Piazza Provides Sanctuary in a Storm
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Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
With the kind of perfect weather that makes the annual Waterfowl Festival all the more perfect, the Spy sent special agent 7 to provide surveillance for this year’s iconic gathering of all things Eastern Shore this weekend in Easton.
This is their report.
This video is approximately two minutes in length.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
Not long after this wine and tap room restaurant opened in April, the Spy took a long look (June article) at the enterprise. As we enter the fall, a look by one of our spies seems in order and one slipped in recently on a quiet Monday afternoon. Monday is mentioned because one great advantage (at least for now) is that the Fool’s Lantern is open seven days a week.
One of the first thing one notices after strolling into this St. Michaels establishment is that you can utilize your personally issued plastic card to choose from among 12 different beers and 24 bottles of wine! However, a dining experience goes way beyond beer and wine. A full menu provides creative offerings of all sizes. Some can be shared and some are larger offerings for an individual diner.
Our spy reports that their own combination of shrimp, grilled chicken and Brussels Sprouts provided a welcomed and filling lunch. What proved too tempting was a dessert described as a cheese cake into which one dips graham crackers along with fruit. All were creative and delicious made all the more enjoyable with a glass or two of wine.
Whether you’ve been before or driven by and wondered just what was inside, a stop at the restaurant is well worth it; and, you will be honoring a bit of history at a time in our past when “The Town that Fooled the British” succeeded in thwarting a British invasion during the War of 1812 because St. Michaels’ residents brilliantly hung lanterns above town to misdirect gunfire, sending British cannon volley far above their intended targets.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
When the Spy sends two special agents on any case, particularly those involving the culinary arts, it shows we mean business when checking out new establishments in the area.
And that was the resource allocation for the Spy’s first reconnaissance mission this week at Anthony’s in Oxford.
Despite its under-the-radar opening a few weeks ago, it was easy for anyone passing the old beloved Latitude 38 on Oxford Road that Anthony’s had now arrived in its place.
While it looks the same on the outside, native Oxford will be a bit shocked and impressed with the warm red dining rooms that take its cue from Italy rather than the Eastern Shore.
A friendly wait staff seemed to be off to a good start as they continue to find their footing. And both the wine list and the dinner menu offer clues that some thought has gone into both. So it was perhaps no surprise that Anthony was Pope Tavern’s first chef when its new owners purchased it a few years back.
Now, Anthony has taken the big step of finally having his own place, and pride in ownership is very much on display. And that includes baking his own bread.
The agents didn’t push the envelope on the ordering front: salad and bolognese pasta for one, escargot and salmon for the other. A shared bottle of high quality chaniti and two folks were provided for a decidedly cinnamon-oriented tiramisu at the end.
All of those selections were enjoyable, but it is far too early (and unfair, says the Spy manual) to provide a serious critique here. Nonetheless, the agents gave Anthony’s an initial “code green,” meaning it was safe for the community to test themselves.
And that will be easy to do since, going against recent trends, Anthony’s is open seven days a week.
Anthony’s Italian Restaurant
26342 Oxford Rd, Oxford, MD 21654
Phone: (410) 226-1118
Open seven days a week
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy recently assigned agent 7 to test out this real Bay Bridge alternative:
A recent visit provided a very satisfying dining experience.
Stepping inside the restaurant transports you to the southern coast of Italy. The decor reflects the region’s charm, with terracotta tiles, rustic wooden tables, and walls adorned with photos of the Italian coast. The aroma of authentic Italian cooking wafts from the kitchen, promising a feast that is both comforting and exotic.
The Amalfi Coast Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar boasts an extensive wine list, curated to complement the food. Each bottle selected from the vineyards of Italy adds to the authenticity of the experience.
However, it’s not just the food and wine that makes the Amalfi Coast Restaurant special. It’s also the warm hospitality with staff who were attentive and welcoming throughout the evening.
The Amalfi Coast Italian Restaurant is well worth a visit whether you are a resident in the area or just passing through. You most certainly will experience an enjoyable journey through Italy’s culinary landscape, right here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
During the past weekend, the Kalmar Nyckel docked in Cambridge. When not enjoyed at the marina, she hosted numerous guests for short cruises on the Choptank River. A short video provides a sense of her impressive presence.
Some history:
Kalmar Nyckel was constructed in about 1625, and was of a design called a pinnace. The ship was originally named Sleutel (Dutch for key), but was called Key for the city of Kalmar, which purchased the ship in 1629, as its contribution to a state-sponsored trading company.
It was later purchased into the Swedish Navy. When Sweden decided to establish a trading colony in the New World under the direction of Peter Minuit, Kalmar Nyckel was chosen for the voyage.
The ship sailed from Gothenburg in December 1637, commanded by Jan Hindriksen van der Water, but encountered a severe storm in the North Sea and had to divert to the Netherlands for repairs. They departed on New Year’s Day 1638, arriving in North America in March 1638.[2] They built a fort on the present site of the city of Wilmington, which they named Fort Christina.
The Kalmar Nyckel made four successful round trips from Sweden to North America, a record unchallenged by any other colonial vessel. Between colonial voyages, the ship was used by the navy as a transport and courier. She was sold out of Swedish service to Dutch merchants in 1651. At the outbreak of the First Anglo-Dutch War, she was employed as a fisheries protection vessel under Captain Dirk Vijgh. The ship was sunk off the coast of Scotland in action against Blake’s squadron on July 12, 1652.
In 1986, a group of citizens from Wilmington, Delaware, established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, whose primary source of funding is from the taxpayers of the State of Delaware, plus donations from corporations and individuals. The foundation designed, built, and launched a replica of Kalmar Nyckel. The modern ship, designed by naval architects Thomas C. Gillmer and Iver Franzen, with additional help from Melbourne Smith, Joel Welter, and Ken Court, was built at a shipyard in Wilmington. She was launched on September 28, 1997, and commissioned on May 9, 1998. The re-creation measures 94 ft (29 m) on deck and 131 ft (40 m) overall, with a 25 ft (7.6 m) beam, a 12 ft (3.7 m) draft, and a displacement of 300 tons.
-Wikipedia
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The PIYC’s origins can be traced back to the late 1950s when an increasing number of yachtsmen from both the Eastern and Western Shores of Maryland began cruising to the quaint harbor nestled within the Poplar Islands. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman even sought solace in these islands during the 1930s and ’40s, playing poker, feasting on crabs and oysters, and engaging in private meetings with Democratic leaders.
Following a fire that razed the main lodge in 1946, the islands changed hands multiple times until they found a new purpose under Daniel H. Hodgeman. Hodgeman rebuilt the lodge and transformed the islands into a seasonal hub for the Poplar Islands Yacht Club in the summer and a gun club in the fall and early winter.
With the lodge restored and additional buildings renovated, the PIYC grew in popularity. Yachts frequented the harbor, with regular visitors securing their own name boards and reserved slips on the 300-foot pier that led to deep waters in Poplar Harbor. The navigational challenge of reaching the pier was overcome by two World War I mines painted orange and repurposed as buoys.
However, financial difficulties eventually forced Hodgeman to sell the islands to Dr. George Elkins of Philadelphia, who later donated them to the Smithsonian Institution for conservation and use as a wildlife refuge.
Over the years, the islands faced the threat of erosion and the division of land masses due to heavy storms. Concerned with the islands’ conservation, the State of Maryland and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collaborated in 1994 to restore them as a waterfowl and wildlife sanctuary. The project involved enlarging Poplar Island using dredged materials from the Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore Harbor.
For the PIYC, the changing landscape necessitated a shift in focus. In 1965, the club’s members decided against purchasing the islands due to their high cost. Instead, they opted for monthly rendezvous during the yachting season at other yacht clubs and waterfront homes, leading to more engaging and diverse experiences.
The club’s membership, once limited to 60 yachtsmen within a 250-mile radius of the Chesapeake Bay, experienced a transition from sail to powerboats and from wood to fiberglass. As new activities and destinations were incorporated into the club’s itineraries, cruises began including more overnight stays at marinas with various amenities, such as floating docks, pools, restaurants, and even yoga facilities.
In recent years, the PIYC has seen significant milestones. In 2021, for the first time in its history, a woman was elected Commodore, breaking the so-called “fiberglass ceiling.” Additionally, the club’s newsletter, once a mimeographed flyer, evolved into a digital publication called “Anchor Lines,” featuring vibrant color photos and shared links to members’ extensive Southbound cruises.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.