Pat Croce's Rum Barrel honors Joey Vento with his spirit of giving

In 1966, the brash-talking, straight-from-the-hip, Philly-to-the-core Joey Vento opened the equally colorful Geno's Steaks in Philadelphia and built a Philly cheesesteak institution from the dilapidated ground up.

R.I.P Joey

On Tuesday, Joey died at 71 of a massive heart attack, but his big hearted, deep-pocketed legacy lives on at The Rum Barrel, the southernmost spot for all things authentically Philly--including Joey's spirit.

On Thursday, August 25, through Friday, August 26, The Rum Barrel will donate 50 percent of all proceeds from our signature Philly cheesesteaks sales to Joey's foundation, which donated generously to the American Cancer Society and Philadelphia policemen killed in the line of duty.

"We don't have that many great personalities in Philly and Joey Vento was one of them. He was larger than life and he was giving. The Earth literally shook the day Joey passed," said Rum Barrel owner Pat Croce, referring to the earthquake that rocked the East Coast Tuesday.

Joey was the kind of man, who after 9/11, held a 3-day fundraising marathon and raised $120,000, who often tracked down and sent checks to unemployed families or terminally ill children after reading about them in the newspaper. This is what we honor this week.

Read the Philadelphia Inquirer tribute to Joey

"I read story after story about the hundreds of thousands of dollars Joey Vento raised and donated out of his own pocket, many times anonymously, to complete strangers in need," said Rum Barrel General Manager JC Picco. "It's a privilege to honor a man who helped so many."

The Philly cheesesteaks are available at The Rum Barrel's restaurant and via the Key West Food-To-Go delivery service by calling (305) 292-7862 to order.

Rum Barrel featured artist: Black and Skabuddah

Formed 15 years ago, acoustic duo Black and Skabuddah are originally from New York City, where they opened for major acts with their original band.  They've been described as "acoustic rock with an edge."

Black and Skabuddah

Russ Scavelli's guitar playing is unforgettable--he has performed with a wide range of artists, from Jimi Hendrix's bass player to world renowned musician/composer David Amram--and Laura Black's throaty vocals are unmistakable. Black also plays guitar and percussion while Scavelli plays bass with the Paul Cotton Band (from POCO).

Known for their upbeat and  lively performances, the duo has also won numerous songwriting contests, including Julie Gold's Women in Music Award for From A Distance; a Billboard award; and Nashville Songwriters Award. They were also asked to perform their interpretation of a Joni Mitchell song at her CD release party at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village.

In 1997, Black and Skabuddah moved to Key West and won the Key West/ASCAP Songwriters Contest. From there, they were awarded a publishing deal from Jimmy Buffet's producer, Mac McAnally, and Ralph Murphy, president of ASCAP Nashville.

These days, they perform four or five days a week at Key West venues like Conch Republic Seafood Co., Sloppy Joe's, Lateda, Margaritaville,  Rick's, Rum Barrel, Capt. Tony's Saloon, Sugarloaf Tiki Bar, Lazy Gecko, Finnegan's Wake, Geiger Key Marina, Boondocks and Hog's Breath.

You can find Black and Skabuddah on Facebook HERE and HERE.

Black and Skabuddah perform on The Rum Barrel Quarterdeck this month on Saturday, August 13, 20 and 27. See our events calendar for more and future performances.

Kona Longboard at The Rum Barrel

 

Kona Longboard drafts are now available at The Rum Barrel. w00t!

Rum Barrel featured drink: Pirate's Grog

The word grog originally referred to a drink made with water--or a weak beer--and rum. It was introduced into the Royal Navy by British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, who wore a coat of Grogham cloth and was nicknamed "Old Grogham" or "Old Grog."

PIRATE'S GROG

2 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Spiced Rum
2 tbsp. Amaretto
2 tbsp. Grenadine
1 tsp. Lime Juice
1 tsp. Lemon Juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker and shake well. Then strain into an old-fashioned glass and garnish with a twist. Enjoy!