Eden

What visions does "Eden" conjure up for you?  The Eden to which I'm referring can be found in Rehoboth, Delaware.  If you think of "Eden" as a beautiful place serving as a respite from the hustle and bustle, that would relate to this Eden.

Eden is a restaurant that touts "bold American food." It offers great variety in the menu, which includes scallops, tuna, salmon, filet mignon, chicken breast, and wood fired flatbreads, to name a few.  The entree that won my attention was the grilled antelope.  I would say that is certainly bold; wouldn't you?

I have never seen antelope on the menu before. The waiter responded to my question about whether the meat was "gamey" with a resounding "no."  He explained that fear just before death creates that "gamey" taste in animals but that these animals were quickly killed.  He went on to say how but, frankly, it was TMI (too much information).  I think that was the waiter's only miscue.

The antelope come from the Broken Arrow Ranch  in Texas Hill Country.  The ranch sells "truly wild" (roaming, pen-free) animals including - in addition to the antelope - wild boar, venison, and quail.  (An online store is available.)  A quick Google search for the ranch had me thinking it was owned by music legend Neil Young.  Turns out Young owns a ranch with the same name in California.  (Besides, if you know his music, you know he didn't have a lot of respect for "southern men" anyway so I guess I should have been immediately doubtful that he owned a ranch in Texas.)

But back to the antelope...it was delicious.  Not a hint of an unpleasant wild taste, tender, and very much like filet mignon.  It was served with toasted barley/mushroom confit salad, braised local greens, and a cherry chutney.  I strongly recommend it.

There were six of us for dinner and each person was pleased with the food.  We were also pleased with the charming atmosphere.  We had the big round table in the corner at the front window.  The booths have curtain sheers that can be drawn.  Of course, we pulled ours together - well - just because we could.  It helped create a "fog" between ourselves and the rest of the restaurant on this Memorial Day weekend Saturday.  With the muted colors and candlelight, we lingered in this comfort for quite some time.  Although, when the check came, there was some discomfort.

The dining partner who recommended the restaurant told us her two favorite wines were specials that evening and not normally available.  They were not on the menu - mind you - but the waiter confirmed she had read correctly (online, I believe).  We got a bottle of Silver Oaks red (Cabernet, I think) and Cakebread Cellars white (Chardonnay, as I recall).  (Memorial Day weekend feels like a lifetime ago, unfortunately.)  Each wine was very good and I would certainly enjoy drinking them again.  We learned that the white was $70 and the red was $100.  Oops!  Forgot to ask about the price! 

I suppose we should have known that the wine could be pricey as the entrees at Eden average in the high $20's/low $30's.  (My antelope was $29.)  But we were apparently seduced by the atmosphere, interesting menu, and excellent server.  Also, we wanted some wine with our artisinal cheese board appetizer and meals.  The bottom line - with no desserts and tip (not automatically included, surprisingly) - turned out to be $150 per couple.

Eden cost Adam and Eve so don't be surprised if it costs you, too.  If you are willing to pay a little extra for excellent food and service with a special ambiance, you won't go wrong with Eden on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

How Sweet it Was

It is possible to plan the “perfect” day. Every now and then, however, we luck out and the perfect day happens by chance. This kind of day seems even sweeter than a planned “perfect” day – probably because it is so unexpected and effortless. I had this kind of day on Mother’s Day, May 8th.

Before you get ahead of the story, it is important to note I’m not a mother. So wipe out that vision of a pleased mom surrounded by her brood of well-behaved children.  I certainly have a mother and spent time with her the day before Mother’s Day but this year's Mother’s Day was more about sun and being on the water.  It was a beautiful day to try out several kayaks as I contemplated this big purchase.

EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) held an event at Lum’s Pond State Park in Bear, Delaware for people to evaluate different kayaks. There was a good turn-out as folks test paddled about 25 different boats. But even before I got in a boat, my interest about the state park was piqued. This park, only about an hour (or less, depending on traffic) from Philadelphia, offers boat rentals, camping, and swimming. I’m thinking I’ll camp there in the Fall when I can paddle during the day and sit by a campfire at night. (I should add…I will paddle in my own kayak as a purchase – including a rack for transporting – was made.)

After spending a few hours learning about paddles and trying different boats, my partner, friend and I were ravenous. We didn’t want fast food but weren’t sure where to go. We relied on the GPS. It told us there was a restaurant just minutes away with “Waterside” (or something like that) in the name. Excited about the prospect of eating on the water, we decided to try it.

The GPS led us to a marina in Bear, Delaware. The restaurant name provided by the GPS was no longer accurate by we were taken to Aqua Sol.  Now remember, this was Mother’s Day, and we were dressed in kayaking clothing. I wondered if this was going to be a factor as I walked up to the attractive building with outdoor seating, including big umbrellas, overlooking the water.

I asked the hostess – very loudly since the jazz band was right near the hostess stand – if the way we were dressed was a problem. She said it wasn’t and, even though I felt a bit awkward as I looked at the nicely dressed diners dressed for the holiday, I decided this restful, sunny location was too good to give up. We were seated and decided to have a drink as we waited about 1 hour for the Mother’s Day brunch to end. (We didn’t want a repeat of the breakfast we had that morning at our local diner.)

Waiting to dine at Aqua Sol wasn't a problem.  The restaurant is a smile-maker.  It is such a pleasure to look down on the boats – some of which were huge yachts – in the marina. We could also see what we later learned was the old Summit Bridge spanning the C and D canal.

As for the food, we were able to choose between "Miami inspired" (Latino influenced) light fare as well as more serious dishes.  Since it was 4pm-ish, we had the lighter fare. Two of us had the slow-roast pork tacos and the other had the ancho rubbed short ribs. And no need to worry about prices here. I anticipated having to pay a premium for the view, and the jazz band, but that proved to be an unwarranted concern.

I left my credit card at the restaurant and had to return a few days later to get it. While this sounds like a drag, and they would have sent it to me, I actually enjoyed returning to the restaurant. As I drove into the marina , there were many more workers than there were on Sunday. The workers were readying the big boats – washing and waxing and inspecting. I paused near the dining area of the restaurant (no one was there at 3pm on a week day) and absorbed the view again.

The day was similar to the day I dined there. The sun was warm and I snuck out of work early to head south on I-95 to get my card. I felt like I was on vacation, just as I had on Mother’s Day. I was transported back to that “perfect day,” even as I headed back on the road to pick up the kayak at EMS. 

Weeks later, I'm am still happy to think about that day.  And I'm also thinking the kayak will provide me with many more perfect days.

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Lums Pond Boat Rental Rates - 2010 (2011 rates not yet on the web site)
1/2 Hour Rentals
Pedal Boat  $6

1 Hour Rentals

• Rowboat $7
• Canoe $8
• Pedal Boat $10
• Kayak - Single $9, Tandem $11
• Sailboat $14

 Day Rentals

• Rowboat $35
• Canoe $40 
• Pedal Boat $50
• Kayak -Single $45, Tandem $55
• Sailboat $70

White Clay Creek State Park Newark, DE

After having such a glorious outdoor day last Saturday, I had to do something outside again last Sunday. If I had the energy, I would have gotten back on the water and kayaked again. But a hike was another good option; I just didn't want to go somewhere I had already been. This led me to a brief online search for hikes in the Philadelphia area. A historic marker at one state park intrigued me so it was off to Delaware.

The drive to White Clay Creek State Park took me through the "main drag" of Newark and near the University of Delaware campus. Who knew Newark had such a cute (albeit small) downtown? It was a pleasant surprise, even if most of the businesses were chains. (The architecture often screamed "old town" so that helped alleviate the chain feel.)

The drive into the park had us paying a $6 park entrance fee ($3 for in-state visitors). I guess those low Delaware taxes mean they have to get their money other ways. I'm certainly not accustomed to that from state parks in NJ and PA.  When I am used to, and what I had read online about White Clay Creek State Park, is that many state park trails are not well marked. That was dead-on at this park.

Once in the parking lot, it was not obvious where the trail head started. (The advice from the park ranger at the gate, who didn't even know what color trail blazes we should look for, was to go "down the hill." When you're on the top of a hill, there are several ways "down the hill!") After some initial frustration we started walking. I won't go on much more about how bad our map was. Fortunately, we found someone who offered to lead us in the direction of the historic marker - the main impetus of this particular destination. (I did, for a moment, wonder if he was leading us to a secluded place to kill us. Obviously, that was not the case.)

We found the ARC Corner Stone in the woods. (Ironically, there was a road within eyesight through the trees. That was a bummer.) This stone was placed in 1892 during a U.S. Surveying trip. It

marks the DE-PA state boundary line at the intersection of the east-west southern boundary of Pennsylvania with the 12-mile Circle boundary line centered on Newcastle, DE. (waymarking.com)

This was one of 46 stones to mark the Delaware's northern boundary from PA. Interestingly, 41 of these historical stones survive today.

This 12-mile circle boundary (described in waymarking.com as a 22.57-mile compound circle - huh?) is a little confusing because of the shapes of the states. (Maryland is just a stone's throw away here, too.) The best way to understand it is to view this image.

Notice the arc where DE and PA meet? This arc is what the previously 46 and now 41 approximately 4.5 feet tall monuments mark. The names of the various people on the survey teams are on the monument on the side representing their respective states. From here we feared being lost but we wanted to find our way down to the White Clay Creek. In doing so, we hiked part of the Mason Dixon Trail (MDT).

I had never heard of the MDT before so I was excited to learn more about it when I returned from the hike. Unlike the other trails in White Clay Creek State Park, this one was well marked. It is a 193-mile trail starting in Whiskey Springs (Cumberland County), PA and heads east, meandering through MD and DE until it ends in Chadds Ford, PA. Hiking it seems like a much more attainable goal than the mother of all trails here in the U.S. - the AT or Appalachian Trail.

The piece of the MDT we hiked took us to an old rails-to-trails section that paralleled the creek so we followed it. Again, we were filled with trepidation that we would never find our way back to the car so that meant the hike wasn't completely relaxed. We knew we wouldn't get lost on the trail following the creek, however, and we were joined by bikers and walkers. Several of the walkers were very elderly.

We stopped on a bench by the creek and had our lunch. Shortly we were joined by a couple in their late 80's (he was 88) who were out for a stroll. (God bless them!) We had a pleasant conversation. When they left, we talked about the other lady we had passed on the walk. She seemed to be ancient and was very bent over. But with her cane and her binoculars, she was set to enjoy the day. We greeted each other with a "hello" and smile as we passed. On the way back we saw her again; she was speaking to a park ranger.

We found our way back to our car with surprising, relative ease and therefore didn't have to start a camp fire, head back to a road, cannibalize the other, or do any of the other emergency actions we (half) joked about taking. As we left the park we drove a different way than we had come and drove by the park nature center. Lo and behold, there was a plaque there and guess whose picture was on it? The "bent over" elderly lady! Turns out she is a local celebrity that the plaque encouraged us to "stop and say thank you."

Dorothy Miller is an avid birdwatcher who took action when the area around the White Clay Creek was threatened. Because of her considerable efforts and leadership, the creek was not dammed and the area was preserved. I could tell just by the way she was talking to the park ranger that Ms. Miller is a real firecracker! It was serendipitous to run ever-so-briefly into a woman who made such a difference in her community. I love the spirit she represents.

You can see some of the spirit Ms. Miller's eyes and smile as seen in this picture that I found on the Delaware Audubon website. Notice she has her birding binoculars around her neck? And, with all due respect, this picture is probably 10 - 15 years old. She's more stooped over now but she still has a fast smile today!

A desire to get outside and an interest in seeing a historical marker helped me to encounter a woman who is a historical Delaware figure in her own right. During this day I also learned of a hiking trail that is practically in my own backyard. My moments of serendipity were plenty this weekend.  For that, I am very grateful.

Memorial Day Weekend in Rehoboth Beach, DE

Friends have a place in Rehoboth Beach so that was the destination this past holiday weekend.  It was a hot and steamy weekend and many, many people had the idea that "the shore" was the best place to be.  This resort town was crowded.  Still, we were able to avoid the beaten path much of the time and enjoy the hustle and bustle when we wanted to be in it.
The weather was cloudy and rainy on Saturday so it was a bike ride day.  We thought we had a break in the weather but we ended up soaked.  It was fun, though, as it felt like being a kid again when getting rained on made you laugh.  It was nice that no one cared about their hair or getting splashed by a car.

Saturday night had us cooking in and having a feast - fresh corn, asparagus, a pepper and onion mix, steak, shrimp and wine. Um um good.  Instead of going out, we relaxed, talked, and watched the Flyers lose a shoot-out...while watching Halladay from the Phillies throw a perfect game- only the 20th in baseball and the first time for the Phillies since Bunning threw one in 1964.

Sunday we tried to get over to Cape Henlopen State Park (home of the Biden Center, as in V.P. Joe) for the beach and some rays.  We were there by 11am but that was already too late.  There was no more parking and we were turned around by the rangers.  That meant back to the bay beach where it was sweltering.  Still, it was nice to have the "it's finally summer" feeling.  (Granted, it's not summer per the calendar, but a summer-like Memorial Day Weekend was convincing enough to go with that feeling.)

Sunday night we headed out for a late dinner.  We wandered the streets (after sitting in traffic looking for parking) and decided to land at Mixx.  It appealed to us because of the nice guy who encouraged us to "come on in" as well as the menu.  Mixx serves tapas- and entree-sized plates for fairly reasonable prices.  They also offered flights of margaritas and wine at various prices.  This small bar/restaurant was comfortable and the food was OK - not fabulous but not bad either.

After dinner we headed to Penny Lane where we ate dessert crepes outside.  Penny Lane is just a short distance from the "main drag" and hustle and bustle of Rehoboth; it's also a stone's throw to the beach.  It felt a world apart from both.  I felt like I was in a little town with storefronts that had varied architecture.  The bonus - it was soooooo quiet.  Yes, I know it was Memorial Day Weekend and many people were partying.  The brief respite, however, was heavenly.

Monday morning we were determined to get to the beach.  We didn't get to Cape Henlopen State Park much early than before - arriving at 10:30-ish - but what a difference a day makes.  We ran into some friends and met some new folks.  The sun was scorching and creating lobsters left and right but it was pleasant because of the cool ocean breeze.  It was a nice day.

As I walked on the beach I met a woman who missed St. Petersburg, FL.  She told me this is why she brought her own  palm tree.  Her little friend, as seen here in her sexy, black leather bustier, was washed up on shore.  Oh the stories she could probably tell...if she weren't plastic, that is.

It wasn't too far from the palm tree that I saw the artillery towers.  I was expecting them this time as I had been to this beach in the past.  It's still odd to see these large towers on the beach.  They're obviously very prominent. 

I googled these towers and learned a bit more about them.  There are 11 of them on the beaches of NJ and Delaware.  Eight are in Delaware and the other three are in NJ.  Many were built during WWII after Pearl Harbor.  (It seems as though a few may have been built before then.) 

During the war, it was believed that the Delaware Bay was vulnerable, especially after a German U-boat sank the navy destroyer Jacob Jones off the coast of Delaware on February 28, 1942.  These towers were lookouts that were intended to prevent enemy ships from entering the bay.  From what I read, the view from the towers allowed the gun crews to see about 14.5 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. 

The towers have different heights and some of them have only two viewing slits, while others have four. (The ones I saw clearly have two slits.)  The openings below the large slits are where the guns were housed.  These guns reportedly shot so far that the military men couldn't see where they landed.

After reaching the towers, I headed back to my beach chair.  There was only about an hour or so left before it was time to head back to PA.  In true summer holiday weekend fashion, many people were on the road heading home.  It was impossible to avoid this part of the hustle and bustle and still arrive home at a decent hour so we went for it.  Our reward was burgers on the grill at a friend's house back in PA.  Ahhhhh...summer.