Tag Archives: beer

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Who? What! Why….?

April 18, 2020 Rivergirl 29 Comments

Who would invent such a thing?

What would make them think this was a good idea?

And why would anyone ever want to buy it?

Wonder what I’m talking about?

It’s this:

Yes.

You read that correctly.

Brewers in Poland have developed a fermented beer made from the vaginal lactic acid of beautiful women.

Doesn’t that sound yummy?

If you want to read more about it….. here.

The entire idea is as ridiculous as it is disgusting, which is why I had to blog about it.

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Because if this crap has to rattle around in my brain?

I need to make sure it rattles around in yours as well.

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I never really thought about it…

April 2, 2020 Rivergirl 16 Comments

But damn.

I hope so too!

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Finally…

March 13, 2020 Rivergirl 20 Comments

An exercise routine I can honestly say I would stick with.

I tried it…

And feel healthier already.

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Colonial Williamsburg… Shield’s and Wetherburn’s Taverns

February 2, 2020 Rivergirl 18 Comments

Now don’t get excited food people, these taverns were for touring not eating.

Shield’s Tavern was closed, but had something the husband wanted to photograph.

Men. I can’t explain them….

But the gardens out back were lovely.

And I enjoyed a stroll among the well tended shrubbery.

I think Edward Scissorhands would approve.

There were vegetable gardens…

And wreaths…

I even saw an old ball and chain gate closure.

And then down the road, we found Wetherburn’s Tavern.

Where we had a guide give us the history and a tour.

Taverns back in the day were far different from what you might think. Rooms were rented for private parties, balls were held in the great rooms, owners lived behind the kitchen and the upstairs served as a hotel.

Which rooms you rented depended on your social standing.

Up to 12 men bunked in here.

I like cozy, but not that cozy.

Middle class families might sleep 8 in this room.

A private room? You had serious money.

Business deals were struck and government policies were made in rooms like these.

While the tavern keepers cranked out the meals in here….

That’s one high tech rotisserie right there.

Many taverns had their own smokehouses and livestock.

Which prompted a 30 minute conversation from my husband about being raised on a dairy farm.

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An appropriate wreath was decorating their door as well.

We may not have seen any beer…. but it was still a tavern.

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The resort, the Manor, a little bad food…. and geese.

January 25, 2020 Rivergirl 20 Comments

There aren’t too many timeshare resorts that have a Manor House…

But ours did.

And for guests….

The doors were wide open.

So before even finding our condo, we explored.

She was a charming old girl.

And fully decked out for Christmas.

Yes, there was even some funky chicken portraiture.

Ya gotta love that.

Traditional Williamsburg colors took center stage.

And board games were set up on various tables.

It really was quite lovely.

And I certainly wouldn’t mind having a meal or two here.

But we were burning daylight…

So, needing liquid refreshment….

We left the Manor House and were pleased to find a restaurant/bar on the property.

Not all resorts have this, so it was a plus.

The friendly bartender introduced the husband to a local beer, and we ordered some appetizers to test the menu.

French Onion Soup for the other half…. which was absolutely horrendous. Croutons instead of French Bread, over salted broth and a glob of gelatinous cheese.

Blech.

My margarita was made with cheap mix and even cheaper tequila…. and the cheesy crab dip? Tasteless, as well as crabless. I couldn’t find a single piece.

Needless to say we passed on ordering dinner there. (Sorry Martin, that’s all the food pics you’ll get today.)

But ya know what?

The resort was beautiful.

They had a Manor House…..

And geese.

I forgave them their bad food.

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Cape Cod Day 8…. turkeys, traffic and booze. The way most of our vacations end.

January 20, 2020 Rivergirl 16 Comments

Day 8 dawned bright and sunny and it was time to pack up and head for home. Of course packing means different things to men and women. It takes me considerable time…. seeing that I actually unpack my suitcases and put things away.

Remember? Me unpacked…

Husband’s idea of unpacked…

Men.

You really are a separate species.

The local turkey brigade came to wish us farewell.

And soon we were crossing the famous Sagamore Bridge and leaving Cape Cod.

It was a wonderful trip, and we enjoyed every minute of it. So much to see and do…. I’m sure we’ll go back someday.

Next step?

Boston.

And it’s horrible, absolutely inescapable, bumper to bumper traffic. If you can avoid it?

By all means, do so.

Cruising into New Hampshire on I-95 means one thing. The New Hampshire State Liquor store…. no tax!

If we drive to our vacation? We stop here on the way back…. you almost have to. It’s like a rite of passage for New Englanders.

Snow.

Lobster.

And tax free booze.

What’s not to love?

My haul this time included a few Game of Thrones inspired Johnnie Walker Christmas presents.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

And here’s a bone I’ll throw to all my food lovers.

Lunch.

At a riverside restaurant.

With an amazing beer selection.

And a list that went on and on and on…

To heck with the food…

I could just happily sit there and drink all day.

But yes, food.

Homemade chicken tenders and side salad for the husband.

And a massive portion of Truffle fries to accompany my chicken Caesar salad wrap.

So there you have it, the November Cape Cod trip.

The end.

Finito.

Done!

While I realize it took me until January 20th to finish this series, as I sit here typing this… I still have over 2 weeks worth of Williamsburg, Virginia Christmas vacation photos to sort through and post. So don’t be surprised if you’re seeing Santa and his reindeer right through April….

You’ve been warned.

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Cape Cod Day 4. Farewell to Martha’s Vineyard, hello to Bad Martha’s beer. And then some Italian.

January 9, 2020 Rivergirl 36 Comments

While we’d planned on taking the 8:30pm ferry back to Woods Hole…

We arrived early and were put on an earlier freight run.

Yay! Third car on, I figured we’d be the third car off.

I was wrong.

So very wrong…

But it was a gorgeous night for a boat ride.

And for some full moon photography.

Even if some of the shots went a little wonky.

Before we knew it we were pulling into port.

And the doors were opening…

Damn.

Do I take fascinating videos or what?

Naturally, we were almost the last to leave.

But that’s alright, it was a wonderful day and a memorable adventure of a fabulous place.

Next stop?

Beer.

We’d passed this place in Falmouth a few times during our trip and decided that night we’d stop.

Bad Martha’s, a brewery from Edgartown on the Vineyard… from whence we just came, but managed to miss while we were there.

It was a fun space.

Loud and exuberant…. probably like Martha herself.

We did a flight.

And sadly weren’t impressed with the beer, the really uncomfortable metal tractor seats or the small menu. Basically a few pizzas or a cheese plate.

So we moved on to Mashpee and found a great little Italian restaurant.

Cranberry margarita in hand..

We drooled over the menu.

Veal Portofino for me…

(Okay, 2 cranberry margaritas in… I admit the quality of photography tends to decline.)

Chicken Florentine for the husband.

And a classic on the television at the bar.

(I still have my original album, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. Hey Bartender!)

Dessert was a shared Limonatta cream cake. Husband said he didn’t want any and ended up eating 2/3rds of it.

Light as air and positively delicious, how could he not?

One more slightly inebriated photo later…

(It was a nice looking place, you’ll just have to take my word for it.)

Day 4… over and out.

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Cape Cod Day 4, Black Dog Tavern, Vineyard Haven.

January 6, 2020 Rivergirl 33 Comments

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If you live in New England, I can guarantee you’ve seen numerous bumper stickers, t shirts and assorted swag with the ubiquitous black dog silhouette.

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But on day 4 of our fabulous Cape Cod adventure, we had lunch at the real thing.

The original Black Dog Tavern on Martha’s Vineyard.

For a sweetly illustrated history, click here.

It’s a rustic little place…

With some fabulous views.

Filled with maritime history as well as the flavor of the sea….

And on the day we had lunch there?

Even an adorable real life black dog on the beach.

(No worries… it was a cool day, he had water and his owners checked on him regularly.)

Cocktail?

Don’t mind if I do….

Since we were at the Black Dog, I tried a Black Dog Orange Crush.

Which might have to become my new favorite way to wake up the day.

Happily sipping, we enjoyed watching the ferry.

The boats..

The harbor…

And local craft beer disappear.

But yes, the food. We came for food…

Quahog chowder. Thick, creamy and delicious with homemade croutons made for a nice start.

What’s a quahog you ask?

It’s a large hard shelled clam.

quahog

Isn’t that just typical human behavior?

Name your pet, then kill him to find out how old he is.

Sorry Ming, you deserved better. And I sincerely hope you weren’t in our soup.

I was in the mood for a good chargrilled burger and this one didn’t disappoint.

The husband? He inhaled two dozen mussels.

Replete, we said goodbye to the real black dog….

The views…

The pier….

And the original Black Dog Tavern.

Fervently wishing they would come to Maine and build one on our coast!

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Cape Cod Day 3… Plimoth Plantation. Goats, beer, a cranky llama and the Mooflower

December 29, 2019 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Continuing through the English settlement we saw garden plots…

And goats.

Who liked a good chin scratch.

I mean really liked a good chin scratch. This guy followed me the entire length of the fence.

We met a young man chopping firewood…

Who when asked what was in his flask, replied “Beer, of course. The water will make you sick.”

We discovered beer was quite popular in those days.

And if I had to cook all my meals in that contraption behind the women?

I’d drink beer everyday as well.

Colonists popped out at you everywhere…

Some friendly…

Some not.

This woman was the Governor’s wife and therefor had a slightly better home. With wood floors and a proper chimney.

Although the quality of workmanship seemed about the same.

Finished with the colony, we moved on to the museum with it’s eel pot…

It’s sea suit.

And because I knew you’d ask…

And it’s Mayflower provision list.

250 lbs of bacon and 280 lbs of butter… That will hold me for 8 weeks, but what will the rest of you eat?

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Though I do have to say, that list seems a little suspect. Considering margarine was invented in 1868 and Rice Krispies in 1927…I highly doubt they were aboard the original ship in 1620.

WTH?

But the museum did have the Mooflower….

And an anatomically correct, trouser wearing, sea going cow vessel?

Makes up for a lot of historical inaccuracies.

Last up was the petting barn where we found…

Yes.

One rabbit…

Apparently the pilgrims ate everyone else before we got there.

But then we saw…

So we met Hyacinth.

And may I just say?

She was a bitch.

I tried to pet her and almost lost a finger. She tried to head butt a few children and looked ready to go 12 rounds with a service dog that walked by.

If you’re approaching that age when you yell at the kids to get off your lawn? Don’t get a shotgun…

Get a Hyacinth.

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Cape Cod Day 2… Beer. More beer. And a sunset at the beach.

December 26, 2019 Rivergirl 27 Comments

Heading back to our resort after lunch we stopped in at Devil’s Purse brewery in South Dennis.

It’s an unassuming little place in a warehouse, with a beam for a bar…

And slab topped barrel tables with no seats. Personally I’m not fond of this concept, but space was limited and they probably don’t want to encourage you to linger.

That being said their beer was good. Very good… and we enjoyed our time there.

Sadly, they didn’t do flights which is my preferred way to sample a new brewery’s offerings.

But they did offer 4 ounce pours… (at roughly a dollar an ounce!) and we tried quite a few.

They specialize in European style beer and we specialize in never liking the same one. The Pollock RIP IPA was too bitter for me, while the Shore Laddie blackberry porter was too rich for him. But we both loved their plum saison Season In Hell…. enough to buy a growler to take home.

The tasting room is also dog friendly which is fun.

No, Fido wasn’t drinking. His owner just wanted a good picture.

Sound like anyone you know…?

Back in Hyannis, we decided to stop at the Cape Cod brewery which is by far the largest and most popular.

But as with most things, size doesn’t matter.

(Sorry fellas, but it’s true)

Saturday afternoon at 3:45 and the place was packed. Though why that was, I really can’t say.

When we got to the bar…. we were told they were closing in 15 minutes and wouldn’t be able to do a flight, but we could order a small pour or two.

Please explain this reasoning, because I’m confused. You do flights, but won’t give us one because you’re closing soon…. but you will pour us multiple smalls. What’s the difference?

And to that…. closing at 4:00 on a Saturday afternoon. WTH? When we asked why they closed so early on the weekend, we were told it’s because their workers want to have fun too.

It’s a good thing the entire restaurant and bar industry doesn’t follow this trend….we’d all be forced to have fun at home.

And no one wants that.

But, it was beer and we must drink. Which we did, though I wish we hadn’t…

Personal table top ring toss games aside, their beer was as flat and uninteresting as their let’s close early! business plan. We drank 4 between us and I couldn’t even finish one of mine.

I. Left. Beer. On. The. Table.

Yeah, that’s bad.