Lions and Tigers and Beer...Oh My!

One of my all-time favorite things about living in Tucson is the Reid Park Zoo. The wife and I go there at least twice a year, when the weather is awesome, not only to support it but to check in with some of our four legged friends. Me hailing from the bay area in California, I am a bit partial to the otters. But seeing Nandi, the baby elephant, grow up is also fun to watch. Pretty soon she will have a brother or sister, one coming in 2020! As are the giraffes, bears, capybaras, tigers and the lions (when they are awake). For a few bucks it is the perfect way to spend a few hours in the afternoon. I mean, c'mon...its a zoo!

Another factor for my love of Tucson, outside of the food, is our expanding craft beer culture. As a food writer I am lucky to attend lots of tastings and events, even getting to know and be friends with some of the brewers. So when I got the invitation to attend a beer event at the Reid Park Zoo, all I could do is squeal in happy anticipation.

Brew at the Zoo happened on Saturday June 15th from 6:30pm-9:30 pm, just as the sun went down and the shady meadows of the zoo cooled down a relatively hot day. The event helped fund the zoo's educational programs and by the look of the attending crowd, I sure hope they brought in enough capital to fund them for the next few years.


Entering the zoo, we were really happy to see most of the nocturnal animals out, such as the lions, but seeing as it was still pretty warm they were just lamping on their tiered wood hangout and not doing much. in fact, most creatures were awake and putting on a show, so that was fun to see. But, okay, the animals we've seen. Now lets get down to the real crux of the evening:

Beer!

Brew at the Zoo featured twenty-two (22!!!) breweries this year and we couldn't wait to get started. Our first stop was with our friends at Ten 55. Without asking, they filled up the silicone 6oz cup everyone got at the front entrance. I guess I wasn't really paying attention, but when I turned to see who I cut in front of, it was then I noticed a line at least 50 people deep. Minimum. Wow. Ten 55 is great and it was cool to see that the response for them was that wide.

Making our way around the zoo to the other vendors, including Thunder Canyon, Sentinal Peak, SanTan, Pueblo Vida, Mother Road, Huss Brewing, Harbottle, Green Feet, Grand Canyon Brewing Company, Dragoon, Dillinger, Copper Mine, Copper Brothel, Catalina, Button, Borderlands, Barrio, 12West and 1912 along with Booch Craft, which is a high alcohol kombucha, it became very obvious very quick that each brewery had a line just as long. Holy moley! I mean, it was great to see so many people coming out and supporting the zoo but, man, waiting at least 20-30 minutes for a 6oz pour of beer? Uhhh...

A good buddy at one of the breweries told me that he had never worked so hard. Just pouring beer. For about 4 hours. And that is saying a lot because he does a lot of events here in Tucson and abroad.

Now and then I would see a line that wasn't too bad, got my fill, drink it, then ponder standing in another line for another 6oz taste.

As it got darker, the crowd thickened and my wife and friends, along with me, decided to call it. One line literally wrapped all the way around the Tanzania Experience elephant enclosure, summoning at least a 30-45 minute wait.

Writing this blog post I feel as if I am being ungrateful, which is the complete opposite. Thank you thank you thank you Reid Park Zoo for allowing me to come in, take shots and give my love and support to you and your educational outreach. I love you guys and will see you in the autumn when we can cruise around with the animals while sipping hot chocolate. But as a guy dealing with weird social anxiety, I just couldn't do the lines. So I'll have to enjoy the beers at home or at my favorite craft beer bar or even in the tasting rooms at the featured breweries!

Cheers to all of the visiting and local breweries that killed it that night. You kids put your nose to the stone and made everyone feel welcome and happy, even if it took a while to get there.

And thank you once again Reid Park Zoo for letting me come and experience Brew at the Zoo. Hopefully by the amount of paying customers there, and there were a lot!, you secured some funding for your programs. Congratulations.

And now some photos.

Check it out...

Yay!

Wow...great turn out

The first (and almost last) beer of the night, for me anyway

Big Sherm puttin' in work

I thought the line started here...ah, no

Rewarding folks for their patience...with beer!

As the sun went down, the crowd went up

Its a beautiful night for cold craft beer

Beer+Pretzel=Yes

One of my favorite IPAs...it was worth the wait

Most people didn't seem to mind the queues

Thanks Reid Park Zoo!

Camera, Typing and Very Grateful for the Invitation
"Metal" Mark Whittaker
A Beautiful Pre Summer Night, 2019

Metal Influence: 

MONOLORD

"Forgotten Lands"

 

There Can Be Only One!

When I was a kid, seeing TV spots and newspaper ads for sunscreen, water park tickets (I grew up in LA), new Kool Aid flavors and trailers for blockbuster movies only meant one thing:

Summer.

For three whole months all I would do was play video games (in an actual arcade...I'm old!), skateboard, ride my bike, go to said water parks, level up my characters in D&D and spend a week or two away at camp. The warm bliss of those times were nothing short of brief miracles...which were cut short by TV spots and newspaper ads for all that "Back to School!" crap in August. But then that only meant Halloween was near by. With Thanksgiving arriving shortly after. Which could only mean Xmas was to round off the year with gifts, lights and all that holly jolly frivolity.

New Years was okay. Valentine's Day sucked. St. Patrick's Day...meh...

Oh. Sorry. Getting off track here.

Point is, when you graduate and move into all that adult nonsense, summer really doesn't mean that much anymore. Not like it did when you were a kid. Right? To me, living in San Francisco for many years, summer meant the tourists were coming and parking got even more intolerable. But then when I moved to Tucson, summer meant "Sweet Jesus...when is it NOT going to be 100+ degrees? Did you see my power bill? Yeah! Insane! Well at least the students and snowbirds are gone! Let me tell you, back in my day..."

You see, when you grow up, unfortunately summer means something completely different. Here in the Sonoran desert, its almost a burden. Yeah, its hot. Really hot. Yeah, your electric bill is like a mortgage payment.

But, yeah, it also means that its time for badass food festivals!

During the rest of the season, our beloved chefs are working overtime to feed those students, and snowbirds, trying to make them happy, putting in long hours, planning menus to appease the masses and just trying to get home at a decent time to see their family, have a beer and, for fxxks sake, get some sleep!

But when summer hits, hey!, the city is ours again...so lets have some fun!

For me, just like a kid watching commercials for shorts and t-shirts on sale at Sears or seeing that in TV guide all of my favorite shows were in reruns, when I get the invite to the annual Pizza Throwdown, I get that same dopey giddiness as a young suburban dork ready to hit the skate parks, get high score on Donkey Kong and, finally, try and get my stupid elf fighter/thief to level 10. Its so hard. Especially when I keep getting low rolls for my experience at the end of a module. Grrr!!!

2019 marks the 5th season for the Throwdown and, let me tell you, it was probably my favorite. Years previous had most of the contestants work inside Fresco Pizza and Pastaria, the host location since the inception, which usually proved for a cramped and difficult to maneuver environment. As the popularity of the Throwdown grew, last year's event was pretty elbow to elbow, with chefs having to run back and forth from the kitchen among the hungry throng of packed patrons, sort of like trying to exit an overstuffed elevator when you have reached your floor.

This year though was seamless. All of the contestants, including Mama Louisa's, Empire, Shifty's, Gourmet Girls, Dominick's, Upper Crust, Fiamme, Trident, Fresco and reigning champion Rocco's, along with Dante's Fire and The Dutch serving up some sweet desserts, were all tented outside allowing room for patrons to grab the goods, move indoors, if they wanted to, to eat and drink beer away from the afternoon heat.

I myself was too stoked to even consider taking my slice, and beer, away from the participants as I like to chat up what they were offering along with their process. All I can say is that after sampling one of each, and beers from Barrio, Crooked Tooth and Dillinger, I felt more elated than when I kissed that cute girl Kate at camp, even when she even moved in a bit of tongue giving me my first 'French' experience at age 11. Plus I was full. And the food at summer camp sucked.

The combinations and creativity this year were unsurpassed. Sure you're supposed to vote for your favorite, but seeing as I am the writer/blogger here and friends with a good support of the culinary lineup, I let the others do their duty while I remained impartial. On top of it all, I just couldn't decide. They were all so so delicious.

But in the end, there can be only one. Well, top three.

The winners were: 3rd place, Rocco's. 2nd place, Fresco. And in first...Fiamme!

Congratulations kids! You all earned it. And deserve it.

And thank you to the rest of the competing chefs. It was all so amazing. Like I said, I really couldn't pick a winner. This was the toughest, and tastiest, year so far.

Cheers to Tucson Originals for the invite and I can't wait for next year's Throwdown.

You see, being an adult doesn't mean you can't be excited for fun stuff in the summer. You just have to harness that youthful energy into a new happy cataclysm.

For me its pizza.

And beer.

And, yeah, the students and snowbirds are gone for a few months. Tucson is ours again!

Thanks everybody.

Now lets check out the photos from this years Pizza Throwdown!

Enjoy...

Here we go!

Oh, it is so on

A good crowd outside

And a good (if not slightly cooler) crowd inside

That balsamic drizzle on Dominick's pizza was outstanding

Elote pizza from Empire and a frosty brew from Crooked Tooth = heaven

As Upper Crust chats up their pizza, Bobbie from Dante's sizes up the oncoming, and hungry, crowd

Scott Volpe from Fiamme, literally the hardest working pizzaiolo anywhere

So happy to hear that Mat from Fresco is putting the 'Umami Tsunami' on his regular menu

The Rocco's crew surveying their award winning, and Guy Fieri approved, pizza

Marcus from The Dutch making mini pancakes in pans used for ebelskivers

How is that crust gluten free? So good!

It was hot. Ice cream melts. Didn't matter. It was yummy.

"But Mikey...where is the Joe's Special pizza?"

Nevermind, this is what Mama Louisa's served up this year, yeah...

Matty from Shifty's after I said I was going to steal that skate deck of his. Ha!

Camera, Typing and Feelin' Cheesy 
"Metal" Mark Whittaker
A Warm Late Spring Afternoon, 2019

Metal Influence:

NILE

"Annihilation of the Wicked"

Hello, Chef!

My disdain for casinos started back in the early 90s.

A group of us would travel from wherever we were living in California, meet up in Las Vegas and party till we were almost dead. Being young and invincible meant trying to relive moments we saw in raucous comedies, read about from gonzo journalists and, well, just trying to keep up with the extreme amount of booze available 24 hours a day.

Navigating a sensory blitzkrieg that is an active casino, flush with flashing machines spewing aural numbing noises as throbbing numbers rise out of burning pirate ships and the immense cleavage of saucy girls dressed as bikini clad Indian princesses in a stumble that is akin to a sinister hedge maze, with matching kaleidoscopic carpeting, after numerous tequila bombs and something called "The Beer Gully Gulp Intruder" while the medicated Gummy Bears kick in can prove a bit strenuous to those not accustom to that lifestyle.

And its obvious that people go to casinos on a regular basis. They have that look, that wild desperate plea in their gait and gaze that reads: 'Just one more, the next hand will have it!' Plus I hate the stench of stale cigarette smoke so entering those vibrating rape arcades always reminds me of the basement of my friend's weird uncle, where he would let us drink cheap beer at 9 years old and always had a firm stack of 'beaver brochures' behind that weirdly dirty couch we were always afraid to sit on.

After a long drive to the casino, I needed a snack and a strong beer

Casino del Sol isn't as bad as the off kilter gambling disasters in cities such as Laughlin or south Lake Tahoe, but it's close enough. It's set up like all the others; the machines are positioned in such a way that you HAVE to sit and stare and push buttons and give them all your money, the smoke reek is only because the air is piped in, not sucked out as the extra oxygen infused in the circulating system helps keep even the most inebriated player awake enough to continue gambling away the family's small inheritance.

It's a science, and a clever one at that.

But, as always, just once a year, I endure the aching thrill tickle of the casino because (mercifully) the 'Meet the Chef' event is always held outdoors, a tasting preview preceding the knockdown culinary boxing match, Iron Chef Tucson. 

Long line to get in

This time around, only 6 Tucson chefs have thrown their toques into the ring in hopes of bringing down reigning Iron Chef champ, Brian Smith of Maynard's Market + Kitchen.

Now, I say only 6 because originally it was supposed to be 8, but it looked like Robert of R&R BBQ and Kyle from Prep & Pastry/Commoner & Co. either dipped out or just couldn't make it.

Now let me say this: Only 8.

Last year there were at least a dozen chefs competing for the title and bragging rights to be the next Tucson Iron Chef. With the ever gaining momentum of our culinary scene, now that Tucson is getting national, and world wide, attention on a regular basis, you'd think there would be a gaggle of chefs on the roster...a gaggle!

But, nope. 6.

Doesn't matter, the 6 that showed up are totally bad ass. So let's do this!

And long lines to get food

The 2019 competitors include chefs Adam Puckle of The Cafe in Sonoita, Kenneth Foy of Dante's Fire, Wendy Gauthier of Chef Chic, Javier Martinez of The Glowbal in the Sheraton Hotel, Alan Lambert of The DoubleTree Hilton and Mary Steiger of Gourmet Girls.

Chefs Puckle, Lambert and Martinez I have never met before, but the other three I run into on a fairly regular basis. In fact, I featured chef Wendy in the Tucson Weekly about a year ago, so we're pretty tight. So to speak.

Also this year the event sold out, so there were hundreds of people out on the field by the swimming pool. The amount of bodies nearly hid the six tables set up with the chefs and their team scrambling to get small plates of food out.

I've never been invited to be a judge, which would be totally awesome, but I wasn't surprised to see my buddy Adam Lehrman, founder of Tucson Foodie, as one of the judges. Those Foodie kids get all the Tucson food love. Weirdos like me hustling with the blog and the Weekly get an occasional nod, which is way cool, but I would like to figure out how to get more involved without having to kiss too many butts to do so.

Whatever. I love doing what I do.

But there is always next year Iron Chef Tucson!

Just sayin'...

BEER!  And it didn't cost nothin'...

One thing that I was so grateful for, outside of the invite (yeah, I know what I just said) and press pass was the fact that the event started at 5:30pm and not noon, as it usually is. Last few years the participants and guests sweated it out on so many different levels. Mainly because it was so hot. Late May at Casino del Sol in Tucson usually means temps near the high 90s.

Not this year.

Even if it did start at noon this year, the weather was more than forgiving. It had recently rained, the sky was cloudy, even sometimes dark and the wind, if not a bit punishing, was cool and welcoming. So it made standing in those never ending lines a lot more tolerable. Plus each patron got a 6 drink punch card, which equaled to large sample cups of beer from Stella Artois, Four Peaks and Estrella Jalisco. If you wanted a full beer or cocktail then you'd have to pay. Seeing as I was far from home and my drinking of late has cooled down to a tolerable volume, I wasn't tempted.

But when I overheard someone in line ask "What's a chorizo?" I seriously thought about one of those tequila bombs from Vegas visits past.

Ugh.

DRONE! And,why...?

With the barely 70 degree weather happening, I walked around the grounds getting a feel of what was to come. Not too sure if there was a mass email going out, but it seemed like most of the chefs used shrimp in their dishes. Chef Mary, Wendy, Alan and Javier all used the ductile lil' sea bug as a component.

I didn't mind. But a few paying customers raised a voice here and there because there was so much shrimp.

"It's not even shrimp season!"

"Is this some kind of shrimp challenge?"

"That shrimp better be non-GMO and gluten free!"

Again...where was that tequila bomb?

Chef Javier in the zone

I've never been to The Glowbal in the Sheraton but after sampling chef Javier's tostadas I planned on getting out there. The menu seems like an uncomplicated array of heightened staples such as wings, burgers, pizzas and steaks with a slight southwest touch to it. I like that.

When menus get out of control with extended elevations, re-imaginings and deconstructions of comfort food, I not only get bored but I get a little put off by the show off.

With that said, I hope the $16 burger at The Glowbal is worth it. Maybe I'll get a lapdance for that reach of cash to eat a burg.

One can only hope.

Sweet yummness from chef Brian

Chef Brian is kind of on fire right now. Not literally (I hope) but in the sense that not only is he the reigning Iron Chef Tucson but he is currently in China representing not just Tucson but the whole USofA in a food and wine festival in Yantai. So rad.

Which meant he wasn't at the Meet the Chefs event. Oh well.

That just means that after getting back from cooking in China he'll have to strap the apron back on and try to keep his title as Iron Chef.

Good luck Brian.

And way to fxxking go!

Slide(r) on up to chef Adam

Adam Puckle cooks down in Sonoita, like a good hour south of the home base, so getting to him is a straight up day trip. But I'm gonna do it. No really, I am! Not that lazy. Jeeze.

Chef Adam had these lamb sliders that were so good, he easily had the longest, and longest running, line all day. He handled the pressure with a big grin behind that ginger beard of his and he seemed to be having a blast.

That attitude alone, along with the delicious food, will get me up off this chair, turn off the laptop and start driving. I just hope when I get there that his restaurant isn't closed.

That would suck.

Chef Wendy in deep concentration

This is honestly the best picture I got of chef Wendy all day as she was a tornado of movement and activity. I hope when she sees this that she wont get too mad thinking I got her at the teetering edge of a breakdown. There was just a lot going on. But she's used to it because this is her third (3rd?) attempt at going for the Iron Chef honor.

Last I heard she was in the top three in the race. Woohoo!

That's great because her corn panna cotta and pickled shrimp salad was amazing.

Go get 'em Wendy!

More girl power from chef Mary

Chef Mary of Gourmet Girls gave us a bit of sweet and savory. That was really appreciated.

What is also awesome is that she cooks, and bakes 100% gluten free, but that does not impede the texture and flavor of her food. At all.

Last I heard as well Mary was top three in the running.

I can hear Queen Latifa's "Ladies First" playing in the distance.

Can't you?

If not, just click the hyperlink.

Chef Alan working the crowd

A pickled watermelon ceviche with, yes, shrimp is what chef Alan Lambert of the DoubleTree had to offer up. It was really bright and tangy and I wish there was more of it on that small square bowl. Sure I pulled the food writer b.s. by getting served before the others because I was on the line taking photos, and I considered getting back in line for more but as the afternoon wore on, the queue for food grew and grew.

So I was thankful for what I got.

The food was so good this year, as is every year, but with the low number of competitors and the double of ticket sales, getting to sample food resembled a busy day at Disneyland, even though that fast pass jobber is pretty brilliant.

Just standing and waiting, and waiting, then moving a bit, then waiting more. Let's hope next year we'll have more chefs who are eager to fight for their right to partake.

We shall see.

Chef Mat Cable of Fresco with a plate for me to try

Lastly, chef Ken, along with business partner chef Mat Cable, concocted a wild dish of housemade lamb chorizo, Sonoran wheat berry foie risotto, Guajillo peppers, spring pea coulis with chili oil and smoked sea salt. Wow. Just wow.

I asked Mat if the chorizo was made by Tucson's esteemed butcher Ben Forbes. He reminded me that they make their own sausages on premise and for some dumb reason I always forget that. Gonna have to make it back to Fresco soon to sample the goods.

As the sun dimmed and the booze was getting people lit, I decided that it was time to head back home before it gets too dark. That stretch of south Valencia road leading to the casino can be a perilous one. Folks tend to drive as if they are in some kind of underground NASCAR offshoot or perhaps the cheap meth had finally kicked in so its a hard stop 'n go the whole way. The only way get out and back to the car is to take the kling-klang machine strobe weaponry of sure fire ways to lose your shirt robots that take credit cards in a naughty jungle of jumble head on.


But I had left breadcrumbs: Turn right at the high stakes room, continue straight past the ice cream shop, left after the enormous touch screen boing boing apparatus, forward through the spinning rotunda of restaurants and TV themed one armed bandits, a slight right after the angry Asian lady screaming at a cartoon Ewok sitting on a pile of her money that she just lost and then outside to freedom.

Then back home. But not before getting that tequila bomb I had wanted earlier.

"What's a tequila bomb?", asked the bartender.

Dammit, I said. I really have no idea. But make it a double.

Cheers everyone.

And good luck chefs!

That about wraps it up

Camera, Typing and Happy To Not Be Standing In Line
"Metal" Mark Whittaker
The Day of the Last 'Game of Thrones' episode, 2019

Metal Influence:

DIO

"The Last In Line"

Churning For Charity

Living in Tucson is like being with a really fun schizophrenic. There are days where it can get well into freezing temperatures, then, of course, you have our famous summers that easily exceed the 100+ range for days, weeks, nay!, months!, before calming down and becoming one of the most temperate cities in the country, nay!, world!

The weekend weather Tucson provided for the Brain Freeze Ice Cream Festival was a bit of a preview of what summer has in store for us. It was easily in the mid-90s with a warm dry breeze providing somewhat of a break from the beating sun. But as I type this, a day later, its cloudy and maybe in the high 70s. Oh Tucson. I love you but you drive me crazy sometimes.

But can it be considered an ice cream fest if you didn't have the sweet treat dripping down your arm as you make your way through the crowds in order to try ALL of the delicious goodness provided? I procliam that it is not!

Even though the samples were served in cups. Sooooo...theres that.

Regardless! I was happy to get the invite from Blue River Productions to attend on press credentials, so I packed up my trusty camera Matilda and made my way to Rillito Park to partake in much gooey fat kid awesomeness.

And since I woke up late, the ice cream could be considered my breakfast that day.

Life is amazing! 

A good crowd for a good cause, thank you Blue Bell!

The Brain Freeze festival was sponsored by Blue Bell Ice Cream but I didn't know that's who was primarily the main attraction. Sure local badass Cashew Cow was there serving up amazing vegan realness, as was the Screamery, an Arizona based company that utilizes 'cruelty free' methods to extract the milk from their lovely cows. Which was cool, but I was sure I'd see The Hub or at least Isabella's, but....nope. Mostly Blue Bell. I mean, that's fine, its a great product, I was just a bit miffed by not seeing more Tucson, or at least southern Arizona, based ice cream companies represented.

Huh.

I then found out that the entire festival's proceeds was going to SANDS (the Southern Arizona Network for Down Syndrome) and Blue Bell was a big contributor towards that. Its awesome when small local businesses get together for a charitable cause and donate what they can but when the big kids come a srtrollin' in with that corporate cash and want to make a sizable contribution, then we talking some real duckets flowing to the charity.

So cheers on you Blue Bell!

One of each please!

The turnout for the event can be categorized as 'not bad'. Meaning a good amount of ice cream lovin' folk were either standing in line or already in attendance. Seeing as ticket prices were only $12, which allows you to eat as much ice cream as possible, I wasn't surprised that families came out in a near horde for the event. And because there were so many families with kids there, the amount of jumping castles, games and inflatable punching activities (that sounds slightly erotic right?) rivaled the tents set up to get down with the sweet treat righteousness.

My first scoop was something called 'Moolennium Crunch', which was packed with almonds, pecans, walnuts, chocolate and caramel chunks in a smooth vanilla base. The super fun day was off to an amazing start because it was really tasty.

Next up was the 'Cotton Candy' variety, swimming in neon shades of pink and blue that surprisingly had a true cotton candy flavor to it. How they do that? The 'Dutch Chocolate' was really rich but quite delicious and the 'Rainbow Sherbet' was a kind of electric neapolitan style as it featured essence of lime, orange and strawberry that all came together in a very refreshing way. Not one sample I, well, sampled that day disappointed. How could it....its freakin' ice cream!

Hooray!

Tucson ice cream was represented as well!

After sampling some vegan chocolate chip from Cashew Cow, I recognized the owner there but she seemed busy doing stuff on her phone. She then approached me and held her camera up for me to see what was on the screen.

"The protesters out on the street by the entrance, they have a anti-Brain Freeze Facebook page. They are calling this event cruel and "anti-speciesist"...whatever that means".

It's true. By the entrance on 1st Avenue, a group of hardcore vegans were holding up signs calling the event unfair to animals and trying to get it shut down, or at least make people aware that milk comes from cows and they don't like that. Vegans also don't eat honey, which I find very strange since that's what bees do naturally anyway.

Regardless of the fact that Brain Freeze is all for charity and that there are vegan option treats, the few out there braving the heat wearing all black are pretty passionate about their cause and beliefs. I, personally, don't like to get in the way of those that are militant in thier views because no matter what you do or say, in my experience anyway, wont matter. They have firm convictions, believe that they are 100% right and my words or actions towards or against them will be white noise.

But I still had to get a closer look.

Food trucks, fun and fundraising!

Seeing that the protesting vegans were out in the open and attracting attention, I felt that it was within my right to take some pictures of them. I didn't want to talk, I didn't want to get in their way, just a shot or two.

So I stood a good distance away from them. I focused Matilda as tight as I could so the picture you see is me standing at least 10ft away with the lens that I brought, used for tight shots, not telephoto.

Cars were driving by them honking in either support or objection as others entered the parking area with their windows down laughing or yelling at them to piss off. I just stood off to the side and snapped off a shot or two. That's when I was discovered and that's when the problems started.

"I didn't authorize my picture being taken! I did not sign a waiver!", screamed an angry vegan lady.

"Um...you're in public view and you're not wearing masks," I retorted back. "Your picture is being taken no matter what."

"You're interfering with our right to perform a peaceful protest!", shouted another lady who was slathered in white sunblock making her look either goth or dead. To her I said nothing. That was the dumbest thing I have heard in a while and let it go.

As I walked back to the festival, I stated: "You know this event is all for charity and there are vegan ice cream options."

That's when some raged up white guy in dreadlocks screamed, "IT SHOULD ALL BE VEGAN!"

As I walked away they were asking me what my name was, that I was in violation of their rights (again) and so on. Ugh.

Look, if you are going to make some sort of spectacle, be it a peaceful protest or circus side show freak exhibition, and you are out in public, in 2019, people are gonna take your picture. We all, or most, have phones and all of them, well...most, have cameras attached. So don't get upset when people start snapping away and uploading. It was probably because I had a pro digital camera aimed at them, or something, that caused a stir, but, gimme a break. If you're exposed on the street commanding the spotlight in any capacity then I, and we, too have carte blanche to document it.

But, whatever. I wasn't going to let a small group of emphatic vegans holding signs get to me. I was having too much fun!

Huh boy, here we go

By 2pm the heat was really starting to get to me, even with the cool treats and water provided, so it was time to move on. I left in a great mood, mainly because my mouth was sticky, my belly was full and I ran into a bunch of friends there.

Hopefully Brain Freeze will be a regular event. If it is, hit me up and I will so be there. Even if I have to wade through some angry protesters. It was so so worth it.

Cheers...and thank you Brain Freeze!

A good time was had by all!

Camera, Typing and Unapologetically Eating Ice Cream:
"Metal" Mark Whittaker
Star Wars Day, 2019

 Metal Influence:

WREQUIEM

"Brain Freeze (Live)"