So on Wednesday I talked about the day I went to the Lewis and Clark interpretive center. Today I want to talk about what happened the rest of the day. Warning - this could get a little long. But it's well worth it. Or you can just scroll through the pictures.
For those of you who know me on Twitter, I tweeted that I had the weirdest day ever. It truly was. My parents came to visit me, see my new place, see where I work, make sure things were okay with me. We had lunch, visited my work, saw the center, visited the falls. Then, things took a turn for the weird.
My parents were staying at The O'Haire Motor Inn. As I waited in the car for my mom to get checked in, I'm watching her through the window wondering why she was cracking up.
She comes out and says, "You're not going to believe this. The restaurant is open now, the patio is out back and the mermaids go live at 9."
Yeah, mermaids. This place had mermaids. But not only that. It's a motor inn. That means, I'm sad to say, people can drive right up to their doors. Yes, even the second floor. You can't imagine this place, guys. It was so hokey! Right down to the plastic tiki torches out at the patio.
Here are a few of the highlights of this really odd place:
At dinner we ate "family style" where we all shared everything. My lovely parents decided to make dirty jokes. I couldn't believe it. Apparently I'm old enough to hear my parents' teasing now. It's sad. Then, my stepfather, who had admittedly had a few drinks, decided to start bending the forks at the table.
Then of course we had to go back for the mermaids. It's set in this old bar that looks like it also stepped out of the '50s. It has all these plastic beach stuff everywhere and is packed with people. At 9, the mermaids came out.
Here are a few highlights. Sorry about the poor quality, but the bar was quite dark and the first picture is what it looks like when the flash is on.
Did I mention Daryl Hannah, the woman who starred in the Hollywood blockbuster Splash kissed the bar?
The night didn't end there. Oh no. There were the two people who sat down next to us at the Sip and Dip Lounge who were there for recruiting. Everyone thought they were dating or married, but she was quick to tell everyone she had a nice family waiting at home.
The place was packed. Like fully. Standing room only and barely that. In fact, that was about the moment that this man was pressed into my mother and started hitting on her. She smiles and he introduces himself as Jeff. She laughs and points to my stepdad.
"My husband, Jeff," she says.
Then Jeff goes over and the two Jeffs start bonding. I couldn't believe my eyes.
And yet, it still doesn't end.
Say hello to Piano Pat, an actual live piano bar player who had to be in her 80s. Most of her songs sounded the same, and she pretty much didn't care what people wanted to hear. She played what she wanted to play.
She wasn't all that good, but people were so into it by then, it didn't matter. The entire (and when I say entire, I mean there wasn't a person that I saw who wasn't joining in) broke out singing to "Sweet Caroline." Have you ever seen 150 drunk people join in with an 80-year-old piano player as mermaids swim in the background? Because let me tell you, it's surreal.
So that's pretty much the whole story. Except - one last thing. The O'Haire Motor Inn is known for one other thing: rubber duckies just waiting on your bed for you when you get there. I took mine home.
So, sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.
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| My parents: Jeff and Stacey |
My parents were staying at The O'Haire Motor Inn. As I waited in the car for my mom to get checked in, I'm watching her through the window wondering why she was cracking up.
She comes out and says, "You're not going to believe this. The restaurant is open now, the patio is out back and the mermaids go live at 9."
Yeah, mermaids. This place had mermaids. But not only that. It's a motor inn. That means, I'm sad to say, people can drive right up to their doors. Yes, even the second floor. You can't imagine this place, guys. It was so hokey! Right down to the plastic tiki torches out at the patio.
Here are a few of the highlights of this really odd place:
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| Check out this old fashion ironing board from the '50s |
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| That's right, it's patent pending, everyone! |
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| Need a timer on your bathroom light? |
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| Don't forget a bottle opener by the hair dryer. Just in case you drink and dry. |
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| That is real marble trim there. No kidding. |
Then of course we had to go back for the mermaids. It's set in this old bar that looks like it also stepped out of the '50s. It has all these plastic beach stuff everywhere and is packed with people. At 9, the mermaids came out.
Here are a few highlights. Sorry about the poor quality, but the bar was quite dark and the first picture is what it looks like when the flash is on.
Did I mention Daryl Hannah, the woman who starred in the Hollywood blockbuster Splash kissed the bar?
The place was packed. Like fully. Standing room only and barely that. In fact, that was about the moment that this man was pressed into my mother and started hitting on her. She smiles and he introduces himself as Jeff. She laughs and points to my stepdad.
"My husband, Jeff," she says.
Then Jeff goes over and the two Jeffs start bonding. I couldn't believe my eyes.
And yet, it still doesn't end.
She wasn't all that good, but people were so into it by then, it didn't matter. The entire (and when I say entire, I mean there wasn't a person that I saw who wasn't joining in) broke out singing to "Sweet Caroline." Have you ever seen 150 drunk people join in with an 80-year-old piano player as mermaids swim in the background? Because let me tell you, it's surreal.
So that's pretty much the whole story. Except - one last thing. The O'Haire Motor Inn is known for one other thing: rubber duckies just waiting on your bed for you when you get there. I took mine home.
So, sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.
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