2015 Christmas Fallout!

October has come and gone, Halloween is over, the Turkey has been carved and Christmas is already a few days old.  Where in the world did the time go?  For a site that claims to love and celebrate the "holidaze," you sure wouldn't think so based on my inconsistency and lack of commitment to the blog.  While in the midst of what was sure to be my best Halloween Countdown yet, real-life and work once again reared their ugly heads and forced me to but junk food and cereal on the back-burner.  To be perfectly honest, after missing out on sharing my trip to Disney World, Halloween Horror Nights and Salem, MA, I basically shut the site down for good.  It's not easy gaining traction and acquiring traffic, especially when so many awesome writers have most of this stuff covered better than I do, so I turned my attention toward social media and settled for much more entertaining, self-serving, and meaningful interaction with like-minded nerds.  Is The Holidaze done for good?  Possibly, but when asked by my buddy Chad to rise from the ashes and present my 2015 Christmas Fallout with a bunch of other cool guys, I was honored, excited, and simply couldn't say no.

So, on a weird site that features a 2015 Halloween Countdown header above a 2015 Christmas Fallout banner, I'm bringing it all together and closing out the year with a celebration of materialism and selfishness.  Yep, here's what Santa brought me for being such a good boy all year long!

Bud Light Lime: Apple - Ahhh - Rita

I apologize for the lack of Holidaze updates.  My girlfriend and I are currently in the process of moving into our new apartment and it's gotten in the way of posting about drinks and candy.  Believe me, I told mover after mover how important this stuff was, but they just weren't hearing it.  But I'm back today and want to talk about something I've been drinking a lot of, this season.  For well over a month, since as early as August, I've been indulging in the fine flavors of Bud Light Lime! Their signature "Rita" collection has been a favorite of mine since they were first introduced and, during the Summer months, they're the perfect mix of alcohol and fruit flavor.  When I visited Las Vegas in July, nothing beat an ice cold Straw-Ber-Rita by the pool on a 110 degree day!  But, what about Fall?  What about the Season of the Witch?  Well, have no fear!  Bud Light Lime has us covered!

Surf City - Jersey City

Because I'm from Jersey City, NJ, I don't know what the general consensus is around the nation when it comes to my hometown.  Sure, we all know NJ is the "Armpit of America."  Believe me, I've been on the NJ Turnpike and I know exactly why we have such a smelly reputation.  When it comes to Jersey City, I've heard different views.  On one hand, Jersey City is an urban area filled with low lives and gang bangers.  On the other hand, Jersey City is a gateway to Hoboken and NYC, on the rise downtown, and the perfect place to raise a family.  Believe it or not, both of those statements are true.  Just like any major city, it's just a matter of where you go (and where you never would) and who you associate yourself with.  But, never in my life did I expect to find such an awesome place so close to home and right under my nose.  Surf City is an AMAZING location and, last week, we spent three days there because we just couldn't get enough!

We had multiple friends tell us about Surf City and every review was positive.  We were intrigued, but never took the time to drive 15 minutes away and check it out.  Looking back, I wish we had dived in sooner because we missed out on so many beautiful Summer days, and nights, that could have been spent at this beautiful mega bar.  Don't let my picture or the exterior view fool you.  This isn't some run-down shack.  This is the beach, this is the jersey shore, this is the Caribbean all wrapped into one giant ball and placed right along the Hudson River.

To paraphrase Surf City's official "about us" section, Surf City is both an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant that sits directly on the water with beautiful views of NYC, the Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Science Center.  We first came to Surf City on a Sunday and it was absolutely beautiful!  The sun was shining, the clouds were sparse, and the crowd Surf City attracted was just my type.  There was nothing rowdy about this location at all and I liked that!  There were parents with newborn babies, dog lovers with their pups, young, old, and new couples enjoying the scenery.  Being there felt comfortable and that was what stood out most.

Before we did anything else, we wanted to look around and see what they had to offer.  We could have been seated by a hostess, but we chose to scope the joint out before settling down.  We noticed the incredible view of the water and skyline, we realized how many bars and tables they have for patrons, they have benches and chairs throughout the mega bar, and my favorite part, the sand pit that allows guests to have a seat in the sand and place your food and drinks right on the table.  A waiter or waitress even comes around to take your order.  Where you live, this may be common, but you don't find anything like this in Jersey City.  I was mesmerized by it all and, really, the service is what sets it all over the top.  Had they been rude, all of this ambiance goes right into the river.  But let me tell ya, these guys do it all right!

To be exact, there are five bars throughout the location with one, inside, being completely devoted to making frozen drinks and "buckets."  Because it gets crowded as the day progresses into night, this is an important perk.  Having the ability to choose from one of five bars to get a drink at a busy hour limits your wait time and gets you back to your company.  That's great!  In our three times there, we never waited for a drink and our bartenders were always there with another before we finished the last.  Not only is it good for business, it's good for my buzz :)

I stuck with Coors Light on all three days, but Eileen varied a bit and started the day off with a bucket.  To be more precise, she kicked it off with "Voodoo Juice."  I tried it and it was good!  Imagine an ice cold coconut drink!  Sure, it was a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for.  Besides, it's no small feat.  It's a pretty big drink that's mixed with some hard liquor.  You drink two or three "Voodoo Juice" buckets and you'll be casting more spells than Papa Shongo.  (if you don't know who that is, you're not paying attention to The Holidaze!)

After the beer and bucket, we were on to the next round.  I'm boring, so I stayed with the Coors, but this time Eileen chose to go with her first frozen margarita ever.  They call this one the Strawberry Rita at Surf City and it's only $10.  I think that's a pretty good deal and, in that setting, it's only right that you sit back, toes in the sand, sipping on an ice cold tropical drink.  If you can't make it to the Bahamas, or even if you can't make it down the shore, Surf City is absolutely perfect.  For us, there's no better staycation.

Changing gears, Eileen went from tropical drinks to beer.  But not just any beer, this was "Angry Orchard."  Ever heard of it?  I didn't until this day, but I've always been intrigued by seasonal beers.  It all started last year when I tried my first pumpkin flavored beer.  I didn't really care for it, but that's because I'm picky.  But apple is right down my alley and this was amazing.  The flavor is sweet and tangy.  It draws a fine line between Summer and Fall, but it's sooo good and, when it's that cold, it hits the spot on an 80 degree day.  This is definitely something I'll be looking for as we enter September.

Surf City has plenty of craft beers on tap and these two from Blue Moon, Agave Nectar Ale and Belgian White, stood out.  I, regretfully, never tried them at Surf City, but it did lead us to purchasing Agave Nectar later that night and, if you're looking for the perfect Summer beer, that's it!  I know the season is quickly coming to an end, but we're about to hit the 90s again this week and I'm going to soak up every last drop of Summer I can get.  Believe me, I'm more than ready for Fall and Halloween.  But Surf City makes me long for just a few more weeks!

Our friend met us later that day, but prior plans meant the party couldn't last.  But we had time for some food and one more drink.  Although I didn't snap a picture, we ordered fries and mozzarella sticks to go along with Eileen's "Mango Tango" and my final beer for the day.  It could have been the alcohol talking, but we thought the food was amazing, especially the fries!  They season them just right and, along with the mozzarella sticks, we were in foodie heaven.  It was a great way to end our first time at Surf City but, little did we know, we had only just begun.

After mentioning to my Mom, who loves anything that involves the beach and Sun, just how great Surf City was, she was intrigued.  Apparently, Surf City used to be known as the Sand Bar but, according to her, was very loud and attracted a more raucous crowd.  She was surprised to hear how much it had changed and was glad we had such a good time.  The next morning, she tells me that she and my Aunt are going to Surf City.  I guess I had really sold the mega bar, well eh?  

Of course we joined them! It's always great spending time with family and I take the opportunity to do so whenever it comes up.  This was the perfect time and place to share quality time with my two favorite ladies in the world.  We enjoyed drinks, food, and a lot of laughs.  My aunt, who isn't pictured, is the true matriarch of my entire family and was the driving force behind this outing.  I'm grateful that she decided to coordinate this little event at Surf City because the four of us had a wonderful time and created some great memories.  On top of that, it was already later in the day so we got to enjoy Surf City at night.

As the sun set, Surf City began to illuminate and shine bright in the night's sky.  It was serene.  The water was calm, the breeze was cool, and the music was just a tad bit louder in the background.  A little Margaritaville enhances the experience and makes you feel like you're really in a tropical destination on vacation.  You forget where you are and, if I didn't tell you, you'd never guess that you're in Jersey City.  For a while, even I had to question where I really was!

 

When the Sun finally drops, lights glow from all around Surf City and it's gorgeous.  Between the environment, the people, the weather, and the company, I couldn't have asked for a better night.  If you look closely above, there are fire pits lit at tables in the sand.  Even when it's not cold outside, it's there for you to make yourself even more comfortable.  It's something that Surf City doesn't have to do, but does anyway.  I've mentioned "going the extra mile" time and time again on The Holidaze and that's always what separates good from great.  That's why Surf City is great.

Need more proof?  Take a look at this sign placed at the exit.  Surf City already offers free parking in a huge lot, but if you've had too much to drink and can't drive home, they're happy to oblige.  Simply leave your license plate number with the manager and they'll keep your car safe and sound until you can soberly return to pick it up.  That's class, people!  That's really taking an interest in your well being and the well being of others.  We didn't need this service, but I'm sure people do at times and it's good to see it offered.  Again, it's something they don't have to do, but do anyway

Round Three at Surf City and I had to take a picture of my angel with the beautiful skyline behind her.  She even wore her shirt to match the Surf City logo ha!  I'm lying, but are we loving this place or what?  We didn't have much time on our third trip, but we had to stop in for a drink and some burgers.  They're just too good to pass up!

If you come to Surf City for nothing else, then come for the food!  These burgers are out of this world.  This time, I know it wasn't the alcohol talking because I only had one beer.  I'm the pickiest eater in the world, hence why I don't have any lettuce, tomato, onions, or sauce on my bacon cheeseburger, but I still know a good burger when I see it and this is awesome.  For $11, you get the burger and fries and, look, it's not small.  You're getting your moneys worth!  The fries alone are good enough to spend 11 bucks, but the burger just sets everything apart.  In our time there, we've had the bacon cheeseburger, mozzarella sticks, and fries.  Because I'm picky, I'm not sure what else I'd try, but their menu is packed with shrimp, salad, wings, chicken, burgers, oysters, clams, ribs.. you name it!  If they're anything like what we ate, then it's going to be a success!

I really can't say enough about Surf City.  We had an amazing time all three times and it won't be our last outing.  To tell you the truth, we'll probably be there once or twice this week.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so we'll probably swing by on Thursday or Friday.  It's just that good!  It's definitely my new favorite place and I'm recommending it to everybody I know.  It may seem like I'm being paid to say all this, but I'm just a new fan of Surf City who wants to spread the word to anybody who will listen.  If you're in the Jersey City area, give it a try.  If you're in NYC, hop on a ferry and dock at Surf City.  You can literally walk up the ramp from your boat and enter the bar.  I saw people show up on jet ski's and kayaks!  By land or by sea, nobody can get enough of Surf City!

Barcade

In order to keep things fresh on The Holidaze, I wanted to find things to do locally that I may not have been aware of.  While searching for arcades in New Jersey and New York, I was hoping to find one that housed classic arcade machines.  You know, the vintage games from the 80s and 90s.  The kinds that had me run back and forth to my parents, in less than 10 seconds, for my quarters to continue my quest for victory.  Unfortunately, Google wasn't helping me out.

I was, specifically, hoping to find the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Game.  I didn't care if we had to travel a few hours, it's just been years since I've played it and figured it had to be somewhere!  So, back to Google I go and, little did I know, TMNT was right under my nose, only a few blocks away, in my hometown of Jersey City.  Who woulda thunk it?

Behold, Barcade!! Now, I've heard of Barcade before.  I knew there was one local, along with the other locations in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, but I hadn't checked in with their list of games since Barcade first opened.  Last I saw, the best game they had was Pac-Man and, really, I had no interest.  For whatever reason, Pac-Man seems to be the most common arcade game found in arcades.

But after discovering that they were home to my beloved Ninja Turtles, I also realized that they had The Simpsons Arcade game and WWF Superstars.  That was it.  That's more than what I needed to hear to give Barcade my very first visit.  I could. not. wait.!!

From both the outside and inside, it may not look like anything special.  But ya know what?  It doesn't have to be!  I wasn't expecting much in terms of decor.  I didn't think they'd have any marble tables or fancy chairs.  That's not the point of Barcade.  It's purpose is to combine craft beers with vintage gaming and it does so perfectly!  The fact that it looks like a warehouse, with wooden tables and elementary school lunch chairs, only enhanced the retro feel for me.  Nostalgia should always be a little dirty.  It's old.

As soon as we walked in, we took a 15 second look around and headed right for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Game.  Ahh man, what memories!  In my life, I've probably spent over 300 hours playing this game.  Between the arcade cabinet, the Nintendo version, emulators, and the XBox Arcade version, that number might even be a bit low.  It's probably my favorite game of all time and is definitely my favorite arcade game ever.  Seeing it again was a blast from the past and, that alone, was worth the couple of blocks we traveled.

Ever notice how Michelangelo wears more of a yellow colored bandana than orange?  I never knew why, and I still don't get it, but I love it!!  I remember wondering why that was the case when I was a kid, but when I see it now it's just so perfect because of its nostalgic representation.  In a matter of seconds, I'm a kid again.

 

I haven't talked much about the Ninja Turtles on The Holidaze, but let it be known that I've always been obsessed with the franchise.  As a child, I had every single toy and piece of merchandise that was released.  My favorites were the Party Wagon and Sewer Playset.  I watched the cartoon for hours on end.  I dressed up like the turtles and, to this day, I own the series on DVD, have seen every movie and can't wait for the new release in 2014.  My love for the Ninja Turtles is deep and it's not so much about the characters as it is the memories they created.

My favorite villains were always Bebop and Rocksteady and, in levels one and two of the arcade game, they're the main bosses.  Besides beating the game once or twice as a kid, this was about as far as I usually got with a dollar or two.  But if you want to see any characters, these are them!  Artistically, they're amazing.  I'm a suck for 8-bit sprites and how they're designed.  But there's something special about beating the hell out of Shredder's henchmen and watching them increasingly flash a cool red orange color as you defeat them.  It's always been my favorite part of the game.

After a few games of TMNT with my lady, we sat at the bar to order food and a few drinks.  Now, Barcade is different than your traditional bar in that they don't offer familiar beers like Budweiser or Coors.  They feature about 20-25 different craft beers and transition varieties as time goes on.  I've never really branched out in terms of beer, I usually stick with what I know, but when the Brooklyn Barcade is voted "Best Bar in New York" by Fousquare, you don't question the Jersey City location.  You just pick something off the menu and go for it.

But what if you really have no idea what you're drinking.  Sure, every beer has a unique description on the drink menu, but who knows what they really want or like?  Well, I have good news for you.  My girlfriend didn't want to just wing it, so the very gracious bartender offered a free sample.  She tried it, she liked it, and he got an extra dollar tip.  That's apparently something Barcade does for its patrons and I think that's awesome.  Instead of treating people with disdain for not knowing the difference between a "Allagash Dubbe"l and a "Green Flash 1st Anniversary American Strong Ale," they offer a quick education through a shot of beer.  But me?  I winged it and got a glass of "Brooklyn Scorcher."  Not bad!

Jersey City gets a bar wrap at times because, let's face it, there are parts of the city you wouldn't want to enter alone.  Some parts are unwalkable after dark, while others aren't much better at Noon.  But, at the end of the day, this isn't Wild West City.  There are plenty of spots, particularly downtown Jersey City, that are built up, modern, chic, and nicer than New York City.  Jersey City is certainly on the rise and Barcade sits right on the border, perfectly safe, between urban and yuppie.  That equals a whole lot of hipsters and, judging by my picture, pink hair!  I get the impression you'll find all types of people at Barcade that can lead to very interesting conversation.

Before we dived back into the vintage gaming pool, we had to see how the food was at Barcade.  We ordered "Diablo's Nachos," Chicken Quesadilla's, and, for me, Taylor Ham and Cheese on a Waffle with Grade A Syrup on the side!  The consensus?  1 outta 3 aint bad.  I didn't mind the quesadillas, but they were far from great.  There was nothing special about the Nacho's besides the name "Diablo."  But I personally loved the waffle sandwich.  I would have never thought I'd like cheese and syrup together, but I do love McGriddles so I guess it makes sense.  As I'm typing this, a story on the news just came on about Taco Bell potentially releasing a waffle taco stuffed with egg, cheese, sausage, and syrup.  Sounds very familiar!  So maybe Barcade is on to something, but I'm going to steer clear of any food the next time I visit Barcade.  Other reviews I've read agree that the food can be better.  But again, it's about beer and video games.  The food is just an extra, anyway.

It's no surprise that the bathroom would follow the food and beer, but can you say "whoa?"  For as clean as the bathroom was in terms of where you need cleanliness, the walls were torn up by graffiti.  Besides the fact that it felt like walking into a horror movie, specifically "Saw," it was actually really cool.  Some of the art was done well.  Other phrases, like "Great Job," made me laugh to myself.  A few others were scary, such as "Where's Your Jesus?"  Oh boy, what the hell was that guy's problem?  Go play a video game and relax like the guy who drew Bart Simpson.  He was obviously so pumped over the fact that The Simpson's Arcade Game was at Barcade that he drew his own version of Bart as he peed.  Very interesting bathroom, to say the least.  But the best aspect is the "No Smoking" sign.  Yeah, defile our walls but, please, don't smoke.

I figured "Bathroom Bart" was the perfect segue to The Simpson's Arcade Game.  This is another one of my favorites and, from start to finish, it might be the most fun you'll have playing an arcade game.  See, I'm a fan of the walk-through games.  I'm still a 2-D fan!  I know people love the new generation of video games and, believe me, so do I.  I can get lost in NBA 2K for hours, but I can't buy into the new Sonic The Hedgehog games that have him running and rolling from all different directions.  I appreciate the classics and find more fun in scrolling from left to right than having to figure out 12 different button combinations.  That's why The Simpson's remains one of the best games I've ever played.

 When it comes to choosing your character, I highly doubt most males chose Lisa or Marge.  Those were always the two you were forced to pick when you were 3rd or 4th to the machine and Bart and Homer were already selected.  That was always a tough break.  Who doesn't want to be Bart Simpson?  He was the coolest character in the game.  He rode around on his skateboard and said "Aye Carumba!"  Homer was an acceptable second option, but he's never been my first at, even at Barcade, things didn't change.  Bartman was my go to man and I had a great time.  Even my girlfriend didn't choose Marge or Lisa.  They're fillers, but it IS fun when you have all four on-screen in search of a kidnapped Maggie.

The Simpson's Arcade Game was recently released on XBox Live so I think I'm going to have to buy it.  After going back in time and seeing how fun it is, I think I need to have it in my life, again.  It's never been available before, besides a remastered mobile version, so It's a no-brainer.  Bart, you're coming home!

As we were eating, I asked Eileen if she had ever played arcade games when she was a child.  After 9-years together, it's something that's never come up because we haven't seen these games since well before then!  Her answer was no and I was pretty surprised.  What did little girls do when they went to an arcade in the 90s?  She said she played Skee Ball and won prizes in the cranes.  I guess defeating Shredder and saving the world wasn't good enough for her.  I guess she had no interest in saving Maggie from an Amber Alert.  That was all I ever did in those places!

But, looking at those pictures, I'd say she had a pretty fun time trying out so many different games.  The best part about Barcade isn't the fact that they have these games, but that they have them and only charge 25 cents to play.  That's what they cost when I was a kid, and that's how they should forever stay.  So we spent a lot of time moving from one machine to the next.  She played games that were completely new to her, and I relived so many memories.  Being together, it was priceless.

Two games that I had never played before, or at least don't remember, were "Double Dragon," and "Mario Bros."  Double Dragon reminded me a lot of "Streets of Rage."  I thought, once I Googled it, I'd find out that this was released on consoles and renamed Streets of Rage, but nope.  It stayed the same and, surprisingly, I've never played this beat-em-up.  It's a lot of fun!

I thought Mario Bros. was going to be the same as the Super Mario Bros. games that I played on Nintendo and Super Nintendo, growing up.  I thought it would be fun playing those games on a cabinet, but it wasn't even close.  I have no idea what the purpose of the game is and I died within 30 seconds.  Is it some type of Super Mario / Pac-Man mash-up?  He walked back and forth, came out of both sides, and wouldn't fit into the green pipes.  You can't jump on the turtles because you'll die and you can only hit the "POW" box once or twice.  I don't get it, at all.  I'd say this one was too before my time to be appreciated because I know it's a classic.

 Growing up, there was no bigger wrestling fan than me.  It's my longest-lasting passion and, to this day, I won't miss Monday Night Raw.

"WWF Superstars" is an arcade game that I had never played.  I grew up playing "WWF WrestleFest."  They're essentially the same, but feature different characters and, in my opinion, the latter was a bit easier and more fun.  Superstars is a good game, and I love the classic wrestling graphics, but it's not my favorite WWF game of all time.  In fact, that's a difficult decision to make.

My Dad once owned a Sports & Collectibles store in Bayonne, NJ called "C&C Cards."  At one point, he delved into arcade games and brought in various machines, along with air hockey and racing games, to increase business.  It worked well and, for me, it was my own little Heaven.  Imagine having your birthday party at your very own arcade!  Imagine having King Kong Bundy at that party taking pictures with all of your friends.  Imagine playing "WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game" against Bret the Hitman Hart!  I did all of that and it was because of my Dad's arcade.  Going on memories alone, I think WrestleMania might be my favorite WWF game of all time.  You couldn't ask for a cooler opponent than the Excellence of Execution.

There's a good 25-30 arcade games at Barcade and, I guarantee, there's something for everybody.  Whether you like shooting, racing, fighting, thinking, futuristic, or action games, you're going to find a winner.  I can't guarantee you'll be one, yourself, but for 25 cents, you can certainly give it multiple attempts to claim victory and get yourself on the record board of high scores.  They're all kept up high at Barcade so it's something to be proud of.  Only few men and women can call themselves the best and, perhaps, you will be one of them!

I know there are only a few Barcade's in the country and they're all on the east coast in NJ, NY, and PA, but there are different versions owned by other people throughout the United States.  Particularly, I hear that "The Emporium" in Chicago is awesome.  They have "Turtles in Time" and "NBA Jam."  That may just be enough to get me there, one day.  So check Google out and search for what you're looking for, specifically.  If you're as lucky as I was, It may very well be within walking distance.

Game Over.