I may need a bigger wall!

So with the start of 2016 keeping the marble industry busy we have had quite a few losses to the music world, all absolute greats so i decided to update "The Shrine Wall". Now i have a limited space so for me to add absolutely everyone that i want to i would need a second building. With this in mind i have had to double up on some pics, so here in all their glory are the pictures.

Johnny Cash and Elvis, true greats and kings of the music world.

Sid Vicious, Lemmy and Ian Curtis. Without doubt Legends, no other words needed.

Freddie Mercury and David Bowie, World icons for outstanding music.

Marc Bolan and Kurt Cobain, Gone before their time but their music never forgotten.

Prince ans Animal. Masters of their instruments they played and true showman.

I know we all have our favourites and people will be saying "What about George Formby, What about Val Doonican", Did you know Val only died last July? Where was all the news headlines? Did i miss them? But, as i said i have limited space and limited amount of frames.

We shall miss them all.

Now then, on to a happier note and nothing makes me more happy than FOOD!
I do try to keep to a strict diet and healthy eating but every so often as you all know i like a good blow out, in fact a blow out enough for 4 people but eat it all myself. Am i a supermodel? They binge out. Oh yeah forgot, they throw up after it. That's just a waste of money.

So i took myself to the fish restaurant on Sunday (Day of Rest and a Holy Day) called Thimelos on the port road in Zakynthos Town.

On the pig out fest today we have:-

Octopus in Vinegar, one of my favs.

Cheese croquet's, bit over cooked but ate them all.

Baked feta cheese with honey and sesame seeds, getting a bit full now.

Whitebait. No way were these whitebait. Definitely Sardines trying to pass themselves off as whitebait, they were huge. Sardines do get a bad rap mind you so i suppose they got to try be eaten some way or another.

And as a side, fries. Again, these aren't fries these are homemade door wedges but very nice indeed.

Guess how much for all that and a bottle of water & bread, go on guess. Nope your all wrong. 18.50€
That was it. And i was given cherries in a thick sauce as a dessert. Those were just a little to rich for me, i like sweet but that was like eating a sugar cane, topped with sugar and soaked in sugar syrup. Making me feel sick just thinking of them.
That was my first proper meal in 25 days on the island, it had been all cold food and take away up till then.

While we are talking of food i saw this on a menu in the Strada Marina Hotel in Zakynthos Town while i was having my coffee.

Small Variety, Big Variety. Of what? Give me a clue or is it just order and wait for the surprise? If its a variety of meats, cheese, pastries or desserts I'm in but if its a variety of bones, dirty dishes or paper napkins you can forget it.

Two more new t-shirt designs for you, the first one supplied by Mark of Pam & Mark is for all you northern soul buffs and the second is a rock classic.

So May is almost at an end and every customer that has been in has returned for a second visit. Not one customer hasn't come back a second time which is great. I am also getting so many All Inclusive customers in, more than any other season and many staying for a few rounds so it does go to show not all AI customers live in the hotel for 24 hours, 7 days a week. To add to that i have had allot of dutch customers this year who have all been lovely but then again all my customers have been lovely over the 10 years I've been open.
Also i would like to thank everyone for all the well wishes via the net and to all the regulars who have come in and said last year wasn't the same without Oceanic being open which i am very humbled by but as i have always said it is the customers that make the bar not me, i just make and serve the drinks but your all very kind and i thank you.
I'm sure you still enjoyed your holiday and whichever bars you drank in but its good to see you all back in again.

So until the next update,

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

Oh my god, rain, again!

So due to heavy rain there is little i can do apart from drink coffee in one of the numerous coffee shops in town and give you all a little something to read.

It has rained so heavy this morning i thought Moses had parted the Ionian Sea and i have only just jet washed both my bikes, BUGGER!

So would you all like to see what my travel tavern looks like for 13€ a night. I bet you'll be so jealous.

Here we have the master bedroom, well its all just one room.

My Pog-n-Poll kitchen as designed by Dan. DAN, DAN, DAN, DAN............DAN!

A well equipped bathroom with hairdryer (not needed as no hair), shaving mirror and phone for those important business calls while you shower.

Not only does it have a shower hook but a shower curtain, the life of luxury i lead.

Not only have i got all this and a 32" TV but i bought myself a big plate for the buffet breakfast.

(Followers of AP will get the references)

As for my apartment hunt, don't ask. If you look around there are loads to rent, trying to find out who owns them is a nightmare. If you go to estate agents they want a months rent in advance, that's fine, one or sometimes 2 months security deposit money and then estate agents fees are also a months rent so a 250€ apartment becomes 1000€ and, AND, that's for unfurnished and no cooking facilities. Whats the 500€ security deposit for? just in case i swat a mozzie on wall and it needs painting, ridiculous.

So as promised to all you Northern Soul fans i did say i would make a t-shirt up for you. Had at least 20 people ask for it. So we have made one especially for you.

Chest logo

And the first design for back

But you can have whatever you want printed on the back given notice as long as its lettering only.

Well there we go the rain has stopped so i can move on and do my chores for the day but at least its a little something for you to read to pass 5 mins of your day.

So until i can get out on the bike and see whats going on around the island,

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

Business as usual.

So lets give you a little bit more to read as the weathers a bit dodgy today.

Firstly how are we all this year? We all good? That's good then. I'm OK. Well i arrived the day before Easter, big mistake. I had so much to do to get open and everywhere closed for 5 days. Celebrating Easter eggs has got a lot to answer for. So go forward 5 days and its all systems go. Paint brush in one hand, screwdriver in other, cloth in between my teeth and a broom up my.....oh look a Swallow. Paperwork was quite painless and quick this season which i was very surprised by.

2 days of non stop blood, sweat and tears and she's ready to go. Not added any new decor as didn't use it for long last season but have moved the inside bar area about a bit.

Booked myself in to a Hotel on my first day which yes i am still living in. I have looked, called, knocked on doors and still no luck with an apartment. Its difficult cause i need certain things in it and don't want to be in Kalamaki as then its like i'm never away from work, so looking around the areas just outside the resort and in the main town. I fancy Zante town as that's where i spend allot of my days.

Got some new cocktails I've come up with for this season also changed my bottle stock, got Alpha back in instead of Fix as that was popular the last time also added Peroni and Original Budweiser.

The season has started as if I've never been away. All the locals have been so welcoming and pleased i'm back, my regulars of May have also been so nice to welcome me back and glad to see i'm open again. Lots of new customers already, i'd say about 80% have been new and first timers to Oceanic but not to the resort so that's great also.

So far most popular cocktail is a new one called "Sweet Home Alabama" and also sold within a week four David Bowie t-shirts and five Prince so Spiro my t-shirt supplier is very happy indeed i'm back LOL!

Great to see my good friends Tasos and Demi, always good to pop in for a coffee in morning to get abuse and then pop in after work for more abuse, how I've missed that.

Business as usual.

Already had my first crumpet delivery from Irish Joe, they look so good, shame i got nothing to cook them on yet. Do you think a hot plate from a coffee percolator would do the trick? perhaps not, BUGGER!

So my updates are up and running so should be doing one every week from now on, well, thats if i got anything to waffle on about.

So i'd like to welcome you all to season 2016 and Oceanic's 10th Anniversary.

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

All new Rock Legend designs for 2016

Now the Oceanic wouldn't be the same without its Rock Legend Collection t-shirts so for this years summer collection we have quite a few added to the range. Don't forget if there is any i have missed out you can order it at the bar and it can be designed within 48 hours. I've now designed so many that not all are on the website or in the catalogue but i will try to get them all printed out at some point.

And of course Prince is only available in Purple.

"I AM" Alan Partridge, AHA!

Yes i'm here, yes i'm open and yes i'm living in a travel tavern. Well a hotel. A very nice room with Greek TV, tea and coffee facilities and a fridge, oh and of course air con and shower. My life is becoming like Alan Partridge, good god lets hope i don't end up on local radio, SHOOT ME NOW!

As you can see from the picture below my patio leads on to a pool. Also you can tell its my patio by the abundance of color on the washing line. Washing by hand isn't really ideal but at least with my wardrobe being mainly black i don't have to worry about colors running. On the topic of t-shirts my Rock Legend Collection has grown hugely this season what with all the dead rock stars Bowie, Lemmy, Prince, Glen Frey, Animal. What you mean who's Animal? He's only the most famous drummer of all time.

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2016/01/20/rock-legend-animal-dies-aged-66/

Some new faces to also add to the dead wall.

My beautiful laundrette!

And here she is all painted fresh and new ready for the off. About bloody time i painted that front i hear you say. Cheeky gits! Due to it being Easter when i arrived nowhere was open to buy supplies to fix and paint up the bar so it was a crazy 2 days to get everything done by the 5/5 but i did it. With the bar being closed for so long its almost like starting from the very beginning, i have to learn how to walk before i can run again.

So just a little update as got to go out to coffee shop to use the wifi (Not Costas, but owned by a Costa).

Bigger more in depth update when i get my apartment sorted and settled. Yammas!