Indeed, Valentine’s Day is around the corner and you have time to order the most wonderful, personalized gift for that someone special. Pamela Montague is a favorite, local artist and photographer in the Delaware Beach area. Her creations include Sand Scripts…handwritten messages in the sand captured by gorgeous black and white photography.

Drawn to all things natural, Pamela started her own company, A Sandy Soiree, offering an array of custom designs and services which incorporate the textural elements of the earth. Being able to commission the artist to create an original work of art, makes for a most unique and thoughtful gift. In the Fall, I attended a wedding in New Orleans. Pam created this photo for the bride and groom and they loved it!

The great news is that if you order by January 30th, you can get a personalized Sand Script made in time for Valentine’s Day. For $60 and shipping, you will receive a 5×7 photo in an 8×10 frame. Yes, the photo arrives already framed! You can also order stock art Sand Scripts – in a 5×7 frame, for $20, plus shipping. These prices reflect a love day sale.

Need a greeting card? Check out what is available at Greeting Card Universe. You can find and buy some of Pamela’s  work there, as well.

To get started creating your one-of-a-kind gift, contact Pam at A Sandy Soiree. What are you waiting for? Feel the love, share the love!

Q. What does an award winning songwriter, the guitar player from Scandal and an incredible singing drummer have in common?
A. Friendship and the beach.

The other night, I had the privilege of enjoying a fine concert which I attended with Sydney Arzt, former owner of Sydney’s Blues and Jazz Restaurant. Because her heart beats to the pulse of live music, I asked for her insights on why so many fine musicians can be found in Southern Delaware.

Here is a story from Sydney:

“Sometimes, the music stretches beyond the expected. This was the case at the Theatre of the Arts in Downtown Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Friday evening, December 19th.  Three good friends presented a show called THREE GOOD FRIENDS and wove storytelling with the powerful musicianship of successful and separate careers. Doug James, Keith Mack and Ed Shockley highlighted their songwriting skills as well as their singing and instrumental mastery throughout the evening.

Each performer had a tale of platinum records, Grammy nominations, stardom, near stardom, family, and often, simply living at the beach.  Mostly, it was about friendship and the songs they have each created which punctuate real times of their lives. The audience was pre-Christmas warm and friendly and created an intimacy that is so representative of beach community life in Slower Lower Delaware.

In October of 2008, Delaware Today magazine wrote a story called “Writing Home”. The article featured the songwriters in our beach area and also created the flavor of how special each of the songwriters felt about living and writing in the beach community. Kevin Short is a songwriter, performer and music producer who owns Mid South Audio, a local recording studio in Georgetown, Delaware. He summed it up… “The music scene here is not as high pressure as Nashville or New York, so people you want to work with become a community.”

Kevin basically summarizes the feelings of THREE GOOD FRIENDS and the community that surrounds and supports them. In the same article, the following lyrics are shared by Ed Shockley in his song, “Zwaanendael  Dreamsong”-

“It’s just a little town, my hometown, not much different than most.
Used to ride my bike uptown, balloons tied to the spokes.
I grew up and moved away, tried to make my mark.
But it was always these roots that held me apart.”

How lucky we are that our songbirds have chosen to roost among us at the beach.”

-Sydney-

Thanks Sydney!…And, if anyone out there has a question for Sydney or you would like more info on something happening in the Arts here in the beach area of Delaware, let me know.

Sunday, December 7th, the Rehoboth Beach Farmer’s Market is holding a special holiday event from 1pm to 4pm in Grove Park, Rehoboth, DE. Adjust your schedule and stop by to taste a bit of free hot cider and pick up some treats for dinner.

There will be fresh wreaths and garland, gift baskets and, one of my favorite gift ideas, homemade dog biscuits from Skipper’s Biscuit Company. Under the Green Tent, Delaware Food Bank will be accepting donations for this holiday season. Bring a canned good and help support some folks in need in our community.

The Rehoboth Beach Farmer’s Market will enter it’s third season next year. Congratulations. Thank you to everyone involved in organizing the market and thank you to all of the vendors who work hard to deliver direct from their farm to our table.

If you are not able to be in Rehoboth tomorrow, stop where you are and BUY LOCAL. Happy Holidays.

Leave me a comment and let me know where you go to shop local. What is your closest farmer’s market?

Roast Beef Plate, Personal Chef to Go

I know a lot of people who love good food. When you cook for a living, like I do, you end up with a lot of friends that like to eat. It turns into a very symbiotic relationship.

If you like to eat, you will enjoy this food. If you are looking for home delivery of a certain number of meals per week, you will love this service. You could establish your very own symbiotic relationship.

In Richmond, Va., visiting friends, I had the opportunity to meet the folks who are behind the scenes of this operation. Personal Chef To Go is made up of a team of restaurant and culinary professionals who have passion about placing their food in anyone’s home in the country. To make this vision happen, they have created a proprietary method of preparing and packaging and shipping their food directly to you.

The facility for the Personal Chef To Go outfit was immaculate and the chefs/staff were extremely dedicated. That matters to me. I believe people have very high expectations of what they bring into their home, already prepared, to eat. When you go out to eat, people often give themselves license to experiment. When you eat at home, you want what you want. If you have high expectations, you should feel just fine about trying this out. Yes, I also tasted the food, which is why I can say all of this with such confidence.

Check out the site and see for yourself what kind of options are available. If you think this type of dining experience may be right for you, I encourage you to try what this kitchen has to offer.

The largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the United States opens in the Big Easy. So what is it? Eighty-one artists, from 39 countries with art installations in over 23 locations throughout the Greater New Orleans area. That is the beginning of the definition of Prospect .1. The real fun is finding out or rather interpretting for yourself, exactly what Prospect .1 is all about.

The exhibit opened on November 1st. My great fortune had just landed me in New Orleans for Halloween and a wedding….getting the time to experience a handful of sites in this feat was more than the proverbial icing on the king cake of my vacation. Sorry, I just had to type that.

When you go to the website, read the WHY tab. Learn why New Orleans was chosen for this history-making event.

www.prospectneworleans.org

I always have too much fun in New Orleans. That’s what New Orleans is,…one word, “too”. Since Hurricane Katrina, my visits are always impactful in ways I never anticipate. Prospect .1 will make you think and appreciate and question and smile. It will make your eyes widen and your heart swell. Go. Go to New Orleans. Go see something you have never seen in this country before…..Go. Fly. Book a hotel. Support ART. Support New Orleans.

Yep, Sydney has been fast at work in the kitchen. Actually, Syd opened up the first bakery in Rehoboth, DE which brought croissants to the beach. It was called American Pie. Her desire to provide live music and an all around dining experience to her customers led her to close down and open up Sydney’s Blues and Jazz Restaurant.

Trust me, just like the life and history of the old joint, the end result still tasted great even if it didn’t always look pretty.

Last weekend I had a great opportunity to prepare a six course meal for a group of gals who converged on Rehoboth for a Holiday shopping extravaganza. The soup was a huge hit and I promised to post the recipe…..coming soon! This turned out to be a well balanced menu and was really well received by the girls. The Absolut New Orleans Punch was also a big hit. This is my new favorite libation due to the Mango and Black Pepper Vodka created by Absolut. Absolut New Orleans also is a charitable contribution, so buy some today!

Here is the menu:

Crab and Tropical Fruit Salsa served with Absolut New Orleans Punch

Leek and Winter Squash Soup/Parmesan Manchego Crouton/Chived Sour Cream

Seared Scallops/Parsnip and Potato Custard/Crisp Cherrywood Bacon/Roasted Cauliflower

Arugala and Mixed Greens/Braised Fennel and Onion/Fresh Orange Segments/
Dried Cherries/Toasted Pine Nuts and a White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Roasted Pork Tenderloin Medallions/Sauteed Pears and Apples with Flamed Brandy/Braised Kale

Petite Double-Chocolate Bundt Cakes filled with Fresh Vanilla Eggnog Creme Anglaise

Childhood memories of cranberries tell me a good cran-experience only came on Thanksgiving. I must confess I believed cranberries came from a can. Here’s my visual: ridges, circling a jiggly perfectly cylinder shaped mound… to me, the sight of that thing actually made me taste metal. Of course, it was ok on my squishy white bread turkey sandwich with mayo, salt and pepper around 8pm that night. Not only acceptable, but necessary!

My respect for the cranberry has grown. Now, at 38, I try to remember they are good for my urinary tract. On top of that, apparently some current studies implicate they may have benefits/prevention of things like heart disease, stomach ulcers and dental plaque. Yep, that whole list is on my radar these days. And, if I am going to be able to keep eating my annual sandwich at 8pm at night, I gotta keep the system a bit cleaner.

Well, it is time to think of new ways to incorporate the tasty little fresh guys into home menus. Let me know if you have a good cran-experience to share!

In Delaware, this is tradition. This is phenomenon. There is even a fabulous PBS documentary out there…I think CBS Sunday Morning even did a thing on it….yep, how far you can chunk a pumpkin in a device you spent all year makin’ is a big thing. Delaware is proud and they should be!