October 22 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum

We had a little dose of rain Friday, but other than that Mother Nature blessed Grand Lake with the picture perfect Fall Break weekend for the hundreds of students who showed up to catch the last week of warm weather before we start rolling toward Thanksgiving. Saturday was perfect for the Octoberfest fun around the lake area; and best of all, the weather for the upcoming weekend looks great, too. On with the Fall Festival and Halloween celebrations!

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It was a great weekend all around Grand Lake last week, but I’m particularly proud of the Monkey Islanders for two sensational and very fun fundraising events for the Christmas Clothes & Toys for Kids Fund. Dick and Arlene Seybolt went above and beyond, not only preparing a fabulous meal of smoked meats and delicious side dishes at last Wednesday’s “Guest Chef” at The Shebang, but also donating all the food items so the entire proceeds benefit the kids. The same happened at Saturday night’s Hot Dog Cook-Off fundraiser at Blind Swine – all the cost of food & goods were covered by Whoops Surplus, Monkey’s Uncle Café, and Blind Swine. Great job, Islanders. Always partying for all the right reasons!

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This weekend is all the Halloween fun for kids of every age – Trick/Trunk or Treat day at Grove stores, Punkin Chunkin’ competition at Vinita, Shangri-La’s Community Fall Festival, Monkey Island Pub’s Halloween Costume Contest, Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill Halloween Party, and Cherokee Yacht Club’s Halloween Party. What a weekend!!!

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Somehow I had a funny feeling Monkey Island would be an early arrival on this particular list of new businesses. Signs are up. “Opening soon. Higher Health Marijuana Dispensary.”

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: A co-worker said to me, “Could you be more annoying?” So, the next day, I wore tap shoes to work.   

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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: John Jameson, founder of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, was Scottish. Ireland’s most famous whiskey was actually founded by a Scotsman.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie ran a faux presidential campaign in 1964 with Phyllis Diller as his running mate. His proposed "cabinet" included Malcolm X as attorney general, Miles Davis as CIA director and Ray Charles as librarian of Congress.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK (seen in front of a butcher shop): Dear vegans – I killed a cow because it was eating your food. You’re welcome.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: If you don’t like musical puns, you have my symphony.

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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Johnny Carson took the reins of “The Tonight Show” 56 years ago this month. Jay North, the young actor who played “Dennis the Menace” in the original television series turned 67 last week. Academy Award-winning actress Sally Field is 72.

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BEST OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Let’s take a moment of silence for those forced to winterize their boats.

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BUM’S PARENTAL ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Feeling guilty about your kid watching too much TV? Just mute it and put the captions on. Boom! Now they’re reading.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Victoria Perry, Garry Toomey, Vince Freeman, Caryl Blanchat, Kenny King, Richard Bell, Roger Pelcher, Cy Elmburg, Julie Wolfe, Ape Howard, Gara Pelcher, Paul Staten, Jeff Pelcher, Kaye Slepka, Shelly Sparks, and Phil Longacre.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Will glass coffins become popular? Remains to be seen.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: It’s an incredible “Play-and-Party” weekend on Grand Lake this weekend. Four-wheelers will gather for the big Crawl-O-Ween Party Friday-Sunday at the Pensacola Dam Off-Road Area. During the day Saturday, enjoy the Route 66 Punkin’ Chunkin’ Contest at John’s Tractor Works in Vinita or the “Day of the Dead Celebration” at Playmakers in Grove with youth activities from 11:00-4:00 and a special Halloween program with youth actors at 2:00. Saturday is “Trick or Trunk or Treat” Day in Grove. Downtown Merchants will offer treats from 11:00-5:00 – with mall merchants extending the treats until 7:00. Saturday evening is one of the biggest community celebrations of the season – the Shangri-La Fall Festival from 6:00-9:00 in the “Shangri-La Woods” adjacent to the Monkey Island Fire Department. Saturday night also features two of the biggest all-adult parties of the month – one at each end of the lake: the Halloween Costume Party at Monkey Island Pub and the Annual Halloween Party at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.

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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s plenty of great entertainment around the lake. On Monkey Island this weekend,No Apparent Reason will provide an evening of great music as part of the Shangri-La Fall Festival outdoor family fun, adjacent to the Monkey Island Fire Department from 6:00-9:00. The dance floor will be hoppin’ afterward with karaoke fun and great dance music at Big Shots Rhythm & Booze. Just up highway 125, Friday night is Karaoke Night at Monkey Island Pub, and Saturday night is their big Halloween Costume Party with musical entertainment by DJ Mo. At the Blind Swine, there’s live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night (including Erin Fitzgibbon Friday), and KJ Flip hosts karaoke Sunday and Tuesday; and at Littlefield Corner, there is always live entertainment at the Road Hog Saloon Saturday nights.

On South Grand Lake, Friday night is Karaoke Night at Michelle’s Bar & Grill at Grand Lodge in Ketchum – and there’s always live entertainment at Michelle’s on Saturday night. Saturday night is the Annual Halloween Party at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.

Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino features D’ Elegantz Band Friday night and 90 lb. Wrench Saturday night. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke. Whiskey Poet Society entertains at Bordertown Friday night, followed by Wesley Michael Hayes Saturday. At River Bend Casino’s Club 60 West Bar, Lickitty Split will perform Friday night. At Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655, Torn will be on stage Friday night. Indigo Sky Casino offers three nights of musical entertainment this week. Brett & Terriperform Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Mayday by Midnight Friday and Dirty Saints Saturday.

The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including the PGA, Major League Baseball, College Football, NFL games, NASCAR, and NBA games are Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort Hotel, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Monkey Island Pub, Blind Swine, Road Hog Saloon, 1909 in Grove, and Pickles at the Lake in Langley.

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Season 2 of Midnight Texas debuts Friday night at 8:00 on NBC. Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj is available Sunday on NETFLIX. The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:00 on NBC and A Very Wicket Halloween: Celebrating 15 years on Broadway airs Monday night at 9:00, also on NBC.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Hunter Killer, Indivisible and Johnny English Strikes Again

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” – Albert Einstein

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday-Saturday, November 2-3 – Cherokee Heritage Days at Har-Ber Village Museum. Saturday, November 3 – Boogie Boys Reunion Concert at Cherokee Yacht Club. Sunday, November 4 – Daylight Saving Time ends/set your clocks back one hour before you go to be Saturday night. Friday, November 16 – Flying J Ranch Extravaganza benefiting St. Jude. Saturday, November 17 – “Fill ‘em Up Breakfast Pancake Feed from 8:00-10:30 at The Shebang sponsored by Larry & Joyce Duke and The Shebang benefiting the Monkey Island Clothes & Toys for Kids Fund. Saturday, November 17 – Monkey Island Thanksgiving at the Monkey Island Pub. Thursday, November 22 – Thanksgiving Feast at Arrowhead Yacht Club. Friday, November 23 – Shangri-La Members’ “Black Friday Night Seafood Buffet” at The Summit Restaurant. Saturday, November 24 – Christmas Tree Lighting and “Ugly Sweater Party” at Cherokee Yacht Club. Saturday, December 8 – Polar Bear Plunge at Arrowhead Yacht Club. Saturday, December 8 – Grove Christmas Parade. Saturday, December 8 – Christmas Lights Boat Parade from Cherokee Yacht Club.

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In the sports world, it’s World Series time! It’s the Red Sox & Dodgers, and the action is all on Fox, with games scheduled at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (if necessary).

It’s week #9 in the world of college football. Baylor and West Virginia kick off the weekend Thursday night at 6:00 on FS1. The Big Four all play Saturday. Arkansas hosts Vanderbilt at 11:00 Saturday morning on the SEC Network. Kansas State is at Oklahoma at 1:30 on Fox. Tulsa hosts Tulane at 6:00 on ESPNU, and Texas is at Oklahoma State at 7:00 on ABC.

Thursday night NFL action features Miami at Houston at 7:00 (Fox). Sunday morning, the NFL will still be trying to attract attention in the UK. Philadelphia and Jacksonville will play at London’s Wembley Stadium at 8:30 Sunday morning local time on the NFL Network. Noon games include Denver at Kansas City (CBS) and Washington at the NY Giants (Fox). The 3:30 game on Fox sends Green Bay to L.A. to face the Rams. Sunday night’s game has New Orleans at Minnesota (7:00 on NBC); and Monday Night Football features the New England Patriots at Buffalo (7:00 on ESPN).

There’s great NBA action this week, too. The OKC Thunder have a three game home stand starting with the Celtics Thursday night at 7:00 on TNT before hosting Phoenix at 6:00 Sunday evening  and the L.A. Clippers Tuesday at 7:00, both on FSOK.

In the world of professional golf, some of the PGA players are in Shanghai, China this week for the WGC HSBC Champions. The rest of them are in Jackson, Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship. The Golf Channel offers live coverage of the HSBC Champions at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday nights, and 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. If you can’t stay up that late, replay coverage is at 8:30 a.m. Thursday-Sunday, also on the Golf Channel. Sanderson Farms Championship live coverage is at 1:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday on the Golf Channel.

NASCAR drivers are at Martinsville Speedway this week for the First Data 500. Coverage begins at 1:30 Sunday on NBCSN.

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The weekend weather forecast looks pretty good for all the outdoor Halloween and Fall Festival activities. We’ll have partyly cloudy skies for the most part, with  highs in the mid-60s and lows in the upper 40s. It looks like a good weekend for a GRAND celebration. Party on, dudes! That’s what we do! Have fun and remember…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

Bobbers Café in Langley

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

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 Langley (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)

Monkey’s Uncle at Littlefield Corner (Breakfast & lunch)

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

Morrows Bar & Grill in Raper Hollow

Mulligan’s at Patricia Island Golf Club in Grove

Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove

Okie Smokies Barbecue in Grove on Hwy 59 South

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)

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

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 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