On the evening of July 21, Denis and Bambi Glaccum showed the West Marlborough Township supervisors their plans to enlarge their barn and add an apartment above it.
The Glaccums, who live on Route 82 between West and Newark Roads, want to rebuild their barn, adding two stalls (there are now four) and a three-bedroom apartment above for their daughter and her family. The renovated barn would be the same height as the old one, and the Glaccums have already received permission for a well and septic system.
The supervisors didn't make a decision that evening, because they want to allow the township planning commission time to review and comment on the plan. They also want to review the Glaccums' lease for an adjoining property to make sure they will have enough ground to comply with the township's "two-acres-per-horse" requirement, and they want more information about parking and the driveway.
The discussion will continue on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 8 p.m., after the planning commission meets at 7 p.m.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Where's Tony?
The last we saw convicted con-man Tony Young, he was being led out of a Philadelphia courtroom in handcuffs. His wife asked Judge Juan Sanchez to recommend that he be sent to a Florida prison so that she could visit, but the judge seemed unmoved by her pleas.
I asked my reporter pal Mike where Tony ended up, and he found out that he was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution at Jesup in southeast Georgia.
According to its website, this is "a medium security facility housing male offenders. It has two adjacent satellite facilities: a low security facility and a minimum security prison camp, both housing male inmates."
I read the inmate manual and all I can say is, prison life sounds like a nightmare. Everything is controlled: your clothes (khaki pants and tucked-in khaki shirt), daily schedule, possessions, meals, hygiene, visitors, TV and computer use.
One hopes Tony is paying close attention to the following paragraph in the manual:
"The Bureau of Prisons strongly encourages inmates to satisfy their financial obligations; i.e., special assessments, court ordered restitution, fines and court costs, Judgements in favor of the United States, other debts owed to the United States, and other court ordered obligations ... You should make every effort to satisfy your financial obligations by paying the maximum amount."
Paying back the millions that he scammed could be tough on his new salary, though: the top-paying prison job pays only 40 cents an hour.
Prison is a long way from Tony's former homes: FCI Jesup is 756 miles from West Marlborough, 1,367 miles from Mount Desert Island and 387 miles from Palm Beach.
I asked my reporter pal Mike where Tony ended up, and he found out that he was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution at Jesup in southeast Georgia.
According to its website, this is "a medium security facility housing male offenders. It has two adjacent satellite facilities: a low security facility and a minimum security prison camp, both housing male inmates."
I read the inmate manual and all I can say is, prison life sounds like a nightmare. Everything is controlled: your clothes (khaki pants and tucked-in khaki shirt), daily schedule, possessions, meals, hygiene, visitors, TV and computer use.
One hopes Tony is paying close attention to the following paragraph in the manual:
"The Bureau of Prisons strongly encourages inmates to satisfy their financial obligations; i.e., special assessments, court ordered restitution, fines and court costs, Judgements in favor of the United States, other debts owed to the United States, and other court ordered obligations ... You should make every effort to satisfy your financial obligations by paying the maximum amount."
Paying back the millions that he scammed could be tough on his new salary, though: the top-paying prison job pays only 40 cents an hour.
Prison is a long way from Tony's former homes: FCI Jesup is 756 miles from West Marlborough, 1,367 miles from Mount Desert Island and 387 miles from Palm Beach.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Boulangerie
My friend Karen was raving about this little part-time bakery at Route 926 and Doe Run Road, and then her daughter phoned this morning to tell me that the French flag was flying -- which means the bakery is open for business.
So I stopped by after playing tennis, pulled over onto the side of the road and walked in. The unbeatable smell of fresh-baked bread surrounded me. There were long loaves of French bread, round loaves of crusty bread with sprigs of rosemary, brownies, sun-dried-tomato bread, and a basket of "baps" -- little boules, each wrapped in a square of foil, with a chunk of butter on top. The baked goods change from week to week but there are always baguettes.
The bakery is self-service and on the honor system; you write down your purchase in a notebook and leave your money in a coffee can.
I bought a loaf of French bread with a wonderfully salty crust ($4) and could not resist trying a bap ($1), which I ate it in the car for lunch. Butter was dripping onto my hand. I licked it up like a cat. It was a fabulous experience.
Mesdames Barbara Churchville and Nancy Fenstermacher are the owners of this delightful bakery. What a find!
Look for the French flag!
Cerveza
Don't be surprised if you see both Spanish and English wording on cartons of Coors Light and Miller Lite this summer. According to a July 12 piece in the "Wall Street Journal," large brewing companies are targeting the Spanish-speaking market in the United States. Anheuser-Busch is increasing its spending with Spanish-language media, and Bud Light is sponsoring the fall tour of Pitbull, the Cuban-American rapper (real name: Armando Christian Pérez), who performs the enormously catchy "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)."
The article says the beer companies are looking to expand their audience to the Hispanic market for two reasons: because "high unemployment has damped the spending power of its core customers -- men ages 21 to 34" and also because "by 2030, Hispanics will account for 23% of the nation's legal-drinking age population, up from 16% in 2010."
The article says the beer companies are looking to expand their audience to the Hispanic market for two reasons: because "high unemployment has damped the spending power of its core customers -- men ages 21 to 34" and also because "by 2030, Hispanics will account for 23% of the nation's legal-drinking age population, up from 16% in 2010."
Undercover
Gothic adventures at a Springdell farm! A friend reports that her husband:
"Retired early last night but was not the only one under the covers. He awakened when it moved, and when he tried to dislodge the thing, it tightened its grip and either bit or clawed [the husband's] back. When he finally released little claws from skin he was looking eye to blind eye at a little brown bat.
For any out-of-towners who wish to visit, we have two lovely guest rooms just waiting for you."
Unfortunately, the bat tested positive for rabies, which means that my friend's husband is going to need shots, and the kitten who played with the bat is going to need a rabies booster shot.
"Retired early last night but was not the only one under the covers. He awakened when it moved, and when he tried to dislodge the thing, it tightened its grip and either bit or clawed [the husband's] back. When he finally released little claws from skin he was looking eye to blind eye at a little brown bat.
For any out-of-towners who wish to visit, we have two lovely guest rooms just waiting for you."
Unfortunately, the bat tested positive for rabies, which means that my friend's husband is going to need shots, and the kitten who played with the bat is going to need a rabies booster shot.
Turn this house into a home
A faithful reader and kind friend sent a link to the interior-design site http://www.designsponge.com/, where there's a story about Kennett residents Emily and Andrew de Stefano and the work they've done on their house over the past two years. It's full of photos and anecdotes about the ambitious project.
Writes author Amy Azzarito:
"The home hadn’t been updated in 25 years, so the very day they moved in, they got right to work ... With Andrew working in graphic design and advertising and Emily at Anthropologie as the merchandising and visual display manager, the couple share a pretty strong aesthetic sensibility and an eclectic style that ranges from Hollywood glam to modern with a mid-century vibe. They make it all work by keeping the wall colors neutral and layering objects, textiles and accessories to create texture and visual interest."
Writes author Amy Azzarito:
"The home hadn’t been updated in 25 years, so the very day they moved in, they got right to work ... With Andrew working in graphic design and advertising and Emily at Anthropologie as the merchandising and visual display manager, the couple share a pretty strong aesthetic sensibility and an eclectic style that ranges from Hollywood glam to modern with a mid-century vibe. They make it all work by keeping the wall colors neutral and layering objects, textiles and accessories to create texture and visual interest."
Out of context
My friend Diana from the Y works at one of the schools in the Avon-Grove district. She said that while at the grocery store last week, she ran into one of the pupils and he stared at her in confusion.
"Yes, you know me," she told him. "I'm your lunch lady!"
His face cleared and he explained that he had just never seen her outside the cafeteria before.
"Yes, you know me," she told him. "I'm your lunch lady!"
His face cleared and he explained that he had just never seen her outside the cafeteria before.
A key difference
So I asked a friend who is a church member, and she told me it should be pronounced "Mala-KEY," after the Irish saint of the same name. "Mala-KAI" was a prophet and is the last book of the Old Testament.
The Dating Game
The evening of July 18 I got a beyond-excited email from my friend Denise that an old gym friend of ours, Jane, was on television, that very minute!
It seems that Jane's son, Ames Brown, was a contestant on the TV show "The Bachelorette," in which one young woman, Ashley, is courted by a batch of very eligible bachelors. In this episode, Ames, a handsome and athletic 31-year-old portfolio analyst from New York, took Ashley to his family's beautiful Chadds Ford home to meet his relatives.
Jane, wearing a pink sweater and white trousers, was lovely, slim and articulate, as always, and Ames' sister Serena was charming and gracious.
Ames took Ashley on a picnic under a magnolia tree, where they shared a kiss (I had to fast-forward through that, it was just too embarrassing), and then they took a horse-drawn carriage ride along the Brandywine (I couldn't see who the driver was but I'm betting it was one of Frolic Weymouth's carriages).
Unbelievably, Ashley wasn't impressed by all this, and Ames didn't qualify as one of the three finalists for her affections.
But: news flash! His reality TV career is not over: he will be joining the cast of "Bachelor Pad" starting August 8. Although I read the "About the Show" section of the ABC website, I really didn't understand the premise of this program. All I can say is, it doesn't sound terribly wholesome, and somehow I doubt Ames' mom will put in an appearance this time.
It seems that Jane's son, Ames Brown, was a contestant on the TV show "The Bachelorette," in which one young woman, Ashley, is courted by a batch of very eligible bachelors. In this episode, Ames, a handsome and athletic 31-year-old portfolio analyst from New York, took Ashley to his family's beautiful Chadds Ford home to meet his relatives.
Jane, wearing a pink sweater and white trousers, was lovely, slim and articulate, as always, and Ames' sister Serena was charming and gracious.
Ames took Ashley on a picnic under a magnolia tree, where they shared a kiss (I had to fast-forward through that, it was just too embarrassing), and then they took a horse-drawn carriage ride along the Brandywine (I couldn't see who the driver was but I'm betting it was one of Frolic Weymouth's carriages).
Unbelievably, Ashley wasn't impressed by all this, and Ames didn't qualify as one of the three finalists for her affections.
But: news flash! His reality TV career is not over: he will be joining the cast of "Bachelor Pad" starting August 8. Although I read the "About the Show" section of the ABC website, I really didn't understand the premise of this program. All I can say is, it doesn't sound terribly wholesome, and somehow I doubt Ames' mom will put in an appearance this time.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sushi evening
On July 16, I finally got to Lily, the new Asian and sushi restaurant in Kennett. Four of us went, and we had a wonderful meal and a great evening.
To start with we had green salads with a delicious tangy sesame dressing. Then came an assortment of rolls: spicy tuna (but not too spicy), masago (bright-orange flying fish roe), and California.
Three of us ordered the "Summer" sushi assortment as our entree, and Joe had the chicken pad thai, which he said was the best he has ever had. Stefi loved the paper-thin ginger that came with the sushi; normally it's just an overlooked accompaniment, but this was so fresh that it certainly grabbed your attention.
Our waitress Emily provided service that was excellent, quick but not rushed. The place was busy with families and adults like us -- we recognized several locals -- but it never felt crowded or got noisy (except possibly our table. A lot of laughter ensues whenever the four of us old pals get together).
And to top it all off, Lily is a BYOB, which definitely keeps the bill under control. The four of us each paid $24 each, including tip, for a lavish meal. I consider that a bargain.
We did save room for ice cream at La Michoacana (new flavor: shredded cheese!), and then we took a short and leisurely stroll around Kennett, with running commentary by the local historian who was in our party.
Lily (610-925-3700) is at 104 West State Street in Kennett, the former site of Challie's. Lunch hours are Monday through Saturday 10:30 to 5. Dinner hours at 5 to 9:30 Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10:30 Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9:30 Sunday.
To start with we had green salads with a delicious tangy sesame dressing. Then came an assortment of rolls: spicy tuna (but not too spicy), masago (bright-orange flying fish roe), and California.
Three of us ordered the "Summer" sushi assortment as our entree, and Joe had the chicken pad thai, which he said was the best he has ever had. Stefi loved the paper-thin ginger that came with the sushi; normally it's just an overlooked accompaniment, but this was so fresh that it certainly grabbed your attention.
Our waitress Emily provided service that was excellent, quick but not rushed. The place was busy with families and adults like us -- we recognized several locals -- but it never felt crowded or got noisy (except possibly our table. A lot of laughter ensues whenever the four of us old pals get together).
And to top it all off, Lily is a BYOB, which definitely keeps the bill under control. The four of us each paid $24 each, including tip, for a lavish meal. I consider that a bargain.
We did save room for ice cream at La Michoacana (new flavor: shredded cheese!), and then we took a short and leisurely stroll around Kennett, with running commentary by the local historian who was in our party.
Lily (610-925-3700) is at 104 West State Street in Kennett, the former site of Challie's. Lunch hours are Monday through Saturday 10:30 to 5. Dinner hours at 5 to 9:30 Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10:30 Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9:30 Sunday.
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