A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: I’m about to place an order for some catawba-based petnat. And it is indeed pink. And I have even made a plea to a friend (who in the words of Pat Dailey does indeed have a house on the island where I can probably stay if I ask) to track me down some organically grown catawba so I can attempt to make my own pink petnat. Oh hybrids, how far you’ve come!
Originally published on November 7, 2008 .
For reasons unknown, today’s The New York Times real estate section featured Put-in-Bay, Ohio in its “Havens” column. The title: “Key West of the Great Lakes”. My husband said that “Key West of the Midwest” would have been catchier, but apparently the Times knows that Ohio isn’t really the Midwest (especially after its blue showing in the most recent election.)
As the article notes, Put-in-Bay is a little village on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. People ride golf carts around the island and drink. A lot. Including wine from Lonz Winery, which is located a short boat ride away on Middle Bass Island. For those not willing to take the boat ride, there was the Heineman’s Winery Wine Garden were you could lounge at picnic tables and drink Pink Catawba, Concord Red, or Crystal Cave Champagne from little plastic cups. Sheer deliciousness!!
There is also the fabulous Chicken Patio Peanut Wagon where my friend Denise spent summers serving peanuts to drunkards on their way to the fabulous Round House. That dome is NOT part of the Peanut Wagon – it is the Round House.
For a taste of the Put-in-Bay music scene, have a listen to Pat Dailey’s “Put-in-Bay Gonna Have a Good Time“, not to be confused with his ever-popular “How Drunk Are We Gonna Get.” Both may revolve around drinking but they are completely different songs.