Amazing service

The food at Floga Bistro is so delicious, and the portions are so hearty, that my mother and I asked for doggie bags the other night. The waitress brought back them back with an apology for taking so long. It seemed the busboy had accidentally dumped my mother's leftovers into the trash -- so the cook prepared an entirely new portion of chicken parmigiana for her just to take home!

Social media

I'd love it if you'd "friend" me on Facebook. Just do a search for Tilda Tally-ho. Your story ideas and local news tips are always welcome. And thanks so much for all the kind messages and feedback! I hope you enjoy reading my column as much as I do writing it.

Upland Bar

A West Marlborough neighbor, having read last week's story about the vacant Red Rose Inn in Jennersville, told me that the inn's bar is the very same one that was in the 19th-century Upland Hotel at Newark and Upland Roads (now a private home). Could the bar be worth salvaging?

Flowers

We are so lucky to have Longwood Gardens so close. It's a world-class attraction -- and we can be there in 15 minutes.
On Friday, March 18, that gloriously warm, sunny day, a friend and I met there for lunch (love their chili!) and a stroll. Specifically, I wanted to see the blue poppies, which are really unusual, and with the help of a volunteer information-giver, we found them in the "estate fruit house" area in the conservatory. As you can see, they were beautiful.
As I have during every visit to Longwood from childhood on up, I insisted on stopping by the carnivorous plant area. I wonder if the pitcher plants like stink bugs?
Outside we found ourselves walking along a path bordered by sweet-box, the smell of which was intoxicating. Then again, even the freshly dug-up lawn by the bell tower smelled marvelous on such a spring-like day. And the fields by the Eye of Water (not operating yet) were spectacular with seas of light-purple crocus.
An FYI in case you haven't been to Longwood recently: there's a new rule that you have to show ID at the admission gate along with your season pass. As per the website:
"To help us maintain and protect our Garden Pass promise to you, we kindly request that you present proof of identification along with your Garden Pass membership card when visiting the Gardens. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you, but our intention is to honor you, our most loyal friends, who generously participate in our Garden Pass program."

Southbound

**UPDATE: Jessie wrote to me on March 28 and said that her plans have changed, and she will be staying in town and on council.**

Kennett Borough Council member and local Democratic Party activist Jessie Cocks and her husband, Patrick Seyler, have put their house on the market and are moving south.

Duels of evidence

The Whip hearings continue to drag on ever so slowly, with lots of objections from attorneys, numbered exhibits and lawyerly talk about vested rights and estoppal and offers of proof.
(You'll recall that a group of Springdell residents believe that the Whip tavern and restaurant is in violation of various township regulations and have filed an appeal with the township's Zoning Hearing Board.)
The only issue that the zoning board is still considering is whether the Whip should be using the house just to the west of it in Springdell as an office.
The Whip's attorney (Neil Land) argues that the house was used as an office by the owner of the Country Deli, the business that preceded the Whip, so it's OK for the Whip to do so.
But the residents' attorneys (Kristin Camp and Michael Gill) argue that the house was being used as an rental house when the Whip's owners bought it, so it's not OK for the Whip to use it as an office.
To relieve all this dull testimony, who can blame us loyal attendees if we relish the occasional squabbles between the lawyers or interesting nugget of gossip?
To wit:

• According to the Whip's operating partner, K.C. Kulp, local scoundrel Tony Young was almost a partner in the Whip but pulled out the week before they closed on the property, claiming that his financial advisor had urged him not to invest in an alcohol-related business.
• When asked about the original plans for the house next to the Whip, K.C. said that Tony was going to use it to house his polo grooms, but when he backed out, the apartment idea became a non-starter.
• K.C. also said the township officer was fully aware of the extensive renovations they were doing to the house and told them that no township permits were needed because they were not expanding the house's footprint and because it had previously been used as an office.

The hearing continues on May 10 at 7 p.m. Mr. Land is expected to call as a witness Harold Young, who owned the Country Deli.

Horse health

Two things I learned Tuesday night: (1) It's a really good idea to keep your horses' vaccinations up to date and (2) the second cutting of hay has more nutritional value than the first.
A friend asked me if I wanted to go to a lecture on neurologic diseases in horses sponsored by Unionville Equine Associates. When she added that dinner was involved and that she would drive, I jumped at the chance.
It was actually a really interesting evening (though not as entertaining as a previous fully illustrated presentation on worms, I'm told).
First we saw a presentation on Lameness Locator, an ingenious new diagnostic tool developed by Equinosis.
Then veterinarian Rob Keene discussed West Nile Virus, Eastern and Western encephalitis, rabies, influenza, equine herpes virus, and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). EPM is caused by a protozoan called Sarcocystis neurona, which Dr. Keene said "loves the central nervous system of the horse." The opossum is a key source.
And finally Dave from Oxford Feed & Lumber spoke about proper nutrition for horses (he's the one who ventured that opinion on hay).
Thanks to John W. Lee, Jr., DVM, Unionville Equine's founder, for inviting us to such a useful evening -- and for the Capriotti's subs and nifty tote bags.

Legally Blonde

The London stage production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" hit it big at the Laurence Olivier Awards (the British equivalent of our Tony Awards) on March 13. It won Best New Musical, Sheridan Smith won Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elle Woods, and Jill Halfpenny won Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical as Paulette.

How is this West End news relevant to Unionville? Because one of the show's producers is Frank ("Buddy") Martin, who lives near Chatham! Mr. Martin, who is also producing artistic director of Act II Playhouse in Ambler, has produced "The Story of My Life," "9 to 5," "Burn the Floor" and "Time Stands Still" on Broadway and "La Bête" as well as "Legally Blonde" in London.
Congratulations!

Discounts

It's a minor nuisance keeping track of those "loyal customer" programs, and you just know the stores are amassing all kinds of data about the products you use, but there's also a real upside: saving money.
For instance, I go through a lot of printer ink. By returning my "empties" to Staples and using my customer card, the other day I paid only $2.99 plus tax for a black-ink cartridge that normally sells for $14.99.
And by doing all my shopping at Giant, I get a discount at their gas station. I waited til my tank was almost empty -- 12 miles left, according to the gauge! -- and then used all of my discount points to fill it up, saving 30 cents a gallon. Not bad at all!

Exile on East Market Street

So, like, it's 4:30, and there I am, in the upstairs lounge at a hip nightclub at a CD launch party...
OK, OK. It was 4:30 in the afternoon, and the crowd at The Note in West Chester was mostly high-school kids and their camera-toting parents. I was there with my friends Denise and Jack Mizrahi listening to Windoview, the band their son Jordan plays in.
Windoview, which just released its second CD, "Pine Island," is three Unionville High School juniors: Jordan (who plays lead guitar), Andy Joseph (vocals, percussion and ukelele) and Hunter Conover (rhythm guitar and harmonica). I've seen them play several times in the past few years, and it's great to see them developing, writing new material and trying out new instruments. They recorded the new CD at TribeSounds Records.
Denise always thanks me fulsomely for coming out to see them, but it is a real pleasure to watch such talented, confident and extraordinarily poised young musicians.
Plus, The Note is a very cool venue and made me feel extremely adventurous. I can't remember the last time I was in a place where you get your hand stamped when you pay admission, or where there are burly, tattooed bouncers hanging around.
You can see Windoview live at the "Battle of the Bands" at Unionville High School from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 1. Admission is $5.

Hi, Tech!

A former boss of mine reported the following on Facebook: "Ordered an Ipad2 with 4G. Whoa! Then I get a call from Amex worried that some dude stole my card to get an Ipad. So I asked her: Thanks for thinking fraud, but ain't I hip enuf to buy an Ipad? She laughed. I didn't."
Further mortification was on the way for Jim: several friends promptly commented on his post, informing him that the new iPad is actually only 3G.

In the Sunday papers

I was a bit late making my coffee and changing my clocks on Sunday morning because I was so engrossed in two very interesting stories in the Sunday papers.
Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Kathy Brady Shea did a lengthy story on Richard Hayne's projects in Springdell. She put a lot of work into it and spoke to several local residents, came to several township meetings, sorted through a lot of documents and interviewed all three township supervisors -- but alas, she didn't get to talk to Mr. Hayne himself.
And Mike Rellahan of the Daily Local News interviewed West Marlborough supervisor Bill Wylie about the fact that West Marlborough actually showed a decreased population in the latest census (2000 -- 859; 2010 -- 814).
From Mike's story:
"I think the quality of life here and its rural aspect is very appealing to everybody [who lives here]," [Mr. Wylie] said, noting that the township had designed its zoning laws in part to encourage agricultural preservation and discourage residential or business development. "It has a small town feeling, everybody knows everybody else. We enjoy that."