By Paddy Notar
Turnagain Times Correspondent

The Vicky Cox Memorial Softball Tournament happened across the street from the Brown Bear Saloon this past weekend. All proceeds go to the Kidney Foundation. It was the usual insanity and the Brown Bear team, of course, lost all of their games.

The Girdwood team represented themselves very well and look to be a force to reckon with in the future. I’ve never seen so many people from Girdwood so serious all at once. I felt like I was at a GBOS meeting.

I think the key to victory is to avoid the kegs of beer that are donated and to go to bed early in the evening instead of early in the morning.

A special thanks to Coach Mitch of the Brown Bear for being the fun guy that he is and tolerating all of his players. By the way, when there’s one out and you have a runner at third, you send that runner home on a deep infield grounder. It’s just common sense. I’m positive next year is the year the Brown Bear wins the tournament.

If you’re in town, check out Oktoberfest food specials at O’Brady’s in the Huffman plaza at the end of the month and into early October. They have a great German potato salad, Viennese chicken, and the famous Wiener Schnitzel. Grab your groceries at Carr’s and stop in for a taste of Germany that only comes around once a year. You won’t be disappointed.

Seven Glaciers presents Tablos Creek and Chateau de Beaucastel on Sept. 17. There will be a chefs tasting to accompany the wines. Check on the resorts website for more details.

Also, Sunday, Sept. 18 is the Tram to Tram Fun Run. You start at the Alyeska tram and go to the Winner Creek hand tram and then back to the hotel.

There’s a cookout afterwards at the Glacier Express. The fun for your legs starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. The fee is $20 dollars but feel free to run as much as you want.

Of course Alyeska is having their Oktoberfest on Sept. 23 and 24 from 6 p.m. until midnight. It’s at the Daylodge. Admission is $5 dollars for general entry or $15 gets you a filled beer stein that you can take home with you, if you’re 21 or older. On Friday, Sept. 30 It’s Blues and Brews at the Daylodge from 6 p.m. until midnight.

Live music with Rebel Blues and Full Tilt headline the event and there will be food from the Turnagain Arm Pit. The fees are the same as Oktoberfest. Children 12 and under are free, there’s a $5 dollar general cover charge and $15 dollars gets you a filled beer stein. Get the barbecued ribs, pour the homemade sauce over them, and eat like you just got done fasting for a week. There is nothing like good barbeque so go put some south in your mouth.

There isn’t much time left for mushroom picking but the heavy rains we had in August have helped keep the Great Belize mushrooms stay around a little longer. Get your friends together and head into Hope on the weekend. These mushrooms grow everywhere and are some of the tastiest you can find.

Make a weekend of it and end up at Bowman’s Bear Creek Lodge for a nice relaxing dinner. Tell Kent Bowman that Paddy said hello, and he’ll ask you to say hello back to me. Bowman’s has some of the greatest dining I’ve had and their cabins are all unique. It’s the best secret around. Until now it was. Do give it a try and if they have Brie on the menu order it.

Who is the only woman to swear a President into office? The answer will follow shortly.

Well, it’s getting to that time of year where the nights are pitch black and the roads are barely visible, especially if it rained. We’ve had enough accidents on the highway so don’t hesitate getting your eyes checked out. Eberle Eyecare on O’Malley Center Road specializes in keeping people focused. While you’re there grab a pizza at the Firetap Alehouse Restaurant, get some cheeses and cured meats from Fromagio’s and get those glasses that you’ve been putting off. Squinting isn’t sexy but Armani glasses sure are.

Answer to trivia question: U.S. District Judge Sarah T. Hughes swore in Lyndon B. Johnson aboard Air Force One.

That’s it. Football is on, the Bills won, and the tourists are calling it a season. I’ll be doing my follow up with Maxine’s in the next issue. Speaking of food, remember what Christopher Morley once said, “Truth is not a diet but a condiment.”

Think about it and be safe.

Write to me at paddytimes@gmail.com.