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A Jam Packed Day — The Victorian Stroll And The 1st Annual Grand Illumination In Cape Charles, Virginia

Friday, December 10th, 2010

It’s that time again, the celebrations of the holidays are upon us ! This year, three of the Bed and Breakfasts located in the historic area of Cape Charles, Virginia offered a new afternoon event, the Victorian Stroll. Entirely fitting of course, because Cape Charles is Virginia’s prettiest Victorian coastal town, especially during the holidays. ( See our listings of Victorian historic homes for sale in Cape Charles at www.blueheronva.com ) Throughout town, eves, gables and front porches are aglow with thousands of twinkling lights in reds and greens, blues and yellows. I especially love the strings of white lights, they glitter and burn with such intensity. Also scheduled for early evening that same day was the 1st Annual Grand Illumination in the newly dedicated Cape Charles Central Park. So my six year old granddaughter and I decided to do the town pink and go to both events.

Seagate B&B

First off on our tour was Seagate B&B, located just a stone’s throw from Cape Charles’ excellent sand beach. ( www.seagatebb.com ) Proprietor Chris Bannon gave us the grand tour of his lovely home which has the notable distinction of being the longest continuously operating B&B in Cape Charles. Chris had his entire home dressed to the T for the holidays but our favorite room was the formal dining room. Featuring a library area and lots of antiques, the beautiful dining room looked as it must have looked in yesteryear, mantel decorated with pine roping and other greenery, elaborate stockings hung for Santa to fill, sideboard festive , classic table set with holiday candles, plush oriental rug in deep reds gracing the hardwood floor. And presiding over it all, lounging in her antique chair with soft red velvet cushions, was Raggedy Ann, large as life and awfully cute, keeping a close eye on the nearby Christmas tree, watching for more presents to appear. Then we said goodbye to Chris, who was off to Central Park to help get ready for the 6:30 Grand Illumination.

Cape Charles House B&B

Next stop, Cape Charles House. ( www.capecharleshouse.com ) Walking into the wide foyer area, we were greeted by Carol Evans, who together with her husband Bruce, operates this elegant B&B, a recipient of the coveted Governor’s Hospitality Award. Carol said that Bruce had been a bit short of time and hadn’t finished all the planned decorating but the house looked lovely to us, festive garland strung around the doors, stockings hung beneath the mantel. The large dining room table featured a luxurious arrangement of magnolia cuttings, the deep green shiny leaves perfect for the season, tastefully complementing the green wall color. Upstairs, I especially loved the decor of the “Thomas Dixon Room”, with its spinning wheel, dressmaker’s form hung with a 1900’s silk dress and ladies’ old fashioned high boot hung from the mantel. However, the hit of Cape Charles House for my granddaughter was not the great decor or the festive Christmas greenery– no, it was a huge, fat and furry white cat asleep on the bed, completely undisturbed by the swirl of people touring thorough. When she decided to pet it, kitty just raised his head, stared at her, then lay back down again, completely bored by it all— until suddenly up he jumped, making a beeline for the back stairs to the kitchen, leaving all his admirers behind !

Sterling House B&B

Final stop on the Victorian Stroll tour, Sterling House ( www.sterlinghousecapecharles.com ), run by proprietor Steve Hairfield with his rescued greyhound, Duelin, as the second in command. When we entered the long foyer with its gorgeous hardwood floors, Steve was kind enough to ask Duelin to come downstairs to greet my granddaughter. Definitely it was love at first sight ! Child and dog settled on the sofa to discuss secrets of the season, lights from the beautifully decorated tree glowing softly beside them. Steve has a great deal of Cape Charles artwork displayed and the paintings of scenes from the beach and marina really add to the flavor of this home where the Chesapeake Bay can be seen from the front porch. Like Seagate and Cape Charles House, the dining room at Sterling House was dressed in its best, decorated for the season and looking picture perfect, with greenery, candles, mantel pieces, striking red tablecloth and poinsettias. Dusk was well settled as we were leaving about 5:30. Outside, the long strings of bright white lights sparkled and glowed, illuminating this striking home and the be-ribboned wreathes hanging from its windows, a dazzling holiday sight. And more festivities yet to come at the Grand Illumination later !

Tags: Cape Charles Virginia, Cape Charles Virginia historic home for sale, Holiday events in Cape Charles Virginia, Real Estate
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Playtime At The Palace In Cape Charles, Virginia

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Once again we’re looking forward to play time at the historic Palace Theatre in Cape Charles, Virginia. ( See September, 2010 posts about Arts Enter’s first play of the 2010-2011 season, a mystery entitled The Two Mrs. Carrolls . ) This season’s second production by Art’s Enter is a long-time thespian favorite, The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Interestingly, this clever farce, subtitled A Trivial Comedy For Serious People, was first performed about 1895 and has been kicking around ever since. It was even made into a movie about ten years ago, staring Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, Colin Firth and Tom Wilkenson, some of my favorite British actors, ( Dench especially for her role in the long running BBC series As Time Goes By and Wilkenson as Gerald in the hilariously poignant film, The Full Monty ). According to the Palace’s advance ad, George Bernard Shaw once said that Earnest was the funniest play ever written. It is indeed a very witty piece of writing, a romantic comedy full of clever turns of phrase. I find it pretty amazing that a play which is now 115 years old is still capturing the imaginations of theatre groups all around the country ( take a quick peek at some of the U Tube clips of recent productions of Earnest, especially the clips from South Coast Repertory. )

Getting ready for lunch at Aqua restaurant

So we are planning for a late lunch today at Aqua’s Restaurant overlooking the Chesapeake Bay near the marina and then off to the theatre for the 3:00.pm matinee. I’m looking forward to the Cobb Salad at Aqua. Unbelievably, next Wednesday, as part of an over-all menu revision, I’ve been told they are taking their absolutely delicious Cobb Salad off the menu although it’s their most popular salad and, in my opinion, their best salad, assorted field greens layered with corn kernels, an entire sliced egg, crunchy bacon, perfectly ripened avocado, long crisp cucumber slices, tender grilled chicken, topped with a creamy Parmesan pepper dressing. I’m just asking……. What sense does it make to remove one of your most popular luncheon dishes just because it’s been there nearly since opening day ? Their hamburger has been on since opening day as well — but I’d just about bet the farm that the same hamburger choices are going to make an appearance on the new menu ! ( I think we need a revolt, maybe a “Committee for the Retention of the Cobb Salad at Aqua”. ) My daughter will be likely be having the fish sandwich and clam chowder, safe and secure that fish sandwiches will probably always be on the menu ! Anyway, we all truly enjoy Aqua’s atmosphere and scrumptious food and shall cling to the hope that maybe next spring the beloved Cobb Salad shall re-appear on their menu.

After lunch, it’s off to the theatre. We are especially looking forward to seeing David Kabler, broker for Blue Heron Realty Co.’s Cape Charles office, who is playing the role of the vicar, Dr. Chasuble. This is Dave’s second stage role, having made his debut at the Palace earlier this year in the part of Frank Updyke in the Art’s Enter production of the Two Mrs. Carrolls . So it should be a good day, a farewell Cobb Salad followed by playtime at play time in the little town of Cape Charles’ beautifully renovated Palace Theatre. ( P.S. I might mention that Wilde is also known for his short stories, particularly the beautiful The Happy Prince and the ironic The Nightingale and the Rose, both of which can be read on-line at www.shortstoryarchive.com/w/oscar_wilde.html I first read Oscar Wilde when I was in school, having received as a gift a book which was a collection of his short stories and some of his poetry. The stories have stuck with me ever since. )

Tags: Aqua restaurant Cape Charles Virginia, Arts Enter Cape Charles, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Importance of Being Earnest, Palace Theatre Cape Charles Virginia
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Finding The Silver Lining — How I Ended Up At The Cape Charles, Virginia Tomato Festival After All !

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

I’m a natural optimist and I do like to find the Silver Lining if I can. When I came down with a terrible cold last Tuesday and by Thursday still felt like a huge nose attached to a worn out body, I realized that I just could not subject the other three who would be in the car with me to a four hour ride to D.C. enclosed with Miss Sneezy. So I said, in my most pitiful voice , you-all just go to the Book Festival without me . (See Sept. 21st post about looking forward to the 2010 National Book Festival ( www.loc.gov/bookfest/ ) being held Saturday, Sept. 25th on the National Mall in Washington D.C. ) Don’t worry about me, poor, poor sick me, said I. Well OK, said they, we won’t worry about you, we’ll be on our way on Friday morning, really sorry you can’t come, we’ll try to get some of your books signed for you, watch the Book TV coverage.

But then, ironically, an important client of my daughter’s who was flying in from the mid-West to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to look at waterfront property on Thursday the 24th decided to stay over through Saturday to look at additional beachfront acreage. So that took her out of the trip as well. And then my friend’s son’s lasik surgery got bumped from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, so another one bites the dust. That left only my husband in a position to make the trip, but loyalist that he is, he pledged to stay by my side, replenishing Kleenex and orange juice as necessary, commiserating with my loss of the opportunity to get the books I had purchased by Michelle Norris, Anchee Min, David Remnick and Scott Turow autographed by them, planned as special Christmas gifts for several people. ( I realize that it may not seem all that special. But trust me when I say that after you have stood in line about two hours per each author, in the hot sun, the only food all day being the trail mix and a PBJ you fortunately brought along but which got somewhat squished at the bottom of your rolling briefcase, washed down sparingly by a warm Desani, portapotties about 10 miles off but you are worried about leaving the line in case of a ruckus about getting back in, feet aching even though you’re wearing your most comfortable Birkenstocks, weary arms clutching the max- allowed- per- author three or four books, open to the title pages as ordered by the event staff, yellow post-it notes peeking over the edges of the title pages whereon you have, after much wracking of the brain, written the pithy phrases you want the admired author to inscribe for the recipient…… Well, after all that, I don’t care if it’s just an inscribed “Manual of Insurance Rates” instead of a John Grisham 1st edition — by golly, it is special !!!! ) Anyway, the 11th annual National Book Festival is coming up in just 361 more days, wonder who the authors will be ?

But back to the Silver Lining. In order to go to the Book Festival, I would have had to miss the 3rd annual Cape Charles Tomato Festival. So now, if I felt up to it, we could attend. Possible Silver Lining. Mid- afternoon, pocket full of cough drops, I summoned up the energy to slip down to Cape Charles with my husband. It was a pretty day, blue skies, warm, breezes blowing in from the Chesapeake Bay. My husband and I both always like the ArtWalk and this year was no exception — lots of mediums exhibited, sidewalk tables plus snow white individual tents featuring watercolors, sculpture, glasswork, oils, stained glass, decoy carvings, etc., up and down Mason Avenue as far as the eye could see. On one of the next- to- last sidewalk tables, I came across my art purchase of the day……. a whimisical watercolor, original and framed, a pair of charming orange seahorses, outlined in red, with large aquamarine eyes, set against a vivid backgound of various blues, white bubbles and little red hearts floating upwards as the seahorses shyly peek at each other. The whole painting was so vibrant, I love seahorses, I have a perfect place to hang it, I could not resist.

Continuing on down the sidewalk, past those last lucky diners to be able to enjoy a bowl of the ambrosial tomato basil bisque being served at Cape Charles Coffee House, we crossed the street to see the antique cars exhibit. Arriving just after the judging was completed, we watched as the trophies were being awarded. Although I am not that into cars, I was impressed with the 1930 Model A, black of course, which looked like it just rolled off the assembly line. ( You’ll remember that Henry Ford famously said that his customers could have the Model A in any color they wanted—- just as long as they wanted black ! ) Among others, a trophy was awarded to a 1955 mint condition Chevy painted in beautiful tones of cream and deep burgandy, owned by MaryLou and John Thornton, whose cute-as-a-button two year old grandaughter, Andrea, stole the awards ceremony as she presented the trophies. And that pretty much did it for me, tired, still not fully recovered, ready to go home and flip on the television. And so, a Silver Lining after all — I got a fun painting at the Cape Charles Tomato Festival and then spent the rest of the afternoon in comfy air conditioning, enjoying Book TV’s ( www.booktv.org ) live coverage of the National Book Festival direct from C-Span’s little studio set up in the huge History and Biography pavilion, temperature in D.C. estimated at a hefty 90 + degrees and no Chesapeake Bay breezes. Hi, ho Silver Lining.

Tags: art show, Cape Charles Virginia, National Book Festival, Tomato Festival, Virginia antique car show
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The Fun-Filled Cape Charles, Virginia Annual Tomato Festival ! It’s Right Around The Corner, Don’t Miss It !

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Putting on the Ritz at the Tomato Ball

When is the only time of year when dressing up like a tomato is not only acceptable, it’s de rigueur ? Tomato Festival time, of course, that wacky, fun time of year in Cape Charles, Virginia when marinara sauce meets “Beautiful Baby” contest. And where you must wear red ( and preferably a tomato-like Mardi Gras style costume ) in order to get into the annual Tomato Ball. Talk about putting on the Ritz, it’s definitely time to dust off those zippy red slingback heels and get ready to step out with your baby tonight !!

Second only to the fun events scheduled for the 4th of July week-end, Cape Charles’ Tomato Festival week-ends offer a wide variety of events, something for everyone. For art aficionados, there is the Mason Avenue ArtWalk where many of the best artisans on the Eastern Shore of Virginia will have booths to show their latest work. The ArtWalk exhibits in many mediums including watercolors, oils, pottery, mosaics, photography and carvings and features many fine . Several categories will be judged and winners selected by a regionally recognized art professional. ( One of the art booths is always set up outside Blue Heron Realty’s office at 113 Mason Avenue. So if you are thinking about buying real estate on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, please stop in to say hello and pick up our free property catalogue. )

Into the hole on the next shot

On Friday, September 24th, the 3 rd Annual Cape Charles Open golf tournament will be held at Bay Creek, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the United Way of the Eastern Shore. This event is open to the public and is a great chance for non-member golf enthusiasts to strut their stuff on the incredible Arnold Palmer Signature course, which was designated last year by Golf Digest as one of its “Best Places To Play”. This 7204 yard beautiful waterfront course, with perfectly manicured greens and fairways, is built along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and Old Plantation Creek, a bay inlet. Most golfers say that it’s hard to keep their eyes off the scenery and on the ball, so participants in this event will just have to try to ignore the sparkling waters, soaring ospreys and gorgeous landscaping to focus instead on less interesting matters like stance and swing. A golfer’s life is hard but someone has to do it …..

Marinara Sauce In The Round

For foodies, there are mouth watering tomato pies, bubbling, wonderful fragrant aromas for as far as the nose can smell. I’m sure the local tomato pie champions ( who actually were invited to Washington DC to cater an Inaugural event in 2008 ) will be there, holding forth with their ambrosial offerings. ( If you’ve never had tomato pie, think a perfection blend of tomatos, cheeses, herbs and spices in a rich, rich crust. ) Other food vendors will be there preparing regional specialties plus wine and beer tastings usually are held as well. Definitely no fear of hunger at the Tomato Festival. And of course the week-end “Pizza Train” luncheon ride and evening gourmet dinner trip will be running on the usual schedule, as always, advance tickets required. All aboard, all aboard, train buffs.

Grand Finale And Perfect End To A Fun-filled Day In Historic Cape Charles, Virginia

For kids, special contests and events are scheduled including the always fun Face Painting booth. Also for kids and kids at heart, there will be an antique and classic car show, always a great hit. For the girls there will be a no-swimsuit “Miss Hot Tomato” contest as well as a pre-teen tomato contest. The demands of the baby lobby are covered by the “Beautiful Baby” contest. Last year music lovers were entertained by the Pop, Rhythm and Blues concert featuring Clarance Smith, presented by Art’s Enter at the Palace Theatre. So I think that just about covers everyone — foodies, golfers, music lovers, babies, teens and pre-teens, kids, car enthusiasts, art aficionados, train buffs, tomato costumes, dancing the night away at the Tomato Ball….. is there anything else that can be piled into this fun, wacky, tomato week-end ? Just one more thing ? Yes, of course…. for everyone out there who loves a parade, the Tomato Festival Parade kicks off on Mason Avenue at 10 AM. Last call, anything else ? Yes, the fireworks ! High in the sky above the Cape Charles beach and reflected in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the brilliant flares and ka-booms of the fireworks show brought the 2009 Tomato Festival to a ( http://www.capecharles.biz/fallfestival.html ) to a dramatic close. Yep, with the parade and the fireworks, there truly is something for everyone. So, everyone, remember, it’s coming, it’s right around the corner. Get ready, get set, mark your calenders, it’s tomato time in Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore !

Tags: Arnold Palmer golf course, Cape Charles Art Show, Cape Charles golf tournament, Cape Charles Virginia
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To The Cast Of “Two Mrs. Carrolls”, Take Another Well Deserved Bow !

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

Historic Palace Theatre In Cape Charles, Virginia

My husband, a friend and I spent a delightful Sunday afternoon last week at the historic Palace Theatre in Cape Charles, Virginia watching the matinee performance of ” The Two Mrs. Carrolls”. It was one of those cool, rainy, constant drizzle Sundays that usually make me feel like staying at home with a hot cup of tea, listening to The Splendid Table on NPR or thumbing through the latest Contessa or Mario Batali cookbook, wondering if there is a delicious recipe of less than five ingredients that can be whipped together in 15 minutes ( good luck with that ! ) . However, we had matinee tickets for the play and off we went, rain or no, to see the Mrs. Carrolls.

I was not familiar with that particular play, written by Martin Vale, but the playbill indicates that it is a film noir classic from 1947 and starred Hunphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck. A comic thriller set in the South of France, it revolves around a lovey-dovey, newly- wed English couple ( but the husband, an artist, has a roving eye ), the wife’s old flame who visits a lot, a beautiful young neighbor who also visits a lot and a very funny French housekeeper, Clemence , who can speak English but insists on speaking French throughout, sans peur et sans reproche, played with good comic effect by Susan Kovacs, a Blue Heron customer . The wife soon falls mysteriously ill and the play is off and running !

Bravo ! Take Another Bow !

Staged and directed by Sheila Cardano, whose daughter, Clelia Sheppard, is the Executive Director of Art’s Enter, the play came off wonderfully– the years of Sheila’s hard work and efforts to put together a talented local amateur theatre group and stage crew and to renovate the Palace Theatre have really paid off handsomely. The theatre, now fully restored, truly looks great. ( Years of fund raisers together with grants and donations have restored this lovely Art Deco building to its former 1940’s glory. Wow ! And you should see the seats now, comfy and beautifully re-covered, to the tune of hundreds of dollars each and the gorgeous golden wall murals. Before and after pictures really tell this amazing restoration story and illustrate how far the Palace Theatre and Art’s Enter have come in these last 15 years. ) On stage, the props and scenery looked great– so authentic, you felt like you really were in an artist’s home. Lots of well done lighting and sound effects too, especially the mistral wind, which blew on and off for much of Act 3.

Eva Takes The Lead Role And Dave Makes His Stage Debut

Best of all was the cast, who vividly brought this story to life. Consisting of nine amateur actors from various walks of life, including a recreational director, a vacation rental associate, three retirees, a real estate sales agent, a real estate broker, a Deputy Commissioner of the Revenue plus Clelia Sheppard, the Executive Director of Art’s Enter and one of the Eastern Shore’s great multi-taskers, this cast came together seamlessly to create the story’s realistic voice. It was an excellent performance, thoroughly enjoyed by the entire audience. I realize that I am biased but the three of us really loved seeing our two colleagues from the Blue Heron Realty Co. Cape Charles office , Eva Noonan and Dave Kabler ” do their thing” on-stage, both presented an accomplished performance, with Eva cast in the leading role of Sally Carroll. And so, to the entire cast, at the next performance go ahead and take an extra bow— you deserve it !

Tags: Arts Enter Cape Charles, Cape Charles Virginia, Clelia Sheppard, Palace Theatre Cape Charles Virginia, theatre restoration
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Planning To Feed My Murder Mystery Addiction At The New Play At The Palace Theatre In Cape Charles

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

For better or for worse, I’m addicted to murder mysteries. No point in trying to deny it because an entire room, a very spacious room even, that was planned as my husband’s home office with space for my books, CD’s and DVD’s has now evolved into my library with space for my husband’s desk and file cabinets at the far end, by the full wall of windows. ( Well, at least I let him keep the windows, which are floor-to-ceiling, south-east facing and overlook our beautiful rolling lawn, bird feeders, trees and pretty sunrises. I feel that makes things even-steven but I don’t think he really agrees. ) Six tall bookcases, books I’ve already read but want to keep stacked at least two rows deep, books I’m planning to read sitting on my “read this next” table, about 30% of which are murder mysteries or courtroom dramas, not the gory ones, just the good, old-fashioned sleuthing- through- clues to find the bad guys kind. ( I think I could probably write a book, a thick, heavy tome, about the books that I love…. I do read a lot of non-fiction too but let’s face it — not as much fun ! Currently reading “The Immortal World of Henrietta Lacks”, fascinating but not nearly as satisfying as a John Grisham thriller. ) Two tall bookcases of DVD’s including, more or less, the complete sets (or working towards complete ) of most of BBC’s great mystery series. (Let me recommend www.bbcamericashop.com as an absolutely “must view” website. ) Inspector Morse, Foyle’s War, Sir Peter Wimsey, Rumpole, Prime Suspect, MidSomer Murders, Last Detective, Poirot ad infinitum, Sherlock Holmes, P.D. James, etc., etc. (all on the dramatic side) on stand-by on the shelf, ready to be watched or re-watched at a moment’s notice. Plus light and humorous favorites like Hamish McBeth (was TV John a delightful character or what ? ), Campion, the new(ish) Miss Marple series staring Geraldine McEwan ( BBC’s best Marple ever ), Rosemary and Thyme, Hetty Investigates and the wonderful series we are currently viewing, Pie In The Sky…. impatiently waiting for UPS to deliver Series 3 ( which was originally shown in the U.K. about a thousand years ago but just released in the U.S. on DVD September 7 th, why on earth BBC waits so long I can not imagine. ) Anyway, hopefully Monday. What the mystery lover’s life would be like without the British Broadcasting Corporation — well, I shudder to think ! ( We love British comedy too but no space for that commentary now — except to say that anyone who doesn’t practically fall right off the sofa laughing while watching Black Adder, Faulty Towers or Vicar of Dibley simply doesn’t have much of sense of humor. Watching an episode of Father Ted is like eating potato chips– you cannot stop at just one ! ) But enough already about BBC videos.

So naturally I’m really looking forward to seeing the latest production this week-end at the Palace Theatre, ” The Two Mrs. Carrolls” , a mystery, produced by Art’s Enter. A word, or three, about Art’s Enter, actually headquartered in Cape Charles’ historic Palace Theatre, and its successful efforts to bring the visual and performing arts in the southern tip of Virginia’s Eastern Shore under one roof. Lucky ! Fortunate ! Favored ! That is what Cape Charles is to have Art’s Enter as a vibrant part of the town and its culture ! And flipping to the other side of that coin, that’s what Art’s Enter ( http://www.artsentercapecharles.org ) is to have the love, support and participation of the people of Cape Charles. So, a synergistic relationship, benefiting all. This truly amazing arts group, headed up by Co-Directors Clelia Sheppard and Mary Ann Roehm, has brought such well known organizations as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Opera Company, both headquartered in Norfolk, to the Palace Theatre for performances. ( It tickles me no end that the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, which has performed at many national venues including the world renowned Carnegie Hall, has actually also performed, several times even, here on the Eastern Shore at the Palace Theatre. Thanks Clelia and Mary Ann — you’re amazing ! ) And dozens and dozens of other high quality vocalists, dance companies and orchestras recently including the Cab Calloway Orchestra, David Leonhardt Jazz Group and Lee Jordan-Anders have lit up the Palace’s stage.

It is also a beehive of activity for the Eastern Shore of Virginia’s growing thespian community, providing a wonderful theatre season right here in our own community. The performances last season included an evening of one act plays, “The Wizard of Oz” and “A Christmas Carol”. In addition to “The Two Mrs. Carrolls”, the 2010-2011 theatre season at the Palace Theatre also features “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Oliver”. But for all of us at Blue Heron Realty Co. , the icing on the cake for the performance of “Two Mrs. Carrolls” is that two of the actors on-stage are Blue Heron agents ! Maestro, drum roll, please ! Eva Noonan, an agent in our Cape Charles office, an effervescent gal who has performed in a number of Art’s Enter’s previous plays, takes the lead role in “Carrolls”. And David Kabler, our Cape Charles managing broker, will be making his stage debut. And so this week-end I will not only be feeding my mystery addiction at the Palace Theatre, I will be on hand to enthusiastically applaud two of our own. Break a leg, break two legs even, Eva and Dave !!!!!

Tags: Arts Enter Cape Charles, BBC videos, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore performing arts, Palace Theatre Cape Charles, Virginia Eastern Shore
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It Takes A Town To Grow A Park

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Sunday evening my husband and I, along with 2 grandsons, attended the dedication of Central Park in Cape Charles, Virginia. Untold hours of work by hundreds of “Citizens for Central Park” volunteers and thousands of dollars raised by them plus various State of Virginia grants the over the last ten years have “grown” the Park into what it is today– a lovely five acre green area ringed with winding walkways and beautiful landscaping. A flowing fountain greets visitors at the Park’s entrance and a large Gazebo proudly stands mid-way. On the north side you’ll find “Cape Kids”, a large playground with substantial play structures for imaginative, safe play including a short climbing wall with the “rocks” inset over a mural of a mountain. On the other side of the “Cape Kids” playground are two top notch tennis courts with night lighting.

The history of “growing” the Park is fascinating. In the late 1880’s, when the town was being laid out, the streets of Cape Charles were originally designed around the Park, although the Park itself was not developed. When Cape Charles High School was opened in 1912, the Park served as its athletic field with a football and baseball field. In 1993, the Cape Charles schools were consolidated with the Northampton County schools and the Park was closed. It wasn’t until year 2000 that a large group of residents came together to form “Citizens for Central Park” , kicking off the effort by hosting a “Design Your Own Park Day” to draw in as much community energy as possible in creating the Park. The Women’s Club of Cape Charles planned the “Cape Kids” playgound. The garden areas were planned by the Eastern Shore Garden Club. Leon Parham, a long time resident of Cape Charles and a creative local architect, pulled all these ideas and plans into the beautiful final design approved by Town Council and the various community groups. (Leon designed the Gazebo as well.) The landscaping plan includes many interesting trees, including a Copper Beech, a Golden Rain tree, a Yoshino Cherry and a Gold Atlas Cedar, most of which are memorial trees donated by individuals in honor of or in memory of loved ones. Funds for the brick pavers and the benches were also donated by dedication including the 2002 Commonwealth Award which was presented to the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore on behalf of the Central Park Memorial Garden by the Garden Club of Virginia.

And so the lovely Cape Charles Central Park, the fruit of so much thought, community effort and participation, receipient of many grants (over a million dollars) was proudly dedicated on Sunday, September 5, 2010 . Speeches were made, children were deputized, members of the Cape Charles Coast Guard Station presented the colors, the Star Spangled Banner was sung, the Cape Charles Fire Department raised the flag and Mayor Dora Sullivan, a long and staunch supporter of the Park, officially switched on the fountain. The waters gently flowed, Cental Park was officially open ! Let the fun begin !

And so it did. The first official Central Park concert was held in the Gazebo, with four different groups playing throughout the evening– mostly country and rock and roll classics. Along the winding pathways, delicious aromas floated through the air as the food vendors offered tasty wares including crabcakes, BBQ shrimp, sub sandwiches, goodies from the dessert tent and, of course, the official food of kids everywhere, pizza. Being kids or at least kids at heart, the four of us enjoyed some of Veneto’s pepperoni and Italian sausage pizza before heading over to the playground to get into the swing of things — literally. Out on the long, wide Green, people were walking dogs, tossing balls, playing Frisbee, chatting in groups, sitting in beach chairs simply enjoying the music and the sunset — just having a wonderful time, enjoying the spirit of their town and their new Park. As we left, Veneto’s Pizza, its tent strung with twinking lights, was still going strong, the Gazebo’s live band had given way to a brilliant laser light show accompanied by recorded disco music …. Come On, Baby, Let’s Do The Twist. Strolling out past the murmering fountain, my husband and I both agreed that Citizens for Central Park had selected a great motto — “It Takes A Town To Grow A Park”. The town of Cape Charles has grown a beautiful Park, one which will enhance the lives of its residents and visitors for decades to come. To all those who worked so so long and so hard to make it happen, Bravo !

Tags: Real Estate
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A Soft Summer’s Evening In Cape Charles, Virginia

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

Wheels, Walking And Chesapeake Bay At Sunset

Having lived on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for nearly 25 years (how time does fly), I probably have been to the little coastal town of Cape Charles several thousand times, at least, for shopping, doctor appointments, lunches or dinners, meetings at our real estate office in the Cape Charles historic commercial district, etc. , etc. But I had never actually spent a night in Cape Charles until a friend of ours, who owns one of the “grand dame” homes overlooking the beach there, invited us to spend the Fourth of July week-end at his house. We had a wonderful time and based on that experience I’ve decided that it’s really impossible to fully appreciate the unique Cape Charles small coastal town atmosphere/lifestyle until one has spent an entire day and night there.

Enjoying the Salty Breezes

Our evening kicked off with coffee and dessert ( a delicious southern style coconut cake with lemon curd filling and coconut icing, especially ordered from the Cape Charles Coffee House, www.capecharlescoffeehouse.com , baked by the inimitable Roberta) served on the wide front porch overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and the town beach. The sun was just beginning to set, streaks of pinks and violets painted across the sky and waters below. A salty sea breeze picked up, the air had cooled considerably from the hot point of the day. And then the waterfront just came alive with quiet activity– dogs and owners sauntering down the boardwalk, toddlers being pushed along in strollers, bicyclers singly or in groups of 2 or 3 enjoying the soft summer breezes, joggers and walkers ( my speed entirely) out to enjoy the sunset, one or two kids on skateboards trying to do a few flips, folks with fishing poles walking down to try their luck on the new Cape Charles fishing pier which is beautifully illuminated at night. Boats launched from the Cape Charles harbour gliding by on the way out to fish the hot spots after dark, sailboats slipping back into the marina for the night.

Cape Charles Fishing Pier At Twilight

We love “people watching” and with a backdrop of sunsets, beach, boats, lapping waves , water and seabirds calling overhead — it was great. What was also fun was watching the golf carts, many decorated or painted special colors, cruising slowly down the street, out for a evening ride around the town. ( Uniquely, Cape Charles is one of the few towns in Virginia where golf carts are street legal and many residents use these colorful and eco-friendly vehicles as their main in-town transportation. ) Out on the beach a few kite surfers were taking advantage of some the stronger winds that blow at sunset along with beachcombers and a few die-hard kids finishing up a sand castle. Everything worked in such harmony, everyone just having fun , totally relaxed, lots of laughter carried on the wind– we stayed out on the porch past dark, just enjoying for ourselves the enjoyment of others on a beautiful, soft summer’s evening in Cape Charles. And I discovered for myself a part of why people who live in Cape Charles love it there.

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Rare Sea Turtles Released into the Wild From the Cape Charles, Virginia Beach

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Caught in a Tangled Web

Rare Kemps-ridley Sea Turtle Released into the Wild

In June at the public beach on the Chesapeake Bay in the little coastal town of Cape Charles, Virginia on Virginia’s beautiful Eastern Shore, conservation scientists who specialize in the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals released 12 extremely rare Kemps-Ridley sea turtles into the sea. These turtles had spent the winter at the Virginia Institute of Marine Scince (VIMS) aquarium in Virginia Beach, VA, reviving from their near-death paralysis due to exposure to cold and injuries from power boats, having been rescued from beaches all along the East Coast of the United States. With a world population of only 2,000, the Kemps-Ridley sea turtles represent the hopes of marine conservationists around the world. Hundreds of well-wishers gathered throughout the morning in the bright sunshine and the warm salt waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay to see them off. Children and adults alike were absolutely astonished by the robust health and activity of the turtles as each one was carried by a volunteer down to the water’s edge and carefully dipped into the sea to be released. Off they swam, like birds in flight, flippers pumping in quick rythm. The waders cheered and jumped out of the way to give the turtles room to roam. May they all swim merrily on their way and have lots of babies!

At Cape Charles VA town beach, a rare sea turtle is released into the wild.

Tags: Nature
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The Cape Charles Golf Cart Parade

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

July 4th 2010

Like most people, I’ve been to a lot of parades in my life, both large and small, most of them colorful and fun, sprightly, with plenty of loud John Phillip Sousa for good measure ( which I dearly love) , but I had never been to a parade which featured gussied up golf carts until this past 4th of July ! It was part of a 3 day week-end we spent at a friend’s beach home on Bay Avenue in Cape Charles, Virginia together with various family members on various days. We woke up early to take our dogs for a walk before all the hustle and bustle of the set-up preparations for the concession stands, artist’s tents, bouncy houses ,etc. which were going to line the west side of Bay Avenue, the Cape Charles waterfront boulevard. The parade would take place on the east side of the street and we were all lined up on the porch ready to enjoy our 50 yard line views, munching down on ice cold chunks of ruby red watermelon, the official fruit of the 2010 Fourth of July, ( southern style BBQ and potato salad being the official foods of the 2010 Fourth of July.)

Balloontiful

First in line , of course, was the Grand Marshall, followed by the Color Guard of the U.S. Coast Guard, Cape Charles Station, looking spiffy and marching ramrod straight. (Guys and gals, we’re proud of you.) Then, of course, the various fire and rescue companies with both new and antique equipment, flags waving broadly, horns honking (actually, horns blasting), drivers and crew smiling and waving back to all the friends, neighbors and visitors lining the street to see the parade. And next, my favorite of the day, the golf cart parade. Uniquely, golf carts are street-legal in Cape Charles, and literally dozens of golf carts of all sizes and persuasions were dressed up in their best finery, each one in its turn proudly stopping in front of the review stand (The Gazebo, of course) for the Mistress of Ceremonies , Trina Veber, to read aloud the particulars of each participant .

Uncle Sam

Boldly decorated, with smiling owners and passengers, these cute little eco vehicles delighted on-lookers as they paraded on down Bay Avenue, throwing out wrapped hard candies to thrilled youngsters along the way including, by my side (now off the porch onto the sidewalk, the better to take advantage of all the candy action), our two youngest grandsons who smiled from ear to ear as they caught grand prizes of hot cinnamon Jaw Breakers and guaranteed to wreak your teeth little rolls of Sweet Tarts ! What fun they already had and still all the concession stands with cotton candy, cool Italian Ices, grilled sausages with peppers and onions, funnel cakes (my husband’s favorite) , game booths with prizes, bouncy houses shaped like dogs, etc., etc to look forward to for the rest of the afternoon. And at dark, the brilliant colors and booming sounds (which frightened one of our dogs so much she had to be put back in the house) of the annual fireworks show. It was well done as ever ( although we don’t live in Cape Charles we are only 20 minutes away and usually try to attend). Afterwords we lingered on the porch for a while, just enjoying the little hustle bustle of the activities winding down, a relaxing end to a wonderful day.

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Life and Real Estate on the Eastern Shore of Virginia