Local Places, Local Faces

Norton’s Riverside Sports Bar & Grill

February 17, 2016 by KTgreen

There’s a new sports bar in Crystal River. Well, not really new. It’s been open for several months, just took us awhile to check it out.

So I thought I’d let you know what I thought about the place.

It’s part of a small restaurant chain.

There’s no River. So if you are expecting a waterside brew. Not happening. The “river” is a short walk from the bar. But I do not consider that “riverside”.

If you are looking for a sports bar with lots of TVs and a large selection of beer plus decent food, this is your place.

We went really early. About 11:30 on a Friday. Empty. We were the only customers. Eventually other diners started filtering in and by the time we left, several tables were occupied.

Terry wanted to check out the wings, of course. He ordered Cajun.

Note, no carrots or celery and Terry said that the wings were a bit overdone.

I ordered the Grouper Reuben. I LOVE Reubens. And I love Grouper. Win-Win!

But…. not quite. They didn’t have rye bread. Had to use Wheat.

And they used coleslaw instead of sauerkraut. Whaaaaaaat???!!!!

I don’t know if this is how this sandwich is always served or perhaps they were out of saurkraut, I don’t care what Mr. or Ms. Norton call this sandwich, it was not a reuben. This was a grilled grouper sandwich on wheat bread with coleslaw on top and thousand island dressing served on the side.

Good. But not what I ordered.

So will we go back? Probably. Given the right circumstances.

Like someone asked us and said they’d drive and buy dinner and all of the beer. Yes, we’ll be there.

Seriously, if this place was in Homosassa and we could just drive 5 minutes to go there, we’d go back. The food was decent, the place was clean, our server was pleasant and fast, there were a lot of TVs which would be fun to take our out-of-town friends to watch a game, and the music that they had piped in was a good variety of classic rock. Not the boring elevator kind.

But this place is in Crystal River. Jeeze, a whole ‘nother 25 minutes away. And not on the water. I hope it’s a hit with the local CR people and the tourists.

Next week, a restaurant critique from Homosassa!

Friday Meanderings

February 12, 2016 by KTgreen

OKAY! I’m BACK!

Seriously.

All apologizes for not posting. Or putting up my pic of the day every day.

But, I can only spend so many hours in front of the computer. Before I start getting the ebbie-jeebies.

And most of those over the past several weeks have been dedicated to “Homosassa Goes Hollywood”.

And it was well worth it! We made over $10,000! All for restoration of the water tower. And even better, it was a MAJOR FUN PARTY! I got to dress up. Hang with a lot of great people. Eat wonderful local food donated by our amazing local restaurants and friends. Had a few glasses of beer. (And maybe a sip of champagne.) Got to see the movie I made on the big screen.

Best fund raising event I’ve ever been to. (and I’ve been to a few)

And then I got this award….

For doing what I love doing with a group that is GREAT!

Seriously, I had no idea. Didn’t even know that there was an award. After all, OHHC is just over a year old. We are hardly even toddlers in the community groups.

But we’ve already raised $20,000 towards restoring the Old Homosassa Water Tower. Our co-chairs, DeeDee and Marian are absolutely amazing. And all the members are enthusiastic, excited, energetic and…. I can’t think of any more descriptive E words. It’s just a really great group.

Unlike one other community group that I’m in that is all about bickering. Bickering. Bickering. Jeeeze….

So what’s going on locally?

This weekend is the final Open House at Three Sisters Springs. Your last chance to get in for free. There will be a mob of manatees there. Three Sisters Springs has been closed to visitors from the waterside because of the extreme cold, high tides, and a million manatees. Okay. Maybe 300. But that’s a lotta manatees!

If you are going, go early. The buses will be at Kings Bay Plaza. That’s on US-19 behind the Sonic drive-through. Last year we got there bright and early, waited in line for maybe 10 minutes to get on the bus. When we returned to our parking space, the line of people waiting was about 1/2 mile long. But this is the best open house because you are guaranteed to see manatees. It’s worth waiting in that line! The boardwalk around Three Sisters Springs is amazing!

We went to the last two open houses this manatee season but will be missing this one. I know, that’s just crazy, but one of our kids needs some help so Terry is headed to Tampa.

I’ll probably be working on the new web design for the Homosassa Festival.

Here’s some pics from last February….

Have a great weekend!

Kathy

Friday Meanderings

January 22, 2016 by KTgreen

It’s Friday!

Yippee!

Long lunch!

Happy Hour!

Oh wait, I don’t have a job. So every day should be long lunch, happy hour.

Except it’s not.

Cause we have meetings and stuff….which I’m going to skip right over. (But there’s a lot of them).

So what’s going on?

Sunday is a big day. Friends of Chaz is having their annual meeting at 2 pm at the Methodist Church on Bradshaw. This is always a good meeting with great speakers.

At 1 pm at the Shed, Under the Willow is playing. If you didn’t hear them at the Homosassa Art, Crafts, and Seafood Festival, now’s your chance. They are GREAT! And they have a banjo! Need I say more?

We sold out all the tickets for “Homosassa Goes Hollywood”. That is going to be a CRAZY fun evening. Sorry to all of you that didn’t get your tickets. But I did warn you! 150 tickets. Gone in a heartbeat!

Now some serious stuff.

Have you been to Old Homosassa? Our sleepy little fishing village on the river? Have you seen the kids jumping into the river from the boat dock? That’s because we have NO public access to the river. Except right there.

Locals and visitors sit there on the benches in front of MacRae’s Bait Shop and watch the water. Cause unless you have a boat, that’s as close as you are going to get.

Which is, of course, absolutely ridiculous. And the “Access to the River’ Committee is trying to fix it.

Roger Cullen started emailing all those really important people in the county and state to buy some property on the river. Also talked to really important local residents. He brought in representatives from all of the local groups. (Terry is the rep from the Civic Club and I’m the rep from the OHHC. Such a totally involved couple.) We also have business owners that have places along the river that might be affected.We are going for Amendment One money for two pieces of water-front property. The idea is totally cool.

The first is a working waterfront park. Those of you that go to Shelley’s Seafood for the best and freshest seafood anywhere (SERIOUSLY ANYWHERE–ITS RIGHT OFF OF THE BOAT) can continue buying there. The Shrimp boats that dock there will continue heading out to the Gulf and returning. The house on the property will be turned into a museum dedicated to Old Homosassa, its history and heritage.

The second is a piece of property right behind the Old Homosassa Water Tower. That will be a place for a boat ramp and all of the other fun things a park should have. Especially for our local youth that have NO WHERE TO PLAY.

Sorry about all the shouting, but we really need these parks. This isn’t the first time that the “locals” have tried to get access to the river but this is the first time that we have the “wind behind our backs”.

We are now to the point of meeting with the Board of County Commissioners for their approval. Florida Senator Charlie Dean is already on board. Senator Dean wants to make his mark on the community before he retires this year. And this will be it.

So now YOU need to support the effort. Commissioner Kitchen has told us that if you want to be noticed, you gotta make noise and you have to have a solution.

The meeting is on Tuesday, January 26th at 1 pm. WE NEED EVERYONE IN HOMOSASSA TO BE THERE! Yeah, both sides of the river. That will be our noise.

And we already have the solution and have presented it.

Let’s make history!

Have a great weekend.

And think about it!

Kathy