This article was printed in the October issue of the SWFL Parrot
Another month has come and gone and it’s time to get back to old habits. Ironically enough my old habits are taking me to all NEW places… well almost all new places.
This month’s bar crawl is taking me in a direction I’ve not been… west??? I guess it’s west. As my guidance counselor always said… I lack direction. He also told me that all my tests said that when I grew up I would become a bad influence… it appears the man was a bit of a psychic.
So…this month took me out Burnt Store Road and down (or up?) Pine Island Road into Matlacha. I laugh when I say Matlacha because I always think it’s Nick Lachey’s brother. Please tell me you get that joke. I think it’s funny! Regardless, I ‘ve fallen in love with Matlacha, Pine Island, Bokeelia, and St. James City. For some reason my expectations have always been that on the water bars are expensive. I was oh so wrong. What follows is a Sunday crawl with me and Big Mikey.
Step 1) Bert’s Bar & Grill. Apparently THE place to stop in Matlacha. It’s on the left right before the bridge that crosses into Pine Island. I knew upon entering, that this was my kinda place. An “all you can eat fish fry” and football on a big screen is an almost can’t miss for a good bar. Add a friendly bartender named Lisa and we’re still rolling towards greatness. I could talk about this bar for another six inches of type but I’m on a word count so it’s gonna go fast. The bar has a great old Florida feel and what looks to be an appetizing menu. I was stuck on the drafts and didn’t sample the fare, but how can you go wrong with fresh fish. The menu has a great story about the history of the bar which is also available on their website www.bertsbar.com. The website has their live music schedule which is a “don’t miss” of great local bands. They are famous for their Million Dollar View which I never got far enough from the bar to see. I have to say I had one heck of a great time watching the bartender play “tag” with the volume button on the jukebox and watching us all in amazement as the Dolphins almost won a game… but they didn’t. This is a MUST stop on any trip out that way!
Step 2) Red’s Seafood House and Tavern. Over the bridge and right on Stringfellow into Bokeelia. I learned my geography from two lovely bartenders at Red’s… apparently right at the intersection is Bookelia and left is St. James City. In my infinite stupidity I neglected to get the names of these two angels from behind the bar so I will call them Siren1 and Siren2. If you stop in, apologize for me and tell them I promise I’ll be back in with a pen. I love it when a bartender can tell that a pitcher suits me better than a draft! These two sweeties were kind enough to point us in several directions and without them I could never have found the remaining spots on this crawl and for that I thank them. Big Mike and I didn’t stay long because it was starting to fill up around supper time and from the line of chairs by the front door this was the hot place to eat. We stayed long enough to finish our pitcher and discuss suburbs of Philly and New Jersey exits and we were on our way.
Step 3) Froggy’s. Left onto Stringfellow and into St. James City… thanks again ladies. Down the road and on the left, you can’t miss it. Now talk about an old style Florida bar… here it is. I bar with two closed in lanais out front complete with comfy sofas. There’s a gazebo…on the INSIDE of the bar…and we haven’t even gotten to the best part… dollar drafts! I big ole beautiful bar with a nice gal behind it named Lecia. We both had a dollar on how to spell it and we both were wrong. I asked twice and I bet I still got it wrong…remember…no pen. Had I known there were so many good bars out this way I would have gotten up earlier in the day and packed a pillow… and a pen. We stayed for a couple and enjoyed the atmosphere of a bar that could easily have been in old Key West and then paid our exorbitant bar tab of 3 bucks (Mike had switched to Coke since he lost the bet to be designated driver! I always cheat… I know he always throws paper, so I always throw scissors!)
Step 4) Ragged Ass Saloon. HOW can you NOT stop at a place with this name??? I couldn’t “not” stop. Again… a great surprise… live music on the outside stage, a nice diverse collection of souls at the bar and dollar drafts. What’s not to love? By this time of the night, the crawl was winding down and it was getting dark so were couldn’t stay for more than one at this particular place. It’s a long way back to Port Charlotte and Mike gets cranky drinking Coke instead of Budweiser! I wish I had more time to meet and greet the crew here at Raggedy Ass but when the driver says go…we go…after I whine a little, right Mike? Plus we still had one more stop to make!
Step 5) Bubba’s. Now if you’ve met Big Mike and I you know we could be the poster boys for a place named Bubba’s so it was a must stop as well. It’s left on Pine off of Burnt Store Road coming out of Punta Gorda… on the left side. This place looked like a lot of fun. A big ole drinking area and football on every tv, peanuts on the bar (and floor), NTN trivia and a cutie working the rail make it another great stop. I swear, how did I not know about these places??? I have to confess the main drawing point for me to go back to this place was a server who had to be 6’5”… I am sooo the sucker for tall women!!! Actually, I’m a sucker for short ones too…and come to think about it average height as well. Well, the bear (Mike) wouldn’t let me stay for as many as I wanted and since we had the drive back to PC I agreed…after more whining…right Mike?... we headed the long Burnt Store Road back towards Punta Gorda and over the bridge to Port Charlotte.
I have to say for finding 5 new bars in someplace I’ve never been and having ALL of them be places I could adopt as a second home makes me think that someone up there (or down there…direction issues remember) is smiling on me. I’m seriously thinking about looking for a house out there! Yes those bars are that good.
Upon entering the home site of Port Charlotte I woke from my car nap and took right back to whining. Since we were close to home and Mike had stopped drinking quite the while back, I was able to whine my way into one more stop back in the good ole PC… did I mention the part about being a bad influence? It was easy because Mike and I both have taken a shine to this little dive (meant in the best possible way) and mainly because of its bartenders.
Step 6) Charlie’s Pub and Billiards near Easy St. on the access road. Mike and I stopped in Charlie’s a couple months ago because it was the last place in Port Charlotte I hadn’t been. The reason was because my brother in law, who is my long time drinking buddy, only drinks Jack (they are beer and wine) and because I don’t shoot pool. Well Mike and I immediately took a liking to the bargals who were WAY more than friendly and now I must say I make it a stop at least a couple times a week. I absolutely love Brettany, Cassie, Kimmy, and Lisa and I’m sure I’ll learn to love Stacey too…she’s new. WARNING… this is an acquired taste and not right for everybody! I don’t know how else to put that.
Step 6 and a half) Back to my house to think about the day. As always the best things in life are the surprises that you get out of everyday. I was expecting nothing from this crawl and it turned out to be one of my most favorite. Please take the time to drive out to Pine Island and see Old Florida before it’s gone. These bars are everything that I fell in love with when I turned 18…yes that was the drinking age when I was young…back in the day. Please be nice to all the gals (or guys) who work behind the bar and tell them thank you from me. Also tell them I’ll be back to that area as soon as I can whine Big Mike into driving me out there… Good ole scissors beats paper every time. See ya out there…toodles!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Bartender of the Month Kristine Lidinsky
This article was published in the October issue of the SWFL Parrot
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Okay bartender fans; are we ready for the bartender of the month for October? Well…are we? I can’t hear you! I said I can’t hear you!
How’s that for hype... and the envelope please… from the great bar on Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte Florida… Boomers…without further delay, we present Kristine Lidinsky ... (applause).
Maybe we picked Kris because she’s been a bartender at Boomers since before it was Boomers? Maybe we picked her because she has mad bartending skills? Maybe we picked her because she’s a fixture at one of the town’s best bars? Actuality… we picked her because she has a blue and gold macaw just like Beaker! Okay, all of the above are true. Personally I like her because of her sense of humor and positive demeanor. I liked her from the first day I met her. For those of you who know me, I have an interesting nickname… Fungus. Many people don’t know how to take this nickname but I am proud to have it. You see, it was given to me by the cutest little Miss Hibiscus to ever land on this earth. Her name is Alex and she just turned 7. When she was just learning to talk she christened me Uncle Fungus after a character in Ice Age. It has since spawned some interesting moments such as at crowded airports having a child yell for Uncle Fungus at the gate or at a bar having a regular give me a second look and say “what did she call you????” Well, when I first met Kris I was introduced by my brother in law (Alex’s daddy) as Fungus. The next time I met her she had forgotten the nickname but knew it was odd so she then gave me a worse nickname (if that’s possible) and I am now known to her as Puke.
Okay now for the specifics. Kris has been bartending since she was 18 and is originally from Chicago (maybe that’s why she works so well at Boomers, which is a Bears bar). She is happily married to her husband Wayne and has three kids, Christopher, Dakota, and Chenoa. She has 5 birds, 4 dogs, and 4 cats all of which have been adopted or rescued. She has been in Port Charlotte for 15 years, having moved to Florida after spending her vacations here as a child. She told me that when she used to come here she would see the “old people walking on the beach” and knew that someday that would be her. Personally I think she has a long way to go before anyone would call her “old”.
Kris has been at Boomers for over 10 years and loves the family atmosphere. Two of her kids have worked behind the bar at Boomers as well and her son’s engagement party was thrown there. Gus and Andy even catered the wedding. She loves the fact that Boomers is not an “in and out” type of work environment. They are family and treated that way. She likes that the core of workers has remained the same for years and years, and had nothing but good things to say about everyone she works with.
In her spare time away from the bar, Kris likes to cook, go to the beach and shop. I must say that she is among the best dressed bartenders that I know. There is no “uniform” at Boomers and it’s nice to see the creativity with which she and the other ‘tenders dress. I definitely think it helps add to the friendly atmosphere there.
Kris has worked at several other places throughout the county, all of which have since closed. She is quick however to point out that she is not a job hopper and those establishments closing was in no way because of her! Anyone who has met her would have to agree, because she is friendly enough to have her own following. I have seldom seen her without a smile on her face or in a down mood. She is always quick to strike up a conversation and quick with a one liner. When I asked her for some funny stories she said she had plenty but didn’t know if any were repeatable! She did tell me one of them and I’m not repeating it!
You will find Kris behind the bar every day but Wednesday and Sunday. She said that she put her time in and has graduated to not having to work on football Sundays. Anyone who has been in Boomers for a Bears or Bills game can understand what she means. Stop in and see her and tell her I said hi!
…and remember… you can nominate any bartender for Bartender of the Month by e-mailing me at dave@swflparrot.com. I love meeting new bartenders and traveling to new bars! If you’re trying to get your bartender in as BOTM maybe you should tell them to give me a new disgusting nickname? Thanks Kris and believe me, it’s always been all my pleasure!!! So long from Puke.
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Okay bartender fans; are we ready for the bartender of the month for October? Well…are we? I can’t hear you! I said I can’t hear you!
How’s that for hype... and the envelope please… from the great bar on Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte Florida… Boomers…without further delay, we present Kristine Lidinsky ... (applause).
Maybe we picked Kris because she’s been a bartender at Boomers since before it was Boomers? Maybe we picked her because she has mad bartending skills? Maybe we picked her because she’s a fixture at one of the town’s best bars? Actuality… we picked her because she has a blue and gold macaw just like Beaker! Okay, all of the above are true. Personally I like her because of her sense of humor and positive demeanor. I liked her from the first day I met her. For those of you who know me, I have an interesting nickname… Fungus. Many people don’t know how to take this nickname but I am proud to have it. You see, it was given to me by the cutest little Miss Hibiscus to ever land on this earth. Her name is Alex and she just turned 7. When she was just learning to talk she christened me Uncle Fungus after a character in Ice Age. It has since spawned some interesting moments such as at crowded airports having a child yell for Uncle Fungus at the gate or at a bar having a regular give me a second look and say “what did she call you????” Well, when I first met Kris I was introduced by my brother in law (Alex’s daddy) as Fungus. The next time I met her she had forgotten the nickname but knew it was odd so she then gave me a worse nickname (if that’s possible) and I am now known to her as Puke.
Okay now for the specifics. Kris has been bartending since she was 18 and is originally from Chicago (maybe that’s why she works so well at Boomers, which is a Bears bar). She is happily married to her husband Wayne and has three kids, Christopher, Dakota, and Chenoa. She has 5 birds, 4 dogs, and 4 cats all of which have been adopted or rescued. She has been in Port Charlotte for 15 years, having moved to Florida after spending her vacations here as a child. She told me that when she used to come here she would see the “old people walking on the beach” and knew that someday that would be her. Personally I think she has a long way to go before anyone would call her “old”.
Kris has been at Boomers for over 10 years and loves the family atmosphere. Two of her kids have worked behind the bar at Boomers as well and her son’s engagement party was thrown there. Gus and Andy even catered the wedding. She loves the fact that Boomers is not an “in and out” type of work environment. They are family and treated that way. She likes that the core of workers has remained the same for years and years, and had nothing but good things to say about everyone she works with.
In her spare time away from the bar, Kris likes to cook, go to the beach and shop. I must say that she is among the best dressed bartenders that I know. There is no “uniform” at Boomers and it’s nice to see the creativity with which she and the other ‘tenders dress. I definitely think it helps add to the friendly atmosphere there.
Kris has worked at several other places throughout the county, all of which have since closed. She is quick however to point out that she is not a job hopper and those establishments closing was in no way because of her! Anyone who has met her would have to agree, because she is friendly enough to have her own following. I have seldom seen her without a smile on her face or in a down mood. She is always quick to strike up a conversation and quick with a one liner. When I asked her for some funny stories she said she had plenty but didn’t know if any were repeatable! She did tell me one of them and I’m not repeating it!
You will find Kris behind the bar every day but Wednesday and Sunday. She said that she put her time in and has graduated to not having to work on football Sundays. Anyone who has been in Boomers for a Bears or Bills game can understand what she means. Stop in and see her and tell her I said hi!
…and remember… you can nominate any bartender for Bartender of the Month by e-mailing me at dave@swflparrot.com. I love meeting new bartenders and traveling to new bars! If you’re trying to get your bartender in as BOTM maybe you should tell them to give me a new disgusting nickname? Thanks Kris and believe me, it’s always been all my pleasure!!! So long from Puke.
There’s Got To Be A Morning After
this article was printed in the September issue of the SWFL Parrot.
Welcome back y’all. Another month has come and gone and it’s time to chronicle another crawl in this barfly’s life. This month however I’m trying something a little different. The scarecrow, lion, tin man, and I have decided to venture away from the Jager-brick road for four tires, a round of wedge and two cans of Sunoco racing fuel. Yes that’s a NASCAR reference for those of you who don’t follow the only real sport left, after all the final championship race is coming up at Homestead later this month (anyone who’s going, e-mail me a cell number and we’ll hook up in the RV lot for pre-race Surfer on Acids!).
Besides having a great selection of bars in the greater Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda area, this section of heaven is also blessed with some great places to get breakfast. Breakfast seems to me to be a natural extension of a good bar crawl. I realize sometimes it needs to be an “open all-nighter” like Denny’s for the 3AM slam or the obligatory Waffle House visit out on Jones Loop. If you think about it there are literally hundreds of places for breakfast around here… heck we have two Bob Evans’s and two Waffle Houses! There’s a great Perkin’s, an IHOP, a Cracker Barrel, and Mel’s just to name a few…but I’m going to focus on a few out of the way places where you might be able to get something a little different.
Step 1) Elena’s in Punta Gorda. It’s located on the right hand side next to where the Scotty’s used to be… how’s that for redneck directions? Elena’s is open 7 days a week and has always been a favorite of mine. Charley took its toll on this little breakfast spot and they were closed for renovations for quite the while…I for one missed it tremendously. It did come back bigger and better than ever though!
You will usually be greeted by Elena at the door and ushered to your seat to enjoy one of the county’s largest selections for breakfast. My personal favorite has to be the breakfast quesadilla. Coming originally from up north, a quesadilla for breakfast you would not see…but it has become a Sat. morning craving for me. It’s definitely a breakfast that eats like a dinner. It usually lasts me through until the late happy hour if I manage to eat the entire thing!
Step 2) Nancy’s Place just off Tarpon Blvd in Port Charlotte. This is my “during the week” place. I’ve always loved this little hideaway because they open bright and early and they are close to my house… plus they have grilled polish sausage as a breakfast option. Mmmm, now who wouldn’t want that to kick off the day! Another of my favorite things about Nancy’s is that it’s got that little diner feel to it. The servers are all as friendly as any bartender and they have their own set of regulars. The walls are covered with signatures of patrons and they strongly promote their love of the Tennessee Volunteers… ya gotta love ole Rocky Top! Stop in and enjoy this little beauty.
Step 3) Sweet’s Diner. Sweet’s is a relatively new place located just north of Boomers a couple doors up from the Philadelphian, home of the only cheesesteak I have found that rivals South Philly since moving down here. They are a quaint little place with a friendly crew and some great service, but what got Sweet’s on my list is the fact that they are one of the few places I’ve found that has creamed dried beef on the menu. Now if I could get them to add scrapple to the menu, I’d be set. I’m wondering how many of you know what scrapple is???? (no Jodi it’s not a board game with letter tiles). Try it out and tell Steve Sweet I said hello and keep up the good work.
Step 4) Olde World Restaurant in North Port. This is one of my Sunday morning favorites when I want to get a good omelet. It’s more of the after church crowd which usually isn’t my speed, since Sunday is recovery day for me, but I love the portions and the service with a smile that I always get there. The wide range of selection has something for everyone and it’s a great way to kick start a football Sunday.
Step 5) Tropical Spice Grille located on the right hand side of the Tamiami Trail in Englewood in the Cornerstone Shopping Center. I must confess, this isn’t someplace I would have tried without some help from our loyal readers. Dawn and Dave Carpenter e-mailed me at dave@swflparrot.com to suggest I try it out. I’m soooo glad they did. They recommended the Island Eggs Benedict or the Great Bay French Toast. I went with the Toast and it was outstanding. Vanilla flavored Cuban style French toast topped with pineapple and macadamia nuts and whipped cream! How can you go wrong there? It was truly a great find and makes me love my job here at the Parrot! Dawn, I will e-mail you back when I have a chance to go there for happy hour. I am dying to try the jerk chicken. I haven’t had good jerk chicken since Jamaica! I’m betting that they do it up right!
Step 6) Home again.
I’m not sure how I like doing a breakfast crawl instead of a bar crawl… next month I will be back at my “normal” thing. I’m sure I missed a lot of good breakfast places as there is one on every corner. I don’t know if I’ll ever do another column on food since bars are so much more fun, but feel free to send me any requests and I’ll stop in…especially if you know one that has scrapple! Next month I’m thinking of going back to Punta Gorda in a better mood…stay tuned!!!
Now it’s back to the Jager-brick road headed for the Emerald City to see the wizard! See ya next month, toodles!
Welcome back y’all. Another month has come and gone and it’s time to chronicle another crawl in this barfly’s life. This month however I’m trying something a little different. The scarecrow, lion, tin man, and I have decided to venture away from the Jager-brick road for four tires, a round of wedge and two cans of Sunoco racing fuel. Yes that’s a NASCAR reference for those of you who don’t follow the only real sport left, after all the final championship race is coming up at Homestead later this month (anyone who’s going, e-mail me a cell number and we’ll hook up in the RV lot for pre-race Surfer on Acids!).
Besides having a great selection of bars in the greater Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda area, this section of heaven is also blessed with some great places to get breakfast. Breakfast seems to me to be a natural extension of a good bar crawl. I realize sometimes it needs to be an “open all-nighter” like Denny’s for the 3AM slam or the obligatory Waffle House visit out on Jones Loop. If you think about it there are literally hundreds of places for breakfast around here… heck we have two Bob Evans’s and two Waffle Houses! There’s a great Perkin’s, an IHOP, a Cracker Barrel, and Mel’s just to name a few…but I’m going to focus on a few out of the way places where you might be able to get something a little different.
Step 1) Elena’s in Punta Gorda. It’s located on the right hand side next to where the Scotty’s used to be… how’s that for redneck directions? Elena’s is open 7 days a week and has always been a favorite of mine. Charley took its toll on this little breakfast spot and they were closed for renovations for quite the while…I for one missed it tremendously. It did come back bigger and better than ever though!
You will usually be greeted by Elena at the door and ushered to your seat to enjoy one of the county’s largest selections for breakfast. My personal favorite has to be the breakfast quesadilla. Coming originally from up north, a quesadilla for breakfast you would not see…but it has become a Sat. morning craving for me. It’s definitely a breakfast that eats like a dinner. It usually lasts me through until the late happy hour if I manage to eat the entire thing!
Step 2) Nancy’s Place just off Tarpon Blvd in Port Charlotte. This is my “during the week” place. I’ve always loved this little hideaway because they open bright and early and they are close to my house… plus they have grilled polish sausage as a breakfast option. Mmmm, now who wouldn’t want that to kick off the day! Another of my favorite things about Nancy’s is that it’s got that little diner feel to it. The servers are all as friendly as any bartender and they have their own set of regulars. The walls are covered with signatures of patrons and they strongly promote their love of the Tennessee Volunteers… ya gotta love ole Rocky Top! Stop in and enjoy this little beauty.
Step 3) Sweet’s Diner. Sweet’s is a relatively new place located just north of Boomers a couple doors up from the Philadelphian, home of the only cheesesteak I have found that rivals South Philly since moving down here. They are a quaint little place with a friendly crew and some great service, but what got Sweet’s on my list is the fact that they are one of the few places I’ve found that has creamed dried beef on the menu. Now if I could get them to add scrapple to the menu, I’d be set. I’m wondering how many of you know what scrapple is???? (no Jodi it’s not a board game with letter tiles). Try it out and tell Steve Sweet I said hello and keep up the good work.
Step 4) Olde World Restaurant in North Port. This is one of my Sunday morning favorites when I want to get a good omelet. It’s more of the after church crowd which usually isn’t my speed, since Sunday is recovery day for me, but I love the portions and the service with a smile that I always get there. The wide range of selection has something for everyone and it’s a great way to kick start a football Sunday.
Step 5) Tropical Spice Grille located on the right hand side of the Tamiami Trail in Englewood in the Cornerstone Shopping Center. I must confess, this isn’t someplace I would have tried without some help from our loyal readers. Dawn and Dave Carpenter e-mailed me at dave@swflparrot.com to suggest I try it out. I’m soooo glad they did. They recommended the Island Eggs Benedict or the Great Bay French Toast. I went with the Toast and it was outstanding. Vanilla flavored Cuban style French toast topped with pineapple and macadamia nuts and whipped cream! How can you go wrong there? It was truly a great find and makes me love my job here at the Parrot! Dawn, I will e-mail you back when I have a chance to go there for happy hour. I am dying to try the jerk chicken. I haven’t had good jerk chicken since Jamaica! I’m betting that they do it up right!
Step 6) Home again.
I’m not sure how I like doing a breakfast crawl instead of a bar crawl… next month I will be back at my “normal” thing. I’m sure I missed a lot of good breakfast places as there is one on every corner. I don’t know if I’ll ever do another column on food since bars are so much more fun, but feel free to send me any requests and I’ll stop in…especially if you know one that has scrapple! Next month I’m thinking of going back to Punta Gorda in a better mood…stay tuned!!!
Now it’s back to the Jager-brick road headed for the Emerald City to see the wizard! See ya next month, toodles!
Bartender of the Month Ron Bello
This article was posted in the September issue of the SWFL Parrot
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This one was the easiest choice EVER…I have personally been lobbying for this gentleman to be a bartender of the month since the Parrot started doing a Bartender of the Month. This guy is not only my bartender of the month…he is without a doubt my favorite bartender of all time. Now if you know me, you know I’ve probably met more bartenders than most other people have met umm…OTHER people. This is the bartender’s bartender. He embodies what a bartender should be… in any bartending guidebook there’s a picture of the perfect bartender…and it’s his picture.
Ron Bello is the bartender at Donato’s at 1900 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte better known as the mall where the new Lowes is. It’s an Italian eatery with a market attached. The food is phenomenal and I’ve never had better Italian food…but…I’m not the food critic…and this article is about a bartender.
Let’s start with when I arrived to interview Ron. He was working the front register in the market, answering the phones and doing seven other jobs. Ron is the consummate professional. He is my kind of guy. He is a problem solver in the first degree. He does not complain about the problem or try to find the person whose job it is, he rolls up his sleeves and gets it done.
When we started the interview I normally have a list of questions to help me get info to compile an 800 word article…with this one I didn’t need it. I told him that it would be real quick because I already had 750 words on him before I got there. There won’t be a bunch of stuff about what his favorite drink is or his favorite color because I’m going to need all the space to tell the stories! Let’s do the preliminaries as fast as possible. He’s single, just turned 60, and lives in Punta Gorda. He lost everything he owned in Charley and I mean EVERYTHING. He moved south from Glens Falls, NY in 1994. He’s been tending bar for 35 years. He served 4 years in the Navy which involved traveling worldwide. He has his own signature drink which follows him around…Ron’s Special coffee…Bailey’s, Kailua, coffee, Chambord drizzled over whipped cream. He always wears a nametag. He has been at Donato’s since Jan. 6 when they opened their bar which he helped set up. He has bartended at Breaker’s (now Portofino’s) the Raw Bar (flattened by Charley) the Lighthouse which is now Casa Loca. He has guest bartender at Celtic Ray and Millie’s Hideaway (now the Nav-A-Gator) among others. He has bartended for many a charity function including United Way functions and Habitat for Humanity functions. He has done TONS of work for the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and will jump at any good cause. He is a great cook.
Now that all that is out of the way let me start the stories. I know I won’t have enough space already. I can write 800 words about each story! Actually this could be a book.
Ron was my regular bartender for almost 3 years at Hogbody’s. He has a habit of starting work by singing when he comes through the door. At Hogbody’s it was Journey. He laughs because now it’s Dean Martin since it’s an Italian joint. Ron is the fastest smoker of all time. A cigarette break for him has been timed at less than 30 seconds! He is the smartest individual I know. He knows more than professors about literature, food, movies, music, politics, geography and just about everything else. He and I once tried out for Jeopardy when tryouts were in Fort Myers. We sat next to each other and were given 10 question tests that were different. Had we moved a seat in either direction one of us would have moved to the next level. We both got 9 out of tens and when we discussed the questions he knew the one I missed and vice versa. We stood in the line to test for hours making people laugh because no one knew the capital of Albania. We eventually looked it up on my internet phone but we had such a good time teasing everyone in line. That’s Ron. Ron is always smiling and making people smile.
Ron used to laugh at people who ordered wine at Hogbody’s. They would ask what kinds they had and his answer was CCR, CCW, and CCP… that’s Cheap California Red and Cheap California White…the Cheap California Pink was just mixing the two. When people would complain he would laugh and say “there’s a PIG on the sign!!! What kind of wine would you like with your pulled pork sandwich?” He finds it ironic that he’s now selling fine wines.
He told me a great story about the night at Breakers when one of the beervats exploded and gave everyone at the bar a beer shower, but I’m going to use the rest of my space to tell a story which typifies Ron best. He volunteered to set up the bars for a function for the Boy’s and Girls Club at the Cultural Center. His version of this story took 10 minutes and was worthy of another beer to listen to it. My version goes like this… After he spent the afternoon setting everything up, he found out that the club had asked outside bartenders from another bar to come in and run them for the night. They told him they had another job for him. He was upset and eventually decided that he was leaving. He went to Hogbody’s and sat at the bar and stewed over the evening. The crew there told him he needed to go back and he just couldn’t walk out like that. He refused. Ten minutes later the key speaker who was a guest from Mississippi along with the leader of the organization came into the bar and sat next to him. They told him he needed to come back. He refused… they then relented and told him he HAD to…because you see he was being honored as their first Volunteer of the Year!
I have dozens of other stories including the days when he had Storybook Hour at the bar and he read children’s books to us regulars… but if you want to hear about that… GO SEE HIM! He will make you smile and you will get sucked into becoming one of his regulars.
Oh by the way, the capital of Albania is Tirana. Thank You Ron Bello for being my favorite bartender of all time!
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This one was the easiest choice EVER…I have personally been lobbying for this gentleman to be a bartender of the month since the Parrot started doing a Bartender of the Month. This guy is not only my bartender of the month…he is without a doubt my favorite bartender of all time. Now if you know me, you know I’ve probably met more bartenders than most other people have met umm…OTHER people. This is the bartender’s bartender. He embodies what a bartender should be… in any bartending guidebook there’s a picture of the perfect bartender…and it’s his picture.
Ron Bello is the bartender at Donato’s at 1900 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte better known as the mall where the new Lowes is. It’s an Italian eatery with a market attached. The food is phenomenal and I’ve never had better Italian food…but…I’m not the food critic…and this article is about a bartender.
Let’s start with when I arrived to interview Ron. He was working the front register in the market, answering the phones and doing seven other jobs. Ron is the consummate professional. He is my kind of guy. He is a problem solver in the first degree. He does not complain about the problem or try to find the person whose job it is, he rolls up his sleeves and gets it done.
When we started the interview I normally have a list of questions to help me get info to compile an 800 word article…with this one I didn’t need it. I told him that it would be real quick because I already had 750 words on him before I got there. There won’t be a bunch of stuff about what his favorite drink is or his favorite color because I’m going to need all the space to tell the stories! Let’s do the preliminaries as fast as possible. He’s single, just turned 60, and lives in Punta Gorda. He lost everything he owned in Charley and I mean EVERYTHING. He moved south from Glens Falls, NY in 1994. He’s been tending bar for 35 years. He served 4 years in the Navy which involved traveling worldwide. He has his own signature drink which follows him around…Ron’s Special coffee…Bailey’s, Kailua, coffee, Chambord drizzled over whipped cream. He always wears a nametag. He has been at Donato’s since Jan. 6 when they opened their bar which he helped set up. He has bartended at Breaker’s (now Portofino’s) the Raw Bar (flattened by Charley) the Lighthouse which is now Casa Loca. He has guest bartender at Celtic Ray and Millie’s Hideaway (now the Nav-A-Gator) among others. He has bartended for many a charity function including United Way functions and Habitat for Humanity functions. He has done TONS of work for the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and will jump at any good cause. He is a great cook.
Now that all that is out of the way let me start the stories. I know I won’t have enough space already. I can write 800 words about each story! Actually this could be a book.
Ron was my regular bartender for almost 3 years at Hogbody’s. He has a habit of starting work by singing when he comes through the door. At Hogbody’s it was Journey. He laughs because now it’s Dean Martin since it’s an Italian joint. Ron is the fastest smoker of all time. A cigarette break for him has been timed at less than 30 seconds! He is the smartest individual I know. He knows more than professors about literature, food, movies, music, politics, geography and just about everything else. He and I once tried out for Jeopardy when tryouts were in Fort Myers. We sat next to each other and were given 10 question tests that were different. Had we moved a seat in either direction one of us would have moved to the next level. We both got 9 out of tens and when we discussed the questions he knew the one I missed and vice versa. We stood in the line to test for hours making people laugh because no one knew the capital of Albania. We eventually looked it up on my internet phone but we had such a good time teasing everyone in line. That’s Ron. Ron is always smiling and making people smile.
Ron used to laugh at people who ordered wine at Hogbody’s. They would ask what kinds they had and his answer was CCR, CCW, and CCP… that’s Cheap California Red and Cheap California White…the Cheap California Pink was just mixing the two. When people would complain he would laugh and say “there’s a PIG on the sign!!! What kind of wine would you like with your pulled pork sandwich?” He finds it ironic that he’s now selling fine wines.
He told me a great story about the night at Breakers when one of the beervats exploded and gave everyone at the bar a beer shower, but I’m going to use the rest of my space to tell a story which typifies Ron best. He volunteered to set up the bars for a function for the Boy’s and Girls Club at the Cultural Center. His version of this story took 10 minutes and was worthy of another beer to listen to it. My version goes like this… After he spent the afternoon setting everything up, he found out that the club had asked outside bartenders from another bar to come in and run them for the night. They told him they had another job for him. He was upset and eventually decided that he was leaving. He went to Hogbody’s and sat at the bar and stewed over the evening. The crew there told him he needed to go back and he just couldn’t walk out like that. He refused. Ten minutes later the key speaker who was a guest from Mississippi along with the leader of the organization came into the bar and sat next to him. They told him he needed to come back. He refused… they then relented and told him he HAD to…because you see he was being honored as their first Volunteer of the Year!
I have dozens of other stories including the days when he had Storybook Hour at the bar and he read children’s books to us regulars… but if you want to hear about that… GO SEE HIM! He will make you smile and you will get sucked into becoming one of his regulars.
Oh by the way, the capital of Albania is Tirana. Thank You Ron Bello for being my favorite bartender of all time!
Out in the ‘Wood’
This article was originally posted in the August issue of the SWFL Parrot
A perk of this job?…I was told to find new places to drink. Wow…how much do I hate that?
Mission Possible…should I choice to accept it…(and of course I did…after all I was married once so how bad could it possibly be?)…. Find some new places in Englewood to drink.
Here we go…ready?
Step 1)... Stump Pass Grille. Just off Maryland Ave. left off Placida Road. Wow! How could you ask for anything more? It’s on a marina, which has always been my key for a great place to hang. Boaters know how to do it so much better than the average Joe. It’s a bar that plays Radio Margaritaville and serves fresh catch. Friendly and hard to find….yes I like that. I hope I don’t spoil it by telling people how to get there. I HONESTLY have to say that I had the best fish sandwich that I’ve had in the last ten years there. The last one I had was one I personally caught off the coast of Key West and this one was that good. 10 oz. of mahi-mahi with jack cheese… blackened…lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise…outstanding is not expressing it well enough. Just thinking about it makes me drool a little. It’s a great little new bar with a huge tiki pavilion and live music that is a great place to hide away. It’s family owned with a great sense of small bar pride that we just don’t have enough of in this area. Thanks Stuart and Jeff for making me feel welcome.
Step 2)… the Blue Lagoon…on down Placida Road. Open air back deck with awesome food and a huge back bar. There are stories enough to keep you there for a week. Just ask Paul about Florida history or time spent in Key West and you will spend the rest of the day there, drinking Landsharks and laughing about “old” Florida! Ask him to take you up on the roof to see the view of Lemon Bay. The bar is big enough to take several hundred of your closest friends. It’s a little tough to find as I’ve missed it EVERY time I’ve tried. I was told the easiest way is to take the first right after Egg and I, personally I just go until I hit the bridge and then make the illegal U turn in the middle! Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges.
Step 3)… Now I’m going backwards, but since I’m a Port Charlotte boy, I’ll always be a little backwards. It’s on to the Time Out Pub to see my best girl Deb, a Hogbody’s cast off who I NEVER get to see enough of. A strip mall bar but friendly enough. Tell her I sent you and I miss her.
Step 4)… It was going to be the White Elephant and Calico Jack’s which always rock the beach but I never quite made it that far…maybe in the next article? Does that really count as a step?
Step 5)… Time to head home but I HAD to find someplace new! I swerved into another little strip mall and found Prime Time Steak & Spirits. Wow…what a find. I so love when you just turn in on a whim and find a great bar. Having eaten at Stump Pass, I was full but the friends I had with me weren’t. I was definitely envious of what they ordered…especially cute little Jess! It’s a Mexican fare with great sized portions. Being me, I just spent my time getting to know the bartender Rusty. Nice chap. I also have to give a nod to Pete at the bar that was friendly enough to make us feel welcome. I love local people that are eager to talk to strangers. It’s what made me move here and keeps me here through the rainy season in a Jeep without doors!
Step 6)… Back to familiar ground! Good old Port Charlotte. I had to stop and see all the regulars at Boomers. If you’re from here, you know them all. I would name them, but I would miss one and they would torment me forever! That’s how they are! Let’s just say I go there to hear the argument of who sells more beer at the Redfish game…Joe or Dave. Since Joe is the regular they all say him but since Dave is my bud, I know it’s him! If you stop, tell Sandy that she promised Dave she would come for a game and she still hasn’t. Heck…he said he didn’t even mind if she bought beer from Joe!! And if you do stop, tell Lenny he owes me a buck!
Step 6 and a half….home. Ready to try again the next day… I just want to finish up by saying how much I love my job with the Parrot! I’m always looking for a new place to try so if you’ve got a place, e-mail me at dave@swflparrot.com and tell me. Heck, I’ll try anything once! Knowing me, I’ll forget the first time and try it twice. Toodles.
A perk of this job?…I was told to find new places to drink. Wow…how much do I hate that?
Mission Possible…should I choice to accept it…(and of course I did…after all I was married once so how bad could it possibly be?)…. Find some new places in Englewood to drink.
Here we go…ready?
Step 1)... Stump Pass Grille. Just off Maryland Ave. left off Placida Road. Wow! How could you ask for anything more? It’s on a marina, which has always been my key for a great place to hang. Boaters know how to do it so much better than the average Joe. It’s a bar that plays Radio Margaritaville and serves fresh catch. Friendly and hard to find….yes I like that. I hope I don’t spoil it by telling people how to get there. I HONESTLY have to say that I had the best fish sandwich that I’ve had in the last ten years there. The last one I had was one I personally caught off the coast of Key West and this one was that good. 10 oz. of mahi-mahi with jack cheese… blackened…lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise…outstanding is not expressing it well enough. Just thinking about it makes me drool a little. It’s a great little new bar with a huge tiki pavilion and live music that is a great place to hide away. It’s family owned with a great sense of small bar pride that we just don’t have enough of in this area. Thanks Stuart and Jeff for making me feel welcome.
Step 2)… the Blue Lagoon…on down Placida Road. Open air back deck with awesome food and a huge back bar. There are stories enough to keep you there for a week. Just ask Paul about Florida history or time spent in Key West and you will spend the rest of the day there, drinking Landsharks and laughing about “old” Florida! Ask him to take you up on the roof to see the view of Lemon Bay. The bar is big enough to take several hundred of your closest friends. It’s a little tough to find as I’ve missed it EVERY time I’ve tried. I was told the easiest way is to take the first right after Egg and I, personally I just go until I hit the bridge and then make the illegal U turn in the middle! Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges.
Step 3)… Now I’m going backwards, but since I’m a Port Charlotte boy, I’ll always be a little backwards. It’s on to the Time Out Pub to see my best girl Deb, a Hogbody’s cast off who I NEVER get to see enough of. A strip mall bar but friendly enough. Tell her I sent you and I miss her.
Step 4)… It was going to be the White Elephant and Calico Jack’s which always rock the beach but I never quite made it that far…maybe in the next article? Does that really count as a step?
Step 5)… Time to head home but I HAD to find someplace new! I swerved into another little strip mall and found Prime Time Steak & Spirits. Wow…what a find. I so love when you just turn in on a whim and find a great bar. Having eaten at Stump Pass, I was full but the friends I had with me weren’t. I was definitely envious of what they ordered…especially cute little Jess! It’s a Mexican fare with great sized portions. Being me, I just spent my time getting to know the bartender Rusty. Nice chap. I also have to give a nod to Pete at the bar that was friendly enough to make us feel welcome. I love local people that are eager to talk to strangers. It’s what made me move here and keeps me here through the rainy season in a Jeep without doors!
Step 6)… Back to familiar ground! Good old Port Charlotte. I had to stop and see all the regulars at Boomers. If you’re from here, you know them all. I would name them, but I would miss one and they would torment me forever! That’s how they are! Let’s just say I go there to hear the argument of who sells more beer at the Redfish game…Joe or Dave. Since Joe is the regular they all say him but since Dave is my bud, I know it’s him! If you stop, tell Sandy that she promised Dave she would come for a game and she still hasn’t. Heck…he said he didn’t even mind if she bought beer from Joe!! And if you do stop, tell Lenny he owes me a buck!
Step 6 and a half….home. Ready to try again the next day… I just want to finish up by saying how much I love my job with the Parrot! I’m always looking for a new place to try so if you’ve got a place, e-mail me at dave@swflparrot.com and tell me. Heck, I’ll try anything once! Knowing me, I’ll forget the first time and try it twice. Toodles.
Bartender of the Month Mary Malak
This article was originally posted in the SWFL Parrot issue August 2007
Wow….
Never have I had so much support to name a certain person bartender of the month….what a following!
Without further hesitation let me introduce Mary Malak.
I must confess I’ve mentioned Mary before in my very first article because she was phenomenal from the very first day I met her. I was steered there by Big Mike months ago and I must confess I was a little apprehensive to name her as bartender of the month because I was afraid I was showing favoritism...after all, we live in the bartender capital of the US and there are so many to choose from…but…there’s something about Mary! The respect that she gets among her fellow workers, her peers and her customers overcame any silly reason I could muster not to honor her skills.
And now… since I only have a limited space…her story.
Mary… the bartender at the Blue Parrot at Treasure Lanes…. Wow!
Ask any barfly what makes a great bartender…Service? I have NEVER lacked for a beer at this establishment….EVER. That includes a packed bar, three deep. When it gets busy, this girl can dial it up a notch… Personality? This gal is as quick with a joke as I am….and I like to think I’m pretty quick…best part is she enjoys hearing the jokes as much as telling them. You will not find her without a smile and a great attitude. She is fun with a capital F. Creativity? I love the fact that from week to week, you never know what she will come up with next.This transplant from Staten Island, which she calls “the other island”, is such a breath of positivity that there is no way that you can’t get drawn in. She loves her regulars because “we watch out for each other”. Having spent 18 years training in the clubs of Manhattan, she enjoys Port Charlotte because of the connections that she’s made with her regulars. She knows that these locals will keep her busy through the summer when times are lean. She told me she never wanted the coldness of the big clubs in New York and relishes the chance to get “personal” with the people she serves. At the end of the interview, when I asked her if she wanted me to add anything…she said …with a smile…”I’d like to thank the little people who made this possible”. I know she was being light hearted, but she DOES appreciate us little people who appreciate her. She made the comment to me that people go to a bar for roughly 3 reasons….to socialize, to escape, or to vent…and it seems it takes a good bartender to realize the difference between the three. Some people need attention, some need space and some need an ear…she does a great job with all three and knowing which is which. THAT is why she deserves to be bartender of the month.
Mary was quick to give props to her family. Her husband Robert of 13 years and her children Leo, Greg, and Dina and 7 year old rottweiler Brandy are the support system which allows her to come to work happy every day. When I asked her what she does when not at the bar she gave me only one answer...I enjoy my time spent with my family! She told me the move back to Port Charlotte from NYC was for them. She wanted her family to grow up away from the crime of the city and the memories of 9/11. She wanted that change of lifestyle for her kids.
Mary has been tending bar at the Blue Parrot for 5 years and has a great history there. The owners “threatened” me (not really!) to make sure I wrote a flattering piece. I know they were just being protective because Mary is one of their own…but honestly, I don’t think anyone who knows her could say anything bad about her. I think she is a great bartender because there is no hidden agenda with her. With her, what you see is what you get. Sincerity has to be respected…it is after all, so rare, especially in a bartender.
I did get to hear some funny stories as the night went on…. like why she wears the cowboy hat. Apparently when she first got the job, she was replacing a long-time favorite and wanted to make a good impression. Unfortunately it was a bad hair day, so she decided to wear her Xmas present cowboy hat to cover it up. It was a success and became a Friday tradition. It has since led to boots and a “holstered” bottle opener. She did admit that she’s not really “coyote ugly” because she can’t flip bottles and the ceiling is too low to dance on the bar, but she is a “city girl in a cowboy outfit”. Apparently the story is that whenever she buys new boots, it’s a busy bar night! The owners have volunteered to buy her new boots anytime she wants!
Oh… and one more thing…. This little filly reads Tarot cards. She’s been doing it for 7 years. She reads mine every Friday night on Men’s night…and…she’s pretty dead on…just ask my friends!!!
You can find Mary behind the bar at Treasure Lanes on RT 41 in Port Charlotte Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 3PM to close and Friday night 5-close, where you will almost ALWAYS see me! It’s Men’s night! Come in and get your cards read and say hello to one of our favorite bartenders… Mary Malak!!!
Don’t forget that we here at the Parrot encourage YOU to nominate your favorite person for Bartender of the Month! There are plenty of places to go and people for us to meet and we love going out and about! You can e-mail me your suggestions to dave@swflparrot.com and send me somewhere new to meet your favorite barkeep! As for this month, stop and see Mary at the Blue Parrot and tell her I sent ya…. trust me…you won’t be disappointed!
Wow….
Never have I had so much support to name a certain person bartender of the month….what a following!
Without further hesitation let me introduce Mary Malak.
I must confess I’ve mentioned Mary before in my very first article because she was phenomenal from the very first day I met her. I was steered there by Big Mike months ago and I must confess I was a little apprehensive to name her as bartender of the month because I was afraid I was showing favoritism...after all, we live in the bartender capital of the US and there are so many to choose from…but…there’s something about Mary! The respect that she gets among her fellow workers, her peers and her customers overcame any silly reason I could muster not to honor her skills.
And now… since I only have a limited space…her story.
Mary… the bartender at the Blue Parrot at Treasure Lanes…. Wow!
Ask any barfly what makes a great bartender…Service? I have NEVER lacked for a beer at this establishment….EVER. That includes a packed bar, three deep. When it gets busy, this girl can dial it up a notch… Personality? This gal is as quick with a joke as I am….and I like to think I’m pretty quick…best part is she enjoys hearing the jokes as much as telling them. You will not find her without a smile and a great attitude. She is fun with a capital F. Creativity? I love the fact that from week to week, you never know what she will come up with next.This transplant from Staten Island, which she calls “the other island”, is such a breath of positivity that there is no way that you can’t get drawn in. She loves her regulars because “we watch out for each other”. Having spent 18 years training in the clubs of Manhattan, she enjoys Port Charlotte because of the connections that she’s made with her regulars. She knows that these locals will keep her busy through the summer when times are lean. She told me she never wanted the coldness of the big clubs in New York and relishes the chance to get “personal” with the people she serves. At the end of the interview, when I asked her if she wanted me to add anything…she said …with a smile…”I’d like to thank the little people who made this possible”. I know she was being light hearted, but she DOES appreciate us little people who appreciate her. She made the comment to me that people go to a bar for roughly 3 reasons….to socialize, to escape, or to vent…and it seems it takes a good bartender to realize the difference between the three. Some people need attention, some need space and some need an ear…she does a great job with all three and knowing which is which. THAT is why she deserves to be bartender of the month.
Mary was quick to give props to her family. Her husband Robert of 13 years and her children Leo, Greg, and Dina and 7 year old rottweiler Brandy are the support system which allows her to come to work happy every day. When I asked her what she does when not at the bar she gave me only one answer...I enjoy my time spent with my family! She told me the move back to Port Charlotte from NYC was for them. She wanted her family to grow up away from the crime of the city and the memories of 9/11. She wanted that change of lifestyle for her kids.
Mary has been tending bar at the Blue Parrot for 5 years and has a great history there. The owners “threatened” me (not really!) to make sure I wrote a flattering piece. I know they were just being protective because Mary is one of their own…but honestly, I don’t think anyone who knows her could say anything bad about her. I think she is a great bartender because there is no hidden agenda with her. With her, what you see is what you get. Sincerity has to be respected…it is after all, so rare, especially in a bartender.
I did get to hear some funny stories as the night went on…. like why she wears the cowboy hat. Apparently when she first got the job, she was replacing a long-time favorite and wanted to make a good impression. Unfortunately it was a bad hair day, so she decided to wear her Xmas present cowboy hat to cover it up. It was a success and became a Friday tradition. It has since led to boots and a “holstered” bottle opener. She did admit that she’s not really “coyote ugly” because she can’t flip bottles and the ceiling is too low to dance on the bar, but she is a “city girl in a cowboy outfit”. Apparently the story is that whenever she buys new boots, it’s a busy bar night! The owners have volunteered to buy her new boots anytime she wants!
Oh… and one more thing…. This little filly reads Tarot cards. She’s been doing it for 7 years. She reads mine every Friday night on Men’s night…and…she’s pretty dead on…just ask my friends!!!
You can find Mary behind the bar at Treasure Lanes on RT 41 in Port Charlotte Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 3PM to close and Friday night 5-close, where you will almost ALWAYS see me! It’s Men’s night! Come in and get your cards read and say hello to one of our favorite bartenders… Mary Malak!!!
Don’t forget that we here at the Parrot encourage YOU to nominate your favorite person for Bartender of the Month! There are plenty of places to go and people for us to meet and we love going out and about! You can e-mail me your suggestions to dave@swflparrot.com and send me somewhere new to meet your favorite barkeep! As for this month, stop and see Mary at the Blue Parrot and tell her I sent ya…. trust me…you won’t be disappointed!
Beers of Summer
This article was originally posted in the SWFL Parrot in the July issue
Summer…
Who doesn’t love it? Of course I fell in love with it before I moved to the land of a thousand degrees. Maybe summer was my favorite season for a couple reasons. I was born in June and for as long as I can remember that meant a birthday party. Being a twin, the party had to be twice as big! As we all know, as we get older, birthdays become less of a thing to look forward to and more of a reminder that we are getting older. That is, unless you’re chronically immature and refuse to ever grow up…yes…that’s me.
So…time to plan the party. My friends listen to me go on rants every so often about the local seafood trade or lack there of. Being originally from outside of the Chesapeake Bay, I was blessed with an overabundance of crabs, scallops, clams and fish for most of my young life. When we were annoying little brats my grandmother used to pay us a nickel per crab to clean the menacing little buggers. I think that it took me until graduating college to realize that she was just keeping us busy. I guess my sister was smarter than I was because she quit early, while I would sit and pick all day. Smart woman my grandmother was.
This year’s birthday would be a seafood one. I have come to notice that for living next to a productive harbor there is surprising little in the way of seafood available. There are no crab shacks and few oyster bars. I’ve yet to see a place when clams are a dime each and oysters served on the half shell in more than just the basic ways. I’m not really sure why this is. My friends in the biological field from FGSU tell me that we have the means here in the harbor.
I decided on Miss Cindy’s Seafood in Placida. They had the best price on oysters of any that I tried. Now discount seafood is the equivalent of being the best dressed at the hoedown…approach with caution. I’m lucky enough to be friends with Ray Leary who works for the DEP as the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves Data Management Specialist. His specialty is bivalves and he agreed to shuck for me as my gift. I dragged him along to inspect the tasty little devils before purchasing and even if they turned out to be bad, the price was worth a drive out there. Long story short… it was worth the drive.
I’ve worked in the catering business and it never ceases to amaze me how the numbers fluctuate! It was to be a small party, but anyone who knows me knows I err on the side of too much! There would be food for 50 although only expecting 25. One should never run out of beer and it was a Saturday with a race to watch on Sunday, so a half barrel of Bud should get us through to the checkered flag. 100 oysters freshly shucked, 100 clams freshly steamed, pounds upon pounds of shrimp, a vat of what I call gumbalaya (not quite gumbo not quite jumbalaya), all the accompanying accessories…however no blue crab! As it turns out, not having crab worked in my favor as it was easier to toss my head back and slurp than it would have been with a knife picking lung chambers. The amazing number part, it pretty much all went including several gift bottles of liquor! Yes the yard was occupied by strange cars in the morning and it took 14 hours for my friend Tennalicious to finally find my glasses in the yard, but it was the best birthday party I can remember (keep in mind that as I get older my memory fades).
Okay now… to the second reason I love summer….baseball. Hockey’s Stanley Cup has been given to the Ducks and the NBA trophy went to….somebody… which leaves us with baseball. I LOVE BASEBALL. As a child, I played 26 hours a day. To this day, my favorite smell of all is fresh cut grass because it reminds me of game day at the field.
HEY CHARLOTTE COUNTY…we have a ball team… the Redfish! Go see the drink cart girl. The lovely Elizabeth sells Coronas for 3 bucks complete with a lime. Go to hassle the beermen Joe and Dave, who have a nightly running bet on who sells more beer. Get a pulled pork sandwich from Murdock Grill Catering, and see the “rally” osprey that nests in the right field lights and flies in with its catch of the day in the middle innings.
Being a barfly, I have to throw in that after the game, TGIFridays has happy hour from 10 to close. You almost always get a chance to see Joe and Dave there… or there’s ALWAYS Boomers which stays open late. If you go there, they will tell you that Joe is beating Dave in the bet. If you stop, tell Sandy that she promised to come to a game!
Thanks to all my friends who made it a great birthday and I hope to see you at the ballpark…by the way… Dave is winning the bet…don’t listen to Joe! Toodles!
Summer…
Who doesn’t love it? Of course I fell in love with it before I moved to the land of a thousand degrees. Maybe summer was my favorite season for a couple reasons. I was born in June and for as long as I can remember that meant a birthday party. Being a twin, the party had to be twice as big! As we all know, as we get older, birthdays become less of a thing to look forward to and more of a reminder that we are getting older. That is, unless you’re chronically immature and refuse to ever grow up…yes…that’s me.
So…time to plan the party. My friends listen to me go on rants every so often about the local seafood trade or lack there of. Being originally from outside of the Chesapeake Bay, I was blessed with an overabundance of crabs, scallops, clams and fish for most of my young life. When we were annoying little brats my grandmother used to pay us a nickel per crab to clean the menacing little buggers. I think that it took me until graduating college to realize that she was just keeping us busy. I guess my sister was smarter than I was because she quit early, while I would sit and pick all day. Smart woman my grandmother was.
This year’s birthday would be a seafood one. I have come to notice that for living next to a productive harbor there is surprising little in the way of seafood available. There are no crab shacks and few oyster bars. I’ve yet to see a place when clams are a dime each and oysters served on the half shell in more than just the basic ways. I’m not really sure why this is. My friends in the biological field from FGSU tell me that we have the means here in the harbor.
I decided on Miss Cindy’s Seafood in Placida. They had the best price on oysters of any that I tried. Now discount seafood is the equivalent of being the best dressed at the hoedown…approach with caution. I’m lucky enough to be friends with Ray Leary who works for the DEP as the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves Data Management Specialist. His specialty is bivalves and he agreed to shuck for me as my gift. I dragged him along to inspect the tasty little devils before purchasing and even if they turned out to be bad, the price was worth a drive out there. Long story short… it was worth the drive.
I’ve worked in the catering business and it never ceases to amaze me how the numbers fluctuate! It was to be a small party, but anyone who knows me knows I err on the side of too much! There would be food for 50 although only expecting 25. One should never run out of beer and it was a Saturday with a race to watch on Sunday, so a half barrel of Bud should get us through to the checkered flag. 100 oysters freshly shucked, 100 clams freshly steamed, pounds upon pounds of shrimp, a vat of what I call gumbalaya (not quite gumbo not quite jumbalaya), all the accompanying accessories…however no blue crab! As it turns out, not having crab worked in my favor as it was easier to toss my head back and slurp than it would have been with a knife picking lung chambers. The amazing number part, it pretty much all went including several gift bottles of liquor! Yes the yard was occupied by strange cars in the morning and it took 14 hours for my friend Tennalicious to finally find my glasses in the yard, but it was the best birthday party I can remember (keep in mind that as I get older my memory fades).
Okay now… to the second reason I love summer….baseball. Hockey’s Stanley Cup has been given to the Ducks and the NBA trophy went to….somebody… which leaves us with baseball. I LOVE BASEBALL. As a child, I played 26 hours a day. To this day, my favorite smell of all is fresh cut grass because it reminds me of game day at the field.
HEY CHARLOTTE COUNTY…we have a ball team… the Redfish! Go see the drink cart girl. The lovely Elizabeth sells Coronas for 3 bucks complete with a lime. Go to hassle the beermen Joe and Dave, who have a nightly running bet on who sells more beer. Get a pulled pork sandwich from Murdock Grill Catering, and see the “rally” osprey that nests in the right field lights and flies in with its catch of the day in the middle innings.
Being a barfly, I have to throw in that after the game, TGIFridays has happy hour from 10 to close. You almost always get a chance to see Joe and Dave there… or there’s ALWAYS Boomers which stays open late. If you go there, they will tell you that Joe is beating Dave in the bet. If you stop, tell Sandy that she promised to come to a game!
Thanks to all my friends who made it a great birthday and I hope to see you at the ballpark…by the way… Dave is winning the bet…don’t listen to Joe! Toodles!
Bartender of the Month Kristi Roberts
this article was originally posted in the SWFL Parrot in the July issue
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This month’s bartender of the month was hard to pick out. There were three excellent choices at this bar alone! However…
Her name is Kristi Roberts and she tends bar at TGIFridays in Murdock. I stumbled upon her after a late night Redfish game. That reminds me…off the track…starting this month we want our readers to nominate a bartender of the month. I personally have volunteered my services to check out every applicant to find the one most worthy of next month’s BOTM. Anyone who thinks they have a bartender that should be considered, should e-mail me and tell me who and where, but please don’t take offense if I don’t pick yours…there’s a lot of excellent bartenders here and I AM a sucker for a pretty face!! (Sorry dudes) …I will make a conscious effort to pick a guy when I can…or when I’m told to! I will promise that for ANYONE nominated, I will go to that bar! So when you nominate them, tell me the day they work so I can catch them on duty!
And now…back to Kristi. Kristi is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. She’s been here for approximately three and a half years. Her mom moved down here to get away from Kristi’s three brothers and three sisters and Kristi followed. You gotta love when your mom moves away and you don’t take the hint…just ask my mom!
She was trained by Fridays to do some amazing tricks behind the bar…some of which include bottle twirling and whipped cream tossing. I could not believe when she told me she hadn’t spent any time in bartending school with the abilities that she has…actually they all have. Kudos to Friday’s for training their people well. All the bartenders there have definite skills!
I asked her why she bartended and her response was “I love it, it’s really fun and the people I work with are all fun.” She definitely seemed to me to have a bright, beautiful smile and that goes a long way in being a good bartender. Being friendly and happy is a definite plus given most of us who are there are trying to escape the work day and other problems. She is easily a “highlight” of the day.
Her funny story…her first day on the job, she had to open a bottle of champagne and was not familiar with the uncorking procedure and accidentally shot someone at the bar with the cork. Talk about your bad first days. I can tell you, she has definitely learned plenty from that day. She was the one responsible for the new Redfish drink at the bar… it’s appealing to the taste and on the eyes and trust me, it’s a winner.
When not at the bar, she spends time with her three kids and her Shih Tzu, Jada. If she’s in front of the bar and not behind it, her drink of choice is Malibu and pineapple juice (and she confessed that …and I quote…”HA HA…I get hammered on it, too”) and pizza ranks as her favorite food. She also confessed that she’s a bad driver, so try to leave before she does! She works five days a week so there’s a good chance that you’ll see her there.
She wanted me to promote the bartender championships at Friday’s in August. It’s a Friday’s local competition and the winners move on to regionals. Our location is doing theirs in combination with a poker run to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network and I will be there to see it for sure! I’ve only seen her skills, but if the others are as good at their craft as she is, it will DEFINITELY be a thing to see. Tom Cruise never did these moves in Cocktail.
I asked Kristi what she missed most about Cincinnati and she said her family and the holidays. Her husband has family in Ohio as well. My suggestion to her was to bring them all down. Maybe one of her sister’s is as proficient at slinging the hooch as she is!
There’s your bartender for this month. Stop in and tell her you saw her in the Parrot and show your support for the BOTM Kristi Roberts…
And try a Redfish …or a Malibu and pineapple in Kristi’s honor. Make sure you thank her from me and enjoy the fact that we have such great bartenders in this area!
.jpg)
This month’s bartender of the month was hard to pick out. There were three excellent choices at this bar alone! However…
Her name is Kristi Roberts and she tends bar at TGIFridays in Murdock. I stumbled upon her after a late night Redfish game. That reminds me…off the track…starting this month we want our readers to nominate a bartender of the month. I personally have volunteered my services to check out every applicant to find the one most worthy of next month’s BOTM. Anyone who thinks they have a bartender that should be considered, should e-mail me and tell me who and where, but please don’t take offense if I don’t pick yours…there’s a lot of excellent bartenders here and I AM a sucker for a pretty face!! (Sorry dudes) …I will make a conscious effort to pick a guy when I can…or when I’m told to! I will promise that for ANYONE nominated, I will go to that bar! So when you nominate them, tell me the day they work so I can catch them on duty!
And now…back to Kristi. Kristi is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. She’s been here for approximately three and a half years. Her mom moved down here to get away from Kristi’s three brothers and three sisters and Kristi followed. You gotta love when your mom moves away and you don’t take the hint…just ask my mom!
She was trained by Fridays to do some amazing tricks behind the bar…some of which include bottle twirling and whipped cream tossing. I could not believe when she told me she hadn’t spent any time in bartending school with the abilities that she has…actually they all have. Kudos to Friday’s for training their people well. All the bartenders there have definite skills!
I asked her why she bartended and her response was “I love it, it’s really fun and the people I work with are all fun.” She definitely seemed to me to have a bright, beautiful smile and that goes a long way in being a good bartender. Being friendly and happy is a definite plus given most of us who are there are trying to escape the work day and other problems. She is easily a “highlight” of the day.
Her funny story…her first day on the job, she had to open a bottle of champagne and was not familiar with the uncorking procedure and accidentally shot someone at the bar with the cork. Talk about your bad first days. I can tell you, she has definitely learned plenty from that day. She was the one responsible for the new Redfish drink at the bar… it’s appealing to the taste and on the eyes and trust me, it’s a winner.
When not at the bar, she spends time with her three kids and her Shih Tzu, Jada. If she’s in front of the bar and not behind it, her drink of choice is Malibu and pineapple juice (and she confessed that …and I quote…”HA HA…I get hammered on it, too”) and pizza ranks as her favorite food. She also confessed that she’s a bad driver, so try to leave before she does! She works five days a week so there’s a good chance that you’ll see her there.
She wanted me to promote the bartender championships at Friday’s in August. It’s a Friday’s local competition and the winners move on to regionals. Our location is doing theirs in combination with a poker run to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network and I will be there to see it for sure! I’ve only seen her skills, but if the others are as good at their craft as she is, it will DEFINITELY be a thing to see. Tom Cruise never did these moves in Cocktail.
I asked Kristi what she missed most about Cincinnati and she said her family and the holidays. Her husband has family in Ohio as well. My suggestion to her was to bring them all down. Maybe one of her sister’s is as proficient at slinging the hooch as she is!
There’s your bartender for this month. Stop in and tell her you saw her in the Parrot and show your support for the BOTM Kristi Roberts…
And try a Redfish …or a Malibu and pineapple in Kristi’s honor. Make sure you thank her from me and enjoy the fact that we have such great bartenders in this area!
Friday Night Lites
this article was originally posted in the SWFL Parrot in the June edition
Finally… Friday!
After a week of working in the heat doing…well whatever it is that I do… I’m ready to put it all aside for a well deserved journey into a well deserved weekend. Ah Friday. The best day of the week that counts as a work day.
Now don’t get me wrong, I understand that the local economy here revolves heavily around snowbirds, but I sure do like it when they’re gone. I can actually get from one end of town to the other in under an hour and I can make it through a traffic signal on the first try.
How about I let you tag along with me on a typical Friday? As a barfly, you have to appreciate the work and time that I’ve put in to finding some nice local hideaways and deals that only we locals and die-hards know. The goal on this trip is to see and be seen by as many of the friends and crew, knowing that the funds have to last all the way to Monday.
Step 1) Happy hour at Coyote’s Bar and Grill…a beauty of a happy hour two for one bar. After the old Hogbody’s shut down a year ago the quest for a bar that has NTN trivia has limited the choices to less than a handful in town in which to play. Hogbody’s was THE place to play NTN trivia. A great group of regulars resided there with an unlimited amount of knowledge and the quickest sense of humor you will ever find…truly worthy of their own sitcom. Boy did that place have the greatest beer special ever invented anywhere. I still have the framed receipts from the Budweiser Nascar special where you paid the equivalent of the lead car’s number for a 16 oz. draft. Think about it. I once had 14 beers for 16 cents. Beat that anywhere, I dare you.
Anyway, some of those regulars are now Coyote regulars. You can be guaranteed to see BL and Patsy as well as Scooby and IMX (who knows things that no one should know). Some days you may even see JMFD who has accumulated over 6 million players plus points, which I think qualifies as Port Charlotte’s top total.
So a game of trivia, maybe two, and an attempt to put my name on the monthly board, a cocktail or two, some hugs and “thank God it’s Friday”s will get me out cheaply and with time to spare. I did have to stay and watch the barmaids dance on the bar of course!
Step 2) Time to head north…and a little hideaway few know about. Right around the corner from Coyote’s, hiding behind fine dining and a pool hall, sits the Tiki Deck at Sports City. To me it’s a little like the AfterDeck at Louie’s Back Yard in Key West. You really have to know it’s there to find it. You have to wander past Michelle at the bar of Sports City Billiards to find one of PC’s quaintest outside bars. The bar hasn’t been there very long but it won’t be unknown for long. Whether it’s Paul Cottrell playing roaming acoustic or the No Name Band taking the stage off the bar, the music makes this a must stop on my trip. I have to throw Tobey a hello given we’ve been through those old Beaches days when we were the only ones there (of course she had to be there until close… I was just doing my duty as a barfly staying)! I’m passing on food here but only because I have a craving for what comes next. The food here comes out of the kitchen at Coral Rock and is some of the finest in PC. I sure hope nobody finds out about this place!!
Step 3) Time for the food stop…and more cheap beer of course. Being a barfly means searching for a good thing in town (before they realize that they need to raise their prices!) Tijuana Flats is the next stop. This relatively new place in town is a chain but not in the normal sense. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the inside of this strip mall Mexican restaurant was anything but ordinary. It’s brightly decorated walls with comic book murals makes it seem more like a one of a kind than a chain. Since it is new, there weren’t any of the old “regulars” there yet… but there will be. I had to make a call and have Big Mike meet me there. The reason…16oz. happy hour beers are 99 cents until 7PM. EVERYONE knows Big Mike can put some beers away! I ordered myself a burrito and a Bud and waited on his arrival. The burrito was more than enough to fill me and that was the regular sized one not the Tijuana sized or heaven forbid the Megajauna size which can feed me for a week.
Step 4) After happy hour ended… it was a walk across the parking lot to Joe Cracker’s for Mike and I. This was purely to see the lovely bartenders Lindsey and Danielle and enjoy the constant breeze. I have to admit I’m a sucker for a pretty face and a couple of Parrot Pilsners would fill the gap until my final destination. Besides, it was a good meeting place for a couple more of the crew before heading off to…
Step 5) The Blue Parrot Bar. Men’s Night. One dollar bottles and wells from 9-midnight. Now how can you beat that? Easy. Add a great bartender with a sense of humor and the best service in Charlotte County. Big Mike and I are regulars there on Friday nights for sure. Just ask the bartender Mary. See if she has any Crown Royal bottles for me! She saves them because I’m trying to complete my collection of NASCAR labeled bottles.
Step 6) Home. Enough money left in my pocket to attempt to make it through the “real” weekend and halfway through my 12 step program. Check back next month to hear about Saturday nights crawl. I’m thinking of finding some good wings. Heaven knows there’s only 168 places in this town for wings! Maybe you’ll see me out? I’m the funny looking guy trying hard to be friendly to the bartenders…honestly, who better to know than a bartender! Toodles.
Finally… Friday!
After a week of working in the heat doing…well whatever it is that I do… I’m ready to put it all aside for a well deserved journey into a well deserved weekend. Ah Friday. The best day of the week that counts as a work day.
Now don’t get me wrong, I understand that the local economy here revolves heavily around snowbirds, but I sure do like it when they’re gone. I can actually get from one end of town to the other in under an hour and I can make it through a traffic signal on the first try.
How about I let you tag along with me on a typical Friday? As a barfly, you have to appreciate the work and time that I’ve put in to finding some nice local hideaways and deals that only we locals and die-hards know. The goal on this trip is to see and be seen by as many of the friends and crew, knowing that the funds have to last all the way to Monday.
Step 1) Happy hour at Coyote’s Bar and Grill…a beauty of a happy hour two for one bar. After the old Hogbody’s shut down a year ago the quest for a bar that has NTN trivia has limited the choices to less than a handful in town in which to play. Hogbody’s was THE place to play NTN trivia. A great group of regulars resided there with an unlimited amount of knowledge and the quickest sense of humor you will ever find…truly worthy of their own sitcom. Boy did that place have the greatest beer special ever invented anywhere. I still have the framed receipts from the Budweiser Nascar special where you paid the equivalent of the lead car’s number for a 16 oz. draft. Think about it. I once had 14 beers for 16 cents. Beat that anywhere, I dare you.
Anyway, some of those regulars are now Coyote regulars. You can be guaranteed to see BL and Patsy as well as Scooby and IMX (who knows things that no one should know). Some days you may even see JMFD who has accumulated over 6 million players plus points, which I think qualifies as Port Charlotte’s top total.
So a game of trivia, maybe two, and an attempt to put my name on the monthly board, a cocktail or two, some hugs and “thank God it’s Friday”s will get me out cheaply and with time to spare. I did have to stay and watch the barmaids dance on the bar of course!
Step 2) Time to head north…and a little hideaway few know about. Right around the corner from Coyote’s, hiding behind fine dining and a pool hall, sits the Tiki Deck at Sports City. To me it’s a little like the AfterDeck at Louie’s Back Yard in Key West. You really have to know it’s there to find it. You have to wander past Michelle at the bar of Sports City Billiards to find one of PC’s quaintest outside bars. The bar hasn’t been there very long but it won’t be unknown for long. Whether it’s Paul Cottrell playing roaming acoustic or the No Name Band taking the stage off the bar, the music makes this a must stop on my trip. I have to throw Tobey a hello given we’ve been through those old Beaches days when we were the only ones there (of course she had to be there until close… I was just doing my duty as a barfly staying)! I’m passing on food here but only because I have a craving for what comes next. The food here comes out of the kitchen at Coral Rock and is some of the finest in PC. I sure hope nobody finds out about this place!!
Step 3) Time for the food stop…and more cheap beer of course. Being a barfly means searching for a good thing in town (before they realize that they need to raise their prices!) Tijuana Flats is the next stop. This relatively new place in town is a chain but not in the normal sense. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the inside of this strip mall Mexican restaurant was anything but ordinary. It’s brightly decorated walls with comic book murals makes it seem more like a one of a kind than a chain. Since it is new, there weren’t any of the old “regulars” there yet… but there will be. I had to make a call and have Big Mike meet me there. The reason…16oz. happy hour beers are 99 cents until 7PM. EVERYONE knows Big Mike can put some beers away! I ordered myself a burrito and a Bud and waited on his arrival. The burrito was more than enough to fill me and that was the regular sized one not the Tijuana sized or heaven forbid the Megajauna size which can feed me for a week.
Step 4) After happy hour ended… it was a walk across the parking lot to Joe Cracker’s for Mike and I. This was purely to see the lovely bartenders Lindsey and Danielle and enjoy the constant breeze. I have to admit I’m a sucker for a pretty face and a couple of Parrot Pilsners would fill the gap until my final destination. Besides, it was a good meeting place for a couple more of the crew before heading off to…
Step 5) The Blue Parrot Bar. Men’s Night. One dollar bottles and wells from 9-midnight. Now how can you beat that? Easy. Add a great bartender with a sense of humor and the best service in Charlotte County. Big Mike and I are regulars there on Friday nights for sure. Just ask the bartender Mary. See if she has any Crown Royal bottles for me! She saves them because I’m trying to complete my collection of NASCAR labeled bottles.
Step 6) Home. Enough money left in my pocket to attempt to make it through the “real” weekend and halfway through my 12 step program. Check back next month to hear about Saturday nights crawl. I’m thinking of finding some good wings. Heaven knows there’s only 168 places in this town for wings! Maybe you’ll see me out? I’m the funny looking guy trying hard to be friendly to the bartenders…honestly, who better to know than a bartender! Toodles.
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