April 18th, 2010
A simple question, dumper vs dumpee? No, I have not run out of subjects; believe me there are plenty of restaurants and activities to write about in all of my beaches. But I have been thinking about this all day.
A friend confides that he has just gotten his yearly dumping. He does not say it with sadness, nevertheless, if he is saying it is because it is definitely bothering him. He cannot believe it. He does not even know why. Oh, yes, she said he was not sensitive enough last year when they went on a trip together. Right. Tell me more…let me get the violin.
I will call him Tim, but that is not remotely his name. Tim is wondering why at his age things are not working for him. He has never been married but has had long-term relationships. You guessed it, dumped in all of them. This is the nicest guy and a good catch, as well. No, he is not ugly.
My guess is that he is extremely nice. I think, women like the bad boy type, but when its time to settle down, we want the nice guy. I think Tim is too nice and she was a bit younger and was getting impatient. Tim is not moving fast enough for her.
I have another friend that thinks that men that are a little older and have never gotten married, will only do so when they feel they are going to be lonely in later years and want someone to take care of them. She does not think that Tim is ever going to get married.
I decided to get barbecue at Bethany Blues. I wrote a post about this restaurant on 1/2/10. If you want to see it, just click on the month of January under Archives and scroll down to the date. Bethany Blues is located at 618285 Coastal Highway (Rt. 1), Lewes, DE 19958. Tel. 302-644-2500 and the website is www.bethanyblues.com.
They are completely aware of different food allergies. You will be comfortable at Bethany Blues if you have to eat gluten free.
As I arrived at the restaurant the smell of hickory wood burning was all over the parking lot. It smelled so good, specially since the temperatures have dropped this evening. The food was delicious.
Courtney and Britney were working and I polled them. Both can see why men feel it more than women when they are dumped. Usually, they are the dumpers. It’s an ego thing.
If you are the dumpee you feel confusion, anger, sadness and frustration. So I think you need to figure out why are you the dumpee and what was the dynamic of the relationship. Many relationships are just casual and friendly, until they are not fun anymore. Sometimes is boredom or longing for greener pastures, who knows? I think that as the relationship begins, we need to set expections in order to avoid disappointments later on.
Now, if you are the dumper you might think differently. Well, you were the one not happy but eventually you might start to miss the dumpee. Things might not have turned out to be as you expected. You might see the dumpee now as a confident, easy going and happy person. Go figure.
We have gone through this at some point in our lives.
One thing that Tim should realize is that part of any relationship’s break up is moving on from it afterwards.
Blame? I don’t know. As hard as it is to let go, the best thing is to pick up the pieces, the best you can.
What do you think? Write me to the blog. It would be interesting to hear from both of you; dumper and dumpee. I am sure there are some good stories out there. And, what else do you have to do on a Sunday night. Country Music Awards? Write me anyway.
See you….talk to you later….
April 18th, 2010
 Standing Guard on Tower Rd., Dewey Beach 
Over the years, I cannot imagine how many miles I have put on my car by driving up and down Coastal Highway, also known as Rt. 1. On that beach route, I always take a look at the Towers that guard our beaches. They are like ghosts from years past. I really do look at them but keep on driving, not giving them another thought.
But, on Thursday, when it was such a gorgeous day, once again I found myself driving and taking in the scenery, I decided to stop and take a closer look. They looked so, I can’t explain it, maybe; lonely?
When I started this blog last July, my idea was to write about the area from my heart. To promote these beaches that are so beautiful, the restaurants, the events and activities, and the friendliness of the residents. But, the Delaware coast is so much more than that; its history is key. Afterall, we are in the First State, and the towers are part of that history; hopefully not to be forgotten. The Fort Miles Historical Association, which is located at the State Henlopen State Park in Lewes is taking responsibility for their maintenance.
I have to give you some info. on these towers so that next time you are driving with family and friends you can explain to them their significance.
Eight of the 11 towers built along the Delaware and New Jersey coastlines during WWII are here in our beaches; 3 are in N.J. They were used as artillery spotting locations. Our military was posted in each of the towers to coordinate artillery fire on enemy ships off our coast. This fortification was from 1940 to 1942 during which these huge fortifications were erected at the mouth of the Delaware Bay to protect Philadelphia.
The towers have different heights and some of them have only two viewing slits, while others have four. Apparently, the military could see about 14 1/2 miles into the Atlantic.
From the upper level the spotters could scan the Atlantic for enemy vessels; could direct the fire of the guns mounted along the coast.
It was believed that after Pearl Harbor, the Delaware Beaches were in danger. In 1942 the German U-boats were skinking an average of a ship per week. The Jacob Jones was one of those ships torpedoed off the Delaware coast and over 100 of its crew perished.
There is a book written by William C. Graynor called Delaware’s Ghost Towers, The Coast Artillery’s Forgotten Last Stand During the Darkest Days of WWII, which you might want to check out for more information.
Please mark your calendars because on, Saturday, April 24th, Fort Miles will present The War Years, a Special Event. It will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (1000-1600). The location will be Fort Miles Historic Area inside the Cape Helopen State Park. Fort Miles was a key part of the Nation’s coastal defense. Re-enactors will be in period uniform and exhibits will include Battery Tours. The cost will be $3/person. There will be a Memorial Service for Leland C. Jennings, Jr. at 3 p.m. (1500). Mr. Jennings was Chief Historian and Director of Cultural Affairs for the State of Delaware. He played a major role in the refurbishment project for Fort Delaware, as well as for the preservation and development of Fort Miles. He was a member of the Fort Miles Historic Association.
More info? Please call 302-645-6852 or 302-644-5007. You may also visit www.destateparks.com.
Note: Information for this post was taken from www.bethany-beach.net/world_war_ii_towers.htm and from www.beach-fun.com.
Have a great Sunday…Gorgeous day in the Delmarva Peninsula…Talk to you later…
April 17th, 2010
Today I am attending the Memorial Service in memory of Dr. Fortuin. I thought of just leaving the blog quiet. That’s hard. So, I decided to tell you a little bit about my experiences with him.
Dr. Fortuin came at a time in my family’s life when we needed him the most. He was compassionate, available, friendly and most of all he made us feel at ease.
I had total trust in his judgment and opinion. And, on a funny note, he was reading my blog, (I told him I was going to test him), specially since he was visiting Bethany Beach this summer with his whole family; wife, children and grandkids.
I know he loved playing golf in Delray during his visits with Dr. Guzman, a cardiologist who had been a student of Dr. Fortuin’s, from Puerto Rico, at the Gulfstream Club. He also loved photography. I gave him several books from our own photographer, Kevin Fleming, the last being Wild Delaware, autographed by Kevin.
The first time I met him he mentioned to me that he had been involved in the case of Rev. Ron Pytel from Baltimore. Rev. Ron Pytel’s healing or “miracle” was thoroughly and exhaustively researched by medical professionals and theologians who deal with the causes for saints. In order to be declared a saint in the Catholic Church, 2 authenticated miracles (usually physical healings) must be approved. Healings must be instant and irreversible.
Dr. Fortuin was Rev. Pytel’s cardiologist. St. Maria Faustina’s intercession in Rev. Pytel’s healing elevated her to Sainthood. This was the second miracle needed. Dr. Fortuin was part of the panel reviewing the case and attended the Cannonization in Rome, by Pope John Paul II.
He really left us too soon. Talk to you later….
Note: Dr Nicholas Fortuin’s Memorial Service will be at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 811 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201 at 4:30 p.m., today, Saturday, 4/17.
April 16th, 2010
How could you not start thinking about crabs? Not just crabmeat, but sitting down and picking crabs. Getting messy and full of Old Bay Seasoning.
I wrote yesterday about how gorgeous it was here at the Delaware Beaches. I wanted crabs for dinner.
Lazy Susans just opened up last week for the season. They have been in business since 1984. It is a true crab house. Their location is 18289 Coastal Highway (Rt.1), Lewes, Delaware. Tel. 302-645-5115.
Just in case you do not eat crabs, Lazy Susans also have other food items on their menu like steamed shrimp, BBQ clams, oysters in season, fried fish, chicken, oyster, shrimp and seafood baskets, flounder, sandwiches, soups and salads. Great corn in season, as well as specials every week. The restaurant is very affordable, has a full bar, and a kids menu is available.
Me, I only eat the crabs and maybe some corn.
Last night as I was coming inside the restaurant I looked around to find out that it is still early in the season, so tables were pretty open. I chose a picnic table, covered in the brown paper, always present in a crab house. Perfect for cleaning the mess afterwards.
Lazy Susans has another dining area in the back of the restaurant that is very open and a bar is located there, as well.
We started with crabby deviled eggs and they were very good. It was a good balance between the crab and the egg. Sometimes the filling can get too heavy either way, but last night they were perfect.
To me, there is nothing better than a blue crab; I mean a true blue crab. I have eaten crabs from other parts but there is that sweetness of the Delmarva crab that is so delicate and tasty. I then dip the crabmeat in vinegar and the combination is great.
When my sons were young, I made sure that they learned to eat crabs at a very early age. My oldest was an expert by the age of 3. I remember him sitting in his high chair at the Crab Claw in St. Michaels, in Maryland, and people would stop to watch him pick crabs. I actually showed him so that I would not have to be picking them for him. A little selfish on my part but, both of them have been big fans of crab picking ever since.
The crabs at Lazy Susans were mediums. As the season progresses, the crabs also get bigger and depending how the season goes, they get more expensive, as well. These mediums were heavy, which is the way you want them; very sweet also. The mustard is found as you open the crab. I always thought it was the fat. But, I found out that it is not. It is actually the crab’s hepatopancreas. What is it? It is a main component of the crab’s digestive system. The hepatopancreas is a gland located on both sides of the mid gut in the main body cavity. It functions as both liver and pancreas.
The “mustard” has a strong and delicious taste and it is considered by us crab “connoiseurs” as a true delicacy.
I have been wondering, why does a crab’s shell turn red-orange when cooked? Afterall, it is blue-green as in “blue crab”.
Apparently, the red pigment is the most stable component of the coloring in a crab shell. The other colors on the crab are destroyed by the cooking process.
The red pigment is astaxathin, a carotenoid, like beta-carotene. It is heat stable while the other protein that makes up the blue-green pigment is not. The red-orange is released when cooking.
Yes, picking crabs could get the conversation flowing.
Sitting with friends for a crabfeast is the best. We get messy and nobody cares. During the summer, it is a past time of all of us here at the beaches; crabs, corn, fresh tomatoes, and beer. Priceless!!
Have a geat week-end!!!…Talk to you later…
Note: Information for this post was taken from www.bluecrab.info.com
April 15th, 2010
On Thursday, in the Delmarva Peninsula, we had one of those days that make you forget what a hard winter we had. It was just amazing; 70 degrees and a gorgeous blue sky.
I took a drive from Rehoboth Beach, south, towards Fenwick Island. This road is called Ocean Highway, but we also call it Rt. 1.
Rt. 1 is really a pretty beach road. Since Delaware is so flat I can look at the beach on one side and the bay on the other. The dunes are a good size but do not obstruct the views.
As much as I like the ocean, there is something so calming about the bay. Just before I got to Fenwick Island I had to stop and admire it. This bay is called the Assawoman Bay.
The Center for the Inland Bays protect and preserve Delaware’s Inland Bays. There are certain areas of the Inland Bays that provide critical nesting habitat. “Healthy Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world; places of tremendous energy that spawn remarkable bursts of plant and animal life”.
My next stop was at the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, located at 36913 Coastal Highway, on the north side of Fenwick. The tel. is 302-539-2100, Ext. 10. The website is www.bethany-fenwick.org. Mary Beth Stokes is the Tourism Information Coordinator.
This Chamber of Commerce has a lot of parking. The beaches get packed during the height of the season and the Chamber is really right next to one of the State Park Beaches. The views are great; ocean and bay.
Inside the Chamber there are souveniers, information on the Bethany-Fenwick area. I found it to be full of brochures ranging from events to restaurants, activities, and places to stay.
Today the Chamber was busy because on Saturday, April 17th is the 21st Annual Ocean to Bay Bike Tour. Participants will be able to ride the beaches, bays and beyond. It starts at 8:00 a.m. in downtown Bethany Beach at the PNC Bank parking lot on the corner of Garfield Pkwy. & Pennsylvania Ave. It will also end there, as well. Please check the website www.thequietresorts.com.
The riders will choose from a 25, 35 or 50 mile course. Completion of the ride is optional. Due to heavy traffic patterns on some roads, all cyclists must be on the road by 8:30 a.m. Please choose a route you are able to complete.
The ride will take place rain or shine. However, in the event of extreme weather, the Bike Tour may be cancelled. No refunds will be given for any reason. For more info. please call 302-539-2100.
Following your ride join them at the finish line from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for live music, give-a-ways, refreshments and more!!
I continued my trip, stopping at the Fenwick State Park Beach to take full views of the beach. You cannot believe how crowded these beaches get in the summer; you know all that beach gear we drag to the sand.
Today, it was such a treat to find them so quiet almost expecting the visitors to pour in. Soon, that will be the case.
Lucky to be able to live in such a pretty area….talk to you later…
Note: Information on the Inland Bays was taken from www.inlandbays.org.
April 14th, 2010
I grew up on the eastern side of the island of Puerto Rico; specifically in the town of Humacao. This is also the home of the “granitos”. People come from all over the island to buy them. They have always been homemade and they are composed of fried rice flour with cheese in its center. It is more like a snack food to be accompanied by a good cup of Puerto Rican coffee.
From the town of Humacao, the beaches were about 20 minutes away. One stretch of beach near Humacao was Punta Santiago. The mountains meet the sea on this amazing coastline. This beach has both volcanic black sand and coral white sand, as well.
I found that Punta Santiago still looks the same. I was so glad. The small church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen, who is the Patron of Fishermen and whose official Feast Day is July 16th, stands beautifully maintained. I got married in that small church.
Punta Santiago might not be for everyone but I remember it with fond memories. Every time we would want to go an eat at the beach; we always meant Punta Santiago.
Off of Punta Santiago there is a small island. I loved to watch it from the beach, but you can take canoes and small boats around it. The island is called Monkey Island. Its official name is Cayo Santiago. About 1,200 Rhesus monkeys are the only inhabitants. They are the offspring of an original group of monkeys imported from India that were used for scientific research in 1938.
Monkey Island is run by the University of P.R.’s Caribbean Primate Research Center, the National Institute of Health, and Harvard University. The monkeys’ behavior, demographics, genetics and physiological changes are being studied. Definitely, the island is not open to the public; best viewing is from a kayak.
From that same spot on the beach, also in front of Daniel Seafood Restaurant, you can see at a distance the islands of Vieques and Culebra.
Daniel is one of the few seafood restaurants in Punta Santiago. The telephone is 787-852-1784. I wanted to get some salmorejo de jueyes which is the dish prepared with stewed land crabs. I also wanted to get the pastelillos de chapin, which are like turnovers filled with a seasoned shredded fish called “chapin”. They also fill these turnovers with land crab and lobster. Another “antojito” was the homemade hot sauce.
The restaurant is so casual. I would not call it a chinchorro since chinchorros are smaller local eateries. I went right to their terrace overlooking Monkey Island and Vieques and Culebra. The smell of the ocean was great. Not like in Delray Beach, which I love or in the beautiful beaches of Delaware and Maryland. The smell is distinct; only from a Caribbean Island.
It was so much fun just watching them make the turnovers and taking the lobsters out. The ever present hammocks of the Caribbean were there tempting me, but I am sure Sonia would have thought I was crazy. We had so many important things still to do for the remaining of that day.
Memories on that Friday, day and night…later…
Information for this post was taken from www.puertoricodaytrips.com/monkey-island/ and www.puertorico.com/beaches/punta-santiago/
April 14th, 2010
No, we did not take La Lancha de Catano, (ferry) from San Juan to the town of Catano. Many years ago, taking La Lancha, was a novelty; probably to take a tour of the Bacardi Distillery; to sample Puerto Rican rum. I did that too. So, if you want to learn about the rum manufacturing industry in the island and the Caribbean, this might be a good place to start. Afterall, it is one of the largest rum manufacturers in the world.
Last Saturday, we drove to Catano. I did not dare to blink because I might have missed it. It was busy because a new “politico” was going to make a speech in the afternoon.
I was so pleasantly surprised to see the promenade along the San Juan Bay, where La Lancha launches. It was really nice; clean, good landscaping and kept up. Several monuments and sculptures will be found on this promenade, as well, including the Monument to Taino (Indian) Culture.
Just for information for anyone that does not know where Catano is, and that maybe on their next trip to PR might want to do something different, I will have to tell you more about this town.
Catano is located on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. My friends that go to Rincon, well, this might be a little bit of a trip for you. Catano is also part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area.
One of the first physicians that arrived in Puerto Rico during its colonization was Hernando de Catano. Part of his payment, upon accepting his position, was a piece of land across the San Juan islet. From then on, Catano was known by its owner’s name.
In the middle of the 19th century, Catano became one of the most prosperous “barrios” of Bayamon. They were trying to separate themselves from Bayamon all the time. Finally this happened in 1893 and Catano became a municipality called “Hato de Palmas de Catano”; shortened to Catano. It is the smallest municipality in Puerto Rico.
Catano has its own Flag and its own Coat of Arms. It also has several “apodos” or nicknames; “La Antesala de la Capital” (the Foyer of the Capital) because of its location across the Bay from San Juan.
Back to Don Tello; it really was the reason why I had been taken to Catano. I told you before, Puerto Ricans take their eating seriously. Don Tello is located at Avenida Las Nereidas #36, across from the ferry terminal. The telephone is 787-721-5000. Its website, www.dontellorestaurant.com. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. and on Sundays from 12 until 8 p.m. The specialty? Typical Puerto Rican food, of course.
Don Tello came from the town of Utuado with his wife, Louisa and 13 children. Again, I keep saying; Yikes! But, his real passion was the instrument called the “Cuatro”. The Cuatro is unique to Puerto Rico, smaller than a guitar with a violin shape. It is carved from solid blocks of Laurel woods. Originally, it only had 4 strings, but later changed to 5 sets of double strings.
One of the most attractive features on anyone is a smile. Don Tello’s waiters definitely had that smile and friendly disposition. A good sign.
Sonia, Mr. P. and I sat there, outdoors for quite some time. I had to be outdoors. The breeze, the palm trees, the sunshine, the conversation, and the view, all complemented that moment.
Some of the drinks made with rum were Passion which had Bacardi Apple, Passion & Guava Mix. Another was called Catano Vice which had Bacardi Select with Island Oasis Pina Colada & Strawberry. Mojitos are everywhere, so one with Bacardi Rum was also on the menu. The Rum Island Ice Tea had Bacardi Limon, Razz, Coco and Big Apple with Sour, coke and splash of cranberry.
We had appetizers of Sorullos de Maiz, which are corn sticks, mini alcapurrias, which are made with plantains and need to be fried, pastelillos, which are turnovers, croquettes, queso frito which is fried cheese (local), and fried beef.
 Carne Frita and Tostones (plantains) We left Catano pretty much satisfied and to La Plaza del Mercado in Rio Piedras, just for me to see all the little restaurants surrounding it. So much info. for my blogs, so little time, though.
That was it….We were saving for a big paella that evening…
Note: Information for this blog was taken from http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cata%C3%B1o,_Puerto_Rico
April 13th, 2010
O.k., it is part of the Puerto Rican culture and other names given to this moonshine rum are Pitrinche, Canita, Lagrimas de Mangle, and Curao. It is produced by distilling sugar cane. As there are hardly any government-owned sugar cane mills, its production has diminished. But, there was a time that it was found quite easily. Let’s not forget that the sale of Pitorro is illegal.
Mrs. P, had some Pitorro in her Hacienda, for her own consumption. One bottle is all you need. At times the alcohol content is above the 80 or 90 proof. Hers is made with cranberries. I found it a little strong. A little? Definitely, strong and I only smelled it.
The next homemade alcoholic beverage was Bili. Bili comes from the islands of Vieques and Culebra. These islands are part of Puerto Rico and are located between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Gorgeous islands. Remember the movie Lord of the Flies? The original movie was filmed in Vieques.
Bili is a drink that ferments rum, preferably pitorro, and quenepas. I have not had quenepas in years. Loved them growing up. The quenepas are ripe in the summer. They have a green hard shell that cracked with you teeth will expose a tart, tangy and yellow pulp. It does have a pit. Mrs. P’s Bili looked almost ready and even though it is still made with pitorro, the smell was not quite as potent; don’t kid yourselves because it is.
The next drink could really be more like an after dinner drink; a digestif. Mrs. P. will call her drink an Arancello. Just like the limoncello her Arancello is made with the rind of the fruit, except in her case, she uses oranges and the word for orange in Italian is arancia. Rum and simple syrup are the next ingredients. Beautiful color, the Arancello is kept in the refrigerator. Light with a fantastic citrus smell.
Mrs. P had everyone for the day at Hacienda Pellerano on Sunday. The menu consisted of different appetizers like cheeses, shrimp, and a main dish of pork loin, accompanied by the ever present red rice and beans made by Mr. P., followed by different desserts. The guests that tried the Arancello thought it was the perfect ending to the meal.
Once again, I will have to mention that there is nothing better than sharing a meal with family and friends in a relaxed setting.
My Puerto Rican posts are not finished yet, sooo…later,
 
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