The Dogfish days of summer

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It’s a Dogfish Day afternoon. The forecast is for temperatures in the mid-90s. And this time, the weatherman is right.

Dave and I are in Lewes and bound for Dogfish Inn, a hip, mid-century inspired motel.

signWe have taken the hospitable folks at Dogfish up on their invitation to explore the property. It’s a super location, downtown and right on the canal. Further, the inn has personality, a friendly vibe that includes such niceties as a communal fire pit, lawn games, a super-sized ice machine and open outdoor showers for a quick post-beach rinseoff.

The room is clean and cool, with a king-size platform bed, a bit of seating, a rack for hanging clothes and blessedly effective AC. A large sink—the kind you might find in a farmhouse—is open to the main area, flanked on either side by a stall shower and a water closet. It’s fun and funky, just enough space for a pied-à-terre near the sea.

With Cape Henlopen State Park a few miles down the road, Lewes is a bike-friendly destination. We hossed our bikes down from New Castle County but we need not have gone to the trouble. Dogfish has a fleet of bikes, offered gratis to guests on a first-come, first-served basis. There is even an air pump for quick tire recharges.

At dinner time, we head to downtown Rehoboth Beach to Chesapeake and Maine, the brewery’s restaurant highlighting the cuisine of the Eastern Shore and New England. It’s located right next door to Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats.

13691175_1227299067293763_5020080374753480845_oWe start with a selection of plump, briny oysters, so fresh they practically leap off their shells. It’s an auspicious beginning. (You also should try “Smoke in the Water,” a collaboration between Dogfish and Hoopers Island Oyster Aquaculture in Maryland in which oysters are settled in holding pens of Chesapeake Bay water, infused with wood-cured salt and smoked raw in their shells.)

In addition to Dogfish Head brews, there’s a wine list and a selection of cocktails, including such potent potables as the Bierre-Hatten ($12), a concoction of Temptation rye, Palo Santo Marron Bierremouth, Immort Ale bitters, and Immort Ale-infused cherries.

For the main course, Dave reels in the Maine shore dinner ($38), a traditional pairing of steamed lobster, steamer clams, Johnny Blues mussels, fingerling potatoes, and corn on the cob. It’s cooked perfectly and the melding of seafood and veggies reminds us of why this dish is a time-honored classic.

mainedinner-1024x683In the interests of geographic balance, I take a dip in Maryland waters, with lush crabcakes made from sweet backfin and jumbo lump crab ($28). From a list of seasonal sides, I choose decadent sweet-and-spicy hushpuppies, piping hot and oozing bacon, and summery creamed corn succotash.

For dessert, we share gooey, creamy cheesecake with fresh, ripe strawberries.

Service is attentive and engaging. There’s a lively hum in the room but it doesn’t drown out conversation.

Back at the Inn, it’s still too hot to hang out by the firepit. But the gentle breeze on the balcony suits us just fine.

In this relaxed atmosphere, it’s easy to get to know our neighbors. To our left are four guys from Jersey, friends and brothers who own two small businesses: a beauty salon and a landscaping company. To our right are newlyweds, teachers from Harrisburg, Pa.

They have come for the Dogfish All-INNclusive Experience, in which guests leave their cars at the inn and let the hosts do the driving for a VIP tasting and private behind-the-scenes tour of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, home to a 200-barrel brew house, wood-aging room and state-of-the-art bottling line. Afterward, the group goes to lunch at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats.

13775523_10209581687806271_704852604769277530_nOnly a day before, Dave and I were at WPXN’s XpoEntial Music Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden Riverfront, where we drank Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPAs while listening to a great lineup of artists. (On Sept. 17, we’ll be at Bellevue State Park when Dogfish Head presents XPN’s Analog A-Go-Go music festival.)

So we and the other guests all start out with something in common. We enjoy Dogfish Head beer.

Dave gets out his guitar. We sit on the balcony as he plays. Soon, our neighbors are singing along. We drink beer. We chat.

The Jersey guys tell me they are voting for Trump. I keep drinking. Dave keeps playing.

Eventually, beer and music trump Trump. After a pleasant evening, we all shake hands and retire to our respective rooms.

dogfishThe next day, we pack up the car before walking into town for a late breakfast at Notting Hill Coffee, where we sip fresh-brewed joe with sandwiches of egg, cheese and sausage folded into buttery croissants.

We learn that the hospitality at Dogfish Inn extends beyond checkout time. We are welcome to leave the car in the lot as we head into town. In a locale where parking is at a premium, we appreciate this courtesy. We also have access to the restroom in the inn’s freestanding lobby, as well as the outdoor showers.

Clearly, Dogfish takes hospitality seriously. But in a light-hearted way.

We drive off to Cape Henlopen to celebrate Dave’s birthday, another trip around the sun. But not until Dave gets his requested gift: a Dogfish Head ball cap, conveniently sold in a small gift shop in the Inn’s registration area along with other branded Dogfish merchandise. We leave Dogfish Inn with a warm feeling for a cool concept.

 

 

 

Mastersingers in concert at Market Street Music

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MSW2014Cropped_0Luxuriate in the sonorous music of the Russian Orthodox tradition along with the beloved and classic Requiem of 19th century French composer Gabriel Faure–with an orchestra accompanying a beautiful ensemble of voices as Mastersingers take the stage at Market Street Music.

Directed by David Schelat, Mastersingers represents some of the finest professional and amateur singers in the region, who offer impeccable sound and abundant dedication to the classics, new music and world music.

He will lift his baton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at Market Street Music’s home venue, First and Central Presbyterian Church at 1101 N. Market Street in Wilmington. Tickets are $20, $15 for students age 15 and up. Younger students are admitted free.

 

Ben, Jerry and Bernie

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Here’s a scoop from the Bernie Sanders camp.

Bernie-Sanders-icecream-e1454241717839Ben and Jerry, the guys who make the ice cream, will be serving their latest treat Bernie’s Yearning sundae, from 5-6 p.m. today in an unmarked tent on French Street, across the street from the Amtrak station in Wilmington.

Says Ben: “Just like there’s nothing is so unstoppable as a flavor whose time has finally come, there’s nothing as unstoppable as a leader whose time has finally come.”

Sanders has had problems convincing voters how we can pay for the programs he espouses. No such worries about the ice cream. It’s free.

Supporting the senator from their home state of Vermont hasn’t been all sweetness and light for the entrepreneurs. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were among 300 demonstrators arrested yesterday in Washington D.C. during a demonstration outside the Capitol.

 

Cocktail of the Hour: the Jefferson’s Ocean Manhattan

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Before it came on board at my house, Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea small batch bourbon sailed to five continents and crossed the equator four times.

Jeffersons_Ocean_Aged_Bourbon_BottleIn theory, the gentle rocking of the ship exposes more of the bourbon to the inner surface of the barrel, elevating the flavor—and also driving up the price. With only 300 bottles, the bourbon from Jefferson’s first voyage fetched around $600.

On this evening, we are testing bourbon from Jefferson’s third crossing, which produced a more bountiful 300 barrels. We are looking at a price point of $85. (Full disclosure: our bottle was provided by the nice folks at Jefferson’s.)

Tonight’s taste testers are: Donna and Jeff, and Clare and Mark, two couples who are longtime friends and neighbors; my friend Doug; and me, the thirsty hostess. An experienced Manhattan drinker, Doug is in charge of mixing. He also shares his birthday, April 13, with Thomas Jefferson. Clearly, he is the man for the job.

Because we are pouring for six, we mix our Manhattans in batches. Doug favors a ratio of 3:1, Jefferson to Dolin rouge, the most expensive red vermouth I can find at Kreston’s, my trusted local purveyor. We want a spirit that is a good match for our premium bourbon. Our finishing touches: Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters and Morello’s cherries from Trader Joe’s. No sickeningly sweet maraschinos for us.

tumblr_m1ng001hTT1qerulcI serve our drinks in the crystal rocks glasses handed down from my grandmother, on the silver tray she kept so brightly polished. Cocktails are  civilized. They differentiate us from wild animals, who are stuck lapping water from streams because they don’t have a decent bar in the forest.

As we sip, we ponder the restorative power of sharing cocktails. Doug says he recently went out for drinks with his son, who had a rough day on the job. His son is a huge Mad Men fan. So they order a retro cocktail. Bartender, an Old-Fashioned, please. Then another.

The next afternoon, the son comes home from work. It’s a banner day. He gets a promotion. He feels appreciated. The ice has barely melted, but the cocktails have worked their magic.

We throw back our glasses. We throw back our heads. We laugh. We talk. The fire crackles. The conversation sparks. I am happy we are together, diverse yet kindred spirits, in this time, in this place.

IMG_0832And, yes, the Jefferson bourbon did not disappoint. Stalwart tasters, we sipped it in cocktails and straight up. I discern notes of raisins, vanilla and citrus in the bourbon, which play nicely with the figgy vibe in the vermouth and the fruity blood orange bitters.

For the record, my personal poll reveals we are split down the middle as to whether we prefer our Jefferson’s straight or mixed. (Also, it should be noted that there are now Jefferson’s batches from six different ocean crossings and we understand each has its own unique profile.)

Soon after our exuberant tasting, I touch base with one of our celebrants, who reports that she, too, enjoyed a great day after tipping a few in a warm and friendly place.

A coincidence? We know better.

Here’s a toast to the restorative power of cocktails and conversation.

Happy birthday, Doug. Many happy returns.

 

 

 

 

Maryland’s House and Garden Pilgrimage

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Nosy parkers, mark your calendars. Generous property owners will open their historic homes to the public for five weekends in April and May during the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage,  an annual tradition since 1937.

Harford-Co.-Keziah's Diary-JqwmVisitors will have the opportunity to visit such sites as the home where Gen. Marquis de Lafayette quelled a mutiny during the Revolutionary War, the home of a Confederate supporter who aided in the escape of assassin John Wilkes Booth, the home where a War of 1812 cannon ball was lodged and, Keziah’s Diary, pictured here, an estate in Darlington containing original slave quarters.

The Pilgrimage comprises 39 properties, including historic manors, gardens, schools, and churches. Tours run Saturday, April 30, through Saturday, May 28, and include these   counties: Queen Anne’s (Saturday, April 30), Harford (Saturday, May 7), Talbot (Saturday, May 14), Baltimore (Sunday, May 15), and Charles (Saturday, May 28).

Each county’s tour includes seven or eight properties. Advance tickets for each tour are $30 per person ($35 if purchasing the day of the tour). Catered lunches will be available for advanced purchase. To purchase tour tickets, or for more information, visit mhgp.org or call 410.821.6933.

Art auction benefits Habitat for Humanity

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I like art. I certainly enjoy a party. And I’m passionate about the good work done by Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County.

unnamedOn April 8, Habitat is hosting its second live auction and art show to raise money to help people who need homes. The event is in memory of longtime Habitat supporter and art lover Judy McCabe, who worked tirelessly to plan last year’s successful auction of paintings donated by Dick Poole, a lawyer and collector with terminal cancer who made this event part of his considerable legacy to the community.

A year later, both Judy and Dick are gone. But their dedication to helping others lives on.

This year’s event, aptly titled There is no pARTy without ART, will be held at Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Greenville, 6-8:30 p.m. It’s co-chaired by ardent art patrons Cindy Pettinaro Wilkinson and Stephen Mottola. Tickets are $80 for couples, $50 for individuals.

I’ll be there. Hope you will be, too!

 

Cocktail of the hour: A Sip of Spring

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It’s spring, a glorious day and my sister Roni and I are hiking on the Delaware Greenways Trail.

How can life get any better? Some wine, perhaps.

moscato1After our trek, we uncork a bottle of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato, which had arrived earlier that day, sent by the nice folks from the winemaker. Roni has graciously agreed to quaff a glass or two with me so that we might advise others on the wines they might share with their kinfolk for Easter. Our mother raised us to be helpful.

We like the slightly fizzy quality of the pour. The bubbles and hints of citrus, floral and figs make it a festive choice to serve with dessert after Easter dinner.

We pour the moscato after it has been chilling for several hours and recommend that you serve a nippy nip, as well. Take it from the Smith sisters.

unnamed-1This spring arrives with exuberant stirrings in the garden, which remind us that moscato also plays nicely in cocktails. After all, this is National Cocktail Day. (Although I confess I’m  at a loss as to why a boozy, made-up holiday shares the calendar with Maundy Thursday. Better to celebrate cocktails whenever you feel the calling.)
Here’s a moscato cocktail recipe to try a few weeks from now when mint overtakes your herb garden:

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cool Melon-Mint

Yield: 1 cocktail

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 honeydew melon, cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup elderflower cordial
  • 3/4 cup Woodbridge by Robert MondaviMoscato, chilled
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • Seltzer water, to finish and to taste
  • Fresh mint, for garnish

 

Directions:

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine melon cubes and elderflower cordial.
  2. Process or blend until pureed smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the Moscato and ice; process or blend until fully smooth.
  3. Finish by adding seltzer water to taste. Garnish with fresh mint or melon wedges. Rim serving glasses with ginger sugar if desired.

Call your sister. And serve.

ANDI New York totes the Big Apple

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I carry a backpack the way more buttoned-down types tote a briefcase. It contains my laptop, iPad, mobile phone, sunglasses, reading glasses, wallet, a bottle of water and a couple granola bars.

ANDI AD20166Andrea Weinberg, the Andi of ANDI New York, contemplates backpacks and other totes with the aesthetic of a fashion designer and the precision of an ergonomic engineer.

I meet Weinberg during New York Fashion Week, when the city is humming with previews of fall fashions. We get together at Amé Amé, a hip boutique in the shadow of the Flatiron Building.

We head to an anteroom in the back of the shop, where a collection of ANDI bags are on display. The model who appears in ANDI ads is nibbling lunch at a table behind a vintage sofa one might find in a Paris apartment.

IMG_0813I put down my trusty Red Cross backpack and pick up an ANDI bag. It lacks the padding that lines my backpack. But it is exceptionally light and after a day of lugging my mobile office around Manhattan it strikes me as a highly desirable tradeoff.

Weinberg says her bags are designed for the way people live, with highly adaptable strapping and snaps so the totes can be configured for such tasks as carrying a yoga mat or attaching a set of keys. With a little rearranging, the tote is transformed into a featherweight, ergonomically friendly backback.

“It rests on the small of your back,” she notes.

The bags come in three different color ways. Silvery charcoal with goldtone hardware—“the most feminine”—black—“for New Yorkers”—and camouflage print revved with hot pink trim—“our edgiest bag.”

She started making bags from a wilderness fabric she sourced from a supplier in Idaho. Her fabrics are now made in Taiwan. The bags are manufactured in two different shops, one in Brooklyn and one in New Jersey.

Weinberg has accomplished a lot in what appear to be very few years.

“How old are you?” I ask.

“Guess.”

“28?”

“32!”

IMG_0829Weinberg does not have a design background, although her grandfather was a jeweler. She wears the delicate gold ring and Egyptian-inspired band he made for her mother. Like her designs, she is smart and approachable.

An integral part of her journey as an entrepreneur was a college business trip to China, where she understood she could have just about anything she wanted fabricated on the double. So she ordered a prototype of her first bag.

“The next day it was there for me,” she recalls. “I picked it up and I cried.”

She is currently selling the bags online and in retail outlets affiliated with spas, where she has attracted the attention of several celebs.

“Taye Diggs has bought a few,” she says. “Patti Stanger, the millionaire matchmaker, bought a camo.”

It’s an affordable accessory. Prices top out at a suggested retail price of $188 for the large signature tote.

Weinberg and I try out a few bags. The model snaps our picture with my iPhone.

As I head back to the station, a group of British tourists in Herald Square ask me if I will take their picture, probably because I look least likely to run off with their camera.

“Would you like me to take your picture in front of Macy’s?” asks a friendly matron. “Your hat and scarf are smashing with the Macy’s red star.”

Of course. Thanks for asking. And off I go.

 

Music to our ears: Pyxis Piano Quartet, in concert at Market Street Music

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Beyond loving music, there are two reasons I always enjoy Market Street Music concerts.

PyxiswithMicheleKellyFirst, there’s the setting, the highly acoustical sanctuary at First and Central Presbyterian Church, long a destination for music lovers in the heart of the City of Wilmington.

And, second, supporters have the opportunity to meet musicians after the concert in this very intimate and exceptionally friendly environment.

We all have two things in common at Market Street Music events: we embrace music; and we embrace our city. (The home-baked brownies are great, too.)

On Saturday, March 19, reserve your seats for what promises to be an exquisite performance by Pyxis Piano Quartet, artists who have found a warm and receptive audience at Market Street Music.

Here’s the program:  C. P. E. Bach Quartet in D Major, Wq 94; Nikolayeva Trio Op. 18 for Flute, Viola, and Piano; Brahms Two Viola Songs, Op. 91; Villa Lobos Jet Whistle for Cello and Flute with guest artist Michele Kelly, on flute.

As Bach often said: Yowza! See you at the concert!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

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I’m reflecting on February, the Month of Gratitude, my 29-day commitment to sending a formal thank you note to someone who has enhanced my life. Shown me kindness. Done me a good turn. Valued me. Given me encouragement–or a well-intentioned kick in the butt.

Researchers conclude that expressing gratitude is good for us. I agree. The Month of Gratitude validated that I have much to be thankful for; then again, I already knew that.

Unknown-1I sent notes I would have posted any way: thanks for inviting me to dinner, to your party, to the theater. I’m grateful to a longtime editor and friend, who sent me a significant piece of business. (His grizzled response: He doesn’t do favors. He knew I would make him look good. Thanks for that, too.)

I’ve been practicing intentional gratitude since September 2008, starting each day with an expression of thanks. But it’s been a personal and private pursuit, like saying my prayers. The Month of Gratitude is focused outward, centered on the people to whom I am grateful.

imagesPart of my grand plan was to buy a fountain pen and order classy stationery with a crisp, fine hand. I accomplished neither, plowing through the month putting ballpoint pen to an assortment of cheap notecards rolling around in my desk. I will do better in future.

Some thank yous are deeply personal: to two women friends who have shown exceptional  compassion in the grief-drenched year and a half since my husband died; to the pal who convinced me to host two medical students for a month because he worried I might be lonely; to the friend I can truly and safely confide in (she is the only person who knows both one juicy secret and my net worth.)

Thanks to my cherished friend and piano teacher, who reminds me of the transformative power of music–and that the bright, eager 5-year-old inside me is alive and kicking. Thanks to a new friend, the funniest woman I’ve met in 10 years, who showed me the therapeutic value of dragging myself away from my desk for a long, wine-soaked lunch.

I’m thankful to the sweet handyman who has magically made my property manageable, while brightening my day with his sunny countenance. Ditto to my husband’s best friend, who volunteered to complete the website Dale did not get to finish–and circled back to me more times than I can count when I simply could not get my act together. Because that is what Dale would have done for his friend’s wife.

There’s so much to be grateful for, isn’t there? February has melted into the past. But I will keep writing thank you notes.

Thank you. Thank you very much.