| It's Margarita Time! by Scot Giambalvo Wow! Has this ever been a long time in the making. We’ve been talking about the MODE Weekly Margarita Deck Tour for so long it feels like we’ve already done one before.  First, let me head all you “please drink responsibly” preachers off at the
pass. This event, as its predecessor the MODE Weekly Martini Tour, has
only one purpose. It’s participants are going to spend a day drinking
Margaritas on some of the best decks in Central Pennsylvania.They’re going to drink until they don’t care if they spill Margaritas all over themselves. (Hear that Tequila Sheila?) Then they’re going to be driven home by a designated driver. No one gets on the tour without a pre-arranged chaperone home. That being said... Here’s how it works. We’ve rented that incredible Replica Trolley bus the Downtown Improvement District (see the center spread of this issue) uses to “Do The Loop.” The trolley comes complete with an expert driver, right from Yellow Cab in Lemoyne. The Margarita Tourists will meet at the first stop, Scott’s Grille, in downtown Harrisburg Wednesday, July 25th at 4:00pm. We’re lobbying our honorable Mayor for a quick visit to do the opening toast, but alas he’s got dignitaries coming to town. Maybe we’ll find a misguided Senator or Representative lingering around from lunch to do the toast. (Heck, maybe DeWeese will be in town!) Drinking with purpose... Each of the tour stops, beginning with Scott’s, will serve at least two different margaritas. The first will be that establishment’s variation on our title sponsor’s Ultimate Margarita, made with Imported Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur. The second margarita will be the “House Specialty,” and as with the Martini Tour, they may offer more margaritas of varying concoctions as they see fit. Our celebrated host, Nancy Ryan will be the “Designated Sober Observer,” outfitted with digital camera and camcorder. (Our beloved Nancy is expecting, and we don’t want to start the little one off on the wrong foot.) Unfortunately, her BOB Moring Show co-host, Newman, isn’t that lucky. (See a dripping wet photo of him on page two of this issue.) Newman will be sitting up front with me, the Margarita Tour tour-guide, so he doesn’t miss a single sip. (What time to you have to be on the air, Newman?) Speaking of the next morning... As if any of the Margarita Deck Tour tourists think they’re getting a free ride! Everyone getting on the trolley agrees to let Nancy and Newman call them the next morning, as they see fit, for a little “how’s the hangover?” chat, not that any of the 25 or so people would ever drink in excess. Sheeeeesh! Seven decks in six hours... Actually, this isn’t a race. We’ve got the trolly until 6:00am the next morning, and the Yellow Cab folks have assured us that our driver will know every all-night diner within driving range. (Yeaaaa!) Our unofficial, not completely ironed out yet itinerary continues from Scott’s Grille in downtown to Angelina’s across the river in Wormleysburg. From there it’s off to the links for a few rounds of golf at the Caddy Shack. We roll out from there to Wanda’s and Legends in Mechanicsburg. From Wanda’s we wander to Morgan’s on North Front Street in Harrisburg, then it’s over to Croc ‘n Berry’s on Union Deposit. Our last stop is Garrason’s, back in downtown. Famous for their “kickin’ Moscow Mule,” we’ll be interested in seeing how they incorporate our sponsor Gran Gala’s imported triple orange liqueur into those icy-cold copper cups. There might be another deck squeezed in there, or a substitution made, but please check the website before your venture out, so you’ve got the most up-to-date schedule. Please Join Us... Why check the website? How else are you going to catch up with us to win valuable free prizes? You don’t think we’d forget our readers do you? We’ve got hundreds of commorative t-shirts, dozens of lunch and dinner gift certificates, and tons more of great gifts to give away to any one who meets us out on the tour. Just keep your radio tuned to WINK 104 FM and WTPA FM for all the details and updates on the Gran Gala • MODE Weekly Margarita Deck Tour. Our goal... In this society of ever increasing rules and regulations, we believe everyone has a God-given right to have fun. We’re just going to roll our entire Summer’s worth of partying into one night, and this time we’re going to publish the entire thing online, with dozens of photos, interviews, and more! How It All Began... |