Complaints: I've Moved To DE, And Wish...... (Lewes, Long Neck: high school, organic)

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by kaj215

Harvest Seasonal sounds interesting. Is it a restaurant that focuses on seasonal foods for their menu? Kind of like Season 52 (if you've ever heard of that)

Their menu changes four times a year with the seasons. They specialise in organic and locally sourced foods. Most dishes are under 500 calories. They have a large wine list, craft beers, and a full bar, as well as quite pleasant decor. They are a bit pricey, that being the one down-side from my perspective. They do not serve any fried foods at all and don't have facilities for frying. They use alternative techniques to simulate the textural effect of frying in some cases, though mainly they do roasting and grilling as cooking methods. They do a good deal of Asian-fusion stuff. Definitely worth a visit.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Their menu changes four times a year with the seasons. They specialise in organic and locally sourced foods. Most dishes are under 500 calories. They have a large wine list, craft beers, and a full bar, as well as quite pleasant decor. They are a bit pricey, that being the one down-side from my perspective. They do not serve any fried foods at all and don't have facilities for frying. They use alternative techniques to simulate the textural effect of frying in some cases, though mainly they do roasting and grilling as cooking methods. They do a good deal of Asian-fusion stuff. Definitely worth a visit.

Sounds like nothing to complain about.

[retiree2011]

That is my hope once I am moved. Of course, it wasn't possible to move sooner, as I was waiting to retire from my job. Maybe after being there for a while, I would find things to complain about; who knows? I hope I have the great experiences rdlr has (most of her postings would make great magazine articles). She seems to have a great life and finds joy and fun wherever she goes.

[PJ1252]

I can relate Rdlr, CT traffic people are rude and nasty as well. However no beats the New Yorkers. I have stopped driving in NYC because with your signal on no one will let you in. This has caused me to end up in the garden capitol of NY, Harlem. I take the train or bus in period end of story. I was thinking Delaware was going to last me until I was nursing home fodder but now I'm not so sure. I do see what you mean about the people coming down here. I actually blend as I have not been a good fit for CT for the past 30 years. The people I have met think I'm a native and I take that as a compliment. I'm going to keep my eyes and ears open in the event DE becomes CT.

[HarryBTL]

Originally Posted by beachliz

Yep, PJ1252, the horrendous beach traffic is an annual event. I've lived at the beach since 2001 (Lewes and Ocean View), and eventually I learned what summer hours were "off peak" to travel and what days and weather conditions were best to travel for minimal traffic as well. Honestly, there are more people here year-round now, both as residents and visitors, and I have witnessed the traffic become worse even during the off-season year after year. It's not too scary right now when I take my trips north to the Rehoboth Wal Mart or the gym right in the Rehoboth Mall, but it starts getting worse starting in April and all heck breaks loose come late June.

That being said, obviously my most glaring complaint about living here at the beach is the traffic and lack of infastructure to support all the summer visitors. It is really bad down my way too--route 26 is like something out of horror show during the peak summer months. The IR inlet bridge would be backed up for miles sometimes, and there were quite a few occasions I had to turn back around unless I wanted to experience and hour long (or more) trip to drive fifteen miles north. However, even the traffic won't convince me to leave my area. I've dealt with it for quite some time now, and thankfully I don't work during the summer and can avoid driving during peak traffic hours .

I was really blown away at the increase in off season people when i came back for a visit in Feb 2009. Rt 1 looked like it did when i first visited that area in 79/early 80s during the summer except back then it was single lane highway and then when it was 2 lanes in each direction. Turning point ( when the explosion really got going ) was the mid/late 80s. I had moved away from the area in 2001 and stayed for almost two months in May/June 2004 to help with my ailing grandparents who lived in Rehoboth. People use to laugh at me when i said back when that Rehoboth etc would outgrow Ocean City. People who think the growth will stop is only fooling themselves as well. Problem as you mentioned is terrible planning with the roads etc especially 1 and 26. Even rt24/54 has it's short comings/limitations with any potential expansion projects which are needed badly as the bayside/just inland areas continue to explode. I know there is atleast plans to eventually make 1 a freeway/limited access the rest of the way from Dover to 5 points but ala you will still have the same problems in the resorts. All that will do is get them to the bottle neck a little quicker. Outside of possibly building a freeway between the resorts and 113 from just north of 5 points to the MD line ( which wont happen in our lifetime ) i am not sure of what the answer is for that? This btw would be my gripe if i was still living in that area.

[DelawareLiz]

It really is more congested here in the off season compared to when I first moved to Sussex in 1985. I can remember going to the Rehoboth Mall in my teens during the 80's and route 1 and 24 were totally dead. Like a ghost town. Now, it's traffic everywhere year round, even in my area (Ocean View). Building all these homes and stores and THEN saying, "Uh oh...we need better infastructure" was a BIG mistake. Traffic was one of the main reasons my parents left this area and moved south. They rarely visit my area because they cannot stand the traffic.

[blfgirl]

Originally Posted by PJ1252

I moved to DE from CT and I'm happy as a clam. I will admit the grocery shopping is a bit trying. I can't seem to find any REAL bagels or Polish mustard or fresh kielbasa. I'm guessing there is a shortage of Jews and Polish people here but thats ok, this is why we have FedEx.
There is a grocery store called Giant which has been bought out by Stop and Shop which was my grocery store of choice in CT. As far as I know there is not a store that is local to me which is mid-state but there are some in northern and southern DE. If your dis-satisfied I would try Giant if you have not already done so.
I was here last August and I have to say I thought when I got to Rehoboth Beach area I made a wrong turn and was in NYC. The traffic was horrendous and I'm sure this is an annual event. I have no intention of going down that way during the summer months. As a matter of fact I guess due to the mild winter I have had problems making a left across 1 with all the NYers and NJers drving south for the weekend.
I don't think anyone should complain about the tax on gas in DE. Its still less expensive than further north and of all crazy things you pay the same price at the pump cash or credit. CT used to have an exemption on sales tax on articles of clothing if the item was less than $50.00, they did away with that last year. Also they raised the sales tax from 6% to 6.35%. There is an annual property tax on your car which is not cheap by any means last year mine was $450.00 on a 3 year old car.
So all in all if the grocery shopping is not the best and the summer traffic stinks I can take these little inconveniences to remain happy as a clam.

Where in CT are you from? I grew up in Wilton, but lived in NYC for the past 10 years before moving to DE. My husband and I really like it here and are slowly finding our favorite of everything. I do miss the food in NYC - but I didn't expect to find the abundance of restaurants here that a crazy city like New York has. To be honest, it even bothered me sometimes that there was so much in NYC - it was always so overwhelming to choose a restaurant and most of the time I ended up with my local so-so fare.

The thing I miss the very most are the trees in CT. I live in Middletown now and I do feel that parts of north New Castle County have a closer feel to CT. Middletown is seriously lacking in that department. I get it - it is former farm land so the lots are pretty barren. Every house my parents had, my friends had, I have ever visited in CT was surrounded by a beautiful lawn and lots of trees. It is wonderful to sit outside, feel like you are in nature and not be looking at your neighbors. We are renting for now and I wonder what we will find with a little bit of privacy when we buy. I don't care about a big lot, which I know it a problem for some people. I just want trees and landscaping!

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by blfgirl

I just want trees and landscaping!

If you want to buy in a new subdivision, or development, trees will probably not be around, because as you say......that was once our farmland.

However, in and around small towns in Delaware, near wildlife areas, refuges, parks, and country areas, we have tons of trees. We live in a small, rural town, and have 7-8 English Walnut trees, maple, oak, and evergreen trees.....too many trees, which bring too many squirrels! Oh, that's a complaint!

[HarryBTL]

Originally Posted by beachliz

It really is more congested here in the off season compared to when I first moved to Sussex in 1985. I can remember going to the Rehoboth Mall in my teens during the 80's and route 1 and 24 were totally dead. Like a ghost town. Now, it's traffic everywhere year round, even in my area (Ocean View). Building all these homes and stores and THEN saying, "Uh oh...we need better infastructure" was a BIG mistake. Traffic was one of the main reasons my parents left this area and moved south. They rarely visit my area because they cannot stand the traffic.

Ha.. That is going back a bit. Back when all you had was that A&P up towards Dewey and the ACME ( Was something else too but i forget? ) not far from Camelot and or the next light going south well was the next light back when. There is a Mobile home park back there and i cannot remember the name of it to save me? lol Talking prior to the mall. All they had back towards Long Neck was a Uncle Willies and or Palmers as it use to be known before Uncle Willies bought them out. Had to go to Millsboro or rt 1. And now they have both a Food Lion and the other right up 24 by Oak Orchard. Atleast out that way i believe they can expand 24 if need be. Problem area is going toward 1 where all the swamps etc are at. I think back when all you all had there in that area was that Hockers. lol To do any real shopping back then you had to go to Ocean City or Dover and or Salisbury.

[DelawareLiz]

Yep, I do appreciate having more stores here in Ocean View since I moved here in 2002, but we need them with all these people. The Super G shopping center was just built here a few years ago, and I admit that I frequent the stores there often. Our roads cannot handle all these people though, although they are widening route 26 which will be nice.

I lived in Oak Orchard from 1985-1995 and back then there was NOTHING, just a convenience store down by the water and a liquor store across the street from it. Oh, and the gas station on route 24 that's been there forever. Other than that, there was much of nothing there until the past 10-15 years. Crazy how things change...