Saturday, August 29, 2015

Dancing Dog Liquor License Revoked

Alexandria Bay:

The NYS Alcohol Beverage Control Board whisked away the Dancing Dog Nightclub liquor license.
The reason for the revocation seems to involve a church proximity clause. It is all mumbo jumbo to me.
Bottom line is this....

The Dancing Dog has not violated any of the laws that would normally result in license revocation. 
Our Community does not need another business closed or crippled.

There is a petition circulating To Reopen The Dancing Dog Nightclub. You can sign the petition at the Dancing Dog Cafe, which is still open and serving meals daily.....


Bloggers Note: My purpose for making this post was to let as many people know that the Dancing Dog was in trouble. I and many others feel that the decision of the ABC BOARD was made in haste and without due process. Anytime a state or federal agency usurps "Due Process" it becomes everyone's concern


click to enlarge





















Friday, August 28, 2015

Caucuses

Village of Alexandria Bay:

A meeting of Registered  Village Democrats will be held on Thursday September 10th 2015 @ 5:30 pm Village Of Alexandria Bay Community Room 110 Walton Street.

Members will be caucusing for the following Village Board seats:

One Mayor 2 year term
Two Village Trustee Seats 2 year term


Town Of Alexandria:

A meeting of Registered  Town Democrats will be held on Friday September 11th 2015 @ 5:30 pm 
Village Of Alexandria Bay Community Room 110 Walton Street.

Members will be caucusing for the following Town Board seats:

One Town Supervisor 2 year term
Two Town Councilpersons 4 year term


Members will also be caucusing for the following Town Office:

One Town Justice 4 year term


Candidates from each caucus will appear on the November 3rd Election Day Ballot



Friday, August 21, 2015

T.I.P.S. To Insure Proper Service

Alexandria Bay:

I have not been downtown in over a year. It was not any one thing but a whole list of why I stopped frequenting bars. "Just fed up with all the B.S." is what I tell anyone that wants to really know.

"I am never going back there again" were the words I had to eat.  Eat them I did, because I was compelled to attend a music event. An event that  no fan would miss. So I put on my big boy pants and entered the establishment I had not been to in over a year but used to visit almost daily. I was prepared for the.... "Hey! Where ya been"? And all the other trite sayings that go with a wayward loyal customer that makes a return after a lengthy hiatus.

So I ordered a beer and it was set in front of me. I had a five in hand but I was told.... "Hey... this one is on us.... we missed you"! I thought to myself "ok, I felt like the prodigal customer". But I also thought "you are still on probation".

Later, after finishing my welcome back beer, I ordered another one. Come hell or high water, I was paying for this one because in my mind nobody rides for free. Everybody deserves to make a buck. So I handed over my five and it was taken without any squawking. I patiently waited for my buck and a quarter change, but it never came. Apparently the bartender got busy. This happens, so I waited till I could get their attention. That never happened, so I said to myself, "Jim, you were going to put that buck and a quarter in the T.I.P.S. jar any ways". But, the fact remains..... I WANTED TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I get satisfaction from making that ceremonial  T.I.P.S. jar donation.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I made a special trip to the same bar to listen to one of my favorite solo musicians. I ordered a beer from that same bartender and handed over a ten. Got my change back and tossed a buck and a quarter into the T.I.P.S. jar. Feeling pretty happy I sat down with my beer and listened to the music.

Later, I went to order another beer but this time it was a different bartender. One that I do not know. So I handed her four ones keeping a single in my hand. She was pleasant enough so I had every intention of scooping up my quarter change and tossing it in the T.I.P.S. jar with the single. I watched in dismay as she took it upon herself to take my quarter change right from the till and toss it into the jar that was located at my left elbow. I heard it clink and thought SON OF A BITCH..... did she just do that? I had to bite my lip and not let out a spew of WTF OMG WTF. I know it was only a quarter but I WANTED TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I wanted to be generous and add a buck to that quarter because the bartender was pleasant. So I slipped the buck into my pocket and grabbed my beer. Listened to the music and left.

Since this bar is on my personal probation..... I WILL NEVER EVER BE BACK. And you can take that to the bank with the quarter you stole from me!

Monday, August 17, 2015

Pat Fitzsimmons: A Video Memoriam


In this post, are a series of videos that I took over the past 5 years of Pat Fitzsimmons. Pat loved to perform with fellow musicians and family members who shared the same love for music.

The video's vary in recorded quality but are none the less moments
captured of Pat doing what he loved the most.

















Bloggers NoteAs a young boy, I marveled at Pats defiance of gravity as he flung himself skyward off of ski jumps at Dry Hill. Years would pass and I was a ski instructor at Dry Hill. I found myself in awe as I watched a man gracefully ski down the slopes wearing a trench coat, not your usual attire for sure. Of course it was Pat, donning the boards after a hiatus from skiing. It was years later that I started following The Fitzsimmon's family as they performed around Alex Bay. In conversation, Pat and I chuckled at how we orbited each others lives but never really met until then. He was a gentle man who loved his family and friends. Even though we did not spend a lot of time together as friends, Pat always made me feel as though we had been friends for life......