I've Been In Your Mother's Bloomers... and memories of other great Valley bars

This caption would be funnier if anybody knew what bloomers were, but you can google the term if you're interested. I'm actually referring to the name of my favorite bar in Bethlehem... long gone and joins a long list of Lehigh Valley watering holes that are now just a memory. Bloomers was located on the south side just off the Lehigh U. campus, and I was there practically every Friday and Saturday night in the mid to late '80's. During the summer, I'd be there pretty much every night, as I wouldn't have to fight Lehigh students for my favorite stool. Bloomers had everything you can ask for: Friendly bartenders, food, pool tables and video games downstairs, and live music in a tiny corner of the joint. I spent many a night with Phil Stahl at his open mic night, and grooved often with Me and My Uncle, my favorite band to see there. Once Bloomers closed, we followed the regulars and one of the bartenders over to Cannon's in Allentown, now also gone. The last cook they had is now over at the Liberty Street Tavern, a bar I recently discovered, and the food is excellent!

As far as live music goes, nothing could beat Second Avenue and Mickey Kelly's. The stage at Second Avenue was so small, that usually one member of the band had stand on the dance floor in front of the stage! (and it wasn't much of a dance floor!) I used to go see the Vultures there all the time... what a great band. Mickey Kelly's would get bigger name bands there- I once saw Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers rock the place out. The Green Pine Inn in Allentown was another good place to see live acts- I used to go see Steve Brosky there (actually, we used to go see Steve everywhere he played... I guess we where his fan club). One night at the GPI my friend Andy in a drunken stupor yelled out "Steve Brosky is GOD!" I wonder if he remembers that.. I'll have to ask him next time I see him. Not TOO many people could have yelled that out at his performances. I'm glad he's still around... he sounds GREAT playing with Jimmy Meyer... you should check him out. A few of my favorite bands I used to go see were Daddy Licks, Flamin' Harry, Gandalf, and I'm sure others that I just can't recall. The Airport Music Hall was a great venue to see national acts... I finally got to sees the Ramones there after driving all the way out to some bar in central Jersey a few years earlier with my friend Sue only to be turned away when she didn't have an ID (Oh, I don't need one, I'll get in she promised me...) The Catty Shack was a good bar to see punk bands in... I saw Black Flag play there... luckily they agreed to play a 2nd show after so many showed up to see them.

If you grew up in the Lehigh Valley in the 70's or 80's, there were certain bars that you could get served at if you were under age. Bloomers was one of them. Occasionally we'd be carded and told "sorry guys, the LCB is watching us" and had to go elsewhere. I sat in the bar one night as the LCB raided the place, sitting at my usual spot with glee since I was over 21. "Good thing that never happened when we were underage" I stated, as several Lehigh students were escorted out. Getting beer when I was in High School was never a problem for me, as my friend was the center on the Freedom Basketball team and was so tall, I guess they figured "he MUST be 21!" Our favorite stop was Tom's Den for quarts of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Our alternate spots where the Open Gate Hotel and the place on 512 that used to be behind Ackerman's Diner.. it's an Italian restaraunt now, and I can't remember what was called back then.

And then there was Jersey. My older brother told me his tales of border crossings to Philllipsburg to hit the bars there so when I got to High School I knew exactly where to go. Bar's Place was probably the most popular, but our favorite P-Burg haunt was the Net, or the Coronet as it was once known. A real local pub, it shared the same feel as Bloomers did.... a real neighborhood bar with good music, cheap drinks, and I usually knew someone in there. The Net also had another unique characteristic to it: the "Bill Drink." The old geezer bartender Bill used to make the STRONGEST drinks that we named them after him. Whenever I hear "Aimee" on the radio, I think of the Net because it stayed on the jukebox all the years I hung out there and my friend George would ALWAYS play it when we were there. Now that I think of it, I never remember a fight in either Bloomers or the Net. They were both pretty laid back places... the kind of bars that are becoming extinct around here.

Your options expand when you turned 21 and we ventured out to some other great places in the Valley. I already mentioned Cannon's which had the same vibe and many of the clientele that Bloomers did and close by was another favorite: Wentz's Beers From Around the World. I cracked my friends up the first time in there when I ordered a Schmidts! Well, it was what I was drinking at the time, but became more adventurous with each visit. There's no bar in the Valley that offers that kind of selection anymore. For a while Hary's in the Hotel Traylor was a cool place with a good vibe, but when a younger crowd starting hanging out there I moved on. Sadly, that too is closed after years of nothing but problems inside and outside the place.

Most of the bars I've mentioned are no longer in existence while some continue to operate under another name. The last bar I ever called home was DiGiacomo's in Allentown. My late Uncle Joe owned it for years, and it's the last place I consistently went. It's now called Greg's West End Saloon and kudos to Greg for keeping a picture of my uncle on the wall near the front door. For several years I'd stop by for 1 or 2 beers at the most... it didn't have a juke box and I was a single guy and there were never any single women in there and they would have the tv on with reruns of some lame show and I'd get depressed. I bugged my uncle to put one in and he told me "my patrons don't want music in the bar" and I'd respond with "Well, I DO!" He finally put one in and I'd stick around for more than 1 after that. The bartender Danny would crank my favorite songs up until my uncle would call to check on things. Funny thing is, he was never in there... I'd bump into him at OTHER bars in town... I guess he was always "checking out the competition."

Rest in Peace Uncle Joe, and thanks for finally putting the juke box in.

These are MY memories of past haunts, at least the ones I remember hanging out at; feel free to share your own memories. As long as Stahley's and the Beef Baron are around, I'll still have somewhere to go for a beer, at least when my wife allows me to. Actually, with a 3 1/2 year old at home, I never have time to go anywhere for a cold one. That's why my current favorite place for a cold beer is my back porch... I know the bartender and I don't have to put any money in the juke box.

Is ANYONE Else Worried About Brad Lidge?

This was a post on my friend Greg's Facebook page last week. I had to laugh, because this is a typical native Philadelphia sports fan's typical reaction to the slightest sign of adversity.

Last year, Lidge was PERFECT... 41 saves in 41 save opportunities with a 1.95 ERA. with 92 strikeouts. (Actually, going back to the '07 season, he saved 51 in a row including the postseason.) This wasn't a good year. This wasn't even a great year. This was a PERFECT year. A super-human year. A once-in-a career year. This season, Lidge has been... well, human. As of last night, Lidge has 25 saves in 33 save opportunities. He pitched well in a non-save situation, and the Phils took 3 out of 4 from the Mets. They have a 7 game lead over the Braves as they head to Pittsburgh. So, IS it time to panic? I say not. Lidge might night be having the year he has last year, but give the guy a break... he DID set the bar pretty high. He might be 0-5 in terms of wins and losses, and an ERA of 6.75, but he's in the top 10 in NL save leaders and only 2 saves behind Trevor Hoffman... whom I consider the best reliever in the game.

The Phils are sitting in a pretty good spot right now and there's a lot to be excited about in terms of their pitching. His name is Cliff Lee. This guy is a STUD! I haven't been this thrilled to watch a pitcher since the Red Sox acquired Josh Beckett...another stud. The pressure is now off Cole Hamels to be the ace of the staff, and with the addition of Pedro Martinez, who I think can still give them a solid 5 innings and his personal reliever Jamie Moyer now in the bullpen, I think the pitching staff is pretty solid. I LOVE Jamie Moyer, and was sorry to see him leave the rotation. He's right... his veteran status and team leader in wins SHOULD count for something... but I also believe it the very reason Charlie Manuel moved him to the 'Pen. His a veteran, mature pitcher, who can handle a move like that better than a younger, more immature pitcher like Joe Blanton or Hamels. I've had the pleasure of interviewing Jamie Moyer and he's one of the classiest, friendliest ball players I've ever met. I'm sure he's not happy about the move, but his class will overcome his emotions. Besides, if the Pedro experiment doesn't work out, Moyer will be back in the rotation anyway.

Besides, there is still a LOT of baseball left to play, and the Phils have no more west coast trips left on the schedule... plenty of time to figure out if Pedro can be a solid starter, Moyer an effective reliever, and if Brad Lidge being human will be good enough for them to chase another World Series Championship.

My Woodstock Experience: I WASN'T There!

I was only 5 years old in 1969 so I did not attend Woodstock. I’ve always felt I was there in spirit however, like I SHOULD have been there. I grew up with three older brothers, the oldest of which is 10 years older than me, so for as long as I can remember, there was music all around me. I shared a room with my brother Bob who is 4 years older, so as the younger brother, I had no choice as to what music I listened to. I was turned on to the Beatles, the Stones and the Who at a very early age, and all sorts of bizarre artists…. Ever heard of Roger Ruskin Spear of the Bonzo Dog Band? His “Electric Sparks” LP was a favorite of ours.

In 1970, the Woodstock film was released and my brothers took me to see it at the theater. I was mesmerized. Between the split/triple screen effect, seeing these performers that I had heard on the radio on a giant screen, the nudity (hey, I was 6!) and the music, I was hooked.
I fell in love with the first three songs in the film…CS&N’s “Long Time Gone” and “Wooden Ships” and Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country” all heard while footage of the stage is being assembled and thousands of hippies are arriving. Many years later in my 20’s I listened to these songs as I drove up route 17B to Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, NY to visit the site. It was a moving experience to say the least.

This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair and I eagerly anticipated reading the memories and thoughts of local residents who attended. The Morning Call printed several of these, and I must admit I was a little disappointed. I guess I was expecting more provocative statements like “It changed my life forever.” It seems most who attended don’t remember much about it, but I guess that’s understandable. One poor guy reported that he never even made it to the festival site, while another remembers being soaked, hungry and cold. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure they had a great time and heard some great music, but I seem to have felt the impact of that weekend by just watching the movie as a little kid and listening to those songs for the last 40 years.

On Sunday, August 15th, 1998 I attended the “Back to the Garden” concert at the old Yasgur’s Farm site. It was the last of a 3-day weekend of music with a handful of original acts mixed with newer and local artists. David Crosby was the headliner, and I had a euphoric musical moment when he opened with “Long Time Gone.” It was so cool to be at the original Woodstock site and to hear musicians who played the original concert. It became closure for my Woodstock fascination… I was actually there…listening to Melanie and Crosby who played there in 1969. It was cool and a much better musical experience than attending the Woodstock ’94 concert. Although I got to hear some favorites like the Allman Brothers, Peter Gabriel, Traffic and CS&N to name a few, I also had to sit through Metallica and Nine Inch Nails… no peace, love and Kumbaya in THAT music, nor in their fans. I had a great time camping with my best friends for four days, but got tired of rude teens and drunken dudes who don’t know how to be cool with other people. I also had my favorite Grateful Dead shirt stolen that I had bought at a show at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. Would that have happened at the original concert in 1969? I think not. I stayed far away from Woodstock 99, anticipating the problems they eventually had. I hate to sound like my father, but kids today….

My whole rambling point here is that Woodstock was NOT just a bunch of hippies smoking dope, dropping acid, getting naked and listening to the greatest lineup of musical acts of that generation. Well….OK, it WAS, but only for those who were there. For kids like me, it gave me an identity that I hold to this day. A peace-loving, anti-war music nut. I love boxing, football and hockey. All pretty violent sports, but with rules. As a youth hockey player, I once punched out an opposing player for taking a run at our captain, yet refused to fight a kid in Junior High who had challenged me, because I just didn’t see the point and had done nothing to him to provoke it. I don’t believe in invading countries and getting involved in their wars when they have done nothing to us, yet after the 9/11 attacks on American soil I would have volunteered to fight for my country if I were young enough and about 50 pounds lighter.

During my years as a news videographer, I often did stories with Veterans, and those who served in Vietnam always complained that they were never welcomed home and never thanked. They’re right. To me, Woodstock was about that generation gathering for a weekend to show the world that they were united in their convictions: That sending men and women off to fight and die in war that we have no business being in is just wrong; To be told to keep your hair short and to do what you are told because "I said so" or "because that's the way it is" is also wrong. Also, you don’t have to actually BE at an event to affected by it. As much as I wish I was old enough to be there, I’m glad Woodstock had the positive effect on me that it did. Whenever I see a Veteran, I thank him or her for her service to our country. When I read about the death of a soldier I feel pain for their loved ones. When I see someone who needs help, I offer to help them. If I hear there’s a massive traffic jam, I do everything I can to avoid it. And one last thing…..if I EVER find the dirtbag who stole my Dead shirt, I’LL KILL ‘EM!

A Few Words About Michael Vick

I’ve been an Eagle’s fan my entire life. And when I say that, I don’t mean I’m a 22 year old beer guzzling know-it-all that ESPN tends to interview after a team like the Red Sox FINALLY wins a Championship. I’ve also been a Red Sox fan my entire life and long ago stated that I could die a happy man if the Sox and Eagles won Championships in my life time. Well, one down and one to go. I obviously had a different perspective in 2004 when my brother Bob and I drove down to Jacksonville for Super Bowl XXXIX with our $500 tickets we bought through the Eagle’s season ticket holder lottery. I met my good friend Kaner from Littleton, MA when we got there and again about an hour before kickoff. I was there to see the Super Bowl and be with a great friend I don’t see that often, while my brother was there only to see the Eagles WIN the Super Bowl. Don’t get me wrong, I ROOTED for the Eagles, but wasn’t too disappointed when they lost. The Eagles came close, and as usual, were ONE play away, ONE player making a big play away from winning it all.

I was as shocked as anybody last Thursday sitting in my seat at the Linc when on my headphones Merrill Reese informed me that the Birds were going to sign Michael Vick. I quickly flashed back to my Super Bowl experience and thought “what if the Eagles had a player like Michael Vick back then? Could HE have been the guy to make that last big play?” My point is, my next trip to the Super Bowl, if I’m lucky enough to get tickets, will be quite different. This time, I WILL be there to see them win it all, and will be as bummed out as my brother was if they don’t. I’ve complained for years that the Birds offense is too limited, too predictable, too much Brian Westbrook. They’ve desperately need a good fullback, and now they have one in Leonard Weaver. And as good as Desean Jackson and Kevin Curtis are, they STILL need a tall, strong, big play-making receiver (dare I say like T.O.) to be a REALLY good offense… a Super Bowl-winning offense. In other words, if not a wide receiver, then a player like Michael Vick.

Let me make this perfectly clear. I think what Vick did is disgusting and vile. I myself am a dog lover, and I thought for sure he would get off easy. He didn’t. Almost two years in prison is a very long time. In 1989 I traveled to Allenwood Federal Prison to interview Michael Matthews, the former Mayor of Atlantic City who was doing time for corruption. As you might know, Allenwood is known as “Club Fed” because of the tennis courts and putting greens it has for inmates. Mathews shocked us when he complained that he had to wait for MONTHS for his new sneakers, and couldn’t play tennis until he got them. We later interviewed the warden and asked him about Allenwood’s reputation as a country club for Federal prisoners. “These aren’t violent offenders” I remember him telling us. “And besides” he continued, “One night in prison…ANY prison is one night you’ve lost all freedom. You live in an 8 x 10 room of concrete, sleep on a metal bed, use a metal toilet with no privacy, told when to wake up, when to eat, when to exercise and when to sleep. You can’t kiss your wife or lover goodnight, and you certainly can’t kiss your children goodnight and say I’ll see you in the morning.” I’ll never forget his words, and he’s right. People make mistakes, and those that break the law and are caught pay a steep price.
Michael Vick paid a steep price for his involvement in this disgusting hobby. He paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance. Do you personally know someone who has done prison time? I know a few, and you would never know they spent time in prison unless they told you. They were given a second chance and have become productive members of society. So I ask you this: What else do you want Michael Vick to do? He has apologized, served his prison term and house arrest, and has already begun to work for the Humane Society and speak to young adults about never going down the path that he did. He has vowed to continue this work in Philly, and even stated that football isn’t his top priority any more, that living an enviable life is. In case you think dog fighting is rare, it isn’t. It’s a fact that it’s pretty common in Philadelphia. As a matter of fact, a common rumor was that a certain ex -Sixer star was known to frequent them. Vick can now use his past experience to educate about this popular pastime. Let’s also not forget that this was a betting operation that involved cruelty to dogs, NOT a dog-killing ring.

Michael Vick was going to be signed by SOMEBODY. Why not the Eagles? What if HE’S the one player the Eagles need to finally win a Super Bowl. I know it’s a risky move, but let’s give him a chance and see what happens. It certainly makes the Eagles a more dangerous team, if not a better one. And you know all those haters will be jumping on the Vick bandwagon when he scores his first touchdown. He COULD be the guy that will make a long drive back from Miami in February a MUCH more enjoyable one for my brother Bob and me.

Welcome to Mick's Tavern

Welcome to Mick’s Tavern. I always wanted to own a bar, and this blog is probably the closest I’ll ever get to owning one. My Father owned one when I was a kid, buying the Claussville Hotel out in Claussville and eventually changing the name to the Apple Drive Inn. My late Uncle Joe owned DiGiacomo’s for years, an Allentown West End staple at 19th and Tilghman. I don’t know how successful I would be however, since I would spend most of my time talking to the patrons about my favorite subjects: Beer, Sports, Music and Politics
So I’ll do it here. But why will this blog be different from other Lehigh Valley Blogs? Because I bring a unique perspective to the table from my nearly 20 year career as a Television News Photographer (or “Videographer” as we call it now) mostly in Philadelphia, although the last three years I was able to move back to my hometown area and cover the Lehigh Valley. I wasn’t sure exactly HOW long that would last, but I never thought I’d be told that the network ordered ALL news bureaus around the country to be closed and the staff laid off because the network isn’t making enough money. But my professional experience isn’t all that will make this blog unique: My travels as a single guy to filming locations of my favorite movies, historic rock and roll sites, grave sites of famous and infamous people, and attendance of as many sporting events and venues as possible will add to the flavor.
This combination of circumstances has left me with umpteen stories of my travels and news events I’ve covered: My poor wife has heard every one NUMEROUS times as I’ve relayed them to her, our friends, and sometimes complete strangers if I can get them to listen. So now I have a NEW audience to spin my tales to and give my opinions on current events from someone who has covered them for a living. I have owned Eagle’s season tickets for over 15 years, but have also conducted interviews in the Eagle’s locker room and at training camp as well as did the same with every Philly sports team. As a fan, I’ve been to the Super Bowl, seen the Stanley Cup skated around the Boston Garden ice (yes… I’m also a diehard Boston sports fan… I know, a pretty rare combination, eh?), seen an NBA Championship won in Philly (by the Lakers, of course), and sat through the rain at a World Series game at the Vet in 1980. I met every great living Boxing champion except Muhammad Ali and once had Joe Frazier roll down his window while driving the news van up Broad Street at 4 a.m. and yell to me “HEY, YOUR HEADLIGHTS AREN’T ON!) I stood next to Dale Earnhardt’s car at Pocono as he climbed in before a race, stood on a rooftop next to Paul Newman and watched the start of an Indy car race at Nazareth, and had tickets to the final game of the World Cup in 1994 until France unexpectedly ended up in the Final game and took back all the tickets they had promised to foreign tour groups (the fine print did say “tickets subject to availability”… I did see the Semi-Final game, and then in protest got drunk and went to bed in my hotel room as Paris erupted in celebration of their World Cup victory.)
I’ve covered a Rolling Stones Press Conference and interviewed Jimmy Buffet, but as a music fan I saw the Grateful Dead over 50 times, stood at the intersection in Macon, Georgia where Duane Allman was killed, and slept in the room where Janis Joplin died in LA. I was at Woodstock ’94, saw Sinatra three times, crossed Abbey Road, and found the apartment building Joe Strummer lived in when he wrote “London Calling.” I’ve sat in the chair where John Belushi coughed “blowjob” in Animal House (at the University of Oregon) and sat in the park where Lindsay Crouse asked Paul Newman “what’s the story with that dog” in “Slap Shot”, and walked down the steps of Rocky’s house in Kensington (and yes, Rocky did NOT live in South Philly like most people think… his house, Adrian’s pet store and the gym where he trained are all in Kensington.)
As far as politics, I’ve covered a Presidential Press Conference in Washington, a Press Briefing in the White House Press Room, interviewed Joe Biden myself at the Wilmington Amtrak Station, and personally thanked Senator Arlen Specter for writing a letter to the New York Times defending Philly sports fans. As for local politics, I went to High School with one prominent elected official and for a short time worked for another. My wife is very involved with the local Democratic Party and I have gotten to know the politicians I didn’t interview through her. I might be a Liberal Democrat, but I grew up in an Italian-Catholic family and have very conservative views on some subjects.
So once again, I welcome you to Mick’s Tavern. I welcome your thoughts, responses, and ideas. If you disagree with me, fine. If you can prove me wrong with facts or stats, that’s fine too. But DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT TELL ME I’M WRONG! I am simply stating MY OPINION, and I welcome you to share yours. But it is YOUR opinion, and like they say, everyone’s got one. I will never tell you you’re wrong, curse at you, or call you names. I expect the same from you. As a matter of fact, if you can’t write something my three year old could hear then keep it to yourself. If you don’t like sarcasm, then don’t read this blog, because I’m just full of it. I grew up on the Marx Brothers and thought of being a comedy writer while in college. So pull up a chair, have a cold one, and root, root, root for the home team.