America’s Oldest Brewery

America’s Oldest Brewery is that of D.G. Yuengling and Sons of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. So what does this have to do with The Bent Page? Well, as readers know, I’m more of a whiskey drinker. However, in the course of story research for Bonk’s Bar, I spoke with dozens of people about their preferences among the multitude of beer brands available. Many of them commented that they liked Yuengling. Furthermore, Yuengling reaches out to its local community with a number of programs that keep a civil society together. They deserve a lot of credit for that.

I grew up one county away from Yuengling’s brewery and remember Yuengling Beer as a “local” brand. Over the years, Yuengling has expanded their reach to much of the Eastern Seaboard and continues to grow throughout the near south and so on. They’ve purchased a brewery in Florida, built another one in Pennsylvania and seemed poised to continue their expansion with quality products the beer-drinking community enjoys.

yuenglinglogoeagle

Furthermore, I have another book that I toy with from time to time, called Big Iron. It’s based on a short story I wrote called Big Iron Holiday. I mentioned it before, but here’s a recap: two friends reunite after the First World War. One is a wreck forman on the Pennsylvania Railroad, the other a car salesman turned pilot. The story follows their lives up to D-Day in World War II. Anyway, during the first half of the Twentieth Century there were many more “local” brands of everything from beer to potato chips to bread. This was before the biggest conglomerates took hold. So, Yuengling Beer would naturally be among the beverages consumed by these characters as much of the story happens in Schuylkill and Carbon Counties as well as in Philadelphia. Thus, that’s why Yuengling shows up here on The Bent Page. (Not to mention that American Eagle with his talons on the beer keg is flat out “cool.”)

My hat is off to any business than can not only survive but prosper for nearly 200 years. There aren’t many that can claim that title. Do you know of any? Post a comment if you do.

Take it easy!

Everyone likes to let loose during their vacation. That can be a good thing. However, be careful, especially if you rent a quadrunner or four wheeler or whatever they call these machines. Here in Aruba, people injure themselves on a regular basis. This last time, a helicopter had to be called in to evacuate the injured. Take a look at the Bon Dia newspaper report:

aua7newsThere’s nothing wrong with having fun. Just remember, if you cross the line between fun and insanity, you may find yourself in the hospital or worse. I hear that can be painful and expensive. So, take it easy.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 26, 2009 at 10:42 am  Leave a Comment  
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Ruf and Tumbull

There are too many stray cats in Aruba. I wish I could do more for them, but there’s only so much that one can do. I’m trying to gather up some photos of the ones I see. Here are two that aren’t exactly strays, but they are outdoor cats and as you can see, one has got himself banged up a little. I’ve named them Ruf and Tumbull.

ruftumblI see these two most every day here in Savaneta. They lounge during the day then prowl all night. That’s how they get into trouble. These two characters look a little mean; wouldn’t mess with them as they’re probably a tag team in a brawl.

Be kind to animals, it will help you get into heaven.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 24, 2009 at 1:34 pm  Comments (1)  
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Urataka Center, Aruba

Urataka is a sparsely populated area located close to the geographic center of Aruba. Here you will find a good place to stop for pizza and an ice-cold drink. Take a look.

urapizzbPainted those colors, it’s hard to miss. I should also mention that this place hosts a mix of visitors going to and from the Arikok National Park as well as a local people who live in the area. So you’re sure to have a more diverse experience than other places.

urapizzcCouldn’t pass up the chance to photograph the Coca-Cola sign. Anyway, since the sign higher up talks about the best pizza, I decided to give it a try. I ordered the “meat lovers” version and here is what it looked like.

urapizzaThis was the 14″ medium which is more than enough for two people. The crust was excellent by the way and the only thing this pizza needed was a little more sauce. Still, it was very good and I highly recommend it if you’re on the island and need a pizza fix. While waiting for the meal, I checked out the scenery and discovered this sign on the wall:

urapizzdNo one from the club was around at the time of my visit, probably because I was there on Sunday and these are the Terrible Tuesday Riders. There are a number of motorcycle clubs on Aruba these days. Sometimes you’ll see as many as one hundred of them touring around together or parked at a place like this.

Enjoy your visit, don’t eat too much and always enjoy your Coca-Cola ice-cold. Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 23, 2009 at 10:06 am  Comments (1)  
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