PICK OF THE WEEK

Saison by Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery

Here is what I wrote about this on RateBeer.com:
I actually had this at the Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery in Puyallup WA, which is the sister brewpub to Engine House No. 9. I have never had a saison before so this was a new experience for me. I liked it. The color was golden straw, looking very much like a pint of apple juice with a thin white head that had good staying power. Only a minor amount of lacing. Light bodied with slightly fizzy carbonation. Flavor was sweet and fruity and floral with hints of spices I am finding hard to place. Cloves? Coriander? Cardamom? It also had a slight caramel and nutty character lurking in the background. I had this with the Powerhouse’s Fish Taco, which was a perfect food for the saison. The spiciness of the taco nicely complemented the spices of the ale and pulled them further to the forefront. Intriguing.

My ratings of aroma, appearance, flavor, palate, and my own overall rating for "sensory experience" gave this saison a 4.1 on a scale of 0.5 to 5.0. I don't have any other saison to base my scoring upon, but I have had other Belgian-style ales. (The saison is a Belgian- or French-style ale.) If this is what other saisons tend toward then sign me up!

SACCO AND VANZETTI MUST DIE!

Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked him, "What is truth?"
—John 18:37-38

"In a similar fashion, you are attempting a rather bold theft of what may be the oppressor's most prized weapon, his language."
—Bart Vanzetti to Nic Sacco in Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die!, page 182

As I wrote elsewhere, Mark Binelli is playing with language and codes in his "attack" on "established texts" in his novel Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die! The novel is an examination of history and historical memory, as well as the trial and subsequent execution of the anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti. In Binelli's imaginings, though, Sacco and Vanzetti are vaudeville actors and film comedians, in the vein of Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, the Marx Brothers, and the Three Stooges, who live well beyond the date of the death of the actual Sacco and Vanzetti.

Binelli weaves elements of the lives of the "real" Sacco and Vanzetti into the lives of the "fictional" Sacco and Vanzetti. Binelli's Sacco and Vanzetti even undergo a trial, and although they are not executed, they do fade away from the public sight that they so need and crave to keep their film careers going. In essence, they are killed, and it is ultimately capitalism that does them in, just as it was capitalism that couldn't tolerate the real Sacco and Vanzetti and their ilk. The novel is full of references to "executions" of the two, and many allusions of the same. Gallows are mentioned (78, 83); a minor character mock hangs himself (97); the electric chair is discussed, as well as the rivalry between Edison and Tesla in developing such; the bioelectric theories of Galvani and Volta are referenced(190); and, the knife act of Sacco and Vanzetti (one of their vaudeville, and, later, film routines) that threatens their very existence and becomes a source of their downfall, although not as expected, fills the pages of the book.

Binelli has also included many scenes that fluctuate between the "real" and the "fake." These include panoramic backdrops in some of the Sacco and Vanzetti films, photographs, paintings, stories, costumes, ventriloquists and dummies (where does the voice reside?), historical figures that meet Sacco and Vanzetti (Mussolini, Ezra Pound, Italo Balbo, Helen Keller), and movies both real and imagined. In one of the more memorable scenes, Vanzetti is out on the "deck" of a "ship" that is really an elaborate set on a soundstage. The ocean scene is a lengthy panoramic painting that is rolled past the set to simulate movement of the "ship" on the "ocean." The problem is that at the same time that Binelli is describing the "set," Vanzetti and another character, one of the painters of the panorama, are "experiencing" the "ship" as though it were real. The stranger/painter even experiences seasickness: "Then, abruptly, he leaned over the rail and began to retch." What is real, what is a "set," or, in the words of Pilate to Jesus, what is truth? Jesus would declare that he is. But, that is not going to work here.

Another "trick" of Binelli's is to describe a scene from one of the Sacco and Vanzetti films (such as Sacco and Vanzetti Dessert the Cause, Ventriloquism and Its Discontents, Mars Needs Sacco and Vanzetti!). The problem that we are confronted with is that we are hearing monologues and dialogues that could not possibly have appeared on film. The conversations are both internal and external, but mostly between the people known as Sacco and Vanzetti and "the extras" rather than the screen characters that Sacco and Vanzetti play in the film (oftentimes referred to as Fatty and Skinnny, even though they are mostly the same in build and proportion). Therefore, there are three "levels" of truth at play: (1) conversations, thoughts, and actions of the "real" Sacco and Vanzetti; (2) conversations, thoughts, and actions of the "fictional" Sacco and Vanzetti that are the protagonists of the novel; and, (3) conversations, thoughts, and actions of the "characters" "Sacco/Fatty" and "Vanzetti/Skinny" played by the "fictional" "Sacco" and "Vanzetti," who in turn are alternative versions of the "real" "Sacco" and "Vanzetti." The interplay between the three levels, and sometimes not knowing who is speaking, or at what level of "truth" we as readers are located, has the effect of making us as readers very aware of the structure of the novel. Simultaneously, Binelli "pulls the rug out from under us" and allows the narrative to involve us to the point that we forget the structure of the novel and are once again involved in the story as story, for the sake of its own enjoyment.

At times, I found it hard to believe that this is Mark Binelli's first novel. If this is the level of all of his future offerings then I will be a devoted reader. I am ready to suspend the "truth" (just as I know that is ultimately impossible) for awhile and sit back for the show, knowing that as I enjoy it I will also be challenged and not just taken for granted as a reader. Truth, indeed.

MORE MARYHILL DREAMS

Lead Pencil Studio wins Fourth Annual (2006) Stranger Genius Award for Visual Art. Lead Pencil Studio is the duo of artists/architects Annie Han and Dan Mihalyo, who were responsible for the Maryhill Double.

Congratulations to both of them!

THE JOYS OF LIFE

A sky filled with layers of gray clouds. Falling leaves. A whiff of wood smoke. A thin gauze of fog hovering over the river. A day of rain. Reading near the fire on a day of rain. A mug of hot chocolate. Autumn.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Red Menace Big Amber Ale by Hale's Ales

This is a delightfully fruity and floral amber ale that is well-balanced between hops and malt. I enjoy amber ales and this has to be one of my favorites.

For me, a good food and beer pairing means that each highlights the flavors of the other. The wife made her homemade chili and scones. The spiciness of the chili brought the fruit and floral tones of Red Menace to the forefront. Similarly, Red Menace highlighted the cumin and other spices of the chili, as well as the "yeastiness" of the scones.

The meal got better with every bite and quaff, for which one can only hope.

on THE TAPHANDLE

I started dropping hints to the wife that maybe we needed to turn part of our laundry room in our basement into a beer and wine cellar. I thought it would be a nice place to build a stock of various brews and vintages for entertaining as well as our own consumption. Then I stumbled upon our "starter" stock.

Sometime during the summer, I misplaced a half-case of beer. The wife assured me that it had been consumed during our Independence Day picnic and bocce ball tournament. That seemed like a reasonable explanation until I found the missing beer in the clutter of our basement pantry.

Now I have the most variety of beer in the house that I have ever had at one time, which is nice because I am almost guaranteed to find a match for any dish the wife cooks. (And, no, I am not being sexist in that statement—the wife expresses herself through the culinary arts, and spends a lot of time cooking.)

The current stock of beer includes:

1. Pumpkin Ale by Buffalo Bill's Brewery, Hayward CA


2. Red Menace Big Amber Ale by Hale's Ales, Seattle WA


3. Twilight Seasonal Ale by Deschutes Brewery, Bend OR


4. Buzzsaw Brown Ale by Deschutes Brewery, Bend OR


5. Alaskan Winter Ale by Alaskan Brewing Company, Juneau AK


6. Okto Festival Ale by Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Portland OR


7. Steam Pumper IPA by Fire Station 5 Brewing Company, Portland OR


8. Fire Rock Pale Ale by Kona Brewing Company, Kona HI


9. Guinness Draught by St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland
   

So, I guess the dream has somewhat come true. I just need to ensure that supply keeps up with demand!

HAPPENSTANCE

"Language, on one level, constitutes a set of codes and social and historical agreements. Nonsense doesn't per se break down the codes; speaking precisely that which the codes forbid breaks the codes."

—Kathy Acker, Empire of the Senseless

A few days ago, I was visiting the Center for Book Culture website to check on the newly released and forthcoming books from Dalkey Archive Press. When I was there, I noticed a link that I am sure has always been there but that has repeatedly eluded my attention. It is a series of author interviews. The first interview listed, since she is first in alphabetical order, is Kathy Acker.

I love Kathy Acker's writing. When I was younger I loved her writing because it was subversive and obscene; it was in your face and "giving the finger" to anyone who was "The Man." As I have aged, I love her writing for different reasons. I love it because it makes you think as a reader. It assumes that you know something, and if you don't then you had better quickly learn. It borrows and assimilates and transforms and annihilates cultural references.

In the interview, Acker talks about her "plagiarism," her delving into established texts and turning them inside-out. She talks about how the culmination of her playing with texts is made known in Empire of the Senseless (which at the time of the interview in 1988 was her most recent book). It is a disjointed novel that follows two characters—Abhor, part robot and part human, and Thivai, pirate—in the wasteland of near future, postapocalyptic Paris. The interview sent me to its pages once again and I just started to randomly thumb through it, remembering pieces of the narrative.

By happenstance, the first passage I opened to was the text quoted above (page 134). I believe it to be the modus operandi of Acker in all of her novels. She is trying to end the virus that language has become a la the "theory" of William S. Burroughs, who was similarly trying to break language's stranglehold upon reality. She is trying to break the codes by writing the forbidden.

The second passage I opened to was the following (page 164):

"What is language? Does anyone speak to anyone? Is language computer language, journalese, dictation of expectation and behaviour, announcement of the allowed possibilities or reality? Does language control like money?"

The question asked by one of the characters is pertinent to today when we hide from one another behind the facades of Myspace accounts, blogs, email addresses, text messages, cell phones, while simultaneously publishing intimate details and pictures of our lives on our personal websites. We hide in a world of lies, where we have killed truth but won't acknowledge our own culpability.

These two passages from Empire of the Senseless became all the more meaningful for me this week when I discovered that the Puyallup Library had obtained a copy of Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die! by Mark Binelli. (I was planning on buying it when I had a few extra dollars to spend.) I checked it out and am now one-third through the novel. Binelli is also playing with language and codes in his "attack" on "established texts." Sacco and Vanzetti in Binelli's imaginings are not the anarchists who were executed by the U. S. Federal Government for their "crimes," but vaudeville stars cum film actors in the vein of Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello.

Binelli not only challenges the "codes and social and historical agreements" but even himself, as in this statement from the fictional film critic Hylo Pierce (page 50):

"This may be a personal bias, but from my standpoint, there's always a certain depseration implied on the part of the artist in trotting out a prominent cultural figure, whether this occurs in a film or a novel or an epic mural."

Hilarious stuff, if you ask me.

Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die!, like Empire of the Senseless, is dense with cultural references. It is also a somewhat difficult read (although more enjoyable than Empire) due to the rich tapestry of interconnections that Binelli weaves. I keep finding myself having to backtrack a few pages to make sure I have all of the relationships between individual artworks and persons in place. (Binelli also "forces" the reader to do the same with his Supplementary Material interludes that are critical to the narrative.) I am glad that Binelli is challenging not only my own assumptions about the world but also my intelligence, all the while making it fun.

I am looking forward to what Binelli does in the last two-thirds of the book, although that is another story for another time.

PICK OF THE WEEK

The child was very excited to go to the pumpkin patch. The child wore new boots. The child repeatedly ran through the kid's hay maze, from which we had to coax her because she was having so much fun. The child lifted pumpkins, patted pumpkins, rolled pumpkins, and attempted to place stray pumpkins back where they belonged.

There were far too many people that had the same idea, but I endured the crowds. The weather was good for early fall in the Pacific Northwest, so everyopne decided to escape their homes for awhile. Despite the pumpkin patch being packed, we had a good time. The child, the wife, and I needed to escape our own house, especially after a few weeks of sharing various illnesses. The pumpkin patch was a pleasant curative to our previous isolation.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Guinness Draught (in a can!) by St. James's Gate Brewery

Okay, so its in a can. I tend to avoid beer in cans. I prefer to drink them in pint glasses or other glassware. I will drink from a bottle.

First, I received eight cans as a gift from a friend who was moving to Washington D.C. and didn't want to take them with her or drink them prior. (What? I don't get it either, but I am not complaining.) She knows my love of Guinness so I gladly accepted.

Second, Guinness can's have this nifty little widget that gives the can a head, which is rather important to the taste and texture of the Guinness experience. When you open the can you can hear the widget get all crazy in the depths of the can. So, the can really is intended to make sure that Guinness excites all of your senses, which it does rather well.

The Guinness itself was great, and with it being a surprise gift, this can was highly enjoyed!

on THE TAPHANDLE

Okto Festival Ale by Widmer Brothers Brewing

I have had this beer three times and am still not quite sure what to make of it. To be fair, the first and second time I drank it I was sick, the first with a major cold and the second most likely with a touch of the flu. If I had used those two tastings as the standard, I would not recommend this beer. But, the third time I tasted it, on Thursday night, I liked it much more.

It is easier to taste the malt than the hops, which may be part of the reason I am undecided. I tend to like beers with intense or powerful flavors. Okto is more subtle. It went well with the wife's steak fajitas. The maltiness and the floral notes nicely complemented the spices and lemon of the fajita rub.

I will have to try Okto again and really pay attention to what is there. This will probably not make it into my circle of favorite beers but I wouldn't turn it down.

CHOO CHOO TRAIN DREAMS

I have been researching various aspects of the history of Puyallup. This is partly due to the dream I had of writing as a guest columnist, every four or five weeks for a year, for the Puyallup Herald. I saw the call for such writers and worked hard to meet their deadline for sample columns and a cover letter. The day prior to the deadline, I realized that I really did not want to write within the constraints that they had constructed for these guest columnists, and hated all of the research and preparation for the submission. I didn't hate the research and preparation itself, only the fact that it was being done for this particular project that I could never really "get behind." I did enjoy the research, the discipline of writing, the approach of the deadline. I am going to use some of the research in some poems and in some pieces I have loosely outlined. So, I don't feel like any of it was wasted time.

I have also been researching elements of Puyallup's history because I am interested in some of those elements for personal reasons. I am fascinated by the trains that run through Puyallup almost constantly. We can hear trains throughout the day and night. The Pacific Railway Act of 1862 led to the creation of the transcontinental railroads, which subsequently led to the laying of tracks throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Puyallup.

I have also been photographing the trains whenever the child and I encounter them on our wanderings through town.

Our many encounters with trains have led the child to create a game. Whenever the child and I pull the car into the driveway, the child starts yelling, "Daddy, choo choo train coming. Hurry. Hurry." Once we leave the car, we run as fast as we can to the door, unlock it, rush inside, and slam the door closed. Then the child exclaims, "That was close one." Occasionally, the game continues in the house, with me playing the train which is "chasing" and the child running around screaming. The child thoroughly enjoys the chase. The child also thoroughly enjoys listening for trains and letting us know that they "are coming." She is hearing trains well before I can discern their whistles.

All in all, a lot of fun. A good dream.

GOD'S DREAMS

You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals." For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
—Psalm 90:3-6

We are like dreams, indeed.

The days are difficult. The family battles ills and sickness. I am fatigued.

North Korea plays with things it should not. We consider things we should not.

I am writing, though. I have been furiously working on some "assignments," which are keeping me busy between working and caring for the child. I haven't written like this in some time. It feels good. Slowly, the discipline returns. Now, I just need some more time to read and recharge. I need some time to dream.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Alaskan Winter Ale by Alaskan Brewing Company

This is one of my all time favorite beers.

The only question I have is: if this is a winter seasonal beer then what is it doing in stores at the beginning of fall? This is the earliest I have seen it released. I guess the beer market must be getting really competitive because I have noticed other winter ales being released already. (Seasonal beers seem to be having longer and longer "seasons.") Please don't get me wrong, however. I will drink it.

Alaskan Winter Ale is brewed with spruce tips and this year I can really taste them. In 2004, the flavor of the spruce tips was strong; in 2005, the flavor was slightly less; in 2006, the spruce tips are at the forefront. This beer is less hoppy and more malty than many of the beers I favor, but the earthiness of this ale, along with the taste of spruce really makes it a great beer. Highly recommended.

MOTORCYCLE DREAMS

The child is napping after a wonderful lunch of "carrots and peas, pasta and cheese" casserole. I am taking advantage of said napping to get the yard ready for the impending rain. I am mowing the lawn when I hear snippets of siren from a police cruiser and then a low rumble. My first thought was that Mount Rainier was having a mudflow. Then I saw motorcycle after motorcycle entering Puyallup, which soon became hundreds of them. The police cruiser was racing ahead to intersections and letting the motorcycles through. The whole dream lasted about five minutes and then the rumble and roar was gone. Then I was back in the yard behind the lawn mower again.

[I also got to use my chainsaw, which was rather fun. The neighbor behind me is a 90 year old woman who is unable to get around very well. She has a spruce tree that is too close to the chain link fence that separates our yards and it was beginning to damage the fence. With her permission I removed the tree. When I topped the tree, the weight being removed from the trunk pushed the ladder I was on back a few feet before it dropped against the tree again. That was pretty scary because I thought I was going to take a fall. But, I finished removing the trunk, cut the entire tree up, and cut out and buried as much of the stump as possible. You can no longer tell that a tree was ever there.]

PICK OF THE WEEK

This morning, the child and I needed to escape the house. The past week has been one of the entire family being ill—the child crabby and continuously testing the limits of independence, the wife and the child with the stomach flu, myself recovering from a major cold and its accompanying fatigue. So, we headed off to wander around Puyallup.

The child and I found ourselves at Meeker Mansion for the annual cider squeeze. We didn't personally transform any apples into cider through our own labor; we watched others work. I took pictures of Meeker Mansion, the grounds, the many trains that trundled past, the cider squeeze workers, the citizens who came to squeeze apples. The child ate snacks and listened to the musicians—guitarists, two mandolinists, and a plethora of violinists—who played folk tunes.

It was nice to be out of the house, enjoying the cool, misty air.

SOUTH PARK DREAMS

The wife is home sick. The child is sick and now sleeping. So, what am I doing? I am attempting to do some research on a couple of articles that I am writing. I am also planning out a few upcoming poetry submissions.

I should be taking great advantage of some time alone. I keep finding things to distract myself, however. One such item would be this South Park rendition of me, wearing my glasses, of course. You can create your own South Park character or version of yourself here. Have fun!

NUCLEAR DREAMS

President Bush's Statement on North Korea Nuclear Test
Diplomatic Reception Room

9:58 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Last night the government of North Korea proclaimed to the world that it had conducted a nuclear test. We're working to confirm North Korea's claim. Nonetheless, such a claim itself constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The United States condemns this provocative act. Once again North Korea has defied the will of the international community, and the international community will respond.

This was confirmed this morning in conversations I had with leaders of China, and South Korea, Russia, and Japan. We reaffirmed our commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, and all of us agreed that the proclaimed actions taken by North Korea are unacceptable and deserve an immediate response by the United Nations Security Council.

The North Korean regime remains one of the world's leading proliferator of missile technology, including transfers to Iran and Syria. The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States, and we would hold North Korea fully accountable of the consequences of such action.

The United States remains committed to diplomacy, and we will continue to protect ourselves and our interests. I reaffirmed to our allies in the region, including South Korea and Japan, that the United States will meet the full range of our deterrent and security commitments.

Threats will not lead to a brighter future for the North Korean people, nor weaken the resolve of the United States and our allies to achieve the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Today's claim by North Korea serves only to raise tensions, while depriving the North Korean people of the increased prosperity and better relations with the world offered by the implementation of the joint statement of the six-party talks. The oppressed and impoverished people of North Korea deserve that brighter future.

Thank you.

END 10:01 A.M. EDT

[from www.whitehouse.gov]

---

"The 'real' world has become stranger than a Steve Erickson novel."
—Troy's Work Table, "on THE NIGHTSTAND," Thursday, October 05, 2006

I stand by my previous statement.

I am not the only one who has the dreams. Obviously, so do the people of North Korea. In addition to the populations of China, Great Britain, India, Pakistan, France, the republics of the former Soviet Union, and the United States. You can also be sure that the people of Israel are having the dreams, but they aren't talking. And, the people of Iran may be beginning to dream.

It is interesting how easily "intolerable" can transform into "diplomacy." But dream language is fluid and disjointed. It doesn't have to make sense. We make sense out of it later. We construct sense. We fill in the gaps and holes. We create narrative.

So, let me drift into slumber again. And dream. And dream. And dream...

PICK OF THE WEEK

There is nothing quite like watching a silent film while a good musical score is performed live. The wife and I used to go to The Speakeasy in Seattle to watch iv bricoleurs perform scores for film classics such as Der Golem and Narrow Trail. Those are some of my favorite film moments and memories. Now I can add another.

At the first annual Tacoma Film Festival, there was the opportunity to catch the 1920 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, directed by John S. Robertson, and starring John Barrymore in the dual role. The music was provided by the Devil's Music Ensemble, a trio of guitarist, percussionist, and violinist/xylophonist. All three musicians also use keyboards and effects pedals to manipulate the sound of their respective instruments.

The opening salvo of guitar and feedback was enough that I could feel it in my sternum and thought my shoulders were going to shear off. From then until the end of the film, Devil's Music Ensemble played to the strengths of the movie and John Barrymore's performance as both Jekyll and Hyde. The score matched the screen action well, heightening dramatic moments as well as the psychological turmoil of Jekyll/Hyde.

Another interesting feature of the film was that the interior shots were tinted sepia, the exterior shots were tinted blue, a story within the story was "straight" black-and-while, and a crucial scene of Jekyll/Hyde becoming one (when Jekyll can no longer control the "evil beast") was tinted yellow. The music played off of the color tints nicely.

Now I have another great movie experience to add to my film memories and to my dreams.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Fire Rock Pale Ale by Kona Brewing Company

We had friends over for dinner. The wife decided to try her hand at Pad Thai so I was ready with Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, because the fruitiness nicely offsets some of the "heat" of Thai food, and Widmer Brother's Okto, their version of an Oktoberfest "Munich-style" amber that I have yet to taste. The friends brought a six-pack of Fire Rock Pale Ale. Even with the other beers ready to go, I had to try the new beer.

My friend first had Fire Rock while vacationing in Hawaii and thought I would appreciate some. I did.

It had a good, hoppy aroma; a nice reddish-amber color, that Kona likes to call copper (which is a better descriptor than reddish-amber); and a sweet, slightly nutty, flavor full of hops. The flavor began smooth and subtle, increasing in intensity the longer it sat upon my tongue. It was a good complement for the Pad Thai. Like Pumpkin Ale, the sweetness of the ale helped reduce some of the spiciness. Fire Rock will soon be put into heavier rotation in the refrigerator.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Oktoberfest Northwest, a collaborative project between Festivals Inc. (producers of the Bite of Seattle and Taste of Tacoma) and the Western Washington Fair Association.

I am disappointed with this event for the second time in two years. Its inaugural year in 2005 had much to be desired, and according to the event's website the two producers (Festivals Inc. & WWFA) listened to the requests of those who attended and "made it better." I am not sure what they mean by that phrase because this Oktoberfest event still has a long way to go.

The child and I arrived ready for some polka music, some good German food, and some good beer. We arrived shortly after the fairgrounds opened for the event. We paid the $6 admission fee and were on our way. When we entered the Festhalle Biergarten it felt as though they still needed another half hour or so to finish preparations for the arrival of attendees. Therefore, the child and I wandered over to the Scandinavian Heritage Festival, which runs concurrently and under the same admission. This is where most people were. There was also a wide variety of moderately priced Norwegian food—lefse, lutefisk, Swedish meatballs, pastries. The child and I wandered around until she began to complain that she was hungry. So, back to the Festhalle we went.

We went and bought one beer ticket for $5. Then we went and purchased some lunch from one of the food vendors. Bavarian Bratwurst Schnitzel Haus served us Hungarian goulash on homemade spätzel noodles with a green salad and house dressing. The small portions were served on a small paper plate. This cost $8. We found a table close to the stage so we could enjoy the music of the Gordonairs Canadian Alpine Folk Band. We set down our food and headed off to one of the "bars" for the $5 beer.

One of the things that the Oktoberfest Northwest website promises is "extended choices in German beers." There were five—Lowenbrau, Lowenbrau "Traditional" Oktoberfest, Paulaner, Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen, and Warsteiner. Becks and Hofbrau, which were supposed to have beers at the event according to the website, were not represented. I was hoping to try a beer I had not had before so I ordered the Lowenbrau Oktoberfest. The beer I recieved—served in a 12-ounce plastic cup!—seemed too pale for an Oktoberfest so I stated that I had ordered the Lowenbrau Oktoberfest and not a regular Lowenbrau. I was assured that I did receive the Lowenbrau Oktoberfest.

The child and I returned to the table with our beer and began to eat our goulash. The goulash and spätzel were wonderful, but the small portion we received was not worth the money that we paid. And, to top it off, I took a drink of the "Lowenbrau Oktoberfest" to discover that it was indeed a "regular" Lowenbrau. I know what it tastes like. I also know what every other Oktoberfest I have drank looks like—they all have a reddish amber color, not the pale straw color of the beer I was given.

Anyway, we ate and drank. We listened to the Gordonairs play polkas and drinking songs. They were quite talented and helped to remove some of the sourness of the day. The visuals of this Oktoberfest were rather good as well, with the hall full of flags, color, and German "flavor." However, I will not be duped for a third time. I will have to find some other way to celebrate Oktoberfest, and it will definitely not be at Oktoberfest Northwest.

[For the record, I am not cheap when it comes to good food and good beer. However, I do expect to get that for which I pay, which I did not, in more ways than one. Since Oktoberfest Northwest is geared toward eating and drinking German food and beer, with the only real entertainment being the bands that play—with a half-hearted attempt to include other German entertainment such as Hammerschlagen and Corn Hole Toss—why not get rid of the $6 admission? It seems to already be built into the prices of the food and beer.

I can go the Gast House Bakery in Sumner, Washington and get some reasonably priced goulash that is as good or better than that served at Oktoberfest Northwest. I can also get some good beer and pub fare at The Powerhouse, Fritz, Silver City, or a dozen other quality pubs, without paying an admission fee. Most of these pubs also have their own "flavor" or ambiance, so I am not missing anything and my wallet is $6 heavier.]

on THE NIGHTSTAND

Amnesiascope by Steve Erickson

Well, it has finally happened: the "real" world has become stranger than a Steve Erickson novel. With a summer and early fall that had the worst national wildfire season on record; multiple school shootings involving disturbed individuals and perverts; a Florida politician in charge of drafting Internet predator laws likely preying upon young male pages via email, while his political party's leadership knowingly covers up for him; drug recalls; an E-coli tainted spinach ban; various viruses on the verge of becoming pandemics; a country mired in a Middle East war, with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as the beginning of the nightmare, with more to follow; and a presidential cabinet that is hallucinatory, fueled by oil dreams and fundamentalist Christianity; it is hard to read a Steve Erickson novel and believe that he is not a visionary.

I am currently reading his novel Amnesiascope. Like many of his other novels filled with his surreal, apocalyptic imagery and imaginings, Amnesiascope is a parallel universe that teeters on the verge of breaking into our own lives. Elements from preceding novels Days Between Stations, Rubicon Beach, and Tours of the Black Clock make appearances here and elements from Amnesiascope will crop up in following novels The Sea Came In At Midnight and Our Ecstatic Days. The Cathode Flower Club, the film Death of Marat by Adolphe Sarre (as well as the character Adophe Sarre, from Days Between Stations), and imploding Los Angeles are a few of the recurrent themes that play a prominent role in Amnesiascope.

The self-effacement and doubt that plagues all of Erickson's narrators is prevalent here in the life of the nameless protagonist. Time and memory are highlighted as per usual. Sexuality destroys relationships as the "real" world crumbles around the narrator and the other characters.

It feels good to shrug off some of the cares of the "real" world and move into this fictional realm, even if it oftentimes feels real itself. I haven't been within the pages, walls, and geography of a good novel for some time, but am glad to have made the journey.

Also on THE NIGHTSTAND right now:

*Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx—I started reading this because it contains the short story "Brokeback Mountain," which is much better than the film directed by Ang Lee. That, however, is another story for another time.

*Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 by Annie Proulx—Some of the stories in Close Range pushed me toward this volume of short stories.

*The September issue of The Believer, "The Games Issue," with interesting articles on Dungeons & Dragons founder and "creator" E. Gary Gygax, Oulipo, and video wargames.

PICK OF THE WEEK

The pick of the week is Fritz European Fry House of Bremerton, Washington. The child and I wandered back that way for some Belgian fries and ale.

I indulged in Naughty Nellie's Amber Ale by Pike Brewing Company. I don't know who Nellie is, but if she is as good as her namesake beer then I am in trouble if I ever run into her. Nellie was sweet and light, with a wonderful perfume of hops.

The child and I split a chicken basket that included tender strips of chicken breasts and Belgian fries, along with two dipping sauces—sweet chili and honey dijon. The child dipped her fries in the honey dijon; I dipped my fries in the sweet chili for sweetness with a slight kick, and my chicken in the honey dijon, all the while nursing Naughty Nellie. The weather was perfect early fall in the Pacific Northwest—gray and gloom, a vague hint of mist in the air, the threat of rain at any moment. Therefore, the child and I sat inside on the barstools facing the counter. This allowed us to watch Andy, the owner of Fritz, as he bantered with other customers. He is a funny guy who knows how to read his customer. He knew when he could joke or prod a little, as well as when to play it straight. He was also playing a Social Distortion album, which felt like the perfect music for that early afternoon.

After the child and I finished eating, I asked Andy if I could photograph his menu board. He seemed a little reluctant until I explained that I was going to use it for one of my on THE TAPHANDLE posts, and that it was free advertising. He then told me, tongue in cheek, that I could photograph whatever I wanted. He also offered me a sample of Der Blokken, a porter-style beer that he brews himself and keeps on tap in the fry house. He brews Der Blokken at Heads Up Brewing in Silverdale, Washington. Heads Up is a combination of "pub, micro brewery specialty bottled beer store, and brew on premises," which means that you can home brew in their facility on their equipment. This is how Andy makes larger quantities of Der Blokken than what he would be able to do in his kitchen.

Der Blokken was a great beer. It was almost black in color; had a strong head (even for the small sample cup I had); and a rich, roasted flavor that tasted of dark chocolate. I am going to have to have a full pint next time around.

I will have to be making another visit to Fritz very soon. You should too. You can drive to Bremerton or take a trip on one of the Washington State Ferries. Then, you can settle onto a barstool, sip on your Naughty Nellie or Der Blokken or one of the other fine ales on tap or in bottle, and enjoy some Belgian fries.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Pumpkin Ale by Buffalo Bill's Brewery

My favorite time of year is fall. I love all of the associations that it stirs up for me—the return to school and college, the smell of woodsmoke, wearing sweaters, cool mornings and warm afternoons, and Pumpkin Ale. The latter is an acquired taste, and one that I had to work through, but the reward is worth it.

I first tasted Pumpkin Ale a few years ago on a whim. I wasn't too sure that I actually liked it. It has become, however, one of my favorite beers.

Pumpkin Ale is brewed with pumpkin and spices. You can think of it as pumpkin pie in a bottle with an undergirding of beer. This beer smells like pumpkin, when poured has a nice amber color, and has a good clean head that doesn't linger around for too long. Pumpkin is at the forefront of its flavor, with nutmeg and other spices moving in rather quickly, followed by the taste of the malt. The pumpkin is the primary flavor, though.

It was recommended to me one or two years ago that this beer is best served with Thai food. I had the opportunity to test this recommendation on Friday evening. Friends invited us over for a three-course Thai meal. Each course increased in level of spiciness, and the Pumpkin Ale became even better as the heat increased. The sweetness of the fruit in the beer countered the spiciness of the food, which made the heat more bearable, as well as further highlighted the nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon of the beer. The Thai dishes and ale were perfect complements for one another.

I hope that autumn takes its time because that will give me plenty more time to drink some Pumpkin Ale. I am not holding out much hope for that, however, because I saw Pyramid Brewing's Snow Cap Ale in stores. Snow Cap is a winter ale. Please let us stay in the correct season for a while. It is like Christmas coming to Costco the last week of August. Let us get to back-to-school and Halloween before bringing out the Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Let us enjoy our Pumpkin Ale while the leaves are beginning to change from green to yellows, oranges, reds, and browns.