May 31, 2013

Crack These Big Nuts

For those of you joining us for the summer, welcome back! And to those of you fortunate enough to live here year round, aren’t WE the luckiest people on the planet?! I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who only get one or two weeks off a year, and they choose to spend it here. I just sold a house to a woman who’s spent a week here every year for 30 years, and now she gets to call Rehoboth Beach her home. I love my job!

Last weekend featured the launch of Eating Rehoboth, a new walking, culinary tour of downtown restaurants. Saturday’s tour offered sips and bites and a chance to meet the people behind the scenes at The Back Porch Café, Zogg’s, Red Square, Stoney Lonen and Lupo di Mare. Sunday’s excursion covered five completely different restaurants, including Confucius and a(MUSE.). Tour guides Paul Cullen (former Bad Company bass player/wine expert), and our very own Rehoboth Foodie, chat about local history as they lead the way to the various eateries.

Speaking of eating and history, the new exhibit, The Beach Eats, at The Rehoboth Beach Museum celebrates 100 years of eating in Rehoboth Beach. The display includes memorabilia from well-known restaurants such as Chez la Mer, Sydney’s, The Back Porch Café, Gus and Gus, The Avenue Restaurant, and the Belhaven Hotel. 

One last food note, the Ice Cream Store held its sixth annual taste-testing contest, attracting over 1000 people. The event will be the opening show for a weeklong Cooking Channel series called Ice Cream America (check your local listings). Featuring flavors like “Crack,” “This Ish is off the Hook,” and “My Milkshake Brings All the Boys to the Store,” this is not your mama’s ice cream shop! Winning by a landslide, was “Crack These Big Nuts,” a brown sugar, vanilla-based ice cream with butter, sea salt, and massive amounts of peanuts, cashews, almonds and pecans.

In June, everything from movies to music to theater goes outdoors. The 15th Annual Chautauqua Tent Show features American Historical Theatre re-enactors who take on the personas of historical figures. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions and interact with the players. Care to have a chat with the likes of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Galileo, or Bessie Coleman, the first African-American female pilot? Now’s your chance! (In Lewes, June 9-13). Also in June is the 23rd Annual Lewes Garden Tour, a self-guided tour of seven private gardens and one public garden in the historic district.

For outdoor music, try the Summer Concert Series at Stango Park (next to the Lewes Public Library) featuring everything from the US Army Field Jazz Band to Zydeco A Go Go. The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand concerts kicks off with Love Seed Mama Jump, a popular Sussex County rock band, and includes a variety of groups like the Bullbuckers, a soul/ska/ island band. Tickets are now on sale for Abbamania, celebrating the music and style of Abba and the Bee Gees. The July 27 concert is a benefit performance for CAMP Rehoboth Community Center and will be held at the Convention Center.

Mamma Mia! It’s going to be a great summer here at the beach!

Deb Griffin is a real estate agent living full time at the beach with her honey bunny, Greer, and two Jack Russell terrors. Email Deb Griffin