So how's the new 30-mph speed limit working out in "downtown" Unionville? I've asked a few people who live or work along Route 82 and opinion seems split. Some see a definite slowdown; others don't see any difference.
At an East Marlborough Township meeting the other night, one fellow commented dryly that pulling out onto busy Route 82 simply isn't a problem anymore; with the new lower speed limit, "we're all safe now!"
Hearty laughter greeted his quip.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Roses and thorns
The other day I went out to harvest bittersweet from along a back road here in West Marlborough (yes, I had permission from the landowner) so that I could weave a autumnal wreath for the door. I quickly realized that intimately intertwined with the bittersweet along the fencerow were multiflora rose vines, thick with both rose hips and prickers. My leather rose-pruning gauntlets would have been ideal for the situation -- had they actually been on my hands, instead of languishing uselessly in my gardening work basket back home. My hands got a little scraped up, my barn jacket has a few snags -- but I got a lovely and more-or-less circular wreath out of it!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Newlyweds
Remember Jessica Latshaw, the charming singer/songwriter/dancer from Landenberg whose ukulele talents on the New York City subway "went viral" on YouTube in January 2012? Well, she was back in her hometown on Nov. 9 to wed TJ Taormina, who hosts "The TJ Show" on 103.3 AMP Radio in Boston. The two, who met in New York and had been dating for two years, tied the knot after a two-month engagement. Jess' parents are Bruce and Lynn Latshaw. I know Jess (who is an utter sweetheart) from the Jennersville Y, where we used to take the same exercise class.
Best wishes, Jess, and congratulations, TJ!
Best wishes, Jess, and congratulations, TJ!
Quaker events
This morning I went to London Grove Friends Meeting's used-book sale (frequent readers know it would be easier just to list the used-book sales that I actually pass up) for the benefit of the Meeting's wonderful kindergarten. Meeting member Leona Provinski greeted me warmly and told me she estimated that the volunteers collected 2,500 books.
I bought a bag full -- not that I really need more books in my house, but just because I thought some of them would interest friends or family, and others might come in handy if we get really snowed in this winter. I also found an old John Thompson primer that took me right back to my piano-lessons days in the 1960s. I simply had to buy it, if only to revisit the quaint and well-remembered 1920s illustrations.
Another Quaker event is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 23. The Quaker Fair at Kennett Friends Meeting, a local tradition, will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. As always, there's a used-book sale, home-made crafts, a rummage sale and lunch. Proceeds benefit the American Friends Service Committee.
Eggs
There's a photo of New Bolton Center in a Nov. 6 "Wall Street Journal" article about improving the quality of eggs by altering the hens' diets. According to the article, written by Sarah Nassauer, the egg distributor Eggland's Best, headquartered in Jeffersonville, keeps about 120 hens at New Bolton "to test how changes in chicken feed affect nutrients in eggs." Kevin Burkum, senior vice president of marketing for the American Egg Board, is quoted as giving instructions for making the perfect hard-cooked egg: "cover it with cold water in a pan, bring to a boil, then turn off the burner and let it sit covered for 12 minutes."
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Class clowns
Last night at dinner at Giordano's I was telling the Young Relative how important it is to make friends with a broad range of people. He said he understands, and counts among his pals all sorts of people, including athletes, a few rowdy youths, and the class clowns.
"Class clowns?!" I said, and began to describe with disapproval the annoyingly raucous jokers of my own junior-high days. Suddenly I realized that the two wildest boys had not, in fact, ended up in the gutter but had turned out to become a high-ranking Army chaplain and a well-known local orthopedic surgeon.
The Young Relative picked up on this immediately, of course. Another nail in the coffin of my credibility.
"Class clowns?!" I said, and began to describe with disapproval the annoyingly raucous jokers of my own junior-high days. Suddenly I realized that the two wildest boys had not, in fact, ended up in the gutter but had turned out to become a high-ranking Army chaplain and a well-known local orthopedic surgeon.
The Young Relative picked up on this immediately, of course. Another nail in the coffin of my credibility.
Hood's expansion plans
Hood's BBQ & Deli received permission on Nov. 13 from the East Marlborough Township Zoning Hearing Board for its expansion plans, and now needs to seek approval from the township supervisors.
The expansion would double the size of the Unionville restaurant and the number of seats, would replace the parking spaces in front of the restaurant with a terrace for outdoor seating, and would add parking out back.
Larry Hood, who owns the restaurant along with his parents, Dawn and Larry, told the board he hopes to "clean things up and make things a lot nicer."
Eliminating the parking in the front of the restaurant would also remove a safety concern, he said. Although the number of parking spaces on the site would still be limited, he said that patrons can easily park just across the street in the URA ballfield lots, where currently customers with large trucks, vans or horse trailers often park.
After hearing an hour and a half of testimony about the site and the proposal, the zoning board left the room for a brief executive session and then returned and voted to approve all the variances and special exceptions the Hoods had requested.
The Unionville restaurant needed the zoning board's permission because of the numerous size and topography constraints imposed by its half-acre lot on Route 82.
This sketch of the proposed expansion is courtesy of the architect, Brad Bernstein of DesignData Associates:
The expansion would double the size of the Unionville restaurant and the number of seats, would replace the parking spaces in front of the restaurant with a terrace for outdoor seating, and would add parking out back.
Larry Hood, who owns the restaurant along with his parents, Dawn and Larry, told the board he hopes to "clean things up and make things a lot nicer."
Eliminating the parking in the front of the restaurant would also remove a safety concern, he said. Although the number of parking spaces on the site would still be limited, he said that patrons can easily park just across the street in the URA ballfield lots, where currently customers with large trucks, vans or horse trailers often park.
After hearing an hour and a half of testimony about the site and the proposal, the zoning board left the room for a brief executive session and then returned and voted to approve all the variances and special exceptions the Hoods had requested.
The Unionville restaurant needed the zoning board's permission because of the numerous size and topography constraints imposed by its half-acre lot on Route 82.
This sketch of the proposed expansion is courtesy of the architect, Brad Bernstein of DesignData Associates:
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Goat Kitchen & Bar
I got a tip from my pal Ivy that her father, restaurateur and chef David Weir, has signed a lease and plans to open a new restaurant this winter in Hockessin: the Goat Kitchen & Bar at 1216 Old Lancaster Pike (the former Lake's Country store). "The vibe will be casual and the food uncompromisingly delicious," he writes on the restaurant's website -- and offers a hint of the forthcoming menu by giving a recipe for Jalapeno pesto. Mr. Weir has served as executive chef at Buckley's, The Four Dogs Tavern, and the Marshallton Inn.the food uncompromisingly delicious. I come from a long line of Irish bar owners who instilled in
me the secrets of a successful bar: great food, friendly service, fair prices, and strong drinks. vibe will be casual and the food uncompromisingly delicious. I come from a long line of Irish bar owners who instilled in me the secrets of a successful bar: great food, friendly service, fair prices, and strong drinks.
In the lobby
If you've visited the Kennett Y recently, I'm sure you've noticed in the lobby the giant mural of historic downtown Kennett Square. It shows two trolleys, one to West Grove and one to West Chester, at the northwest corner of Union and State Streets (known as the Unicorn Block). The scene is from a 1909 postcard (which is shown in Joseph Lordi's postcard book, "Kennett Square").
Speaking of Kennett history and postcards, it was so nice to see Dolores and Leon Rowe at dinner at Giordano's on Wednesday night! They were there celebrating a friend's birthday.
Speaking of Kennett history and postcards, it was so nice to see Dolores and Leon Rowe at dinner at Giordano's on Wednesday night! They were there celebrating a friend's birthday.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Art Gala
At the Unionville Art Gala on Nov. 8, I had a great time meeting a lot of perfectly charming high-school kids. We read a lot about how Digital Age kids spend their entire lives online and don't know how to interact with actual people anymore: not true, at least in this case. Working in pairs, the kids were responsible for greeting the guests, working the crowd, distributing programs and serving the wonderful hors d'oeuvres, and their social skills and courtesy seemed unimpeachable.
I enjoyed meeting the student artists as well and seeing their work: again, even in our digital world, it's a nice chance for youths to see that experiencing art live, in a gallery, with people around, is a worthwhile way to spend an evening.
As a veteran of organizing fund-raisers, I can only imagine how many hours and committee meetings it took to pull together this event. One of the craftspeople even went out of his way to tell me how well he and his fellow artists were treated by the organizers -- which, he says, isn't the case at all the shows he attends. Well done to the dedicated committee members!
I enjoyed meeting the student artists as well and seeing their work: again, even in our digital world, it's a nice chance for youths to see that experiencing art live, in a gallery, with people around, is a worthwhile way to spend an evening.
As a veteran of organizing fund-raisers, I can only imagine how many hours and committee meetings it took to pull together this event. One of the craftspeople even went out of his way to tell me how well he and his fellow artists were treated by the organizers -- which, he says, isn't the case at all the shows he attends. Well done to the dedicated committee members!
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