A cheeky pint or several

I love beer. I guess no more needs to be said but this time things are a bit different. I have written about beer and beer events now and again except this is probably the first time I have attended one after the onset of my present medical condition. (Having seizures in public is rather embarrassing and can be costly without insurance.) Having taken Saturday off in preparation for the annual Philadelphia University Fashion Show, I strolled down to Main St. for a bit of lunch. Checking my mobile social media device, I learned that some friends were attending the Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant''s 14th Annual Brew Fest. Not having been to the establishment since New Years Eve, I figured 'why not?'
Thankfully, I could still  purchase tickets at the door. This worried me because usually an event like this is sold out days before. The weather could partially be to blame since it was overcast and slightly chilly most of the days (with an all too brief period of sunshine).
"I would have liked to have sold 150 to 200 more tickets," said owner Mike Rose. "But you what, there can be a brew fest every week nowadays. When we first started this event, this place was packed because we were the only ones doing something like this."
(Disclosure: I originally bought a 'designated driver's' ticket for $25. Although, I could have gone for free, courtesy of Mike Rose, I believe that it was right to pay because it was a last minute decision. Eventually, my friends broke down my resolve and I tasted a few of the brews despite a large 'X' written on my hand.)
The crowd filled the outside deck where many breweries were located but it was not too hard to navigate through the crowd. Ticket holders received a food voucher, gift certificate for a 32 or 64oz Growler (with purchase to fill said growler) and $10 off coupon (if you spent more than $30).
"It's a good enough crowd for people to get through the event and not be uncomfortable and when they go home they can say that they had a nice time," said Rose.
Guests had plenty to choose from such as the sweet, summery flavor of Lancaster Brewing Co.'s Strawberry Wheat to the ticklishly pleasant Good N' Evil Golden Ale from Evil Genius Brewing Co. and so much in between. Homebrewers were also a part of the event bringing up their interpretations of India Brown Ale, Kolsch and India Pale Ales. But despite proper planning, there was plenty of blink-or-you'll-miss-it offerings.
Sly Fox's famous Renard D'Or disappeared in TWO minutes.
With all that was offered, my friends were a little deflated because there were so few standouts. Many brewers brought their main menu items but nothing that seemed to excite my friends.
"If you are coming to a brew festival, even if you have stuff that we like at least bring one item to excite us," said my friend.

Photo: Bernard J. Scally

A new time of opportunity

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you have had a pleasant and fulfilling holiday. With a new year just beginning, I reflect on a the year that was. On the whole, 2011 was a pretty rough year for yours truly. A good chunk of my woe was unfortunately self-inflicted for that I take full responsibility. My plimpton-esque debacle into politics, trying to run for Philadelphia City Council, is perhaps my final 'youthful indiscretion'. As I wrote in that press release when I withdrew from the race, I knew the challenge but did not take them as seriously as I should have.
Then the bomb dropped that no one say coming. My recent medical history is now well known among my friends. But upon first seeing me, it would seem likely that I would have some ailment that could also be self-inflicted such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, etc. Of course, I still might but part of my resolution for the new year is to combat those health problems before they start. We'll discuss those later. What took us all by surprise in 2011 were my epileptic fits. In August, they began. Thankfully, I have only had 4 total...and two of those I slept through. Thankfully, medication has helped in preventing many others. After a few visits with Einstein neurologists, we have learned that my condition is cause not by a malformed blood vessel but a bone 'growth' or something that touches my brain, setting off a seizure. It is hoped by 2012, this problem will be resolved.
But 2011 was not a complete trial or tribulation. I met many interesting people, was witness to other people's own joy and found how many people are truly my friends. I have played with my little cousins and enjoyed the company my friends' children. I have turned 30 years old, an age I once thought unlikely to achieve even when I was 18.
So when the new year, now this year approached, I struggled to solidify my resolve. Everyone makes annual resolutions, lose weight, act nicer, leap over the Eiffel Tower, etc. But this time I was inspired by a parody artist who wrote: '"You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."' I take that as my mantra this year. I have a number of resolutions to achieve this year. Lose 50 pounds by age 31 and keep it off, find a new job, publish a book of my best writing (both fiction and non-fiction) and be more interesting and fantastic. But how can a rotund, mercurial, Falstaff-ian figure like myself achieve this? Well, I guess we'll find out together. The clock is ticking...get your running shoes.