Penn Brewery & Banjo Night

Took the folks out on the (North Side of) town this past Wednesday — Penn Brewery for rye IPA and wursts and college-aged boys in lederhosen playing German folk songs, and then to the 22nd anniversary of Banjo Night for four-stringed Christmas sing-a-longs… What? Jews know the words to “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” too.

The next morning my father emailed to proclaim that, surely, the banjo is “the happiest instrument of all! Hearing banjo music, singing along and just watching the people and the musicians having such a good time can’t help but make you feel good!”

Of note: The same evening I took my parents to Banjo Night, my friend took her grandparents and some other extended family. Friends, too. At Banjo Night, it is not rare to see three generations sharing a table. I love, love, love the multigenerational-ness of it all. Piercings and dentures. Pitchers of cheap beer, and glasses of white zinfandel.

Also of note: Penn Brewery’s menu has a whole vegetarian corner! I know. Totally unexpected, and totally appreciated. I considered the käsespätzle, but ended up with the veggie bratwurst (perfect with spicy mustard), which came with potato pancakes, a mountain of ‘kraut and a pierogi or two stolen from my father’s plate.