Thu 9 Aug - For those visitors who usually come early in the Season, they know Frikes as the sleepy little village with a picturesque bay dotted with local fishing boats, lots of character and many colourful characters, which they can enjoy at their own pace, get to know intimately and feel at home with. In August, it's a completely different story. The character of the village goes from sleepy to hyper and the characters, well, they're so busy ferrying food back and forth, they barely have time to be intimate with themselves, let alone anyone else. Last night, Frikes was heaving. Each restaurant and bar was full with people waiting on the asphalt to seize a table the minute one was free. 6 or so table changes may be usual for the city, but on Ithaca, and especially Frikes, it's a very, very, rare occurrence. Frikes has learned alot over the past years. Last night the village ran like a well oiled machine, all the cogs turning without a bump and all the bolts and nuts tucked away, doing their jobs without noticeable intrusion. Business owners in the village are already dog-tired, but the adrenalin will not run out for another 3 weeks at least, and with permanent smiles carved into their faces, no one would ever know the mayhem, the sweat and the tears behind the 'almost' cool facade of what it takes to get so much food on the table.