Celebrate Doghouse Day: Stick It to the Man and Score Valentine’s Deals on the 15th!

Happy Doghouse Day! You might be wondering what that means. Well, it’s a new holiday I invented last year that encourages “sticking it to the man”! If you’re tired of holidays driven by Hallmark profits, then join me in celebrating Doghouse Day. Here’s the concept: imagine you’re super relaxed in your relationship, so relaxed that you forgot to get anything for Valentine’s Day for your sweetheart. Valentine’s Day might have been a letdown, but here’s the good news – all the treats that were overpriced on the 14th are now heavily discounted. You actually are rewarded monetarily for your laziness!

I coined the term when I was randomly buying flowers at our local grocery store, and the gentleman in line behind me asked, “In the doghouse, huh?” He meant I must have done something to irritate my significant other, and now I was trying to buy my way back into her good graces with a dozen roses. Ironically, I wasn’t in the “doghouse”; I was just buying flowers because I like having cut roses at home, and so does my wife and partner, Maria. It was a surprise, not a makeup bribe.

Now, back to the subject of this new holiday celebrated on February 15th. I propose that we all “stick it to the man” and rebel against holiday-themed items on the actual day, but buy them at a discount on the 15th instead. Today is the 15th, and to celebrate, I bought a large supply of chocolate at 50% off! I would have bought roses too, but since they were at a different store, I didn’t get around to it. The concept isn’t about being in the doghouse — avoid that at all costs! It’s more of a tongue-in-cheek term. Don’t mess up your relationship, but I suggest buying something not labeled Valentine’s Day for the actual holiday – a quart of your partner’s favorite ice cream or some other non-holiday-specific treat.

Yesterday, we went to a nice dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but it wasn’t marked up like roses. Definitely don’t buy roses on the 14th, but do buy them on the 15th! I think you get it. Let’s all be counter-culturalists by celebrating Doghouse Day on the 15th of February!

Chill Out in Style: What to Wear to the Great Alaska Craft Brew and Barley Wine Festival in Anchorage

It’s time for the Great Alaska Craft Brew and Barleywine festival here in Anchorage, Alaska!  This annual event happens in the dead of winter every year. Well…every year, unless we happen to be having a pandemic.  In our defense, even the Germans cancelled Oktoberfest that year. Fortunately, now that the ‘Ronassance is over we are back on track to have the barleywine-guzzling, beer-swigging, bagpipe-marching, hootenanny drunkfest that is the GABBF.  

I want to talk about what is appropriate to wear to the this shindig.  First off, dress warm! Today we woke up to -19F degrees outside, here in Anchorage, and that is not a pleasant temperature to be wearing skimpy dresses and no coats. Downright dangerous when waiting curbside for a ride home! Fortunately, there is a coat check at the event, so you can stash your outerwear and emerge from your parka to show off the good looking attire underneath.  Men and women probably want to wear different things, although I am sure Johnathan Van Ness would totally rock a gorgeous beer themed dress to the fest. Beer leggings are probably more for gals than for guys. Lederhosen are traditionally dude wear, and if you have a pair, now is a good time to show off your German heritage.  Of course brewery gear is a  great idea. T-shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps, beanies, brewer button down shirts, and, although most people won’t see it unless you get really really drunk, brewery brand underwear. Yes, Ted at Turnagain Brewing, you should wear your special Turnagain Brewing boxer shorts.  Clark Pelz from Cynosure Brewing wears an elaborate western button up shirt with a hop pattern embroidered on it, he looks very stylish in it.

If you wonder why the rubber chicken is a GABBF staple, then you can read about it here in my previous blogpost. The rubber chicken necklaces are a gift from Phil Farrell, a long time attendant, and BJCP beer judge at the fest.  Pretzel necklaces serve two functions: they look cool and keep with the German vibe, but also feed the hungry beer drinker.  It is important to eat a lot of food when imbibing in as much beer as you probably will drink at this event.  I suggest preloading with greasy, heavy foods that coat your stomach, so you won’t get the spins before the session is over. 

We offer a lot of my artwork on beer themed clothing at our RedBubble site.  We also have two kinds of beer-themed socks available at our booth. Did I mention I will be there selling my art? Have a drink, or three then stop by and visit me! I want to see your cool beer apparel. There just ain’t nothing quite as cool as seeing someone slurping the suds while wearing cool beer duds.  So grab your pretzel necklace, eat some fries, get on down at Dena’ina Center for the big beer and barleywine festival!!!