Barfly: football at Sharks Cove, Torrance Oktoberfest and Alpine Village

barfly martini

barfly martiniFirst Sunday Firsts: As my regular readers well know, every year for the opening Sunday of the NFL season, I join a group at Sharks Cove, Hermosa Beach to catch all the firsts: First TD, first interception, first fumble, first meltdown, (I think we can award Romo and my Cowboys that one), etc. Sadly, it didn’t happen this year, not because I am in NY, (my group was ready and willing to report back to me), but as you know, after 17 years, Sharks Cove Hermosa has recently closed; it’s now called Game-Changers and is still a Steelers hang-out but the new owners removed the row of monitors behind the bar (what genius came up with that idea?), so the old gang scattered and went looking for a sports bar with at least eight monitors grouped together to view all the kickoffs from one barstool (that was the reason SCHB was the place to be). A few went to Sharks Cove in Manhattan Beach, great atmosphere, great service, great row of eight monitors, not only Steelers fans but Eagles and Bears and Jets – oh my! – as well. Then all of a sudden at 10 a.m. during the National Anthem, all the monitors froze except the local network feeds. People freaked out because it was 9/11, but it seems there was a DirecTV technical problem with the bar feeds (not residential feeds). Customers called friends on their cells; it seemed to be a nationwide problem and the opening kickoffs were missed. After an hour went by with still no feeds, everyone got up and left, sunken and deflated. My main source, John Paul Ziller (the original Barfly), stopped by the Shellback to talk with owner Bob Beverly, who had a technical explanation for the DirecTV screw-up, he eventually got his older receivers to work but by then it was too late, no first Sunday opening kickoff firsts, and that’s definitely a first…

Wos Ist Mein Leiderhosen?: Ja friends, it is that time of year again – Oktoberfest! And Alpine Village, Torrance Boulevard, Torrance is kicking it off early this year running from September 9 through October 23 with beer stein drinking contests, Oom Pah Pah bands, sausage contests and more. Check out alpinevillagecenter.com; or go north to Santa Monica next Saturday, September 24 for, “America’s answer to Oktoberfest – Septemberfest!” From 3-7 p.m. party with hundreds of your new best friends while sampling over 150 microbrews, local delicacies and live music. Check out drinkeatplay.com/septemberfest for more info…

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