A Commoner Reviews Jackson Street Pub, Macomb, Ill.

It just figures.  After a long drought of not having much to blog about, I suddenly have a glut of subject matter.  At least it’s stuff that interests me.  So, bear with me, as I try to catch up.  We begin with a review of a place that has been around since I can remember growing up in Macomb, Ill. (after moving up from Angie, La.). 

First, a little preface to my review:  Recently, I took a couple of days off work to spend some spring break time with my son, the Young Curmudgeon.  During that time, we planned a trip to Macomb, so he could tour the campus of Western Illinois University.  Yes, he really is getting that old.  Yes, I really am that old.  So, off to Macomb we went.  And as a change of pace, I even let the Young Curmudgeon drive, and we took his car.

We arrived in Macomb right around lunchtime, and since I was taking a little trip down memory lane a lot during the 90-minute ride from Springfield, I immediately thought of a blast to try out for lunch.  The Jackson Street Pub was one of my favorite dives when I was in college for both food and a beverage, and it’s been at the same spot, coincidentally on Jackson Street by the railroad tracks for what seems like forever.  Sure enough, when we arrived, I could quickly tell nothing had changed.

A lucky seventh edition of things discussed at the Brewhaus

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a new blog entry.  Part of that is due to trying to cut back on my spending; part if simply due to inactivity.  There’s nothing wrong with doing nothing, I suppose. 

Anyway, one thing I will always struggle to cut back on is the time spent at my favorite watering hole, which provides plenty of fodder for pointless discussion.  It is a great excuse to wet the whistle, though.  Here are some of the more memorable conversations I’ve had the good fortune to be involved in from the past few weeks:

St. Patrick’s Day musings from Springfield, Ill.

We were fortunate enough to have actual St. Patrick’s Day fall on a Saturday this year.  That, along with record warmth in the Capital City, brought out the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration to downtown Springfield I can recall.  And while the powers that be in the city would like to pretend it’s all about the parade, the reality is that’s just an afterthought to the street festival atmosphere that takes over downtown.  Everyone is a little Irish … and a little more inebriated.

Things Discussed at the Brewhaus: Vol. 6

I had started the second half of the Saint Louis/Soulard Mardi Gras blog, but work obligations and unexpected turns in life have kept me from finishing.  But all in all, I can’t complain.  Beside, other than a mysterious and exotic Gypsy, who would listen? 

Plus, it’s probably the journalism major in me, but I’m a stickler for details and want to make sure I get everything right before I hit the dreaded “send” button.  For instance, it takes forever for my archaic computer to upload any pictures, and then it takes me more time to fix and screw-up in spacing that resulted from me posting the picture.   

Anyway, here’s the latest list of Brewhaus conversation starters to tide everyone over.  These are actual topics discussed over the past few weeks.  Maybe you were involved, but in all honesty, even if you weren’t, you probably didn’t miss much.