#highway brewery

[fieriframes]

[I'm cruising on the Caratoke Highway, on my way from Norfolk down to Nags Head, North Carolina, and I'd heard about this place, where they've got their own brewery, their own farm, their own butchery, making great sausage, killer beer, growing their own produce.]

[corgiteatime]

me whenever my homestate is mentioned in passing in the news or a tv station reruns that one episode from The West Wing about time zones

[swforester]

The road trip. Through the towns of New Salem MA, Athol MA, Barre MA, Hardwick and Ware MA. Route 202 and route 32. October 7th, 2022

[firkinron]

Releases and Events - November 10th

Releases and Events – November 10th

Beer releases, music events, food happenings and so much more! Releases and Events – November 10th   Celebrate Veterans Day at Hangar 24 Photograph courtesy of Hangar 24. This weekend Hangar 24 Brewing Company celebrates and says thank you to our veterans.  Enjoy 50% off American Light, Alt Bier, Iconic Double IPA, and Aventura all weekend!  Join Hangar 24 and say thank you to our veterans.…

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

If I Fell For You: Worst Nightmare

Summary: Jensen's worst nightmare is about to come true...

Masterlist

Pairing: Jensen x nanny!reader

Word Count: 1,600ish

Warnings: language, heavy mentions of injury/blood/car accident

A/N: The agnst is strong...

________

Shouting woke you up. Very loud, very upset shouting. You blinked, slowly turning your head and finding the world was upside down. There was something to your left, something bent and the smell of metal and blood in the air made your nose twinge.

Then you remembered you were in the car. Driving on the highway to the brewery to grab some pizza and a few beers to bring home for dinner. You turned and touched the metal panel, the front of the car or part of the roof was your guess, now smack dab in the center console and cutting you off from the other side.

“Jay,” you croaked out. The shouting stopped and you squeezed your eyes shut. “Jensen. I’m okay.”

“Y/N,” he said as you remembered him shoving a hand in front of your chest. 

“Please tell me you’re in one piece,” you whispered.

“Yeah, I-I think so. Y-You?”

“I think so too,” you said, putting a hand on the roof below you, the windshield caved in, passenger door looking like a crumbled piece of paper. “Jay, I’m stuck in here.”

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I think it’s just bumps and bruises,” you said. “Can you move?”

“No,” he said quietly, not saying another word.

“Are you hurt?” He didn’t respond and you hit the panel between you. “Hey! Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay.”

“Dammit, tell me the truth.”

“My arm is cut up some but I’m okay. I can’t…fuck I can’t get out either.” He slapped the metal piece between you and you shushed him. “Y/N-“

“Relax honey. Sh, relax. I’m right here. I’m gonna be okay and you’re gonna…be okay…it’s going to be just fine. Just…just do your breathing that Ray showed you when you get anxious okay? It’ll…be okay,” you said, pressing your hand against your bleeding leg. “Shit.”

“You sound hurt,” he breathed out. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m uh, bleeding from my thigh. It’s not gushing so it couldn’t have been anything too bad, right?” you tried to joke, Jensen slamming against the panel again. “It’s not that deep. Also I’m pretty sure I have pizza in my hair.”

“What?” 

“Yeah. I hope you like the smell of marinara cause that’s gonna take forever to wash out,” you said, trying to leverage yourself against the roof of the car. “Now’s as good a time as any to tell you this.”

“Tell me what?” he asked quietly. “Are you-”

“Led Zeppelin sucks and I cannot believe you have so many of their original records. Don’t even get me started on your infatuation with fucking country music. I hate country music and I think it’s time I put my foot down and ban it from the house. What do you say?” you said, squeezing your palm hard over your leg.

He let out a quiet huff of air that was akin to a dry laugh. 

“I say you’re trying to distract me which either means you’re seriously fucked up over there and not telling me or you’re trying to keep me from having a panic attack by falsely insulting my music. So-”

“Hey, I do not like country as much as you and those are facts.”

“I know you don’t yet you listen to it for me,” he said, realizing for the first time it was still playing on the radio. “Imagine if you had to die listening to music you hated.”

“I’d live out of pure spite,” you said, Jensen chuckling a little. “I promise it’s the later. Trust me. If it were bad, I’d be asking you all sorts of shit about Dee so we can shit talk your music choices in the afterlife.”

He laughed for a split second, grunting loudly and making your heart race. “Yeah, you’re okay. Or not actively dying at least.”

“Not doing that. On the negative, everything hurts but positive side, I smell like pizza and beer, two of your favorite things.”

“Always got those silver linings,” he said as you heard sirens in the distance. “Y/N?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“You know how I said my arm was cut up?” he said, swallowing thickly. The pit in your stomach dropped, eyes closing.

“How bad is it?” you whispered.

“Bad enough I wrapped my belt around my arm to stop the bleeding.”

“Be honest. Please,” you said, wishing you could do something, anything. The silence was deafening, his labored inhale the only indication that he was still awake. “How bad?”

“There’s a piece of metal sticking out of my forearm. Pretty sure it sliced through the veins in there judging by the amount of blood.” You fought back tears, taking a shaky breath. “I’m really cold and tired. But I’m gonna stay awake-”

“Write me a song. Write me a fucking country song right now,” you said, forcing your eyes open. “What’s the melody?”

“Uh, what?” he asked. “Y/N, I’m-”

“I know what you’re saying and you can stay up until dawn even when you’re exhausted when you’re working on music so you write me a damn song right now and stay the fuck awake,” you croaked out. 

“Well I need a banjo in there because I know that’s your favorite,” he teased, car doors slamming nearby. 

“You’re a dickhead,” you said, Jensen chuckling. “Alright, banjo. What else?”

“Violin and a cello somehow. You fucking love the sound of-” 

“Him first!” you shouted when you saw some boots in front of you, quickly watching them jog to his side of the car.

“Oh shit,” one of the responders said and with that, your heart truly sank, unsure if it would ever come back up.

They’d gotten Jensen out of the car first and carted off by the time you had a makeshift bandage around your thigh. Something felt off with your leg and several hours and a surgery later, your foot was in a cast. But when you woke up in post-op, Jensen wasn’t there, a nurse telling you he was still in the operation room.

So now all you could do was sit in a room in the ICU, staring out the glass door, praying you saw Jensen. It felt like the longest twenty three minutes of your life.

You shot straight up in bed when you saw a sleepy looking Jensen getting stopped in a bed outside your door.

“Whoa. I want to stay in the hot girl’s room,” he murmured, winking lazily at you. Yeah, he was definitely hopped up on something, his right arm wrapped and wrapped and wrapped in a thick mass of bandages. 

“Let’s leave her alone,” said the nurse behind the bed, pushing him forward again, making him shout. She froze, Jensen staring in your room, shaking his head out.

“That’s my wife. I want to be with her.” The nurse sighed, Jensen’s face falling. “Please,” he whispered, voice cracking.

“You can see her in a minute, I promise,” she said, pushing him along. You waited exactly four minutes before slamming the nurse button over and over, one entering your room, giving you an annoyed glare.

“You should be sleeping,” she said. “You need to rest.”

“My husband is on the other side of this wall and last time I saw him he was bleeding out so I think a five minute field trip is more than fair-”

“He’s asleep like you should be.” You stared her down, the nurse eventually relenting. “Just stay there.” She left and returned after three minutes, shoving an ipad in your hand. “We used these during the pandemic. You can facetime him for a few minutes but then you both need sleep.”

She tapped a number and a split second later, Jensen’s beat up face appeared on screen.

“Well if ain’t the hot girl calling me from her bed,” he teased, the nurse rolling her eyes and leaving. “Are you alone?”

“Yeah. How are you?” you asked. He held up his injured arm and sighed. “You’re alive and that’s what matters.”

“I’m going to need physical therapy again. Months to recover and rebuild the muscle in my forearm. I already know it. You too with that foot of yours.” He rested his head against his pillow. “What about that cut on your leg?”

“Just gotta lay off it for a bit. It’s the same leg as my broken foot so that’ll be easy.” You both just stared at each other for a moment, a mess of bruises and small cuts littering your skin. “We’ll get through this.”

“I know.” He glanced down, closing his eyes. “I didn’t realize I was bleeding so bad until you made me calm down by insulting one of the best bands in history. You saved my neck.”

“That only happened because you put your arm in front of me. It could have been so much worse and-”

“Silly girl,” he murmured, slowly forcing his eyelids open, a softness to them you weren’t expecting. “I’ll always protect you. If you get a little less hurt because I did then that’s a win for me.”

Your bottom lip wobbled, Jensen shushing you. “Don’t say things like that, Jay.”

“Says the girl who stopped me from having a full on panic attack during arguably my worst nightmare. We protect each other, that’s how it works.” You smiled, Jensen returning it. “I’m taking you to a country music festival when we’re up for it in honor of saving me.”

“I want a divorce.” 

He laughed so loud you heard it echo down the hall. He’d be okay again. You both would.

Eventually.

_________

[joelswritingmistress]

You Scare Me, Professor: Chapter 34

Summary: The reader is taking graduate classes at a local university in the wooded upstate New York. She is drawn to her professor, Dr. Joel Miller, though she is also inherently aware that he has something dark about him that she can't quite put her finger on. As the reader's attraction grows deeper, she has to decide whether to endure the danger or run away as fast as possible. 

Pairing: Professor Joel Miller x f!reader 

The night ended more lighthearted. Dr. Miller and I took advantage of the frozen lake and the scenery again, skating around and taking pictures of the winter wonderland. We had a few drinks, went out for dinner, and spent most of the night thereafter in the loft. If I had it my way, I wouldn’t have left that little nook in the woods.

“We should rent this place again in the summer,” I said to him. “I bet it’s nice to kayak around.. maybe go fishing.. hike the trails. Oh, and I saw a new, little brewery is supposed to be having its grand opening in May nearby.”

Dr. Miller smiled. “I can book it now for July.”

I loved thinkin about the future, even if it was just a matter of months. For a second I daydreamed images of a tan Dr. Miller by my side, shirtless and glistening in the sun. It made me smirk.

Bidding a temporary farewell to the lakeside cabin was bittersweet, though Dr. Miller already put in a request for the summer before we took off for home.

“The good news is we have another getaway at my sister’s wedding next weekend,” Dr. Miller explained as we hit the highway. “Can you get off work for the rehearsal dinner on Friday? I may cancel Thursday’s class so we can hit the road when you get out of work on Thursday. It’s a pretty good haul up to Vermont.”

I nodded, “Of course. I can’t wait.”

When Tuesday’s class rolled around I decided to confront Trevor on the walk out. His constant stares were starting to bug me and he hadn’t spoken a word to me since the day I’d left Dr. Stevenson’s class to give a sneaky kiss to Dr. Miller in his office. A part of me wanted to ask him what he thought he knew, but I also didn’t want to accidentally rat myself out - or Dr. Miller.

Otherwise, I was very much into the class discussion, and loved how Dr. Miller smiled a certain way when he called on me to answer a question. I loved his class. On a side note, there was a certain level of sneaky amusement I felt from having this secret life with him. No one in the class had even the slightest indication that we lived together, or that we just celebrated Valentine's Day shacked up in a remote, lakeside cabin. There was a part of me that got off on our secret.

“So,” Dr. Miller clapped his hands together. “I'm going to post something for you to read and look over. You'll be able to even discuss points online if you'd like, but Thursday's class will not meet in person. My sister is getting married out of state and I'll be traveling to Vermont on Thursday in preparation for that.”

“Congratulations!” Someone's voice echoed off the walls, making a few others laugh. “To your sister,” the person added, drawing more laughter.

“Thank you,” Dr. Miller responded with a chuckle. “If there are no further questions -”

“Class dismissed,” the group said in unison.

I smiled to myself and stuffed my notebook into my bag. It was always odd to me as I left the classroom. Dr. Miller and I were so affectionate and borderline clingy everywhere else. That's the only part I hated - not being able to be ourselves during that short time frame we had together on campus.

My phone went off and I glanced down, smiling when I saw it was him. 

See you at home.

I glanced toward him and our eyes briefly met as he began packing up his black bag.

And then, as I ducked out into the hallway, Trevor leaned over getting a drink of water. He was one of the only people I ever saw use the water fountain in the building.

I went to call out to him but then decided against it. Why was I about to create a conflict out of nothing? Plus, I reminded myself, he had walked with me to class when I didn't want to walk alone.

I passed by, glancing over at him. Just as he finished getting a drink our eyes met for a brief moment. I looked away and kept walking, using the stairs to get up to the main floor.

Behind me, I heard Trevor clear his throat and then his feet peppered up the stairwell behind me. I yanked open the door to enter the lobby and Trevor’s footsteps came faster.

“Could you hold that, please?” His nasally voice called out.

I sighed to myself but turned around with a half-smile and a nod.

“Thank you.” He hurried to reach for the door and held it so I could go ahead first.

“No problem.” I continued walking and Trevor cleared his throat again as he scurried up beside me.

“Have any plans for the long weekend?” He asked, gripping the straps of his backpack as we wandered toward the main doors.

“Hmm.. I might go visit my parents,” I lied, “But nothing else. You?”

He shrugged. “I may go skiing.”

So am I, I thought, even though I didn't know how. Carol’s wedding. “You ski?”

“Doesn't everyone in the Catskills area?” He snorted a laugh at himself and I smirked.

“Everyone but me.” I smiled back. “I don't know how.”

“I've been skiing since I've been five.”

“Cool.”

“I could always give you lessons. I used to give lessons before I started working for UPS.”

“I didn't know you worked for UPS.”

“For now.” He grinned and followed me out into the parking lot.

I glanced over at him as he continued to trail me out into the parking lot. I felt like he was velcroed to me. He was so close.

“Well, I'll see ya later Trevor.” I reached for the handle on my car as I approached and he cleared his throat again.

What is his deal? I wanted to blurt it out, but I wasn’t the type to be super direct like that. He wasn’t doing anything wrong - just being awkward and slightly annoying.

Trevor raised a hand to wave, almost robotically, as I pulled out of the parking space and edged my way down the rows of cars to exit the campus parking lot. When I was close to a half-a-football field away, I caught a glimpse of him waving his hands wildly in my direction. I wasn’t even sure if he was trying to flag me down, or was summoning someone else. And so, I kept driving. I didn’t see Dr. Miller exit the building.

“What’s the matter?” Dr. Miller approached Trevor when he heard the commotion.

Trevor reached into the pocket of his jacket and stared down at the screen of a cell phone. He eyed the screen, reading a notification as it flashed across.

YOUR STOWE, VT LIFT TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO PUT INTO I-WALLET. CLICK THE BANNER TO CONFIRM.

Dr. Miller’s eyes landed on the familiar phone cover. He had the urge to yank it from Trevor’s hand and demand why he had (Y/N)’s phone, but he knew he had to restrain himself.

“Who’s the phone belong to?” Dr. Miller asked, knowing damn well who it belonged to.

“I-I..” Trevor looked down at it again and spoke to himself. “She said she couldn’t ski.” He scratched his head and continued to stare at the screen.

“Trevor.” Dr. Miller closed the gap between the two of them. “Why do you have that phone?”

“One of my friends from class dropped it,” he claimed, “She just drove off. I was trying to flag her down.” Trevor slipped the phone back into his pocket and Dr. Miller extended his hand.

“I’ll turn it in to campus police.”

He kept the phone in his coat. “I can do that.”

“I insist.” Dr. Miller nodded and kept his palm facing up a few inches in front of Trevor. “I’m sticking around here anyway to do a few things.”

Trevor stared up at him, and then looked back down to his hand. He didn’t immediately hand over the phone. “Where did you say your sister’s wedding was?”

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER

@untamedheart81 @suttonspuds @cesspitoflove @michilandcof @grogusmum @morallyinept @akah565 @brittmb115 @magpiepills @poodlebae @gobaaby-blog-blog @mermaidgirl30 @mandijo17 @shotgun-shelby @itscatrodriguez-thepearl @macaroni676 @acciowolfstar1 @smolbeanzzz @sarcasm-theotherwhitemeat @bandluvr97

[rabbitcoolcars]

This post is stolen:

Labatts delivery truck 1947. As early as the 1930s, laws regulating beer advertising were strict in Ontario. Breweries were not allowed to advertise in any dynamic way in print; radio was beginning to become an advertising force and television would also be blocked in the future. The breweries decided that one of the best ways to present themselves to the public was to build fleets of large, brightly colored, futuristic-style trucks. It proved to be an effective way to get noticed.

This sparked a boom in the custom truck business in Ontario during the depression, as well as for the disappearing body customization business. Custom trucks were built in the same manner as custom cars; designs supplied for each customer were built on trucks and trailer chassis were supplied by the various manufacturers.

In the early 1930s, Labatt hired renowned designer Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky to design a fleet of trucks that would be different from production trucks. At that time, all the major highways passed through all the small towns, so they were sure the trucks would be seen in every community along their route, and they must, no doubt, have made a big impression on people as they drove around town.

With each series Sakhnoffsky achieved designs with more curvaceousness. The trailer boxes had a smaller volume than the regular "square" trailers, but this was no disadvantage as the real limit was the weight of the beer. Axle load limits (at the time trailers were limited to single axles) determined the load volumes, so even simplified trailers could carry the maximum allowable weight of beer.

[trivialbob]

Yesterday was really pleasant.

Sheila had to work. One of her calls was for a birth. The infant was already out as Sheila and her partner arrived, so Sheila won't get a stork pin. She did however help the woman deliver the placenta. At the same time I was doing the less interesting task of housework. It was warm enough to open windows and air out the house. I washed all the bedding. Crisp sheets spark joy.

In the afternoon I went on a motorcycle ride, ending up at my BIL's house. He and a friend of ours made French dip sandwiches. The roast had been slow cooked, then my BIL chopped it and put the meat on his Blackstone griddle along with peppers, onions, white American cheese, and buttered rolls. The results were amazing.

My ride back home was nice, except for two cars driving side by side for a good stretch of highway 5, not letting anyone pass. This wasn't rush hour traffic. I doubt the effort was deliberate; both drivers just struck me as completely clueless to the lines of cars backing up behind them and even each other. Who drives next to the same vehicle for a few miles? That's weird. I place 100% of the blame on the driver in the left lane who eventually exited the highway on the right. Of course he didn't speed up to get around his new traveling buddy to reach the exit. Nope, he had to slow down to get behind the other slowpoke.

Later Oliver and I stopped by the brewery. I had a beer, he got two dog treats and plenty of attention. I sat with some friends of Sheila's and mine.

After a while an attractive woman with a raspy smoker's voice sat next to me. She said hi to the three of us and Oliver. A few minutes later a handsome guy approached the empty bar stool on the other side of her. He asked if anyone had been sitting there. It came across like "Hello stranger and person I've never seen before. Are you saving this spot for anyone?" His voice was just loud enough that it felt like he wanted other people to hear him ask the question.

Her reply was (I'm paraphrasing) "Why, hello to you too, total stranger. That seat is open."

Then they leaned in and talked quietly with each other as their legs touched under the bar. When my friends and I left, as soon as we were in the parking lot I said, "I'm pretty sure those two already knew each other." One of my friends added, "Yeah, and are married to other people." We chuckled and said good night.

Today's another beautiful, cool day. I think I'll finally get out my bicycle and ride around the Minneapolis lakes.

[becomingkatie]

anniversary trip to the mountains

Friday we left work a little early to drive down near Shenandoah National Park. We stopped in Sperryville to go by a brewery we used to like to go to after hikes in the area. They were in a totally different building, and when I asked when they moved they said October 2020! Which shows how long it's been since our hiking days! Yikes - we used to casually do hikes that required hours-long drives to the trailhead just on a regular weekend, but now we've fallen out of the habit. We'd both like to do it more, and were excited to hike this weekend.

After beers we got pizza (at a restaurant we've been to before that had also changed significantly since 5 years ago) and then checked into the house we were renting near Luray.

Saturday we did the Strickler Knob hike. In the photos of the sky (view from the house we rented) where the mountain does a lil step up to the right of the sunset - I'm pretty sure that's the peak/overlook we hiked to. The hike was pretty miserable, but in that way where being miserable with someone you love is kinda funny instead of just shitty. The bugs were awful and we didn't think about bug spray, just sunscreen. And I chose the wrong shoes instead of my hiking boots and suffered. It got rocky, and most of the rocky section was like the picture I posted, but there were a few "climb up this 6ft boulder" moments where I felt like I was at the climbing gym but with real life consequences if I messed up. The peanut butter sandwich at the top was great though.

We got cleaned up after hiking and then checked out Luray Caverns. We have driven past the highway signs for it so many times over the years, so it was nice to finally see it. Was it worth the $34 apiece to get in? Eh, maybe. I'm glad we saw it. It was bigger than I expected - like a longer walk to get through the whole thing. And there's an organ inside that vibrates the stalactites to make music, and it played "A Mighty Fortress is our God" and I cried despite not being religious. I grew up in a church with really old/traditional hymns and a very solemn service, and that music still makes me so emotional even though whenever I read the Bible I am like "boy this is FUCKED up."

From the caverns we got dinner at a little diner spot, then ice cream and cocktails before heading back to the house. The distillery had a dog who enjoyed greeting all of the patrons. I enjoyed being greeted by a dog. But it wasn't climate controlled inside so the 90+ deg outdoors was more comfortable than inside.

Lastly, we stopped by Patty O's cafe on the way home. There's an inn with a very fancy Michelin starred restaurant in Washington, VA, and the chef there opened up this more casual cafe across the street. It's super cute and I really wanted to try it, but the vibe was better than the food. There was a live bluegrass band playing, and although I was bummed at first because it made it hard to hear each other talk, it was a nice atmosphere. The food was good but not mind-blowing. We also got some treats from the bakery to take home, and they were similarly good but not amazing. Except the chocolate mousse. That was mind-blowing, as much as a simple chocolate mousse could be.

Overall it was a really nice weekend getaway a few hours from home!

[colorsinautumn]

i went and did a photoshoot at a brewery today for an online beer publication, and the owner of the brewery works really closely with the arizona highways magazine and we got talking about photography and he sent my work over to one of the magazine editors. guys like, it has been a dream of mine to get published in arizona highways, and it might actually happen.

[lattesforlife]

For those who live in New Jersey and those who visit . . . .

New Jersey is a peninsula.

Highlands, New Jersey has the highest elevation along the entire eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida.

New Jersey is the only state where all of its counties are classified as metropolitan areas.

New Jersey has more race horses than Kentucky.

New Jersey has more Cubans in Union City (1 sq. mi.) than Havana, Cuba.

New Jersey has the densest system of highways and railroads in the US.

New Jersey has the highest cost of living.

New Jersey has the highest cost of auto insurance.

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.

New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the "Diner Capital of the World."

New Jersey is home to the original Mystery Pork Parts Club (not Spam): Taylor Ham or Pork Roll.

Home to the less mysterious but the best Italian hot dogs and Italian sausage w/peppers and onions.

North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world, with seven major shopping malls in a 25 square mile radius.

The Passaic River was the site of the first submarine ride by inventor John P. Holland .

New Jersey has 50+ resort cities & towns; some of the nation's most famous: Asbury Park, Wildwood, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Cape May.

New Jersey has the most stringent testing along its coastline for water quality control than any other seaboard state in the entire country.

New Jersey is a leading technology & industrial state and is the largest chemical producing state in the nation when you include pharmaceuticals.

Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being the best you can buy.

New Jersey is the world leader in blueberry and cranberry production (and here you thought Massachusetts?)

Here's to New Jersey - the toast of the country! In 1642, the first brewery in America, opened in Hoboken.

New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah, in 1940.

New Jersey is a major seaport state with the largest seaport in the US, located in Elizabeth. Nearly 80 percent of what our nation imports comes through Elizabeth Seaport first.

New Jersey is home to one of the nation's busiest airports (in Newark), Liberty International.

George Washington slept there.

Several important Revolutionary War battles were fought on New Jersey soil, led by General George Washington.

The light bulb, phonograph (record player), and motion picture projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory

Jersey also boasts the first town lit by incandescent bulbs. The first seaplane was built in Keyport , NJ.

The first airmail (to Chicago) was started from Keyport, NJ.

The first phonograph records were made in Camden, NJ

New Jersey was home to the Miss America Pageant held in Atlantic City.

The game Monopoly, played all over the world, named the streets on its playing board after the actual streets in Atlantic City. And, Atlantic City has the longest boardwalk in the world, not to mention salt water taffy. ( Now made in Pennsylvania)..

New Jersey has the largest petroleum containment area outside of the Middle East countries.

The first Indian reservation was in New Jersey, in the Watchung Mountains

New Jersey has the tallest water-tower in the world. (Union, NJ!!!)

New Jersey had the first medical center, in Jersey City

The Pulaski Sky Way, from Jersey City to Newark, was the first skyway highway.

New Jersey built the first tunnel under a river, the Hudson (Holland Tunnel).

The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, which is also the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.

The first intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick in 1889 (Rutgers College played Princeton).

The first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden, NJ, (but they're all gone now!).

New Jersey is home to both of "NEW YORK'S" pro football teams!

The first radio station and broadcast was in Paterson, NJ.

The first FM radio broadcast was made from Alpine, NJ, by Maj. Thomas Armstrong.

All New Jersey natives: Sal Martorano, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jason Alexander, Queen Latifah, Susan Sarandon, Connie Francis, Shaq, Judy Blume, Aaron Burr, Joan Robertson, Ken Kross, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, Budd Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, Marilynn McCoo, Flip Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Zack Braff Whitney Houston, Eddie Money, Linda McElroy, Eileen Donnelly, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Walt Whitman, Jerry Lewis, Tom Cruise, Joyce Kilmer, Bruce Willis, Caesar Romero, Lauryn Hill, Ice-T, Nick Adams, Nathan Lane, Sandra Dee, Danny DeVito, Richard Conti, Joe Pesci, Joe Piscopo, Joe DePasquale, Robert Blake, John Forsythe, Meryl Streep, Loretta Swit, Norman Lloyd, Paul Simon, Jerry Herman, Gorden McCrae, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta, Phyllis Newman, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Eva Marie Saint, Elisabeth Shue, Zebulon Pike, James Fennimore Cooper, Admiral Wm.Halsey,Jr.,Norman Schwarzkopf, Dave Thomas (Wendy's), William Carlos Williams, Ray Liotta, Robert Wuhl, Bob Reyers, Paul Robeson, Ernie Kovacs, Joseph Macchia, Kelly Ripa, and Francis Albert Sinatra and "Uncle Floyd" Vivino.

The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the 2nd highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.

You know you're from Jersey when . . . .

You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges." You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags. A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter. You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven. You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery. At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know the town Jon Bon Jovi is from. You know what a "jug handle" is. You know that WaWa is a convenience store. You know that the state isn't all farmland. You know that there are no "beaches" in New Jersey--there's the shore--and you don't go "to the shore," you go "down the shore." And when you are there, you're not "at the shore"; you are "down the shore." You know how to properly negotiate a circle. You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving. You know that this is the only "New" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (try . . Mexico . . . York ..! . . Hampshire-- doesn't work, does it?). You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich. You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege. You don't think "What exit?" is very funny. You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different." Yes they are! You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton--that's for out-of-staters. You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls. You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers. Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony. You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits. You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall. You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and people from Central Jersey go to LBI, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way. You weren't raised in New Jersey--you were raised in either North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey. You don't consider Camden to actually be part of the state You remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's, Channel, Bamberger's and Orbach's. You also remember Palisades Amusement Park. You've had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries. You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.

And finally . .

You've NEVER, NEVER NEVER, EVER pumped your own gas.

(Copied from a friend)

[scotianostra]

November 26th 1908 saw the birth of Charles Carmine Forte in Casalattico, Italy.

Baron Forte, as he was to become, worked in his relatives Italian cafe in the High Street, on his arrival in Scotland from Italy. He expanded a tiny London milk bar (snack bar), which he opened in 1934, into Trusthouse Forte PLC, a vast international enterprise that included highway service centres, restaurants, airport caterers, breweries, wine merchants, and a string of accommodations that ranged from the moderate-priced Travelodge motel chain to such luxury hotels as London’s Waldorf and Grosvenor House.

And what is all this got to with Scotland? Forte settled in Scotland at the age of four, where his father Rocco set up a cafe, he also worked at his Uncle Alfonso’s shop in my home town of Loanhed, although some sources say it was Rocco, his father who owned the shop, the Forte website says it was Alfonso.

There are Italian-Scots, all over Scotland, the Fortes had businesses in Stirling, Kelso, Biggar, Galashiels, Girvan, Broxburn, Jedburgh, Dunbar, Greenock, Dalkeith, Alloa and loads more places besides.

After his father bought a small hotel in Alloa young Charles attended Alloa Academy and then St. Joseph's College, Dumfries, he was then sent to Rome for two years before re-joining his family. He was 18 when he entered the family business, running a restaurant. The business progressed through a series of seaside resorts.

When he was 21, Forte was put in charge of a rundown cafe, the Venetian Lounge in Brighton. Within 12 months he had turned it into a profit-making outlet.

However, he had set his sights on London. With just £400, loans of £2000 from his family and a further £2000 bank loan, he bought a milk bar in Upper Regent Street. A concept he imported from America, it was a place where young people could socialise while lingering over non-alcoholic drinks and listening to the latest records.

The Strand Milk Bar Ltd. milk bar was the stepping stone Forte needed. In later years the café became the Four Seasons Restaurant and it was one site he would never sell.

By the time war broke out in 1939, Forte owned nine establishments in the centre of the capital and was known as Mr Piccadilly. He was interned on the Isle of Man, but after three months he was released to become an adviser to the Ministry of Food.

After the war he bought top London restaurants and hotels such as the Cafe Royal and Waldorf. In 1955 his company was awarded the first catering concession at Heathrow Airport. When the UK's first motorway opened in 1959, he began building a chain of 23 roadside catering areas.

His empire eventually had more than 800 hotels, in cities such as Paris, Geneva, Madrid and London, and a similar number of food outlets. In Britain alone he employed about 70,000 people.

When knighted in 1970 Lord Forte, who was five feet four inches in height, dubbed himself "the shortest knight of the year". He was also a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Italian Republic and was presented with a Papal Medal by Pope Pius XII. He received a medal from the French for what his firm had done at its Paris hotels, the George V, the Plaza Athenee and Tremoille, and the Spanish gave him a medal for his work at the Ritz in Madrid. In 1992, aged 83, he gave up the company to his son Rocco, who had succeeded him as chief executive in 1983.Forte ascribed his success to hard work and healthy living. He said work should be serious but fun, and satisfaction rather than profit was his main motivation.

Charles Forte passed away on February 28th, 2007 aged 98, he had already passed full control to his son Rocco in 1993, but soon the plc was faced with a hostile takeover bid from Granada. Ultimately, Granada succeeded with a £3.9 billion tender offer in January 1996, which left the family with about £350 million in cash, not bad for starting in a wee shop in a Scottish toon.

Rocco immediately went back into the hotel business and now has 14 hotels located in European cities, as well as beach resorts in Sicily and Apulia, and recent openings in Saudi Arabia and China. The most famous of his hotels in Scotland is The Balmoral at number one Princes Street Edinburgh.

Pics of of some of the Forte businesses can be found here https://www.fortefamilyhistory.com/Gallery/In_Business/index.html

[briantravels60]

Day 8 – Perth to Ottawa – 88 km

Trail: mostly downhill - 114 up, 180 down

I spent the last 2 nights at the Aquarius Motel. My bed was comfortable and the room was clean, with ample room to store my bike, Close to a laundromat, and Perth Brewery. Comfortable but about a 30 minute walk to downtown. If you can't find a place in the downtown, I’d recommend it.

The morning started off with an extremely bad smog level (10+ out of 10) due to forest fire smoke. I decided to wait an hour before departing, under the assumption that the air would become better as a day went on. After the hour I put on an N95 mask and headed out cycling at a relaxed pace. As it turned out the N95 mask was comfortable and the smokiness decreased as the day progressed. Although. A strong headwind remained throughout the day.

Today I headed northeast out of Perth on Route 10 for 21 km. The highway was not busy and riding was easy. Thanks to the taxpayers of Ontario there was a 1 - 1.5 m wide paved shoulder, effectively a bicycle lane. The highway took me through gentle rolling farmland.

At Franktown Station, I turned left and joined the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail. It’s not well marked and if you miss it you will end up in Franktown, like I did.

The next tricky turn was a U- turn onto the Greenbelt Pathway West. Watch for the signs. It’s easy to miss.

At the end of the Greenbelt Pathway, I turned right onto the Watts Creek Pathway, which later became the Ottawa River Pathway. I  followed the Ottawa River Pathway into Ottawa. These trails travelled through urban forests and then along the Ottawa River.

The cities of Carleton Place and Stittsville were nicely spaced for lunch and an afternoon snack. Carleton Place was 35 km from Perth so I had trail snacks to carry me over from breakfast to lunch.

The Ottawa area has had a well developed trail system for decades so my expectations were high. Ottawa trails delivered. They had dozens of connections to additional trails connecting neighborhoods, parks, and workplaces. The TCT provided great cycling all day long. Riding was a joy today and wearing a mask wasn’t so bad.

The trail was much busier today. Mostly commuter bikers but a few were bike packing. I also met a hiker, Peter, who had already walked 8 days on his way towards Ottawa. He was camping along the way. It was refreshing to meet a person making a longer journey on the TCT.

Ottawa, the Nation's Capital, was full of beautiful buildings, gardens, cultural events and venues, excellent food and craft beer. It's such a beautiful city that it warrants an extra day.

Last decision of the day. Should I proceed? With the air quality so poor (10+ smog index), it wasn't wise to keep going and continue to put my health at risk. At the end of the day I checked the air quality (smog) index and I called my wife. The forecasted index would drop to 2 over the next 2 days. I will continue.

[rogesims]

A NEW BEGINNING

LOOK WHO'S BACK! A few months, patches and Reshade/Gshade presets later, the Harris household crossed the portal opened by the Strange Sim. Just as they magically appeared, their memories slowly adapted into the new reality.

This was the first time Tito and Moe saw each other in their madeover selves. T: "Welcome to our new reality, babe! You're rocking this short hair!" M: "You don't look so bad yourself, mister!"

"I guess we have a teenage son now?", Moe said. Leo had suffered some space-time stretching and crossed over a lot older than his old toddler self. "Look guys, I can actually speak now. And I don't poop my pants anymore!" 

"We're in Glimmerbrook, it's a three hour trip from Evergreen Harbor. The highway is at the end of this road here. We're gonna have to teleport from there."

"It seems like we're a couple of packs behind. We missed cows and glitchy weddings, and we're living in the new High School pack town."

"High School pack? Does that mean I'm gonna start Gen 3 as a teen? No offense Mom, but we need an Heir Refresh in this Legacy."

Tito, Moe and Leo walked all the way to the Glimmerbrook Brewery, by the Pinewood Highway. "According to this accessory map, Copperdale is Southwest from here." 

They took a pickup from the parking lot across the road (it was debug so no one would miss it), and starter driving to Copperdale, where a new legacy story begins... 

The Harris arrived in Copperdale. They now lived at a small building in the Prescott Square, first floor apartment. If they wouldn't live in Del Sol Valley anymore, at least this was a very NICE change of scenery! 

This is their living room. Thank the Watcher they could bring all their pictures with them when they crossed!

This is Tito and Moe's bedroom. Moe kept her Starlight Accolades as a memory of times past, even if she would keep it all for herself!

Leo got the other bedroom. Can you tell he's a bit of a geek? 

In this new universe, Tito's younger twin siblings don't exist. Instead, his parents had Willow, who's a teen sim. She has a few more weeks to graduate, and moved to Copperdale to study at a local community college affiliated to Foxbury, a great tech uni from the United Simdom. 

And this is their cozy kitchen, where Tito has been practicing his Gourmet Cooking skills to find a nice job and save the simoleons he needs to complete his Restauranteur aspiration! 

This universe Moe has a Social Justice degree, and is trying to raise the Political ladder, one step at a time!

Willow have been diving head first on her books. She wanted a distinguished degree in Computer Science, and she'd have to work hard for it. Not to mention the scholarships!

[nwbeerguide]

Saugatuck Brewing Company celebrates the release of Rainbow Rodeo IPA, by also including it in their "A Trip to the Art Coast" variety pack.

Press Release

Saugatuck, MI – Saugatuck Brewing Company (SBC) is doubling down on its tasty new product releases this year aimed at meeting the growing demands of its customers and the craft beer market. With the Rainbow Rodeo IPA, SBC has cast a line of citrus, tropical and piney notes with enough body to make a splash, yet maintain an easy drinking, great bucking IPA. This IPA follows the release earlier this year of Lake Street Lager, a light bodied crisp and clean American lager for any occasion that is making its way to everyone's cooler for spring.

“We adapted techniques from brewing traditional Midwest IPAs and modern IPAs to create Rainbow Rodeo which embraces the best characteristics of each,” said Head Brewer Matt Alderink. “It is classic Midwest malt backbone with modern juicy mouthfeel and bitterness.”

Rainbow Rodeo IPA pays homage to its home state of Michigan’s reputation as a fly-fishing mecca for rainbow trout and rich heritage of farming. SBC’s brew masters baited Rainbow Rodeo IPA with malts of Two Row, Caramel 60, White Wheat and Flaked Oats coupled with Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade and Columbus hops. It weighs in at 7.0% ABV and 60 IBUs.

“Our Rainbow Rodeo IPA is produced to be a bright and easy-drinking American IPA, with a creative can that hooks you when you see it on the shelf. This new staple has been added to our mainstay lineup and our new variety pack, A Trip to the Art Coast, that includes other must-have styles. We see the Rainbow Rodeo artwork as a portal into a wild world of hops, where cowgirls wrangle in large rainbow trout, upending the idea that only men enjoy fishing and beer. You have to admit, she’s pretty badass, and so is what’s inside the can,” said Sara VanSplinter, Director of Marketing.

SBC’s new A Trip to the Art Coast Variety Pack includes the two new releases, Rainbow Rodeo IPA and Lake Street Lager, along with the Bonfire Brown and Vienna Lager. Vienna Lager is currently only available in the Variety Pack. The Variety Pack is available in 12-packs, with three 12 oz cans of each style.

SBC is planning a series of release parties for the Rainbow Rodeo IPA at their three locations, complete with a featured smoked trout dip special, custom playing cards to play a little Go Fish, live music and more. One of the highlights will be at the Douglas Pub and Barrel Room on Saturday, April 29 where Northern Michigan female fly-fishing guide, Ash Agler, will be on hand from 1:00pm – 2:30pm for fly casting demos and Q & A.

Be sure to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a half-day walk in trip with Ash. All proceeds go to the Kalamazoo River Alliance. Details on the three Rainbow Rodeo IPA release parties are as follows:

Saugatuck Brewing Company – Douglas Pub & Barrel Room

Saturday, April 29

2948 Blue Star Highway, Douglas, MI 49406

Brew Tour Noon – 1:00 pm

Special guest Ash Agler, Fly Fishing Guide 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm with casting demo, Q & A

Live Bluegrass Music 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

$5 pints, $8 6 packs and $16 12 packs

Custom playing cards for a good game of Go Fish at tables

Raffle: Half-day walk in trip with Ash Agler with proceeds going to Kalamazoo River Alliance

Smoked trout fish dip special

Hours: Noon – 9:00 pm

...

Saugatuck Brewing Company – Kalamazoo Pub & Brew House

Thursday, April 27

200 E. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

$5 pints, $8 6 packs and $16 12 packs

Custom playing cards for a good game of Go Fish at tables

Smoked trout fish dip special

Hours: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Saugatuck Brewing Company - Creston

Thursday, May 4

Creston Brewery

1504 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Brew Tour 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Live Music 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

$5 pints, $8 6 packs and $16 12 packs

Custom playing cards for a good game of Go Fish at tables

Smoked trout fish dip special

Hours 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm

For information about distribution and locations, email info@sbrewing.com or call 269-857-7222.

###

About Saugatuck Brewing Company:

Saugatuck Brewing Company (SBC) first opened its doors on June 23, 2005 as a small, intimate, start-up brewery in Douglas, Michigan. In 2008, SBC moved the entire operation to the 25,000 square foot facility that serves as the headquarters, brewery, warehouse, and Pub and Brew House. In 2019, SBC opened the second taproom in Kalamazoo, Michigan and in 2021 SBC acquired Creston Brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In June 2022, SBC made the decision to close the Kalamazoo Westnedge location in order to invest in a new location in downtown Kalamazoo that opened April 10, 2023. SBC is distributed in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas and Colorado and five foreign countries.

[r-rook-studio]

#City23: 1st Week of February

Crossposted to Cohost

I've written about my #City23 projects here and on Tumblr. You can check out my last post. I still have two #City23 projects I'm working on: a fantastical version of Nottingham during the high middle ages and a contemporary fictional city in Maine called Cape Crescent.

As noted in that end-of-Janaury post, I spent most of January (minus a break) working on the area around Nottingham's Bar Gate and Cape Crescent's "main street": Pine State Highway. That was a bit of a struggle since I felt like I was filling in "gaps" for a city that hadn't been sufficiently sketched out yet, but did give me a sense of what the locals in both cities are like.

Nottingham

For February '23 in Nottingham, I'm focusing on Nottingham Castle. While Nottingham was not anywhere near the size of London at this time, the castle, a royal residence, meant that the city was far more cosmopolitan than one might expect, with large French, English, and Jewish communities. The castle isn't just a physical space, it's a symbol of the sheriff's authority as the royal appointee. Thus it's the headquarters of a sizable faction and a base of its power.

This week, I started with the outer bailey, and I think I may camp out a bit. The first line of yards, gardens, and buildings within the castle's outermost wall, the bailey is the home and workplace of many common folks in the sheriff's service. I started with a random guard-generator, including what after-effects from last night are distracting the guard:

Distractions from Last Night

None: Attentive

Gambling debts

Caught cheating in love or at cards

Unrequited infatuation

Family disputes

Lost a brawl, wants revenge

I also started work on the castle's large outer stables and kennel (because I'm in charge, I've decided there's a separate royal stable and kennel further into the castle). My Robin Hobb fandom is showing through. This gave me three NPCs in quick succession: Kado the stable boy, his best friend (and likely crush) Nin who assists in the kennel, and the late stable master and kennel master Warinfried. Kado and Nin have some arcane talents (including some that haven't occurred in Sherwood), and Warinfried's body was buried in the tunnels below the castle without removing the necromantic ring he stole from the sheriff. This could be why folks in the outer bailey's brewery have reported seeing signs of a ghost. If Warinfried is haunting the castle now, who knows what he might do to revenge himself on Kado, who murdered him, or Nin, who Kado was trying to protect? I've also name-dropped Wainfried's patron, Raimund, the castle's steward/seneschal and a son of the sheriff, who I'd love to develop a bit more.

So far, the castle is a lot of Norman and Breton dudes, so over this next week, I'd like to diversify the population a bit.

Cape Crescent

In Cape Crescent, I wanted to begin digging into two explicitly hostile factions: the cult-like Grove and the loosely Pentex-inspired Ghost Bay Foundation. Over the past week, I've worked on Pine State Realty, a mid-sized real estate agency near the middle of town that doubles as an administrative front for Ghost Bay Foundation. Over the past week, I've identified three NPCs who work there:

Ramji Davindran dropped out of grad school to come work in Cape Crescent and discover why his sister disappeared. He covered his tracks well, and so far the only person I've found who knows about his real purpose is...

Cornelia Richards, the office manager, isn't supposed to know much about the Ghost Bay Foundation or the realty's real purpose but knows almost all of it. She may even know more than...

Ted Cliff, the "owner" of the real estate agency and a Ghost Bay administrator, is supposed to know way more than he's actually figured out about the employees he keeps around to create a more compelling front.