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| Little Bella |
Companion was cautiously trying to awaken me and by the
muted light coming from around the bedroom's curtains, I could tell he had been
up for awhile. (How does he do it? - always getting up early – like a farmer
ready to attack his chores – but we don't even have a cow – well anymore, at
least – and the one we DID have was a Holstein steer – so companion had no
milking responsibilities.)
He was quietly inquiring what I wanted for breakfast. My
subconscious being was yearning to be back in my interrupted dream where I was
helping Xena, Warrior Princess conquer foes after convincing her she would be
much more intimidating and effective if she wore stiletto-heeled warrior boots.
(Go ahead, picture it ...guys, you ... are ... welcome ...)
I weighed my options – either being a wardrobe-focused
Gabrielle in fantasy land – OR - scrambled eggs with fajita-spiced onions and
peppers with buttered jelly toast lovingly served in bed. Breakfast won out –
Xena would have to fend and accessorize for herself.
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| One Step Ahead of the Law ... they're right behind me |
Driving over on Beach Boulevard, it was obvious there had
been more rain over by the beach than we received at our house. I was
considering placing a call to make sure festivities were not being postponed –
since we knew some activities would be staged outdoors – but I decided we still
wanted to visit Engine 15 regardless.
 |
| Mark and Kathy Corbin |
I was delighted to see Mark and Kathy Corbin seated right
beside the front door and they were kind enough to share their table with us.
The Corbins explained we could purchase a large Maßkrug (Maß as abbreviated) – the Bavarian word for a “mug of beer”
- holding exactly 1 liter of brew … one … LITER? … hello, Oktoberfest!
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| Ed and Jonathan Stansel, prosting! |
All at our table
were happy to see Ed Stansel and son Jonathan enter the premises and join us
for awhile. As you are probably aware, Ed is an Editorial Systems Editor for
the Florida Times Union and he and Roger Bull collaborate to produce Amber
Waves for Florida Times Union www.jacksonville.com. He and Jonathan brought
their own Maßkrüge which they had purchased last year at Engine 15's
Oktoberfest. Quite the Boy Scouts! … always prepared!
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| Polkin' out! |
The food was delicious! … all I had to do is prepay for what
I wanted and I wasted no time selecting:
·
Bratwurst
·
hendl (chicken)
·
spaetzle (mac & cheese)
Co-owner Luch Scremin announced the crowning of the
Oktoberfest King would occur soon, so I secured a spot where I could see
everything – on top of the bench on which I had been sitting.
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| and the winner is .... |
As Luch shouted the winner's name – HERB! - I was overjoyed for him and his lovely wife, Nona! … they are so popular at Engine 15, such loyal patrons of the establishment and a couple we are honored to know. Companion says they are “good people” which carries a significance much deeper than those two words – and I agree.
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| "Herb" King of Oktoberfest! ... of course! |
Our afternoon at
Engine 15 was dwindling down like the
volume of Spaten in my second filling of my Maß. Oktoberfest at Engine 15 had
been a tremendous success and I had a great time of fellowship with the
Corbin's, Ed Stansel and his son, Jonathan.
Ed and Jonathan
soon bid us farewell and not too much later, we said goodbye to Herb and Nona,
the Corbin's, Luch Scremin and the rest of the gang at Engine 15 brewing
Company.
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| Feasts of Strength ... next year I've got this! |
To view more photos from Engine 15's Oktoberfest, please visit the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.362179560534326.87199.181100418642242&type=3
Engine 15 Brewing Company
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| Bold City Brewery Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale |
The parking lot was rather full, so companion dropped me off
in front and drove off to secure a parking spot. Inside was busy but not
excessively crowded.
When companion made his way to the bar where I was seated,
we ordered (descriptions per Bold City's website):
Bold
City Brewery Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale
This
is a mild brown ale which is easily drinkable. A slight nuttiness and sweetness
are present. Note: 7% ABV
Bold City Brewery 1901 Red Ale
This is not your standard Red Ale. This is a very ‘malty’,
‘roasty’ and complex Red Ale. The roasted flavor comes from the high presence
of roasted barley. With a very minimal but high alpha hop addition, this Red
Ale has become a favorite among patrons.
I was starving, so companion jumped outside to get us a
pulled-pork sandwich with beans and slaw, prepared ever so deliciously by
Vernon of Jolly Mon Catering (904.349.2473).
What a wonderful way to end the day – in the midst of great
beer, great folks and great food. My sincere appreciation to the Millers and
the rest of the staff there at Bold City Brewery for their dedication to our
community and for maintaining an atmosphere always perfect to end Jax Brew
Bitch Prowls.Bold City Brewery
Jolly Mon Catering
Companion settled me into The Beast and stopped to say
goodbye to some fellow Bold City patrons. I positioned myself into a
comfortable position in which to sleep during our drive home and just as I was
about to doze off, Tinker Beer, the Brew Fairy appeared on my shoulder and
started tugging my ear to wake me up. She was dressed for mythological battle –
a nice little two-piece ensemble – complete with a Sai in her hand.
“Quick, Brewbeerella Warrior Princess! … there is an
establishment not honoring the late-night Happy Hour Specials they advertised
and we must set them straight!”, Tink said,
Companion got in The Beast, looked over and thought I had
already fallen asleep.
He just didn't realize I had vanished into the night, grabbing
my Chakram, pointing it skyward and yelling, “Into the fray, Tinkrielle –
into - the - fray!”
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