Weekend Wahoos!

Another weekend, another swim meet. This time we headed down to Wilton, CT for a meet with the Wilton Wahoos. They really take their swimming seriously down here, with a large team full of personal trainers and coaches. But we thought it would be good for Jess to go on a road meet, and my brother Dave is nearby to visit with. So we met Dave and Christine at the mall and went off to the meet.

We arrived early (and at the correct YMCA) and picked up Subway for lunch.  We were able to camp out (the best description that I could come up with) for the day in the gym, making it in for Jess’ events, and even get a prime position to watch Jess compete in her first individual medley.  She did awesome, and we were all so proud of her effort in each of her races.  She worked up quite an appetite swimming (and we did as well watching) so we followed (and at times ignored Garmin to downtown Norwalk to find the Ginger Man (http://www.gingermannorwalk.com/).

The Ginger Man is world famous in NYC, and has locations throughout TX and even in Norwalk, CT.  The food menu was excellent, and the list of drafts was impressive.  I got the Sausage Platter, and nice balance of knockwurst and bratwurst to go along with two fantastic Italian beers on draft from Baladin, their Wayan Saison and their Noel.  Jenn got a bowl of Sweet Potato Clam Chowder as an appetizer for her pulled pork sandwich.  Christine got the bar steak for dinner, but celebrated the evening with a Liefman’s Float, a delicious combination of Liefman’s Kriek beer with vanilla ice cream.  Jessica was living large too, enjoying a bowl of lobster macaroni and cheese (I had the pleasure of finishing the mac and cheese after she finished the lobster).  Jess and Jenn went back to the hotel to swim (you’d think she would be tired of it by now) with her teammates, and Jacob and I went back to Uncle Dave’s for some video game time.

Jessica swam again the next morning, doing well in her events (even beating swimmers 2 years older than her).  On the way home, we stopped at one of my favorite beer stores, Decicco’s (http://www.deciccos.com/OS_SL_Brewster.aspx).  Decicco’s is a gourmet food market, with a great bottle selection, and they have their own bar right there in the store.  So as Jenn went grocery shopping, I went and did a little shopping myself.  I was able to find several Kuhnhenn beers (Dark Heathen, Prometheus, and 4D), as well as some beers from Mikkeller (Black Tie and Black Buffalo).  Jenn was extra kind to me so I was able to stop at the bar and get a sampler.  I was able to try on draft Hill Farmstead’s Arthur (an exceptional saison from the saison experts), Stone’s The Perfect Crime (another saison that was a collaboration with Evil Twin and Stillwater), and Scheldebrouwerji’s The Perfect Crime Smoking Gun (an Imperial Stout that is not to be confused with Stone’s version).  Jenn agreed that this was a great pit stop, and I plan to stop by to see what is new each time I drive pass Brewster.

We had a great weekend watching Jess compete, visiting with family, sampling some fantastic food and of course finding some new beers! – 6272/13425

“Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.” - Dave Barry