Thursday, August 30, 2018

TV SHOW: Andy's World

A documentary on Andrew Wyeth will air on PBS on Friday, Sept. 7, as part of the "American Masters" series). According to a press release from the Brandywine River Museum, the documentary, "Wyeth: The Life of Andrew Wyeth Told in Bold Strokes," includes "interviews with family members, friends and scholars" and was shot at the museum and at the various Wyeth properties in and around Chadds Ford.
You can stream the documentary starting Saturday, Sept. 8, or you can buy a DVD at the Museum shop.

REAL ID: Come fly with me

Time to track down your documents: Pennsylvania is starting to upgrade its driver's license program to comply with the federal REAL ID Act. Starting on October 1, 2020, you'll need a federally accepted form of identification (such as REAL ID, a U.S. passport, or a military ID) to board commercial flights and enter secure federal buildings. 
Starting Tuesday, Sept. 4, you can bring the following documents to PennDOT driver's license centers for "pre-verification":
1) Proof of identity (original or certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. Passport)
2) Proof of Social Security Number (unlaminated social security card);
3) Proof of all legal name changes
4) Two proofs of your physical address in Pennsylvania (your unexpired PA license or ID card and a bank statement or utility bill no more than 90 days old with the same name and address).
According to PennDOT, "PennDOT staff will image the documents to the customer's record, and when REAL IDs are available in March 2019, the customer can opt into the REAL ID program online, and their REAL ID product will be sent through the mail."
Drivers who got their licenses after September 2003 have been able to apply for pre-verification since March.
How much does it cost? "To obtain a REAL ID, customers will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver's license or a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won't "lose" time that they've already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product."
The new ID is optional; PennDOT will still issue standard licenses and ID cards.
For more information, PennDOT is offering this link: www.penndot.gov/REALID.

MOVIES: "Glass" and "Fallout"

One of the many trailers we saw before the new "Mission: Impossible" movie on Saturday night was for M. Night Shyamalan's new film, "Glass," with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. As usual, some of the filming was done in Philadelphia (30th Street Station was unmistakeable in the trailer). The director, who lives in Willistown, has been known to shoot even closer to home: friends' farms in Unionville were featured prominently in "The Happening," and "The Village" was shot in Chadds Ford, but this time I didn't see any rural scenes. According to Wikipedia, he also shot at a former hospital in Allentown and the gym at Bryn Mawr College.
Dearest Partner and I have very different tastes in movies, but we had a hoot at "Fallout." There were enough car, motorcycle and helicopter chases to satisfy him, and to my surprise I found myself laughing aloud at the over-the-top stunts (a mid-air skydiving rescue!) and whiplash-inducing plot twists (one with CNN's Wolf Blitzen), as well as tiny, hilarious moments like the broad-minded gent who walked in on Tom Cruise and two other men having a heated disagreement in the stall of a Paris bathroom ("Melange?" he asked hopefully, eyes widening with delight). Paris and London looked beautiful, and I spend enough time working out to realize how crazy fit Cruise must be.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

PINOCHLE: A suitable activity

I received this email from Marie O'Brien: "Please join us for 7 weeks of pinochle, beginning on Thursday evening, September 6 at 6:30 p.m. We play in a private room at the Kennett Senior Center. If interested, please call Mardette at 484 995-0776. Don’t know the game? We’ll be happy to teach you. We play for fun and friendship."
The Senior Center is at 427 South Walnut Street in Kennett Square.

 

Saturday, August 25, 2018

AVONDALE: The next big holiday

Lowe's in Avondale already has its Halloween display up, and it is over-the-top this year. I was especially taken by a shaggy, life-size werewolf, clad in a plaid flannel shirt and jeans, and an inflatable rooftop spider the size of a dirigible. I immediately wanted to buy both, but Dearest Partner sagely pointed out that neither the cats nor the neighborhood would be thrilled. Also, the werewolf cost $149. Maybe some light-up Halloween doormats instead ...

HOBBIES: Some pointed questions

I've mentioned before that we have a young friend who moonlights as a sword-swallower. A few days ago we ran into him at his day job (as a grocery store clerk) and he mentioned that he has an important gig coming up and decided to schedule an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat specialist just to get checked out. One hopes that he informs the ENT about his avocation ahead of time!

ENCORE: Resale shop reopens

The Encore consignment shop in Hamorton is reopening on Tuesday, Sept. 4, after its summer break. The first consignment dates are Thursday, Aug. 30, and Friday, Aug. 31, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until all 20 consignment numbers are gone). After that, regular consignment hours begin on Wednesday, Sept. 5, with numbers distributed between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. and consignments beginning at 9 a.m. Consignment days are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Starting this fall, the shop will offer expanded hours for reclaiming unsold items (Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.); online access to your account will be available if you register; the $3 per-consignment fee will be eliminated; Encore gift cards will be available; and hours for dropping off items will be 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Encore keeps half of the sale price of each item, and the money benefits the Chester County Hospital.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

SHOPPING: Eat more fruits and vegetables

I want to give a shout-out to Chris and Tina King's Produce Place. For a long time this marvelous little greengrocer dropped off my radar screen, but it is back there in a very big way. The shop is next to the Country Butcher at Race and East Cypress Streets in Kennett Square, which means it's literally a two-minute drive from the Kennett Y. For me, after a grueling workout, there's nothing better than one of their cold, freshly made smoothies (my choice: Berry). 
Their produce is beautiful, unblemished and delicious, their freshly squeezed juices are wonderful and their salads are the best around. I especially like their delectable cut pineapple; I don't know how they do it, but they manage to remove all those annoying little fibers that get stuck in your teeth.
The shop is open Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
An added bonus: I always run into somebody I know who is patronizing that little shopping center. One Kennett Square friend in particular seems to go there as soon as her Thursday morning gym class ends, too!

UHS: Another season starts

Yesterday afternoon I watched the Young Relative compete in a cross-country scrimmage at Unionville High School.
It was great to catch up with the other moms, dads and other family members after not seeing them since the end of track season in the spring. We all agreed that the summer had flown by -- how can school be starting already?! -- and the kids were growing up too darned fast. I've watched the Y.R. and his peers grow from chubby-cheeked kindergartners into poised, delightful young men and women with drivers' licenses. Just stop now and stay that way, OK?!
There's no Oberod race on the schedule this autumn, which is a shame because it was such a lovely venue. But I'm looking forward to the brand-new "Two-Mile Bash" invitational at the UHS course on September 8. And, of course, the split-loyalties meet against my own alma mater, Great Valley, in October. 

POLES: Brace yourself

Back in June, perhaps you'll recall, I wrote about how workers from a company called Osmose were inspecting the underground portions of utility poles throughout our area. One of the workers on my road said told me they had found several rotten ones that would be replaced by PECO in the next few months.
True to their word, the Osmose folks have indeed returned, but rather than replacing the poles they have installed brown metal braces around them. They remind me of the little protective fences around street trees in Philadelphia.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

LONGWOOD: Postmodern Jukebox on stage

Postmodern Jukebox presented a hugely entertaining show at Longwood Gardens on Sunday evening. The troupe puts a vintage spin on popular music, performing top-40 songs by the likes of Katy Perry and Justin Bieber in jazz, swing, piano bar or big band styles. A couple of times they even threw in a little scat, klezmer, ragtime, New Orleans funeral music and a "Harry Potter" movie theme.
The likeable, nattily dressed singers and musicians (there was even a tap dancer!) were top notch and brought a huge amount of energy and good cheer to the stage. In particular, Maiya Sykes was incredible -- she was hilarious in Meghan Trainor's "All About the Bass" and sang an amazing version of Radiohead's "Creep" and, as a tribute to Aretha Franklin, "Natural Woman."
Some of the other songs the group covered during the two-hour show were Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Justin Bieber's "Sorry," Smashmouth's "All Star," Katy Perry's "Roar" and "Last Friday Night," John Legend's "All of Me," the Cranberries' "Zombie," Pearls of Music's "20 Dollars in My Pocket," Gary Jules' "Mad World," Kelly Clarkson's "Since You Been Gone" and Taylor Swift's "Shake It Up."
All day long I was watching the weather map hopefully, and it looked as if the rain would move out and it would be a clear evening for the concert. Not so much, but the show went on and I didn't see many empty seats. The audience dressed for the weather, in ponchos and hats, and people were cooperative about putting away their umbrellas when the show started. The crowd did thin out toward the end of the evening, which was a big mistake because the encores were amazing.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

UNIONVILLE: The Hoods go on vacation

Hood's BBQ in Unionville will be closed from Sept. 1 through 14 for the family's annual vacation. They'll reopen on Saturday, Sept. 15.
And the Starbucks in Jennersville has been closed for a few weeks for renovations, but it is scheduled to reopen on Friday, Aug. 24.

Friday, August 17, 2018

AUTUMN: Two equestrian events

A couple of (very) local equestrian events to add to your schedule: The Plantation Field International Horse Trials will be from Sept. 20 through 23, and the 84th running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup will be Sunday, Nov. 4. Both events are terrific for spectators and people-watchers.
 

BACK TO SCHOOL: School supplies

I was talking with two parents the other day about their back-to-school preparations. One is sending her older child to kindergarten and her younger one to preschool this year. She said filling out all of the paperwork and schlepping around to obtain the exact supplies specified (36 bottles of glue!) reminds her of the stress of her college days: "You'd start looking at all the syllabuses and just go, 'Oh my God!'"
A more seasoned dad, with two kids at Hillendale Elementary, counseled her that it's easier all around just to order the prepackaged school supplies box offered by the PTO.

FIDDLERS' PICNIC: A rainy day in Hibernia

The 90th annual Old Fiddlers' Picnic at Hibernia Park was a muddy affair this year.
We got there at about 11 a.m. and decided to catch some mainstage performers before visiting the informal jam sessions in the woods. We listened to a few solo acts and groups -- they sign up for their slots on the stage -- and sang along with "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain" (it's amazing what you remember from elementary school music class).
But then the dark clouds started to roll in and thunder rumbled in the distance. The usually easygoing emcee urged everyone to take cover, and the sound system was unplugged. We took our pulled pork sandwiches back to the Jeep, zipped the window in and just hung out as the rain poured down. A lot of cars spectators departed; we noticed with amusement that others were quick to snag their parking spots.
When the rain lessened, we walked over to the covered pavilion, which is where the musicians had gathered to jam with their fiddles, guitars, banjos, and ukuleles. There was even an upright bass, and one guy had a kazoo on his guitar strap.
"You never know when it'll come in handy," he said. 

NEWARK: An Indian coincidence

On Aug. 15 we headed to the Indian Sizzler in Newark because I had a longing for their lamb biryani.
Imagine our surprise when, after dinner, we were strolling through one of the wide-open University of Delaware quads and saw a display of 1,947 little Indian flags stuck into the grass. Turns out Aug. 15, 1947, was the day that India gained its independence from Great Britain.
I snapped a photo and forwarded it to my colleagues in Mumbai and Chennai; they were thrilled to see that the holiday is recognized here in the States.
"This gave me goosebumps!" replied one.
Celebrating Indian Independence Day at the University of Delaware.

YELTON: A loss for the op-ed page

The letters-to-the-editor columns of our local papers will be a little shorter: I just learned that Bruce Yelton of Pocopson Township died back in July.
Bruce, a Tower Hill grad, was a classic American gadfly. He attended township meetings, school board meetings, library board meetings, and just about any committee meeting you can imagine. He took pages of notes. He collected volumes of data. He asked questions, then asked them again.
And after he digested all the material, he'd bang out (on an old-fashioned typewriter) fiery letters to the editor. The oblique, carefully crafted language of diplomacy was not for him; he simply informed officials what they "must" do. The superintendent MUST release these personnel statistics; the library board MUST give up its "pipe dream" (one of his favorite phrases) of a new building.
He held strong opinions and loved being in the middle of a controversy.
I usually disagreed with Bruce. But then, every once in a while, one of his letters would be completely on target. Confused by this cognitive dissonance, I'd have to stop and re-read it.
Bruce was one of a kind. I am sure his family members, and public officials everywhere, will be sharing stories about him for a long time to come.

BRICK AND MORTAR: A Staples removed

The rumors are true: Staples in the Longwood shopping center on Baltimore Pike will be closing this fall.
I finally remembered to ask a Staples employee the other day, and she confirmed the sad news. She said they will close by November.
Where will I recycle my empty ink cartridges now? It looks like the closest remaining stores are on Concord Pike in Delaware and Paoli Pike in West Goshen.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

OBX: A rental mystery

An entrepreneurial friend bought and fixed up a house on the Outer Banks, and this is the first summer he has rented it out. He and his family finally got to enjoy a week down there, and he was astonished to discover that one of the tenants had reversed several of the bedroom door locks. It was an easy fix, he said, but it creeped him out. And why wouldn't the tenants just put them back the way they were when their vacation week was over?

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Early morning activities

I got what was for me an early start the other day, but others were way ahead of me.
Riders were of course already out; in fact they'd probably already finished several sets by the time they waved and said good morning to me. A painter had set up his easel along Apple Grove Road and was catching the morning light on that beautiful vista.
"Looks good!" I said.
"Oh … I'm working on it," he said with a smile.
Near Doe Run village, a birding enthusiast with binoculars and a camera with a long lens was scanning the fields. He told me he drives 40 minutes to get here because it's the only spot where he can see bobolinks.
"You live out here?" he said. "Wow. You're lucky."

Friday, August 10, 2018

MUSIC: The Joe Hillman Band

On Aug. 9 we caught the next-to-last outdoor concert of the summer series at the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. Local favorites the Joe Hillman Band ("he can fix your porch AND play the mandolin!") performed a delightful set of traditional tunes, including the classic "Shady Grove," and put a bluegrass spin on songs by the Grateful Dead, Bob Marley ("Wait in Vain") and Bob Dylan ("Touch of Gray"). The trio also comprised Jordan Rast (guitar and fiddle) and Charlie Muench (upright bass).
The final show at BRC (I know, I still call it the BVA, too) is Scott Pemberton, "all the way from Portland, Oregon!" on Thursday, Aug. 16. Although the website says the show starts at 7:30, a regular concertgoer told us the bands have been starting closer to 7. 
Radio Free Honduras played the final show of the summer series at Anson B. Nixon Park on Aug. 8 and may have been my favorite of the season. I even bought their CD.

KENNETT SQUARE: That time of year

On the sidewalk outside Fragale's Barber Shop in downtown Kennett, a proud Mom was snapping a photo of her son's fresh back-to-school haircut. The young man, maybe 12 or 13, was a good sport and didn't seem overly embarrassed. And his Tommy Shelby (from "Peaky Blinders")-style haircut looked very smart on him indeed.
At Staples the notebooks and folders were flying out the door. "Selling many school supplies?" I asked the clerk.
"You could say that," he said dryly.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

KENNETT: Rump Roasters opens

On Sunday evening we made our inaugural visit to Rump Roasters, the newest food vendor at the Market at Liberty Place in downtown Kennett Square. The chef is Carlos Vargas, who also runs Kaboburritos, and if our sandwiches were anything to go by, he should have another success on his hands.
You order and pay via a touchscreen, and you can customize your sandwich or platter in terms of meat (pork, turkey, beef, or mushrooms) and side dishes. Both Dearest Partner and I ordered the Dip, a hoagie-sized roast beef sandwich with caramelized onions, Colby cheese and "au jus." It was packed full and delicious, and the caramelized onions were the best I've had since the old Half-Moon Saloon up the street.
Also on the menu were other sandwiches (the Rump Roaster, the Robby, the Sweet Baby Ray and the Melt), appetizers, platters, bowls, sides and meat by the pound. 
The only drawback was that we were too full to have ice cream at Dylan's Desserts!

HANS HERR: Not New York

At first, the gig was something of a culture shock for New York City musician Andrea Asprelli. Her indie bluegrass band, Cricket Tell the Weather, was playing an outdoor concert at the 1719 Hans Herr House Museum in Lancaster County.
The sky was cloudless. The cornfields stretched off into the distance. Kids toddled around. Cicadas chirped.
It was a far cry from Manhattan. She told the audience that it may have been the most beautiful venue they'd ever played.
"What are those trees?" she asked curiously. (Apple trees; the concert series is known as "Music in the Orchard.")
But soon enough reminders of New York intruded: fire trucks raced by, and somebody's car alarm started sounding in the parking lot.
"Now that makes me feel more at home!" she quipped.
It was the final concert of the summer, but the historic site has a few events coming up this autumn: the Maize and Snitz (corn and apples) colonial festival is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 6.

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Funding emergency services

At the August West Marlborough Township meeting, Supervisor Hugh Lofting reported on the first meeting of the township's new emergency services funding committee, which comprises himself, Clipper LaMotte (who was elected chairperson), Nancy Truitt, Supervisor Jake Chalfin, and Phoebe Fisher.
The committee discussed its primary objectives: to identify the groups that provide emergency services to township residents; to study the costs of the services; and to consider how the township can best support them.
Supervisor Lofting noted that due to the decrease in volunteers, fire and ambulance services that used to rely on volunteers and contributions have had to start charging customers and paying for personnel. "It's a big deal," he said. "The volunteers just aren't here anymore."
He said the committee will next be meeting with Cuyler Walker, who has spearheaded a similar initiative in East Marlborough that also involves Kennett Township, Kennett borough, Pocopson and Newlin.

WEST MARLBOROUGH: A "lack of activity" fee

At each monthly meeting of the West Marlborough Township supervisors, longtime secretary/treasurer Shirley Walton presents a financial report. It's normally routine: deposits, bills paid, and the balances in the various funds. But in the past few months, it seems that one bank where the township maintains a $70,000 balance has been charging a $15-per-month "lack of activity" fee on the account.
This has greatly rankled the frugal Mrs. Walton. She told the supervisors at the August meeting that she complained to the bank manager, who assured her that the fees, now totalling $45, would be reimbursed.
The bank will so far remain nameless in this column, but we'll see what happens at the September meeting.

OXFORD: Driver's license renewal

People seem unaware of the fact that they don't need to drive all the way to Frazer to get their driver's license photo taken every four years. There's a photo license center in Oxford, in a strip mall on Route 10 as you exit the Route 1 bypass. It's very convenient. You take the "camera card" that the Department of Motor Vehicles mails you, the nice man takes your photo and prints out your new license, you sign in a bunch of places, and that's that. I was out of there in 10 minutes. They're open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. 

Saturday, August 4, 2018

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Burglar in custody

West Marlborough Township is normally a nonstarter crime-wise, so there was a degree of consternation when the State Police at Avondale announced on July 27 that there had been a house burglary. They posted on social media several surveillance photos of the burglar and his Hyundai. Although the police didn't release the address, locals had no trouble recognizing the distinctive barn doors in one of the photos.
Fortunately, an arrest was made within a few days.
I was impressed with the clarity of the photos taken by the home surveillance system. It was almost as if the pillowcase-toting bad guy had snapped a selfie of himself. You could identify the brand of shirt he was wearing, and the scars on his arms were distinctive.

SCAM: You're a winner!

Imagine my surprise when I learned via email that I had won an Indian lottery that I didn't recall entering. Why, all I had to do was send them my bank information and a passport-sized photo and they'd deposit my "4CROER 75LAKHS India rupees!" I was ready to charter a private jet and fly up to Mount Desert Island.
But of course it was a scam. The bizarre, stilted, Raj-style grammar was a dead giveaway: "Also be informed that the assigned British representative to supervise the transfer of your fund from the Reserve Bank is in the person of: (BRITISHDIPLOMAT) MRS.JESSICA ALEX. He will supervise the transfer and all the documents will be sent to you by courier immediately the transfer of your fund is completed to your bank account."
Or: "Dr Urjit Patel man date [sic] all unclaimed funds to be released back to the beneficiary stating that it is an unfair practice to withhold funds for government basket for one reason or the other for tax accumulations."
("Government basket" is actually a great phrase. I'm sure I'll be able to work that into conversation sometime soon.)
In other scamming news, tech-savvy telemarketers have managed to make it seem like they're calling from local area codes. It's really annoying, and I now make it a policy not to pick up the phone unless Caller ID tells me it's somebody I know. My financial advisor called me from home the other day but had his assistant put the call through, assuming, correctly, that I would pick up for "Amanda Conshy" but not for a random Devon number.

GARDENS: Naked ladies and phlox

Usually the Naked Ladies (Lycoris squamigera) simply appear by my walkway, causing me to stop and gape in utter astonishment, but this year I had some warning: the ones on the west side of my house bloomed well before the ones on the east side appeared.
These beautiful flowers are members of the Amaryllis family and are also known as "surprise lilies": because the stems are bare and unobtrusive, it seems like the flowers appear magically overnight. Highly recommended as a boost to the sometimes drooping late-summer garden.
By the way, my phlox have never had a better summer. Their lush, deep pink, fragrant flowers are blooming and reblooming, and the leaves, which in previous years have been prone to powdery mildew, are staying green and healthy.

CANINES: Meeting Eva

I had the pleasure of meeting Eva, a Spinone Italiano, yesterday. The friendly, intelligent, obedient dog is now two years old, but her master has been training her as a hunting dog since she was a puppy. He said, with understandable pride, that he recently took her on a birding trip out to North Dakota and she behaved like a seasoned pro.
It seems there's some friction in terms of training philosophy between the owners: the wife likes to play tug-of-war with Eva, but the husband thinks that doesn't set a good precedent for pheasant and quail retrieval.
When Eva came to visit, she had been riding in the car for a few hours and was delighted to get out and run. She has a graceful, bounding, powerful lope that's a pleasure to watch. When she sensed that deer had been in the area, she flattened herself on the ground and intently tracked them with her nose. She didn't know quite what to make of the two horses walking across a nearby field. 

KENNETT: Rock the Park

The final free concert of the summer series at Anson B. Nixon Park is Wednesday, Aug. 8, but the annual "Rock the Park" fundraiser will be held Saturday, Aug. 18, from 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 (free for those under 21), with proceeds going to support the park. Beer is included in the ticket price with online advance sales (www.ansonbnixonpark.org or ansonbnixonpark@gmail.com).
The main act is local band Love Seed Mama Jump, who will take the stage at 6 p.m. Opening acts are YouBeYou (4 to 4:45) and John Gibson (5 to 5:45).