Hudson Wisconsin Nightlife

With May Day, a revisit of the Stairway to Heaven song that started it all as far as a Spring Clean reference. But wait, the message had been there all along, way at the beginning of religious forces and not all of them worship the same God! But much metal music in one form or another does, as “Centuries cry …”

April 26th, 2021

(Editors note: This is a more extended followup to a question I posed based on the Nextdoor village site, based on a commentator’s comparison of Stairway to Heaven lyrics, to the violence and looting in the Twin Cities following shootings of Black men by police officers. Quora also had a hint that such meaning would be valued).
The particular verse he cited of the Led Zeppelin song reads: If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow don’t be alarmed now. It’s just a spring clean for the May Queen.” I asked if anyone knew the religious reference being made in the last phrase, and gave the hint that its origins predate Christianity. So here goes.
The verse refers to a pagan religious practice to honor the earth with each coming of spring, and with it renewal. Like so many of their traditions, Christians co-oped the celebration and formed it around Mother Mary, and much less so Mother Earth. Use of the term hedgerow is apt because of the direct connotation to invoke nature. This is a time of the season for not “bustle” and confusion, but cleansing and the spiritual orderliness that comes from “the piper calling us to reason.”
<<The rest of the story>>
A buddy of mine who knows his music, in part because of an Asperger’s streak, and indeed may soon report on such in these pages, was unsure about the meaning until being told the May Queen ending reference. Then it came clear. I seem to recall that he was fingering a rosary at the time. Far from the reply by another commentator on Nextdoor, who simply murmured, “what??????”
Super-friendly super-singer Robert Plant, in some of the many in-concert recordings, introduces the already lengthy anthem — which has several versions of minutes-long guitar solos that are craftsman-like and border on the heavenly — by saying “this is a song of hope,” echoing the themes that could be parallels to today’s violence. “And a new day will dawn, for those who stand long, and the forests (again one of the many nature references), will echo with laughter.” Then the commentary, inserted between verses because of its importance, “laughter, do you do you remember laughter?”
There are other rock songs that deal with both Christianity and Paganism simultaneously. One of the more recent, featuring a lamentation to go to meet God in the mansion he has prepared without a long wait in this earthly realm, is by Audioslave: “In your house I long to be. Room by room patiently … I will pray to the gods and the angels, like a Pagan, to anyone who will take me to heaven.” The super-group’s singer, the late Chris Cornell, was using this as a side project to get out his religious feelings, which built on and really were not much different than those with his main band, the decades old Soundgarden, which featured grunge and beyond.
Even more noteworthy of this religious tandem is the song The Wicker Man by Iron Maiden, with a good half-dozen such extended spirituality-based metaphors, many right from the Bible but it doesn’t stop there, but it is far too complex and multifaceted to be addressed now. And also Rainbow in Man on the Silver Mountain, and Judas Priest in Exciter, refer to a cleansing by fire that leads to growth, by an unnamed deity.
So I will close with the speak-for-itself words of none other that The Ozz Man, in his post-Black Sabbath and Randy guitar great period of 40-some years ago, and long before it was mainstream and popular by Christians to refer to God as Mother, unless in some seminaries, but the feminine side of God the Father and even Jesus since has been proclaimed to include things such as nurturing of the land and its stewardship. So here without further ado is Revelation (Mother Earth): “Mother please forgive them, for they know not what they do, looking back in history’s books we see its nothing new, please let my mother live. Heaven is for heroes and hell is full of fools, stupidity, no will to live by breaking God’s own rules, please let my mother live. Father, of all Creation, it seems we’re all doing wrong, taking seems to be breaking and it won’t take too long. Children of the future, watching empires fall, free from the final judging the destruction of all …” In the second half of the ballad turned metal,  Steal Away, The Night, Ozzy gives his answer on how to obtain salvation.

Much more such analysis coming over time, on this and other related fronts. Joe.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on With May Day, a revisit of the Stairway to Heaven song that started it all as far as a Spring Clean reference. But wait, the message had been there all along, way at the beginning of religious forces and not all of them worship the same God! But much metal music in one form or another does, as “Centuries cry …”

So state your case in black and white: New curfew rules opened up Hudson even further for new patrons, but then shut it down once bar owners got wind of the protest severity from the Cities, but the scene still looked much different than it had

April 21st, 2021

The Chauvin verdict of guilty is in, and the fallout into Hudson and its bar sector continues and grows, putting another snag on what a server at Hudson Tap termed, a hearty welcome to bringing back the regulars from town. And the recent edict of an official 25-percent-capacity rule in St. Croix County venues sealed the deal further.
Now we are back to not 12:30 limitations in the village of North Hudson, as they were not letting people in after that, but now front and center midnight. Dick’s Bar in the downtown has upted the ante, also shutting down bar service — food appears to be another game — come the witching hour. As a server said over the phone, “it just got too crazy.”
Prior to that, people driving through said it was hopping until indeed D-Day. But a different twist: A nephew working in the south end of the Twin Cities said that he was basically out hours because his clothing store shut down, not just closing early, at the height of all this mess.

<<News break: More of the same as an update that keeps on growing and growing, as well as the antitheses, for being good neighbors, the years-running and killer, if I can say that, garage sale on Cherry Circle North. If you can’t find it here you don’t need it, down to the White Elephant. See the Uncategorized department of this web page, which is also the official social media sponsor — OK were getting way too big a head now.>>

People these days seem to go one of two ways, being very understanding of unusual situations or the other end and judgmental and even scamming, as my mom has told me over and over, so watch out. To wit: A beautiful young Black woman was driving through the albeit-crowded County Market parking lot, and I was a Rolling Stones — not Brown Sugar mind you — throw away from the raft of cars by me that were parked on the side, I was not in the way at all. Still, she rolled down the window to halfmast and thanked me for moving out of the way, when I was not in the way to start with. And I have said on these pages, the virus situation will not be cured by government programs, although they definitely have their place, rather in the trenches, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend. People these days seem to go one of two ways, being very understanding of unusual situations or the other end and judgmental and even scamming, as my mom has told me over and over, so watch out. This can bring out the best in people, but not always. To wit: A beautiful young Black woman was driving through the albeit-crowded County Market parking lot, and I was a Rolling Stones — not Brown Sugar mind you — throw away from the raft of cars by me that were parked on the side, I was not in the way at all. Still, she rolled down the window to halfmast and thanked me for moving out of the way, when I was not in the way to start with. And I have said on these pages, the virus situation will not be cured by government programs, although they definitely have their place, rather in the trenches, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend.

A Black man and his White lady friend came into Green Mill at the height of the uprisings across the river and into the Cities. I and the staff had never seen them there before, and this is perhaps the first Black person ever that has been prominent in the place. This is only poignant because I and only one other person, an older guy doing just appetizers rather then Bloodies, were the only ones in the bar, underscoring the idea that this was unusual. They also were middle aged, not the young punks who have taken over he downtown scene. And there might be more to that analogy. as they were Classic Rock Fan Age, rather than rap: Both were wearing Harley attire, with their hats and sweatshirts, in a realm that is more typical of white male bikers, even though this timing was earlier than happy hour.
But but back to my beloved Kwik Trip, all the way further into lily white Hudson by being set up in the northern village. They had two people in line with dark skin that was even more noticeable because of their attire that virtually cried I’m Not From Hudson, from their long black trench coat and really cool rounded hat, and not the baseball variety. Again all deep black, and making a nice style statement not seen here often…

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on So state your case in black and white: New curfew rules opened up Hudson even further for new patrons, but then shut it down once bar owners got wind of the protest severity from the Cities, but the scene still looked much different than it had

The chilling effect of the latest shooting hits not the media, but some rank-and-file patrons who want to road trip, Head East, and see their favorite band. Depends where in the metro you are.

April 17th, 2021

Another set of curfew circumstances, from another shooting of someone at a traffic stop, and more and more the impact of such incidents in the metro are spilling with their broad tentacles across the border not just between the two big twin cities, but also between the two states.
The city of Champlin in northern Hennepin County has extended its curfew through the entire weekend, so you know where those potential weekend warriors are likely to go. Head East. Not the Warehouse District.
One would expect that in areas of the metro opposite the city where the shooting took place, there would be a transfer of the main party scene. Just ask my friend Amanda, who used to bartend at Wild Bill’s in Woodbury. That would be especially true early-week at that bar and others like it eastward into Wisconsin, with removal in spots of the often-held option of the Minnesota Wild games at the XCel Energy Center and its spat of nearby sports bar, with people then moving eastward if the contest is ended in regulation with a low-goal score.

<<News break: We’re keeping score at the venues in the village and their reaction. OK, only one North Hudson venue, being used in almost real time to tell the tale of two states. See the Uncatagorized department>>

But part of the effect of such rules and curfew constraints is having freedom to move about restricted, even in cities without the official limitations, especially as press releases cite that members of the public should note a heightened police presence near areas where rioting might occur. There is just a general chilling effect that spills over into other jurisdictions concerning how police deal with travel to routine activities such as going to your favorite club, so that heightened police presence is likely not limited to Brooklyn Park and Center — although this reality is not advertised much by officials in various cities, towns and villages. As was famously rapped, No Sleep Till Brooklyn.
These things to a lesser but also noticeable degree in a place like Hudson, both then and especially now. Lets examine this:
If you are driving in the downtown late at night and are pulled over for, say, having a headlight out, the first question invariably will be, “where are you coming from tonight?” Apparently its a sin, if not a crime, to drive through through that stretch of town around midnight. Once my wife who works as a minister had some fun, accurately, to that question and dropped this bomb, “I was at church.”
“Have you had anything to drink tonight?”
“Communion wine.”
He said to make sure and signal when going through the intersection that held not another car in sight.
Whether it is legitimate for an officer to ask such a leading question is a gray area. (It should be noted that coming to and from religious events is almost always considered an exemption from the no driving rule in curfews).
Once in mid-winter I was driving home after an ice storm and the windows had that troublesome sheen, although I could still see my way down a barren Second Street. The cop said he could not let me go further until the ice was completely removed, but no ticket or warning. He did not ask me if I’d had anything to drink. I had consumed two whiskey sours on ice during the course of the evening. These days there is simply no way the situation would be resolved that easily. I was having trouble with the scraping and walked back to the squad car to explain why I was lingering. Again, in the Twin Cities these days that could be a fatal question.
One of the exemptions is for “credentialed” members of the media. A freelancer like me might be sent home, if not arrested. Is a blog like HudsonWiNightlife an actual publication? Again, gray area. It might depend on if the cop knows you.
When I was downsized from the Hudson Star-Observer as a staffer, the editor and I agreed that I could still submit photos, usually of a fire or auto accident, that would get me a Benjamin or a bit more if used. Once I was downtown and saw that the stoplights were not functioning — a matter that for a while seemed to be happening far too often — and I took a photo of an officer directing traffic right in the middle of the midnight intersection. He yelled over to me to ask what I was doing at the moment I held the camera to my eye. After I responded, he told me to wrap it up and be on my way. I think I can safely say that if I were to do the same thing in Minneapolis in 2021, I might be shot.
Most people I talked to now, although not all, in and around Hudson noticed more cops out and about midweek in places that would normally not be as high a priority. To wit: A badged orange-and-yellow-Stryper who was apparently checking out a parked car on the main drag and a squad car from out of state travelling, also on the main drag, between Hudson and North Hudson. A key: The early rioting spilled over into Minneapolis, so there is a certain need to spread greater enforcement to a broader area.
Thus, there are vague, catch-all buzzwords such as “unlawful assembly” charges, and we are not talking about moshing at a Danzig concert. You get the point.
So hopefully, all this can be put behind us and all we have left to deal with involving interstate travel (regionally) to see your favorite band are those pesky and jurisdiction-hopping and thus varying mask requirements.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on The chilling effect of the latest shooting hits not the media, but some rank-and-file patrons who want to road trip, Head East, and see their favorite band. Depends where in the metro you are.

Fall becomes winter and then spring beckons, sorta, and people are out and about, sorta, as they Rock And Roll into one, with ways to get it on without much music

April 15th, 2021

In late fall, I saw a woman raking with not one hand clapping, so to speak, but two of these wicker things going at once. As she put aside one of these two rakes while beside a garbage bin, not a wicker basket, for only that purpose, she added that the Farmers Almanac had predicted that this winter would be one of the most trying, in multiple ways such as snow, than any in recent times. And now the cold has arisen and reclaimed its spot as the season to be reckoned with.
Jump forward to this slowly (in most ways) oncoming spring, and there was the neighbor who stepped rather eagerly forward to chat, and said in his immediate recall was the past Easter, in addition to the 2021 version where people were forging out for in-person worship, that was not very hot but did feature four inches of snow, and he streamed a service on his computer, and a message (from above?) came to him out of the blue: Jesus will wash away what the weather brings, toward salvation, virus or no virus, religion or naught. And this season, the temps again hit 80 like in a Sunday long ago, only two days later.
And rakes again? A neighbor of mine, not hers, had two of them — or were they shovels as I forget from being in the moment — and between them was filtered a springlike message cloth. The evening before, the local man cave/garage was going again in absentyism via a well-worked outdoor patio, with some people leaving shortly after about Two Minutes to Midnight and the rest lingering like the Angels In The Tomb (sorry to get so religious with that reference to another cave). And the very next day, the tell-tale scooter was out and parked sideways in front of the garage door, another harbinger of spring, even moreso then All The Small Trees at a roadside park just to the north that always seems to be a deeper green on days the virus was closer to being curbed. And at the nearby Bible Baptist parsonage, the eggs late hanging from tree branches were along the last lines of two dozen.
And with that, oddly, the local church lady’s family had leftover only a dangling green participle in a token birch tree, where Easter messages always abounded, maybe a backhanded ode to the virus? After citrus salad of the upcoming summer, I’m guessing, the clan was out shoveling dirt around the token remaining tree to keep moving forward with their rejuvenation project Way Out Front, where there had not been more bushes since almost the Bush presidency. Still had thought they looked cool. Making me look really bad in a Keep Up With The Jones style.
Across the cul de sac, the mound of snow created by village plows was long gone, like the mountains that Led Zeppelin says were washed away. In there place were makeshift forays of touch football and batting practice, as the guy who was a switchhitter struck out from the right side but nailed a could-be-a-double with a shot just to the left of second base, when doubling up as a lefty.
The weather again went sour, in this case very cold, for the Unfrost Your Nuts motorcycle rally, and in this case I think that testosterone was diminished to highway-to-the-danger-zone type proportions, as these parts were exposed to really frigid leather, despite the presence of much lace. So what’s a biker to do? Hit the Kwik Trip for snacks, between revving engines to well above speed limit again in what testosterone was left, and in keeping with recent court decrees at state, few of them were with masks. An exception from a few days before was an Easterish biker chick so covered in black label leather that all skin, even around her face, was covered to the point that it became hard to see if she was Caucasian. Not as if this bit of content matters.

The mountain of snow across the way from the house is long gone, as are in very recent times the other remnants of winter maintenance. The orange sticks in the stone that showed where next to a sidewalk you would find something like a fire hydrant have been removed even before the latest dusting of snow, and rose up a full three feet just in case the Farmer’s Almanac was right. Even that might not have been enough, as more height was needed and the manufacturing of said two feet more were outsourced to a place where they know snow — Siberia! But this offer was withdrawn as it might give the Russians another foothold in elections that are still more than three years away. OK, I made all that up. With these are gone from the scene the gnarly looking pink-orange piles of pothole fill you’d see here and there on paths to and from the  bars. Did actually, somebody party a bit too much?

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Then a month or two prior to the April election day, the Red Red Robin as in Rob and even Bob came bob, bob bobbin’ along (again). And we’re not just talking about the thrush that has now been seen as its springtime. Local candidates proliferated almost by the day as March Madness set in, and the polls beckoned.

April 12th, 2021

What About Bob for the Board of Education? Or Rob? As in Bob B, or Rob B? And a few other intro letters in combo as Joe is milking a joke again. With a few exceptions aided by the pandemic, prompting use of both buzz words and one like “metrics,” they and their stances might seem one and the same, as it could be seen as all about either Bob, as their signs were out all over yards and ditches early-on. Others soon followed with their takes, first other School Board candidates, then some village and city trustee candidates, then hopefuls for state superintendent of public instruction and lastly, a couple more trustees in waiting.
As seemed to be dictated by how close proximity the signs were placed, there were some with web site names you could log onto that literally bordered on 100 characters. That’s much more than three classrooms worth of sniffly kids to reach.
And then there was that wind (of change?) on consecutive days that not only blew some signs down, especially on The Morning After, and after that, but also wrapped them around each other if all on the same pike. And with the laws that now dictate how long you can keep a sign up, many were still up and running well into Wednesday, and one in the tiny front of That Little Old House On Monroe Street remained in place even well after that. And furthermore, and further into the week, you could still see those gaggle of signs on the corner by that old store name called Freedom (of speach?), half hawking hopefuls and half specific-niche businesses, (lobbying potential?) Half had soon blown down as the wind had shifted, so to speak.
But on days before, there were men from Mars, women from Venus — and candidates of both genders on Pluto! That’s where a coalition who were, jointly, advertising their merits on that new cable channel. One who I will not name was a downtown-friendly person to a degree, if you get my drift, at least back in the day. Before election day
And this latest election day was showing promise to Be Big On The Turnout, riding on the coattails of a presidential campaign that set a new lack of boundaries, from here to the Boundary Waters and beyond, so the observing pole sitters, and I’m were there were a few, were in a position to get a form of “exercise” that found them getting more squat.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on Then a month or two prior to the April election day, the Red Red Robin as in Rob and even Bob came bob, bob bobbin’ along (again). And we’re not just talking about the thrush that has now been seen as its springtime. Local candidates proliferated almost by the day as March Madness set in, and the polls beckoned.

All The Small Things about Easter dresses, and choose what S-word fits your style, as there are several, as an entryway to this Easter like there has been no other, and it now carries on into the Easter Monday, as some things are universal and do not go away after a certain calendar date, although that Holiest of Holidays changes by the year

April 5th, 2021

The way things are going with the bar scene, as people again get out and about from all over — although there was not much a different pattern than over the winter months — one could wonder what delighful or decadent Easter dresses would hold sway: Sporty, stocky, stylish, short, sleek, slender, sexy, slim, small sizes, skimpy, all could be part of sorting it all out, but more the end then the beginning of considerations.
Outside the Village Liquor store, there is a drop-off box for Easter Seals donations of clothing and shoes, but on my walks I have not seen anyone actually drop something in. If you have a closet full of such stuff — and while your dress size might change with weight loss, but not your shoe size — today may be your last to fit the bill for this holiday cycle. But I’m sure there will be a call for more of this soon …
At play is a man I had not seen before on my walks, who said that last Easter, when streaming any Easter services was the only option (no word yet on what happened this time around), and there were four (to quote him), inches of snow on that Holy Day, which might be topped off only by the (unholy or not so and more of that later) Halloween blizzard of 30 inches in days of yore, this time with even an early Easter there were temps that hit 80 degrees. Invoke Easter Monday, to be clear, as that is when we got to that level of warmth. The Man said, that when streaming a bit more than a year ago, and got the Easter thing solved for him, God came to him in an instant and conveyed, again, this message, Jesus through (Blood Sweat and Tears) indicated that he would melt all that snow-(Blind?) with his (Sacred to again quote Black Sabbath) heart
And this is Easter Monday, and my wife who knows all this stuff like no one else, said that its a biggie in church circles. So my neighbor, whose wife has worked in the church, said about that Day Like Any Other Day, (to quote one of Foreigner’s first hits), actually falls into a theological “50 day” rule after the grave. The Man said, with a look on his face that showed he knows, added that the schools were even out on this day, both public and private, virus or no virus. And when is the Man Cave to hit the can’t-find-music-anywhere-else void? Actually it was the previous day, all along.
On clothing two days earlier, there were a couple of little girls out walking with their moms and/or puppies (early Easter present?) and sporting their princess dresses (also maybe an Easter present?)
They trekked past various houses that had indeed been decked out with eggs and the like since mid-March or before. One had five bunnies on a stick (the best substitute in the near future for the State Fair), and even more eggs both by the house and up-front by the mailbox. Another sported three great big eggs, Easter Triduum, that were multi-colored beyond the norm and couldn’t have been from an actual chicken, and to complete the package displayed pastel chalk renderings on the driveway near the street, and then a gap, and closer to the doors more along the Easter theme. The overall pattern was much like that by a family at the other end of the circle, where a police-line of sorts was erected even in the vicinity of last April garage sale days, to cordone off the front-of-the-house third of the driveway at the expense of the other two-thirds. Cherry Circle will again batten down the hatches in the third full week of this month, to get it all going again.
Down near Lake Mallelieu was a small house with a whole yard of All These Small Things, and up a ways were several colored balloons adding to that same theme. Between was a neighbor’s house full of devout Catholics who did not have up their bountiful Easter messages, just more chalk steering in an orderly direction, but no banners, save the white lights left-over from Christmas on a few bushes in front of their front window.
Who would be open on Easter when, In The Neighborhood, via there signs? Village Inn said they would open for their killer breakfast option at 7 a.m. then carry on until 5 with food (pizza only in many cases). After that, the only game left was the bar, which would remain open until 10 p.m. That does one or two better than Kozy Korner across the way, which was open for food until 2 p.m. and drink until 4 p.m.
And then back a week to St. Patrick’s Day:
Again, Village Liquor had a sign that had the Irish greeting Slainte Bhaithe, with a heart showing behind the words, and the other side expressed well wishes on that day to a Sir Charles of sorts. They were closed the following Monday, that even after the holiday weekend, as was Kozy Korner for a time for inventory, as they must have had the tills working overtime to collect cash. And of the cars by Village Liquor, in a check that was made late afternoon, all but one or two of the half-dozen were from going-green Minnesota, (one car left as I was still at curbside). And back to that sign, as always seems to be the case with that business, one side shed light on what the other conveyed, (are you traveling north or south?), in this case R U Thirsty? Which I think, and HudsonWiNightlife kinda sorta is the only one to link these things together, is far different than U R Thirsty. Is the punctuation at the end, a period or a question mark. You get it.
Last on signage, Jeff Loven was not at the much-proclaimed (again church word) if even I am the only one proclaiming it to this degree, gig on Sunday nights, but one earlier prior to Easter at the Village Inn. Alas, and I did a double take but am pretty sure I’ve got this right, his name was spelled Lovan, with the wrong vowel, for a while. But they showed Loven some loving and got it right a few hours later. You know what a vowel is, even if tripsy. I trust U do.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on All The Small Things about Easter dresses, and choose what S-word fits your style, as there are several, as an entryway to this Easter like there has been no other, and it now carries on into the Easter Monday, as some things are universal and do not go away after a certain calendar date, although that Holiest of Holidays changes by the year

Tis’ the time of the season. Your old men will dream dreams and your young men will view visions. So what is the take on salvation, and I know most all of us have a spirituality in our lives, if not being overtly religious, as it comes from the mouth of Dream Theater and other heavy metal bands. Darkness of the tomb before the dawn rises and The Sun (Son?) Lights The Day.

April 4th, 2021

Amongst the fanfare of trumpets, there’s more to the season than Alleluia, although the group mentioned here has at times been backed by a full orchestra. Re-enter the metal realm and indeed what it has to say — and I don’t mean to get too religious here, although there is an almost universality behind many of these messages — about Christ’s decision to descend into hell and gain salvation. After all, this is at its creation a music website, so as a friend of mine once said, “if your’s is more a spirituality …”
Leading this list is Dream Theater, which it should be noted did a great cover to the Iron Maiden classic song — some would say the best in metal — Hallowed Be Thy Name. But the video I’m discussing shows a Christ-like figure in a darkened motel room contemplating his fate and faith, concerning what he would do to follow his father’s wishes and allow himself to be crucified.
Without further ado, this is a synopsis of the anthem-length landmark song from that band, Pull Me Under, to die for sins unstated.
“Lost in the sky, Clouds roll by and I roll with them. Arrows fly. Seas increase and then fall again … This whole world is spinning without me.
“Watch the sparrow falling, Gives new meaning to it all … I’ll take seven lives for one. And then my only father’s son. As sure as I did ever love him, I am not afraid … All future to past … Pull me under. Living my life too much in the sun. Only until your will is done. All I can do is to set it right. Oh that this too. Too solid flesh. Would melt.” As the song goes on, and the third chorus takes place, there are these telling alterations: The world is spinning “around” me, and then spinning “inside” me ..

The ending scene: The god-man walks out of a open door into a lighted hallway. Hence the reference to Melt.
This is not an isolated instance within the genre. But for more of the same, please view the added post that will be up soon from this “heathen” in the Notes From The Beat department. For now it is time to head for church, to regain the Good News, to use a religious term, that is the darkness before the dawn.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on Tis’ the time of the season. Your old men will dream dreams and your young men will view visions. So what is the take on salvation, and I know most all of us have a spirituality in our lives, if not being overtly religious, as it comes from the mouth of Dream Theater and other heavy metal bands. Darkness of the tomb before the dawn rises and The Sun (Son?) Lights The Day.

In these parts, is it duck, duck grey (or gray) duck, or duck duck goose? (Go ask Forrest in Baldwin, too). Add turkey and it becomes Joe taking on turducken, just in time to be challenging for Easter dinner to those with sensitive pallets. Are these the Holy Trinity of a poultry combo that can be done in your own kitchen, make, take and bake?

April 1st, 2021

Hey, you want to make turducken for Easter? Hail to you and your ambition, because there are enough other dishes to make, even if they are not as time-consuming. And there are many ways to make it your very own, also, if quite creative. And sometimes with the sauce(s) that can be a DIY gem in the kitchen — and we’re not talking about new cabinets,  although making them for your breezeway might be more of a breeze then taking on turducken — the thicker a consistency they have the better. Read on.

<<News break: For more of the April Fools Day humor gone gonzo, see the uncategorized department of this web site, where you will find, to quote Zeppelin, again, What Is And What Should Never Be.>>

But I have to say, can’t animals and especially poultry, get the virus also? Once, twice, three times an entree. You might get three virus situations, while stuffing and then cooking, for the price of one — a good reason to go tofu? So, you kill each of the three hens — figuratively of course — with individual sauces, such as many Asian brands that are heavy on sweet and sour, BBQ and/or honey, and even “duck” sauce, applicable reference, and you can make it on your own, even greater if you are a vegetarian, by using as a base the ol’ plum sauce and/or the fruit itself, and add if needed a bit of grape jelly and/or brown sugar and/or cinnamon. With all of these ingredients, and their amounts as dictated by personal taste and in the horseradish addition end the tolerance of the sting to the mouth, putting some sauce on the sides could be the rub — place a small side dish cup in all four corners. Too, find such a place for excess stuffing, and even top off the extra sage with a bit of hot sauce, and you have a Cajun-styled version. And for the ways you can  make on your own all the above sauces, they are/were on this web page. I do indeed realize this increases prep time. And if they say 10 minutes on the label(s), question that assumption, or you might the night before cutting into your Easter vigil time..
(And to ratchet up the heat even more, the chopped horseradish that is a vegetable, not just a creamy sauce, and served as a dip for various other veggies, so you can reduce the boatload of leftovers and also can really rock your buffet, so visitors can munch while the kids look for their colored eggs and candy — more on that later).
Or bake and ladle on — in a way with the sauces and such that has more substance than the killer cocktail by that method of delivery for those having a birthday served free to the birthday lush at the Smilin’ Moose — so the edges meld or melt together, as long as the liquids are not too runny, and this is where heavy and hearty and steadfast chimes in,  and far afield in similarity of taste, as what it might run into. But for a non-edges entree: I realize that all this is traditional Easter turned on its ear, like a cob of corn?
In the age-old battle, ham versus turkey, you could use a bit of that leftover sauce From Above, and mix in all kinds of veggies such as green pepper bits, chosen as it fits more kinds of meat that can even include pork. And coming down to a lesser-attended gathering, to start a respect for social distancing, as has been the case (??) with all the After Midnight hangers-on, in a backyard or back woods to be a supplement to PepperFest, you can still in many but not all stores get a tin with ham that is in foil, such as mother used and now finally has the Interent, and has posted (sorta). In this sorta way, if your gathering is small, like many these days, and you don’t need the whole huge ham hock … But back to the mothers, she boasts her recipe on not .com but .mom. And leftover from, referencing it again, the unspoken for cabbage, to those who will speak its praises about braised, if used right, the cole slaw that can be stretched from the dressing — and isn’t that all we eat if for? — to start with mayo or just plain salad dressing, and in this case the quality difference becomes scant. Mix in white sugar and perhaps a bit of vegetable oil and you have it. And the celery people have put in their plug. Sauce or substance? So, carrot slivers or half-coins, finely sliced green peppers and such-cut broccali, and there again you have a three chord wonder. Red cabbage too, but for purposes on the analogy, but basic to the title of ingredient. And it can find into play sweet onion. All flowing from the St. Patrick’s Day veggies you thought you might not have any use for. And? Sweet and sour sauce. A very little bit.
But give ham some love too, if sprinkled into the mix in very small ways. Ham is feeling left-out from the mix of the poultry. Like a hog in a dairy farm here in Wisconsin. Sprinkle cheese on, or maybe just sauce on the side with a few dabs of mustard — virtually any kind will do.
Though Christians have their Holy Week, for Jewish people it is a roughly two week party, if that is what you call it among the Orthodox. Their theology is very expansive and specific, but hey, these days it’s kinda fashionable to embrace it. So if you have any kind of that school of thought, here’s what you can cook to be at least partially inclusive involving the Seder, and most people these days know just a bit about the Jewish rite. Melba toast or other thickened cracker, lamb that adds mint (a goodly percentage of the central Wisconsin leadout) and coconut slices (lesser still in my non-southern state), radish beyond horseradish for bitters, chopped apple and nut and carmel mix cooked together while in thirds of each … you get the picture. To be truly kosher, obain a book that walks and prays you through the Seder, and most can be found at your local church and could be borrowed if they are not participating in it themselves with a special dinner, that could be cut short and virtual, although still spiritual, because of social distancing. The full Seder runs about as long as the holiday-ish movies like danes With Wolves and Ghandi, so you can abbreviate it if the kids can’t wait for the accompanying egg search at the end of the Seder and still observe it. This can be a dance (of joy) as is known by my friend Kevin who is a retired pastor, and has a wonderful wife who is full-on kosher Jewish. Over many years of marriage, Kevin has concluded how to look for such tiny designations, there are more than one on an applicable box, and see if it like some mustards cut muster. These are available at most stores and even WalMart, but you have to know what those tiny icons mean.
And lastly for those eggs for the hunt — and although this being Wisconsin, we are not talking about Bambi — consider those made in the special Ukranian style as a centuries-old tradition that is now carried forward in churches in Hudson and Stillwater. They are totally decked out in what has an art-base that resembles strongly what you see in the Vatican, but fragile enough so that it may be better for the adults, or at least those who are older chiming in so they are not dropped and broken. But this is a holiday of hope and forgiveness (read elsewhere on these pages closer to Easter), so don’t walk on eggs shells over it, or fret if they break and you step or trod on them. You will not be Buried in a Nameless Grave.
With that reference to an Ozzy song, with more lyrics that involve the religious observations to follow soon on these pages, we must now jump briefly to March Madness, since its now the start of April, but the games go on. First noticed this taking over people’s behavior in mid-March, when a man walked up to the counter at Buffalo Wild Wings and asked if the Florida game could be turned on the above screen. Certainly, the server said, and you can lay claim to some of the other TVs also. But maybe this enthusiasm was a curse, as his team was upset by a squad that was barely ranked.
And there were other upsets too, or once that blew out in the final minute of the game. Ask my friend Mike, who is like a walking encyclopedia on these things and being Old School just needs his TV time for them, and couldn’t wait for the Final Four to play out, so he could regele other new fans with new thoughts about the whole deal. He doesn’t hit the video poker machines though, so getting game on is his New Deal. Which can be problematic, because he is a stickler about avoiding situations that could be virus-laden. But this is not his first rodeo with the NCAA tournament, although it should be noted that it was that bronco-busting sport, and maybe NASCAR, that were the last ones to linger with decisions about attendance shutdowns at their contests. A common thread could be seen in the gusto of their fan base. Do we see a theme here?
But then there are those Vikings, and this coming year will be different then all the rest, maybe, with the just-announced, expanded regular season that is the antithesis of the usual scaling back we’ve encountered. More opps to show your chops. To that end, on a walk to the local sports bar, what was the first set of flowers I saw to blossom in the median? Big with lots of purple pedals.And then there are those Gophers. A main man in their basketball lineup goes by the name Kalscheur, which is not a common one, but is shared by an older women from across the river in Hudson. Could she be his mom? Very unlikely when it concerns Sr. Bernadette. Yes as in sister. As in nun. But sadly she has passed on. At this time of year, we remember all your pastoral contributions, Sr. Bernadette, to people from all walks of life.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on In these parts, is it duck, duck grey (or gray) duck, or duck duck goose? (Go ask Forrest in Baldwin, too). Add turkey and it becomes Joe taking on turducken, just in time to be challenging for Easter dinner to those with sensitive pallets. Are these the Holy Trinity of a poultry combo that can be done in your own kitchen, make, take and bake?

At Hudson Hideaway, and their “high” percentage off specials, its 4-20 all over again. —– The leftovers were being laid down in the form of music, via speakers and rehearsals. And the lefse, possibly with hummus, has not gone the way of the Vikings.

March 26th, 2021

Yes smokers, the Hideaway head and vape shop in Hudson, and elsewhere in the Twin Cities area, again on July 10 is offering its specials such as for 4-20 with high percentage off many products, and buy-one-get-more products. The offers typically and for the best deals include glassware.
There are other, diverse reasons to shop the remodeled Hideaway. They have added a cigar humidor, and on Wednesday feature extra discounts than even their usual on cigars, and their staff has been called knowledgable in many areas by reviewers.
They have, for example, a supply of dream catchers and a wide series of deoderizer products that include organic to enhance your experience, with decorative figurines atop the display to make you laugh, smile and appreciate. As to show their thoroughness, alongside the door is a lengthy list presented as a guide to the range of THC levels in theirs and other items.
The manager, who is on site during most of the wide business hours the Hudson Hideaway is open, is known as especially friendly and she and staffers answer the phone promptly at their location along Coulee Road, the north frontage road to Interstate 94, between the bridges at 11st Street and Carmichael Road. The number is (715) 808-0491.

Music is where you find it. So I mouth that truism, times two.
The latest late-night tuneage, on two different speakers on the two ends of their space, is pumped at the Main Plate, also being known for having breakfast and lunch, but now the band plays on well after they are done serving. The first song I heard from them, from the street, was Take It Easy by The Eagles. Well chosen.
At the next corner up, at the Smilin’ Moose, there a while back were tunes coming from a typically non-music night for the pre-spring, at 10 p.m. I’m guessing that a group had rented out the space to rehearse — before the venue had started up its annual summer offering of acoustic music three times on weekends, but going no longer than 9 p.m.

Nothing says Easter like … Lefse, if you are Scandiwhovian like in my neck of the woods … Or hummus, getting much closer to the root of the food, and there is likely soon yet another Israel war goes on post coming from me as commentary.
But back to how to use lefse, which is a food that you may still have in your freezer, or maybe even if your stomach is not touchy fridge, as it is most popular around Christmas but Google says can extend all the way through spring in its celebration, as such.
What to do? Maybe not Easter fare, but … Lefse can be seen as much like a tortilla, so use it as a base for nachos, as it is torn easily into quarters, and add a little hot pepper of any color for flavoring and melted into your cheese of basically any type, as lefse is to say the least, mild. So hot sauce friendly too. Easter ham if leftover can play in, also. Hey Cinco De Mayo is coming, too, if your lefse lasts even much longer…
And hummus can be a basis for more added such, and used as a dip for lefse. Blend in some hot mustard, or even melted American cheese, like above, or any other thing like that such as certain Indian sauces — theme — if you have them, like mustard for zest, even bits of salmon or certain veggies. And to use more up, and flavor it up in such vein, canned tuna or even chicken can be spread and scattered on the side of such hummus, if on tortilla.

They are now five years old at Ziggy’s Hudson and running, and if you multiply that by seven — as in a touchdown and extra point — you had Barker’s at a recent 35th anniversary, also in the downtown, as King Football will lead to killer taco specials at the first-mentioned venue. Those are from 1-3 p.m. along with drink specials, too, as The Vikings are on the big screens, at this bar that honors Those Purple as much or more then The Green. Longtime Twin Cities weatherman Dave Dahl, living in Hudson all those years and often seen at its nightspots, will again serve as an emcee.

The full fall color season also means even more football, and the ways to grab cool eats as you watch. So if you are at Buffalo Wild Wings, as I have not noted them for a while, there is some truly great grub that’s a better twist on the old staple of liquor-infused buffalo wings, and I must add that anything tinged with Jack Daniels is always cool, though often seen. This new version that is only available for a short time — as in likely football season and more on that below — has the taste buds tapped by BWW bringing back your Bulliet bourbon (or brandy?) BBQ flavorings on the chicken wings. With Badgers? You could grab it when taking in their newly seasonal, as in football season, Saturday and also Sunday and more offerings, as they hawk themselves as being your college football headquarters. Division I especially, and/or top 20 teams. So this only starts with UW and U of M.

But on pro football days, with the two Minnesconsin teams, and BWW is even more of a presence across the way, there is a free shot given on days when Green Bay scores a passing touchdown, (safer bet for them now that Rodgers is gone?), or the new Purple People Eaters record two or more sacks, (enuf said.) But oh, you do have to run up a tab of at least $20 to qualify, so you are sorta sacked.

Across the street at Green Mill, they have a series of specials during such pro games, (with no minimum as with their neighbors/peers), and leading the way is their killer personal pizza, with crust that goes beyond thin, two different toppings chosen, for $8.99.

With the fall color at or just past its peak, more likely, right now are still the peak days for strolling through the streets and doing one way I love to revel in the autumn leaves, and that’s kicking up a clump of them when donning my now-needed boots, and all the better if there are enough of them thick on the sidewalk to keep it going for a few strides. On Second Street in Hudson and some of its side streets, there still is that yard marker.

To wit, as reds and yellows and oranges continue to turn to browns and purples, The GasLite set on many wooded acres just outside Ellsworth might be considered your sponsoring venue to see — such data is listed through their web page — for the official Wisconsin report on where the see the best and when. The main source of the info is the state DNR.

So all you Twin Citians can Head East on State Hwy. 29, then over on Hwy. 10, and that’s Badger not Gopher, crossing the St. Croix River and its beautiful and not nearly just buff-looking bluffs at places like Hastings/Prescott, or even the far wonderous Red Wing, and see what the Wisconsin rolling hills have to offer.

The fall status in River Falls, just a bit north of Ellsworth, for example, still sets at 35 percent of peak, at the time of this first posting, with the full spectacle set for this weekend or early next week. In some nearby areas, however, and moving south generally, the whole shebang is not set to hit until even the fourth week of October. Perhaps the best local gauge, over in Eau Claire, its at a full-blown half of peak, with the best slated for October’s third week.

As chillier temps and winds do not always head straight east-west, just going horizontally isn’t automatically your best bet for fall color. Merrill, for example, weighs in at fading peak right now. This leaves room for local variables.

The Pierce County area prizes views along the many small streams, with trees overhanging the banks. Such is the Trimbelle, where The Gaslite on its banks even has tent and RV campsites, on 17 acres. See go view! And maybe even toss some horseshoes in the fall air.

 

They just can’t really be that crappy. A group that lampoons themself by going by the name Some Shitty Cover Band will play Ziggy’s Hudson two times before the end of the month, a tough act to follow there, going on stage both Sept. 21, a Thursday, and on the 30th.

The next night, Sept. 22, is a women’s twilight walk, at the Pleasant Pasture Sanctuary in New Richmond. Yet another time to get your spiritual out with a stroll. As another walk of many this month, some covering quite a distance, so taking The Long Way Home?

 

Get outta bed, even if you partied late on Friday night, Sept. 15. There is a Bloody Good Time promised on Saturday’s Bloody Mary Walk, but you gotta get it moving quickly, as these drinks don’t typically wait until the evening comes. There are two flights, good word, throughout the day, a north walk and south walk, each offering such drinks at four downtown Hudson venues. The downtown has only a few blocks in which to differentiate, so even if you become in essence a Bloody Mary zombie, you can still make the haul, such as it is. The event benefits the Hudson Hot Air Affair.

Forging out the folksy and more during five weekends in September — two of which, last and first, are split between two different weeks, Saturday and Sunday — these are types of events that are ongoing throughout the fall at various venues. So walk our way.

These are hosting, among other things, history walks in some of the bigger area communities, in fact because they trek all throughout the old in their cities, bill the tours as needing the wearing of comfortable-as-you-can-get shoes, tennies and not heels, at times for (if you choose) multiple trips in a single day. Block across block we rock, Victorian and other vintage, finding what went on here, including various hijinks, as early as the early 1800s. Consult local libraries, Chambers of Commerce, city halls, and ad hoc historians and authors across St. Croix County, for details on outings such as these that are too numerous to mention. Thus too is the situation to cross into the many caves built into the bottoms of blufflines in the heart of Hudson, so see spires and sip spirits in September, as cavernous in scope that you might also need added ankle reinforcement as you amble, thus call Casanova Historic Liquors.

Another set, this time fund-raisers that are multiple, is for the NRYHA — and that’s not the NBWOHM or NYPD — as businesses that are mostly in downtown New Richmond will help contribute to the local youth hockey association. Pick a plate and preserve the opportunity to chase pucks. Again, for dates and times and places and other info, contact the local Chamber and Tourism Bureau, etc.

All good things must come to an end. As is with an area set of convenience stores and a host of special deals and discounts, billed to sunset as this week ends. That was listed as, I believe, 9.15, and that could be either the time (a.m. or p.m.?),  the date of Sept. 15, or the preferred price of $9.15. After all, its a silly number’s game and not about winning the lottery.

——————–     ———————–     ———————–

 

Here is where to hit, in varied ways, this summer weekend. And for sure, you’ll love it.

Sunday night marks the return of Jeff Loven to Dick’s Bar and Grill after a (long?) and any amount of time would be too long, hiatus. The ultimate one-man-bander will not clash with my regular-performance-with-him of The Clash, so you No Doubt will see me redo it for the umpteenth time. With maybe a few other and odd flourishes then usual even from me, as I reserve these for when we get the band back together after again, a long hiatus. Like those arena-rock shows that had been on hold since what, 2019? (OK its not been nearly that long for Jeff. And he should be back every Sunday through Labor Day).

Also playing Sunday, at Ziggy’s in Hudson, riding on the coattails of what there was the previous Sunday, at the songwriter showcase, is Them Pesky Kids. The marquee had inadvertently called Them Pesky Kids, The Pesky Kids, which is Them Pesky Kids minus the M. (The M was written in with pencil after the fact, and certainly not long after the fact). Wouldn’t do that with MNM. And they did get it right to put the The at the front of the name, as this is not Foo Fighters (only two words). So anyway, make sure to check Out The(m) Pesky Kids mid-holiday-weekend.

Last and maybe most important, Saturday is a meat raffle to support Kaitie Leising and her left-behind wife and child. The meat raffle for the fallen officer is sponsored by The Hudson Police Department and Jonesy’s Local and runs from 2-4 p.m. at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse. Judging from the outpouring of community support — and proliferating fund-raisers — Kaitie was indeed one of the good guys. Almost made me rethink what I wrote earlier, about not quite all of these guys being good guys. But only for a moment. That other message needs to be heard also. But for now, let’s remember Kaitie. And if there is a conflict, check this out before Them Pesky Kids.

 

It may not be enough to bend your mind, as in the following post, but the river bender sandwich at The Sub House that made such Hudson sandwiches famous is no doubt approved by the St. Croix boaters that be, such as they are now that weather is warming and they are congregating and later need a bite. It boasts a full eight ingredients, including Chipotle, avocado, provolone and bacon. Get them while they — and the more temperate weather — last.

And with the dawn of summer, new music in Hudson and New Richmond, both in the immediate downtown areas, is soon (and forever shall be?) expanding its reach at each to Thursdays and Sundays. And not just in the eve. More on that as it unfolds.

 

The kings and queens of 4-20 are getting set to party, and for them that can be a process, and they will rock out just as they chill out.

The Ignite dispensary in New Richmond will have a band from 4:20 to 6:20 p.m., if I heard that right, and you gotta love that symbolism. Oh, the player on 4-20 is Jesse Katzman. And their proprietary race car and race car driver will be out there in the parking lot, just don’t expect any wheelies. There’ll be comfort food, provided by the 65 Bistro just down the street, as we know these types love their munchies when they are in the moment. Just no opening up shop at 4:20 a.m. That is only Old School.

A few other topical tidbits, where it’s list it now or never. Target is offering PJs and loungewear starting at $8.99, with their contactless shopping. But if the shoe is on the other foot, and as we know the lady clerks hawking the merch have their own sense of flashy style to do what they do, hey, do you really want it to be contactless? Wouldn’t you want to meet them?

The St. Paul Saints had to postpone their home opener, as so much depends on the weather. But how did that effect the effort to give away proprietary hoodies when they were still needed because of the cold. No worries — which is back as a buzz word or two — if you had tickets for That Day when the hoodies were to be handed out, you could reticket for a different game and still get your hoodie, as they appear to be in demand, if only at this venue. How so? Long ago, many banks decided that they would not let inside swarmy types wearing such outerwear. So don’t expect such a promotion at US Bank Stadium. But maybe Target Field.

Lastly, Taco John’s sent be a nice set of coupons heavy on their lighter fare for Lent such as bean burritos. Problem is, by the time it reached my mailbox, you’d have to race there same day on Good Friday to even have a (hot) shot. Easter as a much cheaper option to brunches? But don’t fret, as there are many other coupons still in the game, such as two Taco Bravos for $5. (Been a long time since they were 99 cents, back in the day when I’d hit this taco hut virtually every day when driving back home from college classes, last stop on the north end of Wausau, and mom even checked off on the option of adding black olives. Even the supersize mega soda was pricier, but maybe not per ounce, as grandpa thought that amount of sugar water was excessive). But wait on that applicable coupon, as on Taco Thursday you can get a Taco Bravo — and not have to buy the second — for $2.49 and save your penny(s).  Maybe that’s what perked up the bunny ears of many a clerk, like the Energizer Bunny albeit with the top half bent over at a right angle on the left ones, as they appeared on the scene to be seen well before St. Patrick’s Day.

 

If you can wait for another winter, there will be a 35th version of the Hudson Hot Air Affair, ripe with music but also possibly 2023 cold, come 2024. But until then, you can still see some of that fashion sense while out and about — in particular at Ziggy’s.

But if creative, you don’t need to wait before getting your bevy of balloon fixes. For and this is not hot air, their photos and artistic renderings are everywhere — especially on the many tapestries hung from street light poles, as their are Street Light People everywhere in this Journey, that thanks to the local and state-wide Chamber types can be seen in major cities all around the Badger State. Just depends on the number of street lights you have in your city/village/town. And you can see multicolored balloons on all kinds of downtown storefront windows and even sidewalks right before their front door.
They can even see seen on the state tourism-department-backed website’s group of images, but among them are the geographical mix-ins that you will on most all such sites, heavy on those picturing pretty little partiers from Belfast, and I think that’s more than just an ode — or ditty — to the recent St. Patrick’s Day. That one lass holding a dark beer was just stunning, as is described below, and was that a leprechaun tattooed on her hand? From a site that’s mostly high-brow, but sometimes come one, come all and not always carefully edited? Make up for it, due to the ladies shown who are quite stout. Mix in a few pix hailing from Leipzig as well. Did the downtown Hudson Winzer Stube resurrect, just prior to Easter?
A last bit of post-holiday posting. The man The Day/Night After St. Patrick’s Day, was fully decked out, but ordered only a regular-size-cup glass of water and was eating — what? — a slice of pepperoni pizza. On this particular weekend? Is that even legal? Maybe salvation though, as it could have had on it some corned beef, or Canadian bacon, (I always get those two meats mixed up!) Turns out he was with the band, but more about him and his group’s stage presence later …

Back to the Eve of the Hot Air Affair, this could be called, if not being objectionable, the land of many MILFS, with carefully crafted, mostly clunky shoe styles that call attention to the entire wardrobe. Al Bundy called it the shoe game. But the queen of this has to be the lady I met on the first Friday of February, frosty as it was, and oh was she friendly. And her look on that well below zero day was made more solid than recent snowbanks as she was wearing … open toed and strappy shoes.
It was OK, she assured me, as she was going to hop a cab to her motel come 3 a.m. But I said, repeatedly, do not wait outside for long for the taxi to arrive — and don’t get trapped outdoors come last call — as more than a few minutes outside would give you frostbite.
So we conversed as I guy I’d met just moments before joined in. She was not speaking in tongues, exactly, but with a strong accent that could be interpreted many ways. Was she Aussie? Or Irish, I asked. The guy next to me took it further, and tabbed it as British, as she responded by using a whole variety of lilts from all around the continent, changing with every other sentence.
And why the expertise?
She had lost a bet. Way earlier in the day.
And what were the terms? She would have to speak in an English accent for the entire weekend. Well beyond when the last of the balloons would launch, and they did this year, as the breezes died down from the time they’d been the source of dangerous nighttime wind chills. That brought enough people into Ziggy’s for them to win the crown, weighing in just during the weekend, of having the best bloody Mary in town — patrons could even cast their vote many different times!
The crowd originally slim crowd picked up, especially on Friday, as the entire evening progressed. Places that catered to families, such as Hudson Tap, saw a reverse pattern. And Smilin’ Moose, and even Dick’s Bar and Grill, which draw different groupings of patrons as the night wears on, showed that predictable pattern even more, so the torchlight parade had traffic more spotty on the different parts of the street than usual.
Weeks later, on Fat Tuesday, obviously the other side of the week, saw similar scenarios of customer traffic pickup. But beads again were not a thing, as I told a bartender more than half my age, and she had very scant knowledge of that New Orleans tradition, although she had the goods and could have ruled such a scene. But no one was milking it on this evening either. Lastly, asked someone behind the bar-rail closer to middle-age, and she was also somewhat immune to such knowledge and the way it had played out in earlier decades.

This could be bigger than what you’ve seen.
The Groove Kings are the those who would be king, and as longtime masters of their style bring their royalty, so to speak, to Willow River Saloon on Saturday night, Jan. 14. That follows up on another gig there that could be gargantuan, name-wise, by Bigly in one of their recurring set of shows locally at various venues.

These are new times. So would it surprise you to learn that there are new ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve, that have not been promoted on these pages before.

And, as voices of the old and new, Mondays had/have been the holiday place to go on Mondays, after the weekend blowout, at Dick’s Bar and Grill in downtown Hudson. That’s all of these days, held in the early evening and going through the start of this new year. Each are on a different theme and taking in topics such as sports and music and games in general, and pairing them with something from Xmas/New Years, as they thought, better think twice.

But going back to a last promo of 2022 … At the ol’ Wild Badger in New Richmond, there are still a few seats left for their ultimate party zone — that being the word just before closing Friday night and via the bartenders — as in your table for two, or more, that feature a personal server and shot girl access (get your head out of the gutter), champagne beyond just a mere glass, midnight munchies, hydration station(s), and more that will put you front and center for the newly added ball drop. Options are pricey, but not nearly as much so as what you’d pay in many other places.
The GasLite in Ellsworth brings back CoCoNut Tiger (their caps mostly) for another madcap performance. How so? By their faces you will know them. That funky lead singer, as referenced in part last year, she’s got the look and attire — that is dead-on for a bartender at The Badger — and for my niece who has been known at attend concerts down in Milwaukee, then Madison, then Tomah for family vehicle breakdown, then Austin, (not band names I know, as a generation gap is to blame for the genre jumping), as yes, she’d gotten busy with using her new BA degree. A metalhead friend maintains that The Badger purveyor of beer and more is pretty hot.
An S-as-first-initial of a supper club name (don’t see them around much anymore, think mostly the Laurel on your way there) in Amery may be a bit far afield, but since its situated on a Lake loaded with Pike, may be worth the trek on the early part of the Eve. They are offering six special entrees to choose from, so I’d guess that represents all the major food groups.
Lastly, next-door to the Badger at Mallard’s they are shutting their doors to regular holiday patron traffic in order to host a wedding reception. So there will be a band, but only privately to be enjoyed — much like the upstairs offerings at Ziggy’s in Hudson prior to the main music act coming onboard. How do we know at Mallard’s they’ll party on, in the tradition of the long-hours holiday? A hint: They don’t open New Year’s Day until 3 p.m.

Then there was that party principal that reached a new pinnacle. Maybe.
Christmas Eve is on a Saturday, which means that the Home for the Holidays crew, lots of them the college crowd, can go out and kick up their heels, or hooves, on the night before, as the 23rd typically serves that purpose. But even moreso having it fall on a Friday? With some of the White Collar crew having a really White Christmas, in advance, as they are able to turn more blue collar in part, as in go party, by even being able to take Thursday off.
But there is that White thing in the holiday, and the snow might put a damper on — or cancel out the advantage — gained for the beer state to do its thing. May depend how close you are to the north end, and freeze is the word even moreso than snow. Follow I-94. Wind appears to be a constant, could gust up to almost over 55. As in mph both ways. More on the impact that has on plans, or on just winging it, in coming posts.
*** But a late-breaking, sorta, piece of news for Christmas Eve, by the venue who had The Tree up around Halloween. Mallards in New Richmond offers a four-course feast from 4-8 p.m. So can do any last shopping before, and if your not too stuffed still deliver the gifts later. This baby is heavy on creative seafood, as its four courses draw from all seven seas, virtually, as some have more than one kind of festive fish in a single entree! It runs you only about $10 a course, as in $39.99 for the whole enchilata, so to speak. Do call for reservations, now! Don’t wait and check the thermometer one more time.

So where’s the best place to be naughty and/or nice this Saturday night, finally, as it is the 17th of good ol’ December?
Get wild in the holiday way, meaning ugly sweaters and more — just don’t go as far as being Coyote Ugly — at the Wild Badger in New Richmond. And of course, the band is, as would be appropriate, My Famous Friends. We all have them. Or say we do. And the more you have the more you have … Its just that I thought mine were A-Listers. Turns out the bring a blushingly bad grade of B-Minus. See if the Badger is better … great name for a group, in any case.

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They’ll be brewing up something big in the north end of the county, and I insist that it’s all about distilling.
The band Distilled hits the Willow River Inn in Burkhardt on Friday night, and the next night its the 100th or so performance — my overplayed joke — of the Zebra Mussels, who never really get old, and could be said to be aging like fine swine, (pigs fly, in thus named many types of ale.) Oh I’m very sorry, I meant to type wine. But this is how they follow-up to Distilled, get it, going for that 101 total number of gigs.
Also Friday, with music from from 5-7 p.m. is the Apple Fest in New Richmond far-south-end, one of the more prominent ones of this type in the region. The Chamber is a bit coy about just who this band at Ready Randy’s is, building suspense, so you’ll have to check it out and report back. And as with Distilled, fermented apples can be dished up in way, lyrically and physically present in your drink, to be very cool. And Apple Fest is also on most of the day Saturday, with all the things you would except from something like this in fall.

All long as were into fall, why not fall for fall fests? The highlight of Bacon Bash in thus a way, is the Free Fallin’ Tom Petty tribute band, who has not fallen here for a while, on Friday night in River Falls. And so many times it is bookends, and this is no different, as New Richmond is lit up all weekend with big facilities, to the south at the 45 Parallel and Lift Bridge buildings with bluegrass and even bourbon, (like a thusly name fest each April in RF).

— Other diverse Bacon Bashers include, and continue forward with their food from throughout the area, the RF main man, Smokey Treats Fusion BBQ, Agave Kitchen (with accompanying third-floor Bullpen Cantina), Benny’s Bigfoot BBQ, Lucky8’s Grill Gyros, Pepper and Fries, Babushka Polish Eatery, and Paddy Ryan’s Irish Pub and Boxty House (with their big foot in both Hudson and River Falls). —

Stuck in the middle in New Richmond is The Wild Badger, with Uncle Chunk and the Dweebs of course owning the evening, but also falling into place with everything German from beer to food to music, so to fill the void left by The Winzer Stube’s departure in Hudson from this usual autumn role. And all this attendance may be dependent, with your plans, on if your high school football or more team — in the form of the Tigers and Raiders, or even Wildcats or Falcons, or maybe the Panthers — is home or away, or taking snaps within a reasonable distance. That means basically St. Croix County.

Why picks of the week? It is now the first day of school and students everywhere are celebrating the options — and not which algebra class to signup for. If they only include a chance to again make time with that cutie you saw across the lunch room back in May. Or what will the teacher be like, or look like, this year? Same turf. Not just football.
So in New Richmond, the busses runneth over with kids trying to again find their way. Maybe a new school? New cutie, maybe in a new place or classroom? Or a slightly new configured bus route as the area grows? And getting there, now, if mom and/or dad have yet another of the job changes we see so often these days, and the family a.m. plan gets again, reconfigured. Hey, the local company can help. With a name like Kobussen, you gotta figure they know their road plan.
The first time I saw this was uhm, yeah, last May. I beheld the caravan of busses heading in tandem, of course, toward the Newer School Central Hub, and leading the way was something I’m guessing you will only see in NR, although their could be others. There was a pickup truck that led the procession, intended or not, with a few flags flying and message to go along with. Hey, in Hudson somebody would sue over that.
Of things still needed by that new freshman going away to school, if only across the state, and at last mast there is the mattress. Or get two for the discount, and throw one the way of that new roommate you will try so hard to get along with. The multiple brands at multiple stores of several different kinds runneth over with other discounts, such as one where you get a whole bunch of accessories essentially thrown in with your purchase. Like an extra pillow case to catch your tears as you go out on your own, and for that reason also the Ultra Mega laundry soap. But don’t worry — attitude adjustment — soon it will be homeroom and more organization and wait! There’s that new cutie assigned a seat right beside you! Break the ice fast, to strike when the iron is hot, and invite her to the new student dance mixer with not only whatever kids listen to this term, and this is truly old school, the Ultra Mega heavy metal band. She will think you are so old — as in past teen years — and wise.
What, the show sold out? Last ditch effort as you will not be saved by the bell. Culver’s not far from NRHS recently has had as their daily specials to essentially close out summer, various cool sounding ice cream dishes. Andes cool mint meets blackberry compote. On Labor Day proper, the place was open but the sign did not list a special. But today is a new day …

The problem presented to the world as we know it via my home page, is actually a clue for a little ol’ local place, in Boardman. That would be Meister’s, and OK they do have as much space as most, when you factor in the back room and porch and spilling out toward a cornfield.
So what’s the problem?
The owner, whose bar takes his name — sat hi Dave — adds that his bands that now, for at least the second summer in a row, are drawing in a crowd so big that he really doesn’t need the publicity. That’s almost every weekend and even the Thursdays leading in. So trek on over to Boardman and continue to his pretty good problem to have. And I was happy to help.
To make it a fuller night, there is the Willow River Inn in Burkhardt on the way over, which also has bands (plural) every weekend, and the Boardman Bypass across the street and their offerings that include — uh, going sans bands. And for Meister’s, there is more than one venue by that name in the north end of the St. Croix Valley, so you can make your full experience even fuller. (Is that a word? Hey spellcheck took it).
Roaming forward, you can check out a full night at the opera by veering over to downtown Stillwater on Saturday, July 30. It features 13 singers in that genre — and since this is opera, we have to wonder if there is some significance from mythological tales to that usually unlucky number. For more information, contact the local Chamber of Commerce. (But wait, they are out of the office on a European tour to find more chamber musicians! Just kidding).
We’re not kidding when we tell you other events of the weekend, into the next month and beyond is killer!
Fiddlers Green Run, to aid veterans in need, is Saturday and includes several stop-off bars around the northeast quadrant from New Richmond, even Star Prairie, but does not venture into Tiger country. An earlier run was a bit the same, shunning Hudson but hitting many venues just to the north.
The Hudson police are keeping it home when offering a get-to-know-your-friendly-neighborhood-cop event on Aug. 2, and it even features a dunk tank (no, this is not a typo, there is no R). But seriously folks, if you were pulled over by That Guy, now you can send him splashing, let him explain over a soda why he did so, then let it be water under the bridge.
Then on Aug. 8, its the Jonesey-Local-based “High Socks” golf tournament, to help monetize his charity fund, which has a broad reach that is shown by the full wall of thank you notes at his venue. His style of foot and ankle and calf wear never has worn out its welcome.
Nor has Them Coulee Boys, a local group that’s been playing gigs down near Milwaukee, Wauwautosa to be specific. As for Beer City, its current Summerfest lineup has not an once of metal, rather its well representing various genres with less volume.
To call it a wrap, or maybe just rap, the Wild Badger in New Richmond boasts several weeks running of Friday evening solo acts on the patio that represent women of various ages, and therefore likely music styles. There’s Hailey James, Trandy Blue and Samantha Grimes, in order of appearance.

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The Hudson Boosters are at it again, and their Days have been actively googled prior to this holiday. And those days are numbered, as in five (stars).
By that man at Starr’s Bar — in that complementary and/or enemy locale of North Hudson — who was overheard a full week ago saying that the bands this Fourth of July weekend that is Booster Days are even more stellar than usual. He specified those on Saturday and Sunday. To the point that he did some research, curious as he was. So he got online and watched some of their videos on YouTube, and methinks they were not the extended versions that are available. Or checked out both?
The name is cool, and if the music is anything like it … Latria and then Tim Butler, reverse order, that is in the afternoon as the fest starts winding down. Save the best for (near) the last?
Going on late on Friday, also, is the band Sugar Buzz. More ADHD rock stars? And at other times in the weekend and its music acts that extend close to a dozen in number — and that’s only at the bandshell — there are tried and true names that are more familiar.
And this may go against form as far as a three-county area on the east side of the St. Croix, but the Hudson fireworks over that body of water as always are Sunday night, so more bang for your buck in what that wise NH sage said there would be musically.

Do then best rides come in threes? That’s even better then having that hot babe on the back of your bike, which makes it a twosome.
There is the Alzheimer’s Run on Saturday to end at the GasLite in Ellsworth, followed by — a birdie told me while trying not to get nipped by the flame — another charitable motorcycle rally a week later and yet another on Aug. 20 that goes by the name of Scotty’s Run. And at least for June 18, there will again be their musical friends Coconut Tiger, so check out at 7 p.m. the seventh annual event and see their haughty hot babe, who may just be dressed in a combo of black and white, and blue jean shorts, and various sizes of fishnet holes on arms and legs, tights and otherwise, like shown on the Facebook page. A breath of fresh air after a 90 mile ride.

It has it all, starting with a music act that characterizes its multiple styles with being Hootenanny, and even the fest they formed in honor of that to ply the trade.
But we’ll start with what’s at the GasLite in Ellsworth this holiday weekend, to in retrospect throw out there Saturday night’s band, Alex Zachary and the Highway Starz, and this is more than Classic Deep Purple. We’ll let them describe their style: “It’s been a long time, but we are back! Enjoy everything from the 50s all the way to today’s hits classic new country rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, funk, and even some originals!”
The night before, on Friday, its back to the core at the GasLite with Hitchville. Their songs have been penned by some of Nashville’s biggest hot hit-makers, including two-time Grammy honoree Ben Glover. You may also, between gigs in western Wisconsin, hear their tunes played at Twin’s games, or at big music hoedowns such as WE Fest. And they are fresh off from — spring break style — a Hard Rock Hotel gig in Cancun.
There is attention to detail here, like describing one of their mates as a “primary” backup vocalist to support the man and woman duo who lead off the way.
And off topic — would we? — a toss to something I’ve considered as an occasional mini-feature here. As far as such, this in the dead deer suicide index, and that’s not a metal band. We could see that across the highways and byways going to see bands, there was about one per mile that tried to battle a vehicle and lost and ended up along the roadside. Not highway stars?

What, I just got googled that this is perhaps the most checked department on this website? Continue to check The Headliner also, as we will often place — as the dearth of music gigs continues to wax and wane and still slowly come back — what we do have to offer right up front, since its just too good to bury inside.
And there will soon be a new club with a lot more music coming in an already well populated area for nightlife. So get to it guys, so people can go to it. When that time comes, read about it in The Headliner. With band-by-band updates in this department.

Halloween, and other seasoned, costume parties can be for adults, but tricks also are for kids. Here are things to do that don’t involve zombies coming to life so they can dance to a wailing guitar.
— The Phantom of the Opera will come alive to the organ/piano of Dennis James and a silent movie to boot, courtesy of the Phipps Center for the Arts on Oct. 31. This is not your mother’s version of the tuneage, which given her decade would be the same song by Iron Maiden, in which case the frontman pleads to those in their maiden voyage into such concerts, if you don’t get this song, you don’t get Iron Maiden. So ye are forewarned.
— Up the street is a family function at The Living Word church, which from 4-8 p.m. will feature all the many things you would expect of a party on this holiday.
— Various TV networks are in the midst of an offering of Halloween movies, from scary to silly, running anywhere between 10 and 31 days. Otis my horror movie friend and fave bouncer, where are you now? Kicking zombie butt during enforcement of rules, somewhere else?
— All over the place are kiddo parties, possibly at your favorite haunt, where the prizes and freebies take a different turn and are not in the vein of a free beer.
— And then that pumpkin patch sale, both nearby and at the same time off the beaten track, and it is location, location, location. It is a half-mile south of I-94, when you take the Somerset exit. And it is across the road (less traveled?) from a warehouse that at one point housed dozens of many-hundreds-of-years-old, terra cotta soldiers exhumed in China. Fitting way to finish a post on Halloween activities.

I’d like to think that soon he will be playing Austin City Limits, being enough of a success to ease gently from his Austin to his Bentley, like late Deep Purple.
He goes by the playing name of Austin, and there could be some Austin Healy thrown in there too. Those names should frame the style you will see and hear, but right now he is just looking for gigs, and based on his quickly-learned groove for those styles and others, that should not be difficult, said his friend, who bartends at The Smilin’ Moose (but not been around long enough to help Austin get a gig there as part of their at least three shows a week, varying a bit by season).
What is atypical of Austin is he just got a guitar thrown his way about three months ago by a friend, but is a quick study and has championed enough chords to throw down some rock and roll with extra rhythm, said the server buddy as he looked over his shoulder from the lower patio to assess what kind of music would soon be going on in Lakefront Park. Austin is one of the occasional up-and-coming local players who we will feature on this website from time to time).
For now, on Thursday, Oct. 21, the act at Urban Olive and Vine is St. John Ash, who looks a bit more like a punker then most who appear in this place, but has a higher level of sound then most in that occasionally stripped down genre coming from a standard-looking guitar, and his various music styles carry forward over and above that.
The next night it is Phil Berbig and what you hear is more like this: The usual classic acts you love plus leading the set list with a few less-often-catered-to choices like another one-word wonder, Train.

The qualifications the judges will weigh at the BBQ cook-off on Saturday at T-Buckets just southwest — interesting that I invoked that style — of Somerset are their tasting of one of your ribs and/or wings that you provide.
(We know that you have more than that one rib, broadly speaking as in Adam in the Bible, and whether that holds true of your wings depends on how literally you think).
Bring your own equipment to create your Masterpiece, as there is judging at 6 p.m. and random tasting drawings of more than drawn butter. Also, the band will play on from 5-8 p.m. There will be prizes for the best BBQ bonanza that cooks like you boast; there is a $25 entry fee.

This weekend The Gaslite will feature all kinds of sights and roars, and we are not just talking about the sound of music.
The Rumble on the River Part 2 was held last Saturday, as in a cool sequel to an event earlier in the summer. Featured are “heavy and hot” farm tractors and trucks, as She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy. And this is not a delusion, although it is uncertain if you are supposed to bring your Cab Cadet.
But in case you missed that, this Saturday, this time The 25th, at the spacious area adjacent to The Gaslite’s actual bar and grill, are the grass drags put on with the capable help of the Indianhead Motorcycle club.
Then at 8 p.m. its the Dweebs with their songs from as far back as The 60s with their partying and interactive show. Crazy stages antics and colorful costumes just in time for Halloween are mixed in with the songs: To give you an idea, their set list includes an AC/DC tinged Hokey Pokey, and they have a good dozen originals as well.

On the 18th, there’s music as part of Derby Days in Bayport, as well, going above and beyond the Mighty Duck races that are always faves. Just don’t expect the speed of breakaways with a puck. There are The Mockingbirds playing Sept. 18 in the late afternoon, part of a street dance series, (Okay we’re only talking two days and nights), as pitched at Not Justa Bar and Cafe with a big flowing-sideways sign less then ten feet from the main street.

Follow the (somewhat) long and winding road past torn-up-all-around-the-edges Hudson and continue to Burkhardt to see Mike Poot on a break from his headed west tour at The Willow River Saloon on Saturday night, (with Justin Burk possibly added as a largely impromptu pop-up). This acoustic show on Aug. 28, following up one of theirs at the same spot when it had its annual corn and chicken feed in early August, could also steer you way over in the direction of Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse north of Hudson around one of its detour routes. But wait, the music has died there in July and August after a respectful showing for largely Minnesota folk in the spring, as one of the few venues then doing this. But their largely loved BBQ can still be had.
If you brave the construction in downtown Hudson a few blocks to Ziggy’s, there is Candy Shop on Friday night (off a stint in New Richmond not long ago), and another food themed band on Saturday evening, Sushi Roll, following up an act that could be seen as really eating them up on Thursday, Jawsy. Its leader and singer has been working the nightclubs since a teenager, and now has as many years logged on stage as one of the month-long newer servers in the bar area below has on the planet.
And there will not be a redo up on The Hill — of what had been pulled over from Eau Claire and again focusing on what could have been this weekend — of the bringing in of Naked Sushi a couple of years ago.

All different kinds of choppers can be cool.
An actual such copter, which flew missions over Vietnam not too many decades ago, will be the highlight at The Gaslite during a China Beach gathering that whirs virtually all day Saturday, Aug. 14, not just motorcycles, although those will be there too. Its fly-in at the annual event at the Ellsworth bar, which also features camping availability, helps support the pilots and their families, and includes types of benefit opportunities to contribute to the cause. It namely is the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, and if you did not know the breadth of the service they provided, the group has more than 17,000 members nationwide. The Midwest chapter is the main sponsor for the gathering, which is open to the public and can provide an opportunity for information and education, support and sustenance, camaraderie and conversation, to the degree to which the veterans wish to share their stories.
The actual helicopter that will make a landing is the same one, or at least a similar style, to a machine also making its appearance on the Gaslite website, showing a large bulk of carefully crafted metal in the foreground of the photo, and tail angling to the back way past the impressive rotary blades. It strikes quite a pose. The helicopter is dark enough to fly its mission, but has a colorful logo on the side door.
All the usual amenities that accompany such an event, of course, are available at The Gaslite.
— All this would give The Moose a reason to smile. But the venue on the north end of the Hudson downtown also continues to supply its own version of camaraderie, via the acoustic shows playing with their late afternoon starts Outback, and having names that might trip your trigger. All have been there earlier in the summer, so they are experienced, and now hope to cap it off: Blake Zak on Aug. 13 will show the flipside of heavy metal’s guitarist Zakk Wylde, Walden Pond on Aug. 15 will invoke Thoreau in their own way, and Glen Everhart on Aug. 20 will try to keep pace with redheaded-model namesake Angie. All these references go Way Back in the Way Back Machine. So they are experienced.

The Tommy Bentz Band is taking it to the limit, on the road again.
If they keep this up, they might be able to buy that Mercedes Benz.
To wit. And don’t wait. Or they will be in another town.
First, the Bentz Bros. will be in River Falls Days at 12:30 on Saturday, July 17. Then later that same day, they will trek to Trempealeau for a B-Day Show (this is so important that on their schedule, it is added-in special for their printer version) for Howard “Guitar” Luedtke of blues fame and Dave Rogers.
After a Sunday show at 2 p.m. at the Rush River Brewing Co. its a Wednesday gig in Tomah for Americana Music in the Park, (an ad I saw two different times at the truck stop there during my own recent travels). The very next evening, its Vino in the Valley at Maiden Rock, then rockin’ at the Hop ‘N Barrel Brewing Co. in Hudson the next day at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday evening sees barreling to Barley John’s Brew Pub in New Brighton, Minn.

Some guys and gals have all The Luck. Or at least the great genes. Or location to go further into Wisconsin for your partying. THAT BAND will play the Wild Badger in New Richmond on Saturday night, following up on the Great New Reopening when they had Trandy Blue and Sunday’s Regret in for Fun Fest, that being earlier in June.
You can also go eastward more and see what’s happening in Luck, an hour northeast of the Twin Cities. Or wait for country rockers Lady Luck to come around again. Or travel out of The Two-State Region and catch another band called The Luck, and this is where the great genes come in: This is the best looking duo, brother/sister or otherwise, you will ever find/see.
Or just stay closer to home, minutes past the Stillwater bridge, and catch The Band That Is Luck, and as Judas Priest would say, put your bid in, and Head Out On The Highway to catch their diverse genres, right here in New Richmond.

There are bands that open for national acts on an occasional basis.
And then there is Hitchville.
Maybe it is the diversity that comes from having a seven-member lineup, which boasts two different lead vocalists. But the Minneapolis-based band has a much broader reach than the Twin Cities.
Hitchville has opened for some of the biggest superstars in country: Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, and Luke Bryan, to Big & Rich, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, and Blake Shelton. Led by vocalists Heidi Owens and Matthew Kneefe, the group is known for both their harmonies and vocals, and unforgettable instrumental solos.
They came to the Gaslight in Ellsworth twice earlier in the spring/summer, and they conquered. It is worth the trip a bit eastward into Wisconsin to catch their act, as they will likely be coming again soon before fall arrives.
— Where do the cabbies go for a break, and they of all people should know the lay of the land. One such driver said she was taking a fare a fair distance away, in Afton, and then wound up with a second fare on the other side of the St. Croix. So what’s a girl to do? Get a steak made on the noted wooden stove at Uncle Mike’s Em Pour E Yum in the town of Hudson. Or so she said.
There then was the Tom Bernard comment on KQRS on im-peach-mint being, actually, a real food. (Like Mike’s Em Pour E Yum?) I guess we all have to see the fruits of our labors. And was it not the Georgia election that indirectly led to all such impeachment talk anyway? And this is the peach that’s the state fruit, after all as I digress, that originated none other then Jimmy Carter.
— Lastly, the Purple Tree in downtown Hudson is a mecca for social-justice-based merchandise of all types, like your favorite band might sing about. And they go beyond the sacred fifty-percent-off figure. That’s right, their winter gear — theme here? — was being sold at a full 60 percent off!

Posted in Picks of the Week | Edit Comments Off on At Hudson Hideaway, and their “high” percentage off specials, its 4-20 all over again. —– The leftovers were being laid down in the form of music, via speakers and rehearsals. And the lefse, possibly with hummus, has not gone the way of the Vikings.

Psst … Have you awakened yet from your vaccine-induced lag? Then you might be in the mood for a primer and how we got to this point where such a shot in the arm was needed in the first place, and what might happen during the get-go.

March 24th, 2021

Whether at bar and grills, convenience stores, the UPS Store, or even WalMart, this is all a recap of how we got here with the virus — and perhaps a glimpse of where we are going.
And at Micklesen Drug store, the hours soon got much longer, up to 16 a day (on almost all of them and growing). This was the first time I can remember their main men not smiling at a bad joke, and just seeming all out stressed. I have not seen one of them behind the counter for weeks, should I be worried? And now that the vaccine(s) are out there, and even before this was rolled out, the call for such services rose by 30 a day. People too were trying to hoard their prescriptions like some used to do food, or drink, and still probably do if they have the means, just in case there would be a huge supply lag.
The signs soon appeared on bar doors, too, saying that you needed a mask to come in, but also as some caught up to speed faster then others, it seemed, that provisions were added. We will still serve you and by law not ask if you have an underlying medical conditions such as asthma that kept a mask off your face, many read almost as one and the slight variations likely did not come from the health departments. But the signs and their lingo a few months later drifted away and the doors were back to sporting just glass and hours of operation, which dwindled away from the all-night stores shifting to an early evening closure, then reverting back again, to a large degree, in late fall.
Doors also stated capacity, anywhere from just under one hundred at Hop and Barrel, to close to three times that at County Market, which rolled out the rules far more than almost any of the bars, and enforced them to a much larger degree. The Smilin’ Moose was a notable example among that crowd when it came to enforcement, but there of course was the gray area of how to eat and drink with them on. Slide them up from the bottom was often the recourse, and there were many workers who would chastise you if your nose was spared from cloth — especially early on. But eventually, even bartenders in many spots stopped donning the masks, although for retail clerks it was another story. And some of them, if you were a regular wouldn’t give you the business, especially if you just plain forgot it at home, even if it was time after time.(I soon started feeling like Zorro, when I had my jacket collar pulled way on up, although I am not sure how apt that reference is). And after all, there was that one lady of the evening, sorry about the bad pun, behind a counter as a clerk who — gasp! — was seen without any such covering. And at Green Mill, despite social distancing reminders on the counter spaced, with every other chair, all the regulars would congregate on the south end, with how far that way depending on the amount of consumer traffic coming through the door, on which like many such places also had a creative piece of quasi-art and stick figures shown to drive home the point.
And these days, it may come down to counting your pennies. And how that applies, like so many things these days, seems to depend on when the bad-bacteria day is. I have noticed on my walks to Kwik Trip in North Hudson — hey we all have to get our exercise as we can find it — there can be quarter on the ground as my military in-laws have always been trained, as if being wary of a mine field, to look down as you walk. Pick it up? Or want to wait and see if it is still there after you shop, as you can’t wait to grab t. At first as people had needs that were off the charts, and hadn’t adjusted to them yet, they would scarf it up just like that. A bit later to counter, that same nickel might be there not only when you entered but when you exited. And as need took hold and people had to adapt, I will say this: We don’t have a lot of huge value to take, but when the virus first hit home and the economy faltered and unemployment was off the (economists) charts, I came home late and stumbled onto a man who had entered my garage, then bolted as the car was being parked. He left in a hurry when encountering me, bolting back to the woods in back like so many meth makers have done, so I went back there to ask him what motivated him to do this. But he was long gone. I don’t think this was a professional burglar as he appeared to be scared silly by my brazenness and never returned to see what he could grab. Just a man pushed to his limits by need, for as I have said to some people in law enforcement and did not get rave reviews, hey if you haven’t eaten for a week you will likely steal a loaf of bread. Don’t chop off his or her hands based on this need for self-preservation, like in some societies. That could be a virus entry point.
All starts at WalMart. When the grand toilet paper caper began, it was here that the shortage was front and center at Sam Walton’s brainchild. Only he could not dictate, and overcome, their supply to the market considerations that were brought to the fore for the reason that was given at the time — some of the paper products were, possibly, made in countries where the virus had already gained a great big foothold. Any thing to use like that in your bathroom flew off the shelves almost instantly when shit hit the fan — sorry — earlier that day. My wife gave me stern orders to go get what I could just a couple of hours before that, and I thought she was making too much of it, but then when I got to WalMart there nary a box to be found. People had literally been pulling them off the truck when it arrived and the worker was striving to haul it out of the parking lot, I was told.
And so there was no TP be found, on most days, and even tissue paper and paper towels became substitutes, with on their shelves all that was left to be purchased were a few oddball stragglers. The disinfectants also were flying off the shelf, with even things as substitutes that were as far reaching as toilet bowl cleaner being so in demand that they too were hard to be located. And even today, at Perkins, you can still see two and one, which become three, of the disinfectant containers as big as the maple syrup dispensers, (there’s that word again), all in the vicinity of the cash register. When there was a supply on hand, most stores were limiting the purchase of toilet paper and even tissues to one per customer — and I don’t know how it would play out if you made multiple trips in a day — and some like the Freedom store in North Hudson enforced that rule with their signs right beside the price tag for things such as Charmin, but there was an ace in the hole for consumers in that if you were willing to settle, there was no limit on the Scott brand. So that meant it became short in supply too. And down the road at Kwik Trip there was a set of big hanging baskets, one of which had candy and was close to being full, and the other labeled for disinfectant, but it was typically bought out.
Back at WalMart, the entryway was retooled with use of what was almost like a police, no-cross line to take you in a short loop into the main area so you would pass by workers who were like light-duty, kinder and gentler mask police. On the way back out, for a couple of weeks, there was one sign that said help out as you can with wearing of masks gently encouraged, then 10 feet later another placard that said more sternly, there was no way you could be in there without facial covering. They at first saw a market niche by selling for a few bucks the masks you would need, a full 60 feet into the store, and you would have to buy three at a time in a pack. Like many, they soon redacted and offered them to customers for free. A curiosity, and not a bad idea, was to have the aisles be designated what was essentially a series of one-way streets, to keep people from crossing paths going this way and that, and create a scenario where they would not breath on each other.
There were a whole series of ways that checkout places in stores sought to aid social distancing, with some leaving a literal yellow footprint at six-foot intervals as a guide — although it was clear when setting these things up, that there was use of a tape measure to ensure down-to-the-inch accuracy. Big plastic shields went up by the cash registers, and at places like the USP store, there were small boxes that require people to stand right there while waiting in line. Pity the fool who is bigger than average. At some junctures there were whole bigger boxes of these directions, written on the floor and cordoned off with rope-like tape, ranging left and right and forward and one step back, then two steps back.Those being big, six-foot-in-length steps. And on all sides at a set of convenience stores, there continued to remain on the doors signs for their sale of 79 cent sodas — even though such self-service fountain drinks were barred from being sold for many seeks. Lastly, there did seem to be a bit of wiggle room at some very specific points, as rules were relaxed then put back in at full-strength, for things such as selling donuts when handled with plastic sheets — now not just a guideline that has always been there, but now the law. And for all those light cardboard boxes of donuts that can be seen at prominent places in the checkout lane, right beside the disinfectant, one has to wonder if the presence of their folds makes them non-air-tight.

Posted in The Headliner | Edit Comments Off on Psst … Have you awakened yet from your vaccine-induced lag? Then you might be in the mood for a primer and how we got to this point where such a shot in the arm was needed in the first place, and what might happen during the get-go.

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