Ramblings of an EdMan

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Smoking in Bars

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Went to a very cool beer bar with excellent food in Allentown, PA today.

The Liberty Street Ale House on 23rd and Liberty right by Muhlenburg College.

Very good tap list, $6 Moosehead pitchers on a Saturday which is quite worth it and a decent beer. And hundreds of different craft beer bottles including some very premium Belgium beers and 22s.

The Pulled Pork Sandwich was great, and the Cream of Crawfish soup was delicious.

I will say the service wasn’t great and could have used a 3rd server.

But, as I went to the bar instead of a table. Someone lit up a cigarette a couple of seats over that blew in my face. It’s not pleasant.

Moved back to the table. But, I realized how much more pleasant bars are without smoking.

Yes, for some patrons who like to smoke it’s frustrating. There are lots of people that love drinking beer and chain smoking in bars.

But, for non-smokers it opens up everywhere. Smoke in your face doesn’t make you want to hand around somewhere.

So, I am glad smoking bans are in place. But I certainly think it’s fine with places with outside patios to allow smoking but inside in a bar it’s frankly obnoxious.

So, I would definitely go back there but I really do prefer people smoking outside. Sorry smokers.

So, smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette. Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate you hate to make them wait, you just have to have another cigarette.

Beer > Football

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I have been a sports fan for a long time. At least since I was 9 years old and the Phillies went to the World Series in 1983 and lost to Rick Dempsey’s great series with the Baltimore Orioles.

It’s something guys talk about in school. I got into both pro and college sports, although central New Jersey where I grew up is like New England pro sports country.

I always looked forward to the NCAA tournament, loved college football Saturdays and NFL Sundays, loved hearing Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn (both in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ashburn for his great hitting too) do Philadelphia Phillies games (and yes that made me spoiled.)

But, recently I simply don’t care about sports as much.

Last year I even had the NFL Redzone as an extra on DISH for a couple months. And that is ADD football to go to the redzone in every NFL game, sometimes going back and forth in multiple games at once.

But, late September this year I dropped the DISH. We have it on pause for $5, so we get preview channels and the DVR, but we really haven’t missed it.

I admit I miss watching PTI (Pardon the Interruption) on ESPN that was last real connection about what is going on in sports world, and I do like watching NCAA games and may have them as background now while I play Dominion: Online (yep still addicted). Honestly though I prefer listening to podcasts. It’s hard to listen to podcasts and web surf for me. Reading text and hearing text gets confusing to my brain. But it’s a good way to hear a good story.

So last night I was at a friend’s house to watch football and drink some beer. The AFC championship game Patriots vs. Ravens. I literally didn’t even know who was playing the NFL game, I thought it was the Niners but forgot the Falcons were there. I enjoyed watching the game, my friend is a loud fan, but frankly preferred drinking beer and hanging out.

I love beer. And I am going to keep talking about it on the blog, here is a collection of beer posts.

Right now having a delicious Bell’s Two Hearted Ale IPA, great balance and delicious beer. (90/A-) Last night I had some yummy dark czech lager that I should have checked into because I would get it again that was wonderfully drinkable. (88/B+) And had some Okacim (Poland) O.K. beer, that was just that. (78/C). I also had a monster beer the Founders Bolt Cutter 15th Anniversary Ale. It’s a monster at 15% alcohol by volume and frankly the alcohol showed and it was very, very heavy. Possible it will be better from aging, but like many costy beers I usually don’t see how it’s worth it. (85/B). And if you are curious I am on Untappd and like to check in.

So, I will drink beer all year, and as far as football goes I enjoy it but no longer need to go out of my way for it. But, beer truly is a gift of the gods and proof that God wants us to be happy. But, I guess Ben Franklin really said that about wine. For all spirited people it’s true, although too much spirit may soothe the soul in the evening, and brings horrors in the morning.

Cheers!

Edmund