While running yesterday, I came across a sign reading:
"Rubber Stamps
24-Hour Service"
It's comforting to know that the next time I'm in the middle of a big rubber stamping project at 3am, someone is on call to look out for me. I'm sure there is a big market repairing stamps broken by drunken notaries public, stamping wildly after the bars close.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Brewpub Review: Otto's Pub & Brewery
On Friday night I experienced Otto's Pub & Brewery on North Atherton St. in State College. Otto's is definitely someplace I would recommend for a great tasting beer.
Let's start with the first impression. Parking is a major issue at Otto's, depending on when you go... Friday night, yep, parking is limited. The good news is that you can park across Atherton at Jersey Shore Bank. The bad news is that playing Frogger across Atherton on a Friday night just isn't a good idea. And if you park at Tire Town, next door to Otto's, apparently you run the risk of being towed. A better idea: take the bus.
Otto's has a nice but fairly small outdoor patio, which would be nice in the summer. The atmosphere inside is busy and quite boisterous. If you're looking for a place to have an intimate conversation, this is not it, but it's a fun brewpub atmosphere: bright, loud, and good for groups. There were even several families with children when we first arrived (around 7pm). We didn't have to wait long at all for a table, maybe 10 minutes, which was surprising given how busy the place seemed to be.
Service was good and reasonably attentive, meeting expectations but not exceeding them nor failing them. The important thing when visiting a brewpub is that the servers are knowledgable about the beer, and our server seemed to meet this test. Unfortunately, they had run out of the featured "firkin" beer but we made alternative choices.
I had the Dark Roast Stout, which I rate extremely highly. It had a sublime creamy texture with strong coffee notes complemented by the offsetting mild, chocolatey sweetness that every great stout balances so well. I also tried Georganne's Spruce Creek Lager, which impressed me as a flavorful but widely likeable lager that Georganne said "is like Bud Light, with taste."
The food at Otto's was in line with most brewpubs: strong flavors, fairly simple, made for beer. I ordered "stouties" (thin strips of beer-battered fried onion) for my side dish and was unimpressed with them, but the crab cake sandwich I had was really quite good. One of our friends had Shepherd's Pie and it looked like the best choice out of our group.
Some other interesting things to experience at Otto's are firkin Fridays, a brewery tour, Pub Club, and beer to go. Check out Otto's for great beer in a fun brewpub atmosphere. The Dark Roast Stout alone is worth the trip.
Let's start with the first impression. Parking is a major issue at Otto's, depending on when you go... Friday night, yep, parking is limited. The good news is that you can park across Atherton at Jersey Shore Bank. The bad news is that playing Frogger across Atherton on a Friday night just isn't a good idea. And if you park at Tire Town, next door to Otto's, apparently you run the risk of being towed. A better idea: take the bus.
Otto's has a nice but fairly small outdoor patio, which would be nice in the summer. The atmosphere inside is busy and quite boisterous. If you're looking for a place to have an intimate conversation, this is not it, but it's a fun brewpub atmosphere: bright, loud, and good for groups. There were even several families with children when we first arrived (around 7pm). We didn't have to wait long at all for a table, maybe 10 minutes, which was surprising given how busy the place seemed to be.
Service was good and reasonably attentive, meeting expectations but not exceeding them nor failing them. The important thing when visiting a brewpub is that the servers are knowledgable about the beer, and our server seemed to meet this test. Unfortunately, they had run out of the featured "firkin" beer but we made alternative choices.
I had the Dark Roast Stout, which I rate extremely highly. It had a sublime creamy texture with strong coffee notes complemented by the offsetting mild, chocolatey sweetness that every great stout balances so well. I also tried Georganne's Spruce Creek Lager, which impressed me as a flavorful but widely likeable lager that Georganne said "is like Bud Light, with taste."
The food at Otto's was in line with most brewpubs: strong flavors, fairly simple, made for beer. I ordered "stouties" (thin strips of beer-battered fried onion) for my side dish and was unimpressed with them, but the crab cake sandwich I had was really quite good. One of our friends had Shepherd's Pie and it looked like the best choice out of our group.
Some other interesting things to experience at Otto's are firkin Fridays, a brewery tour, Pub Club, and beer to go. Check out Otto's for great beer in a fun brewpub atmosphere. The Dark Roast Stout alone is worth the trip.
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Runners often get the chance to experience things that non-runners wouldn't come across. When you're out there running ten miles, you encounter some crazy stuff! In the case of seeing lots of wild animals, however, it is so common that it's typical.
One thing I have really noticed is how difficult it is to hunt for game that I encounter regularly while running. When I run, I see all kinds of game. Last Tuesday, I ran in the morning from my condo and saw around 30 deer, 2 pheasants, 2 great blue herons, countless ducks, and a large raccoon or a small bear (it was far up the road and the light wasn't good enough for me to tell which). This was all not that surprising (it is more surprising when they attack, as in the case of that psycho grouse).
However, what is surprising is how difficult it is to hunt for these animals, given their apparent abundance when I am running. I went out twice last week, once in search of pheasant and once in search of turkey. Naturally, I went hunting in locations where I had seen numerous birds while running, so I know they are plentiful in the area. Both times I spent 2-3 hours hunting and didn't even see the bird in question.
Then yesterday I was running again, and nearly had to shoo away a flock of turkeys that was blocking the road I was running down.
I have come to the conclusion that it's only hard to find a pheasant or a turkey when you're actually looking for one.
Of course, I could always try running with a shotgun.
One thing I have really noticed is how difficult it is to hunt for game that I encounter regularly while running. When I run, I see all kinds of game. Last Tuesday, I ran in the morning from my condo and saw around 30 deer, 2 pheasants, 2 great blue herons, countless ducks, and a large raccoon or a small bear (it was far up the road and the light wasn't good enough for me to tell which). This was all not that surprising (it is more surprising when they attack, as in the case of that psycho grouse).
However, what is surprising is how difficult it is to hunt for these animals, given their apparent abundance when I am running. I went out twice last week, once in search of pheasant and once in search of turkey. Naturally, I went hunting in locations where I had seen numerous birds while running, so I know they are plentiful in the area. Both times I spent 2-3 hours hunting and didn't even see the bird in question.
Then yesterday I was running again, and nearly had to shoo away a flock of turkeys that was blocking the road I was running down.
I have come to the conclusion that it's only hard to find a pheasant or a turkey when you're actually looking for one.
Of course, I could always try running with a shotgun.
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