tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4635040621797507662024-03-20T16:39:14.392-07:00Other Thoughts On Beer, Pubs & FunUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-43248228734191819332010-02-22T12:51:00.000-08:002010-02-22T12:57:57.425-08:00Why Not?????<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZmrrSkkBz-gLDAs6XF5SEwwdcKxhF-79gYev7t2zLNlZex9bJuc-Gr03euEOa1jWgREx2c39gl7b1BHVg8BhV5TogQpO6nnYXojB9c330PE3DSl1ktZ-95emkqbyMDPfSt7hv77o1Rth/s1600-h/perrycounty.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441173928784142386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZmrrSkkBz-gLDAs6XF5SEwwdcKxhF-79gYev7t2zLNlZex9bJuc-Gr03euEOa1jWgREx2c39gl7b1BHVg8BhV5TogQpO6nnYXojB9c330PE3DSl1ktZ-95emkqbyMDPfSt7hv77o1Rth/s320/perrycounty.gif" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#333333;">A reader from Perry County, PA emailed asking why I haven't reviewed Laurel Run Lodge (Landisburg) or Chick's (which I assume is the great little taproom in Hummelstown Dauphin County).</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#333333;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#333333;">I've been to Chick's but never Laurel Run.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#333333;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#333333;">Sounds like a trip to both is in order!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-61871562673397891972010-02-22T12:44:00.000-08:002010-02-22T12:51:23.245-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKl8UHcUJbgLv-_x5SNOY_mNc50KcaHgI7k_eo7wPyLmnF66B4_U_KEGl3quJMzcyyCMRUMWgjRuz9retN3E8ZocYf4JJoW8xAs8kT-jLIv1oBoaxZRncDnKMgCKpY8e9w6IKT2noZO69/s1600-h/google.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 246px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441172050398468066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKl8UHcUJbgLv-_x5SNOY_mNc50KcaHgI7k_eo7wPyLmnF66B4_U_KEGl3quJMzcyyCMRUMWgjRuz9retN3E8ZocYf4JJoW8xAs8kT-jLIv1oBoaxZRncDnKMgCKpY8e9w6IKT2noZO69/s320/google.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Years ago a buddy of mine asked why I do not have Google Ads on <a href="http://www.americantom.com/">www.americantom.com</a></div><div> </div><div>My reply was that not accepting advertising keeps me from outside influence as well as the fact that my site is solely for fun and entertainment.</div><div> </div><div>I will never allow a bar or business to sponsor or influence my humbling reviewing but I have decided to post one row of Google ads. </div><div> </div><div>Paying for this site is fairly expensive and maybe I can make enough change to cover the bills. </div><div> </div><div>That's all. </div><div> </div><div>So, if you see any of the Google ads that strike your fancy - go ahead and click on it. It will be interesting to see what ads Google tailors to this unique webpage.</div><div> </div><div>Thanks!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-20228096498005637702010-02-18T17:17:00.000-08:002010-02-18T17:19:09.414-08:00www.readingbeer.com<span style="font-family:georgia;">I was thinking about how Reading Beer started so gloriously but soon fizzled so thoroughly.</span><br /><br />Stopped by the website and now its not just outdated - its dead.<br /><br />No longer up.<br /><br />Tried to find out who owns it but its buried.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-27191166120988296592010-02-18T14:56:00.000-08:002010-02-18T15:06:20.751-08:00The Molly Maguires Movie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrMTD8dCiovHgBpkvQ4dfaw_0wdRyhg_1JJt8t15QEZL75tNZKL-w3Nckc27Ptg-ujf8npegADA0zoCCJWAb7i1QneCwto9_d3aixno13fAx1Iu0wk9iIRS6RD_P0ntoH-wLEqPi15C73/s1600-h/MMMovie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 144px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439722102183535970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrMTD8dCiovHgBpkvQ4dfaw_0wdRyhg_1JJt8t15QEZL75tNZKL-w3Nckc27Ptg-ujf8npegADA0zoCCJWAb7i1QneCwto9_d3aixno13fAx1Iu0wk9iIRS6RD_P0ntoH-wLEqPi15C73/s320/MMMovie.jpg" /></a> Until a few years ago I had never even heard of this movie. When it was released in 1969 it barely made back 10% of its $11,000,000 production cost.<br /><br />Thankfully, it is now recognized as the great movie that it is. <br /><br />One of the things I find most interesting about it is that when it was filmed the town of Eckley was so unchanged that all they had to do was bury power lines and hide antennas. The coal breaker they built for the movie still stands.<br /><br />My ebay-purchased copy of this movie gets viewed a few times a year and I hope to get up that way sometime soon and check things out.<br /><br />Lots of history and good bars there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-43346487899435581422010-02-01T04:31:00.001-08:002010-02-01T04:36:29.743-08:00February 2010<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">Hello and welcome to February.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">If you look down to the post below this one you will see it was a lonnnnnng time ago. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">Over the past yr or so I put this site in simmer mode as I accomplished some personal and professional objectives. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">Now that they are completed I will again get the ball rolling. The purpose of this site is unchanged - to document America's vanishing smalltown pubs. These homegrown businesses are most certainly MORE threatened now than they were when I launched this site - increased DUI pressures, more home entertainment options, ever-increasing costs to eat and drink out, etc - all work to make running a tavern a very risky and stressful occupation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">One of my new goals is to interview more owners and managers and to include more photos.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">I have pretty much given up on using the new website. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy a brand new copy of Dreamweaver and learn it the right way. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">For now, I will continue to manage the site on the antiquated Microsoft Frontpage software.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">Thought? Comment? Email me at <a href="mailto:tom@americantom.com">tom@americantom.com</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">Thanks -</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#cc0000;">Tom</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-91031015449627158432008-10-27T07:50:00.000-07:002008-10-27T07:53:22.248-07:00October is almost gone...<span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff6600;">Hello folks!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">One half year has slipped by since I last blogged. That hardly seems possible.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">For now, I have given up on getting the new website running. It cost me $500 and uses DREAMWEAVER which is radically different from the utterly simpl FRONTPAGE that I now use.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Essentially, my own stupidity has down this new idea in.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">So, I am back and chasing stories and bars and will just keep this old layout.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Maybe I will have the time over Christmas to take another stab at learning how to make the new site work.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Thanks for your patience</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">AMERICANTOM</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-17326618649423247332008-04-24T14:53:00.001-07:002008-04-24T14:55:17.762-07:00NEW WEBSITE - Almost<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;">Time sure does fly.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;">The new website is almost done and should go live by 1May08.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">To be honest, I am going to miss my old one just because it was something I created from knowing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about setting up a page.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">The new site is far more professional and will make it easier on the readers. It has some functionality that is very different from what I have now.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">Once its running please tell me what you think.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">T</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-45965807660533792792008-02-22T19:48:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:30:56.249-08:00I'm A Cop - Not!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dS5rk-g5TyoJshGX3Q5atAQoGfwXbpc1R0cQme0iLsGPyH747BKL_yqcZAKGBtbqwEgXmhUiOAh0EZC6Fa0F7y9vvbMv75WFSmrIfOXFCr93uRFnoZSnbTGNNyF4I4ke1lx1213itCyK/s1600-h/50wave.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170020156313004898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dS5rk-g5TyoJshGX3Q5atAQoGfwXbpc1R0cQme0iLsGPyH747BKL_yqcZAKGBtbqwEgXmhUiOAh0EZC6Fa0F7y9vvbMv75WFSmrIfOXFCr93uRFnoZSnbTGNNyF4I4ke1lx1213itCyK/s400/50wave.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff6600;">A few weeks ago I was in Reading and encountered some friction from a pub-ful of people who apparently had reached a consensus that I was an undercover cop.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">This decision came to a head when one of the patrons actually followed me outside to ask me to show him that I was NOT wearing a concealed firearm. I guess he expected me to go around the corner and climb into my unmarked Crown Vic. Sorry buddy, no piece today and all I was driving away in was my 10 year old jalopy.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Well, advance forward and I am sitting in a bar in Lancaster - the guy next to me is eyeballing me. I hate being eyeballed.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Wanna guess what he was wondering? You guessed it - if i was an undercover cop. This line is growing old.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">He left, I had another beer or two. Then I left in the snow to my 10 year old jalopy.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Maybe some feature of my face has changed and I suddenly have a look that makes everyone think I am law enforcement. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff6600;">Who knows.</span></strong></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-81321201593125198102008-02-03T16:01:00.000-08:002008-02-03T16:18:17.507-08:00Logan's Roadhouse<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;">One of the strongest themes about my website is that I am want small town taverns to survive.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">There are several factors that challenge these taprooms but one of the biggest ones is the constant pressure and competition from chain bar/restraurants.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">So, I have vowed to not patronize the never-ending stream of these cookie-cutter businesses.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">This weekend I was taken to the Logan's Roadhouse in York, PA. The feel is the same as just about every other box - whether that be a Damon's or Friday's or Fuddruckers.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">The food was fairly good but quite slow to arrive. I did not order beer (figured I had to spend money there to eat so I might as well not give them my beer money too).</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">Many people were eating, drinking and talking - seemingly happy in an artificial environment. That just isn't my style. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-15129103083008632852008-01-01T05:19:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:30:56.366-08:00Lebanon, PA - Giant Boloney Drop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKehPOs2s5yyrShm6UXsTvxBuVNWKmDiZc-Gp8vt4Ecu3lHT1Bs2fYhHvtRvFGle1nxeftSHV7-KPpU21Dg9WseIqA5XkLExwZiZx6OFkRXOfJUNJ6yNXlYbTQON4APFORIPDhAb6yKuZ/s1600-h/031.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150499128120974322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="452" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKehPOs2s5yyrShm6UXsTvxBuVNWKmDiZc-Gp8vt4Ecu3lHT1Bs2fYhHvtRvFGle1nxeftSHV7-KPpU21Dg9WseIqA5XkLExwZiZx6OFkRXOfJUNJ6yNXlYbTQON4APFORIPDhAb6yKuZ/s400/031.JPG" width="331" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Happy New Year!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Last night I rang in 2008 by watching Lebanon's gigantico bologna drop from a ladder truck.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">This 12ft long, 150 pound behemoth lumbered to the ground as 100s of people stood in a parking lot cheering it on.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Lowering something odd to celebrate the new year is an inherently happy event. I had a good time but Lebanon sure could have done more in the lead-up. A DJ played some good music but the only hot drinks were free coffee or hot chocolate from the Salvation Army but there was no food and no other activities beforehand. Not a single local mini-mart of coffee shop was open.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Other towns have kids events, displays, hey - maybe even free boloney samples.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Something to consider for the future?</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">There WERE bars open nearby. Looked like fun inside as i peered through their front windows. I want to get to Lebanon soon to check out some of the downtime places.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Happy New Year all!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-37762883439418617092007-12-29T16:55:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:30:57.004-08:00Pallets Of Straub's In Philly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRFndki4ZCC-weqNJ3rdMzln8a7Cx2lJr5YKNBhN0xqGJPL9aRtxRIbQH7ZHuPN3pkt6hCO6FDHS-fAL7b5ZSnxSQ3lxjYf8oPcS9APeXY0_uofkTIZzXCkvEA0GwVd-LKwQj_BtkBN8/s1600-h/071229+Straubs+pallet+in+philly.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149564401972828082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRFndki4ZCC-weqNJ3rdMzln8a7Cx2lJr5YKNBhN0xqGJPL9aRtxRIbQH7ZHuPN3pkt6hCO6FDHS-fAL7b5ZSnxSQ3lxjYf8oPcS9APeXY0_uofkTIZzXCkvEA0GwVd-LKwQj_BtkBN8/s400/071229+Straubs+pallet+in+philly.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#cc0000;">One of my resolutions is to explore Philly more often. For living roughly an hour from the city I sure haven't done much there.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#cc0000;">So, a daytrip led to some adventures and memories.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#cc0000;">I was driving down a street and looked over and saw this pallet of Straub's sitting by the roadway. Mmmm, Straub's!</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-723567451698687082007-12-12T19:25:00.000-08:002007-12-12T19:30:53.571-08:00At The Mercy Of Frontpage 2003<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;">Last Sunday my Sony Vaio took a dump. Dead. DOA. Sadly, a brand new 400gb external hard drive sat nearby - unused. I was going to backup my whole hard drive - tomorrow. Arrrgh.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;">I rushed out and bought a new computer but its been next to IMPOSSIBLE to find a copy of Frontpage2003 - the program that I use to do website maintenance.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;">So, this website has been unmaintained for almost 2 weeks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;">Thankfully, a friend will be hooking me up on 12/13 and I should be back in business!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-90197230920396515962007-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:30:57.266-08:00Barleyjuice - More Excellence<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Tb_gWJAy_bqO0M5RyXUWAlRTb7wMnHp9MlJZc2fbSXzzwZb9MaUSXoQwAqLQ-qfWjiwEUoQmwQzCI1bE19DY7rUudNrGqosg4nhJzKlEzB-Jfmg7XjNOrwCYb_4XJRUa1PL95-ZHbWPn/s1600-h/100_0043[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131288028266239858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Tb_gWJAy_bqO0M5RyXUWAlRTb7wMnHp9MlJZc2fbSXzzwZb9MaUSXoQwAqLQ-qfWjiwEUoQmwQzCI1bE19DY7rUudNrGqosg4nhJzKlEzB-Jfmg7XjNOrwCYb_4XJRUa1PL95-ZHbWPn/s400/100_0043%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#009900;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Last evening BARLEYJUICE played at the Maryland Irish Festival in Timonium. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">"The Largest Celtic Festival In The US That Is Under One Roof" had free parking and $10 admission.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">I thought the crowd was light but the threat of the season's first snow probably kept some people home and many more were probably waiting until today.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Barleyjuice's section was pretty full - many die-hard fans and a bunch from Philly. Their show, as I expected, was excellent. The songs from their new album were equally good and of course their signature song, "Whats Up Yours", has everyone cheering.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">The more I hear this band the more I like them.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#993300;"></span></div><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-size:0;"></span></div><div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NF3v4-X6nbE&rel=" width="425" height="355" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-21622111229485276352007-11-03T10:38:00.000-07:002007-11-03T11:01:36.179-07:00Huh!?!??<span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Tomorrow I am going to sit down and watch football and contemplate the criteria I use to evaluate pubs and especially how I look at barmaids and staff.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Earlier today I stopped at a local watering hole. </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Sat at the bar and ordered my beverage and the barmaid squinched up her face and uttered, "huh!??". No "excuse me" or "say that again" but a primal "huh!??".</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">A few minutes later some guys ask her about changing the lighting where they were going to sit and she again grunted her "huh!??".</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Is it wrong that I expect a literate, interested barmaid or bartender?</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Isn't tending bar a perfect example of a service job?</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">If I receive correspondence asking me to invest in an automated barmaid machine I swear I will send some money.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Do bar owners hire people and then give them absolutely ZERO guidance on how to treat people? </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Do regulars tip well enough that she has no incentive to be decent to a non-regular? Aren't tips supposed to be a reward for good service?</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">This situation always bugs me and it never gets any better.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-58367483715770493292007-11-02T05:27:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:30:57.492-08:00"Suds & Dregs"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC3Twx5WMzh2D3pu-SVylluMAkbUWIkiUXvWM_vvV84_s0U8iG2AZoLTCh2bLIf9e7Mj5l1-UkjO90pV1Us-lIr_wFqP_i9V3-FXQgLV-ujfwMKJsDo60DFFrHgyAm95erwhecF-Vc_TM/s1600-h/sudsdregs.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128222013419881378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC3Twx5WMzh2D3pu-SVylluMAkbUWIkiUXvWM_vvV84_s0U8iG2AZoLTCh2bLIf9e7Mj5l1-UkjO90pV1Us-lIr_wFqP_i9V3-FXQgLV-ujfwMKJsDo60DFFrHgyAm95erwhecF-Vc_TM/s400/sudsdregs.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#006600;">I didn't grow up in Berks County. I was born and raised not too far away but it wasn't here.</span><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">When I first launched americantom.com I soon learned of a legendary book by "Suds & Dregs", two school teachers in Reading who wrote a small book on local taprooms.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">Someone even called me a "modern day reincarnation" of them or something to that effect.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">Because their books were printed locally and in the pre-Amazon days - they aren't something you can just hop online and buy.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">I found a copy for sale the historical society and bought it but misplaced it before I read it. Then I found it but didn't want to read the reviews for fear of tainting my thoughts.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">Well, I sat down the other day and read it from cover to cover. Holy cow!! My thoughts on bars are a LOT like theirs. So much in some cases that it may seem like I plagiarized. I did not.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">One fact that struck me:</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div>Reading city bars: 1975: 133 1988: 109 </div><br /><div>Berks County bars: 1975: 238 1988: "just over 200"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">I will try to find out how many still remain in 2007.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">I do know that VERY few of the named taverns ring a bell with me. They have either folded or been renamed.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">Sadly, the book doesnt list exact street addresses for the bars they reviewed. This is one reason why I list exact addresses and try to post GPS coordinates.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-4957632417732900362007-10-26T09:58:00.000-07:002007-10-26T10:04:04.654-07:00Makin' The Paper<span style="color:#006600;">A few days ago I got an email from Ad Crable, a reporter with the Lancaster New Era.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">He had stumbled across americantom.com and was interested in writing an article about the project.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Having been burned by the media in the past but also intrigued what would happen if it did run - I contacted him.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Thankfully, he appears to be a guy with high journalistic integrity.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">He had obviously read the Lancaster County section and asked pertinent questions. I pretty quickly felt at ease with his motives.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">The piece will run in the New Era on Monday October 29th 2007.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-463504062179750766.post-228296631874129742007-09-11T20:02:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:30:57.705-08:00Green Lane Irish Festival 2007<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH6Gur6ZlqdGDy1HogTjGZ_clbQSXZj1KF_n9EesbQZ2BWG80opHtaK_3Je8GCPLUv8Xmduo8A-0Z9vP1s1nEl_ILYgoacX0nWX9UDvVospQeOpUy0fZFeEN-Y2JbqUIzJ6jxUgF-Ut2I/s1600-h/DSC06547.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109150797599808482" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH6Gur6ZlqdGDy1HogTjGZ_clbQSXZj1KF_n9EesbQZ2BWG80opHtaK_3Je8GCPLUv8Xmduo8A-0Z9vP1s1nEl_ILYgoacX0nWX9UDvVospQeOpUy0fZFeEN-Y2JbqUIzJ6jxUgF-Ut2I/s400/DSC06547.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjhyphenhyphenh7XqS9ZVNF7qunQ6WyvPk_YyoseLtkTsEOOjTtKa38NfSNU841ejaHrlSfZPRX_s1gmbP9UnZk7fpQmzeIRauxSn1TF1CezApVQUE_6RLfpZbawZL6l3LLI1XMYi4DqITYu6VmZXV/s1600-h/DSC06559rs.jpg"></a></p><span style="color:#990000;">I had never heard of the Green Lane Scottish Irish Festival until I read a myspace bulletin posted by the band Barleyjuice. Even then, I assumed that its "Montgomery County" location would be somewhere urban.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">When I looked at a map I realized that it wasn't too far from Reading and quickly made plans to attend. This one is the 8th year and appears to be the first time they have tried a three day run.</span><br /><span style="color:#990000;">The 2006 edition brought out 130,000 people. Thats a lot.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">The festival surrounds two sides of a large lake and you really need to allow an entire day to explore the vendors, music, demonstrations, games,etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Our main mission was to hear Barleyjuice. Not seeing any signs prohibiting alcohol we carried a plastic cooler to our campchair spot and were about to enjoy some bottles of cold, delicious Reading Beer when we realized that NOBODY was drinking beer. NONE. At a celtic festival.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Eeek.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">So, we got some paper cups and kept it low key and nobody complained and we had a great time. I bought a $25 Guinness rugby ball and a $7 Jameson bar towel. I only have the vendors I saw about 20% of the time they deserved as there was a great variety of quality goods.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">The band was excellent as was Burning Brigette Cleary. I did catch the obvious bust in one of their songs when they asked the crowd to "raise your water bottles". </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">The amateurish website ( <a href="http://glpsifestival.org/">http://glpsifestival.org/</a> ) says there are 60 campsites available but all were taken. I think it would be a complete blast to camp here. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">I highly recommend this event. Just bring your own beer and be careful or drink in the nearby grassy parking lot. There are a zillion kids here so careful discretion, as anywhere, is a must.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Good job to all who organized this one. Put a bit more effort into your website but other than that it was top notch.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjhyphenhyphenh7XqS9ZVNF7qunQ6WyvPk_YyoseLtkTsEOOjTtKa38NfSNU841ejaHrlSfZPRX_s1gmbP9UnZk7fpQmzeIRauxSn1TF1CezApVQUE_6RLfpZbawZL6l3LLI1XMYi4DqITYu6VmZXV/s1600-h/DSC06559rs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109150466887326674" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjhyphenhyphenh7XqS9ZVNF7qunQ6WyvPk_YyoseLtkTsEOOjTtKa38NfSNU841ejaHrlSfZPRX_s1gmbP9UnZk7fpQmzeIRauxSn1TF1CezApVQUE_6RLfpZbawZL6l3LLI1XMYi4DqITYu6VmZXV/s400/DSC06559rs.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0