Widespread dismay greeted the news, announced via Facebook on Feb. 23, that the Half Moon Restaurant and Saloon, long a fixture in downtown Kennett, would be closing its doors on March 11. Patrons recalled first dates and first kisses they'd had at the popular restaurant and said how much they would miss the restaurant's wild game dishes, the signature crab nachos and the view over Kennett from the rooftop dining area. I had my fiftieth birthday party there and enjoyed many a meal with family and friends.
Moving into the space will be Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, which is now at 270 E. Main St. in Newark. According to its website Grain is "a warm, inviting place to meet friends and enjoy a shared experience of contemporary American fare in a casual and energizing space where well-crafted food and drink happily go hand-in-hand."
Saturday, February 25, 2017
GIRL SCOUTS: Cookies for the military
My busy-bee friend Karen, who is always deeply involved in several projects simultaneously, is helping to organize "Operation Cookie Drop," which sends cartons of Girl Scout cookies to local members of the military who are stationed overseas. The project is sponsored by the Brandywine Valley Girl Scout Service Unit, which serves the Kennett Square and Unionville-Chadds Ford School Districts.
Karen writes:
"Will you help us get the word out about our Operation Cookie Drop community service project? We usually send about a total of 5500 boxes or more a year overseas to 28 to 35 hometown heroes. We are looking for addresses of men and women in the armed forces who are known to anyone in our local area. It can be spouses, cousins, friends, brothers, sisters, neighbors etc. Please send all addresses to Karen D'Agusto at kdagusto@aol.com.
Karen writes:
"Will you help us get the word out about our Operation Cookie Drop community service project? We usually send about a total of 5500 boxes or more a year overseas to 28 to 35 hometown heroes. We are looking for addresses of men and women in the armed forces who are known to anyone in our local area. It can be spouses, cousins, friends, brothers, sisters, neighbors etc. Please send all addresses to Karen D'Agusto at kdagusto@aol.com.
"We are also looking for local sponsorship to help with the mailing
of the boxes. Our yearly mailing costs run about $2,500. Each Girl
Scout troop donates part of their hard earned cookie money to mailing
these large boxes. Unfortunately, it is never enough to cover the costs
of mailing the boxes."
Speaking of Girl Scout cookies, I had to laugh the other day when I saw "Use or Freeze Before Sept. 1, 2017" written on a box of Thin Mints. As if!
Speaking of Girl Scout cookies, I had to laugh the other day when I saw "Use or Freeze Before Sept. 1, 2017" written on a box of Thin Mints. As if!
UNIONVILLE: The Used Book Sale
Once a year, thanks to the hard work of a regiment of volunteers, the Unionville High School gymnasium is transformed into a used book shop to raise money for the school PTO. I stopped by on Friday evening and, as always, had a great time browsing through both popular trade paperbacks (there were endless copies of "Eat, Love, Pray") and utterly offbeat works (a detailed initiation manual for a certain fraternity; so much for secrecy!).
This year the "collectible" corner had quite a selection of old books about Native Americans, and judging by the "required reading" table Unionville kids are still reading Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain and Hemingway (excellent!).
I went home with a 1960s etiquette manual (I collect them) in case I need to know how to address a Roman Catholic bishop at a dinner party. I also was delighted to purchase four seasons of "The Sopranos" on DVD for only $4 each. I doubt the etiquette book takes up the topic of how to address a mob boss.
This year the "collectible" corner had quite a selection of old books about Native Americans, and judging by the "required reading" table Unionville kids are still reading Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain and Hemingway (excellent!).
I went home with a 1960s etiquette manual (I collect them) in case I need to know how to address a Roman Catholic bishop at a dinner party. I also was delighted to purchase four seasons of "The Sopranos" on DVD for only $4 each. I doubt the etiquette book takes up the topic of how to address a mob boss.
KENNETT: Empty Bowls luncheon
On Thursday, Feb. 23, I went to the "Empty Bowls" luncheon at the Red Clay Room in Kennett Square. This annual event raises money for Kennett Area Community Services and always attracts a big crowd of sociable folks from local businesses, churches, healthcare organizations and retirement communities. In fact, everyone was so busy mingling and networking that emcee Matt Grieco had a tough time getting them to simmer down so he could start the formal program.
After Father Chris Rogers of St. Patrick Church gave the invocation, Executive Director Melanie Weiler gave a presentation about the activities of the KACS. The group's Food Cupboard provides nutritious food to families in need, but the organization also connects people to longer-term services that help put them back on their feet and become self-sufficient. The nonprofit is also focusing on why its services are in demand in the first place.
The event is called "Empty Bowls" to raise awareness that hunger exists even in our enormously affluent area. Various community groups (like Scouts, schoolkids, youth organizations) make and donate bowls, and each guest gets to take one home. (I got a festively decorated one that will be the perfect size for my oatmeal.)
The lunch consisted of soup (mushroom, vegetable or chicken noodle) and a small salad, followed by cookies and coffee. I went alone and sat with people I didn't know, but we quickly started chatting about how nice it was to attend a simpler fundraiser that didn't involve dressing up and being asked to write big checks.
After Father Chris Rogers of St. Patrick Church gave the invocation, Executive Director Melanie Weiler gave a presentation about the activities of the KACS. The group's Food Cupboard provides nutritious food to families in need, but the organization also connects people to longer-term services that help put them back on their feet and become self-sufficient. The nonprofit is also focusing on why its services are in demand in the first place.
The event is called "Empty Bowls" to raise awareness that hunger exists even in our enormously affluent area. Various community groups (like Scouts, schoolkids, youth organizations) make and donate bowls, and each guest gets to take one home. (I got a festively decorated one that will be the perfect size for my oatmeal.)
The lunch consisted of soup (mushroom, vegetable or chicken noodle) and a small salad, followed by cookies and coffee. I went alone and sat with people I didn't know, but we quickly started chatting about how nice it was to attend a simpler fundraiser that didn't involve dressing up and being asked to write big checks.
EAST MARLBOROUGH: A bald eagle sighting
Around 5 p.m. last Friday I was driving east on Street Road and spotted a bald eagle flying overhead, near Byrd Road. It was so big and so magnificent. I've seen our national bird many times down at the Conowingo Dam in Maryland, but only once before here in Chester County, and never before so close. My bird-identification book describes the bald eagle as unmistakeable, and that is absolutely correct.
Friday, February 24, 2017
COMMUNICATION: Sorry, wrong number
This morning a perky robo-caller told me she had great news to share: she could reduce my student loan payments! I should immediately "enter 1" to take advantage of this money-saving opportunity.
I hung up. For one thing, I graduated from college 37 years ago. What's more, thanks to my generous parents, I did not have any student loans.
I really should stop answering unknown calls; the numbers of all of my loved ones are programmed into my phone already. But here's the thing: certain friends and family members of mine pursue potentially dangerous hobbies (involving speed or height; usually both), and I have this nagging fear that the call might be from a hospital emergency room trying to get hold of me.
I hung up. For one thing, I graduated from college 37 years ago. What's more, thanks to my generous parents, I did not have any student loans.
I really should stop answering unknown calls; the numbers of all of my loved ones are programmed into my phone already. But here's the thing: certain friends and family members of mine pursue potentially dangerous hobbies (involving speed or height; usually both), and I have this nagging fear that the call might be from a hospital emergency room trying to get hold of me.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
KIDS: A big fat misconception
Yesterday I overheard a group of middle-school girls chatting after school.
"Oh my God! She is so fat!" shrieked one.
"I KNOW! Have you seen her eat?" asked another, making loud gobbling noises.
Wow, how cruel kids can be, I reflected sadly, recalling a book on eating disorders I'd recently edited.
The girls' conversation continued.
"Remember how little she was when she was a puppy?!"
"Oh my God! She is so fat!" shrieked one.
"I KNOW! Have you seen her eat?" asked another, making loud gobbling noises.
Wow, how cruel kids can be, I reflected sadly, recalling a book on eating disorders I'd recently edited.
The girls' conversation continued.
"Remember how little she was when she was a puppy?!"
Monday, February 20, 2017
QUAKERS: A Presidential connection
In response to my item last week about how Quakerism is far less common in California than it is in Chester County, an astute reader commented that "Richard Nixon, born in Yorba Linda, California, was the son of a Quaker mother. He attended Whittier College, near his home, a Quaker school."
I'd forgotten about President Nixon's Quaker roots.
I'd forgotten about President Nixon's Quaker roots.
SLANG: Young Relative update
If you hear your Unionville High School student using the adjective "nifty," you can thank the Young Relative. At dinner on Sunday he used it, quite aptly, to describe an especially neat solution to a crossword puzzle and then explained that "nifty" has been on frequent rotation in his vocabulary playlist recently.
I looked up the word's origin on "Online Etymology Dictionary" and found that "nifty" first appeared in the middle of the 19th century, "perhaps theatrical slang, first attested in a poem by Bret Harte, who said it was a shortened, altered form of magnificat."
Who knew!
By the way, the Young Relative said he is looking forward to running outside again after a winter of competing indoors. Although he enjoyed the track team's road trips to various colleges with indoor facilities, he much prefers the fresh air.
I looked up the word's origin on "Online Etymology Dictionary" and found that "nifty" first appeared in the middle of the 19th century, "perhaps theatrical slang, first attested in a poem by Bret Harte, who said it was a shortened, altered form of magnificat."
Who knew!
By the way, the Young Relative said he is looking forward to running outside again after a winter of competing indoors. Although he enjoyed the track team's road trips to various colleges with indoor facilities, he much prefers the fresh air.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
WEST MARLBOROUGH: A baffling encounter
Late Saturday afternoon, we were just pulling into my road when a middle-aged woman at the intersection rolled down the window of her dark-blue BMW and asked us, very politely, if this road led to The Whip Tavern.
Not really, I said, but I can get you there.
Well, she wasn't quite sure: that might be where she wanted to go -- or perhaps the Landhope in Willowdale.
(My house is only a few minutes away from both of those fine establishments, but they are in completely opposite directions.)
I tried to pin her down: Where exactly did she want to go?
After several rounds of asking the same question and receiving vague answers, we managed to learn that some friends of hers had built a new house somewhere in Unionville -- did we know them? -- and she thought that by simply driving around the countryside she could find it. Apparently she didn't think to ask for the address, and the idea of phoning them didn't occur to her.
We finally gave her directions to downtown Unionville -- a straight shot -- but I'm not at all confident she made it there.
Not really, I said, but I can get you there.
Well, she wasn't quite sure: that might be where she wanted to go -- or perhaps the Landhope in Willowdale.
(My house is only a few minutes away from both of those fine establishments, but they are in completely opposite directions.)
I tried to pin her down: Where exactly did she want to go?
After several rounds of asking the same question and receiving vague answers, we managed to learn that some friends of hers had built a new house somewhere in Unionville -- did we know them? -- and she thought that by simply driving around the countryside she could find it. Apparently she didn't think to ask for the address, and the idea of phoning them didn't occur to her.
We finally gave her directions to downtown Unionville -- a straight shot -- but I'm not at all confident she made it there.
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