With plenty of rain, including the potential of Hurricane Joaquin reaching landfill, use this week's list of suggestions that include two Oktoberfest celebrations, an enjoyable distractions.
Yes, Mother Nature is about to dump a whole lot of rain on New Jersey residents over the next several days. But that's not necessarily any reason to stay inside all weekend. Here are three ideas that are sure to raise your spirits. As of posting time, all are still taking place. (Better yet, two of them take place indoors.)
The beer-fueled German celebration, better known as Oktoberfest -- the world's largest beer festival that has been held annually in Germany since 1810 -- is taking place all over the Garden State. The best part of this trend is that restaurants tends to extend the celebration into late October, including at Zeppelin Hall Biergarten, 88 Liberty View Dr. in Jersey City, where the party continues until Oct. 24. This marks the seventh year that the restaurant is joining in on the celebration. Besides musical entertainment and the dancing on the tables, the staff will get into the spirit by getting decked out in colorful Bavarian costumes. Executive chef Franco Robazatti is whipping up some traditional German dishes, and German party bands will be joining the celebration at 10 p.m. on the weekends.
OK, so sitting on the beach may not be the best idea for this weekend, but near the beach may be doable. The Cape May Chamber of Commerce is still schedule to host its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Historic Jackson Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. This one may be rained out -- so keep an eye on the web site. If it does go on, Jackson Street will transformed into a Bavarian promenade with authentic German music and food. Crafts, antiques and collectibles will also be available for purchase.
There's no better response to lousy weather than a warm dinner in a cozy restaurant. And Friday just happens to be the final night of SJ Hot Chefs Food and Wine Week, where you can enjoy four courses for $35 at various restaurants. Among the options on the list are American, Asian, Italian, and Greek restaurants -- a little something for everyone. So pick a spot and reserve a table at your location of choice, or use this promotion as the perfect opportunity to try some place new.
Contact Bill Gelman at bkgelman@hotmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.
