LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
BEACH Buzz |
by Chris Riss |
Snow on the Beach The worst snowstorm to hit Rehoboth Beach in years left over a foot of snow. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner declared Delaware a state of emergency for two days, which made driving not only nearly impossible, but also illegal. The roaring surf made its way into the streets of Dewey and Bethany after devouring half of those town's dunes, closing Route 1 south of Rehoboth to Ocean City. Fortunately, Rehoboth Beach's elevation above sea level, one of the highest among East Coast beach towns, spared it any ocean flooding. Several sets of beach steps on the north end of Rehoboth's boardwalk were washed away. Places on the north end of the Boardwalk also experienced board damage and wash out, where waves completely eroded away the sand out from under the boardwalk and beyond. Many of Rehoboth's dunes took a beating. Sand was piled several feet high in some places on the boardwalk due to high surf and winds. Poodle Beach has been reduced to about one-third it's normal depth with much of the sand deposited on the boardwalk, dunes, ocean front yards and street, but hopefully by summer, time and tide will have it all back to normal. If you're a Rehoboth bowler or skater you're out of luck for a while, as the Midway Bowl and Skate Centers are closed until further notice due to heavy snow induced roof collapse.
Hot Butt Ban Since December smoking at bars and restaurants in Delaware has been banned. Many of the places frequented by gays in RehobothBlue Moon, Cloud-9, Double Lhave convenient outdoor spaces adjacent to their main bar areas, so it hasn't created much of a hardship on smokers. We used to take a smoke filled bar for granted, now when the occasional smoker violates and lights up inside it's very noticeable and unwelcome to the non-smokers around them. A new social dynamic seems to be emerging in the bars: The inside crowd (non-smokers) vs. outside crowd (smokers) is increasingly causing smokers to socialize with each other and less with non-smokers. It's all about Chocolate Rehoboth Beach Main Street presents the thirteenth annual Chocolate Festival at the Convention Center, Saturday, March 15, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Restaurants such as Celsius, Caf Sole, Victoria's, Cloud 9, Rams Head, La Rosa Negra, Cultured Pearl, Third Edition, Espuma, and Stoney Lonen will be participating by offering unique chocolate concoctions. You can try everything from chocolate potato chips and chocolate water ice to chocolate covered bears and chocolate soap. Chachka Lover's Delight Delaware's largest indoor garage sale, The Merchants' Attic and General Public Garage Sale, will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center Saturday, March 29. It's a great place to find what you need to furnish that new beach house on the cheap or sell off that cheap beach house furniture now that you've upgraded. Westenhoefer, Higbie & Trull at the Beach Nationally known comedienne, Suzanne Westenhoefer, will be performing at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Friday, April 11, 8 p.m. ($30). Olivia recording artists Barbara Higbee and Teresa Trull will perform there Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m. ($30). Both are presented by The CAMP Rehoboth Women's Project as a part of the third annual Conference on Financial, Health and Legal Issues Weekend. For more info, call 302-227-5620. Dolphins Invade Boardwalk... Remember the painted Cow sculptures in Chicago, Fish in Baltimore, Party Animals in DC? Now the smallest town yet to attempt such a public art project, Rehoboth Beach, will unveil 23 uniquely decorated 6-foot Dolphins on the Boardwalk and around town in mid April. Rehoboth Beach Main Street and Rehoboth Art League are spearheading the project. Local businesses and organizations such as the Abizak's, Blue Moon, Carlton's and the Rehoboth Historical Society are sponsoring local artists such as Andrew Criss, Murray Archibald and Gary Fisher to adorn the dolphins. 1st Annual Rehoboth Beach Cabaret Fest The First Annual Rehoboth Beach Cabaret Fest will be a weekend of cabaret performances at Rehoboth Beach restaurants, modeled after the successful Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival and Provincetown Cabaret Fest. Venues such as 1776, Atlantic Seafood, Blue Moon, Caf Sole, Celsius, Chez La Mer, Cloud 9, Cultured Pearl, Dogfish Head, Dos Locos, Sea Witch, Sydney's, Tijuana Taxi, Zogg's... will host various cabaret performances the first weekend in May. For updates on what performers are expected at which venues click on the Cabaret Fest link at www.CapeGazette.com. CAMP Follies CAMP Rehoboth Follies 2003 is scheduled for Saturday, July 26. If you didn't get your tickets in time for last summer's sold out Follies you missed the signature event of the summer. Nine groups of Rehoboth regulars performed zany, campy skits on the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center stage. Who knows what crazy, comic concepts will emerge on this summer's Follies stage. Buy a ticket, and have a great time. Do a skit, and have the time of your life. Fill out and fax in ticket reservations and the skit group sign-up form on page 74 of this issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth or online at www.CAMPRehoboth.com. A Little Eye Candy with a Case of Absolut The titillating Tom Poor and tantalizing Tom Bachmann are the sexy new gay owners of Lingo's Package Store in the Bay Mart Shopping Center where Dollar General and Gold's Gym are located. These two bring new meaning to the term package store. Former Baltimore Merrill Lynch stockbrokers they know liquor sales always do well in a down market. The liquor store will be known as Bin66 and will have a new focus on fine wines and gay spirits. If you have any Rehoboth news to share via Rehoboth Beach Buzz please email it to ChrisRiss@JackLingo.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No.2, March 7, 2003 |