UNIONVILLE: Jonesing for a Hoodie

Hood's BBQ in downtown Unionville will be closed for the Hood family's annual vacation from Monday, Sept. 2, through Tuesday, Sept. 17. They'll reopen for business as usual on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

KENNETT SQUARE: Makeover for St. Pat's

Worshippers will be returning to the renovated St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, 212 Meredith St., on Mushroom Festival weekend. The Mass schedule will be Saturday, Sept. 7, at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. 
While the sanctuary has been getting a major makeover (new lights, new floor, fresh paint, new furnishings, new sound system, new kneelers and refinished pews), services have been held at Kennett High School's auditorium. 
Father Christopher Rogers tells me that the official reopening will take place on Sunday, Oct. 6, at noon. Bishop John McIntyre from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will be present.
St. Pat's is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

 

 

UNIONVILLE: God's creations

Unionville Presbyterian Church is holding its Sixth Annual Pet Blessing ceremony from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. The Rev. Annalie Korengel has blessed both of my cats and at least two guinea pigs. For me, the ceremony is a chance to express gratitude for everything that our cherished pets bring into our lives -- friendship, warmth, responsibility, even the vet bills. The church is at 812 Wollaston Road in Unionville.

WILMINGTON: Avoid the moor

If, like me, you're a longtime Sherlock Holmes fan -- I'm currently watching the first season of "Elementary" -- you might be interested in seeing the Delaware Theatre Company's next show, a slapstick, high-energy adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Three actors play all the roles. According to reviews of other productions that I've read, the show is fast-paced and over-the-top silly (that's a good thing in my book). "Hound" runs from September 11 through 29.

PLANTATION FIELD: Supporting the Food Bank

Denis Glaccum tells me that spectators and competitors at this year's Plantation Field International Horse Trials (September 19 to 22) are being asked to bring nonperishable food to help out the Chester County Food Bank. There will be containers to drop off donations at the entrance. 
Denis makes the helpful suggestion, "Next time you are in the store, just grab cans of food for your trip to Plantation Field."

 

WEST MARLBOROUGH: The Hunt Cup

I just received my invitation to the 85th running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, a hugely popular autumn event. The date is Sunday, Nov. 3, and the course is west of Newark Road, between Routes 926 and 842. In addition to the usual subscription levels, this year tailgaters have the option of reserving a tent with a table -- $500 at the finish line and $350 on the hilltop.
Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with the junior hunt cup race at 11:30 and the carriage parade at 1 p.m. Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds will parade at 2 p.m. and there will be a sidesaddle exhibition at 2:30 p.m. The Lewis C. Ledyard Memorial Race starts at 1:30 p.m., the Arthur O. Choate, Jr. Memorial is at 2:15 p.m., the Hunt Cup at 3 p.m. and the Athenian Idol (the flat race) at 3:30 p.m.
Visit www.pahuntcup.org for more information.

PENNSBURY: Cutting down trees

In last week's column I asked if anyone knew why a previously wooded site on Route 1, just opposite the Chadds Ford Antique Mall, was being cleared. Two readers were good enough to write and tell me that the owner is taking timber off the property but at present has no plans for development. One reader's reaction to that news: "Whew, we don't need another traffic light."

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Back home safe and sound

Rescuing two loose horses was all in a day's work for West Marlborough road crew member Hugh Lofting on Aug. 29.
Shortly after dawn, on his way to work, he saw several trucks stopped near Archie's restaurant on Newark Road and knew something was up. He stopped and discovered that there were two stray horses that had been rounded up and were being held by Jamie Hicks, of Meadow Spring Farm next door, and Dr. Dean Richardson, the celebrated New Bolton Center vet, who lives nearby. Nobody recognized the horses, and Archie's owner, Ron, was not thrilled about having them hang out on his lawn.
Knowing his wife always keeps her horse trailer hitched up, Hugh phoned her and retrieved the trailer from her farm. By the time he got back, the sister of the horses' owner was on the scene. 
Getting the pair, Nigel and Nea, into the trailer was no easy task, as Nea was a yearling and had never been in a trailer before. Hugh, Jamie Hicks and Dr. Richardson managed to load them both, and Hugh drove them back to their pasture.
Both horses are fine, although according to their owner, Deanna Manfredi, Nea needed a few stitches for a cut. The pair had gotten out of their Bartram Road paddock through an unchained gate.
Due to the excitement, Hugh turned up slightly late for a meeting with the engineers working on a Spencer Road drainage problem. They asked if dealing with loose horses was really part of his job description.
"You don't understand," he said. "There are 814 people in this township. I know every one of them."

 

PENNSBURY: Explanation sought

A large, formerly wooded site on Route 1 directly across from the Chadds Ford Antique Mall has been cleared, and a curious reader asked if I knew what was going on.
"WHAT is that for?" she said. "It is most disturbing."
I reviewed the minutes of the Pennsbury Township Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission for the past year and found no discussion about proposed tree clearing or development on the site.
When I drove by the property on Aug. 22, "no trespassing" signs were posted and the street number, 617, was marked in blue paint on some of the remaining trees. A worker was stacking the felled tree trunks using a large claw. 

The formerly wooded site at 617 Baltimore Pike, opposite the Chadds Ford Antique Mall.

A stack of tree trunks at the site.

UNIONVILLE: And her dam was ...

Over breakfast this morning a friend was tracing the tangled family connections of a woman we know: "She's the daughter of [Mr. X] out of [Mr. X's second wife]."
I burst into laughter at her unconscious use of horse-breeding terminology.
"Out of?" I repeated. "OUT OF?!"
"Oh my God," said my friend, realizing what she'd said and laughing too. "Only in Unionville!"

EAST MARLBOROUGH: Schoolhouse Road developer

A "Unionville in the News" reader asked me a few weeks ago if I knew who was building the new development on the west side of Schoolhouse Road. I do; Ryan Homes is building the 150-townhouse development, which it's calling "Longwood Preserve."
Just FYI, the other evening I spotted an East Marlborough police vehicle parked conspicuously at the new stop signs on Schoolhouse Road at the entrance to the future development.
Ryan Homes is the same developer who did Sinclair Springs (on Hillendale Road near Five Points) and Stargazer Village (on Strasburg Road at the new roundabout).

EAST MARLBOROUGH: Purebread Deli is open

Purebread Deli has opened a store -- the sixth in the chain -- in the Longwood Village shopping center on Baltimore Pike. The deli has a canine theme: the sandwiches are named after dog breeds and there are paintings and photos of dogs on the walls.
When we stopped by the other day for dinner, we ordered a St. Bernard (a club sandwich on sourdough bread) and a Schnauzer (a tuna melt with bacon and tomatoes). Both sandwiches were hearty and tasty, the service was quick and the employees were friendly and enthusiastic.
A fellow customer urged us to try the salads, which she said were delicious, and I noticed they also serve breakfast sandwiches and muffins. There's indoor seating, outdoor seating (out front on the sidewalk) and takeout.
Hours are Monday through Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The deli is on the T.J. Maxx end of the shopping center.

GIANT: Dollars for scholars

If you're a Giant shopper, the supermarket chain offers an easy way to raise money for your local school. Log in to your Giant loyalty card account, go to "Rewards and Savings," and click on "Learn More" or "Select Schools" in the A+ School Rewards box.
The company explains:
"At the beginning of the program each fall, Giant customers can register and designate up to two local schools to benefit from their grocery purchases. A+ School Rewards points accrue with each grocery purchase made using a Giant Food Card which are then credited to the designated schools."
Locally, Patton Middle School, Greenwood Elementary, Unionville High School and Upland Country Day School are registered as part of the program. You have to register at the beginning of each school year.
The company notes that since 2005, they've given more than $34 million to local schools. It's good to know that a percentage of the vast sums I spend at Giant will be going to two of them.

NEW BOLTON: First Tuesday lectures

Penn Vet at New Bolton Center has announced its 2019-2020 series of First Tuesday lectures on various facets of equine medicine:
 
-- Sept. 10: "Global Worming: What You Can Do to Prevent De-wormer Meltdown in the 21st Century" (presented by Dr. Rose Nolen-Walston)
-- Oct. 1: "Forever Young: Exploring Regenerative Medicine" (Dr. Kyla Ortved)
-- Nov. 5: "Robotic Imaging: Pioneering the Future" (Drs. Dean Richardson, Barbara Dallap Schaer and Kate Wulster)
-- Dec. 3: "Equine Neurologic Diseases: EGHV, EPM, EDM, CVM - What's Behind the Initials?" (Dr. Amy Johnson)
-- March 3: "Aging Gracefully: Caring for Your Geriatric Horse" (Dr. Liz Arbittier)
-- April 7: "Laminitis Management: From Research Lab to the Barn" (Patrick Reilly, chief of farrier services, and Dr. Andrew van Eps)
-- May 5: "Emergency and Critical Care for the Colic Patient: It Takes a Village" (panel discussion led by Drs. Janet Johnston, Maia Aitken and Sam Hurcombe)
-- June 2: "Don't Go Breaking My Heart: Innovations and Safety in Cardiology" (Drs. Virginia Reef and Cristobal Navas de Solis)

The lectures start at 6:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. They are held in Alumni Hall at New Bolton. Registration is recommended at https://firsttuesdaynbc.eventbrite.com.

EAST MARLBOROUGH: Parking lot disturbance

It seems I didn't get the whole story when I wrote about the Aug. 10 nighttime car meet at the Longwood Village shopping center on Route 1. A reader who lives nearby told me that, apparently after we left, some of the participants were drag racing their cars around the parking lot and blasting their stereos. He called the state police at 10 p.m., and they told him they'd already received other complaints.

SAME NAME: But very different people

"Consign James Blaine to Memory Lane," read the headline on the op-ed page of the Aug. 15 Wall Street Journal. The story wasn't, of course, referring to the local Jamie Blaine, who founded "The Kennett Paper" in 1988. Rather, it was about the 19th-century Congressman from Maine of the same name, who "pushed for a federal constitutional amendment that would ban public support for religious schools. . . . While Blaine’s effort failed in the Senate, a majority of states amended their constitutions to incorporate his idea. . . . The Supreme Court recently decided to hear a case challenging Montana’s anti-Catholic Blaine Amendment in its next term."
Seeing the name in print made me realize I hadn't read Jamie's articulate blog, "Perspectives," for a long time, so I visited his website and found that in June he'd decided to take a hiatus. He writes:
"In the last few weeks I’ve hit a bit of a wall, as I have confronted my growing inability to understand, let alone write about, the world around me. Oh, I still have plenty of opinions, but lately they have come to seem increasingly trite, repetitive and uninspired. I don’t aspire to be one more strident voice vying to be heard above the clamor. And so I have decided to take some time off, to refresh myself and see if there are other ways and venues where I can make some small contribution – to gain new perspectives and engage more deeply in thinking and living than this blog and its self-imposed deadlines allow."
As a blogger with deadlines … I can relate, Jamie.

HOSPITALS: I try to avoid them

My brother gave me his exasperated "where have you been?" look when I was telling him about Dearest Partner's recent procedure and the helpful monitor in the waiting room that allows family members to follow their loved one's progress through surgery.
He told me that was by no means anything new: there was a similar setup when he had his fractured collarbone repaired maybe five years ago.
"Apparently you don't hang around hospitals much!" he said.
He immediately thought better of his scorn: "Actually," he said with a chuckle, "I guess that's a good thing."

EAST MARLBOROUGH: High-level equestrian event

The 12th annual Plantation Field International Horse Trials will be held Sept. 19 through 22.  This prestigious event draws competitors from all over the world.

Spectators can get a close-up view of horses and riders, including some Olympic team members, competing in the sport of eventing, which has three phases: dressage (Thursday and Friday), cross-country (Saturday and Sunday morning), and show jumping (Saturday and Sunday).

One of the superstar participants will be Cochranville's Boyd Martin, who just won individual and team gold medals in eventing at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

There will also be an antique car show, food trucks, a Victory Brewery beer garden, vendors, and a 5K Fun Run where dogs are encouraged to run with their owners. The event's beneficiary is the Chester County Food Bank. 

The weekend schedule and tickets are available online. Admission is free on Thursday and Friday, but there's an admission fee on Saturday and Sunday.

Plantation Field is on Route 82, west of Unionville. The entrance for spectators is off Green Valley Road.

NEW GARDEN: Changes coming for Peebles

The Peebles department store in the New Garden shopping center is closing but will re-open under a different name. It will stock similar merchandise and will still be owned by Stage Stores, a Houston-based corporation that also operates Bealls, Palais Royal, Goody's, and Gordmans brick-and-mortar stores and stage.com.

RIP: Annie Burrows

Annie C. Burrows, a counselor who lived in downtown Kennett until just a few weeks ago, died on Aug. 10 at the age of 90. When I moved here in 1990, at first I was lonely and unsure how to get involved in the community. "Make it your own," she advised me, and I took her words to heart.
Annie knew a thing or two about adversity: She grew up in Paris during the German occupation, emigrated to Canada after the war and finally moved to the States. She was active in Kennett Friends Meeting and a regular for many years at the Kennett YMCA. She was the widow of Richard Burrows, who died in 2012.
I'm sure many local people will miss her wisdom and her delightful French accent.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at Kennett Meeting.

PHILLY: A medical morning

It felt very odd backing out of my garage into complete darkness, but when you have a 6:30 a.m. appointment at Jefferson Hospital in Center City Philadelphia, you have to get a very early start. The sun was up by the time we hit the Schuylkill Expressway, which was already crowded with people on their way to work. We took the Vine Street Expressway to Tenth Street, drove under the elaborate Chinatown Arch and parked in a garage next to the hospital building.
The Jefferson employees were universally helpful, polite, professional, and friendly, even at that early hour. One fellow in the waiting room seemed tickled when the nurse noticed that his blue eyeglasses matched both his shorts and his walker.
There was a big-screen monitor in the waiting room so patients could keep track of their loved one's progress (to comply with privacy regulations, each patient is assigned a number). I watched Dearest Partner's status move from "getting registered" to "waiting for surgery" to "surgery in progress" (right on time, 7:30 a.m.) and, after 90 minutes, to "recovery." 
It was then we got the surprising news that the offending tissue that brought us into Philadelphia had actually disappeared on its own! The surgeon, Dr. Alex Schlacterman, assured us that he had done his best to locate it (D.P. fervently wished he had gone into less detail about that process) but it simply wasn't there anymore. He showed us photos. Well, he showed me photos.
We validated our parking pass, retrieved our car, paid $26 with the Jefferson discount, and exited.
As we tried to get back on the Vine Street Expressway, I quickly realized that my knowledge of Center City traffic patterns had deteriorated considerably since I lived there in the early 1980s. The bright side of our detour is that we got to drive past the William J. Green Federal Building, Independence Hall, a multi-story Target, the former Philadelphia Inquirer building (surrounded by scaffolding) and lots of old warehouses being converted to trendy apartments. The city looks really good.
We were considerably more lighthearted, if weary, on the drive home.

CARS: Pimp my ride

As per usual, we were watching the Longwood Garden fireworks display from the parking lot of the Longwood Village shopping center at 9 p.m. Aug. 10. What was distinctly NOT per usual was the fact that a steady stream of dozens of cars quickly filled up the entire east side of the parking lot. They weren't there for the fireworks; it was a nighttime car meet.
After the fireworks we walked down to investigate. The participants, mostly young men, were busy socializing and admiring each others' cars. Some of the vehicles were unadorned but others were massively modified, with thumping stereos, blue "ground effect" lights and loud engines. I was amused to see a Honda CRV (my own utilitarian model) tricked out with a graphic red-and-white paint job, oversize rims and tiny tires.
The event was organized via social media. "Everyone come out for a great night and see some sick cars!!!!" said the Facebook invitation.

MUSIC: A tale of two concerts

We had a great time on Aug. 9 at a concert by Tongue in Cheek, a Baltimore quartet that plays lively jazz tunes from the 1920s and 1930s, songs like "Button Up Your Overcoat," "Egyptian Ella," and the Rudy Vallee hit "Deep Night." We learned that what we'd call a "sugar daddy" was known in the Twenties as a "butter and egg man." 
Tongue in Cheek performed as part of the Friends Folk Club series at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Oxford. The audience was small but enthusiastic and bought a lot of CDs after the show. The group comprises Bridget Cimino (vocals), Matt Andrews (violin), Ed Goldstein (tuba), and Zach Serleth (banjo and guitar). I think they'd be a great choice for next summer's Anson B. Nixon concert series.
Speaking of which, the final Anson B. Nixon concert for the summer was by the Sin City Band. We didn't go because of the rain, and the audience was so small that the musicians performed on the gravel in front of the stage. I'm told by one attendee that despite the soggy weather, it was an intimate and memorable evening. In fact, he said, it was his favorite concert of the season.

MODENA: Saving the Mode House

The Friends of the Mode House, along with the Borough of Modena, is scrambling to raise $52,000 to purchase the circa-1800 stone house at 120 North Brandywine Avenue in Modena. The owner has agreed to delay razing the house for six months, so the preservationists can try to raise the money.
The house is covered in vines and boarded up and clearly needs a lot of work, but photos show the remains of a beehive oven and beautiful old woodwork that's still in good shape, including a graceful and unusual spiral staircase.
A beef-and-beer fundraiser is planned for 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Moose Lodge, 1200 Airport Road, Coatesville. Much more information about the house and the fundraising efforts is on the "Friends of Mode House" Facebook page.

BUSINESSES: Sushi and Pilates

Two new stores are coming to the Longwood Village shopping center this fall.
1. Wasabi, an Asian restaurant and sushi bar, is the third in a local chain, all with the same name. The other Wasabis are in the Dilworthtown Crossing shopping center on Route 202 and the Ashbridge Square shopping center on Route 322 in West Chester.
2. Club Pilates is a studio offering classes in the popular fitness technique founded by Joseph Pilates. According to their website, "Unlike the mat Pilates classes offered in many gym settings, Club Pilates offers classes using an array of specialized equipment, including the Reformer, EXO-Chair, Bosu Ball, TRX Suspension Trainer, springboards and more." Club Pilates is part of a national franchise; other local studios are in Exton, Frazer, Collegeville, and Lancaster.

WAWA: Hoagiefest playlist

Chances are all of my readers know what "Hoagiefest" is, but for those who don't, it's Wawa's annual summer sales promotion. Even though the event is purely commercial, the clever Wawa marketing people have turned it into something lighthearted and even communal. You hear people talking about Hoagiefest and, frankly, it's just plain fun to say "Hoagiefest." 
This year they've added something new: a soundtrack. I first noticed this at the Gap Wawa. While waiting for our subs to be made, I heard the words "touchscreen" and "turkey" in the song playing on the store's PA system and suspected this was not your standard top 40 hit.
I finally got around to asking about the theme song at the Avondale Wawa.
"Yeah, there are actually four of them," said the clerk. "And he's memorized them all (pointing to his coworker) and SINGS them!"
His colleague laughed and didn't deny it. The 2019 Hoagiefest playlist: "Love at the Wawa," "I95," "Ya Ya," and "Hoagiefest."

VOCATIONS: Muscular Christianity

The "Cycling Seminarians" pedaled their way through the Philadelphia suburbs last week in an effort to encourage young people to think about pursuing a Roman Catholic religious vocation. The first stops for the eight cyclists, from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, were at St. Maximilian Kolbe on Route 202 in West Chester and St. Joseph on Manor Avenue in Downingtown. After that they visited St. Teresa of Avila, Norristown; St. Eleanor, Collegeville; St. Rose of Lima, North Wales; St. Agnes, Sellersville; Our Lady of Guadalupe, Doylestown; St. Andrew, Newtown; St. Catherine of Siena, Horsham; and St. Genevieve; Flourtown.
The seminarians posted Facebook updates ("Philly Vocations") and photos along the way, including their stop at the Stroud Preserve on Creek Road in East Bradford Township.
The bicyclists were accompanied by Father Chris Cooke, the director of the seminary’s Spirituality Year program, as well as a support crew of more than a dozen other seminarians and volunteers.

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NEW GARDEN: Festival of Flight

This coming weekend, Aug. 17 and 18, is the annual air show at the New Garden Flying Field, 1235 Newark Road, Toughkenamon. You'll be able to see vintage military planes as well as an aerobatics performance, a parachute jump team, a Coast Guard rescue demonstration, a military jet trainer flyover, a Chinook helicopter and lots more. There's also a car show. Gates open at 9 a.m. each day. Tickets are available online (including weekend packages, hangar passes and VIP parking) or at the gate.



Descending from a helicopter: one of the demonstrations scheduled for the New Garden Air Show.

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Paying for emergency services

The West Marlborough supervisors' August agenda included routine business like the minutes, the treasurer's report, and a list of correspondence, but probably the most interesting discussion concerned an upcoming emergency services report.
For the past year a township task force has been exploring how West Marlborough should fund the volunteer emergency services companies (fire and ambulance) that serve the township. The group has been gathering financial and operations data from the companies, such as their yearly budgets and the percentage of their calls that occur in West Marlborough. Supervisor Jake Chalfin, a task force member, said the amount of information they've analyzed has been "mind-boggling": "it's some complicated stuff," he said.
According to supervisors' chairman Bill Wylie, the task force is "close to finalizing" a funding formula for the companies. The group is expected to make its report before the supervisors need to begin working on the 2020 budget. The supervisors will also need to decide the method by which the companies would be funded, whether a dedicated millage tax or a fluctuating yearly contribution from the general fund.

CONSERVATION: A statewide honor

Congratulations to Pownall Jones, who received the Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts at their July convention in Williamsport. According to the Association, the award "is given to a conservation district director or associate director for his or her outstanding volunteer efforts which have furthered the activities and accomplishments of conservation districts on a statewide basis."
Mr. Jones, who grew up on his family's dairy farm in New Garden Township, joined the Chester County Conservation District's board in 1955, chaired the board from 1991 to 1993, and served as a director until 1998, when he became a director emeritus. The association said that he "was one of the earliest adopters of no-till farming, led by example and frequently hosted farmer tours to see his no-till fields with multiple years of crop residue visible."

CLOUDS: A long tradition

Dearest Partner belongs to the Clouds, a Chester County clan that traces its lineage back to colonial days. This year they gathered at the East Goshen Township Park for their 137th annual summer reunion. 
During the business meeting, one family member idly wondered whether anyone had attended the majority of the reunions. I thought that was unlikely, but an elderly gentleman immediately raised his hand. He said, with a measure of pride, that he was 86 years old and had been at 84 of the gatherings; the two he missed were (1) because he was in the Army and (2) because his wife was ill.

NEW GARDEN: What is Qfix?

I was curious about a business sign I saw while driving on Church Road near Avondale yesterday evening: "Qfix, positioning patients for success," it read. Qfix, I learned online, designs and manufactures used to position patients receiving radiation therapy to optimize alignment between the radiation beam and the tumor. In the words of its website, "Qfix is an innovative medical device company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing technology-driven solutions for radiotherapy patient positioning." Damon Kirk is the company president. 

ENCORE: A new season

After its summer break, the Encore consignment shop at Routes 1 and 52 is getting ready to reopen. The first consignment dates will be Thursday, Aug. 22, and Friday, Aug. 23, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The shop will be open Monday, Aug. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Encore will close for the Labor Day holiday on Saturday, Aug. 31, through Monday, Sept. 2, and will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
All proceeds benefit the Chester County Hospital.

GARDEN: An August surprise

Once again, the surprise lilies in my perennial garden lived up to their name. I could have sworn they weren't there on Wednesday, when I was weeding, but there they were on Thursday afternoon, in full, beautiful bloom. Because the stalk has no leaves, these lilies (Lycoris squamigera) are also known as "naked ladies."
In past years I've also had some sprouting in the pachysandra beds on the other side of the house, but they haven't shown up yet. Doubtless I'll do a double take when they do!

Lycoris, aka surprise lily or naked lady.

NAPS: Horizontally speaking

As I was walking in to the Jennersville Y for a gym class, a friend was leaving with his two toddlers; they'd been swimming.
"OK!" he said to them, with his usual enthusiasm. "You know what time it is? It's nap time, the best time of the day!"
I gave him a high five and said I wholeheartedly agreed.

BOOZE: New state store

Kennett Square's new liquor store will have its grand opening at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. It's located in the Shoppes at Longwood Village, 851 East Baltimore Pike, in the part of the shopping center where Staples was (it pains me to say) formerly located. According to the state Liquor Control Board, there will be "light refreshments and complimentary tastings throughout the day."

THEATER: "The Producers"

The Brandywiners did a terrific job with "The Producers," their annual performance at Longwood Gardens. The acting, music, and dancing were wonderful, and what fun to see a gym friend all gussied up as a Swedish bombshell!
My qualms about the evening came from the bad language and mean-spiritedness that permeated the play. Of course, I knew the subject matter was about two guys who put on a Broadway show so tasteless it was "guaranteed" to flop, so I was troubled, but not surprised, when Nazis, swastika banners and sequined swastika armbands showed up on stage. And like all Mel Brooks shows, everything's exaggerated for effect. Yes, I laughed, but not without a touch of queasiness.
I wasn't going to mention any of this in my column, fearing I'd sound like a politically correct snowflake. Also, Dearest Partner was still repeating some of the lines days later ("Walk this way!") and roaring with laughter.
But then a fellow who is distinctly more urbane than I am told me that he too was disturbed by the choice of play, in particular the misogyny and the gratuitous cursing. ("There were kids in the audience!" he said.) He questioned whether "The Producers" was a good fit for the usual Longwood audience.
We'll give the Brandywiners another chance next year, when they bring "Ragtime" to the stage.