November 10th, 2009
Oh, well. I am back from Florida but the computer has been acting up. Timothy Bixby of Computer Repair, stopped by the house and has taken my computer to give it a little t.l.c. It should be back this evening or at the very latest, tomorrow.
If you find yourself in this position, please call Tim at Computer Repair, telephone 302-542-8642, e-mail Repairyourcomp@aol.com . He makes house-calls. He can help if your computer is having slow performance, or if you need data recovery, lessons, custom built PC’s, upgrades, wireless setup and networking. So, for more information, you know now what to do.
Until I get my computer back, and in the beautiful Delmarva Peninsula, on a very pretty fall day, I remain….
November 9th, 2009
Over 4 years ago and by word of mouth, a friend told me about Collado’s Gourmet Market. I have bought from them ever since. I have also seen it grow into a fullfledge market. The address is 3416 S. Federal Highway, in Delray Beach. Just south of Lindell Blvd. The telephone is 561-276-1866 and the fax is 561-276-5613.
The market has an extensive menu and it is open 7 days a week. You may order from their ready to serve gourmet display. Just like in the picture.
Or, you can browse over a full line of fruits and vegetables. Something worthy of mentioning is that this market ships fruits. For more information please e-mail them at colladosgourmetm@bellsouth.net, or give them a call to the above number.
Some of the items on the menu are:
Hot and cold subs and wraps, using Boars Head Meats. Vegetables subs like grilled veggies, eggplant cutlets, sauteed spinach or fresh veggies.
Homemade Salads and specialty salads. Soups like chicken soup, matzah ball and pasta fagioli.
Deli meats by the pound and as I mentioned above they have Boars Head Meats.
An assortment of waters, teas, wine, beer and the best is always freshly squeezed orange juice.
Don’t feel like cooking or no time to cook, for that matter; guests dropping by, then you can get full lunch or dinner entrees ready to reheat later. 
One of my favorites at Collado’s is the grilled asparagus. They have that grilled taste and they are cooked perfectly.
If you are hosting Thanksgiving and don’t have enough ovens to cook everything then order the turkey from Collado’s or order the trimmings from the market and you cook the turkey. I have done it and it was delicious.
Collados has catering available so please contact them for more information.
At Collado’s market you will find Gelato at Collado’s.
This is a separate business but it is inside the market. The telephone is 561-278-5555, and the e-mail address is gelatoatcollados@gmail.com. The website is www.gelatoatcollados.com.
When I stopped there the other day, I noticed this new addition inside the market. I had a few tastings of the mango and the vanilla and they were so good. Definitely you could taste the mango and the vanilla, and so refreshing. 
Gerald was at the counter and he told me that the owner, whose name is Rick Consolo, makes the gelato and when mangoes are in season, he is able to make it with just picked mangoes from his own tree.
Besides the gelato they have gelato pies and cakes, fresh filled cannolis, all fruit smoothies and an espresso bar.
In case you are not familiar with gelato I would like to tell you that it is the plural for gelati. It is Italy’s version of ice cream. It is made with some of the same ingredients, but unlike ice cream, gelato often does not contain eggs. Gelato has less than 55% air, resulting in a denser product. Its history dates to the 16th century.
Note: The gelato info. was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gelato
I thought I would pass this information on, just like someone gave it to me once. I hope it makes your life easier if you are visiting, living, boating or beaching in Delray Beach or the Boca Raton area.
Talk to you later….
November 8th, 2009
If you find yourself walking in Delray Beach, on the corner of A1A and Atlantic Ave., you will find the cutest beach chairs, available to the public. This corner is now the new Delray Visitor’s Information Center. Sit down, have a cup of coffee and kick back.
People always ask where to go for this or that. It doesn’t matter in what town or city you live. Again, word of mouth is the best source of information. So, I have some information that might be useful to you from time to time.
Wireless to Go (new Verizon store), 2001 W. Atlantic Ave., #C, Delray Beach, FL 33445. Just go west on Atlantic and on the corner of Atlantic and Congress you will find the new Verizon store. Before this location opened, you would have to go to Glades or Boyton Beach. They opened a few weeks ago.
Computer Troubleshooters – Technology Solved – The owner is Charlie Sterbakov and his e-mail is Charlie@CT-Delray.com. His website is www.Ct-Delray.com and his telephone is 561-752-4460. I have used this company and Charlie is very prompt and helpful. He is also a published author. His book is Deadly Contest and my husband is enjoying it very much. It takes place in a Caribbean Island where the lives of 4 people become…..You may be able to get the book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
The Art of Framing – This company is owned by Ginny Foot. The address is 638 E. Ocean Avenue, Boyton Beach, FL 33435. The Tel. is 561-737-2299. They can help you to do your own framing or you can do like I do and have them do it for you. Very affordable. They also have prints and watercolors on display for sale. It only takes about 10 or 15 minutes to get there.
Kristal Quality Cleaners-3001 South Federal Highway, in Delray Beach. Tel. is 561-274-3933, and the cell is 954-296-0406. The owner is Sanjay Naidu. The e-mail is sanjeevai@comcast.net. I have been using this dry cleaners when I am in Delray and they are very dependable, the clothes look great and they are very friendly.
Peace of Mind Animal Care Services – Heidi Hill is the owner. Tel. is 561-685-9299. Her e-mail is peaceofmindanimalcare@yahoo.com and her website is www.peaceofmindanimalcare.com. She serves Delray Beach, Boyton Beach, and Boca Raton, and is licensed, insured and bonded. The services for her furry clientele include: daily dog walks, dog, cat, bird and fish pet sitting, medication administration and fluid therapy, vacation coverage, senior pet specialty services and pet taxi services. Check her website for all this info. and more.
Anita Jennings Interiors – Anita Jennings is a Design Professional. She has been in the business for many years, even having her retail shop in Delray Beach. It was called Coqui. Her work has taken her to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, San Juan, Puerto Rico and South Florida. She is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. The very first time you meet her, you will feel very comfortable with her. She is very service oriented, has very good taste and loves her trade. Her website is www.anitajennings.com and her e-mail is anita@anitajennings.com. Her telephone is 561-278-7473 or 561-716-4484.
I hope the above information can help you in the not too distant future.
I will be starting to write from the Delaware Beaches and Ocean City, Maryland on Monday, soooo until then and still in Delray Beach, I remain…
November 7th, 2009
Just like in the Delaware beaches and Ocean City, Maryland, Delray Beach, Florida is another of those popular beach towns where businesses are popping everywhere. Two of the newest ones are:
Unique Boutique
This small but very sophisticated jewelry shop opened last February on 204 East Atlantic Ave., in Delray Beach. Telephone is 561-272-6654. The e-mail adress is uniqueboutique2@comcast.net and the website is www.uniqueboutiquejewelry.net.
Besides jewelry, it also has accessories, but the jewelry is what attracted me to the store. The owner of the store is Karen Beaton and she buys from 9 designers. The jewelry is distinctive, with great combination of stones and metals. Very affordable as well. Sometimes when you are on vacation, it is good to splurge a little so check out this store and you might be wearing something new for that special evening ahead.
Unique Boutique is not the only jewelry store that Karen Beaton has. There are 2 more and their locations are:
Mashpee Commons, Cape Cod, MA 02649 and the telephone is 508-477-3900.
1185 Third Street South, Naples, FL 34102 and the telephone is 239-643-8900.
The other business that opened on Atlantic Ave., and is actually next to Unique Boutique, is Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine.
Yesterday, Thursday, Anita and I decided to have lunch at Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine. I wanted to experience it so that I could write a post. It was a beautiful day to have lunch outside.
The address of the restaurant is 200 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33483 and the telephone is 561-276-2502.
Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine is owned by Linda Bean and if the name sounds familiar is because she is the granddaughter of L.L. Bean. She is 69 years old and sits on the board of L.L. Bean.
This is the first restaurant, and I believe, the idea is to sell the franchise. We spoke to one of the employees that told us that it opened 1 month ago and it has been crowded and exceeded expectations. We wondered why Delray was picked and he said that it was because it is a hot bed for franchises.
Anita had the lobster roll and I had the Fancy Green Salad with lobster and chili lime salsa. This was a large salad with a lot of lobster and it was $12.95.
Anita’s Lobster Roll, which was a quarter of a pound was $15.50 and she really thought is was very good.
Even though we had iced tea with our lunch, this restaurant serves wine and beer. They even have Dogfish 60 Minute IPA, which is from the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware, near the Delaware beaches.
It is a very casual restaurant; ordering at a window and food brought to the table by a server. Actually, very relaxing.
They have a very good menu with live and steamed shellfish, seafood roll baskets, panini sandwiches, a simpler fare like the “Pause for Claws”, which is a quarter pound Maine lobster claw meat, with melted butter, and, of course, Maine Clam Chowder and Linda Bean’s Lobster Stew.
For the salad lovers there are plenty of them. I told you that the one I had, the Fancy Green with the Lobster, was delicious.
If you would like to have more information on Linda Bean’s Perfect Main, please visit the website www.lindabeansperfectmaine.com.
I think they are going to do very well. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Note: In a perfect world there would be a gluten free roll for the lobster and seafood rolls.
There are other business about to open for the new season, so be on the look-out because they will be here before you know it.
Sooooo…once again, writing from Delray Beach, Florida….I remain…
November 6th, 2009
It’s finally here and the new hotel, the Seagate Hotel, has opened on Atlantic Avenue. We all have seen it rise and through many months we have been wondering what it was going to look like.
The Seagate Hotel & Spa’s address is 1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33483. Tel. 561-665-4800 and Fax 561-665-4801. The website is www.theseagatehotel.com.
The hotel has 162 rooms. It just opened on Sunday and as of this post it had 70 rooms occupied. It is the home of the Atlantic Grille, a restaurant, the Seagate Spa, Etc. Cafe and Gifts, Aqua Resortwear, 24 hour business center and 24 hour fitness center. It also has a very beautiful pool.
If you decide to stay at this new hotel, you also will be able to use the Seagate Beach Club, which is south on A1A, with a complimentary shuttle service. Another amenity of the Seagate is that you may be driven in their private car to anywhere on Atlantic Ave.
I wanted to see the hotel and so I went there on Thursday. I don’t want to say this, but to tell you the truth I found the lobby very disappointing. The first impression of any hotel is the lobby and this one left me lukewarm. I know that they would like to reflect on the peacefulness of the ocean and marine life but it was boring. The decor did not have any harmony. The front desk was very nice with beautiful, round, modern glass bowls filled with lilies inside, but then on the concierge desk there was a vase with flowers that looked like they belonged in a wedding. The back wall of the front desk was very interesting; ridges like the sand on the bottom of the ocean. 
The sofas were so low and the table so small that you needed to get out of the sofa very time you had to put anything on the table. Another 2 chairs were on a corner that really had no business being there. The plants were nice but some of them needed to be more dramatic.
The chandeliers seemed to imitate the top of the jellyfish and on the floors there were circles that I thought maybe were supposed to be a mirror image of the chandelier. And if that was not the case, then I don’t know why they were there.
A grouping of 4 chairs and a table and plants were on another corner. The materials and textures had depth; they complemented each other.
I was surprised that local art was not used in the lobby or throughout the hotel. Delray has so many good local artists.
The hotel has 3 big aquariums. You can see from the pictures that there is dark wood framing them. This wood felt like a laminate and with all the beautiful natural stones, why was this chosen? Two of the aquariums were at the entrance of the Atlantic Grille and one of them had barrels that did not go with the decor. You might be able to see the electric eel on the bottom right. 
Now, the rest of the hotel, I want to tell you that it was great. J.D. was my tour guide and we went all over the place. The rooms are very well appointed with plenty of room and good size balconies.
The Seagate Spa is something that I might have to use one of these days. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, it is open to the public.
One particular massage that I had never heard of was called the Rain Massage. I saw the room; very relaxing. It is 80 minutes. The customer’s body will be exfoliated with warmed sugar cane and virgin coconut oil. As you lie on the table, your body will be sprinkled with a rainfall of warm water streaming upon you, and at the same time your massage therapist will be giving you a massage. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
The Seagate Spa is a full service spa and you can call them at 561-665-4950. The fax is 561-665-4951 or visit the website www.theseagatespa.com.
The gym has all the equipment necessary for the daily work-out. The pool is much bigger and prettier than I would have expected; tropical palms and plenty of lounge chairs.
 I have not eaten yet at the Atlantic Grille but the restaurant is very well done and it is what I would have liked to have seen in the lobby. The cohesiveness of the concept is definitely present. Private rooms for parties, booths, and the availability to dine outdoors is all there for customers to enjoy.
J.D. really took his time and I would like to thank him so much. I stopped by the front desk and chatted with Ralph and he gave me a notepad so that I could write my thoughts then and there. He said he would present them to the manager.
My last stop was the gift shop. It opens very early in the morning; at the same time the Cafe opens. Very cute things, including gifts for children and the Seagate Hotel & Spa merchandise. They sell magazines and newspapers, crackers, mustards, marinades, cookies, chocolates, teas, dried fruit, honey, pastas, and fun napkins. I liked it; of course, everyone very friendly.
There is no question in my mind that the Seagate Hotel & Spa is a great addition to the Delray Beach community. I wish them much success in the coming season.
From Delray Beach, I am still writing….see you.
November 4th, 2009
Knowing that there are many reviews available on-line, I chose not to read any for this particular restaurant. I just wanted to feel the experience of just going in with a blank slate and then put it into words.
Last night was one of those beautiful full moon evenings in Delray Beach; a light wind and the ever present palm trees swaying in their own unique way. One thing that separates this town from others is the availability to eat outdoors. And, last night was the perfect night for such a thing and in my household, the mood was beef.
I have not been to Cut 432, even though this restaurant has been in Delray for about a year and a half. The address is 432 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483. The tel. is 561-272-9898 and the fax is 561-272-9797. The website is www.cut432.com.
Brian Albe, Brandon Belluscio and Chef Anthony Pizzo are the owners of Cut 432. Even though these owners are fairly young, between them are many years of experience in the restaurant business.
My husband, son and I arrived with no reservations and they sat us right away on one of their outdoor tables. For a Tuesday evening, it was comfortably crowded.
The restaurant and the bar inside have modern lines, but the chandeliers give it sophistication.
Johnny was our waiter and I cannot tell you enough how professional he was. I had so many questions for him regarding the menu and he was able to explain the ingredients and make suggestions. Definitely, he is an asset to the restaurant.
If you have read my blog in the past, you will know that my husband has to eat gluten free. It was so refreshing to see the eagerness of Johnny to put us at ease and go back to the kitchen and ask the chef if the creamed spinach could be made without the breading or make sure a particular sauce was gluten free. And even nicer was the fact that the restaurant wanted to accommodate us, as well.
So, in that respect I want to say Gracias a Johnny por habernos atendido tan bien, and thanks to Cut 432.
The menu is very well presented and easy to read. You should visit their website above mentioned because you can read their menu, check when the catering menu will be posted, read the bios, look at the pictures and see what this company is all about. You can even download their award winning wine list.
A couple of cocktails that attracted my attention were the Pumpkin Pie, which is a pumpkin infused vokda, cream and candied pumpkin. The other was the Jalapeno & Pineapple Margarita, which contains Gold Tequila, slice of jalapeno and pienapple juice.
The menu is divided into Raw Bar, Cheese Bar, Soup and Salads, Appetizers, Cuts, Fish, Potatoes, Sauces, Vegetables and Entrees. Desserts? Don’t worry, they will be discussed at the end of the meal.
Okay, I was looking at the menu and when I saw that for an appetizer I could have a grilled cheese; I knew what my choice would be. It was so delicious, but this was no ordinary grilled cheese. It had truffled gouda, short ribs and heirloom tomato soup. The actual sandwich was cut in two and the tomato soup could be use for dipping or just eaten with the spoon. Can you imagine? Of course, I dipped and double dipped.
My husband had the Local Ceviche, Peruvian Style with Aji Amarillo. Served in a Martini glass with the fish being grouper, it was very tasty; sweet with the right amount of heat.
Since my appetizer was quite a portion, I decided to go with the Sea Bass, which is one of my favorite fish. It had a Miso sauce that complemented the lightness of this fish so well. My husband had the 8 ounce filet and my son had the 12 ounce one. Both raved about their choices; cooked to perfection.
All side dishes are family style so the portions are big. They are served on cast iron cassouletes. Our choices were the Pancetta Brussel Sprouts, Creamed Spinach and Potato Gratin. All went perfectly well with our dishes. I was tempted to order the Buttered Edamame, since I never see it as a side dish, but to tell you the truth, we had a lot of food already.
Cut 432 is one of the restaurants that I have found have the key ingredients to make a successful restaurant:
Quality of Ingredients – If the restaurant has the money, they should buy the best.
Culinary Competence – This is the chef responsibility; to make the best with the ingredients he has available.
Service – Prompt; anticipating what you need.
Ambiance – Tranquil and relaxing.
Price – Cut 432 is pricey, but after the service and the food we experienced, it was worth it and, really, a cut above the rest.
With all that said I hope that visitors to this beautiful Village by The Sea will take the opportunity to pay Cut 432 a visit and experience it for themselves.
Until next time and writing from Delray Beach….talk to you later….
November 3rd, 2009
 From Bridge on Atlantic Ave./Intracoastal
Recipes that are easy to make and good enough for company:
Corn Meal Griddle Cakes
Beat together: 2 eggs
Add:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup corn meal
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
salt
If you think the mixture is too thick, then add milk until the desired consistency.
Banana Muffins
3 large bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mash bananas.
Slightly beat eggs and add sugar and melted butter.
Add dry ingredients to the mashed bananas and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.
 My own orange tree
Orange Bread
3/4 cup orange rind (about 4 oranges)
3 eggs, well beaten
4 cups of flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 tsps. baking powder
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsps. margarine
1 1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp. soda
2 tsps. salt
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut rind into thin slivers. Combine sugar and water and add rind.
Cook slowly, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved; about 5 minutes. The peel and syrup should measure 1 1/3 cups.
Add margarine and stir until melted
Add orange juice and beaten eggs.
Sift together into a mixing bowl the flour, baking powder, soda and salt.
Add orange mixture and stir just enough to moisten ingredients. The batter should be lumpy.
Bake in a greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours.
Turn out on rack to cool.
Makes 1 large loaf.
Note: This bread is very good toasted with butter.
Have a great day!! And, talk to you soon…
 Not a feather duster!! It's the beautiful Florida Palm Tree
November 2nd, 2009
Bridgeville, Delaware
Friday, November 6 until Sunday, November 8th – Punkin’ Chunkin’ – For all activities regarding this event, please visit www.punkinchunkin.com. Note: Do not bring pets to this very popular event that started in 1981 and is nationally recognized.
Lewes
Saturday, November 7th – 5th Annual Lower Delaware Autism Foundation’s Most at the Coast Conference – 7:45 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Location: Irish Eyes in Lewes. For details and registration, visit www.ldaf.com.
Saturday, November 7th – Race – Tails on the Trail 5K – 8:30 a.m. at the Cape Henlopen State Park, sponsored by Seasore Striders Running Club. For more info. visit www.seashorestriders.com.
Saturday, November 7th – Peninsula Gallery presents “D” is for Delaware” by Andrew Criss. Peninsula is located at 520 E. Savannah Rd. Details at www.peninsula-gallery.com.
Rehoboth Beach
Saturday, November 7th is the Beebe Ball – If you remember, this used to be called the Thanksgiving Ball and it is sponsored by the Beebe Medical Foundation in Lewes. Dinner, dance and silent auction. Location: The Rehoboth Convention Center. The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. Tickets start at $200. For more info. please call 302-644-2900 or e-mail info@beebemedicalfoundation.org.
Note: Rehoboth is getting ready for the Annual Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival which starts on Wednesday, November 11th until Sunday, November 15th. Please visit the website www.rehobothfilm.com.
Ocean City, Maryland
Saturday, November 7th – Swing for Youth Golf Open – Location: Eagle’s Landing Golf Course to benefit Ocean City Recreation Boosters, which earmark all funds for youth recreation programs. Please call 410-213-7277 or visit www.eagleslandinggolf.com for more information.
Saturday, November 7th – Sunday, November 8th – Fallfest of Fine Arts – Location: Convention Center located at 40th St. & Bay. Juried show featuring fine art painters, sculptors and high craft artisans. Saturday is from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday is f rom 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Call Donald Hastings at 410-524-9177 for info. or e-mail duckmandon@comcast.net.
Saturday, November 7th – Sunday, November 8th is the Christmas Craft Expo. Location is the Convention Center, 40th Street & Bay. Perfect opportunity to shops for the holiday season. Saturday is from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Sunday is from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more info. e-mail duckmandon@comcast.net.
The beaches are full of activities for November. Perfect time to enjoy the Second Season!!!
 
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