Eddie is a Superstar!

Well here we are again folks and what a hot week its been. It feels like July/Aug and its a little bit frustrating that I've only been to the pool once since March but I'm not complaining as the reason for this is that I'm running around getting T-shirts printed and getting stuff for the bar as its still extremely busy and I'm needing stock or supplies of some kind every day, I'm already looking forward to Oct LOL.

I see on certain websites people talking about best Full English Breakfast and Sunday Roasts, why on earth would you want these things when the food in Greece is so much better tasting and healthier. One day last week i had to wait an hour for T-shirts to be printed so i went to one of my favourite restaurants outside of Zakynthos Town, The Green Boat. Usually only used by locals and holidaying Greeks but I've been going there for years and its still just as good as the first time.

This is the seating area which is across the main road from the restaurant building, in the centre of the picture you can see a little gap where you can walk down in to the see if you fancy a dip which many of the locals do while there.

This is the view from the table that i sat at, its so much better than the picture shows looking across to Argassi and Mount Skopos.

I started off with my usual Saganaki (Fried Cheese) sometimes the batter coating on these can be a bit thick but at the Green Boat its so light and thin it just melts in your mouth.

I decided to go for a fish platter and again even though its deep fried there wasn't a trace of oil and the batter again was thin and light. I had 8 x White Bait, 8 x Mussels, 7 x King Prawns, a load of Calamari, Octopus in batter and Octopus in Vinegar, Cod Pieces and some salad and all that for only 13€, my whole bill with bread, water, orange juice, saganaki and fish platter was only 20€

Then to finish it all off they brought out a free dessert and it just happened to be my favourite out of all the Greek desserts, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm free LOL

While i waited for the bill, which wasn't long which i like, i decided to entertain myself with an impromptu Fingerbobs Show.

So today i decided to take a visit to my favourite tavernas (not restaurants) in town and take a few pics and to see how they all are.

First Methanes which is located behind the museum in Solomos Square. Visit here at night about 9pm and usually the owner Tassos gets out his guitar sings traditional Greek songs, a must if you ever visit town at night.

Kandouni, here you will get a choice of about 6 freshly cooked meals that were made that morning, as the day goes on and the food runs out your choice will get less and less so get here for about midday as you will always find the locals here.

Amoroza, This used to be located behind the Phoenix Hotel but is now set back off Alexander Roma street very near to St. Marcos Square.

Now i have visited this taverna many a time but still don't know its name but it was first est. in 1890, obviously the building is new but the business itself has been going for that long. This taverna is on the street behind Alexander Roma.

With all the tavernas i have shown you they are all used by the locals and during the day you can find the old boys sat in them or outside them having their sardines and ouzo. So why not head out of your resorts at least once during your holiday and take a look around Zakynthos town or the nearest village to you, once you've eaten some real Greek food you'll never want a fried egg or meat and 2 veg again while on holiday in Greece.

Well, well, well hasn't Eddie become the star of the bar since my post about him, he even puts on a little show. Eddie has never been any lower than my light on the wall but now he's up and down the wall from floor to roof, posing for pictures and enjoying the limelight, he's had more pictures taken of him than me. Lizzy though is a bit shy and leaves all the showing off to Eddie, I guess you could say she's the Vanessa Paradis to his Johnny Depp. Don't forget Eddie, no ones bigger than the bar LOL

Bar still going 100mph but the nights are all different, one night full from 8.30 till midnight, the next empty till 10.30pm, the next busy from 8.30 for an hour then empty then full from 10.30pm, so far in June no 2 nights have been the same but all have been amazing. Also even with the football and England playing the bar has been full on those nights, just goes to show not all bars need TVs as not everyone wants them. I weigh myself  before i go to work then weigh myself when i wake up the next morning and within one busy night i lose 1.5kg also i wore a pedometer a few nights and i cover between 6.5 and 8 miles every night. BLOODY HELL, no wonder my legs ache LOL

Helen arrives this Thursday woohoo, holiday time for me, i might even get a tan. Also nice to have Helen here as we do so much more together than when I'm here alone. Well, I've seen every part of the island so many times and don't think there's a road i haven't been on, so when Helen's here its much more enjoyable.

I'd like to welcome my 5 new blog readers from India, welcome to you all and hope you enjoy my waffle ha ha.

So until next week my loyal readers, BEWARE! There is an impostor within the resort, you may come across someone saying that a dog they have is called Rock Dog, this is false, there is only one Rock Dog and you saw him here first and they actually stole the name from Oceanics Rock Dog as they told me they had ha ha. Unfortunately Rock Dog and Scooby haven't been seen for days so i do hope they're safe, i miss them.

Eddies got a girlfriend, Eddies got a girlfriend!

Good afternoon folks, well its afternoon as I'm writing this but it maybe night time or morning when your actually reading it so whatever time it is good day to you and welcome to another update of my ramblings for the week that's past.

Its been a wonderful week with more wonderful new customers and also repeat offenders. Within the last few days the temp has gone through the roof, hot at nights and even hotter by day and it all turned around within 2 days, crazy eh! Whats that you say, Rain, high winds and storms in the UK, you poor things. My bike "Aggy" in the UK was blown over 3 times this week so Helen has now moved her to a sheltered home for battered motorbikes, she needs some care and attention when i get home, the bike that is not Helen LOL.

Now over the years many of you have met Eddie, Eddie Lizzard my bar pet (OK its not the same one but the largest one is always called Eddie) well Eddie now has a girlfriend ooooooOOOOOHHHH! She's called Lizzy (yes original i know) but don't they make a happy couple, sharing moths and mozzies underneath my light on the wall, perhaps i should change the name of bar to Lizard Lounge.

Awwww, don't they look in love, backs to each other haha.

Helen tells me that the new names for my new cocktail I've come up with are coming in thick and fast, that's good. Now just because its green its doesn't mean it has to have something to do with green in the rock song title, it just needs a rock song title that suits it. So keep them coming and Helen will give me all the names without telling me who suggested them and i will pick the best, that way there is no favouritism but Helen will then tell me who has won the free cocktail of their choice, sod that, lets make it 3 free cocktails of their choice I'm in a good mood (Rock Legend and Electric Ice Tea not included LOL).

The world famous actor nephew of mine Leighton Kyle now has a job, well done sir i salute you, now i just need to get rid of his body indentation out of my sofa.

So it was the queens big 4 day celebration for sitting on her ass, waving alot, having lots of holidays all over the world and owning lots of huge homes all over the UK without paying any mortgages. So just for the special occasion i decorated the bar.

What you mean you can't see any decorations. Oh Yeah, that's right, i don't really care LOL She's never helped me to do anything so don't see why i should thank her. I mean, when my bar flooded did she help to mop up? NO! When i was snowed under with dirty glasses did she help out? NO! When i needed someone to hold the ladder as i painted bar did she offer assistance? NO! So tell me why i should thank her with bunting and union jacks. But she did manage to pop by just to say hello when all the work was finished.

Queeny, always late for work but never late for a freebie LOL

There were even people walking around Kalamaki with union jack waistcoats on and 2 ladies had those silly bobbly head things on, something like deeley boppers from the 80's, please, give me a break.

Bar is still going well and had an amazing group of Irish in, started off as just 2, the next time 12, then 16 and by the end of the holiday i think it was about 25 of them, they were the most friendly and polite Irish folk i have ever had in my bar, apart from Irish Joe that is. Not one Feking was uttered by any of them. Did they love their cocktails or what? They even asked me to open an Oceanic in Dublin LOL. Now that is a good idea. I do have a few contacts in Dublin, watch this space. Joe has taken a picture of them in the bar which i will add to my blog when i get it from him.

The resort is starting to pick up this week but that's because its half term i believe in the UK so it may drop off again next week.

Not done much else to be honest as I've just been busy with the bar so not been able to get out and about.

Got some new pencil artwork of rock stars donated by Paul Hockey from Blue Dragon Tattoo as i asked him for 6 drawings and they are amazing. Paul really does have talent. I'm building him a website at the moment so people can contact him if they want any drawings done of themselves, their children or anything really. I will add his drawings next week and hopefully finished his website by then for you all to take a look at. Just need to find 6 picture frames all the same now to put them up in bar, that's a difficult thing on this island LOL

The cult movie paintings Alan donated to the bar are now on his website for you to see, or if you want to order any from him just visit his website and state your from oceanic and Alan has said he will give discount to my customers which i thought was very kind of him.

http://blog.invisibleincdesign.com/

On Greek tv last week there was a poltical debate, have a look. Wouldn't Prime Ministers question time be alot more exciting if it was like this LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjVsaEUM2Ws

Well i think that's about it for now folks till next week, so all that's left for me to say is, please remember to switch off and unplugged all appliances at night, accept the fridge or freezer of course.

I know its been 2 weeks but i got a good reason!

Well another May over and how shall i say it went, Wayhay! Woohoo,! YeeHaa! fandabbydozzy! yabba dabba doo! I think you get the message LOL.

The reason for not doing my weekly update is that the world famous actor Leighton Kyle has been here and he's been living in my office space so haven't been able to get to my work desk but the living room, ahemm, i mean office space is now vacant again, my nephew is still here as he is trying to find work but he no longer occupies my sofa, never known anyone who can sleep 14 hours, at one point i actually thought he had merged with the sofa and couldn't get up haha. Good luck with the job search but what with the locals looking, plus other visitors looking and tourism being down I'd say there's little chance but you never know.

The resort is still very quiet but lets hope this all picks up this week and the people start to fill the restaurants and bars otherwise next year this resort could be very quiet.

T-shirts, all i can say is wish i had my own printer, in the last 3 weeks of May I've sold 48 t-shirts and I'm very surprised at the top seller which is Joy Divisions Ian Curtis, second is AC/DC Bon Scott and third Queen Freddie Mercury so I'm very pleased that my customers like the design, I've also been asked by a market trader in the UK if they can sell them but its just an Oceanic thing as a nice keep sake for my customers.

Many stray dogs around this year and i have to say its been quite upsetting for me. There is one male dog that is attacking all the others, there were about 5 dogs that all went round together, no problems, slept together, played together, then this horrible nasty thing appeared and was tearing in to the the other dogs. First it attacked a lovely little dog and had made its legs bleed and gave it a limp. It attacked the dog first outside my bar but was scared away, then i heard the dog being attacked again so i run down the street and booted the nasty dog as hard as i could, sort of Steven Gerrard penalty like, it ran off and i took the injured dog back to Oceanic. I cleaned up its bleeding legs and one of my regulars Ian bought it some dog food then i gave it some water, took the cushions off my sofa and laid it down as it was in shock. It stayed there all night and the next day he was as good as new playing with the other dogs.

I called him "Rock Dog" but my customers named him Kevlar 2, cheek!

Kevlar 2 sleeps rather weird or is he just hungover, Get It, Hungover, ooh please yourselves.

The next week i came in to the bar in the morning and under my bar i have a small table which i put my sofa covers on. I saw something move and from under the covers this little head pops out. This dog was so scared and thin. I went and bought it some food and sat with it stroking her and making a fuss of her, i got an old towel and laid it under the table and she went back and went to sleep. I called this one Scooby as it was scared of everything but seemed to like me.

Scooby having a bit of peace.

Then 2 days after i had helped Scooby the nasty dog was back and started to attack Charlie, the most famous little dog in Kalamaki as he only has 3 legs and he's been here as long as i have. He had Charlie by the throat throwing it around like a rag doll, people were just watching and letting the attack carry on but i couldn't, it was the most horrible thing to see. I went in to bar got a spare wooden broom handle and whacked the dog across the back, Tiger Woods tee off like, the nasty dog yelped and run and i helped charlie on to the pavement and he had a problem with his one front leg but he made it home and again he is now 100% again, well as 100% as you can be with 3 legs. I'M THE ALPHA MALE NOW LOL!

Now if ever there was an opening for a job on Zakynthos it has to be for a proof reader, some of the spelling mistakes in Kalamaki alone are shocking. Ok "Coctail" is everywhere but I've seen "Cash Mashine", also at a well known restaurant instead of  "Cordon Bleu" they've put "Gordon Blue". I've taken pics of 2 other examples. This is a poster in Zakynthos town, just in case you ever want to bring your book shelf or tool shelf on holiday with you there is now an App for your Iphone where you can "Guide Yourshelf".

Yes an App you've all been waiting for, one that helps you guide your shelf around Zakynthos.

This one was the best though, it was on a flier that i saw, Where do i begin with this one, I'll just let you read it haha.

So June is here and weather is now getting hotter by the day. Cocktails are in full flow and the winners so far are the "Oceanic Rock Legend" and "Banoffee Pie", not much beer being sold its all spirits and cocktails which is great for me. Still closing between 3-5am, think only had one night in May i closed before 3am so I'm a bit tired but this week is always a quiet week for me as its half term so maybe my body can recharge.

A big thank you to all my customers through May for making it my best May in my 6 years with Oceanic, i know its just a simple bar and not the best but everyone so far has enjoyed it. That's whats so good about working it alone, i know the feed back from every single customer that steps in the bar and haven't had one yet with a complaint as i have talked to all of them, well, when i can get time to.

So until next week my lovely readers, reach for the stars but keep your feet grounded.