Hudson Wisconsin Nightlife

August, 2019Archive for

There could be a party brewing after the music and mutts (OK, they actually are pedigree). Are they really tapping the kegger at 3 a.m., or much earlier in the evening or day, as Jeff Loven would say?

Friday, August 30th, 2019

Are they really sporting kegs of various sizes all weekend locally?
— Annual Midwest championship sheepdog trials are going on all day Aug. 30-Sept. 2 at Badlands recreation center east of Hudson. But sadly, not with a St. Bernard and the accompanying libations they carry around their neck, as those might be more applicable during the snows of January.
— Musician Mark Kreger just crashed the kegger party on the patio at the Smilin Moose early Friday evening. Just kidding, as he’s actually playing to the crowd there.

— With Ziggy’s hosting the Candy Store (or Shoppe) for Saturday night music, one must recall Candy-O as well as I Like Candy. A band like that needs more than one name.
— Is less really more? Pura Still spiked blackberry water boasts that it has only 90 calories, a gram of sugar, and they insist zero bubbles (this does not go as far as offering champagne), without the flat taste. Try it at Dick’s Bar and Grill, to be a minimalist.
— Various places around town are inviting you to dive in, as the summer wanes, and indulge in a Deep Eddy vodka drink, fittingly making people look at their sign with the bathing beauty on a diving board. But being column distilled in small batches, you’d better hurry before fall comes. (Especially since they now have seven different flavors being hawked).

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Its again the time of the Season for Season’s, (and not just the NFL season), as they take Pepper Fest — and going into fall — to another level via the utmost loyal clientele

Thursday, August 29th, 2019

If you are Season’s Tavern, put up the tents and they will come, in many cases foresaking the Pepper Fest across the street and doing their socializing during much of the time that weekend at the historic Season’s venue, as they have for years. And you can bet they’ll be back in as autumn unfolds.
It has been a tradition for many people for the course of the last decade to spend a few hours, or more, at the Season’s decked out parking lot before going over to Pepper Fest park — or just staying at the grill and bar for the entirety of the fest weekend. On Saturday afternoon, there is the famed house band playing that has been around the region for even longer than the Season’s tenure, Thirsty Camel, and their wicked wings challenge, a food-fast-chuck-it-down annual competition that rivals the eating contests that are kitty-korner across the street. As they say at Season’s, with more than one meaning, beware if you are a chicken. And people check them out during the parade too. And if people tire of the Pepper Fest music, some of it boilerplate, or the Sunday coronation, you now know there is a option, which indeed is ongoing — much like the fall colors shown on their sign — because of all the amenities offered by Season’s. And those who swear by Season’s will be back, so stop in and see what all the fuss is about.
<The festival preview unfolds>
It was early Saturday morning of the Pepperfest at the Season’s lot, and the six long tables under the menagerie of tents was already full, and there were a dozen people clamoring to get quickly through the line and obtain the refreshments available at a kiosk set up just for the day. A woman stopped enroute to smell the flowers, and possibly peppers, next to the sidewalk. “Damn,” she said, and that says it all about the ongoing hoopla. She was passed by a guy holding a takeout container, again maybe with peppers, just exiting the Season’s area, even though it was not yet lunchtime.
Two Season’s this-weekend-annually regulars under the tent framed what it is all about and what keeps them coming back. Robert, who has done this for years, said that its largely the people, staff and patrons, who are available for both quick chit-chat and also longer conversations, as well as the food and drink, and just the overall ambiance of both a party and at-ease just hanging out that brings them back. He always makes it a point to stop at the Season’s lot first, and foremost, for a few hours before venturing across the way, and stressed that this before-and-after pattern is intentional. He noted the rationale behind having such as fest, raising much-needed money for a North Hudson school, and seeing a need and just getting it done, and he is gracious about contirbuting to the effort. And Season’s can relate to that, being community minded and just liking to be part of such an effort. And at the other end of the three tents, closer to where the band was setting up, Jim said he has been an area resident for, count ’em, 26 years first in North Hudson and then in the past several years Somerset, but Season’s back in North Hudson has always been Pepper Fest weekend home, and return visits. He even recalls days with Brad, the owner, back on Grand Avenue in St. Paul when that was the gig he was running. These situations mean your name gets around, as Season’s fame is spreading. A mutual friend, Jeanie, who has worked at McGoverns Pub on West Seventh for about that amount of time, knows Brad from back in that day, and the mention made her face light up. They both speak very highly of each other, both personally and professionally.
<Pre-Pepper Fest planning>
All this doesn’t happen on a wing and a prayer, not even the wicked wings challenge. Or does it. Brad and his two bandmates were on the patio Thursday evening and I asked them if they were doing some pre-concert prep as far as things like song list. The answer? No, we have played for decades starting in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and that longevity has meant they can make their tight-played but still-full-of-flourishes sets come about like clockwork without a lot of kibbitsing. Meanwhile, inside in the main restaurant area, a server at a specially-all-set-up-booth for just this weekend thought this whole shebang was worth a lot of publicizing. “Cool,” she summarized.
— Meanwhile, if you wanted to get around the immediate area (read, a few blocks worth, and beyond), flag down the — you read this right — bicycle, on the very front end, converted into a rickshaw that can get you around also. Other rides are available, as well, but this has got to be the coolest. It has Christmas-tree lights flashing on the top cover, and showing a bow to the best of newer aspects and technology, a comfy seat where you sit. Thing your favorite easy chair while getting around and sort of being chauffeured. Contact Shawn Gary, as he is back new in the area, at (612) 701-9664.
<And the fest preview takes center stage>
As the parade and beyond wrapped up, there was a (magic) bus, school bus that is, going up the way toward Fourth Street as the Pepper Fest stars took center stage. A bit later, there was another big vehicle hauling butt and carrying a porta-potty too, what gives with that?
These thingees were trekking past the place known around North Hudson as the ultimate man cave, but it has been shut down for a while by the proprietor for health reasons. So at the annual Cherry Circle cul de sac party, that was part of a preview for Pepper Fest during National Night Out, had the party center replaced — and put up in short order — by some new to the neighborhood, a floating bar rail as wide as such a truck.
The Freedom Value Center, of course, was at the center of things, and while waiting in line to pay for gas, the guy in front of me pointed out a great deal opted for by the guy in front of him for — go figure — beer now in 30 pack, that’s 2.5 dozen for only about a dozen dollars. I told him, the guy in front of me not the patron in front of him, that it was my guess everybody’s stocking up for the Pepper Fest weekend. There at first was no reaction for that one comment, he kept looking straight ahead, but then he opened up. He said their work crew is from Minnesota, so they always get the cheap beer while doing jobs here. I guess that means Spotted Cow is not on the grocery list. So, I said, you must be familiar with Pepper Fest, and the elixer to wash down those hot peppers, and I got only a glimmer of a smile, then turned his head a bit. The next day, a T-shirt worn by, again, by the guy in front of me, said “Our State has been outdrinking your state since 1848.” Funny.
It then was noted that in the good ol’ U.S. you can get beer cheaper than milk, and not just in Wisconsin with it being the Self-Proclaimed, or did I just proclaim it, King of Beer (screw Budweisier and its state of origin). Cheese is another story. What a country. Or is that so, or such a good thing?
Spoiler alert. I know that there now are at least seven spots in the village where the cops sit while trying to give out tickets. That is the word to the wise for all those people from Minnesota, but I am not going to give those locations away, as we need the revenue.
Up a ways, there was a Kozy Korner kiosk, or actually a float, being assembled, but in a way that compared to other years, was more over the top, and Freedom was not to be outdone via hosting their sweet corn stand.
Not in this case the peppers of choice, Kozy’s contraption this time even had a roof, which just might have been needed for the rain that also disrupted the viewing of the first Packer Preseason Game, for those venues without the Sunday Ticket and trying to get it by dish. And down one block toward the river, a crew looked like they were dismantling a stop sign, when in fact they were erecting a detour sign in conjunction with the parade.
But the earliest activity in the week was at the house that hosts dozens of people each year for a huge yard party, and it also was erected in a hurry, in a matter of hours, with cars up and down the street that would have to be moved by two days later for the parade route. Again rain considerations.

Posted in The Headliner | Comments Off on Its again the time of the Season for Season’s, (and not just the NFL season), as they take Pepper Fest — and going into fall — to another level via the utmost loyal clientele

Cheap’s Andy’s gets to the ‘heart’ of the matter and goes far beyond Minnesconsin — although still the Upper Midwest — to bring in the Sushi Roll band to Heartland Days

Friday, August 9th, 2019

They come all the way from Chicago, although not necessarily as far as the south side, and that’s no bull, although there will be a bull to ride. This group from the Windy City that provides something completely different — odes to Gwen Stefani and Spiderman among others in their online bio’s photo — the Sushi Roll band is pop from Chicago, a high-energy dance music and rock ‘n roll swagger unit topped off with memorable stage costumes, inspired by Cosplay, Anime and Super Heroes. They will play at Cheap Andy’s for Heartland Days in Hammond this weekend. Founded by music industry vets and fronted by two of the most mesmerizing young lead singers in all of Chicago, Sushi Roll is, again, made up of driving rock, light-hearted pop, and over-the-top theatrical verve. They easily transition between revved-up versions of your favorite pop and rock hits by artists like Bruno Mars, Rick Springfield, Lady Gaga, Nelly, AC/DC, P!nk, Neon Trees and the Jackson 5, a mix that sets them apart from other such costumed tribute bands in the two-state area. Think land of the rising fun! They will take the stage at 8 p.m. Friday and will be part of the street dance and mechanical bull in the sport court.
— This is a “Rich” one. You can win an autographed guitar by John Rich of the country group Big and Rich with purchase of his Redneck Riveria whiskey, at Emma’s in River Falls and other such places. It is advertised as an American Blend, which makes sense because The Man is shown on flyers with an American flag as a backdrop. And I must note that he looks just like the older version of Rob Halford of Judas Priest (sorry about again, another heavy metal reference).
— The Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt at times brings in new blood, but not always two such bands in the same weekend, and not just Lennon and Zeppelin. There will be Led Foot Larry on Friday night and The Classics on Saturday.

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The knee, always the knee, created the need threefold for Paddy Ryan’s too, again, to kneed and play Santa Claus in summer, not end it with the St. Patrick’s Day excursion

Friday, August 2nd, 2019

Paddy Ryan’s in Hudson came to the rescue of some nursing home residents dozens of miles to the east into Wisconsin who loved their corned beef and cabbage, even though their ad hoc leader was admitted for not only one knee replacement rehabilitation in March, but another such separate procedure on the other knee in summer.
So the Irish pub and grill in western Wisconsin played Santa Claus, even though it was St. Patrick’s Day, and then replicated that role in the weeks following the Fourth of July, as the aforementioned leader could not do her usual stint of indulging in a decades-long tradition with a friend of munching on the classic Irish fare in St. Paul because of being on the mend — twice over — for a couple of weeks each. In fact you could make that three times a charm because the northern suburb friend, who is Polish not Irish but still has loved their annual-or-more corned beef dinner since well before the turn of the millennium, also had a knee replacement surgery in summer. And now that they both are healed, they say they will make it over to Paddy Ryan’s, soon and often, to start a new tradition!
If Paddy Ryan’s can do their regular menu of traditional meets modern Irish, so great by all accounts, think how special their specials are for St. Patrick’s Day itself, including but not limited to the prized corned beef and cabbage, which many said is the best they have ever tasted, and accompanying vegetables that every piece had the perfect level of doneness. And of course for that whole weekend of both holidays, the diverse and lengthy regular fare of dozens and dozens of choices — such as boxtys — was also available, but in both cases needed to be delivered through a courier who also is a writer for this publication. It was on a Saturday afternoon or two that I took in the event(s) so readers know what they could expect to find, when going either later that night or during that next day, a Sunday, in both cases, the earlier of the two being so lauded by all who are Irish.
The so-called leader of this crew from the nursing home, the Hammond Health Care Center, my wife Jeanie Winter, loved this food from Paddy Ryan’s, just as it came. Yes, the corned beef was superior, and she agreed with me about all its attributes: “Mmm. Yummy, yummy.” But there had been more of the same prior to that, as she always saves the best for last when eating. In particular, Jeanie said the cabbage was partially the shredded way I described it, but also further to the middle had a roll-up quality she had become used to. She seemed to appreciate having a good dose of both styles. The meal, in all: “This is just wonderful.”
The following is what others in Hammond said. The other people at the table at the nursing home, and the various staff members — Jeannie gleamed when they happened by, as she showed them all what had been brought to her — all had heard of Paddy Ryan’s, even though they were way across the county. But her new friend Sharon McCarthy across the table said she had been to Paddy Ryan’s many times, St. Patrick’s Day and otherwise even though she has lost most of her mobility, and it was always a great experience, as she and her husband, who had recently passed on, had made it their go-to place for romantic dinners . But for today it would have to be for her the house-made ravioli, as Jeanie was not giving up her corned beef, at least not right away, and her friend, still being new in that capacity, was too polite to ask.
And the ultimate tribute? (I say this with tongue planted in cheek, which would make it hard to eat even the tender Paddy Ryan’s corned beef). I do the cooking around the house, and usually it gets thumbs up from Jeanie. So as a sentimental addendum, since I didn’t know until the weekend that she would indeed get the corned beef and cabbage that she so deeply loves, I had made her a dish myself, hoping it might have romantic appeal. It was heavy on potatoes and other such vegies that I thought would have Irish overtones.
I gave it to her second, immediately after the Paddy Ryan’s delicacies, and her response? Sorry Joe, the corned beef and cabbage is just too good, so I’m sticking with only that. Thanks for the thought, but you’ll just have to munch down on your loaded potato dish yourself. I was not too offended, as I’ve failed as a cook before, but then I came across this connection. The nursing home had a “potato bar” with fixings in their activity room on Friday, which was the day when everyone such as staff and residents actually celebrated their St. Patrick’s Day and dressed in green, but despite my lengthy suggestion to her that this could be a precursor to corned beef and cabbage, Jeanie took a pass. Could this be a subconscious behavior to make more room for that massive dose of corned beef, etc., later in the weekend?
Rehabbing from corn beef and cabbage
In the second time over, I had again had left more than half of each type of food on my plate — a bountiful supply — since I was going to take it “home” to my temporarily bedridden wife, who is VERY Irish, to sample. So on each occasion I asked for a carryout box, along with a brief explanation of who it was for and why. It did take a few minutes to arrive — but in the continuing theme of great service, I was asked three times if I needed anything else in the interim — however, there was a reason for the brief torpor. The kitchen topped off the other end of things for my wife bigtime, namely loading up a bunch more food, filling the box to the brim!
A note here. My wife, Jeanie, 60, loves her corned beef and cabbage, but it appeared that this time around, she might miss out on this for perhaps the first time in her adult life, as it is a tradition for her to go with a longtime friend and Catholic co-worker to Fabulous Fern’s in St. Paul. She would come all the way from Lindstrom for their gathering(s). Now in summer they had both undergone unusually tricky knee replacement surgeries, two times longer under the knife than usual, making this the trifecta. Jeanie has a few other faves there like bread pudding, however the CBC is the must-have. But Paddy Ryan’s to the rescue! Almost like another gift from Santa, but that’s a different holiday. So if you can’t go to the corned beef and cabbage, have it come to you, and worry about taking in the other fine Irish goodies at Paddy Ryan’s later. And so I became the courier, times two.
And maybe this will not be the only time, we all remember thinking at that earlier occasion, as there was then that other replacement procedure, on the other knee, set for summer.
This go-round was also orchestrated to be the 99th birthday celebration of one of the nursing home residents, Delores Sprecht, who had her actual birthday with her family a few days earlier, but made it a point to schedule it as a top off to her feasting. And talking about starting new traditions, she passed along that maybe this could be redone when she turns 100! It also, ironically, this was the birthday of Jeanie’s sister Mariah, who also obviously is Irish, and was in the Twin Cities from Oregon, but despite always loving such a celebration, could not make it as her flight was soon going out and their was family business to attend to. Guess we had to choose which B-Day to honor! As did Zlotkowski, who was not able to make Fabulous Fern’s in summer since they had closed due to choosing not to renew their lease, and instead — in a case of providence? — had managed to make it in June to Cecil’s Deli, just several blocks away. But it just wasn’t the same.
The following also was different, as in summer I had an Irish friend as a guest in my trip to Paddy Ryan’s, Jennifer Kohl, who said that the boxtys, with just the right mix of creamy cheese and just a bit of crust, might even be better than the fish she would typically order with her mom on their frequent visits there from Hudson proper. “We used to come here almost every week,” before they both got ready to move residences, she added. Kohl noted that her dad is a chef with the mostest, so this is high praise. And she loved her drink — Irish whiskey laced? — which was strong on the apple flavoring. Even though we ordered, to share, simply the boxty, with a touch of corned beef, we ended up with two plates of food. The proprietor brought out the dishes, especially the last facet, right away, meaning Kohl had a new rival to her favorite macaroni and cheese. She added that she’s had so many of their dishes over time, that she has a hard time remembering all their titles.
When the food got to the nursing home, we quickly engaged the birthday girl, and it was so popular that tables on either side of Jeanie were clamoring for it. And standing next to this was an old friend, also by the name of Jeanie, with the last name Steele, also from relatively far away North Hudson, who had a relative staying at the home, and said she was interested in the food, although she’s Italian not Irish. However, she did not partake so others could have the first shot at it. Ironically, she had also been at the nursing home visiting for the initial food go-round.
Jeanie, back to the name of my wife, kept stirring the pot so to speak, by saying over and over, this is for a restaurant review, so try some more! The lady who was most interested in this actual sampling, Helen Benedict, was regularly pursing her lips with a joyous smile as she regularly exclaimed, along with her many of her mates, “this is wonderful!” Just right, and not just that brand of cereal. The woman to her left added that I, as the impromptu host, should try the trademark potato-based delicacy, which was arguably better than the potato chips and another ethnic food, the fiesta corn, offered by the house, so she eventually deferred. But not before she and another woman at the table asked that their plate be warmed so they would get the full treatment. One added that the only thing that would have made one of the dishes better is a great big onion. Bloomin’ onion? That would go well with the black and tan onion rings on the Paddy Ryan’s menu. Also getting a part of the treatment on both occasions, vicariously, were employees and members of the wait staff, all also very familiar with Paddy Ryan’s.
Some say they would not consider boxty, but this is Paddy Ryan’s …
And a few have no idea what a boxty is (like Jeanie, despite her Irish roots) until they trek over just east of Hudson. But the lesson has often been well received (by the decades long Irish tale-telling teacher too), and twice over at that, with excellent food and service, just like back in spring, right down to the manager and bartender — and the kindly conversation for a traveler a long way from home! When Irish Eyes (And Ears) Are Smiling (with things like bread pudding too, which Jeanie prizes almost as much as corned beef and cabbage).
More bits from her about the boxty: Lamb on one trip and the Jameson on the next, with a leaning towards the Jameson and its rich tartness that perfect for cold weather! That would be more a March sentiment, but it was echoed by Kohl. And then there are those Irish Nachos, but we’re not just talking typical taco meat, rather things to beef it up such as the aforementioned corned beef (theirs virtually melts in your mouth) despite being a huge portion — and also basically a meal in itself and not even costing much. The chicken wings, too, have a wonderful flavor, and just a slight crunch on them, Jeanie said.
A return to the St. Pat’s trip
On that day, the hostess met me immediately and even had a backup person to greet the patrons behind me. I told her that I had a special arrangement with the proprietor, Kirk Mueller, for gathering story material and that she might want to verify with him that these straight up were the arrangements that existed, but kudos to her for trusting me, not taking that extra step, instead pronto offering me a seat wherever possible — in the place that despite a large amount of seating capacity was popular and packed full, even though it was between the lunch and dinner hour and not a peak time. But there were still a few seats around and I was offered one either at the bar or by the big west window with the sun setting in the background, and the hostess quickly suggested to sit on one side versus the other, so I could have an over the shoulder peak at the glowing orb while at the same time not having it beaming directly in my face. (I should note that I know I was not given special treatment as a member of the press, since the hostess then handed off the assignment to one of the many other staffers there, as the level of workers available was more than sufficient in this busy day, and I had no other dealings with the hostess after meeting her at the door, and there simply was no time to convey to them my special circumstances).
But back to the food. The corned beef was by far the most tender I have had, yet full bodied. It was not the usual inches-long slab you would find most places, with tough pieces of gristle and fat that are hard to chew, but at Paddy Ryan’s it is shredded to just the right degree — just a bit thicker than what you find with pulled pork, which they also offer. Any there was nary a bit of gristle to be found. My corned beef was seasoned to just the right degree, tasty in a way that compliments the meat but not overpowering. (Add a bit of their gourmet malt vinegar that is at each table if you want a bit more zing). And the consistently toned, light red color of the meat was very visually appealing.
You got not two or three, but four delicately seasoned potatoes, lightly glazed to produce a light gold sheen. The cabbage was another part of the pattern, shredded a bit thinner than the big chunks you usually get to give it a consistency near that of cole slaw, and the flavoring and color was, again, the same through and through. A refreshing change, I thought. Add several lightly seasoned carrots and you have quite a dinner! But that’s not all. The proprietor came by table by table through his busy joint to greet each customer and offer them a $3 shot of Jameson. There were other shots of whiskey type things available for as little as a dollar.

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The bar crawl craze now hits downtown Hudson, too, and it just may become Kronick (as in the trio by that — misspelled? — name)

Friday, August 2nd, 2019

Try to zig and zag with your walking effectively, by the time the bar crawl hits Ziggy’s:
— Ziggy’s in Hudson goes back to the longtime local roots with Kyle Kohila playing early and the HeBeGeB’s late on Saturday, Aug. 2, to host the second annual Hudson bar crawl. (And you can be sure that Hop Barrel brewing, just up, the block is in on it too). Take that, North Hudson and your also popular annual bar crawl!
— Call it the K, (college basketball’s Coach K?), rather than the typical C, as spelling goes. The Kronick Trio, you read that right, is on Saturday evening at Urban Olive and Vine and will play jazz in the bop, swing, and funk traditions. With decades of experience among them, the group delivers power, subtlety, heart — and soul, via the namesake Richard Kronick on bass and vocals, Scott Ives on guitar, and Bruce Wintervold on (cool!) vibraphone and percussion.
— You gotta love these newly playing names, especially the first one, if you are into Hair Band memories: On deck on the patio for the Smilin’ Moose are Jason Ploof on Friday evening, Russell Dufrense on Saturday evening, and Kurt Ronquist on Sunday afternoon.

Posted in Picks of the Week | Comments Off on The bar crawl craze now hits downtown Hudson, too, and it just may become Kronick (as in the trio by that — misspelled? — name)