Dude, I am so Irish

I have tasted beauty.

Let me preface by saying that I am probably more prone to emotional stimuli than usual these days. But feeling is life, and I felt something I never had before.

Maybe it was the lone wolf state I was in. No, lone badger. I was not a predator, I was just checking things out.

I went down to Taste on Broadway tonight. The restaurants in the downtown district all bring out a signature dish or two, and the brewpubs provide a quaff. Live music from three stages, and a large crowd of curious townsfolk. I first heard of it yesterday, from Dave on our bike ride. It's on my way home, so I thought I might stop by. Not until the moment I was in front of the parking lot did I know if I would. I'm glad I did. Life is about experiences, and though I'm not dreaming of scaling Mount Everest, I might like to see some of the colors inbetween blue and green, and hear the subtle difference between a cacophony and a din.

I parked my motorcycle, left my lunch cooler (I like to think that other commuters have labeled me "lunchbox") bungee-corded to the back, and carried my helmet. I stood out in the crowd: pinstriped shirt, black shoes and SpeeDee socks, and carrying a full-face Honda-red helmet.

I checked out a few booths. Deciding to correctly peruse the menu - I should have a beer in my hand. So I got some tokens, and in turn a Hinterland Weizen. I walked the length of the mall slowly. (By mall I mean business district to you 21st century Americans on the other side of the internet. Plaza, if you will. Temporary, albeit, but the feeling was sublime, especially with the warm August evening sun. I'll also note, in this extraordinarily long parenthetical notation, that there were a few raindrops. Not rain by any stretch, only a few crystal beads falling, as if God thought the evening needed a little something.

)Almost forgot to close that.

I seemed to have chosen a couple of dishes to try - I was not demarcating anything this evening. Only following the stream. It was good. I was about to start with the Irish dish, thinking it be mild, then the chorizo. Until I noticed the chorizo was labeled "Spicy Chicken and Chorizo Salad" (emphasis mine.) I asked, and it was cold, so I started with that. It was good, a well balanced flavor, not just harsh burn. And that finishes the Weizen portion of our evening.

Intermission. Rob Anthony was on the center stage when I was there. Good stuff.



I'm Irish. I'm Slovak and German, too. Other history within me also. But let's talk Irish.



Not afraid to do it. Lanny used to say that. I think that's Irish. Sometimes it hurts, but that's life. You can't stop. You've got to keep moving. Push through. "With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world." And this is my life. And I wanted an experience. And that "Braised Pork with Strongbow Irish Cider & Apple Compote on Colcannon Whipped Potatoes" was beauty. The first thing I thought of was the peace of autumn. And before I knew it, tears were welling in my eyes. "What?!" I thought. Food inspiring emotion? Food satiates, but inspires? Wine maybe, beer or whiskey, aye! But meat and potatoes? From first bite to last, I savored the magical "feeling", not taste.



Mom never made this dish. It wasn't a memory struck. I rather prefer salt and herbs on meat to sweet. But this was, ...wow.



Right about now I should probably say, "How 'bout them Packers," so nobody thinks I've gone fruity. But you probably know I'm emotional.



And a Guinness. Brilliant! I could see a crowd. I could hear music. And I tasted home. I'm going to have to head across to the Emerald Isle someday. There are more things in heav'n and earth...


Hinterland Brewery

St. Brendan's Inn

Big Tomatoes