LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Business Beat |
by Barry Becker |
A few years ago, after decades of being healthy, going to the gym regularly, and even crewing at 5:30 a.m. 3 times a week, I decided to go for broke. Literally. I broke my collarbone. I broke several ribs. I developed arthritis in my shoulders. I fractured several vertebrae, which has introduced me to the concept of pain management for the rest of my life. The bottom line is I havent been to a gym in years, and I miss it terribly. There are, of course, several fabulous gyms available in the Rehoboth area. I know many people who go to BODY SHOP FITNESS (Virginia Avenue at the Boardwalk), and have always seemed to like it. Ive never heard any complaints. So I was quite surprised recently when John Phillips called to tell me that in the past, the one complaint his customers have had is that their air conditioning has not worked properly, and that the gym tends to get rather hot what with all those steaming bodies and hot air blowing off the ocean. So, John wants everyone to know that he has now had installed a major big spanking new huge AC system that will keep you all cool no matter what your workout routine and no matter what the weather. So, for all of you who thought Body Shop Fitness was too hot to handle, those days are over. Check it out, and stay cool! And while Im on the subject of new things, I thought Id check out CAFE SOL (Mariners Square, Baltimore Avenue side) which opened Memorial Day weekend. Its a great big family affair here; Lauren Cox is the chef/owner, while cousin Vicki Parisi acts as manager, and other cousins and relatives help out in other capacities. The cafe has wide windows on two sides, and a bright Key West-inspired interior accented with yellow table umbrellas that make the space open and cheerful. There are even a few tables outside. During the week, the Cafe opens at 11:00 for the lunch time crowd. Weekends, the Cafe opens at 10:00 so you can grab a bagel or scone or muffin for breakfast. If you call ahead and order lunch, theyll have it ready for you to pick up on your way to the beach. Hey, theyll even fill your ice chest for you! And what a great selection of fabulous treats in store for you here. Sandwiches of fabulous chicken salad, SW chicken salad (made with barbecue sauce), portabello mushrooms with goat cheese, honey ham and brie, and the turkey stuffer, made with real turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. There are festive and creative side dishes like tangy Moroccan carrots, drunken lima beans (made with a splash of beer and onions), oriental noodle salad, Mexican cole slaw (with tomatoes and corn), black bean and corn salad, potato and egg salad (a recipe of Aunt Louises, and fabulous! I could eat a pound of it myself), and best of all, deviled eggs. I know, where else do you find deviled eggs in town? And this good...just like Mom used to make for summer picnics! You simply must have some. There are many flavors of fresh fruit smoothies, and a great selection of desserts as well, including peanut butter pie, key lime pie, chocolate cheesecake and more. Lauren also collected some ribbons at this years chocolate festival, so these truly are award-winning desserts! Everything here is freshly made from fresh ingredients, and it shows. With great food, terrific location, and wonderfully helpful staff, Cafe Sol should be on your must- eat-at-list. Meanwhile, out on Highway One (#4307 to be exact, across from Outlets #3) ITS A WONDERFUL LOAF BAKERY also opened in May. Ive had the pleasure of sampling their many types of bread over the past few months, all of them delicious and fresh (baked right on the premises), but I had never stopped in at their shop until now. Sometimes I can be dense, I know, so for some reason I was expecting to find just a great assortment of fabulous bread, but I was greeted right inside the door by one of my very favorite things on this planet, gooey icing covered breakfast treats. Did they look good! But, as middle age and Mr. Gravity have had an appallingly successful attack on my body this summer, I only looked. The breads, on the other hand, were fantastic. There is a huge assortment of breads in every shape and size and flavor, with daily specials as well. There are about a dozen breads baked daily, and a schedule on the board to let you know when specialty breads are made, such as spinach feta, sundried tomato, black olive garlic, potato cheddar, cinnamon walnut raisin, and many more. In the day I was in, I had chosen a bag of fragrant dill dinner rolls until I spied....rainbow bread. I know, it was just too much! And even though I am certainly one who is way over all this rainbow stuff, this bread was just so darling I had to have it! You have to see it to believe it....wide swirls of red, green, yellow, orange, blue and purple. And it tastes great, too! They also have a wide selection of desserts (cakes, pies, eclairs, cookies, and more) that look heavenly, as well as low fat treats. The bakery is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 9, July 17, 1998. |