Archive for April, 2008
MONKS is the 200lb Gentle Giant of Del Ray’s East Howell Avenue
April 16th, 2008 Categories: Del Ray, Doggone It
Name: Monks (with an ’s’)
Age: 4 going on 5
Weight: 200lbs (I eat less than you think)
Folks Who Take Care of Me: Denise and Dave
Siblings: None
Sleeping Arrangements: My own futon
Likes: Belly rubs, cheese, Puppy Pops from the Dairy Godmother, kitty cats, most everybody in the neighborhood.
Dislikes: Fruits and vegetables and walking fast.
Profile: Slow moving, patient and obedient, I am very good with children, extremely loyal, friendly, highly intelligent and easy to train (or so they tell me).
About me: The name St. Bernard comes from a traveler’s hospice on the St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Switzerland and Italy. The pass, the hospice and the dogs who came to live there were named after Bernard of Menthon, an 11th century monk who founded the station. Be sure and look at the picture of my red and white hospice collar with my St. Bernard medallion.
My ancestors include the herding, hunting and watchdogs of Switzerland, primarily the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Many of the original St. Bernard’s were killed in an avalanche and to help get the line started again, we were crossed with Newfoundland’s in the early 1800’s. It worked pretty well except that the Newf’s had longer, curlier hair and icicles would get caught in it. The monks decided just to use those of us with a smooth coat for rescue work. I’m not sure what happened to the other guys.
Famous St. Bernard’s: Bolivar, Donald Duck’s pet; Gumbo, the mascot for the New Orleans Saints; Nana from the Peter Pan movies; Cujo from Steven King’s book; and, of course, Beethoven from the movie of the same name.
I know just about everybody in Del Ray so the next time you see me I hope you’ll stop and say hello. Thanks, Michael for letting me be on your blog.
Monks
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New Butcher Shop in Alexandria’s Del Ray Neighborhood Sells Out on Opening Day
April 14th, 2008 Categories: Del Ray, On The Avenue
ON THE AVENUE
PEOPLE and PLACES on DEL RAY’S MT. VERNON AVENUE
Let’s Meat on the Avenue, at 2403 Mt. Vernon Avenue, opened its doors on Saturday morning, April 12, at 8:00am. The first customer walked through the door at 8:02am and the butcher case was empty by 12:02pm! Steve Gatward, Del Ray resident, shop owner, and butcher extraordinaire was both apologetic and ecstatic.
Apologetic that his inventory was not up to full capacity but ecstatic with the reaction from the community. I dropped by the shop about 10:30am and as I asked questions and snapped pictures, I kept hearing the same comment over and over - “We’re so glad you are here.” Deterred neither by the line or by the dwindling items in the meat case, local residents are singing the praises of this latest addition to the walkability quotient in Del Ray.
Steve comes to us by way of England and Australia. Born in Colchester, the oldest recorded town in England, Steve was apprenticed to a local butcher at an early age. Colchester also claims to have Britain’s oldest recorded market and the striped apron seen on the Let’s Meat on the Avenue sign and in these pictures is the traditional apron of Colchester butchers.
Drawn to Del Ray’s penchant for “European-style” specialty shops, Steve will feature local, pasture fed lamb, pork, and beef. Poultry is hormone free and the sausages are from local Amish farms. There is a small selection of dry goods - salts, rubs, mustards, relishes etc. - and a premier steak sauce from the world famous Peter Luger’s Steak House in New York.
A specialty of the house for dog loving Alexandrians - smoked marrow bones with a smoke developed exclusively for our four footed friends.
Favorite moment? Someone asked about free range turkeys for Thanksgiving. Steve said sure and then asked “When is Thanksgiving?
For the moment Steve is working to tap into the appetites and rhythms of the neighborhood. He will be closed on Monday’s but then open on Tuesday’s from 11 - 6; Wednesday - Friday, 11 - 7, Saturday from 8-7 and on Sunday from 11-3. If you have a special request, want to find out what’s on hand or check the hours, the store number is 703.836.6328.
I left with a package of the Amish country sausage and we tucked into them last night for dinner - absolutely delicious! Personally, I look forward to getting my produce on Saturday morning at the Farmer’s Market and then walking across the street to pick out something to put on the grill. This opens up all sorts of possibilities . . . .
Thanks for stopping by,
Michael
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Del Ray Farmer’s Market Opens 2008 Season with Happy Customers and Rain Showers
April 12th, 2008 Categories: Del Ray, Real Estate News
The Del Ray Farmer’s Market opened its 2008 season with musicians, sign-ups for local events, ever faithful vendors and eager customers. Intermittent rain showers eventually took their toll on the musicians who needed to keep instruments dry but for everyone else, the opening signaled the start of classic Saturday mornings, Del Ray style.
Ready to join us? First, throw on a pair of presentable pants, sandals and a t-shirt. Hats are optional. Then, gather the newspaper, a dog if possible, a reusable bag or basket, sunglasses and head for the parking lot at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Oxford that turns into the Del Ray Farmer’s Market every April thru October.
Purchase a cup of coffee along the way. (St. Elmo’s had a table in the market this morning and we aren’t sure if it was just for opening day but we’ll let you know. ) Then, head to one of several tents offering specialty breads and pastries and choose something delectable to munch on.
Ok, now that you are fortified it’s time to mosey. One of our favorite things about the Del Ray market is that ALL THE VENDORS HAVE TO BE GROWERS or PRODUCERS. That means, at the very least, you will know where the produce is coming from, when it came out of the ground, and what to expect the following week.
If it’s an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable, ask for information and you’re likely to get preparation tips and at least one or two favorite recipes. The same holds true with the cheese vendor, the mushroom lady, the herb man, etc. We may not be the biggest market in town but we like it just the way it is - easy, friendly, convenient.
Stroll, visit, play with the dogs, admire the babies, relax. Finish your shopping and then head back to St. Elmo’s for another cup of coffee or maybe down to the Caboose for breakfast. On your way home drop in on some of the new shops on the Avenue (that’s Mt. Vernon Avenue).
Enjoy the day - just another Del Ray Saturday!
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