Spicy fun finagled its way into Pepper Fest, which was really jazzed up anyway, despite the trek some needed to make from the other side of the freeway:
– This wayward Minnesotan couldn’t be farther away. She was at the Kwik Trip store on the southeast part of The Hill district, asking how to get to Pepper Fest Park. She had to be given the directions to North Hudson twice.
– Another visitor from Minnesota, as we tend to have them at our house, floated his latest get-rich-quick-scheme — taking the hot pepper carving at the end of a necklace and buying hundreds if not thousands of them, and reselling them at a high markup. That idea was hatched on literally, the first day of Pepper Fest, without the guy even knowing of its existence! Afraid somebody’s probably beaten him to the punch.
– Speaking of getting a bit punchy, or at least showing some good-natured attitude — maybe by going where their sign was leading — the Pepper Fest parade people at Kozy Korner were dressed up as “cougars” and roamed despite the rain. Peppers aside, they were sure to heat things up even more. As another aside, the aformentioned sign said to bring in your Pepper Fest mug or pitcher for specials at Kozy.
– A mini-review offered by one of my favorite red-headed friends, of the band Paisan, a new one to Pepper Fest this year: A great quality show that was bolstered by a total of up to ten people on stage, playing different instruments that really jazzed things up.
– Post-Pepper Fest parties also reigned, especially among its royalty. Even after a few days, some stalwarts had their recycling bins at the curb overflowing with aluminum cans, pizza boxes and the like.
– With that noted, it was my birthday, again, and this time I did indeed partake in the free, multi-shot ladle drink at the Smilin’ Moose, (although I did not try to wear it as a hat, like one recent infused patron). That discrepancy brings to mind the border battle component, yet again, of how for a couple of years running now, there have been various ways birthday people have negotiated — sometimes with a bit of questioning — having all that liquid cheer at once.
– Another B-day drink for me. I met up with a couple of friends, one of whom wanted to buy me a shot, but which of the many available would I choose? Gee, I don’t even know what the different ones are. Neither did my benefactor, so all of us just stared rather blankly at each other (even before indulging), then went around in circles trying to decide. We all finally settled on — all at once, mind you — water moccasins. As I poured it down, I recalled something from a neighboring bar a few nights previous, where there also was confusion about what to order. Two quotes tell the tale: “I know what a moccasin is, but what’s a water moccasin?” Then: “Give me another one of what you just gave me.”
– As far as a related celebration, bartender Julia was in her (post)-birthday party mode and posed for a photo (not a selfie) with a friend who had close to a dozen straws stuck in his big, bushy beard.
– Along those lines, a bartender friend is going to a Halloween themed wedding — taking place in late August. (The venue wasn’t available in late October). When asked, she said that for lack of time to pick a relatively scary costume, she would go as a flapper, reprising an earlier wedding-guest role. One had to ask these (timing challenged?) people about the nature of the bachlorette party, and as it turns out, that was held two years ago.
– Now they had another option for listening to Journey, other than local cover bands. The recent show in the Twin Cities was well attended by locals, some of whom work the late shift and had to get out of work early. By all accounts, the quality musicianship made it worth the journey.
– Regarding another journey, into the Great Beyond, yet another Prince tribute song was played at a local bar, but it didn’t go over as well as the original. Owner Leigh at the Village Inn was of that opinion when Purple Rain was covered on the jukebox. He said that he didn’t like Phish, except of course that served at his establishment. My input? Phish was meant to be eaten not heard.
– With the recent celebrations marking the Star Wars anniversary, it is worth noting at this time the citing of a Carrie Fisher lookalike in downtown Hudson, albeit with a different twist on the side of her hairdo. Around that time, someone looking just like Cindy Crawford was seen, albiet with the famous mole on the other side of her lip. And just for Pepper Fest, there were women with amazing resemblences to Jen Aniston and none other than Kim Kardashian, complete with her booty, to be seen on the scene.