Miasmatic Review

Kalamzoo

This past weekend Ktreva and I headed to Kalamazoo Michigan for the Kalamazoo Living History Show. We were meeting Wil and Red there Friday night. Ktreva and I made great time and beat them there by a couple of hours, so we ended up checking out some of the local bar scene to find places to possibly go.

The first place we went to was the Old Peninsula Brew Pub It was a bit pretentious of a brew pub. Most of their beers were okay. Out of the four different beers I tried there, I only really thought the stout would be one I'd drink on a regular basis, and their stout was a really mild and bland stout. The one thing they had that I really liked was a cozy for their growlers. I bought one so I could show it to Carlyle's as an idea for them.

After there, we found a Buffalo Wild Wings and went there for 2 dollar 23oz miller lites. They were trying to drain off their green beer from St. Pats. I was more than happy to comply. While we were drinking there, we received the message that Big Trouble and Lil' Irish Wil and Red were about out. Of course that was after 5 glasses of Miller lite.

We hooked up with Wil and Red at the hotel, got them checked in and went over to a Texas Corral across the parking lot from the hotel. We just went in to sit at the bar. I would tell you more, but I really don't remember. Allegedly I spoke with Wil and Red's daughter and promised we'd stop by on the way back. Then allegedly I was loud and belligerent. I really don't recall any of this. I think that was all of them making stuff up.

Saturday morning, after we could get Ktreva out of bed (she will sleep for 12 hours you know), we headed to the show. We ran into a lot of friends there, including Smokepoles and his wife. Ktreva and I hadn't been there in three years, I was wondering if they would be dead. Nope, they were busy as ever! I really wasn't looking for much, other than a canteen. Now I'm sure many people will laugh and ask why I traveled so far for a canteen. I'll tell you why, I've been looking for two year and couldn't find one. Well I have one now.

I ended up buying the canteen, a couple of more buckets, more historically accurate than the one I had. An all natural hand woven belt, a wooden barrel with brass spigot, a belt knife and canned Haggis. Ktreva bought some wooden dice, more accurate glasses and some Poppen Moccasins. I was also measured for a a new great coat.

Now most of what I bought was just something I found and liked, I really wasn't looking for it. Like the wooden barrel, which when I got home found out that the guy selling it lied through his teeth. The damn thing leaks like a sieve! I let it soak for over twenty four hours in water and some of the small leaks sealed like expected, but there is a couple of big leaks that just wouldn't seal. I think I can fix it. I'm really glad I only paid $40.00 for it. Because I'll get the money's worth out of it from the base and brass spigot if I can't fix the leak.

After the trade fair all of went to this Irish pub in Kalamzoo called Gallagher's. To make a long story short. The food was really, really, really good. The beer selection was fantastic... the price on the beer was ungodly! I had a Blacksmith (half Guinness and half Smithwicks), then I had a Kelpie (A Scottish seaweed beer, that was pretty good) and a Black Douglas (A Scottish Ale). The Blacksmith was about $6.00, the Kelpie was $9.50 and the Black Douglas was $10.90. Now I'm not a hundred percent sure about the price on the Blacksmith and the Kelpie, but the Black Douglas I know for a fact. Wil bitched about it for the rest of the weekend to anyone who would listen. The service there was also ungodly slow. I couldn't believe how long it took for them to get us beer, take our orders, bring us the check. It was a horrible experience. The sad thing is that I recommended this place because I had been there before. Not this one, they have a sister bar in Paw Paw, that Ktreva and I had eaten at in years past. Again, the food is excellent and reasonably priced.

Then we hit a brewpub called Bilbo's. It was a Lord of the Ring's themed brewpub. We tried three different beers there: Duff (as in from the Simpson's), Return of the King and Sledgehammer. To be honest all three tasted remarkably similar, and were rather plain. We had the manager serving us beer and neither Wil nor myself were quiet about our opinions. Yea, I do believe she thought we were going to start some trouble.

After there we tried finding another bar, but had no luck. We ended up going back to the room, drinking there for a while and then going back to Texas Corral. Were we drank and and joked and the waitress (with a broken foot) not only remembered us, remembered our drinks and was the best waitress we had the whole weekend.

On Sunday we visited with Wil and Tina's daughter in Indiana. We spent a good couple of hours there before having to head back home. It was good seeing her again. She's getting ready to graduate from Law School and make a new and exciting life for herself on the east coast.

Overall, we had a great time. It's just a shame it couldn't have lasted any longer.