Shore Secrets Magazine

Transcription

“Priceless”
Holidays 2013
Shore
Secrets
Magazine
Recreation, Dining, Events, Entertainment, Local Features, and More
Voted Best Jewelry Store
2009201020112012
!
of the Shore
Exquisite Diamonds. Trendy Jewelry. Breathtaking Pearls.
Classic Watches. Village Candles. Locally Made Crafts.
Crystal. Jelly Bellys. Lighthouses. Sterling Silver.
Home of the Original Chesapeake Bay Bracelets.
More than a Jewelry Store.
CD Marsh is a treasured Eastern Shore Tradition for over 50 years.
CD
Marsh
Jewelers
757-787-3333 • 45 Market St • Onancock
Engraving on Premises!
e
h
t
f
o
!
e
r
o
Sh
Best Crabcake & Best Seafood 2011 & 2012
Best Customer Service & Best Nightclub 2012
Designed after the old Parramore Island Life Saving Station which was built in the 1800’s, the Island House
Restaurant overlooks the lovely Wachapreague Harbor and Barrier Islands. Enjoy the picturesque view from
one of our many waterfront tables, or dine along our deck in the spring and summer!
Specializing in Fresh Local Fish, Clams, Oysters, Certified Angus Beef Burgers & Steaks, and
some of the finest Crab Cakes on the Shore!
Ring
in the New
Year
with
757-787-4242
17 Atlantic Avenue • Wachapreague
Reservations strongly
encouraged.
Shore
Secrets
Magazine
Published and Designed by:
Shore Designs
PO Box 876
Accomac, VA
757-768-7828
editor@shoresecretsmagazine.com
Jane Lucy, Editor
Lennie Bowe, Associate Editor
Contributing Photography
3
Attitude and Determination Fuel Success
Meet this amazing little lady and find out how she meets
her challenges head on, immersing herself in every task
she undertakes.
8
Being Thankful
We all have things to be thankful for this holiday season,
join us as our readers share some of their own special
blessings.
12
Always Fresh, Always Innovative
A passion for food and a desire to offer the Shore the very
best led this restaurant owner to answer his calling.
18
Beauty Through the Lens
Talent, passion and dedication all combine to make this
photographers work stunning and captivating.
26
Food, Friends, Fun
The 2nd annual Island House Oyster Roast benefits an
amazing and necessary organization.
30
Holiday Shopping
Ready to start your holiday shopping? A new fun take on
shopping locally to make your gifts unique and special.
34
Sweet Treats, Served With Smiles
An Eastern Shore icon continues to sweeten our lives
with flavor and friendship.
44
Holidays Got You Down?
Sometimes the holidays can be hard, but it’s okay to cry.
Find out some ways to deal with stress and depression.
48
An Honorable Definition of Service
This innovative new restaurant seeks to serve in more
ways than just offering you some amazing food.
52
More Than Simple Talent, Friends
Looking for something to do? Join us as we follow this
popular group around the Shore and have some fun!
Anna Hines • Joanne Schoeberl • Alex Evans • Kelly Conklin
Special Guest Columnist
Nils E Stolpe
Additional Photo Credits:
Lennie Bowe • Jane Lucy
Shore Secrets is published four times a year. Reproduction of any
editorial material or photos is strictly prohibited without
written consent of the publisher. Shore Designs has made
every effort to ensure the accuracy of all
content in this magazine, however, we cannot be responsible
for omissions, deletions or misprints.
Graphic Design • Advertising • Promotional Materials
Dear Readers,
Five years, wow, to say I am humbled by your support would
not be fair; I am truly moved, and appreciate each of you; our
readers, our advetisers, our friends; more than you can imagine!
Moving forward, we want to continue to provide you with the new
things we learn about the Shore,while commemorating those ideals
that we hold dear. We continue to share with you our love of the
Shore, and even more specifically, the personality that makes up
our unique area. Our purpose is simple: “Because everyone has
a story.” And that is what Shore Secrets is all about; the towns,
the people, the way of life, all stories just waiting to be told. We
welcome your suggestions and comments, after all, this is your
magazine.
This issue includes our Best of Ballot and we continue to be
“wowed” with the support and interest in this contest. Just goes to
prove how much we value our friends and neighbors here on the
Shore. We hope you will all take a moment to vote and say “thanks”
to those that serve us!
Enjoy this holiday issue, we hope that each and every one of you
have a blessed holiday season! Our sincerest thanks to each and
every one of you for making this magazine possible.
Jane and Lennie
Devoted, Dedicated & Dynamic Define Both the Business & It's Owner
We all have that one friend. The one person who, no matter what
we’re facing in our life, has the uncanny ability to just make us feel
better. The one friend who will look you square in the eye, tell you
to sit down, hand you a cup of coffee and then, with just one word, a
simple command of “talk”, can make you feel as if the weight of the
world has just been lifted off of your shoulders. And she does this
with such ease and grace, almost as if she is mysteriously perceptive,
with an unsurpassed intuition. Yet the reality is something much less
complex, though probably much more rare. She accomplishes this
simply by listening. And listening is a trait that she exhibits in both her
professional, as well as her personal life. “Listening is crucial to fulfilling
their needs and making it a fun, pleasant experience” Dona says, her head
turning slightly to the side as if she’s completely baffled that I would
even have to ask this question. “Most of our clients come in with a specific
home project in mind and are often over whelmed by the large selection of tile, stone
and wood we offer.” she continues “They’re not sure where to start. It’s a very
personal experience because we’re talking about something very important to them;
their home.”
Dona Danziger is both the inspirational force, as well as the
operational energy behind Clay Werks, located on Rt. 13 in Exmore.
With services provided to both homeowners as well as contractors,
there really seems to be almost nothing they can’t do. “We sell floor
and wall tile from inexpensive up to one of a kind” explains Dona “we offer
glass, stone and pebble mosaics, art tile, granite, marble and quartz counter tops,
prefinished wood floors, custom closets, and setting materials.” Pausing to think
a minute, she adds “Of course, we also provide design and technical assistance
and installation. From time to time we give training seminars about our trade
as well.” Glancing around the showroom, the displays of different
tiles and various granites and quartz all look amazing to me; there is
shiny and glossy; more subdued and subtle; each seem to be warm
and inviting, the selections seemingly endless. For a moment I pause
to consider our kitchen, and the countertops that I so desperately
Shore Secrets Holidays 2013
want to replace, my mind working overtime as I try to picture the
various paradigms in my own kitchen. As usual, Dona glances at
my face and instantly knows what I’m thinking. “Are you looking for a
contemporary, rustic or historic look?” she glances at me, giving me ample
time to respond, then continues “What colors are you looking to bring into
the space? Are you looking for low, medium or high end finishes?” As I answer
each question, Dona just nods, her arms folded casually across her
chest, her stance casual and comfortable. And once again, as she
steers me towards a specific group of archetypes, I am reminded yet
again of that amazing characteristic Dona has, she listens; she really,
really listens. The choices she now presented in front of me made
perfect sense; they are the exact impression I wanted to convey in my
kitchen, one that would create a warm, inviting atmosphere yet also
communicate a sense of understated elegance, the perfect balance, not
to mention, completely within the budget I had set for myself.
Most of you are probably thinking that a tile business; a company
that deals with renovations and construction and manual, physically
demanding components is not a business that is traditionally associated
with a female business owner; and you would be correct. But then,
Dona is not exactly your average person. Dona just laughs “It was
challenging, it still is, but I thrive on challenges.” Dona first began working
in the tile business before moving to the Shore, having managed a
tile showroom called Terra Cotta in the Princeton Forrestal Village in
New Jersey. “I’ve worked with clay and porcelain since the mid seventies” she
explained “I’ve always been interested in art ever since childhood.” Dona began
as an apprentice at the Bonn Studio, and then later, she was fortunate
to work with Laszlo Ispanky. “Ispanky is a fascinating Hungarian sculptor,
who created porcelain sculptures. I started out as a porcelain painter in his studio
of approximately 40 other artisans” Dona smiles softly, remembering, the
corners of her eyes giving away the fond, tender memories that her
recollection engenders. “I was promoted to Art Director in the early eighties.
Part of the job included giving porcelain painting seminars at fine gift shops around
Page 3
the country. Often times I was asked if a figurine was damaged could it be repaired.
I began to see a great need that was not being fulfilled and asked Laszlo if it was
acceptable for me to start a side business of porcelain restoration. He approved and
in 1976 Tristan Restorations was formed.”
This Key West Gold granite combined with a large format Italian tiled floor,
gives a warm yet elegant look to this remodeled home in Cashville.
To be successful in business, it takes a lot more than just knowledge
and hard work. In addition to those crucial elements, there is also one
other factor that is vital to a company’s longevity: intuition. And Dona
has a copious abundance of that quality as well. As time goes on,
the ebb and flow of the economy can have a devastating effect on
small, local businesses. You have to be able to reassess your product
at any given time and reevaluate its basic marketability in the present
time. “There were several recessions which obviously had an impact on expensive
porcelain figurine sales” explains Dona “I decided to change my profession
somewhat to a more functional medium, yet one that would still encompass art.
Once I discovered tile, its beauty and functionality, I was hooked.”
As far as the unique challenges of a woman owning and operating
such an atypical trade, once again, Dona turns her head defiantly to
the side, her eyebrows coming together as she gives me this sort of
half frown, half amused look. “Actually I never thought it unusual for a
women to start a business, why shouldn’t we? I knew what I wanted, set a goal
and made it happen.” Dona explains all of this straightforwardly, as if
it’s the most natural thing in the world. “It’s a lot of work but the principle
is simple. I will say it’s in part genetic, my parents taught me to be independent
and entrepreneurs run on both sides of my family. I took my first business license
out when I was fourteen years old. When you set a goal, research out the pros and
cons and really do your homework. It should not be a scary proposition because
you have facts.”
And while most people have that one, favorably inspirational
person in their past who helped shape the course of their choices,
Dona just laughs when I ask her who that might be, and though
laughing, you can also sense her sincerity. “When I was in my twenties, I
worked with a man at Ispanky Studios who was in his late forties.” she explains
“He would often make comments about how he wished he had done this or that
with his life. He wished he had made other choices in his life both personally and
professionally but it was the fear of the unknown that always stopped him and
because of that it made him to be a pessimistic person. I vowed to myself never to
become like him, I never wanted to have regrets. There have been a few mistakes
in my life but I still tried, it didn’t work out but I learned from them which made
them a very positive experience.”
Like any business, there are always folks behind the scenes that
can make or break both your attitude and your spirit, not to mention,
just make the path a lot easier to travel. "My mother encouraged me to
follow my dreams my whole life and she still is my rock" Dona says, sharing a
Page 4
contagious, beaming smile that radiates both love and respect "and my
sister Diane Lange helped me grow my business over the years." Talking for a
moment, Dona adds, and you can sense the emphasis and importance
she places on what she's about to say "And my partner, Jeff Madson, who
has worked with me since 2006 as our lead installer." Dona is proud, both
of his accomplishments as well as his interaction with the company
and rightfully so. "Jeff‘s skill level is one of the best in the entire mid-Atlantic
region." she explains "He moved out here in ’06 from Bozeman, Montana
because the winters were getting a little chilly for him although he does miss his
radical skiing. Jeff has a degree in design from Montana State University and over
forty years of experience in stone and tile. He has helped to elevate Clay Werks
to a new level."
Dona was born in South Jersey, but moved to Princeton in 1978.
But then something happened that would forever change her life. "I
discovered the Eastern Shore through sailing. I made just two, three day weekend
trips here, and ended up buying a house in Belle Haven in 1991." And Dona
loves the Shore, the simple uncomplicated lifestyle suits her perfectly.
"Professionally speaking, it's wonderful doing business in a tight knit community
because many of our clients have purchased from us several times over the years
and we’ve watched their families grow, children being born and then graduate from
school, we’ve shared many life events with them. Our best form of advertising is
word of mouth and on the Shore word spreads quickly" Dona explains, and
then adds "Exmore is a great place to have a business and I’ve seen it grow, as
I suspected it would, over the years plus it’s centrally located for our customers from
Chincoteague to Cape Charles." Her love of the Shore and its people are
easy to read as she talks, fervently, ardently about her life here. "The
Eastern Shore has so many amazing people, many born and raised here going
back generations, being a history buff I love hearing about their family history.
I’ve met people from all walks of life from all over the globe with an array of
professions that have walked through my showroom doors which I might not have
met." she continues, showing yet another, giving and generous side
of her nature "I’m a people person and feel blessed to have met them; many a
friendship has been made over the years. During hurricane Sandy, Jeff and I called
a few of them that were older and living alone just to check on them and see if they
needed help with anything. Others are new to the area and I enjoy helping them
with the transition of a new life on the Shore."
Dona proudly introduces Ken Cuccinelli at a recent ESVA GOP fundraiser held
in April this year.
On a personal level, the laid back atmosphere, the calm and
peaceful lifestyle blend in well with the hobbies she is passionate
about. "I’ve always loved history and go through periods of time focusing on a
specific person. I’ve read Carl Sandberg’s massive four volume set on Abraham
Lincoln and studied Mary Queen of Scots along with the entire Romanov family
starting with Peter the Great" barely pausing, she continues with a warm
smile "I remember clearly it was my fourth grade teacher, Mr. Forrest, who lit that
fire for a love of history." Of course reading about history isn't the only
thing Dona enjoys. "I also love to cook, especially northern Italian and bake. I
have a killer cheesecake recipe, low calorie of course, not!" she laughs, a hearty,
reflective laugh that generates from deep inside her soul, genuine "Of
course, at the showroom as well as at home, I always listen to music, music can
change a mood in a flash. I enjoy classic rock, jazz, classical and some country;
it all depends on the mood. My favorite band is the Beatles and my favorite song
is Norwegian Wood." Her smile lights up further, touching the expanse
of her face, as she adds "My partner, Jeff, plays guitar locally, sometimes solo
and sometimes with his band called Off the Hook. Our clients get a kick out of
seeing this completely different side of him." Then, turning somber, almost
peaceful she adds steadfastly, with both a personal conviction and
resolution "It seems fitting to incorporate my spiritual side and my relationship
with God."
Dona opened Clay Werks in September, 1991. She originally
turned a few rooms into studios at the house she and her husband had
purchased in Belle Haven, and kept the porcelain restoration business
that she had started in 1976 going. "The porcelain made the transition down
here easier because the work was shipped in from all over the county. I also hand
painted tiles, but after a couple of years we needed more space." Dona explains
"There was a small commercial building for sale in Exmore that was purchased
and it allowed me to bring in some floor tiles and art tile lines while still doing the
restoration work." And that is perhaps when Dona found her real niche,
and the work she would later become so respected and admired for.
"The tile end of the business grew quickly as no one else was offering tile locally.
You couldn’t even find plain white grout here in 1991" Dona remembers,
almost comically "Clay Werks was the very first complete tile showroom on the
Shore, so word spread very quickly. There came a time in the late ‘90’s when I had
to decide between restoration and tile. I selected to continue to build up the tile end
of the business for several reasons: I always loved the design and function of tile
first and foremost, there was a great need and rather than sit in a studio it allowed
me to interact more with people."
This breathtaking 6” x 12” hand painted art tile is created by Ron Goeke Studio, the majestic stance of the herons lends an exquisite look to this kitchen.
And interacting with people is something Dona does well. No,
that's not a fair statement, not just well. It's an arena in which she
excels. "After I moved Clay Werks to Exmore in the mid nineties, the town
was just starting to make a comeback and I became involved in the Exmore
Revitalization Committee. Our group encouraged new business to open in town
and one of the first to answer that call was the Exmore Antique Emporium."
Dona explains "We also held Town Halls to help educate and draw attention
for the need of wastewater treatment within the town. I was also on the Board
of Directors for the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce." But
like most things in life, when Dona gets involved, she gets involved
200%. "Recently I helped several other contractors start the Builders Association
of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, that's BAVES for short" she grins, then turns
serious again "We’ve never had a Builders Association on the Shore and again,
there was a great need for one. It’s been very positive for our members as they
have a unified voice; we’ve created a good relationship with both Accomack and
Northampton Zoning officials and we hold Meet n’ Greets for the building trades
and put out a quarterly newsletter. It’s also beneficial for homeowners to have one
source to go to when they are searching for a specific trade." Laughing she adds
"I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a plug for this organization, so can you mention their
website address is www.baves.org?
This Falkinberg, a massive 9’x 5’ shower with natural pebble floor in Atlantic
presents an elegant, natural theme with maximum functionality.
But of course, once you get to know Dona, you cannot think
of her community involvement without your thoughts immediately
turning to politics, a showground where once again, Dona thrives,
passionately. And although there are many business owners who
prefer to not get involved politically, once again, Dona is not your
average person, by any stretch of the imagination. "Like most folks, my
relatives immigrated to America. They went through much hardship just to get
here and start a new life" Dona tries to explain part of the reason behind
her passion. "Voting is so very important. I’m a proud conservative and active
member of the Accomack Republican Unit Committee. The GOP reflects my
principles and because my principles are important to me it’s only natural that
I want to share them with others." Yet having known Dona for quite a
few years, in fact, having worked with her on more than one political
endeavor, I was not in the least surprised when she added "I have respect
for other people’s viewpoints and have had many an interesting debate. The political
climate right now is as stressed as I’ve ever seen it so it’s even more important
for everyone to keep these debates respectful and courteous. This is how America
gets things done. We are supposed to be involved on local, State and National
issues, it’s who we are." Professionally, personally as well as politically,
Dona is a hands on kind of person. She doesn't just talk the talk, she
is definitely one who walks the walk, and consequently many of her
most enthusiastic arguments are based not on opinion, but on simple,
first hand facts. "I know there are people that feel their one vote doesn’t matter
but I can tell you it does. I’ve been to conventions where I’ve seen a Senate candidate
lose by just four votes. Four votes!" she adds with emphasis.
Perhaps because of her fondness for history, Dona has excelled in
the area of historic renovations as well. "I’ve always had a great fondness for
historic homes; I’ve owned two homes from the Civil War era." she begins, then
continues with a more animated tone "I believe any renovation to a historic
home should be to keep it as historically accurate as possible while incorporating
the modern conveniences which are not always an easy task to accomplish. Often
the walls are not square and plumb, they have little or no insulation in the walls
or the floors are unlevel due to decades of settling." But not surprisingly, Dona
has made sure that even these challenges can be tackled, and perfected
Page 5
"We have several manufacturers that offer tiles based on historic designs and our
wood line by Columbia Flooring is pre finished and many are wide plank with a
hand scraped finish." Of course, the final product is often the real test
of accomplishment, and with all the attention to detail, and highest
quality standards that she has become known by, once again, Dona
finishes with a smile "It’s especially rewarding to complete a project in an older
home and visit the site after it’s turned back to the homeowner. To see the work in
context with the rest of the home all fresh but looking completely in keeping with
the details from the rest of the home is something so gratifying."
It will come as no surprise to learn that Dona is only getting
started. “Professionally, I would like to open up another location in Accomack
County” and then once again laughing, yet with a completely serious
undertone, she adds “on the personal side, I’d like to spend more time in the
Great Northwest, especially Coeur d’Alene Idaho, it’s magnificent country.”
The Art Tile area of the showroom shows just a small sampling of the various
artists. Their selection is awesome, any design you choose can be painted.
Across the board, you come to realize that Dona is not merely
dedicated to those things in her life that she loves and is passionate
about, she is downright tenacious, refusing to give in to obstacles,
refusing to hear the words “can’t” or “won’t.” And naturally, she applies
that amazing quality to her business as well as her personal life. “I
always strive to be the absolute best and to always look for ways to improve” she
says “Too often small business owners set their course and don’t adapt to the ever
changing needs of their clients or their business market such as the economy, new
trends, better technology and new products.” And once again, Dona doesn’t
speak without experience. “I’ve been through several recessions and the one
that we are starting to come out of now has been a severe one. Fortunately I cut
our overhead early on and made some other internal changes. Just before the cliff
about forty percent of our business was new construction. We all know that market
has since contracted but the trend we’ve seen the last three years has been that the
homeowners are doing major renovations and/or building additions. They realize
they are staying put in their homes longer now and are upgrading versus building
new for the most part.” You may notice how I keep using that word
to describe Dona and the attitude she has towards the many, varied
projects she takes on in her life; passionate. As if to prove my point,
she adds, that beautiful, welcoming smile that tells you once again,
she’s been listening to you, and she knows instinctively where you are
headed with a thought or question “Another secret is do what you love and love
what you do and always have a sense of humor because life is not a dress rehearsal.”
Bryant McGill once said: "One of the most sincere forms of respect is
actually listening to what another has to say." Perhaps that one statement
goes as far in describing Dona as any words I could have written
here today. Because once again, Dona listens. And by listening, she is
saying that she respects you, that she gives your thoughts and feelings
significance and importance. And those of us who know her, both on
a personal and a professional level, are blessed with the privilege.
Page 6
Best Auto
Parts Store
of the Shore!
2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012
Santa Says
HW Drummond
makes his Holiday
Shopping Easy!
Stop by today and
check out their full line
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supplies as well as
gifts for your home
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Gear Up For the Season!
HW Drummond carries a full line of marine supplies
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HW Drummond Also Offers:
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Home & Garden Supplies
Farm & Agricultural Equipment
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15383 Merry Cat Ln • Belle Haven, VA
www.hwdrummond.com
Best Veterinarian
2011 &
2012
of the Shore!
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2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012
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Page 7
Let Us Give Thanks, Actively
As I often do, when I am preparing myself to sit down and write,
I will do a little research into the premise of what I want to convey.
Sometimes, that takes the form of learning more about a subject. But
often times, I merely want to express a thought, a fleeting ideal, one
that can be summed up by the use of a powerful word. And so, as I sat
down to write today, thinking about all of the wondrous things there
are to be thankful for and how to share them, I decided perhaps I
should see exactly how Webster’s defined the word, thankful. And that
my dear readers, pretty much stopped me in my tracks.
Now I am not one to go arguing with a trusted source such as
Webster’s. But this? Well, this time I think they got it all wrong. I was
so sure of it in fact, that I checked numerous other dictionaries, but
no, they all said the same thing. Thankful is an adjective. In fact, the
word “thank” is only a transitive verb. What? So now I had to delve
into the meaning of adjective, and transitive. But I digress, back to my
point. Thankful, thank; anything to do with gratitude, well to me, that
should be a verb. When I am thankful, my heart is moving, my prayers
are in motion; I am fluid. Being thankful is a feeling, an emotion that
should never be still, rather, an activity that you engage in, frequently.
I thought back to my days in high school, days when we thought we
knew so much and would so sarcastically throw around the question
of “exactly how does this apply to real life?” And with a feeling somewhat
akin to those long ago days of giddiness, I had to ask myself “how does
this apply to real life?” And so, I thought perhaps I’d do a little research
of my own.
Michael Bruno of Onancock writes: “First of all I am always thankful just for the time I have to spend living life. We never know when it will end and
all of us should make the most of it and never take it for granted. I’m thankful
for the children I have that want to share their lives with me and the time we get
to spend together. I’m thankful for the circle of friends I have that are more family
than just friends. Blood isn’t always what makes family. Thankful for my wife and
that I get to share life’s ups and downs with her. Being thankful for the things I
have no control over, things that could be much different than they actually are some
of the daily blessings in life.” There are those words: living, sharing. Verbs.
Jean Savage of Melfa wrote to share a few of the things that mean
so much to her: “ I am so thankful God has placed me with a wonderful loving
and caring family, the Savages. We have shared many happy memories over the
past 47 years, since I became a member of this family. We have celebrated all the
holidays from Christmas to Thanksgiving and all the family birthdays in between.
We are missing many of our family members now, but they will always be with us
as we gather together and share many of those memories each year.” Again, sharing, celebrating. Words of action.
And another, Sarah Thornton Laird of Parksley shares her special
blessings with us: “I am forever thankful for the hope I have in God and His
unwavering love for us. Also, for the little moments that make up our lives; good
belly laughs, a sunset over the water, a good cup of coffee on a quiet morning,
watching a child’s delight in the littlest of things.” Linda Baylis Spence of
Exmore expressed similar sentiments when she said: “I am thankful for
my relationship with God through Christ and the wonderful family and friends he
has given me.”
As I read through the responses, I sense a dynamic thread that
binds our most intimate emotions; a solid, shared sensation of life, of
hope and prayers, of the most basic, most venerable of elements that
make up the quality of our lives. Laurie Bohl Wayman of Belle Haven
writes expressing a vital, eloquent and bare truth: “I am thankful for a
job and a roof to put over my children’s head, I’m thankful for surrounding myself
with positive family and friends who I can trust with my everything I have. Most
of all I thank God my kids are all healthy and are able to enjoy what childhood
Page 8
is all about.” Dana Tuttle McDaniel of Parksley expresses a similar philosophy: “I am thankful to have a family and for being able to spend time with
them. They are who matters the most to me each and every day.”
For some of us, our reason for giving thanks bares pain interspersed with joy. Ashley Lewis of Melfa shares her poignant thoughts
for this year with us: “I’m thankful for my family never losing faith, through
the loss of my dad last year, my family never lost faith in God or each other. We
never questioned our faith either, instead we embrace the lessons God drew for us
and we continue to do so every day. My father, whether on heaven or earth, teaches
us a new lesson each waking moment.”
Karen Windsor of New Church, really pulled at my heart strings,
sharing so many feelings and emotions that I too, have endured. She
wrote: “I am thankful that I was born to the wonderful couple that have taught
me so much individually, as well as together. Since my Daddy passed away the day
before Thanksgiving in 1992, the holidays were not my favorite time of the year.
My Daddy loved the holidays and he let it show too! The first couple of years I was
crying as soon as my eyes opened every Wednesday before Thanksgiving and wishing I could skip the months of November and December. It hit me that Daddy
would want us to be happy, so together we had our big dinner! We laughed, we cried,
we spoke of the past when Daddy was here and had his traditions such as giving
me a test bite of turkey when it was done, and seeing who could get the TV on first
for the football game and most of all, who would be the first one to dig everything
out after it had been put away. Without even thinking about it, it just happened.
Together we learned that somehow, Daddy was still a part of our Thanksgiving
even though he was not there in body. Christmas Eve was the only day of the year
that Daddy and I could spend together. After Daddy put the Turkey in the oven
for Mom, he and I would head out to grab all the last items needed for dinner that
night or for Christmas Day. When I turned about fourteen, we realized that we
didn’t need anything at all, so it was just a day that we could spend together just
him and me. This is the thing I will forever miss. So now I relive that day by going
through the memories and thanking God that I have those holidays to carry us
through. I am so thankful that I have Mom, Stephie, Robert, my son-in-law Brian
and the love of my life my Grandson Cody.”
Other’s give thanks for more specific reasons that express an understanding and acceptance that is both beautiful and moving. Kevin
Lovell of Deep Creek shares his private, esteemed stance: “I’m thankful
first and foremost to be clean and sober, for sixteen years now. Some addicts don’t
make it out. And I’m thankful for my two grandkids, they are the light in my life.
I think this is why God helped me to be clean and sober, for them. I’m thankful
to be able to do just about anything I want, and to still have enough brain cells left
to make a decent living.”
And me? My mind-set is indeed analogous. I am thankful for my
family; both those that have left us, for the lessons they taught me, the
loved they shared with me, the life they gave me wings to explore; and
for my son and daughter who remind me every single day that I have
given something beautiful and important to this world, knowing that
they will carry on our families legacy; the ideals, principles and faith
that has been the innate cornerstone of all that we are. I am thankful
for their love, their loyalty, their diligence, and so very, very thankful
for their friendship. I am thankful for my extended family, my daughter in law for the love and laughter she has brought into my life, my
grandchildren for sharing their unique perspective of life with me and
allowing me the privilege of watching them grow into amazing young
adults. And I am more than simply thankful for my grandson John
who has shown me that love truly has no limits, that the simple fabric
of life is made more powerful just by his presence, and reminding me
that dreams do indeed come true, I see them clearly in the path of his
footsteps. I am thankful for life, for the opportunity to share and love
and laugh and cry and live, just live. I am thankful for my memories,
cherished times that will forever warm my heart, and the knowledge
that there are so many more left to be made. I am thankful to you, our
readers and advertisers, who invite us into your homes and allow us
to share a part of our lives with you. And I am so very thankful that I
have the ability to not just say ‘thank you” but to have the commitment
to physically thank; to give, to share, to love with all my heart.
Naomi Williams said: “It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in
the same moment.” So this holiday season, when we have a tendency to
push ourselves beyond our limits, when we miss our loved ones, or are
exhausted and cranky or just feeling down from all we feel may be on
our shoulders, let’s try something. This holiday season, let’s make the
decision to prove Webster’s wrong. Let’s all, each and every one of us,
treat “thankful” as a verb. Let’s actively be thankful this holiday season;
act on it, do it, live it.
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Page 9
A Day in the Life of a Fisherman
There are few things in our life that produce an instant serenity
more so than spending a day on the water. The mind has the rare opportunity to just float, to daydream about things more satisfying than
our daily lives; the body has the ability to relax, allowing ourselves to
just kick back and take in the quiet, unadulterated beauty that surrounds us. And I can think of no better way to spend a day with our
children, than a day spent on the water fishing. Herbert Hoover once
said: “Fishing is much more than fish. It is the occasion when we may return to the
fine simplicity of our forefathers.” And what an accurate description that is!
Fishing is hoping and dreaming and learning and appreciating. Such
fundamental elements in the foundation of childhood.
“Colin and I made so many great memories over these fifteen days. We fished with
my brother and his two girls, and had the opportunity to reunite with a childhood
friend of mine, Richie Turner, and my son and I went out on his boat fishing
along with his son Conway.” Perhaps remembering their own childhood
friendship growing up, Josh smiled warmly “Colin and Conway became
fast friends and had a blast catching fish and playing on some of the small islands
around the creeks that make the Eastern Shore so beautiful.” It was interesting
to hear about the different aspects of the tournament and what each
took away from it. “One of my favorite times was when we got up early to go
fishing and got to watch the sunrise out on the water with my son.” explained
Josh “Yet one of the things Colin really enjoyed was turning in the fish at Don’s
Tackle Shop. He liked talking with Don and all the other employees about his
fish and walking around the shop looking at all the fishing gear.” It was obvious the tournament spoke to Josh of so much more that the average
idea people have when they think about any kind of tournament. “I
think the most important thing about this tournament was the time the parents
and grandparents spent with their children. The memories these children made
will not soon be forgotten. In addition, I think it helps reinforce how beautiful and
unique our area is to the next generation. It’s great to see these parents get involved
and to see the smiles on the children’s faces as they were recognized at the ceremony.
If you were to take anything from this tournament, it’s how important it is to be
involved in your child’s life.” Smiling broadly, he adds “Both of us cannot wait
to participate in this tournament again next year.”
Fellow anglers Colin Ford and Conway Turner share a quiet moment of camaraderie during the Youth Croaker Tournament hosted by Don’s Tackle Shop.
And perhaps Don Varney, of Don’t Tackle Shop in Wachapreague
may have had a few of these thoughts in mind as he planned this year’s
first Youth Croaker Tournament, an amazing event that drew fiftyseven children between the ages of three and fourteen from all up and
down the Eastern Shore of Virginia. “We started the tournament because
you never hear about any types of fishing activities other than the Angler’s Club
Kids Day here on the Eastern Shore” said Don “The children were so excited
and happy to be part of the tournament! Some of the children fished every day of
the 2 week tournament. Many parents were worn out from fishing so much, but
everyone enjoyed being a part of it.”
Seaworthy Marine, Little Pungo Ruritan Club, and Trident Tackle
helped to sponsor the event, and Chris’ Bait & Tackle, Capt. Steve’s
Bait & Tackle, and Eastern Shore Outfitters helped with registrations
and fish check-in.
“There were two daily winners” Don explained “and also a weekly winner
for total length of all fish each week. Of course, there was a grand prize winner
for total length of all the fish caught during the tournament.” Some of the
prizes included Rod & Reel Combos, Tackle Boxes, Terminal Tackle
and Fishbites Bait, as well as the grand prize of a trip for four to Busch
Gardens. Don smiled “My favorite part of the tournament was watching the
kids checking in the fish each day. The children and parents usually had a story
about their fishing trip that day and I loved to hear about it.”
The tournament ran from July 27th through August 9th, followed
by a picnic and awards ceremony on August 10th. “The tournament was
a great experience for the children fishing as much as the parents and grandparents
helping them.” says Josh Ford, who participated with his son, Colin.
Page 10
Kids entering the tournament had the opportunity to experience many different
forms of nature and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Fellow father and angler Richie Turner also couldn’t say enough
good things about the experience. “Conway got to spend fifteen days on the
water fishing, so you know he had a good time” Richie laughs. “He enjoyed
catching the jelly fish when the fish weren’t biting, or taking a break from the fishing and walking around on the bayside beaches.” It’s obvious that, like Josh,
Richie took away some very special memories from the event as well.
“Every day was special” Richie says “All the trips were memorable. From the
‘fish whisperer’ stories, to the ‘I grew up in Parksley’ conversations, to thrill of
watching the kids reel in the fish and exploring all that nature has to offer.” And
that led to even more memories. “They saw turtles, got to catch jelly fish and
crabs, just being out in the elements.” Conway even got to take his grandfather along with him one day, which made for priceless memories that
will never be forgotten. “I remember when his Mom signed him up, I thought
it was great we would get to fish for fifteen days straight” Richie says “but by the
end of the first week, my hands hurt, I was tired. But I knew I couldn’t let my son
down, he was super pumped about this.” Throughout the tournament, Conway caught fourteen different species of fish, along with some turtles,
and lots of crabs. Richie smiled, a smile stretching from ear to ear “If
I had to sum it all up, I’d have to say, Life is good by the bay!” he laughed. “The
priceless looks on those kids faces made it all worth it.”
Perhaps Doug Larson was right on target when he said “If people
concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” The Youth Croaker Tournament will definitely be an event
these kids will carry with them in their hearts through adulthood. And
it’s a safe bet each and every one of them will be back next year.
And Don says that’s definitely in the works, so make sure you plan
to get your kids out there next year. As for this year’s event, when all
was said and done, first place in the tournament went to Christopher
Turner, followed by Conway Turner in second place.
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Page 11
As soon as the sign went up in the little strip mall at Four Corner
Plaza in Onley, it caught my eye. A silly, whimsical pickle adorned the
glass door, enjoying a fully loaded submarine sandwich. The brightly
colored, comical caricature made you smile. And although once you
step inside and experience one of their many choices of subs or
sandwiches, you will most assuredly still be smiling; but you will also
come to realize that owner Chuck Pawin’s passion for food is anything
but whimsical.
Laughing, Chuck explains that in fact, he's been cooking most of
his life. By the time he had turned eighteen, he was already working
in the restaurant industry, so it was an easy jump for him to begin
working as a Sous-Chef at the prestigious Grenville Tavern in Bay
Head, New Jersey when he was nineteen, and subsequently, agree to
head over to culinary school when they suggested it. "They trained us
in the art of pastas and different kinds of seafood mostly" explains Chuck,
glancing over his shoulder to check on the large, succulent meatballs
that are gently simmering behind him. "It was a specialty course, the owner
of the Grenville recommended it."
From New Jersey, Chuck headed down to Miami to test his skills
there, but really hated the climate. "I was there eight or nine months" he
laughs "that was enough of that climate for me." And so he headed out to
San Diego to experience life there. "I worked in a couple different places out
there" says Chuck "A Mexican Restaurant, and Poor Boys Sub Shop. But it
still wasn't what I was looking for, so I headed back home."
When he arrived back in New Jersey, Chuck immediately found a
position working in an upscale seafood and lobster house, Jack Baker's
Wharfside in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Glancing over their menu,
you can begin to understand that it was here that Chuck felt at home.
Maryland Crab cakes, Stuffed or Coconut Shrimp, Stuffed Flounder
along with a multitude of Seafood combinations all sound surprisingly
Page 12
similar to menus found at the finer restaurants here on the Shore.
Chuck had found a niche, and he excelled at it. Yet, still not certain
that he wanted to remain in New Jersey, his wanderlust again took
over and he headed for the brighter lights of Atlantic City. "I didn't
care for that either" explains Chuck. And so, in search of that elusive
spot where he could put down some roots and start his life, twenty
years ago, Chuck traveled down the Eastern Shore, and finally found
himself "at home."
Chuck's wife Jessica was born and raised in Parksley, and so, it
made sense that Chuck and his wife would settle into the little town of
Parksley, and subsequently, have never left. In fact, most of his family
have followed him to the Shore and live here now. It should come
as no surprise that Chuck immediately sought out restaurants where
he could further enhance his already considerable skill, and almost
immediately, he began working at the Trawler, an extremely popular
restaurant that was located in Exmore. He stayed there for two years
before making the decision to go to Bill's Seafood on Chincoteague,
and once there, the restaurants well deserved reputation for excellent,
both innovative and traditionally prepared seafood, a true chic dining
experience on the Shore; well Chuck obviously blended in perfectly,
for it is there, at Bill's, that he remained for twelve years.
"When I left there, the owner over at The Village on Chincoteague knew I was
looking for work, so he offered me the opportunity to finish out the season there."
Chuck explains "From there I went down to the Club Car in Parksley, followed
by a few months at the Upper Deck in Pocomoke." But then, as his wife was
facing some problems securing employment due to a disability, they
talked it over and decided there was no time like the present, so after
looking around for a location, and many nights weighing out what
kind of venue was needed here on the Shore, on July 13, 2012, Pickles
was officially opened.
And here may be a good time to tell you that their menu, like the
whimsical Pickle, can definitely be misleading. One glance at the menu
and you will find many of the popular submarine or deli sandwiches
that come to mind when you think of a great luncheon spot. But I can
promise you, there is absolutely nothing "ordinary" about these subs
and sandwiches, in fact, everything they offer at Pickle's rises so many
notches above "ordinary" as to be completely off the charts. "Everything
we do here is made fresh" Chuck explains "We don't do prepackaged, sliced
meats. When you order a sub or sandwich, the meat you choose is cut fresh, for
your sandwich." And every morning, they make fresh, homemade potato
chips, some of the best I've ever had in fact, and they are served to
accompany each sandwich order. But don't forget about the fries
either! "Our fries are made to order, we don't make them in advance. If you
order french fries we make them right on the spot." Chuck explains.
The whimsical pickle announcing that you’ve arrived is just the beginning of
the smiles you’ll find once you step inside the little deli.
But of course, it doesn't stop there. The pickles they serve come
straight from Chicago. "I saw them, tasted them and thought, that's it, that's
what I want. They are a garlic dill, a great accompaniment for our sandwiches"
says Chuck, adding "When I order something for the restaurant, I don't even
look at the price, I order for quality, for the customers enjoyment." And it shows.
A sub from Pickles is incredible; packed thickly with fresh, succulent
and flavorful meats. Adorned with freshly cut lettuce or tomatoes if
you so desire, and your choices run the gambit from your traditional
lettuce, tomato and onions to a more hearty, caramelized onion,
sautéed mushrooms, those crisp, delicious pickles I just mentioned, to
six different types of cheeses. The sub roll itself is just firm enough
to be substantial, yet tender enough to not make you feel as if you're
having to battle your food to enjoy a bite. You can choose from an
eight inch, or a colossal, enormous sixteen inch, expertly prepared for
the hungriest appetites.
Not in the mood for a sub? Don't worry, there's more, lots
more. Deli sandwiches in any combination or choice. A ham sandwich
from Pickles is so thick you can barely manage to get your mouth
around the pliable, moist bread, the onions we opted for providing
a perfect bite to the slightly sweet, beautifully fresh shaved ham. You
might want to try their "Thanksgiving On a Bun" which instantly caught
my daughters eye, and what she proclaimed as one of the very best
sandwiches she'd ever eaten. Fresh sliced turkey, delicately seasoned
stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce with pecans, all served on a
brioche bun. Does it get any better? Well, that depends. In the mood
for a hamburger? All their burgers are hand formed right there in
the little kitchen, and you can even "Build Your Own Burger" a feature
that offers you so many options you'll want to try them all. You can
add an extra paddy, one or more choices of cheese, and of course, all
the fixings you can envision. If you opt for a hot dog, be prepared to
witness a foot long dog placed in front of you, and I strongly suggest
you ask for it with their “onion sauce”. When I asked Chuck exactly what
that was, he stumbled around a couple of explanations that included
various condiments before saying "I don't know, you have to try it, it's a
blend of a lot of different things." Bringing me a small spoonful to sample,
I understood his inability to describe it. Tart, yet sweet, full bodied
with a piquant bite, one spoonful and I wanted more, I could have
literally sat there and eaten a bowl of that stuff, spoonful by spoonful.
Chicken salad is your choice? Then you might want to know that
they made that fresh this morning from a chicken they roasted right
there in their oven. Tuna salad, made fresh. Meatballs? Hand formed
and made fresh every day. All of their seafood is not only fresh, but
local. "We get all of our seafood from Edwards, right across the street" explains
Chuck "They have great quality, and we know it’s thre freshest we can get. That's
what we're looking for here."
Of course, the one thing that always is a defining feature in
any local restaurant, at least for me, is just what they do with crab
cakes. And in this realm, Chuck not only excels, he prevails in a
gloriously triumphant lead. To begin, it's all crab meat. Yes, all of
it. The seasoning is subtle, just enough to remind you of the more
traditional flavors associated with blue crabs, yet proudly allowing the
sweet, robust flavor of the crabmeat itself to burst through. And the
crab cake itself is ample, thick, a gently crispy, golden brown, fried to
absolute, amazingly tantalizing perfection. Naturally, there are other
choices there as well if you want to join them for dinner. They offer
several different open face sandwiches: Turkey, roast beef; or you can
choose a hamburger steak and of course, their crab cake dinner. In
the mood for a steak? Then have your steak cooked to order on a real
charcoal grill; the hearty flavor both robust and juicy. You'll find other
specials as well: Chicken and dumplings, Pasta and Meatballs, other
specialties that Chuck designs with pleasing his customers in mind.
And of course the desserts.
Thanksgiving on a Bun consists of freshly sliced turkey, delicious dressing and
an extraordinary pecan cranberry sauce. You’ll be back for more!
And talking about desserts, it's almost hard to know where to
start. Laughing, Chuck explains "You might find anything from one day to the
next, you just have to stop by and see what we have." You'll find Rice Krispie
Treats, a smooth, rich Crème Brule. Perhaps there will be cheesecakes,
or like today, a rich, sweet Chocolate Lava Cake. They always have
homemade brownies, and then, whatever else they feel like cooking
up. "We had this thing yesterday, not sure what you'd call it, what do you think
Jessica, maybe something like a Thanksgiving Torte?" he looks back to get
affirmation from his wife. "It had a shortbread cookie crust, then a layer of
pumpkin pie. You bake it, then put a layer of cheesecake on top of that. Then,
Page 13
top it off with a honey granola on top of that." My mouth starting to water,
just at the description, Chuck follows my eyes up to the counter "No"
he laughs "There's none left, that didn't last long at all."
And remember I told you most of Chuck's family followed him
here to the Shore? Well, many of you might recognize his Mom,
Nancy, from the years she's spent at The Club Car Cafe. "Mom helps out
here too" says Chuck affectionately "She cooks, preps, she does it all."
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Thinly sliced fresh corned beef, piled high and accented by lettuce, tomatoes
and onions, topped off with a delcious deli mustard was my choice of the day.
Another feature of the quaint, attractively decorated little deli
that will bring a smile to your face are quite simply, the owners
themselves. Chuck and Jessica are both personable, friendly, and
eager to welcome you into their ever growing family of customers,
and by natural progression, friends. Chuck’s enthusiasm for his talent,
his ability to prepare any dish beyond your wildest expectations,
lends a delightful zeal to any conversation you may have about food
(definnitely one of my favorite topics); while Jessica is warm and open,
a genuine and happy smile dancing at the corners of her mouth while
she chats amicably with customers, asking about their day. Both are
equally, honestly glad to see you, each of them sincerely appreciative
of everyone they meet.
Chuck and Jessica enjoy the small town atmosphere and the folks
that become regular customers. "You get to know your customers" Chuck
explains "You know what they like, what they want. It also reminds you that you
really have to watch your p's and q's" he laughs, almost admonishly so "if
you want repeat business, then you need to make sure you offer them something to
make them come back." Pausing for a moment, Chuck continues, nodding
before he speaks "That's really it in a nutshell. Consistency is the key. I want
people to know that if they come in here today and enjoy something, then they can
come back in a year and enjoy the same thing, it's not going to change. I will never
sacrifice the quality of what we serve, it's always going to adhere to my standards.
Yes, consistency, that's what I want people to know about us."
And of course, at the end of the day, we all have our own
personal measures of success. "I'd say 95% of our business right now are
repeat customers" Chuck smiles, proudly, and deservedly so. "I kind of feel
like you must be doing something right when you keep seeing the same people over
and over again."
I would have to say that he's definitely "doing it right" as he says.
In fact, maybe even a little better than right, he's doing it flawlessly;
with flavor. And as I'm sure you've figured out, we are now one of his
frequent repeat customers that he strives for, but more importantly,
it's a safe bet you will be too once you give it a try. You definitely won’t
be sorry, and your taste buds will be singing the happy song once they
have tasted some of Chuck’s culinary treats. But I warn you, you won’t
stop at just one visit. You’ll be back. Repeatedly. Just like us.
Page 14
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Page 15
Recipes to Rave About
Cold weather means I’m back in the kitchen as much
as possible, and the approaching holidays means I’m desparately searching for some
new and exciting dishes to try. Enjoy these personal favorites of our family!
Delicious Apricot Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 cup Apricot preserves
1/2 cup honey
1 pckg dry onion soup mix
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Cover the bottom of an 8 x 8 x 2” baking dish that has been sprayed
with cooking spray with the blue berries. I normally use about 2 1/2
- 3 cups of berries because thats the way we like it! Drizzle the lemon
juice over the berries and toss gently so they are all covered. Mix the
flour, salt, baking powder, cooking oil, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and
milk together and spread over the berries. Boil one cup water and add
sugar and cornstarch in a separate bowl , blending well. Pour water
and sugar mixture on top of the dough and berries. Bake in preheated
350 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes until browned on top. This is
absolutely delicious with vanilla ice cream!
Years ago, we had a broccoli casserole that we had fallen in love with, but never
could quite grasp the recipe. This one nails it!
Broccoli Casserole
Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken breasts and put into a casserole
dish. Set aside. Mix remaining ingredients, stirring well, and pour over
chicken. Measure ginger and cloves according to taste. (I always use
more, we like the added spice) Cover with aluminum foil and bake in
preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serve over rice.
At our house, we love potatoes and are always looking for new, easy ways to dress
them up and prepare them. We just found this recipe and it was a huge hit!
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
3 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled
Olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1 tsp rosemary, broken up
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut clean, unpeeled potatoes into serving
sized chunks and put into a bowl. Cover potatoes with olive oil and
mix lightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary, coat well and
place all into a baking pan. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for about
45 minutes, or until fork tender.
9 x 13 baking dish
1 large bag of broccoli stalks
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 can mushroom soup
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup grated cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
Cook broccoli spears and drain, then place in bottom of a 9 x 13”
baking dish evenly. Mix remaining ingredients until well blended
and pour over broccoli. Spread the crushed Ritz crackers on top of
casserole and cover with aluminum foil. (I don’t normally use the
whole sleeve, it makes too much topping in our opinion) Bake at 375
degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned.
Somewhere between an apple dumpling, and an apple cobbler and a fresh apple pie,
this is ridiculously quick and easy and will have folks begging for more!
Easy Apple Dumplings
Fresh Blueberry Cake
2 Green Apples
2 tube (8 oz.) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ground Cinnamon
1 cup Sprite
2 + cups fresh blueberries
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tblsp cooking oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into
8 slices. Unroll tubes of crescent rolls and separate each tube into 8
pieces. On each roll, sprinkle cinnamon to taste. Add one apple slice
to each slice. Roll up into a bundle. Continue with remaining squares
of dough. Spray an 9 X 12” pan with cooking spray, and place all
dumplings into baking dish. Mix melted butter with sugar and vanilla
and pour butter mixture over crescent rolls. Pour Sprite around the
edges of the crescent rolls. Sprinkle cinnamon over top of rolls to
taste. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes. Wonderful
served with vanilla ice cream!
My daughter loves anything to do with blueberries, though not quite as fond of
sweets. So when I first prepared this cake, I was thrilled to hear her exclaim that
she was quite sure what she would find waiting for her at Heaven’s gate!
Topping:
1 Tblsp cornstarch • 1/4 cup sugar • 1 cup boiling water
Page 16
Want Us to Search Out A Recipe or Have a
Favorite Recipe to Share?
email: editor@shoresecretsmagazine.com
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Page 17
Page 18
Every once in a while you come across something in your life
that impresses you so much that you’re literally speechless, unable to
describe the feelings it stirs within you. You all know the type of feeling
I’m talking about. Sometimes it may be a song, the words reaching
deep within your soul to pull out emotions you hadn’t even realized
were hidden. Or it may be the music itself, the extraordinary blend
of instruments blending together to create a sound that resonates
throughout your heart and mind. It may be an artist, a work they have
captured so realistically that the cold crisp air bites at your cheeks,
as you watch the majestic geese fly off above a snow covered field.
And of course, it can also be a photographer. The imagery portrayed
through her lens placing you right there along side of her, the
landscape defined by subtle lighting, or the colors so vibrant that you
can actually taste the sweet nectar of the honeysuckle growing on the
vine, smell the sweet, cloying aroma of the roses growing alongside of
the weathered, fading fence line. And if there is a photographer who
is going to leave me with that sense of awe, that feeling of complete
and utter speechlessness; a photographer whose work is not just going
to beckon me to join her, but effortlessly engulf me into the image,
the journey not so much something you travel, but rather, one that
you transcend into; then that photographer is, can only be, Joanne
Schoeberl.
The first time I ever glanced at one of Joanne's photos, I was
online, sifting through page after page of pictures folks had uploaded
from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Joanne's husband Brett had
shared some of the photos she had taken from the storm; stark images
that not only spoke of the muddled, disarranged destruction in its
wake, but shots that also clearly defined the potential power that could
have been, an averted disaster of such proportions that in reflection,
left us each thankful that we had once again been spared the true,
perilous fingers of the storm. Intrigued by her enigmatic imagery, I
clicked on the link to view the entire album to see more of her work.
Each photo is vibrantly alive, drawing you into the sweetness of the photographers eye, inviting you to share the joy of each moment.
And there it was. Oh yes, don't get me wrong, there were
hundreds of pictures of the damages left by the storm. Pictures of
the water, the debris; the destroyed docks, trees crashed and laying
at destructive angles. But the picture that jumped off the page at me,
the picture that brought a smile to my face amidst all of the stress and
fear created by the storm was a picture that spoke of continuity. A
picture that said "We survived, now what?" A picture that spoke of life
returning to normal, yes, touched by the storm, but not molded by
it. A picture of one of the cutest little Pomeranians I’ve ever seen,
sitting in a flower pot on someone’s front porch, debris littered on
the porch beneath him, but a look on his face that says “Okay, I’m
done with this storm, it’s taken up enough of my time. Time to get back to living
around here.” And that was it, from that moment on, I’ve been hooked.
Joanne’s photography takes you to places you may not otherwise ever
get to travel to. They take you to a higher plane, show you insights and
mind-sets; an attitude that is often elusive, hiding in the shadows, yet
welcoming when brought out into the light. Joanne’s photography is,
well, for lack of a better word, simply amazing.
This is the photo that first caught my eye; debris littered behind him, and the
little dogs face is eagerly saying yes, the storm is behind us, lets move on.
Joanne was born in Clinton, NJ, and had lived there her whole life.
But in 2001, as they were facing their son getting ready to start school,
they knew they wanted him to begin those formative years at the little
school on Chincoteague, so she and her husband Brett and young son
packed up and moved to the Island. Joanne has really been interested
in photography her whole life, so taking her passion to a professional
level was an easy step for her. “My father got me into photography as a child
and I have always loved it.” she explains “It started off as a hobby and just
bloomed from there.” And what better place than Chincoteague to pursue
a hobby so dependent on unpretentious, native imagery? “Most of my
photographs are takes on either Chincoteague or Assateague because it is one of
the most beautiful places in the world” Joanna says “We have the most unique
sunsets here and the ponies are world known, but they are ours.” Reflecting back
over some of the various photo shoots she has explored, a pensive,
almost philosophical wisp of a smile crosses her face, and she offers a
further explanation: “My husband and I go out during most of the storms and
take photographs as to how the Island is holding up. The day after Sandy came
through I was out at sunset and took the most awesome sunset. I titled it ‘This is
Why We Stay’.”
Living on an Island is a very different way of life, and one that
brings with it both blessings and hardships. Yet when you ask Joanne
about what Island life is like, her words take you right back to the
lens of her camera and her unique perspective of how she sees her
world. “Island life has it’s seasons more than most places” she begins “you
Page 19
have Summer, lots of people and things to do. Great beach weather and the most
beautiful beach around. Then comes fall, the weather cools and the visitors start to
only come on the weekends. Life is slowing down, but by then we need that. The
Island and her people need the rest!” Spoken like a true “local” you can’t miss
the twinkle in her eye as she says: “Then comes winter. Cold replaces the cool
weather. Not much goes on in the winter, peace at last!” And of course, after
a long winter, like most of us, Joanne’s thoughts are gearing up for
new growth and a life that thrives on the poignant resurgence of life
“Then comes spring, the bitter cold is replaced with bright sunny days and warmer
weather is coming. Visitors are starting to come back to the Island and she and her
people are happy to greet them.” smiling she adds “And then we start it all over
again!”
her photos capture, it’s almost inconceivable that one could improve
upon a talent already so expressive, so beautifully vast.
For many of us, Pony Penning is a real, tangible thing. But for those who don’t
get to experience it, Joanne’s photos brings the energy alive.
Challenges? Joanne welcomes them, and that fact is further
expounded by the services she offers. “I offer my prints for sale as note
cards or framed in all sizes” she begins, enthusiastically describing some
of the jobs she’s tackled “I do portraits in local settings, as of right now I don’t
have a studio, but I hope to have one next year. I do events like birthday parties.
I also do freelance work for the local paper.” Laughing, she adds “If you have
an event or any ideas that you want photographs of I’ll shoot it!”
You can feel the sting of the ice on your face as the playful energy of this pup
comes alive watching him chase snowballs.
Joanne and Brett have been married for twenty-one years, and their
young son who they so eagerly enrolled in school on Chincoteague so
many years ago is now seventeen, and anxiously looking forward to
heading off to college in the fall. They continue to make their home
on the Island, where they share their home and hearts with three
rescue dogs, Bailey, Sugar and Zelda. And of course, it is there that
she runs her photography business, JMS Photography.
Glancing though Joanne’s many, many albums, you understand
instantly that this is someone who recognizes no limits in her creative
world. There are prints from the storms we’ve survived. Beautiful,
energetic photos of the pony round ups and auctions. Inviting,
delicious images of the chili cook-off, and sweet, aromatic visages of
spectacular flowers engulfing the Island with their heavy fragrance.
There are more shots of the cold, biting snow showing their playful
dogs romping madly, flakes of snow seen flying off of their muzzles
in mid leap. Albums full of shots of the majestic sunsets along the
expansive coastline that makes up our beaches, of the stately yet regal
posture of our shorebirds, scouring the beach for food, the metaphor
so pronounced that you can physically feel the gentle kiss of the ocean
spray as you soak in their beauty. Of course, without asking, you are
instinctively drawn to experience Joanne’s favorite photo ops “It is
a tossup between the ponies and the wonderful sunsets here on the Island.” she
laughs.
But like most of us who truly feel the tug of a passion stirring
within them, Joanne continues to strive to perfect her enormous
talent even further. “I have been taking nature photography classes for the last
couple of months” she explains “my instructor, Chris Hudson, has been a huge
influence in my photography and what I see and don’t see in a photograph.” Yet to
those of us who are fortunate enough to bask in the depth of realities
Page 20
Island life is unique, and Joanne’s photographs capture both the serenity, as
well as the continuity of the very sustenance of its shores.
If you think about it, when we hire a photographer, or hang a
framed print in our home, it’s because we want to immortalize a special
moment in time; capture the youth of our children, the excitement of
their graduation or wedding day; preserve the miracle of a birth, or
preserve the familial camaraderie of our family, or simply incorporate
a feeling or a life or an image into our personal space that defines the
way we want to see the world. And I can’t think of anyone who would
more accurately, or beautifully, accomplish all of those things not only
with ease, but with an elegant grace as well.
*Photo credits: All photos in this article are the property of JMS Photography in
Chincoteague. Photo to left of article: One of our beautiful Chincoteague ponies,
photo to right of article, the LADEE Moon Mission at blast off.
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Page 21
Needles in the Haystack
This Month’s email Forwards
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and
four year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight
was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table,
but the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating
difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped
the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law
became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about grandfather,”
said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the
floor.” So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There
Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a
wooden bowl. When the family glanced in grandfather’s direction, he
sometimes had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words
the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a
fork or spilled food. The four year old watched it all in silence. One
evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood
scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?”
Just as sweetly the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you
and Momma to eat your food from when I grow up.” The four year old smiled
and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were
speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though
no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening
the husband took grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the
family table. For the remainder of his days, he ate every meal with the
family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care
any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth
soiled.
This is a story about a couple who had
been happily married for years. The only friction in their marriage was the husband’s habit
of passing gas loudly every morning when he
awoke. The noise would wake his wife and the
smell would make her eyes water and make her
gasp for air. Every morning she would plead
with him to stop ripping them off because it
was making her sick. He told her he couldn’t
stop and that it was perfectly natural. She told him to see a doctor.
She was concerned that one day he would blow his guts out. The years
went by and he continued to rip them out! Then one Thanksgiving
morning as she was preparing the turkey for dinner and he was upstairs sound asleep, she looked at the bowl where she had put the turkey innards and neck, gizzard, liver and all the spare parts and a malicious thought came to her. She took the bowl and went upstairs where
her husband was sound asleep and, gently pulling back the bed covers,
she pulled back the elastic waistband of his underpants and emptied
the bowl of turkey guts into his shorts. Sometime later she heard her
husband waken with his usual trumpeting which was followed by a
blood curdling scream and the sound of frantic footsteps as he ran
into the bathroom. The wife could hardly control herself as she rolled
on the floor laughing, tears in her eyes! After years of torture she reckoned she had got him back pretty good. About twenty minutes later,
her husband came downstairs in his bloodstained underpants with a
look of horror on his face. She bit her lip as she asked him what was
the matter. He said, “Honey, you were right. All these years you have warned
me and I didn’t listen to you.” “What do you mean?” asked his wife. “Well,
you always told me that one day I would end up blowing my guts out, and today it
finally happened. But by the grace of God, some Vaseline, and these two fingers, I
think I got most of them back in.”
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly
was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this
world: fighting, eating garbage, and, shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other
Page 22
should have been, there was a hole. He was also
missing his ear on the same side. His left foot
appeared to have been badly broken at one time
and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was
always turning the corner. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby,
striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, and even his
shoulders. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction.
“That’s one ugly cat!!” All the children were warned not to touch him, the
adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted
him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut
his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly
always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose
on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until
you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him,
he would curl his lanky body around your feet in
forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would
come running, meowing frantically and bump his
head against their hands, begging for their love. If
you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your
shirt, earrings, whatever he could find. One day Ugly shared his love
with the neighbor’s dogs. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was
badly mauled. I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he
was laying, it was apparent Ugly’s sad life was almost at an end. As I
picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. It must be hurting him
terribly, I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation
on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying, was
trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the
palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the
greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little
affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly
was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once
did he try to bite or scratch me, try to get away from me, or struggle
in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to
relieve his pain. Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I
sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one
scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it
means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly
taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books,
lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be
thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the
inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and
deeply -- to give my total to those I cared for. Many people want to be
richer, more successful, well liked, and beautiful; except for me. I will
always try to be Ugly.
There was a man who had worked all of his life and had saved
all of his money. He was a real miser when it came to his money. He
loved money more than just about anything, and just before he died,
he said to his wife, “Now listen, when I die, I want you to take all my money
and place it in the casket with me. I wanna take my money to the afterlife.” So
he got his wife to promise him with all her heart that when he died,
she would put all the money in the casket with him. Well, one day he
died. He was stretched out in the casket, the wife was sitting there in
black next to her closest friend. When they finished the ceremony,
just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said
“Wait just a minute!” she had a shoe box with her, she came over with
the box and placed it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the
casket down and rolled it away. Her friend said, “I hope you weren’t crazy
enough to put all that money in the casket.” She said, “Yes, I promised. I’m a
good Christian, I can’t lie. I promised him that I was going to put that money in
that casket with him.” “You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in
the casket with him?” “I sure did, “ said the wife. “I got it all together, put it
into my account and I wrote him a check.”
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Page 23
Dining in Accomack
Accomac
Mallards Sidewalk Cafe
(757) 787-7321
Accomac, VA
Atlantic
Wolff’s Sandwich Shoppe
(757) 824-6466
Atlantic, VA
Wright’s Seafood Restaurant
(757) 824-4012
Atlantic, VA
Island Creamery Ice Cream
(757) 336-6236
Chincoteague, VA
Main Street Shop Coffeehouse
(757) 336-6782
Chincoteague, VA
Great Wall 2
(757) 336-5529
Chincoteague, VA
Mc Donald’s
(757) 336-3644
Chincoteague, VA
Captain Zack’s Seafood
(757) 336-3788
Chincoteague, VA
Subway Sandwiches & Salads
(757) 336-2480
Chincoteague, VA
Ledo’s Pizza
(757) 336-6597
Chincoteague, VA
Mappsville
Chincoteague
Mr. Baldy’s Family Rest
(757) 336-1198
Chincoteague, VA
Great Wall
(757) 854-4558
Chincoteague, VA
Mullers Old Fashioned Ice Cream
(757) 336-5894
Chincoteague, VA
A J’s On The Creek Rest
(757) 336-5888
Chincoteague, VA
Mister Whippy
(757) 336-5122
Chincoteague, VA
Famous Pizza & Sub Shoppe
(757) 336-3301
Chincoteague, VA
Don Valerios
(757)336-5715
Chincoteague, VA
Village Restaurant
(757) 336-5120
Chincoteague, VA
Bill’s Seafood Restaurant
(757) 336-5831
Chincoteague, VA
Maria’s Restaurant & Pizza
(757) 336-5040
Chincoteague, VA
Don’s Seafood Market & Rstrnt
(757) 336-5715
Chincoteague, VA
Etta’s Channel Side Rest757336-5644
Chincoteague, VA
Sea Star Cafe
(757) 336-5442
Chincoteague, VA
Page 24
Metompkin Seafood
(757)824-0503
Mappsville, VA
Stuckey’s Southern Grille
(757) 824-3616
Mappsville, VA
Onancock
Corner Bakery
(757) 787-4520
Onancock, VA
Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe
757-787-3239
Onancock, VA
Mallards At The Wharf
(757) 787-8558
Onancock, VA
Bizzotto’s Gallery-Cafe
(757) 787-3103
Onancock, VA
Inn & Garden Cafe Inc
(757) 787-8850
Onancock, VA
Melfa
Blarney Stone Pub
(757) 302-0300
Onancock, VA
Tammy & Johnny’s
(757) 787-1122
Melfa, VA
Market Street Grill
(757) 789-5060
Onancock, VA
Don Valerios
(757) 789-5226
Melfa, VA
Onley
New Church
Ray’s Shanty
(757) 824-3429
New Church, VA
Pizza Hut
(757) 824-5689
New Church, VA
Pickles Sub & Deli
(757) 787-1145
Onley, VA
Burger King
(757) 787-1896
Onley, VA
Bojangles
(757)78-3300
Onley, VA
Oak Hall
Hardee’s
(757) 787-8947
Onley, VA
Great Wall
(757) 854-4558
Oak Hall, VA
(757) 787-1151
Onley, VA
Sonic Drive-In
(757) 824-5500
Oak Hall, VA
Dragon House Restaurant
(757) 789-7779
Onley, VA
(757) 824-0094
Oak Hall, VA
Pizza Hut
(757) 787-3800
Onley, VA
Sorrentino’s Subs Etc
(757) 787-4777
Onley, VA
Los Tejones Restaurant
(757) 787-7445
Onley, VA
Mc Donald’s
(757) 787-7888
Onley, VA
Painter
Saxis
Big’s Place
(757) 442-5535
Painter, VA
Martha’s Kitchen
(757) 709-1658
Saxis, VA
Parksley
Tangier Island
The Station
(757) 665-5195
Parksley,VA
Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake Hs
(757) 891-2331
Tangier, VA
Sage Diner
(757)787-9341
Onley, VA
El Pequeno Mexico
(757) 665-1108
Parksley, VA
Pan Pizzeria
(757) 787-7791
Onley, VA
Rita’s Restaurant
(757) 665-1890
Parksley, VA
Wendy’s
(757) 787-8598
Onley, VA
Club Car Cafe
(757) 665-7822
Parksley, VA
Thai Rada
(757) 787-2469
Onley, VA
Country Corner Diner
(757) 665-1245
Parksley, VA
Waterfront Restaurant
(757) 891-2248
Tangier, VA
Happy Buffet
(757) 789-3888
Onley, VA
Placa Garibaldi Rstrnt & Store
(757) 665-1296
Parksley, VA
Four Brothers Crabshack
(757) 891 2999
Tangier, VA
Mallards
at the Wharf
Mallards premier location!
Waterfront dining!
Lorraine’s Restaurant
(757) 891-2225
Tangier, VA
Fisherman’s Corner
(757) 891-2900
Tangier, VA
Spanky’s Ice Cream Parlor
(757) 891-2514
Tangier, VA
Tasley
Sugar Shack
(757) 787-2273
Tasley, VA
Becca’s Cakes & More
757-789-3686
Tasley, VA
Wachapreague
Island House Restaurant
(757) 787-4242
Wachapreague, VA
Wallops Island
Ocean Deli
(757) 824-4111
Wallops Island, VA
Additions/Changes
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of 20
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Serving casual lunches
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757-787-8558
Two Market Street • Onancock
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23410 Front Street • Accomac
Page 25
2nd Annual Wounded Warrior Project; An Event to Remember
Just last week as I was sipping my morning coffee, as yet, still
completely oblivious to the stresses and hardship of the day ahead
of me, a post made by a good friend flashed across my newsfeed that
caused me to actually cringe. The pain, anguish, the absolute futility of
it all screamed from every word he had written: “I heard that a brother in
arms lost his fight with PTSD. One man was lost in combat. Three men to PTSD.
It a damn shame that we survived one of the worse hellholes in the world with odds
that were stacked up against us. Make it back home and decide that life is too
much. Tired of hearing friends dying under these conditions.” He had served in
Afghanistan, and I knew he had witnessed things that would bring the
majority of us to our knees. My heart ached for him, for the brothers
he fought beside, for the families left feeling helpless and devastated
by a tragedy they didn’t know how to avoid.
There are no words. And the fact that for so long, so few agencies,
including our own government, didn't recognize that PTSD is a real,
very deadly illness, is not merely heartbreaking, it is inconceivable.
According to statistics, there were a record number 349 suicides of
active duty personnel in 2012.
In an uncanny coincidence, this post just happened to appear
just a week short of when I was planning to attend the Island House
Restaurant's 2nd Annual Oyster Roast, in support of the Wounded
Warrior Project. My curiosity piqued, I decided to do a little research
on the organization. I was already aware that the group provides
valuable to support to our military veterans; support that is desperately
needed. Yet with each page I visited on their website, I was more and
more impressed.
Their mission statement speaks volumes: "To foster the most
successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s
history.” This amazing organization helps veterans find jobs, they help
families cope with the changes in their lives, help them readjust to
Page 26
living in a quality, productive day to day world. And they meet PTSD
head on, fighting for, and with, our veterans as they struggle with an
illness that we can never hope to understand.
And so, my excitement at attending the much anticipated Oyster
Roast at the Island House was suddenly intensified, proud and honored
to be a part of a much bigger picture, an event that may help a hero
get his life back, or provide support for a family fighting to survive in
a changed world.
When I spoke with Blake Johnson, the owner of The Island
House and the moving force behind the Oyster Roast, he was open
and candid about his reasons behind the event. “I knew if we were going
to host an oyster roast, I wanted to find a way to help those whom I had the privilege
of working with in the military. I wanted to find the best way to help ensure the
war fighters of my generation weren’t left without the resources needed after they
got back home. One doesn’t have to look very hard to see the mental and physical
wounds so many veterans from Vietnam struggle with daily.” Blake explained
“I did my due diligence looking for an organization providing help and resources
not only for physical disabilities, but especially the mental wounds that can manifest
afterwards. The Wounded Warrior Project is doing wonderful things to help
Veterans get the support and resources needed to help them re-integrate back to
their families and lives. And they are doing so while ensuring almost 82% of
every dollar goes directly to programs and services to help injured service members
and their families." Taking into consideration the resources around us,
and what venue would be the best fit, an oyster roast was the perfect
choice. "Ever since buying the restaurant in 2010, I felt The Island House was
a great venue for hosting such an event. To me, an Eastern Shore oyster roast
seems to exemplify so much of the character that made me fall in love with it in the
first place." Of course timing is everything, and Blake weighed out his
options carefully, "Since most oyster roasts are in the Fall, it works out great
for us as typically it slows down a bit compared to the Summertime." he said.
16,000 clams. 14,000 oysters. 500 pounds of pork. That’s a lot of
food, but it takes a lot of food to feed over 500 people. There were
500 tickets printed, and they sold every one. Add to that over 100
volunteers, and an additional 100 sponsor tickets, and that’s a heck
of a lot of people attending the event. “Actually, we printed 100 sponsor
tickets this year” Blake smiled “But we had so many sponsors step up, we ended
up having to print another 40, and honestly, we probably should have printed a
few more.”
was us, this was the Shore, who we are as a community; and not only
where we’ve come from, but where we are, and where we’re going.
The perfect Eastern Shore evening.
The lines were long, incredibly so, but once we made our way
through the gate, we were surprised and impressed with how quickly
we made our way through the procession of folks up to the food
booth. Of course, as many of you know, the food, now that’s where
the real test of the event’s appeal would come into play. The clams
were spectacular, without a doubt, the very best I have ever enjoyed.
Let me restate that. The best anywhere. Ever. Tender, slightly juicy.
An underlying faint sweetness that intermingled with the salty,
fleshy meat. Perfect. And delicious. The barbeque, another win. The
perfectly cooked pork, slow roasted with a hint of smoky, seasoned
wood flavor, the meat tender and succulent, shredded into strands
of perfectly sectioned morsels of heavenly goodness was mouthwatering. Now, I have a confession. I’m not a huge fan of oysters.
Yes, I know that doesn’t say much for a shore girl, but hey, we all have
our faults. However, sitting there beside a close friend, watching her
hungrily devour the smoky, succulent ripe morsels, I wasn’t the least
bit surprised by her response when I asked if she liked them “This is
my third dozen, what do you think?”
16,000 clams were expertly prepared and devoured by eager guests, all donated
by local shellfish farms.
Last year was their first year sponsoring the event, and Blake was
more than extremely pleased with the result. “I was blown away by how
much support there was, both in putting the event together and in turnout for the
event” he said “The first year, we decided to sell 300 tickets just to see if we
could pull it off and to know what that number of people would even look like
on the property. We also wanted to make sure we could handle it logistically and
ensure it was an enjoyable event for all who came.” The end result for a first
year event was impressive, and exciting. Last year, after all was said
and done, the Oyster Roast raised $12,600 for the Wounded Warrior
Project. This year, the results were staggering. “Well, I am not quite sure
of the exact totals yet, we haven’t got the figures in from the auctions or tee shirt
sales” Blake explains “But I know that before we ever started, we were right at
twelve thousand. Then that day, two of our sponsors doubled their donation, from
one thousand to two thousand. Another came up at the event and gave me a check
for a thousand. And many others handed us checks or cash. So before we even begin
to count everything else, we are already at roughly fifteen thousand.”
As we pulled into the quaint, inviting little town of Wachapreague,
I was in awe at the number of cars that lined the streets. Block after
block we rode, trying desperately to find a parking place, only to finally
give up and end up parking at the very far end of the street. Getting
out of the car, I thought to myself I would be exhausted before I
ever made it back to the actual event, but almost immediately, a golf
cart driven by a young man brandishing a huge smile slowed down,
his greeting of “Hop in, we’ll drive you down to the Island House” was
literally music to my ears. Once we arrived at the site, it was my turn
to be blown away. The piquant, tantalizing aroma of barbeque wafted
through the light, salty air, and the thick, hazy odor of the fire pits
where oysters were slowly roasting spoke of the beautiful heritage of
our Shores, our lives and indeed, our life blood here. And the setting?
Perfect. Looking beyond the enormous crowd, the alluring view of
the marsh and expansive harbor behind the Island House beckoned,
a lone boat puttered down the channel, returning from a day on the
water, culling the bounty of the waters. Blake had been right, this
Folks lined up to get into the much anticipated event, the atmosphere light,
happy, smiles and laughter served up in typical Eastern Shore abundance.
Looking around, to say I was impressed was a huge understatement.
Aside from the event itself being a beautiful testament to the Shore
and our lives here, it was also, well, it was also simply perfect.
Organized, well maintained, the crowd amiable, so obviously enjoying
their time there. “Last year the majority of the planning was done by myself
and Dana Floyd. We easily put in hundreds of hours planning this, at least.”
explained Blake “There are so many aspects that go into an event like the
oyster roast. Things like registering the event with The Wounded Warrior Project,
getting sponsorships, laying out the venue, figuring out tents, porta-potties, t-shirt
design and sales, food acquisition, beer types, beer quantities, auction items, oyster
roasters, wood for the roasters, lining up refrigerated trucks to keep everything cold,
finding volunteers and figuring out where to best use them, soda, tables, locating
garbage cans, bushel baskets for oyster shells, finding and arranging for picnic
tables, booking bands, finding and setting up fencing, getting tickets designed and
printed, designing an event poster and getting them distributed, advertising, doing
interviews” Pausing for a moment to get his breath, myself exhausted
from the mere thought of all he was explaining, he laughed, adding
“There’s more, but you get the idea. This year we were blessed to have Mark and
Genevieve Switzer come onboard to help out with the sponsorship drive and a lot
of the logistics that go into the event. It made a huge difference!”
Page 27
The event was scheduled to run from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Live
entertainment was offered throughout the day, beginning with local
musician Jeff Madson, accompanied onstage by Ellen Grimes and
Charlie Stellingwerf. Later, they were followed by local favorites, Mr. B
and the Boys. The live auction was the last event of the evening, and
the crowd responded to each and every item offered in typical Eastern
Shore fashion; excitement, generosity, compassion and support.
Often times, an item would be sold, only to be re-donated and sold
again. The people of the Shore as always, coming together to wholly
support something they believe in, in a touching, inimitable way that
seems so unique to the Shore. Tables were laden with the culinary
treasures, oyster shells and clam shells shoved greedily into massive
piles representative of folks sated in both body and spirit. And later
that evening, if you wanted to continue to enjoy the camaraderie of
the day, Bigger Dream played inside the Island House lounge where
folks could kick back and dance the night away, mingling with friends
and neighbors.
amazing community home. Seeing them come together for this cause,
well, it warmed my heart in a way that I can’t even begin to describe.
For our veterans, we owe them so much. They are the reason I am
able to sit here and write these articles and share them with you, our
readers. They are the reason each of us can get up in the morning, go
to our jobs, the reason we can worship the religion of our choice, or
not at all; the reason we can live our lives unencumbered by fear, the
reason we can dream. They are the reason for our freedom, our ability
to make choices and then pursue them. And they deserve our support
in every conceivable way.
My mind drifted for a moment back to the research I had done
on The Wounded Warrior Project, and I was reminded of something I
had read there, something the group had titled “A Catalyst For Change.”
It once again blatantly struck home to me how critical this cause is,
and how proud each and everyone who supported this event should
be. Because of events such as The Island House Oyster Roast, the
group can continue to work with veterans who so desperately need
their help. In their own words “With the mission to honor and empower
Wounded Warriors, Wounded Warrior Project is the hand extended to encourage
warriors as they adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs. Offering
a variety of programs and services, Wounded Warrior Project is equipped to
serve warriors with every type of injury; from the physical to the invisible wounds
of war.” Perhaps with the help of this amazing, vital organization,
stories like what my friend had shared that morning will dwindle and
eventually fade away, never to have to be dealt with again, for our
veterans will indeed, finally get the help and support they not only
need, but deserve. Hats off to Blake and the hundreds upon hundreds
of folks who made this so successful. You, each and every one of you,
are amazing, and amass the true spirit of the Shore.
*All photos courtesy of Anna Hines
Oysters roasted over open fires encouraged folks to gather round, sharing
laughs and old fashioned Eastern Shore stories, a perfect Eastern Shore event.
Blake laughs, a huge smile traveling across his face as his bright
expressive eyes dance in the success of the well attended event. “Well
the food itself is pretty incredible” he says “I was surprised how many people were
dancing! It was great to see so many people having a good time and supporting a
great organization.” his mind wandering, reliving the day he adds “For
me, there are a lot of aspects that I really enjoy, not the least of which is just
seeing the community come together and enjoy themselves while helping support
an organization I believe is doing an incredible job helping this generation’s war
fighters get the help and resources they need.”
As the evening drew to a close, I glanced around me at the people
still there, smiling, happy. Some were dancing, others crowded around
a table, sharing a joke, or a story, all of them, each and every one,
making memories that would warm their hearts and provide smiles
for years to come. Blake was walking by, casually, taking in the crowd,
smiling, greeting guests, amiable and receptive, his posture and
expression never giving a hint of the exhaustion I knew he must feel
after working so hard. “Last year, I remember looking at Dana after the
event and thinking ‘Wow, we pulled it off ’!” he laughed “But you know, what
really hits a chord with me is just how willing the community is to support the
event. Almost to a person, every time I asked for a sponsorship, a food donation,
a volunteer, you name it- someone stepped up and said they would handle it. You
don’t see that everywhere” as he gave me a hug goodbye, he added, warmly
and sincerely “Then again, not everywhere is ‘The Shore’!”
Nope, he’s right, it’s not, and we are so very blessed to call this
Page 28
Yes Santa,
e
t
u
C
e
’r
e
W
w
o
n
We K
Our names are Sweet Pea
and Funny Face, and we are 4 and 1/2 year old pomeranian mix
sisters. We had a really rough start in life, but the nice people here
at SPCA have taken awesome care of us, and everyone is always
telling us how beautiful we are! That makes us smile, because where
we lived before wasn’t so nice, and we were pretty miserable. But
now we’re just two silly, fun loving girls who promise to bring a smile
to your face, and add a lot of love to your life. We have to stay together, we’ve never been apart, do you think you could find it in your
hearts to love us? We’d love to have a real family for Christmas,
Ad provided courtesy of Shore Secrets Magazine.
won’t you help us?
SPCA-Eastern Shore
26528 Lankford Highway • Onley • 757-787-7385
of
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2013 Best Of Categories
Providing you with the very best of the Eastern Shore
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RULES. 1. Please limit your nominations to those businesses located in Accomack and Northampton Counties only, including the Islands of Chincoteague and Tangier.
2. A minimum of 60% of ballot must be filled out in order for your votes to be counted. Out of town readers may submit partially filled in ballots (25%) providing a
valid non-local address is given on their ballot. 3. An individual business may not be nomimated for more than 4 separate categories. 4. Any ballot received with photocopied answers will be automatically disqualified, one ballot per person only please.5. Any business that has more than one location must specify the exact location
being nominated. Only those votes with locations will be counted. Ballots will be accepted through midnight, February 7, 2014. Completed ballots may be mailed to:
Shore Secrets Magazine, Best of 2013 Contest, PO Box 876, Accomac, VA 23301.
Page 29
Twas but a few weeks before Christmas, when all around the Shore
Santa was carefully shopping, for very special presents galore.
Stockings must be filled, and gifts placed under the tree
And he knew each one, should bring happiness and glee.
Just down the street, he would stop in and explore
Willie Crockets Gallery, for some paintings and more.
A beautiful print, of Tangier and the sound
Would make Donna so happy, when Christmas morning rolled around!
So many people, the days left, so few
What to buy, where to start; oh what will he do?
And then suddenly, an idea came in a flash
He threw on his coat, and was gone in a dash.
Santa was getting hungry, and he knew he must try
To find a great place to eat, with some gifts he could buy
So it was down to the Wharf, in a hurry he flew
Mallards steak was the ticket, and a cookbook for Lou
His first stop was easy, for he needed some java in hand
And The Book Bin’s coffee, was the best in the land
While he was there, he would pick up a few toys
Some books for Sally, even a Tervis Tumbler for Joy
Market Street Antiques, would be his next stop
A beautiful old vase for Annie, and a lantern for pop.
Those dishes so pretty, would make Gladys grin
And the antique tools, are just the right gift for Lynn.
Next he was sure, great treasures would be found
For a trip to CD Marsh, was next on his rounds.
A necklace for Mom, some candles for Gram
A real Chesapeake Bay Bracelet for Meg, and a lighthouse for Sam.
As he drove down the street, Hospice Thrift Shop caught his eye
So he pulled in to shop, many gifts he would buy
A warm, furry coat, would look so nice on Nan
And some boots for Timmy, and oh, I’ll take those games for Dan
A quick stop he must make, there was a special place in his heart
For all the fur babies at the SPCA. and he must do his part.
He dropped off some treats, to each head gave a pat,
And promised to help find, loving families for each dog and cat.
Blue Crow Antiques, was just down the road
And he knew it was here, his sleigh he would load
Decoys and ships, a big oyster sign for Lee
A dresser for Mary, and that cast iron skillet would fill Tabby with glee.
Big’s Place was next, as he traveled around
A bowl of Kelly’s clam chowder, was the best to be found
He knew Dawn loved the crab toast, while Jim craved Rolo Cake
So a few gift certificates would be just the right thing, such great gifts
they would make
What to buy for young Lisa, a girl of sixteen?
Her room is such a mess, of the likes he’d not seen.
He found Clay Werks could build her, a closet to organize
And for Laurie, beautiful quartz counters, and new bath tile in just the
right size.
A stop by HW Drummond, would just do the trick
A new depth finder for Tom, and some waders for Dick
Some lawn tools for Norm, would be just the thing
He will be so excited, for his garden next spring.
Northampton Lumber, makes shopping less of a chore
There are tools and cookware, fishing supplies and more.
A new drill for Daniel, a clam basket for Lou,
And lots of goodies, for stocking stuffers too
Lisa and Bob, would soon have a new baby to bounce on their knee
But their home was so small, there was not even room for a tree
So Tidewater Modular Homes was the place, Santa suddenly knew
For an expandable home would be perfect, as their little family grew
And speaking of homes, Harris Gas was the place
He could arrange to have someone service Mandy’s gas fireplace
They would check it all out, and put her mind at ease
And even install a new stove, to make Christmas dinner a breeze
Page 30
Santa was getting tired, he needed a break
So he veered off course, a quick stop at ESO he would make
For he knew tickets were there, for the Nutcracker Ballet
And guitar or piano lessons would be great, for teaching Sally to play
There was one more thing, he could get off his mind
So Santa made a stop by Pickles, for party subs to find
A catering tray for Joe’s party, a gift certificate for Sue
Their Thanksgiving on a Bun sandwich, sounded too good to be true
Shop
Local
And while he’s thinking about food and such cheer
Pan Pizzeria is a must, and fortunately so near
Their pizza is the best on the Shore, as voted by all
The Stuffed Steak Pizza will be ready when you get there, just call
And what Christmas is complete, without a cake so grand
As a Smith Island Cake, made by Becca’s own hands.
Rich and delightful, a real treat for you
And she has lots of local gifts, Santa can pick up there too
And while you’re in town, don’t forget to stop by
And enjoy an awesome sub from The Station, or just to say hi
Fire Departments and police, they honor each day
So don’t forget to say thanks, and for their safety, please pray
Knowing how hard, Steve works each day
Santa thought and thought, what to give for a way
To help him relax, to give him a break
Why a gift certificate from Pinder’s Massage, would a perfect gift make
Before I forget, Jimmy really needs a hand
Taking care of his yard, and other chores on his land
So a gift certificate from A Cut Above, would sure mean a lot
And help make his yard and garden, a beautiful spot
And Santa mustn’t forget, our special furry friends
So its off to Atlantic Animal Hospital, for more gifts to send
Treats and toys, dog collars and more
For all your four legged kids, a great Christmas is in store
Of course what holiday is complete, without a trip to this store
So it’s off to the Island Creamery, for some delicious homemade ice
cream and more
Their ice cream cakes, are pure pleasure you’ll see
And sipping one of their coffee drinks, is where you’ll find me
What to get little Bobby, he’s just a wee tot
But Santa knew without doubt, of a gift that would mean a lot
So off to Shore Bank, with a purpose he flew
To open a savings account, to go towards his first car, and college too
Rita’s was his next stop, as he traveled his path
For some great home cooking, and smiles from the staff
Her daily specials are delicious, her desserts are a treat
And no nicer people, will you ever get to meet.
Santa sat back, and thought with dismay
Of all this holiday eating, and all the diets thrown away
So he knew he must call Lennie, it was Bee Pollen for Tim
So he could eat what he wanted, and his figure would stay trim
What’s Your Fancy, a wonderful store
Was the next stop, as he made his way up the Shore
There was kitchen ware and Vera Bradley, Tervis Tumblers too
Yankee Candles and local books, for Christmas wishes come true
And if you want something special, or something unique to the Shore
Then a stop at the Island House, is the place to be sure
Their gift shop holds treasures, paintings, gifts; jewelry made by hand
And their crab cakes are famous, so a gift certificate would be awesome, for any woman or man.
So now Santa is all finished, and though we’ve had fun
I hope you see how easy this is, once we’ve begun
For although it’s a little silly, and an unusual decree
We hope we’ve shown you how to make your gifts more special, by
shopping locally!
And so as we end, this poem so rare
We bow for a moment, to open our hearts in prayer
The staff at Shore Secrets, wishes for each of you far and near
To have a blessed Holiday Season, and a joyous New Year.
The Club Car is the place, for many gifts of cheer
Tim’s steak on the grill, is a treat so dear
The chicken and dumplings, are amazing and grand
Gift certificates would be awesome, for Lindsay and Stan.
And Jaxon’s is the place, for anything you need
From housewares, to clothing, and some tools for your friend Reed
There is an awesome gun, for your Dad in the case
Whatever you need, you’ve come to the right place
If you want to indulge, and it’s Mexican you crave
Then stop by El Pequeno, their food is a fav
From the Sunday buffet, to the daily specials so many
Every trip is exciting, a gift certificate makes a special gift for Denny!
Page 31
THE ISLAND HOUSE
RESTAURANT
2nd Annual Oyster Roast
Benefitting The Wounded Warrior Project
Would Like to Take This Opportunity
to Thank Our Generous Sponsors
Platinum Level ($1000+)
Coastal Pacific Food Distributors • MDV/Nash Finch • Therapeutic Interventions
Gold Level ($500+)
Bundick Well & Pump • Chatham Vineyards • Shore Bank • Perdue
Hook ‘Em Sportfishing • Eastern Shore Animal Hospital • Tommy Hines
Harbour Graphics • U.S. Electric • HW Drummond, Inc.
Eastern Shore Events & Rentals • Eastern Shore Printers
Moore’s Towing & Repair • T & J Murray Worldwide
Silver Level ($250+)
Barnes Truck & Equipment Repair • Bayshore Concrete • T & W Block
Blue Crow Antique Mall • Davis Disposal • Major Excavation
Gowen & Associates • Shore Cleaners • Pep-Up/Peptane
Morgan Climate Masters • Onancock Building Supply
Parksley Livestock Supply • Pepsi Bottling Ventures, LLC
Ron & Mary Kay Johnson • Williams Funeral Homes
Oyster & Clam Sponsors
American Seafood • Broadwater Oyster Company
Cherrystone Aqua-Farms • H.M. Terry Company, Inc.
J.C. Walker Brothers, Inc. • Sandy Point Shellfish
Without the support of each and every
one of you, this entire event would never
have been possible.
Thank you!
The Island House Restaurant • 17 Atlantic Avenue • Wachapreague • 757-787-4242
Page 32
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25318 Lankford Highway • Onley, Virginia
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Page 33
Sweet Temptations Yields an Island Icon
Some of the best memories we make throughout our lives are
those that have been shared among many generations of our family.
When we first moved to the Shore way back in 1980, it wasn’t long at all
before we were establishing traditions that unknown at the time, would
become synonymous with so many of our favorite memories, days
filled with fun and laughter and those treasured moments in time that
weave such a miraculous legacy to pass along to the next generation.
And when so many of those memories center around a place that is
a true icon in your neighborhood, a place that has withstood the test
of time and proven itself to be a worthy representation of the way
“things should be” then those memories are made even sweeter. And in
this case, the phrase “made even sweeter” is easily applied both literally as
well as figuratively, since I’m referring to those wonderful folks over
at Island Creamery.
If I had to guess, I'd say our first visit to "The Creamery" was
somewhere in the neighborhood of June, 1981. We had moved here
in December of 80, so our first taste of spending a sunny day at the
beach at Assateague wasn't to happen for a few months. But you can
bet that once the weather turned warm, we loaded up the car and
headed up to the Island for what would soon become a weekly ritual;
at a minimum. After a relaxing day in the sun, we packed up to head
home, however, driving through Chincoteague, the kids saw the sign
for ice cream and begged me to stop. It sounded like a wonderful
idea to me, so there wasn't much convincing. Of course what I didn't
realize was, at one bite, we'd be hooked, and there would never be
a trip to the beach that didn't also incorporate a trip to the Island
Page 34
Creamery, ending our day on a sweet, satisfying note, the laughter and
smiles from my kids a memory I will always cherish.
Of course, since the Island Creamery has been one of the most
cherished stops of every kid that has ever visited Chincoteague, as well
as a favorite treat for equally as many adults for over thirty-nine years,
I was a little curious about some of the history there, as well as some
of their secrets to success. Owner Kelly Conklin and his wife Robin
run the long standing family business that began with Kelly's parents,
Bob and Nancy Conklin. Kelly grew up working at The Creamery
alongside his brothers, Chris and Robby. When the Creamery first
opened, his Dad, Bob, also worked at NASA, and his Mom, Nancy,
ran the Seashell Motel (owned by his brother Chris and his wife Dana
now). "My wife Robin worked here when she was a teenager" Kelly smiles,
remembering "that's how I got to know her." Continuing on as a family
owned business, all of Kelly and Robin's children, Drew, Cole and
Courtney have worked there as well.
When you first meet Kelly, you are instantly comfortable, his easy
smile and genuine laughter resonate throughout the room. Born and
raised on Chincoteague, Kelly enjoys doing business on the Island. "I
just enjoy living and working in a place where I know people." he explains "It’s
easy to get to know such a cross section of people; not just your own little clique."
A teasingly boyish smile crosses his face as he adds "The Eastern Shore
and Chincoteague Island are just special places!"
Kelly explains that the original building used to be an old pool
hall and was located across the street from the Fire Company, where
the Kite Koop is located today. "The owner gave the building to my father if
he would move it. He and Mom had bought the Creamery lot in the mid 1960’s
from Wyle Maddox, not knowing what they would eventually do with it. He
started everything from scratch." At first, they were only open seasonally,
but in 2003 after the end of the tourist season, Kelly and Robin had
taken a vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine. When they returned, they
watched other local businesses closing up for the season, and figured
why not? They'd give staying open year round a try. "Hopefully it gives
off season visitors one more thing to do" says Kelly.
Kelly says that vanilla remains a favorite flavor, followed by the
popular Marsh Mud, as well as Butter Pecan and Bourbon Carmel
Crunch. Marsh Mud is a decadently rich concoction, heavy on the
chocolate, and abundantly generous with flavor; that brings folks in far
and wide to indulge in the much loved confection. They always offer
thirty two flavors that range from their standard selections such as:
Cake Batter, Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Mint Chip,
Strawberry, and Pistachio (one of my favorites) and of course, the two
that I can never seem to make up my mind between, because I love
them both, Iced Nirvana (a blend of Espresso Ice Cream with swirls
of Fudge and Chocolate Chips) and Java Jolt (made with a strong
flavored Coffee Ice Cream infused with chocolate covered Espresso
Beans and some heavenly, homemade brownie pieces.)
if you ask me, and personally, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate
the launch! Also recently, the 2013 elementary class of Chincoteague
Elementary School came up with two flavors they wanted to try. As
a result, Candy & Cookie Explosion and Peanut Butter Kandy Kake
were available that Saturday for the lucky customers who happened
to stop by.
Of course, their menu doesn't stop with "just ice cream". Some ten
years ago, the family added a smorgasbord of perfectly prepared coffee
drinks to their menu. Espressos, Lattes, Cappuccinos, Mochas, and
Chai Tea are all equally tempting as well as my daughter’s favorite,
their Iced Chai, while I typically order one of their Iced Latte›s, which
I am shamelessly addicted to! You can even have your Latte frozen,
for an extra treat, or better yet, indulge in one of their Espresso Ice
Cream Shakes.
And if you are looking for an ice cream cake that will undoubtedly
be the best you have ever tasted, then you’ve come to the right place.
“We have standard cakes ready to be decorated at the last minute, as well as
unique custom designed ice cream cakes with a little more notice” Kelly explains
“We have even provided quite a few cakes for informal weddings.” So just what
is a standard cake you might ask? Well, there are quite a few! To
begin, you have their delicious Chocolate and Vanilla Cake Crunch,
a scrumptious concoction made with a cookie crumb crust and filled
with Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream. Or, you could opt for their
mouth-watering Oreo Delight Cake, consisting of a cookie crumb
crust filled with Oreo Ice Cream, or for the chocolate lovers out there,
there is also their Chocolate Extreme Cake; a cookie crumb crust
crowned with fudge and then filled with their infamous rich chocolate
Marsh Mud Ice Cream and then to top it off, frosted with fudge!
And not to be forgotten, peanut butter lovers can enjoy their Peanut
Butter Cup Cake, a chocolate cake crunch filled with Peanut Butter
Cup Ice Cream. And of course, we can›t forget the homemade fudge,
available in season. The fudge (and the reason behind more than one
of my many drives to Chincoteague) is sinfully smooth, and rich, an
amalgamation of flavors that is slightly dense, while still pliable and
soft, a burst of sweet, satisfying indulgence that will delight and sate
your senses perfectly.
Owner Kelly Conklin demonstrates to an avid enthralled group of Chincoteague
Elementary students how their delicious ice cream is made.
Yep folks, you read that correctly, homemade brownie pieces. In
fact, almost everything is homemade, from the brownie pieces, cookie
dough, and of course, the ice cream itself. Additionally, many of the
ingredients are all local as well. "Making our own ice cream gives us the
flexibility to be creative and use what is around us." Kelly explains "We can
use local strawberries, peaches, blueberries, and cantaloupes in spring and summer. Fall brings pumpkin, apple and sweet potato." And for those of you who
have never tried it, one scoop of their homemade strawberry ice cream
will have you driving back up to the Island every chance you get, the
sweet bite of the freshly picked berries mingles effortlessly with the
creamy, smooth perfectly blended ice cream to create a confection that
is heaven on your lips. Of course, the pumpkin is another favorite, a
mélange of seasoning and fresh, meaty pumpkin that gently reminds
you of the season, while indulging a more simplistic, childlike craving
of the velvety, delectably sweet cold treat.
And they’re not afraid to go out on a limb to give their customers
something new and different. Just recently, with the launch of the
Ladee Space Mission, a quick post on Facebook read: “Moon launch
tonight. We are celebrating with “‘Moon Pie’, chocolate fudge with graham crackers
and marshmallow. Also ‘Rocket Launch’, vanilla fudge with caramel, milky way
and milk duds--go or no go-it’s mighty tasty!” Now that sounds pretty delicious
All of the ingredients used in the ice cream at The Island Creamery are fresh
and local, or made by hand at the Creamery.
And don’t be surprised to see the Creamery at one of the many
area festivals along the Shore. “We have an ice cream cart that allows us to go
off site for festivals” Kelly explains. And of course, the Island Creamery
is always a favorite spot for school field trips, or get togethers, and
not just from the Shore! Kindergartens, middle and high schools,
girl scout troops, even colleges from all over visit the Creamery every
Page 35
year. Some of the many folks to have been lucky enough to travel to
our little Island and enjoy a day at the Creamery include such schools
as Colonial Middle School from Plymouth, PA; Girl Scout Troop
2046 from Fairfax, VA; Allen Middle School from Camp Hill, PA;
Conestoga Valley High School from Lancaster, PA; Thomas Jefferson
High School from Annandale, VA; St. Marys Middle School from St.
Marys, PA; Faith Christian School from Roanoke, VA; Kutztown
University from Kutztown, PA; Habitat for Humanity volunteers
from Potomac State as well as almost all of our local schools, school
and local sports teams and groups!
cherished family memories will continue to live on. Kelly nods and
adds: “Well I tell our employees that just what you described is a very special
thing, and one that can only be created over time.” He quickly continues “But,
it is also something that can be squandered fast, so it is a great motivator for me
to sustain it. It goes back to doing business in a small town where people know
you. You don’t have to be perfect but you had better care about what you are doing
or it will soon be apparent to all.” Comfortable that I understood what he
was trying to tell me, he says “I will admit it is pretty special to see folks who
came as kids now back visiting with their own kids and sometimes grandkids. It
really drives me to try and live up to the expectations they may have of us.” And
to those of us who love the Creamery, Kelly not only lives up to those
expectations, he exceeds them, time and time again.
The Creamery’s famous ice cream cakes come in standard varieties for a last
minute pick up or can be custom made with advance notice.
If you’re spending some time on the Island, the Creamery
also offers free WiFi, so bring your laptop and sit for a bit on their
expansive deck, while you take in the sights and sounds of the inviting,
relaxed life of the Island.
Of course, like everyone on our Shore, the economy takes its toll
and we roll up our sleeves and do what we have to do to get by. The
recent government shut down has affected businesses up and down
our Shore, but particularly so on the little Island of Chincoteague.
“Visitors come for the beach. There are always folks in town for NASA”
explains Kelly “but not so much during the shutdown.” Yet, the quaint,
charming and personable little business continues to thrive, despite
or perhaps, in spite of any obstacles. When I ask Kelly just how it is
that they have been such a staple in the landscape of Eastern Shore
business for so very many years, Kelly just smiles. “There are no secrets”
Kelly says “At startup, you overestimate the costs and under estimate the
profits. Show up every day and have a positive attitude and remember, it’s always
about the customer.” That statement right there says so much; not just
about the Island Creamery, but also about Kelly and his family, and
who they are. Smiling, the corners of his eyes turning up as his mind
runs back through the years, he adds “Of course, none of this would have
been possible without our long term manager, Kathy Patton, she has been a huge
help in all of this.” His smile widens, spreading from ear to ear, as he
continues: “Another special part of this is being a small part of the lives of all
the young adults who have worked with us. Of course now we have children of
some of those employees working with us as well.” The continuity of not just a
well loved stop along so very many paths, but of a family, of an entire
community is lovingly clear, and it’s significance is not lost to Kelly.
As we talk for a few moments about the Creamery, how it
came to be such an important part of my own traditions in visiting
Chincoteague and the beach at Assateague, I explain to Kelly how
exciting it was for me to bring my grandson, the next generation in
my family to the Creamery a few years back, making sure that those
Page 36
This group from Wilson High School in West Lawn, PA comes to The Island
Creamery every year, just one of many schools and colleges that visit.
Well, whatever his formula for success, I for one am glad he has
found it. The Island Creamery is much more than just simply one of
the true icons along the Shore, it is a genuine model of what businesses
should be, and an emblem that emblazens our hearts, giving us the
unique opportunity to bring out the children that live inside of all
of us. It represents everything that I love about the Shore, from the
smiling, friendly faces as well as the personal attention from the staff
when you walk in, to the attention to detail of the many enticing,
flavorful choices of treats they offer, to the humble, unassuming
personna of a caring family that has made the Creamery what it is
today, a trip to the Creamery will provide you much more than just
a delightfully perfect indulgence, it will give you something so much
more: New friends, new smiles, and new memories. And that is one of
those things considered truly priceless in this world.
* All photos used with permission and are the property of owner Kelly Conklin.
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Page 37
He, She and Baby Makes 3
A Threefold Look At Today’s Controversial Issues
Sensationalism. I don’t think there has ever been
a time in history where that word had more impact
than it does today. Seems the whole world literally
revolves around it, thrives on it, almost worships it.
And in my opinion, that’s just downright scary.
It will probably come as no shock to any of you
that this entire line of thought (at least as it pertains to
writing this column) began recently when millions of
“fans” sat and watched Miley Cyrus gyrate obscenely
across the stage. What the heck is twerking anyway and where did it
come from? Or perhaps a more appropriate question would be: “Why
would ANYONE want to do that in public?” Shameless? Disrespectful?
Immature? Trying to prove something? The public outrage immediately
following the performance (and I label it a performance in the very
loosest of terms) was intense and unyielding. And as disgusting and
degrading as her little routine was, it really brings to mind a number of
other questions about just where our moral framework lies in society
today.
My daughter and I are not big fans of mainstream television.
First and foremost, I want to watch a program, not have my thoughts
assaulted with a multitude of commercials that may or may not pertain
to me. So if there is something we want to watch, we DVR it and
watch it later. But more often times than not, we turn to Netflix or
one of the other programs offering a wide array of choices including
movies, documentaries and even earlier episodes of many of the
popular sitcoms, both past and present. And so many times, as we sit
and watch one of these dramatic episodes unfold, my daughter will
turn to me and say “I really don’t like the message this is sending.” There you
have it folks, a young adult, someone who by all intents and purposes
should be able to identify with these programs, but instead, is left
feeling unsettled by the message our youth are getting today.
Like many people, one of our favorite things to do after enjoying
some cinema, is to sit and talk about our reactions to what we just
witnessed. Many, many hours have passed as we pondered the
meaning of life over such notable films such as “Contact” or “The
Breakfast Club.” But lately, our talks have taken on a more somber note,
a disdain for life choices, a disappointment in a system that promotes
such a flagrant disregard for the moral direction of our youth. Case
in point, we have just begun watching a series that was popular for
many, many seasons a few years back (I think the show actually aired
for nine seasons.) The premise of the show follows around a group of
high school teens (sixteen to seventeen years old) and their somewhat
dysfunctional families. And while there are definite life lessons to be
learned from this group: Loyalty, commitment, responsibility among
them, there are also facets of their lives that scream bad decisions.
And instead of portraying these bad decisions as poor choices, they
are glamorized, almost as if as my daughter said just the other night:
“They make it look like this is what the cool kids do, like everyone should want to
be like them.”
And although I don’t mean to pick on just this one show, as the
problem is truly across the board, since this is what we are currently
watching in the evenings, hence, on the top of my mind, I will give
you a couple of examples from just the last week’s worth of episodes
we’ve been watching.
Two sixteen year old kids decide to get married. One has already
had himself declared emancipated, the other, although wanting to
be a “good girl”, eventually gives in to her “feelings” and once they’ve
crossed that milestone, it’s an easy jump into talk of marriage. Rather
She
Says
Page 38
than try to discourage the wedding, her parents get onboard with the
decision, deciding that if they say no, it’s just going to push her away
from them, so they agree and help her plan the wedding, which takes
place one presumes since you really don’t know how much time has
passed, almost immediately. Why are parents so afraid today to just
say no? While this is going on, we have a young father, also sixteen,
who has custody of his infant daughter. Now, one would think that
was great, shows that he’s responsible, not running away from the
consequences of his actions. But instead of showing a realistic view
of the repercussions, it shows the coach babysitting while the boy
plays basketball, and his boss bringing in a baby crib so he can bring
the child to work. Now come on, how realistic is that? The message
I’m seeing here is pretty unrealistic, it’s telling kids, hey, if you have a
baby in high school, don’t worry about it, everyone is going to help
you out, it’s not that big of a deal. Wrong!
Oh, but that’s not all. We can’t leave out the most popular girl on
the show, the one everyone strives to be friends with, captain of the
cheerleading squad, and most recently, voted as School President. Of
course, since young girls watching this show are most assuredly saying
to themselves “Wow, I wish I could be like her” and in reality, more than
likely trying to do the things she does to attain popularity, then they are
probably taking particular note of the fact that little Miss Popularity
here is also the school’s slut, in fact, probably not many guys on the
show she hasn’t slept with. She’s also a drunk, stays out all night, has
guys sleeping over at her house, the list goes on. It’s also interesting to
note that one of the first things she does when she is elected President
of the school is to institute a new program called “DW not I,” designed
to offer students a safe ride home when they’ve been out drinking.
Okay, anyone else see a problem with this? These kids are sixteen years
old, why are they promoting safe drinking? Why are they condoning
drinking at all in this age group? Shouldn’t they be discouraging it?
And then of course, there is the whole sexual undertone and indeed
realm, of youth today. My daughter, more often times than not, as the
end credits begin to roll on many of today’s sitcoms, will switch the
channel, sadly shaking her head, stating: “I really wish they didn’t make it
seem so acceptable, make it seem so glamorous. They show two people meeting, and
before they even know each other’s last names, they’re in bed together, half the time
at the end of their first date. It’s no wonder no one respects sex anymore, it’s no
wonder that everyone seems to think if you don’t sleep with someone right away,
that you’re the weird one.” Sad isn’t it?
I miss “I Love Lucy.” I miss “My Three Sons.” I miss “I Dream of
Jeanie” and “Dennis the Menace” and “Leave it to Beaver.” Yeah, I realize
I’m dating myself here, and you know what? I really don’t care. I’m
PROUD to have been raised in a time where values meant something,
where kids played the field, then dated, and then, months down the
road, eventually went steady. Sex was a consequence of love and
commitment, not a prerequisite. Today, kids talk. And I have to admit,
that term, “talk”, has gotten under my skin for a number of years.
Talking? What the heck is that supposed to mean? “You’re talking?”
Well, I sure hope so, after all, most of us have been talking since we
were toddlers. But unfortunately today, talking means something
entirely different. The question should be “Talking about what?” Did
you discuss your college plans? Did you talk about your family, and
what they mean to you? Did your conversation veer off onto the
subject of your dreams, what you want out of life, long term? Did
you talk about what you plan to do to get there, about what goals and
expectations you have set for yourself ? Did you talk about values
and who you are as a person? Did you talk and talk and talk and
actually learn about each other? No, of course you didn’t. Today’s
definition of “talking” is something much darker, something much
more unstable. And in the saddest contradiction in the foundation
of today’s relationships, this “talking” has taken something so exciting
and meaningful, “going steady” to a complete divergent implication. The
consequence being that “talking”, today’s loosely defined definition
of “going steady” is perhaps one of the most unsteady facets of a
relationship. It’s a facade that implies you know each other, an illusion
that grants commitment. It’s sad. And it’s scary. You need to talk to
someone to get to know them, not get to know them after you’re
already “talking.”
I watch the youth of today in their relationships and it’s no
wonder the divorce rate is sky high. When I was coming along, sex
was the ultimate commitment, it was a trust, a gift, a culmination of
love and allegiance and endless time invested in each other. When I
was coming along, you didn’t blurt out “I love you” after three dates,
you didn’t spend hours talking about how you can’t live without each
other, or how wonderful someone is, when the truth is, you don’t
know that person, you don’t have the time invested in that person to
know whether you love them or not. Yet, they do it on television or in
the movies, so we’ve learned that this is the norm, this is acceptable.
But I digress, as I always do. My apologies. Where was I? Oh yes,
twerking and Miley Cyrus. My personal take, my admittedly personal
opinion on her antics? Seems to me like she really thought she was
sexy. Looks like she was trying to prove something, like gaining the
gawks and stares and lurid wolf whistles from horny old men is what
she was shooting for. Funny, when I was a teenager, we steered away
from things like that. A dirty old man whistling at us was an insult,
degrading. Well, if in fact that’s what she wanted, they she certainly
obtained her goal. But to me, watching her performance, I was left
thinking how instead of sexy, it was obvious how pathetic she was,
how she did in fact prove something, but rather than show us she was
talented, she simply showed us how she would sell herself for a mere
moments worth of attention. Oh, but most importantly, I can assure
you, if she were my daughter, she’d not only be grounded for life, but
she most assuredly would not be able to sit down for a month. But
most tragically, after watching her performance, I saw the moral fiber
of our youth slip odiously past a point of no return.
Yes, this entire article is definitely dating me, defining my age with
each and every word. But as I said, I’m proud of the life and times I
grew up in. I am proud to say Lucy and Desi, even though they were
married, slept in separate beds in order not to offend the viewers. I
am proud to say Rhett Butler uttering his now famous “Frankly my
dear, I don’t give a damn” phrase was shocking. I am proud to say I went
steady, that I filled a high school ring with wax or yarn and wore it
proudly on my finger, and that I didn’t get that ring by having sex
with its owner. I am proud to say I got my butt whooped, complete
to having to accompany my Dad while he cut the switch, when I
disobeyed. And I am proud to say I raised my own children by these
same principles. But what I’m most proud of is my kids themselves,
and watching the responsible, stalwart and ethical adults they have
become carry on a sense of value and honor in their lives, and even
more importantly, passing that down to
their own children. And if I’m going to
be completely honest, then I also have to
admit, I’m pretty danged happy that Miley
Cyrus isn’t my daughter either.
Baby’s
Turn
Sex,
drugs,
violence,
unrealistic
expectations of relationships. These are
the messages conveyed on television and
in movies. I would say this is something new, this level of exposure,
but to be honest it goes back a long, long ways in television history.
Showing sex on TV is a relatively new phenomena, becoming more
prevalent in the 1990’s through today. The movies, however, have been
showing it for decades longer. I don’t so much have a problem with
showing sex in the media, after all, sex is definitely a part of life for
most people. My problem is showing “casual” sex to young teenagers.
And there is no way to avoid it if you have a television in your house.
TV shows going back to the 80’s depict casual, premarital sex as the
norm. Shows such as Beverly Hills 90210 (very popular among youth
growing up in the 90’s) showed sex, as did Dawson’s Creek and several
other shows aimed at high school students across the country. More
recently, shows such as One Tree Hill, Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire
Diaries, Glee and others show high school students engaging in sexual
activity, having babies, and even getting married, while still in high
school. The characters on these shows are supposed to be people that
our youth identify with, or want to emulate. I, for one, do not want
America’s teenagers thinking meaningless sex and teen pregnancy are
what they are supposed to be doing. Movies are even worse, and more
graphic, desensitizing children to nudity and sex. In both forms of
entertainment, we see relationships form on screen between people
that have just met, fallen in love within 3 or less dates and are hopping
in bed together. That doesn’t seem like a good message to send, and
is certainly a very unrealistic depiction of what actual relationships
are like. And of course, we can’t discuss this topic without bringing
up the Miley Cyrus train wreck at the VMA’s this year. It’s not her
performance that disturbs me as much as what made her do that type
of thing in the first place. Everyone that has defended her has said
she is just trying to show her fans that she is not a child anymore, that
she has grown up. So, does that mean that the young girls in America
feel like they will have to push the limits of decency and decorum to
prove they have grown up? Everyone knows teenagers struggle with
who they are as they progress into young adulthood. They all think
they know everything, and think they are wiser than any adult on the
planet. They can’t wait to be “grown up.” Doesn’t it scare you to think
that there are thirteen year old girls out there that have grown up in
this society and feel like being overly sexual is the way to prove your
maturity?
These same shows, movies and stars are also depicting teenagers
doing illicit drugs, from pot to cocaine and worse. They are the “cool,
popular” kids and even if they get in trouble, it still sends the message
that the “in crowd” has fun with drugs. In an early episode of One
Tree Hill, one of the main characters does cocaine. She regrets it, but
when she’s feeling down, she still seeks out her contact to get more,
before she is caught by the guy she likes. Stars like Lindsay Lohan and
Charlie Sheen have taken over the tabloids with stories about their
rampant drug use and partying. While these two may not be idolized
by teenagers, the media is still saturated with their shenanigans, they
are still finding work, are wildly rich and very successful.
Violence has been a theme in entertainment for as long as there
has been television and movies. John Wayne in the wild west, the
good guys fighting the bad guys, fights, killing, you name it. The good
guys may be fighting and killing for righteous reasons, but the reality
is, how many of these characters show remorse after killing someone?
Relief, yes, but remorse for taking another human life? Rarely. All
of this killing on TV desensitizes (there’s that word again) people to
death and gore.
I know that children know the difference between TV and real
life. But I also know that television and internet have greatly reduced
the amount of real socializing children do with their peers and even
other adults. I feel like children are seeing the world through the
Page 39
entertainment industry, learning how to interact with other people,
and that, is seriously frightening.
I shudder to think of what these kids are going to be like as
adults. Nothing shocks them, or appalls them. Parents take videos of
their 5 year old girls dancing and shaking their behinds and post them
on YouTube thinking it’s “cute.” It’s not cute. Those girls are being
rewarded for behavior that is very sexual, and those parents aren’t
going to think it’s cute when their twelve year old daughter comes
home pregnant, or with an STD. Because one thing all these movies
and TV shows are NOT showing, is safe sex. They make out, take
their clothes off, and do the deed. Never do they mention anything
about protecting themselves. So our girls are learning that having
unprotected sex with a boy on their third date will give them love and
a happily ever after. When in reality it will give them diseases, a baby
and a really bad reputation.
So wake up parents, don’t let your kids just have unlimited access
to the media. Think about the repercussions that could come from that
kind of socialization, or rather, desocialization.
Perhaps if the ratings of this garbage go down,
the networks and studios will be forced to
rethink what they put out as “entertainment.”
He
Says
I have to admit, most of the time, I can
think of a million other things I’d rather be
doing than watching television. Even the
movies today leave a lot to be desired, and I
really just don’t want to waste my time. And although I know that
television is a big part of a kids growing up, watching shows that years
down the road they will laugh about; I also know that I don’t want
my son watching any more of that garbage than absolutely necessary.
There are so many better lessons in life; fishing, hunting; learning to
garden or just taking a walk through the woods. But I don’t suppose
this article is supposed to be about what I think you should do with
your time, rather, my take on the entertainment choices available, so,
just be warned, you’re going to get an earful.
To begin, I think Jane hit the nail on the head when she used
the term “sensationalism.” Isn’t that really what this is all about? Who
can draw the biggest crowds, get the largest box office hits? And
sadly, our news media follows that same less than pathetic path.
Rather than report real, honest news, all too often we are subjected to
melodramatic, scandalous headlines, designed to shock you, hence, get
your attention. Media whores, the entire industry. And Lennie pretty
much summed it up as well, entertainment today simply desensitizes
you to right and wrong, it blurs the lines, sometimes it obliterates them
completely. And that folks, is some scary stuff.
I watch some of these shows and I have to ask myself, is it any
wonder that we are having some of the problems with our kids today
that we are facing? Drugs are thrown around like candy, and the
repercussions are few, barely more than a smack on the hand, if they
exist at all. Sex is a part of getting to know each other, as opposed to
a step you take much later in the relationship, once you have spent
time together, and invested yourself into the relationship. Another
common message you see in a lot of the shows is abortion; teens
having abortions, single women choosing to have an abortion rather
than give up a career. This is not an option I want my daughter to
consider viable. I would much prefer she know that sex comes with
responsibility and commitment, and if you aren’t ready to take that on,
then you wait until you’re mature enough to handle it. And above all, I
want her to know that abortion is NOT a birth control.
What about teaching these kids some self respect? Now that’s
a message that is worthwhile sending. But instead, you see kids that
Page 40
garner their popularity from being a sports star, or sleeping with as
many people as they can make time for. Some of these shows actually
portray a character going through two and three sexual partners in
one season. Do the math, that’s nine months. Do you want your child
having three sexual partners in that short of a time? That’s sleeping
with someone every three months, give me a break. And while we are
on the subject of respect, how about having some for yourself ? You
have these young teenage couples that are inevitably going to break up.
Of course they do, one, they’re teens, and they’re just learning about
love, but two, it makes for more drama. Usually it is because one has
done something behind the others back, or who knows, maybe one of
them just met someone they like better. But instead of just accepting
the end of the relationship, they hang on for dear life. They follow the
other person around, eavesdrop on conversations; they show up when
they know that person is going to be somewhere, and of course, they
do everything in their power to sabotage any new relationship the other
person may enter into. Yes, I know most of these shows are about
high school kids, but I still just want to scream at them “grow up.” Why
not teach them how to get past a break up instead of reinforcing bad,
negative and childish behavior. And sadly, according to these shows,
sooner or later, the couple is going to get back together. What kind of
message is that sending? Not a very realistic one that’s for sure. I can
promise you, if one of my exes were doing stupid stuff like that to
me, or started talking trash about me to whomever I might be involved
with, the last thing I would ever do is take them back, not if they were
the last person on the planet. That’s something that I require in any
relationship, maturity. And if I harbored any kind of feelings left for
that person at all, even if it were only compassion, well, I’d lose that
pretty quickly too. So you lost a girl? Get over it, grow up and move
on.
I remember when we would go to the movies, my Dad used to
tell me that seeing half naked women running around on screen was
offensive to him. “Don’t leave nothing to the imagination” he would spit
out “And my imagination is a heck of a lot better than anything they’re showing
me.” As a teenager, I would ignore him, thinking he was just giving out
the advice a father thought he needed to give, but now, watching the
new media, I have to admit, he’s right. The shows that shove nudity
and sex under your nose, the ones that walk you step by step through
every intimate detail of their sexual lives, they fall flat, lifeless, unable
to arouse any depth of comprehension of feeling. Yet some years
back, when Titanic was released, there was much discussion about a
sexually charged scene in which the viewer knew, Rose was undressing
as she and Jack were preparing for an intimately passionate love tryst.
The scene was moving, real. It left you with a sense of true sexual
energy and more, it left you to feel, to witness the love they shared,
because it didn’t cheapen it with offensive imagery. When the scene
was over, you walked away with a raw sense of emotion, a deep and
valid commitment of the bond they shared. And that is the message
our youth needs more of today. Commitment.
If you ask me, today’s media needs to be less sensationalistic and
more realistic. Instead of promoting irresponsibility and showing how
good things happen to kids who make bad choices, why not show
what happens in real life, how kids doing drugs can end up in jail, or
even dead. How kids that go through sexual partners like underwear
end up with STD’s or babies that their football coach won’t babysit
while they’re in practice. Show them that life has consequences, and
part of growing up is to accept them, and learn from them. Why not
teach a little respect? Because when I was growing up, you were taught
not only to respect others, but most importantly, to respect yourself.
It’s a quality that will take kids much further than buying drugs on the
corner somewhere.
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Page 41
Places of Worship
Accomac
Baptist Bible Church
(757) 787-7909
24577 Front St
Calvary Bible Church
757-442-3208
Front St.
Drummondtown Baptist Church
(757) 787-4339
23474 Front St
Drummondtown United Methodist
(757) 787-2772
23457 Drummondtown Rd
Macedonia AME Church
(757) 787-9506
St George’s Parish
(757) 787-4892
23319 Back St
St James Episcopal Church
(757) 787-4892
23319 Back St
St Luke AME Church
(757) 787-2052
Assawoman
Holy Unity Commandment Church
(757) 678-0025
11240 Lankford Hwy
Craddockville United Methodist
(757) 442-9659
New Mission United Methodist Church 33464 Boston Rd
(757) 678-7600
Eastville
8240 Trehernville Dr.
Christ Episcopal Church
Bloxom
(757) 678-7837
16304 Courthouse Rd,
Bethel Baptist Church
(757) 824-5909
Johnson’s United Methodist
(757) 678-7707
14050 Bethel Church Rd.
11175 Bayside Rd
Bloxom House of Prayer
Exmore
25585 Shoremain Dr
Guilford United Methodist
24450 Guilford Rd.
Macedonia Baptist Church
(757) 665-6441
27105 Nelsonia Rd
St Thomas United Methodist Church
(757) 665-6430
Clam (Bloxom)
Union Baptist Church
(757) 678-1280
15183 Lankford Hwy
Cape Charles
Bethel AME Church
Assawoman United Methodist Church (757) 678-7866
757-824-4585
15676 Courthouse Rd.
12034 Atlantic Rd
Phil. Church of Christ Disciples
Atlantic
312 Washington Avenue
Atlantic Baptist Church
(757) 824-5034
10040 Atlantic Rd
St John United Methodist Church
(757) 824-0186
10352 Atlantic Rd
Shiloh Baptist Church
(757) 824-5786
Mt Sinai Holiness Tabernacle
(757) 678-5178
5209 Stumptown Dr,
Chincoteague
Chincoteague Church Of God
757-336-5161
5252 Woodland Dr
Christ United Methodist Church
Belle Haven
(757) 336-6394
Belle Haven United Methodist Church 6253 Church St
(757) 442-5844
Island Baptist Church
35446 Belle Haven Rd
(757) 336-5645
3380 Willow St
Birdsnest
Antioch Baptist Church
(757) 678-7749
8181 Bannister St
Page 42
Craddockville
Union Baptist Church
(757) 336-5018
6365 Church St
Bethel United Methodist Church
(757) 442-3070
6369 Occohannock Neck Rd
Bread of Life Community Church
(757) 414-0054
4388 Lankford Hwy
Cornerstone Seventh-Day
(757) 442-6840
3431 Main St
Ebenezer Baptist
(757) 442-4824
Epworth United Methodist Church
(757) 442-6391
4158 Seaside Rd
Exmore Baptist Church
(757) 442-9491
Maranatha Baptist Church
(757) 442-2501
12354 Lincoln Ave
Mt Calvary Baptist Church
(757) 442-4483
New Allen AME Church
(757) 442-7958
7026 Bayside Rd
St Mary’s Baptist Church
(757) 442-9812
Franktown
Franktown United Methodist Church
(757) 442-3481
7551 Bayside Rd
Hallwood
St Paul on the Shore Lutheran Church
(757) 824-3500
28281 Main St
Horntown
Dea’s Chapel
(757) 824-3354
Horntown Baptist Church
(757) 336-3324
Keller
Church Of Christ
(757) 787-7744
Gospel Temple Baptist Church
(757) 787-9465
Hollies Baptist Church
(757) 787-4655
17691 Hollies Church Rd
Mears Memorial United Methodist
(757) 789-3207
Mappsville
First Baptist Church
(757) 824-5166
29270 Metompkin Rd
Miracle Temple of Faith
(757) 824-0064
15505 Lankford Hwy
Marionville
Red Bank Baptist Church
(757) 442-4161
9202 Seaside Rd
Melfa
Gaskins Chapel AME Church
(757) 787-7645
Melfa United Methodist Church
(757) 787-8860
19444 Main St
Rock Church of the Eastern Shore
(757) 787-7625
27112 Lankford Hwy
Snead’s Memorial Methodist Church
(757) 442-5922
Modest Town
Modest Town Baptist Church
(757) 665-6945
16508 Metompkin Rd
Nassawadox
Bethel Baptist Church
(757) 442-6861
7638 Bayside Rd
Miracle Temple of Faith Church
(757) 442-3346
9423 Hospital Ave
New Church
Chincoteague Baptist Church
(757) 336-3324
First Baptist Church
(757) 824-0493
31027 Depot St
Friendship United Methodist
(757) 824-0750
32347 Chincoteague Rd
St Mark’s United Methodist Church
(757) 824-5852
Rr 710
Oak Hall
Downings United Methodist Church
757-824-4585
7261 Lankford Hwy
Onancock
Bethel AME Church
(757) 787-7516
40 Boundary Ave
Broadway Baptist Church
(757) 787-9425
15341 Broadway Rd
Cashville United Methodist Church
(757) 787-2621
15599 Cashville Rd
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
757-787-4430
66 Market Street
Market Street United Methodist
(757) 787-4873
75 Market St
Metropolitan United Methodist
(757) 787-8373
21445 Bayside Rd
Mt Nebo Baptist Church
(757) 787-7069
Naomi Makemie Presbyterian
(757) 787-1331
Market & Lee St
New Jerusalem Faith Church
(757) 787-1004
40 Boundary Ave
Onancock Baptist Church
(757) 787-4348
1 Crockett Ave
St Luke AME Church
(757) 787-3538
Onley
Central Baptist Church
(757) 787-7148
27140 Lankford Hwy
Church Of Jesus Christ of LDS
(757) 787-1850
26133 Onley Rd
Faith Baptist Church
(757) 787-1351
Rt 13
Onley Baptist Church
(757) 787-7140
25462 Coastal Blvd
Onley United Methodist Church
(757) 787-4155
25642 E Main St
St Peters Catholic Church
(757) 787-4592
25236 Coastal Blvd
Painter
Holy Trinity Baptist Church
(757) 442-3261
14191 Trinity Ln
New Mt Olive Baptist Church
(757) 442-3560
13444 Hacksneck Rd
New Mount Zion Baptist Church
(757) 442-9805
17450 Coal Kiln Rd
Shiloh Baptist Church
(757) 442-2739
31559 Boston Rd
Parksley
Adams United Methodist Church
(757) 665-4483
23532 Lee Mont Rd
Calvary United Methodist Church
(757) 665-6445
21475 Hopkins Rd
Faith Assembly of God
(757) 665-4257
22593 Lee Mont Rd
Grace United Methodist Church
(757) 665-4783
18484 Wilson Ave
Kingdom Hall-Jehovah’s Witness
(757) 665-5607
18308 Lankford Hwy
Metompkin Baptist Church
(757) 665-4135
Miracle Temple Deliverance Center
(757) 665-7710
24345 Bennett St
Parksley Baptist Church
(757) 665-5695
24359 Adelaide St
Saxis
Saxis United Methodist
(757) 854-3940
20137 Saxis Rd
Tangier
Swain Memorial Church
(757) 891-2241
16152 Main St
Temperanceville
Acts Apostolic Church
757-824-0901
9431 Jerusalem Rd
Atlantic United Methodist Church
757-824-0607
Emanuel Episcopal Church
(757) 824-5043
26405 Horsey Rd
Jerusalem Baptist Church
(757) 824-0178
10011 Jerusalem Rd
United Christian Church
(757) 665-5029
24284 Cooke St
Mt Olive Baptist Church
(757) 854-1660
25365 Saxis Rd
Woodberry United Methodist
(757) 665-6420
18121 Lankford Hwy
St John Methodist Church
(757) 824-5085
Zion Baptist Church
(757) 665-6288
26381 Metompkin Rd
Pungoteague
Harborton United Methodist Church
(757) 442-9390
Pungoteague Community Church
(757) 442-9596
15346 Pungoteague Rd
St George Episcopal Parish
(757) 787-4892
St Georges Cir,
St Pauls Ame Church
757-442-7315
30118 Bobtown Rd
Sanford
Halls Chapel Church
(757) 824-3381
MT Olive Baptist Church
757-824-0226
25365 Saxis Rd
Tabernacle Baptist Church
(757) 824-5840
5224 Fleming Rd
Wachapreague
Grace Independent Methodist
(757) 787-4925
Herbert Baptist Church
(757) 787-2438
Ocean View United Methodist Church
(757) 787-2101
Main St
Withams
Mt Zion Independent Methodist
(757) 824-5927
Editors Note: Our Church
section is truly a work in
progress. Please let us know
if there are corrections, additions or deletions as we strive
to bring you the most comprehensive directory possible.
Page 43
Stressed Out Over the Holidays? You’re Not Alone!
The holidays bring a whole new level of stress to our daily lives,
and sometimes it just seems a bit too much to bear. Perhaps we just
don’t have as much money this year to do the things we want to do
for our children, family or friends. Maybe we just started a new job
and can’t take time off to get everything accomplished at home that
we need to, or to visit family out of town. Or we might have lost a
loved one during the year, and are having to face the holidays without
this very special person for the first time. And then there are those
who just simply don’t have anyone in their lives to celebrate with, and
they are left feeling so very alone during this typically family oriented
season. Whatever may be the situation, all of these things can leave
people feeling as if they just can’t handle it, tumbling into a bout of
depression and melancholy that leaves you feeling both helpless and
hopeless.
Personally, we've been through almost all of the above scenarios
in our family, and though difficult, we somehow managed to get
through the holidays intact. Yes, we shed more than a few tears for lost
loved ones, we worried over the kids being disappointed when Santa
didn't have the money to buy them the bright fancy toys they wanted,
and we got angry and disillusioned when we couldn't get everything
finished up in time, going without sleep to try, but still failing to meet
our own ridiculously high goals. Unfortunately, it's just tough, there
are no easy solutions. But I promise you, there is light at the end of
the tunnel, and you too, can make it through just fine.
To begin, don't downplay your feelings. If you've lost someone
this year, the holiday is going to be painful, there just isn't any way
around it. Trying to hide from your emotions, trying to smile when
you feel like crying isn't going to help you deal with the sense of loss
you feel. It's okay to cry, so just do it. I look back on the people in
my family that I have lost and what it felt like that first Christmas after
each of them had passed, and to be honest, sometimes I wonder even
today how I got through it. The first loss that hit me was my brother
when I was only twenty-five. He had been such a kid at Christmas,
making such a big deal out of everything from what we were serving
for breakfast and dinner to the gifts we exchanged; he always put so
much thought into each and every one, making it unique, not just
for the person he was giving it too, but it was something that you
knew, only he could have thought of. That first Christmas without
him was excruciating, and I spent most of the morning in tears. But
slowly, as our family gathered, we started talking about our very special
memories of him, laughing about some of his antics throughout the
various holidays, and by that night, the love I had shared with him
wrapped around me so tightly that I knew in my heart he was right there
beside me. Years later, I would lose my Mom, and those feelings of
helplessness flooded in anew. How does one face the holidays without
your Mother? The Mom who you had stood beside cooking Christmas
dinner? The Mom who had gone shopping with you each and every
year since as far back as you could remember? The Mom who had
sat patiently beside you as you carefully stuffed the kids stockings,
equally as excited for them to awaken the next morning as you were;
if not more so. Then, there was my Dad. The Dad who had gone
with me every year to cut down, and then later, pick out, a Christmas
tree. The Dad who I had spent every Christmas Eve of my life riding
out to look at Christmas lights, and then stopping by to let me pick
out a gift for Mom. The Dad who always made me a special fruit cake
with no nuts, since I was allergic, wrapping it up and handing it to me
Christmas morning, the strong scent of his homemade brandy wafting
Page 44
through the waxed paper he had so carefully wrapped it in. The Dad
who every year, lovingly awoke before everyone else, shucking the
fresh oysters before making the richest, most delectable oyster stew
for breakfast that you could ever possibly imagine. And lastly, just nine
years ago, there was my sister. The sister who revered Christmas and
everything it stood for. The sister who couldn't wait to put up her tree
and decorate it with so many ornaments that you couldn't even see
the greenery, each one having a very special story behind it. The sister
who had made sure I started early collecting ornaments myself, who
has given me probably half of the ornaments on my own tree, the
sister who would call me and beg me to come up so we could do some
holiday baking, experimenting with new recipes every year, or perhaps
we could just sit on the sofa and talk a bit while we embroidered holiday
ornaments or stockings. The sister who would race me to the table to
make sure she got the first slice of Vinegar Pie, laughing and telling
me I couldn't have any. So yes, holidays are hard. But you know what?
That's okay. They are hard for all of us, as we are missing people that
were so very unique to us, that we had a bond with that no one else
shared. So cry. In fact, cry a lot if you need to. It's been a lot of years,
over thirty to be honest, that I lost my brother. Over seventeen years
since I lost Mom. Over ten years since I lost my Dad, and as I said,
over nine since I lost my sister. And I can promise you, at some point
during the day, probably even during all the Holiday prep as well, I'm
going to feel that familiar burning in my eyes, as the tears spill down
my face for each and every one of them. And that's okay.
If like many of us, you find yourself short on cash for the
holidays, then you are faced with your special concerns and worries.
But there are ways around spending a fortune on Christmas gifts, and
although you might not think anyone is going to want "what you can
afford" you might just be surprised. Why not try your hand at making
some holiday gifts this year? Yes, there is the traditional assortment
of baked goods you can put together, but there are other things too.
We live in an area that is so very enriched by nature, so why not make
your gift something truly unique? A trip to the thrift shops or second
hand stores can produce all kinds of things that can be restructured
into really cute and special gifts! Find an old mirror then adorn it with
seashells you have collected. Or you could do the same thing with an
old wreath, breathing new life into a worn out decoration. Jars and
bowls can be filled with seashells or greenery for a lovely decoration or
centerpiece. Inexpensive tee shirts or sweatshirts can be found at the
dollar stores and embroidered with personal sayings or decorations cut
from scrap cloth. Baskets can be filled with small items that represent
different things you and the recipient have enjoyed together. I can
tell you that the Christmas in our past that I had truly thought was
going to be our very worst Christmas ever, still stands out as one of
our very best, certainly one of our most cherished memories. That
year I had nothing, literally nothing, to spend on my children, parents,
siblings; a mere fifty dollars if I remember correctly, and that had to
buy Christmas dinner too. I was devastated, I remember thinking that
I just really, really wished I could wake up and have it all over with,
I didn't want to have to face the day at all. But my daughter, having
only recently gotten her driver's license, grabbed the keys, refusing to
be deterred from enjoying the holidays, insisted we go shopping, and
so off we went. When she pulled up in front of the dollar store, my
heart sank, there was no way I could buy gifts for everyone from there!
Once we were inside, she raced from shelf to shelf, picking up little
trinkets and showing them to me. "Mom, look! It's a little perfume bottle,
it reminds me of the one you have of Gram's, please, put this in my stocking!"
Around the next corner, "Mom! It's a lighthouse, doesn't it make you think
of going back home to Chincoteague?" And so it began. We filled our cart
that day, and then later that night, we sat down to wrap our gifts. Each
gift came with a tag that bore a verse on it, of some special memory
we had shared that had made us choose that gift. Christmas morning,
as we opened our gifts, I sat there with tears in my eyes. Not because
I hadn't spent hundreds of dollars on gifts, instead, the tears were
because the gifts we had chosen stirred such deep emotions that I
knew no amount of money in the world could have ever purchased a
better gift.
It's always hard when you have so many things to do and not
enough time. With all of the extra work we create for ourselves during
the holidays, might as well go ahead and get started setting some
priorities. What things do you absolutely have to do yourself ? What
things can you delegate to the kids or other family members? Yes,
I know that everyone always raves about your corned pudding, but
if you teach your daughter to make it, that's one thing you can cross
off your list, and it will be very rewarding for her to be the recipient
of all the compliments during the meal. Probably the one thing I am
most guilty of is not being able to say no. The holidays seem to always
be bustling with activity. Every group and organization out there is
putting together a bazaar, a float, a parade, a show, something. And
since I'm such a huge, huge supporter of community involvement,
this is where I always get into serious trouble. But the bottom line is,
there is nothing wrong with saying no. If you only have a few hours
each night to get your own work done, and there are only so many
days left until the holidays, do the math, you can't do everything you've
got to do yourself, and take on more projects. If like me, you really
want to be involved, then pick something. Maybe you really want to
help with the covered dinner and bazaar at your Church, or perhaps
you have always helped the Salvation Army with their drives. If it's
something you truly believe in, then do it, trust me, you'll beat yourself
up if you don't. But choose wisely, and know your limits. We are after
all, only human, and unless someone has found a magical clock out
there, then there are still only twenty-four hours in a day.
And yes, I know you've never missed Thanksgiving dinner at your
Aunt's house. And yes, I know it's perfectly horrible that your boss
won't let you take that Friday after Thanksgiving off so that you can
go out of town to see them. But you're the new kid on the block, and
time off is granted by seniority. So you're traveling out of town that
weekend just isn't going to happen. Now you could sit around and
stew about it, making everyone around you miserable, or you could
make the best of the situation, and realize that in time, you'll be able to
take that day off again. Why not ask family to come to you this year?
After all, is it fair that you're always the one who has to do the driving
to get to them? See if you can have the holiday meal at your house,
and then enlist the help of family and friends to prepare the meal and
get things ready. If that isn't an option, then why not put together a
film show or DVD of family memories and send it along to them? I've
done this on many different occasions: When I can't be somewhere
I want to be; when I'm hurting over the loss of someone I love; or
simply when I just miss someone very, very much. Sort through your
pictures and arrange them into a movie program on your computer.
You can add text; either quotes that are appropriate for what you are
feeling, or perhaps different sayings of family members. You can even
add music if there is a particular song that holds special meaning or
conveys what you want to say. Your family will really appreciate the
effort, and you will feel so very close to them when you are making it.
I've even done this and given them as Christmas gifts, another great
gift idea when you're working on a tight budget, or if you just want
something truly unique and special.
While all of this is going on, it's easy to get lost in everything you're
trying to do. Take a few minutes for you. Sit down, pick up a good
book, or take a walk outside and let the chilly brisk air refresh your
thoughts. It's not healthy to get so bogged down that you don't take
the time to deal with your emotions and spiritual well being, so take a
breather and take care of yourself. Fast food every night isn't going to
do you any favors, nor will skipping a meal. It you find yourself staying
so busy that your food is suffering, try keeping snacks like carrot sticks
and apples on hand, or even make up some peanut butter crackers;
peanut butter is loaded with protein! And please don't fall into the age
old thought process that you need a drink to unwind. There's nothing
wrong with having a glass of wine or a drink in moderation at the end
of a busy day, but going out and getting plastered isn't going to solve
any problems or make your stress level go down, it's only going to add
to it when you feel awful the next day and can't get anything done. If
you do go out for a few drinks, please be responsible and have a sober
friend or family member to drive you. Most alcohol related accidents
happen during the holiday season, so be smart and be safe!
Sometimes it helps to make a plan. If you're sitting there laughing
telling yourself you already have a plan, great, good for you! But too
many of us just have a list of things in our head that we need to get
done, and it overwhelms us. So if you're one of those people like
I am, then grab a cup of coffee and have a seat, and write it down.
Organize the things you have to do by priority. The things that need
to be done before a certain date come first, followed by things that you
have more time to accomplish. Space things out so that no one day is
a disaster. If you're lucky, you'll even be able to allot a day or two to
do nothing but relax! And while we're talking about plans, it might be
a good time to remind you to be realistic. You're not a super hero, no
matter how hard you try, so give up thinking you are. And as we all
know, no matter how detailed our plan, nothing ever goes exactly the
way it should. So know right up front, things may go wrong. That
cake you promised to make might just fall. The holiday turkey may
get too dry. I remember one Thanksgiving when I was first learning
to cook, I had no idea that the giblets were inside wrapped in plastic.
So yeah, you guessed it, I cooked the bird with the plastic still inside.
I have to admit, it was one of the prettiest turkey's I've ever cooked,
perfectly golden brown, absolutely gorgeous; and tasting so badly of
plastic that I ended up serving hot dogs with my mashed potatoes.
And you know what? It's not the end of the world. Some of our best
memories are made when we look back and laugh over how "poorly"
things turn out. So relax, it's all going to be fine!
And lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're depressed
and you just can't seem to get past it there is absolutely nothing wrong
with seeking out someone to talk with. There are help lines, local
counselors, your doctor, pastors at local churches, or even just a friend
who are more than willing to listen. Depression can interfere with
sleeping, eating, make it so we don't feel like doing anything, or seeing
anyone, and sadly, can spiral downward from there. Each of us need
help coping at some time in our lives, there's no shame in saying "I
need someone." Just remember, you're not alone, somewhere out there,
someone is waiting to see your smile today.
Got a Story Idea? A Picture You’d Like to See in Print?
Please let us know, we’d love to hear from you!
Page 45
Onancock Offers Fun Filled Holiday Events
Escape the last-minute frantic holiday rush of the Big City. Step
back in time to the slower, relaxed pace and friendly atmosphere of
this small Eastern Shore town. Experience the magic of the holiday
season at this year’s 14th annual Onancock Christmas Homes Tour
and Music Festival. On Saturday, December 14, six historic homes
will each offer its own distinctive charm. Some have unique histories
to explore, and three are local artists’ residences where visitors can see
how their work is exhibited within their personal living spaces.
Tour homes will be open 2 - 6 p.m. and includes:
• A ca. 1902 Queen Anne-style Victorian, returned to a single
family residence from two apartments. A conscientious, total
interior and exterior restoration/renovation over seven years
retained nearly all the now-gleaming original woodwork.
Decorative highlights include paintings, artwork, and a collection of more than 80 original designs for silk-screened
Christmas cards created by the owners, their family members, and local artists.
• A ca. 1940 stunning NY-style loft apartment created from
two commercial spaces formerly used as warehouse storage,
a church, an art studio, and more. Total interior redesign in
2005 yielded an open gourmet kitchen, living, and dining
spaces. Of note is the original herring-bone ceiling. Artwork
of the resident and furniture crafted by family members is
on display.
• An elegant “Victorian Lady”. This outstanding example of
the residential architecture of the 1800’s in Onancock is the
oldest home on this year’s tour. Tradition abounds throughout this grand dame. While the home faces the Town Square,
Page 46
it also backs onto a spectacular stretch of Onancock Creek.
A ca. 1940 lovingly-restored Dutch Colonial Mt. Prospect
home. The owners’ creative flair and inspired style are reflected in every room. Expect to be delighted and perhaps
even inspired. An expansive, beautifully-landscaped setting
offers visitors panoramic views of the creek.
• An original four-squared 1920 Victorian. You will find high
ceilings, pine floors, oak balustrade main staircase, mansard
roof, and more. The only new is the updated, added-on
kitchen. This owner is one of Onancock’s most noted local artists, and the home showcases his distinctive touch and
work.
•
A large, impressive, brick, center hall home built ca. 1925.
Anticipate delightful surprises in one of the most unique
homes on this year’s tour. Over two years of meticulous, detailed restoration of many original features has made this a
sparkling showplace with a graceful 3-storied front staircase,
pocket doors, arched glass-fronted corner cupboard and
matching built-in cupboard, butler’s pantry, and much more.
Later that evening, you can attend the Music Festival at Historic
Cokesbury Church from 3 - 6:30 p.m. It will offer both instrumental
music and a gospel choir. And, in addition to the homes, ticket holders
can also tour Ker Place from 11 - 4 p.m., the Naomi Makemie Presbyterian Church, and Onancock’s new Harbormaster’s building. All will
be filled with lights, greenery, and seasonal decorations. A free shuttle
around town will be available.
You can purchase your Christmas Homes Tour tickets on the day
of the tour at Ker Place for only $20, or if you want to plan in advance,
•
you may purchse them before Thanksgiving for only $15. There is also
a 10% discount for groups of 10 or more. The tour is sponsored by
the Onancock Business and Civic Association, and profits from the
tour will benefit two local charities: Eastern Shore Coalition Against
Domestic Violence and Friends of Onancock School.
Enjoy seeing the magnificant decorations inside of lovely homes such as the
historic Ker Place.
So come experience a charming town where history is found
around every corner. Visit the unique shops and galleries brimming
with treasures. Dine at any one of the restaurants offering delicious
cuisine. A perfect day awaits you.
A HOME
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Rochester home is one of the many beautiful homes on tour, a 1902 Queen
Anne-style Victorian.
Why not make this an even more Perfect Weekend? Onancock
has lots of other actvities planned! On Thursday, December 12, 8
p.m. you can enjoy the International Film Festival night at the historic
Roseland Theatre. Then on Friday, December 13, 4 p.m. (approx.)
Santa arrives by boat at the Onancock wharf to listen to the wishes
of children seated on the Liar’s Bench. Elfie and Sugarplum Fairy will
hand out treats. Caroling follows in Town Square 5 - 8 p.m. And of
course, their Second Friday’s Art, Stroll, Shop, and Dine. It will feature
an Open House event throughout the village for shopping, specials,
and seasonal refreshments.from 6:30 p.m. There is also Fancy Dress
cocktails and dinner at historic Ker Place. They have limited tickets
available, so don’t miss out! At 8 p.m. you can catch the North Street
Playhouse’s “The Best Christmas Pageant”, and on Saturday, December
14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. historic Ker Place will host an open house
with guided tours from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and of course, the exciting
Christmas Homes Tour from 2 -6 p.m.
For more information please contact Nancy Stephan at 757-990-2042
• An Expandable House for a young
family investing in their first home.
• A Down-Sized Home for retirees who
need lots of storage and room for their
hobbies.
• A Shared Home with two master suites
for a blended family.
• An Easy-to-Maintain Vacation Home
with lots of room for entertaining.
• An ADA Compliant Home or an attached
or detached Care Cottage specifically
adapted to meet the medical needs of a
Family member
32380 Lankford Hwy • Painter • 757-442-9625
www.tidewatermodularhomes.com
Page 47
“Service” With a Smile Has New Meaning
I know everyone is familiar with all of the optimistic phrases
tossed around to make you feel better when things get tough. “When
life throws you lemons, make lemonade!” or “When one door closes, another
opens” and even that old Indian proverb that I have always been so
fond of “The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.” But
perhaps the quote that we should all listen to, the one that is the most
moving, with the potential for the most tremendous impact is simply
a quote from Leo F. Buscaglia: “Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste
time. It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.” Many people
look at tragedy as the end of something, rather than as an opportunity
to do better, be better, live better. And although you cannot escape
the pain of a tragedy, cannot erase the scars it has left on our lives, we
can move forward as better people, people who are more appreciative
of those around us, of those people in our lives that we all too often
take for granted.
And so when I heard that the new restaurant that was opening in
Parksley was going to be opening on September 11, to be completely
honest, I wasn't at all surprised. Like everyone else, I had seen the
sign go up in front of the old Lunch Box, a restaurant that had been
intensely mourned since it closed a few years back. And like everyone
else, I quickly scoured the postings online to see what I could learn
about it, anticipation and excitement over the possibility of a similar
style restaurant taunting and teasing us as we dug for local banter
over what was in the works. When I learned that the new restaurant
would be run by Jessica Fitchett and her family, her husband Brian
Page 48
Fitchett, mom Jodi Bridges, sister Shannon Lewis, and brother
Richard Bridges; well, I knew that we would not be disappointed, that
it would indeed be the type of place we could not only enjoy visiting,
but that it would also be innovative and unique. And I also knew that
in terms of community, it would not just support the area we live in,
but generously serve.
Of course, nationally, 9/11 brought America to its knees, but
locally, the string of arsons along our Shore last year had a crippling,
hauntingly similar effect on us as a community. For an area that is so
seldom touched by crime, an area so rich in people whose only desire
is to help the community, not harm it, the idea that something like
that could happen right here among us was as devastating as the crime
itself. It destroyed our sense of comfort, that feeling that so many of
us have always shared, that we were somehow safe here, untouched by
the troubles of the rest of the world around us. To those of us who
sat back and watched the tragedy unfold, we were saddened, shocked,
disillusioned. But to those who worked around the clock to protect us,
the arsons took a much higher toll, a toll that many of us will never
experience, nor understand.
"I watched my brother, sister and cousins all jump up from the kitchen table
and go every time their pagers went off.” Jessica remembers “It always bothered
me that they didn’t get a thank you. They deserve that. They work for a thank
you, not money. Most of them are simply volunteers.” Jessica shakes her head,
explaining how the calls continued to impact their family. “Last year on
Christmas Eve, my sister’s pager went off. She had to go; it broke my heart. I read
her three boys their Christmas story and tucked them in.” Her eyes fluttered
for a moment, sadness and memories flooded across her face. “I looked
to the sky and said ‘God bring these mothers and fathers back home safe. Then I
looked back at the kids and told them their mommy is a superhero without a cape.”
Jessica and her family were all born and raised right here on the
Shore. “We are a big Italian family on my mother’s side. Half live here on the
Shore and half live in Lee, Massachusetts.” Jessica laughs and reminds me
that they are just your “typical Eastern Shore family” and in one respect,
she’s absolutely correct. Yes, one of the endearing qualities of the
Shore is it’s people, their sense of community, a spirit of giving and
the underlying knowledge that we take care of each other. “We have
family in the Tasley Fire Department, the Onley Fire Department, as well as the
Melfa and Onancock Fire Departments” she explains “We love the shore and
our neighbors.”
And so, given their love of the Shore, their dedication to the
community, opening a restaurant that would honor those who serve
to protect the little neighborhoods that make up the landscape of
the Shore was a logical progression of things. Particularly when you
consider the families background in the restaurant industry. “Yes, it’s
been a lifelong dream” Jessica explains “But it’s not about that. We are in this to
see the smiles on the firefighters or police officers face when a lady comes up and hugs
them and says thank you for all you do” excited, her whole face breaking out
in a smile that lit up the room, she adds “We had this actually happen the
other day and it was so very touching!”
there one day and it just hit me” Jessica says “9/11. We need to open on 9/11
to honor all of those that served.” And that’s exactly what they did. It was
a push, a much quicker opening than anticipated, but once Jessica and
her family decide to do something, well, they get it done. And as you
can probably guess, from day one, the people came. And when all was
said and done, to say opening day was a success is an understatement.
“What a crazy busy grand opening that was! We just want to say thank you so
much for the understanding! We actually went through a whole weeks food order in
one day!” reads the entry on their Facebook page “Once again thank you
all so much for being patient while we are overwhelmed!! Night time dinner rush is
over 200 orders, but through it all you all are the kindest, sweetest customers! We
are loving getting to meet each one of you and listen to the old Lunch Box stories.”
And speaking of Facebook, holding very true to their values, as you
are reading through the entries, take special note that the folks at the
Station never miss an opportunity to thank the local fire departments;
for stopping by, for helping, for just being there. Their gratitude is
humbling, and serves as a beautiful reminder to all of us to not take
these noble, selfless men and women for granted. Thank you goes a
long way.
Jessica is pleased to be running the pioneering little business in the
town of Parksley, and looks forward to being a part of the community
there. “Parksley is a good setting because there are only two restaurants in town”
she explains “If you want ice cream, you have to drive all the way to Onley.”
Of course, the Parksley location also has another and well received
purpose as well. “Most importantly, we wanted to bring the famous Lunch Box
back to life!” Jessica exclaims, her eyes dancing with excitement.
The chicken livers were perfectly fried to golden brown, moist and flavorful, a
true delight to the taste buds.
Actually, most of the employees are firefighters as well. “We laugh,
we joke, we just have fun” Jessica says “we are a big family and want all of our
customers to feel like they are also.” And they have accomplished that, and
more, with ease.
Walking into the familiar little restaurant, the walls are adorned
with paraphernalia from more than a few fire departments and police
departments. The ceiling is bordered by a bright yellow “Fire Line Do
Not Cross” ribbon. There are seals from many different fire companies,
a Firefighter Parking Only sign. Pictures of fire trucks, various police
and law enforcement insignias, Firemen hats, a somber, folded
American flag, old photographs; even a framed visage of the Eastern
Shore of Virginia 911 Communication Center emblem. Poems and
tributes to those who serve are posted across the walls and windows.
“There’s so much more people have given us” Jessica exclaims with excitement
“We just haven’t had time to put it all out.”
And that is easy to understand. Although the family had started
working on the former restaurant, getting it ready to reopen, they
really had no intention of opening quite so soon. “Well, we were sitting
The steak sub was piled high wish hearty, perfectly prepared steak, smothered
in cheese, and topped with crisp, fresh lettuce and tomato.
The Station will offer a lot of the once familiar menu items that
so many folks here on the Shore grew up enjoying. “We will offer pizza,
cheeseburgers, cheese steaks, chicken livers and gizzards, salads and of course, the
famous banana splits and soft serve ice cream.” Jessica elaborates. “We are
offering a cheap but tasty meal for the community to enjoy.” But of course, as
you will learn about Jessica once you meet her, you will come to figure
out that there is always “more to the story than just that.” Laughing, Jessica
adds “We are just your everyday, ordinary family. If you’re having a bad day,
come on by and we will put a smile on your face. The Station is a place where you
can be yourself.” Of course, it comes as absolutely no surprise when
she quickly adds “If you ever stop in and you see a firefighter or police officer,
please give them a thank you or a hug, because if you think your job is hard, then
try doing what they do and most never hear that thank you.”
By now, I’m sure most of you are thinking to yourself that I’ve
completely lost my marbles or possibly have some ghost writer putting
Page 49
together this article. You have become accustomed to my lengthy
dialogues about the food in our local restaurants, reading about those
places I enjoy and the menu items that I have become particularly
impressed with. But alas, this is really me, and yes, I do apologize. The
truth is, I have just been so completely caught up in the whole idea
behind The Station, so impressed, indeed, humbled by the servitude
as a whole that the inspirational little restaurant honors, that I’ve sort
of lost myself in trying to explain the enormity of all that they stand
for. But I can promise you, I did not mean to ignore the food there,
because it too, is a treat worthy of the utmost praise with its own
singular discourse.
Their pizza burger is a delightful thick burger, amply covered with delicately
seasoned sauce and cheese. The onion rings were equally amazing!
To begin, the minute I heard they were serving chicken livers, my
daughter can tell you, I became ecstatic. Yes, they have always been
one of my favorite meals, but only, and this is a huge but, only if
they are prepared correctly. So many times I have been somewhere
and, excited to find them on the menu, ordered them with passionate
anticipation. Yet when they were placed in front of me, my anticipation
turned to dismay, discovering that once again the tasty morsels were
undercooked, over cooked, improperly breaded or seasoned. And so,
with the thrilled expectation akin to a child awaiting Santa, as soon
as the smiling, friendly cashier asked for my order, I instantly blurted
out “I will have the chicken livers please!” I had to bite my tongue to keep
from prodding “Please make sure they’re done” or “Please don’t burn them”
or even from just inquiring how they were prepared. I remembered
how much I had loved the chicken livers at the Lunch Box and I would
trust my instinct, these would be good. Well, they were not. Nope,
they were not simply good, they were extraordinary, perfect. The
crisp breading was perfectly seasoned, not too salty, just enough to
give them that home cooked in a cast iron skillet flavor. The outside
was a gorgeous golden brown, while the meaty inside was tender and
moist, prepared with all the skill and attention that I had truly believed
only my Grandmother could produce. And so, as I’m sure you have
guessed, I could not wait to return and try out a couple of other items
that had caught my attention.
My next trip found me ordering the steak sub, and when it arrived,
I was impressed with the ample stack of tender, juicy steak, piled on
every available surface of the tender, warm sub roll. The cheese was
perfectly melted, the lettuce fresh and crisp. And the flavor? Well,
let’s just say my daughter was fortunate to have about twenty minutes
of peace and quiet since I could not be bothered to stop eating long
enough to carry on any kind of conversation. The pizza is amazing, a
Page 50
thin, baked to perfection crust topped with flawlessly seasoned sauce,
with abundant pepperoni and vegetables. And speaking of pizza, a
later trip found me ordering their pizza burger, excited to see if that
too, was how I remembered it. And again, I was wrong, because it was
even better. The burger thick, juicy, cooked to the perfect temp and
color, a heavy topping of marinara sauce that was seasoned gently
with enough spice to give it a subtle, delicate flavoring, and a mound
of beautifully melted cheese, amply covering the tantalizing burger.
And while I have been blindly excited about trying all of the menu
items, my daughter has been equally enthralled with the various ice
cream possibilities. In fact, on one of our very first visits, a sign in
the waiting area offered a special orange cream shake, and she quickly
scooted up to the counter, announcing that is what she would have for
lunch. When they brought her the frozen concoction, she immediately
dug in, and the look on her face was euphoric, her eyes closing as
she savored each bite that she greedily spooned into her mouth.
Reluctantly, she offered me a taste, after much begging I should add,
and I could understand her lack of enthusiasm to share, it was sinfully
amazing.
And even though they’ve been open a few months now, Jessica’s
enthusiasm remains a constant.”You know, the inside of this place actually
reminds me a little of a Fire Station, at least it always did to me. It’s funny to me
that years later my family and I would reopen this place with a Fire House theme”
In time, they hope to begin offering delivery service, and she and
the family are even talking about the possibility of breakfast one day
somewhere down the road. Who knows what the future has in store,
with the enthusiasm and dedication of Jessica and her family, the sky
is truly the limit. But as always, Jessica’s response is both humbling and
straight forward “Mostly I’m just excited about seeing this place up and running
again” she explains “It’s nice meeting new friends, but most of all just seeing the
crowd of police officers and fire fighters together; safe. Giving them a place where
they are not being brought together because of an accident or fire, but simply as
friends relaxing and getting that extra respect they deserve.”
A popular movie about fire fighters a few years back has been
often quoted stating “The funny thing about firemen is, night and day, they are
always firemen.” Most of us aspire to be the type of person that lives a
good life, to be someone that is honorable, giving and kind. But how
many of us can honestly say we go out of our way to recognize those
that go a step beyond ordinary? To say thank you to those who give
so much more, whose “ordinary life” is not ordinary at all, to those who
rarely sit through an entire family dinner without receiving a call, or
those who never know if they’ll be at home when their little son or
daughter open their eyes on Christmas morning? So many of us take
these things for granted, and why do you think we can so easily do
that? Because of all those people out there that know “ordinary” isn’t
something we can always count on, those who understand “ordinary”
can change in the blink of an eye. What exactly is a hero? Well, Henry
David Thoreau once said: “The hero is commonly the simplest and obscurest
of men.” You see they walk among us every day, our fire men, our law
men, all of those in public service. And to them, I want to say thank
you. Your self-sacrifice, your brave, valiant generosity to serve us,
protect us, does not go unnoticed. And to Jessica and her family, I also
want to say thank you, for giving us the reminder, and the opportunity,
to not just acknowledge these sacrifices, but to act on them. So if
you’re traveling through Parksley, or just looking for a great place to
sit down and grab a bite to eat one night, swing by The Station. The
food will be remarkably delicious, the new friendships you make will
be endearing and true, and Jessica and her family will be that “ordinary
family” you see talking to everyone, making sure you have a smile on
your face. And all of that together will give you something you never
expected; it will beautifully satiate both your hunger, and your soul.
The Shanty
757-695-3853
Cape Charles, VA
Dining in Northampton
Sunset Grille
(757)331-4229
Cape Charles, VA
Bls Home Cooking
(757) 678-5993
Cape Charles, VA
Old Fire House
(757)331-4440
Cape Charles, VA
Couch House Tavern
757-331-8631
Cape Charles, VA
Hardee’s
(757) 331-4029
Cape Charles, VA
(757) 442-2536
Exmore, VA
Bay Creek Railway
757-331-8770
Cape Charles, VA
Yuk Yuk & Joe’s
(757) 678-7870
Eastville, VA
Eastville Inn
(757) 678-5745
Eastville, VA
Ballard Fish & Oyster Co
(757) 331-2426
Cheriton, VA
Mc Donald’s
(757) 331-1855
Cape Charles, VA
(757) 442-3534
Exmore, VA
Good For You Naturally
757-442-4484
Exmore, VA
El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
(757) 442-2900
Exmore, VA
La Rosita Mexican Store
(757) 442-5055
Exmore, VA
Yellow Duck Bakery Cafe
(757) 442-5909
Exmore, VA
Exmore Diner
(757) 442-2313
Exmore, VA
Don Valerios Mexican Rest
(757) 678-0011
Cape Charles, VA
China Chefs Restaurant
(757) 787-8711
Exmore, VA
Kelly’s Gingernut Pub
(757) 331-3222
Cape Charles, VA
China Wok
(757) 442-3300
Exmore, VA
Rock N Robins Family Rstrnt
(757) 331-3601
Cape Charles, VA
(757) 442-0090
Exmore, VA
Chesapeake
(757) 331-3123
Cape Charles, VA
Wendy’s
(757) 442-6997
Exmore, VA
Cape Charles Coffee Co Llc
(757) 331-1880
Cape Charles, VA
Taco Bell
(757) 442-7827
Exmore, VA
Veneto’s Pizzeria
(757) 331-2275
Cape Charles, VA
Burger King
(757) 442-2643
Exmore, VA
Sting-Ray’s Restaurant
(757) 331-1541
Cape Charles, VA
Little Italy Restaurant
(757) 442-7831
Nassawadox, VA
Great Machipongo Clam Shack
757-442-3800
Nassawadox, VA
Willis Co Barbeque
(757) 442-9500
Willis Wharf, VA
If you would like to see your
favorite restaurant added
here, please contact us at:
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Call 757-768-7828 or email editor@shoresecretsmagazine
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24294 Maxwell Street • Parksley
Page 51
A Powerhouse Performance, Packed With Personality
Every year as we sit down to put together our winter publication,
my daughter and I discuss doing an article covering things to do on
the Shore, places to go that will get you out of the house for a few
hours, to relax, unwind. So many times we hear the oft repeated
refrain “There’s nothing to do over here.” Yet my daughter and I seem to
have the opposite problem, simply not enough hours in the day to do
all of the things that are here to enjoy. And so, we thought perhaps we
would travel around to some of our favorite spots, creating an article
that would give readers options of various venues on the Shore where
they might plan an evening of fun. Yet as so often happens, as soon
as we begin to put our thoughts down, the article will take off in a
completely different direction, as if telling me, “No, this is the story you
need to write, this is much more interesting than that silly idea you had.” And
such was the case with my thoughts about providing an insight into
some entertainment choices. In this case, the jump was an easy one.
For it didn’t take any time at all for us to realize that all of our very
favorite places to go all shared one thing in common, one thing that
promised an exciting night filled with friends and laughter, a night
ready to absorb lasting memories, interspersed with smiles. Each and
every place we visited all had the talented group, Vinyl Headlights on
their schedule, and each date was sure to be a crowd pleaser. So rather
than do a rather disconnected story, with a few scattered details here
and there about multiple businesses, we thought, why not give folks
a look at a powerhouse group that brings a dynamic, stirring array of
music to the Shore?
The first time I ever heard Vinyl Headlights play was a few years
ago when my daughter and I had decided to slip out for a few hours. I
was impressed, enjoying the upbeat, lively music, but had no idea when
Page 52
or where they would be playing over here again, so I didn't think a great
deal more about it. Occassionally someone would tell us the band was
going to be playing at Chincoteague Inn, or sometimes Shuckers, and
excited, all other plans were put aside while we quickly rearranged our
schedule to make sure we didn't miss them. More recently, we've been
able to head out for the night to Steamers, up on the Island; or Club
Car Cafe, and then this summer, one of my all time favorite spots,
we traveled down to Cape Charles to spend an evening with them at
the Sunset Grill. Of course, it comes as no surprise that the Island
House, an upscale, yet comfortably relaxed club in Wachapreague,
frequently has the popular group on their calendar; their sophisticated
yet engaging sound a perfect blend for the trendy lounge.
To say Vinyl Headlights is talented, is an understatement of
enormous proportions. One night of listening to their animated,
definitively up tempo song list and you will be unreservedly hooked.
Their songs span the decades, and in addition to their more generic
set of popular melodies, they also offer their music for an evening
dedicated exclusively to both eighties or nineties music, complete with
costumes to set the mood.
There are several qualities that stand out to make Vinyl Headlights
unique, and each of them is equally instrumental to their success. One
of the first things you will notice is the energy they emanate on stage.
It's magnetic, it lures you to the dance floor, makes you want to tap
your feet, imbibing a vigor that literally flows through you and refuses
to allow you to sit still. The group shares a camaraderie that is rare
in the entertainment industry, where far too often, you will find a
group you enjoy, only to learn a short time later they have disbanded.
Yet the bond shared between Vinyl Headlights seems unshakable,
and it shows, presenting a continuity that is stripped of subterfuge,
and electrifying to watch. "We’ve all had enough experience to know a good
thing when we see it. We are all dedicated to making Vinyl Headlights the very
best entertainment experience that it can be, we are generally like minded" says
drummer, Alex Evans. A warm, infectious smile lights up the corners
of his eyes as he laughs, adding "and we all share a good sense of humor,
which is important."
Johnny’s quick easy smile, and clear, resonant voice combine to bring a smile to
the face to all in the audience.
Music seems to have always been a part of their lives, as far
back as they can remember. "I think I speak for all of us in saying that we
all wanted a career in music since our teenage years" explains Alex "We may
not have known specifically what paths we would take, but we are all happy to
be making a living doing something that we love to do." And it shows. The
impassioned, artistic performance that culminates on stage is nothing
short of gripping. The group performs at weddings, corporate events,
colleges, private parties, and more. "Weddings are enjoyable because everyone
is there to, as Kool & The Gang would say, 'celebrate and have good time'; and
the gourmet food is usually a nice bonus." Alex laughs. The little trio have
played as far south as “Sloppy Joe’s” in Key West, Florida and as far
north as New York City, for a New Year’s Eve show on Wall Street.
"We will travel just about anywhere as long as it makes sense logistically and
financially" said Alex "Earlier in the year we were in talks to play shows as far
away as the Caribbean and China, although those didn’t actually come to fruition."
he elaborated, a pensive look crossing his face "I’m certain we will receive
more unique offers in the future."
Of course, life in a band can be demanding, and definitely strays
from what most folks would consider normalacy. Yet aside from the
long and often times late hours, the guys are just your average, down
to earth kinda folk, who really aren’t much different than you or I.
“We lead relatively quiet lives in our spare time.” Alex laughs “We save up our
energy and craziness for the stage.” Well whatever their secret is, it works,
and it works beautifully. The result is an amalgamation of talent
and personality and energy, fueled by passion and held together by
friendship; a performance that will leave you thirsty for more.
Vinyl Headlights has been playing together for six years, and
interestingly, they've also been playing on the Shore for six years. And
although they may not be "from" the Shore, our little community holds
a piece of their hearts, and they love playing here, always excited to
come back "The Shore possesses a vibe of sincerity and cordiality amongst its
residents, whose personalities seem to run from extremely normal to exceptionally
colorful." says Alex "There is no other area that we play that is quite like it. We
always discover something new and interesting every time we visit."
The group offers a personable, talented lineup, each bringing
distinctive attributes to the table, when put together creates a dynamic
chemistry that breathes life into the songs they perform. Alex Evans
is the drummer, you might recognize him as "the quiet one." If you
catch his eye, you will get a boyish, almost bashful smile in return, that
has the capability of lighting up the darkest room. And to watch him
play is an exercise in veneration; Alex passionately attacks the drums,
producing spirited, effervescent melodies that are more than merely
unassailable, rather captivating and full of life. Johnny Smallwood, the
groups guitarist, would be "the comedian," a quick, easy smile, a hearty
laugh, and eyes that not only mesmerize you, but taunt you, tease you
into that giddy feeling of unexplained laughter and exhilaration. His
performance is expressive, poignant, packed with emotion as he fluidly
transforms each song into a creative masterpiece that is uniquely his
own. And we can't forget about Kenny Adcock, the groups Bass
player and "the energetic showman." Watching Kenny play, wow, his
energy is nothing short of amazing, creating a fervent, zealous stage,
his clear, crisp chords leave you dancing with anticipation of their next
song. To witness the transformation of a simple song into a personal
presentation of his very private, intimate heart and soul is nothing
short of spectacular. Each member of the band sings lead vocals,
something that is exceptionally uncommon with most groups. The
diversified range of melodious talent allows the group to provide a
much wider range of musical genres than most bands today. A night
out with the boys will allow you to bear witness to the group ardently
croon the stirring lyrics to the Bee Gee's "How Deep Is Your Love", later
to be followed by Journey's "Don't Stop Believing," evocatively belted
out with mixed undertones of expression and credence. Still later,
the group will bring you to the floor as they break into an animated,
jubilant rendition of The Tramps, "Disco Inferno" or perhaps Maroon
5's, "Moves Like Jagger."
Kenny’s energy and blatant and deep seated ardor for their music adds a stimulating yet emotional element to the show.
Whatever you're in the mood for, Vinyl Headlights can
accommodate you. On any given night, you will hear a wide range
of popular tunes that range from songs from the sixties such as the
Isley Brothers popular "Shout" and The Temptations "My Girl" to
the prevalent music of today, such as Lady GaGa's "Poker Face" or
Neon Trees "Everybody Talks." Eighties songs might include everyone's
favorite by Joan Jett, "I Love Rock and Roll" to the catching melody of
Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me." The nineties will encompass
selections like "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down, or the popular
"Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven. And of course we can't leave out sought
Page 53
after country tunes like "Save A Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich,
or even their wide selection of Classic Rock, Contemporary, Dance,
even a little Reggae thrown in. I won't sit here and bore you with the
massive song list they perform, suffice it to say, you could have Vinyl
Headlights entertain you for three or more nights in a row; and never
hear the same song twice. And if you're just sitting there dying to find
out what else they play, the best thing to do is just go check them out
for yourselves, because I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
Speaking of their music, I mentioned that Vinyl Headlights has
two other, diverse themed spin offs of their main stream group. Reality
Bites Back is a brilliantly gifted tribute band that gives accolades to
the decade of nineties music that shaped a generation. Energetic,
moving, powerful, the boys will keep your party up and dancing with
an extensive collection of the most sought after nineties tunes. And
of course, there is also the compelling group 80's Explosion, a happy,
upbeat and high energy performance that pays homage to the big hair
days. Both groups perform in costume, typical of the respective music
and will have you revisiting the youthful spirit and nostalgia of these
two pivotal decades.
increased tenfold. Here was a professional group, a band that takes
their career seriously, and a group that isn't afraid to speak out, to get
involved, to stand up for what they believe in. Wow, what a statement.
Vinyl Headlights plays for a packed crowd at Sunset Grill in Cape Charles, the
energy and excitement course across the dancefloor.
Alex’s passion for their music is surpassed only by his engaging talent, offering
a performance that is both moving and electrifying.
Of course, Vinyl Headlights is so much more than the songs
they play. Their individual, genuine and charismatic charm produces
a delicate balance of showmanship interspersed with sincerity, and
allows you an exclusive look into the personas that encompass the
performances. As a group, they are professional, honorable and
ethical. As individuals, they are distinctive, enchanting and sincere,
with a transparent individuality that validates their integrity.
I remember sometime back, when I had been searching for a
video to attach to an online posting encouraging folks to come out
and see them at one of their many trips to the Shore, I ran across a
video on YouTube of an interview with Johnny on Fox News. The
short segment, hosted on the Neil Cavuto show, questioned Johnny
on his stance regarding Obama's attempt to strike a tax cut deal that
would give a thirteen month extension to jobless benefits. I watched,
enthralled as Johnny expressed his concerns, his words "We are no
different from any other small business" captivating my attention. "It's just a
long list of stuff that happens" he explained, and later continues "It's almost
an encouragement to make the unemployment more, versus encouraging people; I
wish that I could employ more people, but I just can't." I remember thinking
he had summed up so many of our fears and concerns, touched on the
heart of the problems that affected so many small businesses today.
My respect and admiration for both Johnny, indeed the whole group,
Page 54
Throughout the course of the last few years, as I have gotten to
know the guys, I have to admit, I was a little surprised one day when
it dawned on me, these guys aren’t just members of a group I enjoy,
they have become true friends, folks that I trust implicitly, people that
I enjoy spending time with. And for those of you who know me, you
will understand what a huge statement that is for me, for although
I may know quite a few people, there are perhaps a handful that I
consider close friends. Yet, Alex, Johnny, Kenny; all three of them,
have elevated themselves to that rare categorization in my life. They
can make you smile when you’re stressed, they have huge, welcoming
shoulders when you need an ear, and they have a veracity, a genuine
sincerity that speaks of dependability and commitment. Bottom line,
they’re just good people, they simply don’t come much better.
So if you're looking for something to do, you might want to
consider coming out to see Vinyl Headlights the next time they're on
the Shore. Their music beautifully embodies an era, producing a sound
that is both insightful and powerful. Their vocals are stunning; their
musicianship and craft, blended perfectly with streaks of creativity
offer a tantalizing performance packed with intensity and magnetism.
And in the words of my adoring daughter, "It doesn't hurt that they're all
cute as heck, too." They'll be at the Island House on New Year's Eve,
and you can also check their website for additional show dates. The
memories you take away will be energized by their performance, and
sweetened with the blessing of new friends.
For More Information and Show Dates Visit:
www.vinylheadlights.com
Visit Beautiful Tangier Island!
PROUDLY SERVING THE EASTERN SHORE
COMMUNITY FOR 52 YEARS
Thank you for letting us provide the best in financial
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Wrap up all your holiday shopping in just one stop!
Jaxons & Jaxon’s Hardware offer a wide selection of:
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Page 55
It’s obvious if you spend any time around the docks or shop regularly at a decent fish market that there have been dramatic changes in
the domestic commercial fishing industry in the country and in the
Northeast over the last ten years.
At the national level:
The following chart on tilapia imports from 2003 (from the
USDA) says most of what needs to be said. For reference I have also
included our average annual per capita consumption of seafood. In
the last decade the US population has in-creased by approximately
8%, per capita seafood consumption has decreased by 8%, and our
seafood imports have increased 70%. We are currently importing over
90% of the seafood we consume.
Year
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Tilapia Imports (mt)
241,170
297,489
393,361
482,634
559,893
Per Capita Consumption
16.3 lbs
16.6 lbs
16.2 lbs
l6.5 lbs
16.3 lbs
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Tilapia Imports (mt)
734,311
696,086
843,088
838,257
969,088
Per Capita Consumption
16.0 lbs
16.0 lbs
15.8 lbs
15.0 lbs
-
But on the plus side the inflation corrected value of US seafood
landings after a protracted decline starting in the late 70’s has been
increasing fairly steadily since 2002.
Closer to home:
The inflation adjusted value of New England seafood landings
in 2011 (the latest year for which commercial data were available) was
the second highest since 1950. While good news to some fishermen,
over half of that value was due to extraordinarily high production in
just two fisheries.
In 2002, Northeast (from New Jersey to Maine) sea scallop landings were worth $143 million in inflation adjusted dollars. In 2011
they were worth $495 million. Lobster landings in the Northeast were
worth $293 million in 2002 and $423 million in 2011. Minus these two
fisheries, New England landings are about as low as they have ever
been and are about to go lower. Without sea scallops, Mid-Atlantic
landings are at their lowest point since 1950 (for more on this see
http://www.aifrb.org/2013/07/fisheries-management-more-thanmeets-the-eye/).
What happened?
A New England Fisheries Management Council press release issued on June 7, 2001stated “year 2000 calculations show that estimated biomass levels for 11 important groundfish stocks, collectively, have increased almost
2-1/2 times since 1994.” The release went on about this good news,
rightfully giving credit for it to the fishermen for their sacrifices and
their demands for better science.
Referring to that release in the FishNet piece Of blood and turnips
(at http://www.fishingnj.org /netusa19.htm), I wrote in 2002 “unfortunately this state of affairs…. has been anything but that (good news) to the ‘conservationists’…. they were successful in having language included in the Sustainable
Fisheries Act that removed much needed flexibility from a fisheries management
system that was struggling to maintain the economic viability of the fishing industry
at the same time that it was struggling to rebuild and maintain the sustainability
of the fish stocks it was managing. Based on the fruits of their successful - and
exceedingly well-funded - lobbying efforts, a group of these same not-for-profits have
now brought suit in Federal court to needlessly accelerate the groundfish rebuilding
Page 56
by Nils Stolpe
process by forcing unreasonable adherence to these rigid provisions of the Act.”
Their suit, from their “take care of fish, not fishermen” perspective,
was successful and they’ve won similar suits subsequently. In a nutshell, federal policy now demands that if a stock of fish isn’t at a
certain population level by a certain time, stringent fishing restrictions
must be put in place until it reaches some arbitrary point regardless of
its effect on fishermen, their businesses and their communities.
Judging by the results, most of the fish and most of the fishermen lost. The groundfish fleet is a shadow of what it was, economic
chaos has become a way of life for fishing families and communities,
and in place of cod and haddock and flounder, imported tilapia, basa
and swai have made it into restaurants up and down the coast.
It’s obvious that the “blame it all on fishing” management regime,
and its corollary “cut back fishing enough and the fish will come back” now in
force aren’t doing much for the fish or the fishermen, and considering
the radical changes that are now taking place in the marine environment, it’s completely understandable why they aren’t.
Ocean waters are warming so much that some local fish stocks
and their prey are relocating. Exacerbating this is a population explosion of the notoriously voracious spiny dogfish. There are over half
a billion tons of them out there, eating just about everything that is
smaller and slower than they are. This includes the more valuable species that fishermen target and much of what those species feed.
It’s estimated that spiny dogfish consume six times their
body weight each year. That’s an annual three billion tons of fish
and invertebrates turned into dogfish food. For perspective, in
2011 the total weight of the combined commercial catch of finfish
and shellfish in Virginia to Maine was 375 million pounds, just
over a tenth of what it takes to keep all of those dogfish going.
In 1992 Steve Murawski, retired NMFS Director of Scientific
Programs and Chief Science Advisor, wrote “given the current high abundance of skates and dogfish, it may not be possible to increase gadoid (cod and
haddock) and flounder abundance without èxtracting’ some of the current standing stock.” The spiny dogfish biomass was at about the same level then
as it is today.
Why so many dogfish? Because the Magnuson Act demands that
fish populations be at the maximum sustainable harvest (msy) level.
Rationality seems to demand otherwise.
Predation by seals, while harder to get a handle on, is also huge.
Current estimates have 15,000 seals in the waters off Cape Cod, and
like spiny dogfish their feeding preferences often directly or indirectly
conflict with fishermen’s catching preferences.
The way it’s playing out, without the original flexibility being put
back into the Magnuson Act we’re looking at ever declining catches by
fewer and fewer fishermen fishing under increasingly stringent restrictions, and these restrictions will continue to be as ineffectual – and
as economically damaging - as they have been in the last decade. Arbitrary stock rebuilding schedules and counterintuitive requirements
that all fisheries be at maximum sustainable levels regardless of the
impacts on more valuable fisheries will continue to rule the day and
continue to decimate fishing communities.
And this gets us to one of the most obvious, dramatic and controversial changes in the Northeastern commercial fishing industry.
Several years ago the New England groundfish fishery – one of our
nation’s oldest and most important – was forced into a form of catchshares management called sectors. Catch shares/sector management
in essence turns fishery resources into private property, whereby the
government grants historic participants in a fishery a proportion of
each year’s harvest based on their prior performance in that fishery.
The government determines how much allocation each permit holder
in the fishery is awarded. The allocations, once granted, can be bought,
sold, or leased to others.
The allocations of particular species were initially low, and with
subsequent cuts are now even lower. Many fishermen couldn’t/can’t
afford to keep on fishing, given these abysmally low allocations and
the lack of alternative fisheries they are able to participate in,* so are
either selling or leasing what quota they were granted to larger operators. This is leading to the consolidation of fishing power among
fewer and fewer vessels and fewer and fewer ports. Of course this is
a manager’s dream, with fewer fishermen and fewer boats to manage
and with the added bonus of passing much of the monitoring and enforcement responsibility and costs to the fishermen, but a nightmare
to too many fishermen and the death knell of too many smaller ports.
Where do we go from here? If we want to bring our vibrant
fishing communities back, we have to fix the Magnuson Act and we
have to return to a federal fisheries management policy that values the
fishermen as much as the fish. This might be anathema to the radical
environmentalists who are now calling the shots but it’s necessary if
we want to keep the fleet diversity that has characterized the Northeast fisheries for generations.
Note: for a fuller exploration of many of the topics addressed
above see http://fishnet-usa.com/Groundfish_Debacle_IV.pdf.
*In 2010 the estimated biomass of spiny dogfish, Acadian redfish and haddock was over a million metric tons. These are catchable
and sellable species, given some gear and market development. If only
20% of that biomass, 200 thousand metric tons, was harvested annually and the fish returned twenty cents per pound to the fishermen,
it would be worth $90 million at the dock. In 2010 the total weight
of finfish landed in New England was approximately 200 thousand
metric tons (see http://www.fishnet-usa.com/Fishing_not_four_letter_word.pdf ).
Nils Stolpe has worked for, in and around the
seafood industry for almost three decades. He has
served as an independent fisheries consultant, focusing on the capture fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic
states on the U.S. East coast. He is one of the
founders of the Seafood Coalition, an organization
whose members represent three quarters of the U.S.
seafood harvesting capacity, the Communications
Director of the Garden State Seafood Association
(New Jersey), researches, writes and distributes FishNet USA and is a columnist for the trade publication National Fisherman.
5th Annual Youth Fest at NOAAWIVA
Sportsman Range a Great Success
Sixty-four kids showed up to participate in the fifth annual Youth
Fest, sponsored each year by the NOAAWIVA Sportsman Range located on Chincoteague Road, near Tee’s Corner. The event was free
for kids 8 - 18 years of age, and parents were allowed to stay and
enjoy the day with their children, but they weren’t allowed to shoot.
All children were required to take a firearms safety course by a certified instructor, provided free of charge, before participating. Once
they completed the course, they could join in different activities such
as shooting a 20 gauge shotgun from standing position at clays (had
to be at least 11 years old for this activity), shooting an AR15 from a
prone position (available to kids 14 - 18 years of age), air rifles, or 22
rimfire.
Each participant received an NRA Certificate of Achievement,
and the top three kids in each event received trophies. Thirty eight
instructors helped out at the event, as pictured above, each child participating had an instructor standing over their shoulders. The event
began at 8:00 AM and ran until 4:00 PM, and also included a bake sale
to support the local 4H Club.
NOAAWIVA provides both a valuable and fun service to the
community by offering children and parents the opportunity to participate each year in this extremely popular event. Teaching children
about firearms safety and how to properly handle and shoot a firearm promotes safe gun ownership and responsible citizens. In a study
done by U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, entitled “Urban
Delinquency and Substance Abuse,” the United States department of
justice has concluded that “boys who own legal firearms have much lower rates
of delinquency and drug use and are even slightly less delinquent than non-owners
of guns.” Hats off to NOAAWIVA for a job well done! Visit their
website for more information www.noaawiva.com.
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at your favorite store?
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out how they can get copies!
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them a visit, and thank them for being
part of the Shore Secrets family!
Page 57
Holidays 2013
Calendar of Events
November
11/2 - Chincoteague Island Family YMCA Chin-Dig Fundraiser at Tom’s Cove
Park. Ya’ll come for a rootin’, tootin’ evening of fun and frolic to help raise
money for the island YMCA! Details to follow....stay tuned.
11/8 – Second Friday Art Stroll in Onancock. Enjoy a leisurely evening
strolling, shopping and socializing in this 1680 harbor town, followed by
fine dining. Participating shops and galleries stay open late and feature
local artists, arts & crafts demonstrations, and specials. Sponsored by the
Onancock Business and Civic Association, on the second Friday evening of
the month.. Weekly details posted at www.onancock.org. Info at OBCA23417.
org
11/9 - Second Saturday Art Stroll
Participating galleries and shops open extended hours with special events.
visit www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.org for a list of participating shops
or call (757) 336-0044.
11/15 – 11/19 - Wounded Warriors Hunt on Chincoteague National
Wildlife Refuge sponsored by Freedom Hunters Organization. Visit www.
freedomhunters.org for more information.
11/16 - Island Coffeehouse
www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.org/coffee_house.html
11/16 - “Timeless” A Luncheon and Vintage Fashion Show. Timeless- A
Luncheon and Vintage Fashion Show to benefit CADV. At Historic Ker Place
with seatings at 11:30 or 1:15. Sponsored by the Town and Country Garden
Group of the Woman’s Club of Accomack County. Advance tickets at $10
available at Book Bin, Rayfields or from any Club member. Info or tickets call
JoJo Chaddic at 442-3053 or Linda Nordstrom at 442-7674.
11/14 – 10 am to 1 pm Fall Landscape in Watercolor Workshop with Diana
M. Davis. We will learn to draw a landscape of fall, paint a lovely sky, trees
in background and foreground, composition and water...a landscape of the
Eastern Shore! A wonderful class to create your own landscape original.
Bring your own supplies or purchase for $10 extra. (If you bring your own,
pick up the materials list at ESO, or it can be emailed upon request)
11/23 - 3rd Annual Mayor’s Ball at the Chincoteague Center. Contact Sherry
at 757-336-3144 for details or tickets.
11/23 - ES Ducks Unlimited Membership Fund Raiser. Brownsville Farm
(The Nature Conservancy), Brownsville Road (Rt. 608), Nassawadox, VA
23413. The event will be open to children of all ages, although activities
will target 8-17 year olds. The purpose is to foster interest of local youth in
outdoor recreation and conservation. CONTACT INFO: P.G. Ross, 757-4423546, rossdecoys@msn.com
11/23 - Virginia Handbell Consort. Franktown United Methodist Church,
7551 Bayside Road, Franktown, VA 23354. This handbell ensemble
presents on an ever-growing collection of handbells, hand chimes, and an
assortment of percussion instruments. Tonight’’s concer of holiday music
highlights the creativity, musicality and technical wizardry of the Virginia
Handbell Consort. ACES www.acesva.org The Book Bin, Four Corners Plaza,
Onley, 757-787-7866 C.D. Marsh Jewelers, 45 Market St., Onancock, 757787-3333 What’s Your Fancy, 24266 Bennett St., Parksley, 757-6655127 H&H Pharmacy: 6300 Maddox Blvd., Chincoteague, 757-336-3115
7001 Lankford Hwy., Oak Hall, 757-824-4477 Rayfield’s Pharmacy: 9502
Page 58
Hospital Ave., Nassawadox, 757-442-6159 2 Fig Street, Cape Charles, 757331-1212
11/25 - Community Thanksgiving Praise at Chincoteague Center. Call 757336-0614 for details or visit www.chincoteaguecenter.com.
11/28 – 12/1 - Assateague Island Waterfowl Weekend Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge holds Open House and offers special events and
programs to mark the fall migration of waterfowl to the refuge. Visit www.
fws.gov/northeast/chinco.
11/29 – 11/30 - 27th Annual Deborah Waterfowl Show and Auction The last
decoy show of the year for Chincoteague carvers and artists. Come do your
Christmas Shopping at the Chincoteague Combined School at 4586 Main St.
11/30 - Lighting of the Town Christmas Tree in Robert Reed Waterfront
Park.
December
12/1 - Chincoteague Pony Rescue Holiday Open House Bring your family
and friends. Visit the ponies. Enjoy hot chocolate, goodies & roast some
marshmallows. Gifts for ponies are welcome!
12/6 - Water Birding Colloquium. Marine Science Consortium, 34001
Dam Mill Rd., Wallops Island, VA 23337. Experience the beauty of the
islands of the Eastern Shore while exploring this unique location that is
a renowned destination for birders. The emphasis of this workshop will
be on learning identification methods, understanding bird behavior, habitat
and conservation. The group will visit Assateague Island, Wallops Island
and take a boat trip through the creeks surrounding Chincoteauge Island.
Contact the MSC at 757-824-5636 or online at www.msconsortium.org for
more details. This camp start on Friday, Dec. 6th at 5 p.m. and sends the
last day at Noon.
12/6 - Santa comes to town on the Fire Truck! Parksley Town Square.
12/7 - American Legion Post #159 Annual Children’s Christmas Party
Free and open to all children ages 2-10 from Noon to 2:00 p.m. at the
American Legion Post at 4023 Main Street Chincoteague. Meet Mrs. Carol
Claus, Rudolph, Frosty and enjoy interactive story-telling and face painting.
Enjoy the party, have a nice dinner on the island and stay for the Oldfashioned Christmas Parade at 7 p.m.
12/7 - Santa Train will be in town at 4:30. Train runs from Cape Charles to
Parksley. Town of Parksley.
12/7 - *Old-fashioned Christmas Parade Floats, bands, Fire Companies
from all around the Eastern Shore and of course a special visit from Santa.
Parade kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Organizations can download, complete and
return our Entry Form to be included in the parade line-up.
12/7 - Homes for the Holidays Tour 2013 11 am - 4 pm. All proceeds
benefit the Wooden Chimney Restoration Project at the Captain Timothy Hill
House on north Main St. Tickets $20 and on sale at Threadgoodes at Home
- 4211 Main Street on the Island or call 757-336-6858.
12/7 – 10 am to noon Santa at the Library. All children get a book (in either
English or Spanish) and a candy cane. 10am to noon. Accomac Library,
23610 Front St, Accomac, VA www.friendsespl.org (757) 787 3400
12/12 - 8 p.m. International Film Festival night at the historic Roseland
Theatre
12/12 – 10 am to 1 pm Poinsettias in Watercolor Workshop with Diana M.
Davis. Enjoy learning to draw and paint a gorgeous poinsettia, in time
for the holiday season. We will learn to use watercolors, mix them, use
contrast, & composition. A delightful class to relax and enjoy. Bring your
own supplies or purchase for $10 extra. (If you bring your own, pick up the
materials list at ESO, or it can be emailed upon request)
23rd Annual Nutcracker Ballet Promises to be Spectacular
12/12 - Merchant Fashion Show. Town of Parksley.
12/13 - 4 p.m. (approx.) Santa arrives by boat at the Onancock wharf
to listen to the wishes of children seated on the Liar’s Bench. Elfie and
Sugarplum Fairy will hand out treats. Caroling follows in Town Square. 5
- 8 p.m. Second Friday’s Art, Stroll, Shop, and Dine. An Open House event
throughout the village for shopping, specials, and seasonal refreshments.
6:30 p.m. Fancy Dress cocktails and dinner at historic Ker Place. Limited
tickets. 8 p.m. North Street Playhouse’s “The Best Christmas Pageant”
12/14 - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. historic Ker Place open house 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Ker
Place guided tours 2 -6 p.m., Christmas Homes Tour. Tour 6 fine residences
and several historic buildings. 3 - 6:30 p.m. Music Festival at Historic
Cokesbury Church 8 p.m. North Street Playhouse’s “The Best Christmas
Pageant”
12/14 - 2nd Saturday Art Stroll. Chincoteague Island. Arts and crafts
demonstrations, exhibits, live music, book signing, and wine tasting. Call for
more details: (757)336-0044 Sponsored by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance.
12/15 - 5 p.m. Onancock Christmas Parade
12/15 - Island Coffeehouse www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.org/coffee_
house.html
January
1/11 - 2nd Saturday Art Stroll. Chincoteague Island. Arts and crafts
demonstrations, exhibits, live music, book signing, and wine tasting. Call for
more details: (757)336-0044 Sponsored by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance.
1/22 - Youth Chorale with Anna Womble-Street and Amiy Betit. Tuesdays,
beginning January 22nd. 4 to 5 p.m. Cost: $40 per month. ESO Youth Chorale
offers boys & girls a chance to grow emotionally, socially & academically
through exploration of music. We welcome beginners & those with previous
choral experience. For more details call: 757442-3226 or email: eso@
esoartscenter.org.
1/31 - Virginia Symphony. Nandua High School, 26350 Lankford Highway
(Route 13), Onley, VA 23418. The Virginia Symphony presents a vast
repertoire of Classic, Pops and music from the stage and screen. From
celebrating the greatest compositions of the masters. to experiencing pop
culture through music, the versatility of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra
always delights the audience. www.acesva.org Sponsored by PNC Bank. The
Book Bin, Four Corners Plaza, Onley, 757-787-7866 C.D. Marsh Jewelers,
45 Market St., Onancock, 757-787-3333 What’s Your Fancy, 24266
Bennett St., Parksley, 757-665-5127 H&H Pharmacy: 6300 Maddox Blvd.,
Chincoteague, 757-336-3115 7001 Lankford Hwy., Oak Hall, 757-8244477 Rayfield’s Pharmacy: 9502 Hospital Ave., Nassawadox, 757-4426159 2 Fig Street, Cape Charles, 757-331-1212.
Don’t See Your Event Listed?
Photo credit to Walt Roll MD
The 23rd annual performance of The Nutcracker Ballet will be
held December 13th through December 15tb at Nandua High School.
The show begins at 7:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and also offers a
Sunday matinee beginning at 2:00 PM.
This year the ballet looks to be particularly exciting with lots of
new costumes and an impressive array of talent. Planning for the
performance begins in the early summer, with the actual rehearsals
starting in late September. The show encompasses over a hundred
performers, including volunteer adult performers, in fact, the entire
crew, including production staff, costume design ad construction is
volunteer. Choreographer Dana Sutter says “It takes an entire crew to
build our stage and hang the lights and drops, but we are big on making it a wonderful event for the community.”
Tickets for the event may be purchased in advance for $15 or at
the door for $18. Reserved seating is available for $20. Don’t miss this
magical performance, this would be a beautiful Christmas tradition.
For more information call 757-442-3226.
Have a blessed
Holiday Season
Please send your submissions to:
or visit us online at:
www.shoresecretsmagazine.com
Page 59
Need A Number?
Northampton County Commissioner of Revenue 757-678-0446
Northampton County Social Services 757-678-5153
Northampton County Parks & Recreation 757-678-0468
Northampton County Registrar (voter questions) 757-678-0480
Northampton County Sheriff 757-678-0460
Northampton County School Board 757.678.5151
Northampton County Chamber of Commerce 757-678-0010
Atlantic Community Health Center 757-824-5676
Bayview Community Health Center 757-331-1086
Chincoteague Island Community Health Center 757-336-3682
Franktown Community Health Center (with dental) 757-442-4819
ESRHS Metompkin Elementary School Dental 757-665-1159
Onley Community Health Center 757-787-7374
ESRHS Pungoteague Elementary School Dental 757-789-7777
Shore Memorial Hospital 757-414-8000, 1-800-834-7035
SPCA 757-787-7385
State Police / Melfa757-787-5813
Miss Utility “Call before you dig” 800-552-7001
Poison Control Center 800-222-1222
Verizon (telephone) 757-954-6222
A & N Electric Co-op 757-787-9750
Emergency - after hours 757-787-9777
Accomack County Administrator’s Office 757-787-5700
Accomack County Animal Control 757-787-1131, 757-824-5666
Accomack County Commissioner of Revenue 757-787-5747
Accomack County Department of Social Services 757-787-1530
Accomack County Health Department 757-787-5886
Accomack County Parks & Recreation 757-787-3900
Accomack County Public Works 757-787-1468
Accomack County Registrar (voter questions) 757-787-2935
Accomack County Sheriff 757-787-1131
Accomack County School Board 757-787-5754
Chincoteague Police 757-336-3155
Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce 757-336-6161
Chincoteague Public Works 757-336-3366
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge 757-336-6122
Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce 757-787-2460
Eastern Shore Public Library 757-787-3400
Northampton County Administrator’s Office 757-678-0440
Northampton County Animal Control 757-678-0460
Thursday is
Burger Night
Each Week Features Your Choice of Assorted
Specialty Burgers
Or, Build Your Own Burger!
Choose From Toppings Such As:
Every Thursday Night
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Lettuce • Tomato • Jalapenos • Bacon • Mushrooms
Provolone, American, Cheddar or Swiss Cheeses
757-789-3686
Other dinner specials also available.
24399 Lankford Hwy • Tasley, VA
www.beccascakesandmore.com
Page 60
Best Local Arts / Artist
e
h
t
of
e!
r
o
Sh
2009  2010 2011 2012
This holiday season, give a gift that’s every bit as unique as the person you are shopping for!
Choose from prints, originals, water colors or oils. We have gifts for every price range!
Stop by and visit for a bit and explore the Shore as seen through the eyes of the renowned
local artist Willie Crockett!
Gallery is open Monday - Saturday
Framing Services Available
Also featuring the work of local artist Carol Crockett
and Award Winning Decoy Carver, Billy Crockett
Willie Crockett Gallery
39 Market Street Onancock 757-787-2288

Shore Secrets Magazine

Transcription

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