1. For a walk today, I parked the Camry in the Whiteaker neighborhood and strolled around, checking out things that are new to me and remembering times I've spent at places that have been around for quite a while. I headed north to the Ninkasi Brewing complex. Since I've last wandered around Ninkasi, the company closed its tasting room and opened a restaurant called The Better Living Room. I wasn't ready to drink a beer, but I wanted to make sure I knew where this place is located and check out the parking situation. I succeeded.
I enjoyed walking by familiar places where I've had many memorable times in the past: Izakaya Meiji Company, Sam Bond's Garage, the Red Barn Grocery, New Day Bakery, and Tacovore. I also took note of some places to eat and drink I was not familiar with -- and probably won't come to know.
2. After strolling, I drove to 16 Tons and ordered a 12 oz pour of Single Hill Brewing's Pale Ale, Local Hill. I've been drinking more Pale Ales recently, enjoying their balance and how easy they are to drink. I enjoyed my first beer so much that I bought a second 12 oz glass and bought a four pack of various IPAs to take back to Anne's where we're staying.
Later, Debbie and I went to the 16 Tons Cafe where I enjoyed a Joy Pale Ale from Block 15. The brewery describes the beer as having a "pillowy-soft malt profile" and I have to agree. The beer has a soft feel and I enjoyed the balance between the sweetness of the "pillowy-soft" malt and the citrus flavored hops.
3. We stopped for beer at 16 Tons Cafe on our way to Friendly Garden, a street side space on Friendly under huge tents with food trucks and a performance stage. Our friend Brook Adams fronts a surf band called El Borko ¡Surf! and they were playing this evening, starting at 6:30. Anne met us there. Later, Walker, Ingrid, and Walker's sister joined us. After a while, Laura came by. Tim Blood came by our table. I'd had enough beer for a while, so I went to a food truck and ordered a plate of teriyaki chicken and after an hour or so got myself a pint of Rev Nate's tasty New Moon Mandarin Cider.
Brook's band is awesome. Surf music is deeply rooted in Americana and early rock n roll and I loved how I could hear the way this music had to have inspired punk rock and the new wave sound that emerged about 40+ years ago. El Borko ¡Surf! played music by the Ventures, other familiar stuff I can't name, a surf band version of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, that great song "Secret Agent Man", and closed out their show playing "Tequila". For me, listening to El Borko ¡Surf! was two hours of invigorating bliss. The music charged me up, made me feel very happy, and brought back to mind what a wild and innovative musician Brook Adams is.
No comments:
Post a Comment