May 11th, 2010
I arrived in Boulder last Thursday, full of that East Coast “rush”. I don’t know why. I felt like I was talking and walking a mile a minute. Crazy.
I know that in some of my posts I always say to the people visiting the Delaware and Maryland Beaches to “kick back and relax”. Well, that is exactly what I did, even though it took me more than a few hours to get used to the altitude and the dry air.
Boulder is unique. As you approach the city, the first thing that comes into view are the Flatirons, which are the background to this college town.
What a difference!! A few hours before, I was in Delaware, at sea level, and now I was 5,700 feet high.
No, my oxygen level was fine and I was not huffing and puffing as I made my way to Jill’s Restaurant for a drink and a couple of appetizers to tie my group over until dinner time.
Jill’s Restaurant is a modern bistro that encourages organic farming practices. The restaurant showcases contemporary cuisine with a Mediterranean accent.
It seats 70, has a full bar, and a beautiful private room, called the Honey-Onyx Room. You may dine outdoors, weather permitting overlooking the Flatiron Mountains. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We sat at the bar. The restaurant was crowded since it was graduation week-end at University of Colorado, right in town.
We just wanted a few drinks and a little something to eat. We chose the Fat Tire Steamed Mussels, with roasted crostini. They were delicious and the broth was to die for. Fat Tire is an amber ale beer brewed in Fort Collins, Colorado. We also had the Veggie Spring Rolls with a Chili Ginger Sauce, which were very good, as well. We chatted, relaxed and took notice of how pretty this bistro was. The main dinning room had an open kitchen so you could appreciate the comings and goings of a busy restaurant. The whole set up was very comfortable.
Jill’s Restaurant is located at 900 Walnut Street. Tel. 720-406-7399. The website is http://www.jillsdining.com. Please check out the website because there are different events coming up during the month of May and other pertinent information.
The restaurant is in the St. Julien Hotel & Spa. This hotel is a sophisticated retreat. It has a serene atmosphere accentuaded by the gorgeous mountain views. Their tel. is 720-406-9696 or 720-406-8218. Website is www.stjulien.com.
It is beautiful with an attentive staff.
Yes, that is how my stay in Boulder started…..talk to you later….
May 10th, 2010
Conch Island is the new addition to the many restaurants in downtown Rehoboth Beach. I love seeing all these new places opening up at this time of the year. More blogging for me.
The owners of Conch Island are not new to the restaurant business; they own several others at the beaches. I wanted to check the place out, so I stopped to have a drink. It was actually a little too early but perfect if I wanted to take some pictures. It is hard to take pictures if the place is full of patrons.
Conch Island is located at 207 Rehoboth Avenue, right in the center of town. The tel. is 302-226-West.
The restaurant is large and there are 3 bars. It is not crowded with tables; bar tables are spread out. It is going to be perfect for listening to music. They do have a stage and on week-ends they will have entertainment.
Conch Island has the Captain Morgan Bar. It is a quiet corner of the restaurant, where you can chat with friends away from the music on the other side.
It is a fullfledged restaurant. Some of the appetizers that caught my attention were: Conch Fritters, Smoked Fish Dip, Cracked Conch, Tuna Tataki and Jerk Chicken Quesadillas.
I love Conch Chowder and they do have it, as well. Sandwiches like the catch of the day and the Cuban Sandwich interested me, as well.
For entrees they do have the classics from the grill like New York Strip and Filet Mignon. Other additions are Key West Scallops, Cayo Hueso Paella, and Key West Pink Shrimp among others.
The desserts that tempted me were the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Republic Rum Cake which is served warm with a white chocolate glaze.
I think they will do well. The restaurant is casual just like it should be at the beaches. I really would like to visit on a week-end when maybe a little Calypso music could be enjoyed.
Have a great day!!! Talk to you later….as usual….
April 29th, 2010
There is a second edition of Dewey Beach History & Tales and it provided me with some information for this post. This book is available at Browseabout Books located on Rehoboth Avenue in Rehoboth Beach.
I took a drive through Dewey Beach, and you could tell that they are getting ready for this week-end. Every week more establishments are opening up. Well, Memorial Week-End is around the corner and that is, actually, the official opening of the season.
Oh, how things have changed since those early days at the Bottle & Cork in the 40’s. By today’s standards it really was a bargain. There was a tab for a birthday party which included 20 beers, 3 shots, 1/2 pint Black label, and one cigar. The total was $3.65. The tab would then be settled 16 days later after an additional purchase of two more pints.
The Bottle & Cork’s appearance has change since those early days, but what has not changed is the aura around it. Vacationers in Dewey will make those lines to get in.
The Bottle & Cork is opening up on Saturday, May 1st. Full of history, being that it was established in 1936. The stories it could tell, if it could talk.
 Getting ready for opening day!!  Almost ready!! It was one of the major contributors to the growth of Dewey in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Apparently, no directions to any place in Dewey were complete without mentioning the Bottle & Cork, such as “go 2 blocks past the Cork, and turn right”, or “If you arrive at the Bottle & Cork, you have gone too far”.
In the late 70’s Dewey was a drinking town with no apparent police force or lifeguards to control the situation. The town has come a long way. It is still considered a party town. It is young and energetic, and definitely, a true beach town.
So, Saturday, May 1st at 9 p.m. is the official opening. In case you do not know, the Cork is located at 1807 Rt. 1 in Dewey. You cannot miss it. Tel. 302-227-7272. You can follow them on twitter and Facebook.
The entertainment for opening night is Burnt Sienna and they play a wide range of genres and eras. They started in 1997 and their concerts are very high energy.
Have a great week-end.
Talk to you later….
April 24th, 2010
Well, this week, certainly, I have had a diversed group of posts. From Fager’s in Ocean City, Maryland, Tulip Festival in Lewes, Life Saving Station, Shredder Truck, yesterday, Friday, 4/23, the preview of Avery’s Rest (archaeological dig), and ending in Dewey Beach at Que Pasa? with entertainment at Lighthouse with John Eddie. Afterall, my blog, is AboutMyBeaches, so experiencing what these resorts have to offer is part of my job. Please, don’t laugh. I am serious, it’s true.
I arrived at Que Pasa? at dusk. This Mexican Cantina is located on 124 Dickinson St. in Dewey Beach. Tel. 302-226-1820. I wrote about this restaurant on 9/2/09. Just go and click on the month of September and scroll down to the date. It is an open Bar on the water, facing Rehoboth Bay. The view could not be better. You are able to eat at the Cantina, outdoors or you can go to their own restaurant inside. On a beautiful evening like last night people had started happy hour early and it was crowded.
Happy Hour is not just one happy hour anymore, it is all day. In Dewey Beach, that’s the way of life. It is a true beach town; water, water sports, restaurants and music.
And that’s how my evening started.
A friend mentioned to me, last summer, that I needed to go to Dewey and listen to John Eddie. For one reason or another I never did. Again, she mentioned that he was playing for the first time, this season, at Lighthouse on Friday. She is a true fan of his.
As I mentioned, Que Pasa? was full and we had drinks there and said hello to locals and residents alike. Then, we ate inside because it does get chilly in the evening, at this time of the year.
A few of us ordered the seared tuna. It was so delicious, perfect portion and cooked just the way it should be, very pink in the middle. It was accompanied with sauteed potatoes, a slaw and a chipotle sauce. Other orders were steak quesadillas, shrimp quesadillas, crabcake sandwich. Everyone was happy.
We were enjoying every moment but we really were waiting for the time to arrive in order to see John Eddie.
Finally, we decided to walk around the restaurant to Lighthouse. Que Pasa? and Lighthouse are part of the Ruddertowne Complex of entertainment venues and restaurants located in Dewey.
I was told that even though John Eddie was supposed to start at 9 p.m., he is never on time. On Friday, the fans were getting restless since it was almost 10 p.m. and they were still setting up. You could see everything going on because Lighthouse is not that big and it was full to capacity.
I did not know what to expect of him. He had a boyish look and a resemblance to Bruce Springstein in the way he moves and performs. By the way, Bruce is a fan of his.
His music genre? A little bit of country and a lot of rock and roll. Then add some soul and folk music; that’s John Eddie. His website is www.johneddie.com.
As a songwriter you find that his songs are very personal but some are definitely, foot stumping.
The moment, I kid you not, he started performing there was not one single person that was not dancing. That lasted about 3 hours. He engaged his audience and you were right there with him. Yo Faithful! Raise Your Bottles, Raise Your Glasses and everyone did, many times.
His renditions of Rod Stewart’s 1971 Maggie Mae and Elvis’ 1969 Suspicious Minds were phenomenal. He plays them in every show. Fans expect him to.
His followers travel to see him perform. Today he is at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, then to Kennet Square, PA and then to San Diego, CA. But, this summer, starting on May 27th, he will pretty much be every Thursday, at the Cove, also located at Ruddertowne in Dewey.
So, if you like to dance and listen to good music, put on your dancing shoes and you now know where to go.
Have a great week-end!!
April 20th, 2010
What a perfect night to have dinner at Fager’s in Ocean City, Maryland. This very popular restaurant is located at 201-60th St. in the Bay. Tel. 410-524-5500, toll free tel. 888-371-5400. Website www.fagers.com and the e-mail address is island@fagers.com.
If you are visiting Ocean City, Maryland, you are bound to show up at Fager’s during your visit. How could you not? If you want to have fun, this is the place to be. Restaurant, Bar, Entertainment, Perfect Location and the Sunset is amazing, as it was tonight. Look at that picture. I could have sat outside but since it was still a little chilly we were all inside.
When sunset approaches, the music starts. Not just any music, but guests will be listening to a concerto of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. The music and the view will mesmerize anyone having dinner at that time of the evening. And, once sunset occurs, the music stops and the clapping begins.
And, that is how our dinner started. Tonight we saw several familiar faces and met some new ones, as well. The restaurant was comfortably crowded.
We were all there for their prime rib. I have to tell you that I last came to Fager’s back in December and at the time I wrote that the prime rib was not that great. Well, tonight I would have to tell you that they outdid themselves. The beef was beautiful, cooked to perfection, juices perfectly seasoned, accompanied with colorful veggies and a baked potato.
Some of us had salads as a starter. I had the wedge with Blue Cheese dressing and bacon and walnuts. I have had this salad before and it is very refreshing and the dressing is light.
Just for your info. a standing rib roast is a cut of beef from the rib section, which is one of the eight primal cuts of beef.
A slice of standing rib roast will include portions of the so-called “eye” of the rib as well as the outer, fat-marbled muscle known as the “lip” or “cap”.
Always, the best part of having dinner out, is sharing it with good friends. It is priceless!!
Note: Fager’s is one of the many restaurants at all of our beaches that have a gluten free menu.
Talk to you later….probably tomorrow….
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 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
March 17th, 2010
At this time of the year 3 of us, who have been friends for a long time, get together to celebrate our birthdays. Usually, it is either breakfast or lunch but this week we chose dinner. We are getting to the point where our birthdays fall into different brackets on the birthday scales. You know what I mean; many years ago it used to be the 20 to 35 bracket; then it was the 35 to 50 bracket and now, oh my gosh!, it is the 50 to 65 bracket. Unbelievable!!
So, we decided to enjoy our evening at Betty’s. This is the new sister restaurant to Fish On in Lewes, Bluecoast Seafood Grill in Bethany Beach, Northeast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View, Catch 54 in Fenwick Island and Lupo di Mare in Rehoboth Beach. Betty’s will definitely be able to keep up with this bunch.
Betty’s is the latest idea in restaurant development of Sodel Concepts. This company also has Plate Catering, which is a catering company able to serve a thousand guests or just a few. For more information, you can visit their website www.sodelconcepts.com.
Of the restaurants owned by this company, I have been to several, but only have actually reviewed one. On 8/25/09 I reviewed Fish On in Lewes; if you would like to see what I wrote all you have to do is click on August under Archives and scroll down to the date. Now Betty’s is my next review.
Betty’s is at the Midway Shopping Center located on Rt. 1 or Coastal Highway. It really is between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. The address is 18585 Coastal Highway #23. Tel. is 302-645-6160. You can visit the above mentioned website to see the menu, but don’t worry, I will tell you what we had.
Previously, at this location, there had been 2 other restaurants. If I remember correctly they were very dark inside. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well they were able to manage and bring light into Betty’s. As you come in, you will find a very open restaurant with tables comfortably placed.
My friends were waiting for me at the bar and had already made a few friends. The bar is conducive to friendly chatter because it is not a high bar. It is at the height of a dining table with really nice chairs. You can eat there, as well.
We were lead to our booth. Six people could fit easily. The restaurant has booths, individual tables and also a few bar tables, as well. Even though the restaurant is completely open, the noise level was controlled. Popular tunes were playing in the background.
I think the decor is retro but not so much that it becomes a theme. I liked it.
In how many ways can you say something was really tasty? As I am about to tell you what we ordered, I will also want to let you know that after my first bite, the word that came to mind was “yummy”.
We ordered for starters the Home Style Deviled Eggs, Mustard Cream, Shaved Celery, and Radish. This is the second time I have been in a restaurant and found deviled eggs on the menu. The first time was at The Office in Delraly Beach (my post on 1/16/10) and those had a truffled oil. Betty’s deviled eggs were delicious and traditionally prepared.
We had the House Garden Salad. At first I questioned myself, why order a plain garden salad, but it was crisp and fresh and the house mustard vinaigrette dressing was light and refreshing.
The entrees were all, again, “yummy”. We tasted each other dishes. We all ordered something different; perfect for my reviews.
I ordered the Braised Beef Short Rib Stroganoff, with a wild mushroom rosemary cream, veal demi glace, and egg noodles. The beef melted in your mouth and the combination of the cream and egg noodles and peas was comfort food at its best.
Another dish ordered was the Grilled Salmon, with a mustard BBQ, pickled root veggies and a creamy corn pudding. It was beautifully presented. The sauce was even had a hint of citrus. It was great. A discussion about polenta followed the tasting of the dish.
The next dish ordered was an Opened Faced Hot Roast Beef Sandwich, on white bread, mashed potatoes, and mushroom veal gravy. It had a large pile of roast beef that smelled and tasted very good. What a combination!
Our sweet ending was a cherry crumbled pie. We all shared and thank God, otherwise and extra walk around the block would definitely be a must.
Other desserts were Nora’s Pretzel Salad, Banana Cream Pie and of course, how could you be at Betty’s and not have Apple Brown Betty?
Our waitress was Abby and she was so friendly and easy to talk to. I asked her if people were wondering who Betty actually is. Some have asked, but not many. I guess Betty could be anyone; a grandmother, an aunt, Betty Poop, Betty & Veronica and Betty Crocker.
Betty’s is simple with uncomplicated dishes and great prices.
Note: I was not sure if my husband could eat at Betty’s because of his gluten allergy but they said that entrees could be adjusted to his needs. Also, Betty’s will start having daily specials next week.
It is beautiful today in the Delmarva Peninsula. Talk to you later….I have to go and get my brisket….
 
|
1 Comment