Town Topics

Robert Sacheli • November 3, 2011

Enter Georgetown’s newest antiques shop, Scandinavian Antiques & Living, and you’re struck by the colorfully eclectic selection of merchandise and the warm welcome of its owner, Elisabeth Wulff Wine.

Wine, who opened her store a month ago, is a native of Denmark who spent a number of years in Milan as an art and antiques dealer and decorator before moving to Washington a year and a half ago.

Her distinctive eye is reflected in tablescapes whose elements cross the boundaries of countries and centuries. For example, one desktop display combines an 1810 bronze ormolu clock and a pair of Swedish empire candlesticks with a 1950s toilet set and a 1960s Murano glass platter in swirling pastels.

The shop’s walls, too, are home to an array of art that ranges from mid-century modern abstracts to 19th-century portraits and flower paintings.

That sense of aesthetic freedom is at the heart of Wine’s shop: “Today we mix antiques with other objects,” she says. “A home today does not have to be the same — there are so many possibilities.”

Swedish furniture forms the centerpiece of the store’s collection, and Wine is understandably fond of its distinctive style. “I love the Swedish look. It’s so simple and so elegant. And it looks nice to mix it.”

One of her favorite pieces is a Gustavian clock cabinet, a drop-front secretary topped with a clock framed in soft curves. (The Gustavian style takes its name from a late 18th-century Swedish monarch.) More graceful curves characterize a standing clock, whose case has been weathered to a beautiful pale turquoise since it was made in 1750, and Wine has chosen it for her shop’s logo.

There’s an elegant sense of femininity to much of the shop’s stock, such as a fanciful Italian crystal-beaded chandelier in the shape of a pagoda (perfect for a fabric-tented boudoir, perhaps) and sensuously shaped Murano glass torchieres. Along with objects such as vivid Murano glass vases from the middle of the last century, these play off the pastel tones and neoclassical lines of the Scandinavian furniture to create a lively, unexpected harmony.

It’s exactly that sense of personal expression that Wine emphasizes as she sums up her outlook on décor: “People’s own taste is very important, even when working with a decorator. That’s what makes a home very personal.”

Scandinavian Antiques & Living
3231 P St.
202-450-5894

GEORGETOWN’S ANTIQUES:

Christian Zapatka: Reinventing the Georgetown Townhouse
Frank Randolph: Interior Designer Extraordinaire
John Rosselli: Georgetown’s Antique Aficionado
Marston Luce: In Search of Elegance
Scandinavian Antiques & Living: International Accents
Susquehanna Antique Company: Redefining Tradition
Sixteen Fifty Nine: A Mid-Century Renaissance

Robert Sacheli •

Don Draper and his fellow “Mad Men” have been very good for Mike Johnson.
The hit series has kicked off a renaissance of interest in mid-century modern furnishings and the swanky decorative accessories of the 60s — exactly the focus of Johnson’s Wisconsin Avenue shop, Sixteen Fifty Nine.

Antiques run in Johnson’s family — his grandmother owned a shop in Michigan — and he recalls “going to auctions since I was a little kid.” It wasn’t until he left a long career in corporate sales, though, that his passion for collecting turned into a full-time business. Sixteen Fifty Nine has just hit the seven-year mark.

He started the shop because “I had been collecting mid-century modern, but felt the lines I was looking for were not as accessible as they could be” in existing outlets.
Johnson specializes in iconic designers like Dorothy Draper, T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Paul Frankl, and Donald Deskey, creators whose work is not being commercially reproduced today.

Draper (Dorothy, not Don) is currently represented at Sixteen Fifty Nine by a striking jade-green lacquered dresser with white accents and nine-ringed drawer pulls. (A similar pair in a black-and-gold color scheme made an appearance in Candice Bergen’s fictional Vogue office in the “Sex and the City” movie.)

You also can’t miss a pair of Bernhardt loveseats, produced in the 1950s by the company’s Flair division, upholstered in an eye-popping lime-blue and green (which had, in true ’50s style, been preserved under plastic slipcovers). The pieces would not look out of place in a contemporary showroom.

“I like to do things that are very clean-lined, that come across as a current piece of
furniture,” Johnson says of his collector’s eye. “I always try to throw odds and ends into the mix” as well — such as his array of mid-century pottery, paintings and photos.

As more buyers and dealers climb on the sleek mid-century modern bandwagon,
Johnson finds that locating top-quality merchandise is becoming more difficult. “I get excited when I find a big-name piece of furniture.”

Johnson points to a massive buffet in Sixteen Fifty Nine’s window as a current favorite among his pieces, describing in detail its provenance from Michigan’s Mastercraft Furniture Company. With four doors elaborately paneled in Carpathian burled elm and a travertine marble inset top, it is indeed a beauty.

And it’s exactly the type of piece you could imagine Don Draper lounging beside.

Sixteen Fifty Nine
1659 Wisconsin Ave.
202-333-1480
www.sixteenfiftynine.com

GEORGETOWN’S ANTIQUES:

Christian Zapatka: Reinventing the Georgetown Townhouse
Frank Randolph: Interior Designer Extraordinaire
John Rosselli: Georgetown’s Antique Aficionado
Marston Luce: In Search of Elegance
Scandinavian Antiques & Living: International Accents
Susquehanna Antique Company: Redefining Tradition
Sixteen Fifty Nine: A Mid-Century Renaissance
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Ari Post •

Around 80 years ago, amid the tumult of the Depression, St. John’s Episcopal Church started a program to help the homeless and the hungry. This neighborhood block party of a charity event was the first Georgetown House Tour, which has since blossomed into a grand seasonal affair, as reliable and stunning as the cherry blossoms, and an opportunity for those more fortunate to give back to their community.

“There is such a tremendous need right here in our city,” says Martha Vicas, the chairperson for this year’s tour. Vicas, a D.C. native and graduate of Georgetown University, became involved in the House Tour attending St. John’s church with her family. “I was impressed by all of the outreach programs the tour funds,” she says. “I have been so impressed with the enormous difference that community-based organizations can have in the life of an individual or family.”

As an interior designer, Vicas hopes that she and her team of volunteers, including her husband Robert, can offer a fresh perspective to the oldest house tour in the nation. “I am amazed at the generosity of the homeowners who open their houses to the public each year. They participate in the tour for the very same reason that I am: to give back to the community that they live in.”

A living record of the republic’s architecture, the Georgetown neighborhood is a weave of Federal, Classic, Revival, Victorian and Modern styles, reflecting the ever-evolving but reliably voguish tastes of Washington’s most prominent neighborhood. The House Tour, taking place Saturday, April 24, allows attendees to explore the neighborhood inside and out, as private homeowners graciously open their doors for the public. Enjoy a walk through the historic streets of Georgetown and listen to the stories of the neighborhood’s historic homes.

The Patron’s Party kicks off the tour this year on the evening of Thursday, April 22. One of the highlights of the social season, the Georgetown House Tour Patron’s Party draws Georgetowners, friends of St. John’s and other guests to a landmark Georgetown home for a festive evening in honor of the residents who have opened their homes for the tour.

Deborah and Curtin Winsor will host this year’s benefit. Born and raised in Washington, Mr. Winsor has been an active member of the area’s financial and philanthropic communities for more than 20 years. He is the founder and current chairman of the Bank of Georgetown. The Winsors have had their historic home on 34th Street described by Washington Life magazine as “one of the oldest and grandest private residences in the capital, and one with a storied past filled with intrigue and culture,” which now reflects the Winsors’ unique style and refined sensibility.

The history of the Winsor house dates back to 1810, having housed a number of eminent Georgetowners over the past 200 years, including Ambassador David Bruce. An eminent ambassador to France, West Germany, and the United Kingdom, Bruce served as the first emissary to the People’s Republic of China from 1973 to 1974, and acted as America’s permanent representative to NATO from 1974 to 1976.

In the 1970s, the ballroom was added under the supervision of Bruce, which looks out into a walled garden. The property also includes a guest house, lap pool, stone terrace and sunken lawns.

The Patron’s Party and the House Tour reflect the generosity of the Georgetown community toward those in need — a quality particularly accentuated in such harsh economic times. Both events benefit the ministries supported by St. John’s, including Bright Beginnings, Martha’s Table and Bishop John Walker School.

Besides touring the houses, guests are invited to enjoy tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church (3240 O St.) following the tour. The fundraiser is open to the public but has limited space, so those hoping for a ticket are encouraged to buy sooner rather than later.

Here’s what to expect this year:

Many who visit Georgetown marvel at the grand houses that line its streets. Former dwellings of wealthy shipping magnates of the 18th and 19th centuries, homes in the area bask in their size, style, and prominence. What is less known is that many of the grand houses of Georgetown included carriage houses for the horses and carriages that were the source of land transport in the city.

Many of these carriage houses have been converted to charming little dwellings, tucked away in alleys and behind their former master’s quarters. Many have been converted, and are rented or sold separately. However, these modest Georgetown homes are few and far between, and one has to rely on serious luck for the opportunity to obtain one.

When Charles DeSantis, associate vice president of Georgetown University, found his yellow carriage house in a nook on P Street, it had no bathroom, kitchen or closets. The last in a series of carriage houses on the block, DeSantis believes that his was the master carriage house and may have served as the central dining space and workshop for the stable hands. From this initial shell, this quaint hovel has been converted into a charming, modern, two-story home, perfect for a bachelor professional whose office is but a stone’s throw away.

Among the wrought iron grillwork and signature gun-barrel fences of P Street, one Federal style townhouse has been around long enough that the original land records are not available. However, a book published in 1944, “Georgetown Houses of the Federal Period,” reveals that it has been standing since before 1825. This house and two others on this block of P Street (formerly West Street) were the only structures that existed at that time that had been built prior to 1825. Over the years the house has been altered several times, including the addition of a third floor to the front of the structure.

Georgetown architect Dale Overmyer was commissioned to extensively renovate and modernize the structure while maintaining the historic fabric of the original house. At that time, a new two-story rear addition extended the living area of the house without disturbing its classic facade. The wooden front door was salvaged from a former Riggs Bank location and is flanked by two antique French carriage lanterns, originally made to hook onto a horse-drawn carriage.

The original cobblestone driveway is still in evidence in front of the home. The wooden bulkhead at the front of the house was the original entryway for the coal chute. Many of the windows on the front facade of the house are original, as are the wide plank pine floors in the two rooms facing P Street.

This home represents to its owners the best of both worlds: the charm of Federalist architecture complemented by modern, integrated amenities. It has a convenient location in Georgetown, within walking distance of restaurants, parks, the library, and schools. The interior is beautifully decorated and the floor plan flows easily from the front of the structure to the back with a surprise view into the deep garden. Any family might easily envision living in this lovely dwelling where one feels embraced, charmed and, comfortably at home.

A brick dwelling was built in 1820 by Charles King at 32 First St, which is now modern day N Street. It was considered in its time a fine example of the popular Colonial-style architecture.
In 1876, Charles Samuel Hein purchased the property. Hein was known for being an ardent Unionist supporter when most of Georgetown was aligned with the Confederacy. Hein flew the Union Flag to the indignation of those Southern supporters, and during the retreat of the Union army following the Battle of Bull Run, he opened a first aid and food station for needy soldiers.
The house was sold for $3,800 to Hugh T. Taggert in 1885. Taggert was one of the foremost members of the local bar and a national authority on criminal law. As an assistant U.S. district attorney, Taggert prepared the government case for the trial of Charles Guiteau, assassin of President Garfield. A well-known historian, Taggert wrote the book “Old Georgetown.” He lived in the house with his wife and 10 children.
The current owners purchased the home in 2007 and redesigned the side yard to include a pool, spa, stonework by Serra Stone and mature landscaping by Fritz and Gignoux.
The main level has a grand diamond pattern marble gallery entry with an elegant curved staircase with hand-wrought iron banister, double-parlor living room, embassy-sized dining room, morning room and commercial-grade chef’s kitchen. French doors lead to the terrace. The upper levels include a master suite with private balcony, and three additional bedroom suites with en-suite bathrooms and a home office. The lower level includes a media room by All Around Technology and a guest apartment.

Restoration and complete renovation has been made to of one of the five Cox Row houses on N Street, dating back to 1817. Built on speculation by Colonel John Cox, mayor of Georgetown, the building was subdivided into seven apartments during World War II. The magnificent house was in a dilapidated state when the ownership changed in 2001.
Restoration efforts included repairing the brick façade, refurbishing existing windows and sash weights, slate and copper roofing and stucco finishes. The dormers were re-framed to eliminate aging and prior fire damage, and the chimneys and seven fireplaces were reconstructed. Interior restorations include original mantles and heart pine floors on the upper levels, while some flooring was milled from original joists that had to be replaced due to damage and structural deficiencies.
The front and rear gardens were rebuilt and include a decorative steel pergola, brownstone, marble and bluestone paving, and restored wrought iron fencing. Plantings include the native dogwood and holly trees, and an allee of columnar hornbeams.

A building permit was issued in 1936 for two houses on 34th Street. They were built in the Federal style as investment property. Both have the earmarks of that earlier period: Flemish bond brickwork, dormer window and a pitched roof. Both are two and a half stories high.

The present owners completely renovated the building in 1986, adding a new living room with Palladian-style windows and doors, and pine flooring salvaged from old barns.
John Richardson, responsible for the renovation, has worked on many houses in Georgetown since 1977.

Another home on N Street was built in the early 1830s by John Davidson, a dry goods merchant whose brother, Samuel, owned the market Evermay just up the street. Resting on the corner of what was then Gay and Montgomery Streets, the building was first constructed as a single dwelling with an adjoining home. The building was divided into two homes in 1877 and the two-story addition at the rear of the structure was added in 1891 for the tidy sum of $500. Next door stands the Phillips School, which was built in 1886 and was recently converted into private condominiums.

Over the years, several notable people resided in the home, including George Fisher (associate justice of Washington, D.C.’s supreme court), Charles Eustis Bohlen (ambassador to Russia from 1953-57 and later ambassador to France from 1962-1968) and Maine congressman Robert Hale. Its current owners purchased the home in 1983 and began the process of restoring the house to its former grandeur, after it had suffered an extended period of disrepair. The hardwood floors on the first level as well as the interior doors are original.

Landscape architect Michael Bartlett designed the rear garden, which features a small pool, and the addition of 10 mature American holly trees. The sunny bay window in the living room overlooks the tranquil garden and provides a view of the neighbor’s mural by renowned French artist Marc Chagall. Featuring characters from Greek mythology, the mural is the only Chagall mosaic in a private home in the world.

Special thanks to Washington Fine Properties, the corporate sponsor of the Georgetown House Tour.

Purchase tickets for the Georgetown House Tour and Patron’s Party online at www.georgetownhousetour.com.
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Donna Evers •

It’s hard to believe, but true. When Grover Cleveland was president, his young wife used to pick him up at the White House in a horse-drawn carriage and drive him home to their summer getaway in a leafy rural area that is now Cleveland Park. No Secret Service for President Cleveland, no bullet proof glass, no escort carriages leading or trailing the “presidential carriage.” As they drove home, they would pause to watch the girls at the National Cathedral School playing tennis.

Theirs was the only presidential wedding to ever take place in the White House, and even more unusual, the beautiful bride was 28 years younger than the bachelor president. When asked why he waited so long to marry, Cleveland said he had to wait for Frances Folsom to grow up.

As young as she was, Frances was the perfect First lady. She thrilled Washington society by observing the social season with exquisite parties and receptions. Besides, she was an accomplished pianist and photographer, and she read Latin and spoke German and French. Best of all, her political instincts were first rate. Aware that many women were entering the work force, Frances instituted Saturday Open Houses at the executive mansion, so the working women could drop by on their day off and shake hands with the wife of the President.

Like a lot of other people, the President and his wife felt they needed a place to escape the heat of Washington summers. They found respite in a 27-acre stone colonial in what is now the 3500 block of Newark Street. They transformed the home into a fairy-tale Victorian with double-decker porches and a roofline full of turrets, towers and gables. Frances named the home “Oakview” but the reporters called it “Red Top”, because they kept at a distance from the house and all they could spot through the trees were the fanciful red roofs. The house is gone now, but the neighborhood that kept the Cleveland’s name still sports an enviable supply of elaborate Victorian houses.

It’s not unusual that a First lady as pretty as Frances Folsom Cleveland was the darling of the press, whether she wanted the attention or not. Reporters referred to her as “Frankie”, a name she disliked as much as Jacqueline Kennedy was said to dislike “Jackie”. Worse yet, her photogenic face appeared on soap and cosmetic products. A political opponent of Cleveland’s once said, “I detest him so much, I don’t even think his wife is beautiful.” But he was in the minority.

While we know that Grover Cleveland was the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, history books don’t tell us about the prescience of the President’s wife. When they were leaving the White House after Cleveland lost his bid for a second term, Frances said her goodbyes to the servants, but told them to take good care of everything, because they would be back in four years. And they were.

Robert Sacheli •

The June 1970 memo that records Air Force General Peter R. DeLonga’s first staff meeting as Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel at Tan Son Nhut Airfield in the Republic of Vietnam includes a section that clearly sets out the expectations of the new leader.

“The General will be rough and questioning,” it begins. “He will play the ‘Devil’s Advocate.’ Though things will get hot he will not hold a grudge. He expects the truth and facts — no B.S. He wants a straight YES or NO.”

The no-nonsense tone continues through more admonitions (“Be sure your brain is in gear before you activate your mouth” is one) and concludes with, “when I ask something to be done I mean NOW.”

The memo provides a snapshot of a dedicated, demanding but fair officer with high standards, and that’s how his son Steven DeLonga remembers his father.

“Military was first in his mind,” he recalls, although, he adds, “he was one of the few military officers who did not speak of his past successes.”

In DeLonga’s case, those successes were notable. With a distinguished career that spans the China-Burma-India theatre of operations in World War II, the Berlin Airlift, Vietnam, and beyond, Peter R. DeLonga achieved the rank of major general and was the Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force. In that post he provided the Secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff evaluations of the effectiveness of Air Force units and monitored worldwide safety policies and programs. He also directed the counterintelligence program and was responsible for security policy and criminal investigation within the Air Force.

A roster of decorations — including two Air Force Crosses, the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters and Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, among others — attests to Major General DeLonga’s career achievements.

Despite his father’s professional responsibilities, Steven DeLonga remembers “We’d have dinner every night at six.” At those dinner tables, no matter where in the world the family was stationed, he learned valuable life lessons.

“My father would put a quarter on the table and ask us what it was,” DeLonga says. The object was to think before answering. “Once you made a statement,” according to his father, “you made sure it’s 100 percent correct. Your credibility is on the line, and you may never be able to get it back.”

That emphasis on integrity and honor was the foundation of his father’s philosophy, and part of the code of what DeLonga describes as “a John Wayne era when your handshake was your bond. It was a different world from what we have today.”

DeLonga closely observed how his father treated the people under his command. “My dad was known as an enlisted man’s general,” who believed they were the backbone of the Air Force. “He was very considerate” of those men.

Steven DeLonga still marvels at his 24-year-old father’s resourcefulness and courage in April 1945 when he was forced to spend 16 days in the Himalayan jungle after his plane was disabled during one of the 86 missions he flew during World War II. “He thought of other people before himself and had the presence of mind to rescue two fellow crew members,” says Delonga.

He’d parachuted into the “Tin-Tin Jungle” — so called because the terrain was strewn with the remains of American and Japanese planes. “He ate lizards, snakes, rats and talked himself out of being eaten” by tribesmen. (“Headhunters Are Friendly to Three Yankee Aviators” was one headline back home in Pennsylvania.) “I don’t know how I could have survived,” says the younger DeLonga.

His father’s was a generation that put country before considerations of financial reward, Steven observes. He cites Chuck Yeager, a good friend of his father’s, who, when asked why he continued to face the dangers of test flying despite being pursued by lucrative opportunities, replied: “I like flying. That’s my life.”

It was also a generation that saw military service as a chance to advance themselves as Americans. Peter DeLonga’s Italian-immigrant father was a foreman in a coalmine, and, says his son, “the military was an equal ground, where people were judged on merit and performance, not family.”

Though Steven DeLonga’s own military career was a brief stint in the Army (“My military bearing was non-existent”), his brother, Peter, spent a decade in service, receiving the Army’s Bronze Star for heroism in ground combat in Vietnam. His nephew, Nick, is a Marine captain who’s a veteran of tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Dad would be disappointed” at how the military is generally viewed today, suggests DeLonga. “The caliber of Army recruits is probably the highest it’s ever been, but we’re not fully supporting them. We need a commitment from the executive branch to support the military for the future.”

DeLonga attributes much of his own success (he is the founder and CEO of Ste-Del Services, an Alexandria company that deals in corporate apartment rentals) to some of his father’s qualities “that carried over to me.” He knows which are the most influential: “Honesty and integrity are things I pride myself on.”

“How do you measure success?” he asks. “In business, it’s monetary. But for the older generation it was more about altruism,” citing John F. Kennedy’s famous “ask what you can do for your country” challenge. “They saw a bigger picture.”

“Honesty. Integrity. Devotion to country and to duty. That is why my father succeeded,” says Steven DeLonga. “His was a generation I was lucky to be around.” [gallery ids="99133,102725,102721,102712,102704,102689,102696" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Nassau Valley Vineyards

Producing a wide variety of wines, Nassau Valley is Delaware’s first and only farm winery. The winery is open for free tours and tastings year-round. The self-guided tour includes a chronicle of wine’s 8,000 year history, up to the process and production of modern day vineyards. Picnickers ?are welcome, and specialty tastings and wine and food pairings are available on site or off. Theater and musical groups perform during the summer months. This is an ideal stop on a rainy beach day or a midweek break from the pulsing July sun.

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands

Chincoteague Island, just a 30-minute drive from Bethany down Route 1, is Virginia’s only resort island, and one of the more beautiful islands that salt and pepper Virginia’s eastern shore. This bucolic beach is famous for its wealth of breathtaking and accessible wildlife, oyster beds and clam shoals, migratory birds, and wild horses (often grazing casually around the parking area).

Throughout the summer, crowded beaches give way to stretches of secluded shoreline, marshes and forests, if you’re willing to walk beyond the crowded entrance. As a Natural Wildlife Preserve, the Chincoteague and Assateague islands harbor plenty of inspiration for the adventurous, Thoreauvian journeyman.

Cottage Café

Set in what looks like an over-sized bungalow, with warm yellow lights strung across the frame, the Cottage Café is, has a comfortable atmosphere and quality, unpretentious seafood.

A wide bar sits in the center of the restaurant, with dining on either side. Among the many choice menu options and a solid brunch buffet, a notable item is a generous plate of “dune fries,” a deliciously fun seafood spin on chili-cheese fries.

Dogfish Head Brewery and Brewpub

No one does beer like Dogfish Head. What started as the smallest commercial brewery in America in 1995 single-handedly brought the culture of craft brewed ales back from near extinction.

Whether looking for a finely balanced, classic ale, or a beer based on the chemical analysis of pottery fragments that revealed the earliest known alcoholic beverage, Dogfish Head brewery is a good time with some great beer. Tour the brewery, sample fresh brews, and talk with the casual, friendly staff. Their brewpub, on the Rehobeth Beach boardwalk, pairs their ample beer offerings with classic American cuisine, and features house-made vodkas from a small distillery operation in the back. Live music plays throughout the summer.

Dickey’s Frozen Custard

Well before the days that Bethany Beach became the Delmarva tourist haven it is today, Dickie’s Frozen Custard was serving the local in-crowd from their modest corner store, just off the main boardwalk drag.

This is quintessential beachside custard. The employees are often found without shoes. Young customers, five or 10 at the most, commonly sit against the wall in the shade of Dickie’s awning, licking and slurping at their over-sized cones with sprinkles as they drip down their knuckles, chins, and shirts. Yeah, it’s cheesy. Yeah, it’s nostalgic and silly. Yeah, it’s just custard. But I’m willing to bet it’s the best you’ll ever have.

Coastal Kayak

Offering sail-boat rentals, guided kayak and bicycle eco-tours, Coastal Kayak allows guests to experience the bay-side marshlands and wildlife from a completely new perspective.

The salt marsh tour is a brilliantly fun addendum to any list of activities. Paddle through the salt marshes around a state wildlife refuge, the feeding grounds for many animals, some of which include herons, osprey, horseshoe crabs and skimmers. One of the premier offerings is the exploration of a small sandbar where you get out of your kayak and comb the beach for a variety of beach dwellers such as fiddler crabs, starfish, and clams.

Grotto Pizza

If you’ve been anywhere near the Delaware Beaches, you have doubtless fallen prey to the wafting, tantalizing scent of Grotto’s pizza in the salty air. Synonymous with Bethany and Rehobeth beach culture, there is hardly another pizza joint in town — not that you would ever want one. It is awfully, awfully good.

The local restaurant behemoth and area staple, with its signature “bull’s eye” pizzas, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a summer-long celebration. Whatever time you’re there this summer, keep an eye out for special deals and promotions.

Dewey

A one-street town sandwiched between its larger siblings, Bethany and Rehobeth, Dewey Beach is undeniably the college crowd’s scene. With a slew of bars, crab shacks, and motels, Dewey makes for a pretty fun night if you’re looking to get away from quiet evenings in Bethany and knock back a beer and a basket of fried shrimp with your friends.

Stop by The Starboard, voted one of the top 25 bars in America by Men’s Journal magazine, and concoct one of their build-your-own Bloody Marys, with over 700 ingredients and 18 brands of vodka. Or check out the Bottle and Cork, an outdoor bar and music venue.