Party Poppers To Ring In The New Year 2025

 

Happy New Year my friends, family, and surfers. Yes, I know it is Thursday the 2nd of the new year 2025, but hey, who really cares? 

Anyways, about 10 minutes before midnight, (That is 11:50PM for those keeping score, and time) Patty asked me if I still had some party poppers to shoot off for the new year. 

After searching for roughly 5 minutes, I found them. As you can see by the picture posted above, they are Party 2000 Poppers, a 24 pack, from Phantom Fireworks. Phantom is headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio but have fireworks showrooms and warehouses throughout the country. Seriously, sign onto your computer or cell phone and dial up www.fireworks.com. 

Back to the poppers. Party 2000 Poppers were created by Phantom several years before the new millennium. (Roughly 1997) Yes folks, I have had this bag of poppers for over 25 years. Shocking I know!!!

Anyway, I tore open the bag, spilled out the poppers onto the table, and we all grabbed them and waited for Anderson and Andy from CNN to count down to the new year. At the stroke of midnight, we let loose and fired off those party poppers. 

Firstly, they all worked and popped loud and true. Secondly, we all cheered and yelled HAPPY NEW YEAR. Although I am 65 years old, I felt like a 10 year old once more. 

All 24 poppers were shot, and all 24 were true. A fantastic time had by all. All three F's fell into play. (What are the three F's.) Easy, they are Food, Family, and Fireworks. 

Cleanup would occur in the morning. (Or perhaps early afternoon)

A huge shout out to Bruce Zoldan, Alan Zoldan, and the amazing staff around the country. Just like Thee Ohio State Buckeyes, Phantom Fireworks is the best damn fireworks company in the land. 

I will visit you all this upcoming season. (Perhaps leave a sandwich for me in June.)

Merry Christmas from the Grassy Knoll Institute.

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Sitting On My Throne

 

Welcome back my friends,... And enemies. 

Christmas is directly right around the corner. Less than one day away. 

Anyway, this is me at Kraynaks Christmas Land in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. 

I am casually sitting on my throne. Several queries are running through my mind. 

1) Will the Vikings defeat the Green Bay Slackers this weekend? (Yes, they will!)

2) Will Elon Musk buy out future president Donald Trump so he can cut through a mountain of red tape to push his electric car production to more than 100 cars a year? (No, he will not)(But he hopes to)

3) Whats for dinner? (Steamers restaurant, cheeseburger and fries and diet Coke)(Hello Jeremy)

4) Why, and where the Hell is Hermitage?  (The location, well, of course, is located in Hermitage, Pennsylvania)

The iron throne will appear in several more updates in future updates.

Merry Christmas from the Grassy Knoll Institute.

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Aunt Mahalias Home Made Candy

 

Welcome to Aunt Mahalia's Home Made Candy shop. Located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, right on the corner of the strip coming in from the 441 highway. I have been going to Gatlinburg for over 45 years and always make it a habit to stop in and buy just about everything in the store with chocolate. And let me tell you, they have a wide variety of delicious treats.

This time, this day, just last week, I bought some of my favorite candy confection. As you can see, it has melted chocolate on top. Below of course it has very good tasting cashews. I don't know how many, perhaps, 10 cashews. Intertwined is a caramel swirl that holds this delightful piece of candy together. 

Let me pause for just a moment please....

OK, I'm back. 

Of course the taste was out of this world. Seriously, out of this world. I cannot eat just one. (And neither can you) I bought six pieces, yes, six pieces. I ate two of them in mere minutes. 

The cost, seriously, not bad. Remember this place should be in Christmas Town. However, each one cost $1.50. (Well worth the cost. Even for an old retired chocolate junkie like myself)

The Grassy Knoll highly recommends Aunt Mahalia's Home Made Candy for all your chocolate desires. 

 The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 5 out of 5 shots and highly recommends Aunt Mahalia's for at any time you feel the need for brilliant tasting chocolate. 

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Eddies Grill Back Patio Geneva On The lake

 

So, yes I know I missed the Halloween season. And yes, it is my upmost favorite time of the year. October is the time of year where my blog flourishes with wonderful people, (And some crazy people) coming to see what is up in my town during All Hallows Eve. I love reading all the comments from each post. And I must say, many are very clever, and mostly humorous. (I get paid for doing this) LOL

Anyway, this post is a first of its kind for the Grassy Knoll Institute. Take a close look at the Eddies Grill billboard above. See that crazy guy holding a spatula and a famous Eddies Grill cheeseburger? (Go ahead, I'll wait a few seconds) 

Yes, Eddies Grill, located on Geneva On The Lake, is now closed. Eddies closed early September and will reopen on Mothers Day weekend in May of 2025. 

Getting back. See that guy smiling. Wearing glasses. That's me. The Curator of the Grassy Knoll Institute. 

I know this is not a Halloween themed post, but hey, I do look a little spooky. OK, a lot spooky. 

However, its taken me 45 years working at my job to get this far. And I have had so much fun working. 

But, last week I retired. Halloween day was my last day. 

Anyway, as I have stated in past Halloween posts, I am not leaving my blog. I will be the last person blogging, even if I am the last one. In fact, I welcome that. 

I am making a promise that I will have at least 20 Halloween posts for the 2025 October season. I guarantee this statement. 

I patiently await comments. Please let them fly. Or swim. Or walk. Or Waltz. 

Happy Halloween (Or November)

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Wonder Works Pigeon Forge

 

Wonder Works, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, at 100 Music Road, Pigeon Forge, TN, 37763. 

Do you see the parking lot? It looks packed, only a few parking spaces available. I wondered why! I mean I have driven by this establishment maybe one hundred times and never did it dawn on me pull in, park my car, and see what wonders the attraction had to offer. 

(Side note. I will be there in early November, and I will take the tour. A report with plenty of photos will follow.)

Anyway, as you look at the building, you immediately notice that it is upside down. The entrance is in the center of the bottom. 

Inside the Wonder Works, it offers hundreds of exhibits, plus laser tag, a rope course, and a 4D motion ride. I have to believe the exhibit is well planned and entertaining. 

However, there is one exhibit I was told about inside the building. It is attached to the RMS Titanic disaster sinking from 1912. Of course, the exhibit had photos of the Titanic ship, both inside and outside. But one part of the exhibit, there is a vat of water. The inscription simply read, inside this vase, this is the temperature of the ocean water the night the Titanic sunk after ramming into an iceberg. A sign states that the water temperature that night was 28 degrees. It also dares you to put your hand in the water to see how long you can keep it under the cold water.

Las Vegas Luxor also has a Titanic exhibit with the Big Piece of the ship that they raised. It also has the cold water exhibit with eh cold water. And, I did put my hand in the water. My hand lasted just about ten seconds. I pulled my hand out and rubbed it to warm my hand up. 

Second Side Note: By the way, although the Wonder Works building appears to be upside down on the outside. On the inside, it is not. 

When in Pigeon Forge, try the Wonder Works exhibit and let us know how it was for you.

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Chick-Fil-A Closes Its Doors

Chick Fil-A Closes it's Doors 

Sadly, yesterday, August 31st, 2024 Chick Fil-A closed up shop at the Southern Park Mall in Boardman, Ohio. Chick Fil-A has served fantastic meals including a fabulous chicken sandwich and fantastic waffle fries. 

Shocked after reading the we will close our doors on August 31st sign taped to the side of the counter, I asked the manager for more information. After all, we are talking about Chick Fil-A, the darling fast food chain with locations everywhere. Including the Southern Park Mall located in Boardman, Ohio.

He told me that he did not have a choice. The franchise was told by the mall management that they would not renew the provided space where the restaurant conducted business for the past 44 years. 

Attempts were made and discussions planned but to no avail. (Seriously, no talks about a franchise for the last 44 years!)

My thoughts are now focused on hoping the current employee's working at Chick-Fil-A can find new employment at a new venture. Thankfully, I was told that all employee's would be transferred to the several other local restaurants. So, at least that is some good news. 

After my conversation with the manager, it was time to go. I took my chicken sandwich, 12 pack chicken nuggets, and medium sized macaroni and cheese and began my exit. 

I stopped for a mere few seconds. I slowly took a wide look at the restaurant just hours before it closed. The same restaurant I have been a patron for many many years.  In front of me were dozens of empty tables quietly waiting for customers to sit down and eat their food. 

I took a long hard look, turned slowly, and exited for the last time.

If it matters anymore, the Grassy Knoll Institute awards 5 hits out 5 for my last visit to Chick Fil-A.

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Scarsellas Meatball And Penne

 

Scarsella's Restaurant, located at 4151 Market Street, in Youngstown, Ohio 44512, has many a fabulous selections for dinner. One of them is Penne and meatballs. (Pictured above) To begin, the sauce is very tasty. It makes the meal outstanding. The penne was plenty, well cooked, and tasted fantastic. The meatballs are legendary. No seriously, legendary. And to top it off, several slices of Italian bread complete the meal. 

The service was of course always special. Always pleasant. Scarsella's makes you feel like home, like you are part of the family. Not many restaurants can offer that. 

Also, a shout out to Dale from the restaurant. Thank you for the service and the fine food. I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July.

Patrick

The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 5 out of 5 shots and recommends Scarsella's for dinner.

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Daffodil Hill Mill Creek Park

 Its Friday and I found myself taking a leisure drive through Mill Creek Park. I fond myself approaching a slight bend in the road and a moment later I came upon a healthy patch of daffodils. No one was behind me so I slowed the car and pulled over. Getting out I walked a little closer and snapped a few pictures. 

Back in the heyday, every March we would drive by the park to view the daffodils. We didn't know what day they would bloom so it was almost an every day occurrence. 

But today, yes today, they were out in all their glory. 

I remember past years in the 1970's and still today, 50 years later, I search and enjoy Daffodil Hill in Mill Creek Park.  

So we have that.

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