on the ESPN networks.

In the professional golf world, the destination is Cromwell, Connecticut this week. Coverage of the Travelers Championship begins on the Golf Channel at 2 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds at 2:00 Saturday & Sunday.

NASCAR drivers are at Sonoma this weekend for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Coverage begins at 2:00 Sunday afternoon on Fox Sports 1.

There’s some good Major League Baseball action on the tube this week. Miami is at St. Louis Thursday night (6:00 on Fox Sports). Saturday, Detroit is at Cleveland at 3:00 and the Yankees host Houston at 6:00, both on FS1. Sunday, the Cardinals host the Angels at 6:00 (ESPN). Monday and Tuesday nights, the Giants host the Rockies in a pair of night games – 9:00 on ESPN.

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The weekend weather for Grand Lake looks pretty good. We may have a few scattered early morning thundershowers, but otherwise, it’ll be partly cloudy with highs in the mid-80s and lows around 70. Enjoy a Grand Lake weekend of partying!  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