DE Day 5 - Fine Art, Food, and Flight Simulators
Today started out heading back up to Northern Delaware. I got my coffee at Brew HaHa in Newark. Brew HaHa is a local chain, but like Grotto Pizza it consistently makes the Best of Delaware lists and I can see why. There was a fun atmosphere, lots of college kids hanging out (The University of Delaware is in Newark), and the coffee was quite good.
From there I walked down Newark's Main Street to Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, 2017's Best Lunch Spot of Northern Delaware. I quickly found out why. They had a $10 pick 2 menu that absolutely put Panera's choose 2 menu to shame. There were tons of options, but I opted for the 1/2 featured sandwich (blackened beer battered grouper) and the 1/2 flatbread (chili sauce with cheese and peppers). It was all incredible, and it came with a $4 craft beer. I was thrilled.
After food came art, as I made my way to the Delaware Art Museum. It wasn't very big but there was a lot to offer. The special exhibits were on American Illustration especially highlighting the works of Howard Pyle and on the works of Ricard Cleaver, who makes weird multi-faceted sculptures with different compartments. Check these weird little guys out:
There was also a sculpture garden and a labyrinth so basically everything I want in an Art Museum. This was my favorite piece from the garden, because it conveys a lot with very simple shapes. Behold the Crying Giant
After the museum I went to Blue Earl Brewery in Smyrna and got a flight of their Imperial Stout, their heavy ale, a bourbon aged porter, and a lager made in an older pre-prohibition style. Everything was really really good, and for the first time the stout might have been my least favorite of the four, with the porter and the heavy ale just having a little more flavor to push them over the edge. I also got a bottle of the Big Joe Porter which is really good and flavored with honey. That will also be my name if I ever become a blues man in the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s.
After the brewery I met up with the family friend who's been hosting me for the week. He works as a flight simulator instructor at a nearby air force base. They had a cancellation today so the flight simulator was free, and I got to go in it. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Because the machine is used to train real pilots everything inside is an exact replica of a real cockpit and the software is programmed with all kinds of possible scenarios. Because I have zero flight experience we just worked on taking off and landing, but they did let the autopilot run an in-air refueling so I could see what that's like. The technology is absolutely amazing. I don't think I could ever be a pilot though, because I got anxious trying to land a virtual plane with no stakes so I don't know that I could handle the pressure of a real one. I didn't do half bad though all things considered (though I'm pretty sure the instructor and the automated functions helped a whole heck of a lot). I definitely gained a greater respect for what pilots actually have to do and I also got to gain some one of kind first hand experience.
After the simulator, we went back to the Governor Cafe to try out the restaurant. I got a bowl of clam chowder and a prime rib sandwich. Everything was great, so I guess the cafe is a great place for more than just coffee.
When I got home I finished watching the new Netflix show, Big Mouth. The voice cast is insanely talented, and it's the only show that might be as gross and funny as actually going through puberty. Which I mean as a compliment.
Favorite Random Sightings: Dragon Run; Dingle and Kane: Public Certified Accountants; "Cool Cats Rent Here"; Someone walking behind me saying, "Psychology is Bullshit"
Regional Observations: I think this is the first state in which I've actually seen waves of grain.
Albums Listened To: The Epic by Kamasi Washington (3 hours of pure raw jazz)
People's Favorite Jokes:
What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh (two for that one)
What did the rasta guy say to the dentist? Ah, my jaw mon! (I'm a-jammin; it's hard to write out accent based jokes)
Song of the Day:
What a jam
