Aboard “The American Spirit”

Monday, June 21, 9:00 a.m. The first launch carrying about 20 passengers from the American Spirit arrived at the foot of High Street. Half of the group met Liz and John Seidel for a tour of the Archeology Lab and Customs House, and the remainder followed a guide left onto Water Street. Fanning themselves with their sunhats, they paused to admire the exterior of the Hynson-Ringgold House. Then they dispersed into town. Some went to Bob Ortiz’s studio for a furniture-making demonstration, while others milled about the shops and galleries.

Meanwhile, back at the foot of High Street, disguised as a reporter for The Chestertown Spy, I boarded the launch just as it was leaving to pick up another batch of passengers and bring them into town. Soon I was chatting away with the mate, Robert (who was driving the boat), about life aboard a small luxury cruise ship.

As you might suspect, life aboard a small luxury cruise ship is a very fine thing—much finer (to a certain discriminating type), than life aboard a megalopolis cruise ship.

After boarding the vessel, I met the assistant hotel manager and cruise director, Courtney Farfaglia. I was impressed by her youth, crisp uniform and professionalism, for when I was her age I was a total feckless slob. Would she describe the benefits of small ship cruising? I asked.

“First and foremost, it’s the service,” said Courtney. “It’s a more intimate environment. The staff gets to know your name and where you’re from. And by the end of the week, we usually know a quarter of your life story. Plus, we all have some sort of hospitality degree. On a smaller ship, we have less work tending the ship, which leaves us with more time to talk with the passengers.”

The American Spirit can carry about 100 passengers. Aboard this cruise, from Philadelphia to the Potomac, were 86 passengers, 62 of whom were returning guests. Repeat passengers become members of the “Eagle Society,” and automatically receive all sorts of special perks.

But back to the service.

“You can pretty much ask for anything, and if we don’t have it, we’ll go to the store and get it for you. We have a good liquor stash, but yesterday someone wanted Sam Adams beer. We didn’t have any, so we went out and got some,” said Courtney.

Speaking of libations, wine and beer is free and available all day. At dinner there are bottles of white and red on every table, with endless refills.

The chefs are graduates from culinary institutes. Special diets—vegan, gluten-free, low sodium, etc.—never pose a problem. Gourmet meals are served in the informal yet elegant dining room. In the morning there’s an optional breakfast buffet, but for lunch and dinner passengers enjoy plate service to the table.

The ship is tidy and spotless. Since most of the passengers had gone ashore, the staterooms rooms were being cleaned and the doors were ajar. I peeked inside one and found a handsome college boy vacuuming.

“Fun summer job?” I asked.

“Oh, yes!” he said enthusiastically.

I was surprised at how spacious and bright the rooms were.  Every stateroom has a large picture window, full bath and satellite television, and most rooms have a private balcony.

Note: having a Spy loose upon the ship did not post a security threat. There are 16 security cameras on the ship that are monitored constantly.

And passengers can monitor their own whereabouts as they cruise. Mounted in the main lounge is a GPS hooked up to the pilothouse, so at any time passengers can see exactly where they are in their journey.

Another advantage to small ship cruising is that the vessels can navigate narrow bays, rivers and canals. The Chester River is a perfect example; it’s deep in the middle and shallow along the edge.

“When I turn I’ve got to have 500 feet swing in either direction,” said Captain Jim Miller, “and the Chester can accommodate that.”

Captain Miller was sitting on his private deck off the bridge reading, The Sibley Field  Guide to Birds of Eastern North America when I ducked in to meet him. He himself lives on the Eastern Seaboard, about 30 minutes north of Cape Charles, VA.

“I love living on the shore. Where I live looks a lot like this,” he said, sweeping his eyes along the shoreline.

The relaxing, let’s-not-take-life-too-seriously atmosphere results in some good-natured prank playing. Courtney had brought me to the library and game room.

“That’s one-eyed Willie,” she said pointing to a huge, stuffed tiger lying on a bookshelf. “He’s always had just one eye. He moves around and you never know where he’s going to turn up. Yesterday, I found him in my shower, wearing my shower cap.”

My tour was coming to an end. Courtney was telling me about their arrival in Chestertown on Sunday night. A number of Chestertonians had come aboard and welcomed them warmly. Among them was local pianist, Joe Holt who played during happy hour.

Courtney described the evening food and beverage program. “We start happy hour at 5:30 with (complementary) cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and some sort of entertainment. From 6:30 to 7:30, we serve a full-course, sit-down dinner. If you’re still hungry, between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m, we offer popcorn, root-beer floats and ice cream sundaes. If after all that you’re still hungry, then we offer counseling.”

THE AMERICAN SPIRIT will dock in Chestertown once a week for the next six weeks. For information about American Cruise Lines small ship cruising, call 800-814-6880, or visit, www.americancruiselines.com

Best of Chestertown: Coffeehouse

Play it Again Sam
108 South Cross Street

While Chestertown does have a number of places to have a good cup of coffee, including an excellent blend at Village Bakery and one that includes the country home feel of Ellen’s, Play it Again Sam is in a league of its own.  It’s a community center, a debating society, a perfect lunch spot and sophisticated wine store all under one roof. Owner Pete Brocker plays host to the early morning coffee clutches, mid-morning non-profit summits, salad-loving lunch crowds, and mid-afternoon caffeine addicts lining up for Sam’s signature frozen coffee drink, the Alaskan. Equally impressive are the the early evening hours, where Pete and his team pour some of the best wine in town.

Spy Eye: Farmer’s Market Opening Day

After what most considered a particularly harsh winter, the first Farmer’s Market of the season was a welcomed event for Chestertown on Saturday. Photographer & film maker Kurt Kolaja captured the moment for a Spy Eye essay:

Spy Profile: Gratitude Yachting Biz of the Year

For many in the boating community in and around Chestertown, it was not surprising that Gratitude Yachting Center was named Best Business in Kent County by the Chamber of Commerce last January.  Founded by Ed Kurowski in 1980, and later joined by his wife Robin and friend Jack Heffner, this management trio has run a world class boat brokerage, charter, and school, not to meantion Hawaian Shirt retailer on Lawton Avenue for almost 30 years.  What is surprising is that they have done so with the casual decision-making style and charm of a Jimmy Buffet song, as well as a devotion to Rock Hall that sets them far apart from the competition. From small fishing boats to transatlantic luxury yachts, the GYC has always sold products they love to people they care about.

Gratitude Yachting Center
5990 Lawton Avenue
Rock Hall, Maryland 21661
800-730-5569

SpyCam: John Andrew McCown 1st Neilsen Award Winner

The Chester River Association celebrated the life of Pat Nielsen last Friday night by awarding its first annual award for poetry in her honor. Nielsen, a beloved community leader and Emmy Award-winning writer, director and producer, was also a passionate lover of poetry.  CRA Trustee Marcy Dunn Ramsey announced the awards (judged by Washington College’s Literary House director Mark Nowak) at the Book Plate Bookstore in Chestertown.  The winner of the annual poetry award was John Andrew McCown for December.  Joanne Scott received the second place award for Distant Thunder, and an honorable mention was given to Mary Wood for Elegy.  John Andrew’s father Andy McCown accepted the award on his son’s behalf since the poet is attending the University of Vermont and was unable to be at the event.

Before the poets began reading, the legendary Lester Barrett played tribute to Nielsen with a breathtaking version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. The SpyCam was there to capture it.

Editor’s note. Please be patient when viewing on YouTube since the video may require time to begin streaming.  The Spy would like to thank Tyler Campbell for the cameo appearance of his right elbow in this production.

Excursions: Ford’s Open Mic at the Prince

Whether it’s a Woody Guthrie-esque folk singer with a bushy beard or an 81-year old saxophone player giving it his all, open mic night at the Prince Theatre is sure to bring performances with heart.

“I try to bring in musicians who don’t want to come. I want to encourage them,” says Ford Schumann, host and house band. “Most of these people don’t have aspirations to fame.”

There’s a warmth and honesty to the evening that you rarely feel from paid performers. These musicians perform for the love of their art or just because they have something important to say.

Schumann hosted Open Mic at Andy’s for five years until last summer, when Andy was ousted from Andy’s.

“I asked the Prince Theatre about the possibility of moving Open Mic there, and they welcomed us. The Prince offers nice features, such as being a community venue and being available to young people, and while still offering beer & wine, it doesn’t compete with a bar crowd. Fresh pizza is available for $2 a slice. More people attend, especially more listeners,” says Schumann.

It’s a win-win for all. For the audience it’s a night of free entertainment (complimentary bowls of peanuts and popcorn adorn the tables), and for the performers it’s a chance to try out new material.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and goes until 11:00 pm. Participants are allotted three songs or 15 minutes. But Open Mic is not limited to musicians; poetry readings, story telling, magic, acrobats, pet tricks, and comedy are also welcome for 5-minute performances. There is no age limit.  Assigned times are scheduled until 10 p.m., after which the hour-long jam session, open to everyone, gets underway. If all the slots aren’t filled, the jam just starts earlier.

“I declare ‘the jam’s on’ and everybody gets onstage and we play. It’s the most fun part,” says Schumann. “There’s are usually one or two songs where the magic happens.”

On a recent Wednesday night, Schumann was checking his clipboard. He had filled every 15-minute slot except the first. “Nobody ever wants to go first, so I will,” he said with an easygoing smile. “I’m also the house band. I’m happy to accompany anyone.”

Sitting in a chair onstage, Schumann adjusted his mike for a sound check. Then he strummed a few bars and started singing. At times he sounded eerily like Neil Young.

Next up was Greg from Delaware. He said he had worked for twenty years with the homeless in Baltimore City. He wants to communicate with his music. He finished his three songs, but everybody seemed to want one more.

“You want to do another?” asked Schumann.

The audience clapped encouragingly.

“Go for it. You’re out-of-state,” said Schumann.

The next performer was Ed, all the way from St. Michael’s.

Ed peered into the crowd. “I write my own songs about the watermen, or something like that.”

Most of these people write songs about what they see happening in life.

“The Big Hats” took the stage and sang a hilarious song with the chorus, Hey mister, your wife’s been cheating on US. The audience howled.

Then came Keith: “These are a few songs I’m gonna try out tonight. It’s kind of a bluesy thing. This one I wrote last night, so bear with me. But it requires audience participation. On cue you shout. You’re screwed! Okay, try it now.

Audience: “You’re screwed!”

Dropping his head, Keith nodded knowingly. Then he sang a song about a mail order bride who found herself a richer husband.

The room filled with the spicy aroma of pizza. Theatre Manager of the Prince Theatre, Ann Hedgepeth, had just walked in carrying a stack of large pizza boxes. A number of people drifted to the pizza table, and then to the bar. There was a feeling that everyone, performers and audience alike, had settled in comfortably, and that the evening was just beginning.

“The switch from Andy’s has been very interesting,” says Schumann. “The first thing is that there is a real stage, instead of Andy’s less intimidating floor level. But getting up there is the essence of an Open Mic experience. So the stepping up has to be encountered, and it’s made easy by such a supportive room of fellow musicians.

Hedgepeth tended the bar and then set about refilling the popcorn and peanut bowls. In the meantime, Schumann headed for the stage, where a trio seemed to be struggling with technical difficulties.

Unperturbed, Schumann started sorting through a tangle of plugs and cords.

“For me music is an improvisation. It’s temporal. All life is an improvisation; you can prepare for it, but you’ve got to be ready to let it happen.”

Open Mic at the Prince Theatre is FREE and happens on the last Wednesday of the month (except in July & December). To participate or to set up a rehearsal, email Ford Schumann, fordo1@aol.com, or call the Prince. Sign-ups are also accepted during Open Mic if space is available.

Best of Chestertown: Dr. Maria Boria

Almost every Thursday evening, Dr. Maria Boria, who turns 80 this year, drives herself to and from a Marydel clinic to provide essential health care to women in the growing Latino community, most of whom have no health insurance.  While she took this particular project on only five years ago, Dr. Boria has spent a lifetime working with women in need.  After her medical training in England, she moved to India in 1958, and started a hospital that now has 2,000 employees.  From there, she started training programs in Latin America and Africa, while also marrying her husband Jim Berna, raising two children, and building her ob/gyn practice in Chestertown.

While Maria is not alone in the area of good deeds, her lifetime commitment to women’s health in some of the most challenging places in the world should make us all the more humble that she calls our community home.

Maria Boria’s 80th Birthday will be celebrated at the Prince as part of the Women Helping Women annual concert on March 10, 2010 at 7:00 PM.  For more information go to the Prince Theatre website by clicking here.

The Chestertown Chess Club

The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions.

Benjamin Franklin, “ The Morals of Chess,” published in 1786

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM — On Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. the venerable coffee shop becomes home to the Chestertown Chess Club. One by one the members file in—a dozen or so on an average night— each carrying a small cylindrical bag containing a rolled vinyl tournament chess mat printed with algebraic notation (A-H running along the bottom, 1–8 running up the side.) They unzip their carrying cases, roll out the mats, pour out the chess pieces, set up the boards and position the time clocks.

What a contrast it is from Sam’s by day; now the only sounds you hear are the clicking of the chess pieces and the punching of the time clocks.

Sitting in his usual seat at the main table is Peter Heck, reporter for the Kent County News, and author of six mystery and four science fiction novels. Heck started the Chess Club in 1998 with Paul Noerr and Ken Beatty. They played in peoples’ homes and then at the Methodist church before settling into Sam’s seven years ago.

What is Heck’s goal for the Chess Club?

“To play a lot of games and have a lot of fun,” he says.

Sipping a cup of decaf and munching a muffin is Lain Hawkridge, a teacher at the Radcliffe School. Seven years ago, he and Michael Harvey founded Kent Scholastic Chess. Harvey started the library club (Kent County Library, Tuesdays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.) and then five years ago turned it over to Hawkridge who now runs it. The whole idea is to make chess available to kids.

“A lot of little kids are great players, especially the girls. But we lose the girls around age 11, and most of them never come back. In high school we lose some of the boys to “the fumes” (perfume and gasoline, a.k.a., girls and cars) but we get a lot of the boys back after college.”

Heck’s opponent tonight is local chess prodigy, ten-year old, Tripp Stup. His mom, Carolyn, brings him each week and waits while he plays a few games with the adults. Stup started playing at age five, and after three months, managed to beat Hawkridge in a game.

“He was way better than he had the right to be,” says Hawkridge.

For Tea Party weekend, Hawkridge climbs into his historically correct Ben Franklin costume and plays chess on a replica of an 18^th century chess set outside the White Swan Tavern. Franklin was among the first American chess players.

“In four years of Tea Party I’ve played 128 games, lost 4 and drawn once,” says Hawkridge. “I used to joke that if I ever played in another tournament, I would go dressed as Ben Franklin, because it makes me invincible.”

It’s only February, but Hawkridge’s graying hair is getting kind of long and you would swear he’s already starting to look a bit like Ben. It’s no accident.

“I only get one haircut a year, and that’s right after Tea Party.”

Couldn’t he just . . . wear a wig?

“That wouldn’t be authentic,” says Hawkridge, sliding his Queen across the board.

Playing Hawkridge is Carmen Grasso, a retired school chess coach who didn’t start playing until he was forty.

“It’s never too late to start anything. You may not end up a grandmaster, but you can learn to play a good game and have a lot of fun. Chess is endlessly fascinating. The number of possible moves in a chess game is something like 10⁴⁰, and the number of atoms in the universe is 10⁸⁰,” says Grasso, widening his eyes.

Grasso says he has trouble sleeping so he plays internet chess during the night. “Online you can get some rude, unsportsmanlike behavior, guys who just want to win. You take it with a grain of salt, “ he says with a shrug. “The game is supposed to be fun. Why else would you play it?”

At 7:30 p.m. Jim Becker walks in the door, goes to the beverage case and grabs a bottle of Pepsi. He pauses to observe a game between Michael Atkinson and Tia Glomb. Tia is one of two or three women who play regularly in the club. (Note: women are most welcome and encouraged to attend.)

Becker taught himself the game at age ten on a cardboard chess set.  His rating puts him at the Expert level, just a step below Grandmaster.

Is it true that Becker has actually made a living playing chess?

“I made enough to keep my head above water,” he says, grinning.

“I took my game to a certain level and then I stopped. How much can you put into it?” he asks. Uncapping his Pepsi, he takes a sip and surveys the room. “But now I’m very seriously considering getting back into tournament play, just to see how far I can go.”

Suppose a parent has a child who shows an interest in chess, should they hire a chess coach?

“A coach can take you only so far,” says Becker. “Find the best player you can, somebody who can actually show you something. Learn from somebody who’s been in the trenches.”

(For the last two years, Tripp Stup has been working with Becker.)

Becker played a “simul” (short for simultaneous exhibition) at the Kent County Library last summer, which means he played about 30 players, little kids to adults, moving from board to board. Simuls are great learning opportunities because they give players a chance to face a typically much stronger opponent.

By 8:30 or so, after a certain number of regular games have been played, the gang starts to get itchy to play Bughouse, a fast and furious form of team chess played on two boards by four players. If you’ve never seen a game of bug house, go to YouTube, search “Bughouse chess” and hold onto your brain cells while you watch.

Generally, the last club member to arrive is Paul Sonberg. The sagacious bartender at the Imperial Hotel, Sonnberg comes after he’s finished his shift, which might be 9:00-9:30 p.m. or later. A chess coach and mentor to many, Sonberg is known to keep a chess set behind the bar at the Imperial.

“Learn to play a decent game of chess and you can walk into any park or café in Europe and sit down and play with anyone. You don’t need to speak the language,” says Sonberg.

A few years ago International Master (IM) Beatriz Marinello, originally from Chile, who represented the United States in the 1994 Chess Olympiad held in Moscow, played a simul at Washington College against 32 players. Some members of the chess club were there, but Sonberg was the only player to beat Marinello.

Typically humble, Sonberg says, “She was playing really badly that day, and I was playing unusually well.”

THE CHESTERTOWN CHESS CLUB: Come learn, come play. Play it Again Sam’s, Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – until ?; Tuesdays at the Kent County Library, particularly for kids, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., and on Saturday mornings in the square at Farmer’s Market (during the season.)

Yoga Teachers: Fletcher Johnson

Last, but certainly not least in our series on yoga teachers is Fletcher Johnson. Born and bred in Chestertown, Fletcher attended college in St. Augustine, Florida, where she majored in social sciences. She returned to Chestertown two years ago, and has been teaching at Aquafit since their grand opening last year.

SPY: What brought you to yoga?

FLETCHER: After graduation I had no idea what I wanted to do. I spent countless nights thinking that most people are miserable in their jobs. I kept asking myself: what is it that I really enjoy that maybe I can do? And I stumbled across yoga. I’d had five surgeries and been to physical therapy, and I’d been doing yoga for ten or so years before that, so I thought maybe I could give teaching yoga a shot. In the meantime, I had come back to Maryland, and Chestertown was driving me nuts! So, I started looking for yoga schools all over the United States. It turned out there was a facility called Discovery Yoga in St. Augustine, FL. Their philosophy and mission really meshed well with me, and since I had already lived there I felt really comfortable going back. I did the 200-hour basic certification course, which was about five weeks of really intensive instruction every day.

SPY: Tell me about your classes at Aquafit. What style do you teach?

FLETCHER: I was trained in Kripalu, which is basically hatha yoga, but I really take a little bit from everybody. I have a lot of materials and things I gather from.

My classes they are always different, depending on who’s there and what the weather’s like. Sometimes they might need vinyasa, and sometimes they might need more restorative. I try to accommodate everybody. Lately, I’ve had a lot of expectant mothers thrown into the mix.

SPY: Do you need special medical training to teach pregnant women?

FLETCHER: I did go through a prenatal certification program. But I’ve never had kids myself, so if somebody’s water broke on the scene I’d just be calling 911! [laughter] Certainly there are postures that are not recommended for expecting moms; I’m not going to have them doing inversions or twists. But if they feel up to getting loose a little bit, then that that’s probably good for them.

SPY: When you have a class that’s so diverse, how do you gage the level of difficulty?

FLETCHER:  It is difficult. My general rule is, if it hurts don’t do it. I tell them we’re here to relax, and your muscles can’t relax properly if you’re in pain. I ask people to respect their own personal boundaries.

SPY: What are your recommendations regarding diet?

FLETCHER: Diet is pretty controversial. My personal opinion is, try not to eat 2-3 hours before class! What they eat is up to their personal path. Not everybody’s meant to be a vegetarian, but if that works for you I’m not going to tell you not to. I try to stay with a non-processed whole foods diet. Just stay as close to all natural as possible.

SPY: What are your yoga goals?

FLETCHER: Basically, to continue my yoga education. I’m trying to go to a workshop at least quarterly. For me staying educated is how I keep it fresh, keeps me inspired, and knowing what’s going on. I actually think that Dr. Fletcher Johnson has a nice ring to it, but that’s a long way off in the future!

SPY: Medical doctor, or Ph.D.?

FLETCHER: Umm, whichever . . . I’m not sure yet. [laughter] I haven’t decided. My mom says the sign on the desk is a lot cheaper, why don’t you just think about getting one of those made instead!

SPY: What do you find rewarding about teaching yoga?

FLETCHER: Oh, I find it incredibly rewarding. I walk into class and everybody’s got their own thing going on, and then seeing them at the end of class with a smile on their face—I don’t take responsibility for it— they do the work, but just knowing that I took part in facilitating that. Knowing that I was part of that process, I think it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.

Fletcher Johnson’s training includes: Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training, www.Discoveryyoga.com; Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training, www.urbanyoga.ca, and

Karma Kids Yoga Teacher Training, www.karmakidsyoga.com.

Fletcher teaches yoga at Aquafit on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., Friday, 7:00 a.m., and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. Drop in $6, Five classes for $25, and one month unlimited classes for $40

Kent County United Way, against Odds, Hitting Numbers

“United Way of Kent County is more than half way to its 2009-10 Campaign goal,” announced Board President, Tom Beckett.“ The Campaign closed December a few hundred dollars under its total at the same time last year. This is remarkable,” he went on to say, “given the intensity and persistence of the economic recession, and speaks to the generosity of our neighbors. Kent County is a close community that cares about those in need, as shown by this impressive level of giving. While other sectors of the country are crying the blues, Kent County is getting the job done.”

The goal of the current campaign is $185,000 and at year-end contributions totaled 54% of that amount. “That means that we must redouble our efforts in the remaining months of the Campaign, but now we know that we can do it,” Beckett continued.

United Way of Kent County has been raising money for local charities for more than 50 years. The Board is comprised of some who are well known in the County and others who work quietly behind the scenes to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the organization. A part time Executive Director, Barrie Frazier, is responsible for day-to-day operations. This year 19 of the most significant charities in the County are Member Agencies and rely more than ever on the funding provided by United Way.

There is no question that agencies are being pushed harder than ever before and many are faced with doing more with less. The number of people seeking shelter from The Samaritan Group is unprec- edented and those seeking food at the Food Pantry have doubled, according to Chairman, Jim Fouss. Hard times always bring a flood of new clients to the Community Mediation Center, Kent Council on Fam- ily Violence and For All Seasons. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are being pushed to their limits.

“United Way is sobered by the challenges before it to help its Member Agencies respond to the needs presented, but we are encouraged by the warm support of our citizens in this Campaign year,” Beckett concluded.

To donate or to learn more about United Way and its member agencies, visit their new website at http://www.unitedwayofkentcounty.org/ or send your contribution to: United Way of Kent County P.O. Box 594

819 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Excursions: 24 Hours in Easton

I come from a long line of spies. Quite naturally, I married a spy, and after a few years, when we decided we needed a dog, we flew out to the iSpy Canine Academy™ in Dudles, Wyoming where they breed mind-bendingly brilliant cockapoo spy dogs. We have not been disappointed.

The only thing is, lately, and I suppose due to the economy, Lady Phebes, as the spy-poo is called, has been getting better paying work than either myself or my husband, Special Agent Wiggins.

Recently, Lady Phebes was assigned an O.D.T. (olfactory data transfer) in Easton. She was to contact Officer Russellian, a Scentence Operator and fellow spy-poo, at five different locations over a period of 24 hours. Why our boss up at Central has to make everything so complicated, I don’t know, but as a result, Wiggins and I found ourselves scrambling to find a canine-friendly hotel in downtown Easton that would satisfy Lady Phebes’ increasingly sophisticated tastes.

To the rescue, we found the gorgeously renovated Tidewater Inn, at 101 East Dover Street.  Centrally located in Easton’s downtown historic district, the inn makes a perfect home base for those traveling with (or without) canine companionship.

When the management says dog friendly, they mean it. The man on duty behind the desk couldn’t stand high enough on his tippy toes for a look over the counter at Phebes. But she was having none of his adoration, having already spotted Russellian across the lobby, warming his fluffy black hocks by the fire. So, as Wiggins was being dragged over to the fireplace, I checked us in.

Besides a $30 dog fee, all they ask is that you provide a number where you can be summoned in case your dog howls in the room. I, myself, almost howled in our room when I fell atop the supremely fabulous king-size bed dressed in crisp Frette linens.

“Why must life always be work, work and more work?” I cried, hugging a cloud-sized pillow to my chest.

But my complaint fell on deaf ears. Our room had two large windows, both with charming views of the street, all decorated with Christmas lights and garlands.  Phebes was standing on her hind legs looking out; she had spotted Russellian sauntering down Dover Street en route to data transfer numero uno. Seconds later Wiggins and I were on the other end of her red leather leash, being pulled down the elegant curved staircase, past the aromatic fire and out onto the blistery street.

“Have fun,” cheered the man at the desk, who was by now starting to remind me of Fred Astaire.

Location One was Harrison Street Books, 27 S. Harrison Street, a cozy and delightful bookshop in which I could have lingered for hours. Each room has a comfy chair or two, a table strewn with books, and the lighting is perfect. While the spy-poos conducted their business outside behind some bushes, Wiggins and I dashed through all the rooms, ogling the impressive selection. We had collected an armful each when we heard Phebes whistling for us, and we had to leave them all so as not to be late for the next info exchange just around the corner at Location Two, Academy Art Museum, 106 South Street.

As Russellian and Phebes headed for the backside of a large steel sculpture on the side lawn, where I noticed a rangy bassett hound lying in wait, Wiggins and I ducked inside for a quick look-see. Since it was Wednesday, admission was free, always a help when your dog earns more money than you.

You might expect an art museum in Easton to be dinky; at least I did, so my jaw dropped an inch when in the first gallery I found myself standing before two huge color field paintings by Anne Truitt. Turns out the artist lived in Easton until high school and grew up just a block down the street from the museum. In her paintings and sculpture, it’s easy to see how the austere beauty of the eastern shore vernacular influenced her. The show is called Washington Color Painters and includes Gene Davis, Kenneth Noland, and Morris Louis among others.

Not exactly dinky. No, there is much here to see, and even in a blur it all looks good. I say a blur because a horrible howling sound sent us running outside. Hard to say what might have transgressed. Russellian, barking like a junk yard dog was chasing the bassett hound down South Street. And that short-legged beast could run!

Phebes looked shaken. She snaps back quickly, but I was thinking, perhaps this is enough for one day; then, Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a cup of tea and a pastry, when the three of us paused in front of Masons, 22. S. Harrison Street. The scene inside looked so inviting I supposed I could have cried.

Through the picture window we watched two couples sipping coffee and eating wickedly good-looking pastries. Peeking in I saw a long case of chocolates, a coffee bar, wine bar, and a restaurant section. The interior was cozy, colorful, and European, the sort of irresistible place no one in their right mind could pass by, unless—yes, your working dog has an itinerary.

Onward to Location Three, the historic Avalon Theater, 40 E. Dover Street. In the lobby, the spy-poos conducted their olfactory information transfer under a long table laden with information about upcoming events. Wiggins and I gasped simultaneously.

“The Temptations on January 14th,” I practically screamed!

Wiggins rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was already figuring out a way to pay for the tickets ($60 each.) I pocketed the 2010 program line-up (very impressive) and we ambled through the lobby eyeing the enormous collection of performer’s photographs lining walls. Great stuff. The art deco theater has been handsomely restored. Check online for upcoming performances, films and community events.

Location Four turned out to be, thankfully, our room at the Tidewater Inn. So while Phebes and Russellian sorted through their afternoon’s labor, sending messages to Central by iSpy™  phone and packaging evidence for the courier—general administrative stuff—Wiggins and I slipped downstairs for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, the woodsy Hunter’s Tavern. Woodford Reserve on the rocks, award-winning cream of crab soup, and couple of hefty crab cakes each took the edge of the day.  The warm freshly baked bread was comforting too, and when we each piled our bread plates with a few lumps of crab cakes (for you-know-who upstairs) our waitress nodded knowingly and fetched us some tin foil. After dinner we relaxed in the lobby before the glowing fire, until I remembered the luscious bed that awaited.

“I hope to find Phebes, and only Phebes, in our room, “ I said to Wiggins as we stepped into the elevator. And there she was, behind the door waiting for us, all alone, and she hadn’t even howled.

Next morning with Russellian nowhere in sight, we three checked out. We waved goodbye to Fred Astaire’s twin at the front desk, and to downtown Easton, and then we drove about a mile out of town to Location Five, Evergreen Cove Holistic Learning Center, 770 Port Street.

Set amongst lots of tall trees on a wide creek, the whole place feels like a sophisticated summer camp for grown-ups. And whom did we spot sitting patiently on the parking pad but Russellian. His guardian was taking a yoga class. In addition to yoga, Evergreen offers instruction in T’ai Chi and meditation, as well as a variety of health and well-being classes. Plus, there are numerous practitioners available for acupuncture, massage, Reiki, herbal medicine, and lots more. Check them out on the web or call for the 2010 class schedule.

After Phebes and Russellian had crept off in typical clandestine fashion to bury evidence, or something, I dashed inside and signed up for Western Herbalism class. What the heck, I thought, with the money Lady Phebes earned on this assignment, we can afford it.

Yoga Teachers: Elke Wiedemann

Elke Wiedemann and I are sitting on a bench in the spacious exercise room where she teaches yoga every Monday afternoon at 4:15. She has deep-set, blue-gray eyes, perfect posture and a lilting German accent. A former professional tennis teacher, she still plays, but now it’s yoga that makes her feel, as she says, “really good.”

SPY: When did you start doing yoga?

ELKE: Fifteen years ago. I don’t even remember the name of the class, but it had something to do with health—and if it has something to do with health, I am there! I didn’t know anything about yoga, but after my first hour-and-a-half class, I felt like I was walking on air. It was with Wendy Morrison, who was my mentor. To this minute I remember walking out to my car and thinking, what is this? Why do I feel so good? I took a deep breath, and then it was very simple to know: it was the yoga. I felt so good all around that I said, I’m going to do this more often.

At the time I had lower back issues and was seeing a chiropractor. After six months of taking two yoga classes a week, the backache was gone. Later, when I saw my chiropractor at a health seminar, he said, “I haven’t seen you lately.” And I said, “Doctor, I don’t need chiropracting anymore. My yoga is taking care of everything!” He said, “good for you,” but as a businessman, he knew he had lost a regular customer.

SPY: And you’ve never had to go back?

ELKE (beaming): Never went back!

SPY: Describe your personal yoga practice.

ELKE: As you get older you need yoga stretches even more. I do yoga every morning for a half-hour. But on some days, when there is no half-hour to be had, then I do ten minutes. Based on what has worked so well for me, I recommend to my students that they take class twice a week, and then do some yoga every morning. You don’t need to do a half-hour. Not everybody has that much time, but ten minutes is the minimum. And you can do a lot in ten minutes! Do those stretches that you feel help you the most, and everyday you will see the benefit.

When I travel I always take yoga classes. You can’t meet enough teachers and you can’t try enough forms of yoga. I’m always curious to find out what other teachers are doing.

SPY: What style do you teach?

ELKE:  Hatha yoga. I trained in Anusara, which is a branch of E.K.S. Iyengar yoga.  But to back up a bit, I hadn’t planned to teach. My daughter was visiting and I invited her to come with me to Wendy’s  Monday night class. My daughter wasn’t very interested, but she agreed to come along, and she loved it. Then she just plunged in. She was living in D.C. and took the teacher training in Virginia. Afterwards, she said, “Mom, you can do this, too!” And I thought: I’ll probably be the oldest one, and I don’t know if this is for me, and I’m fine with the way things are right now, I don’t really have to teach it . . ..

And then I thought, why not! I love it so much. I had enjoyed teaching tennis for twenty years. I was a real tennis bum, always on the tennis court. When we moved to Chestertown in 1992, I was still teaching tennis. And then I started doing yoga, and one day I thought, I can’t teach tennis for the rest of my life. And I started leaning more and more into yoga. Now it’s been ten years since I got my yoga teacher’s certification.

SPY: So you’ve always been an athlete?

ELKE: Yes. I’ve always loved outdoor activities. And I still love tennis, but I have to admit that I never feel bad after yoga. I don’t feel bad after tennis, but if you asked me how I feel after a yoga class, I would say, perfect. No aches, no pains.  And if you see me after tennis I might feel good the same day, but the next day, I’m thinking, ah, I overused that shoulder. You just don’t feel 100% well. I also have to say I wouldn’t play tennis as hard as I do if I weren’t doing yoga. The word has spread about yoga and now top athletes swear by it. They do yoga and quite simply they feel better. That’s the best reason for doing it.

SPY: What level is your Monday class?

ELKE: The class is multi-level, but I do welcome beginners. We do some easy poses and some a little more difficult. It’s simple, the more you practice the better you get. But I tell my students, some of whom have been with me for ten years, only do what you can do that day. It should never be painful.

For over a year now I’ve also been teaching two chair-yoga classes to seniors at the Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activities Center on Morgnec Road, every Monday from 9:30-11:30 a.m.  The classes are large, usually 15-20 students, and they’re free!

But I’ve cut back on teaching. I used to teach three days a week, but my husband is retired and he wanted me to give up teaching so much, to be more available to go sailing with him. I said, well, I suppose I could do that . . ..

Yoga, tennis, sailing—sounds like a great life to this spy! Nevertheless, Elke is quick to point out that yoga is the glue that holds it all together, the ultimate feel-good activity. When something works that well, you’re bound to stick with it.

Elke Wiedemann teaches hatha yoga at the Kent Athletic & Wellness Center every Monday, 4:15 – 5:15. Cost for members is $5 per class; nonmembers pay $8. She teaches chair yoga at Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activities Center every Monday from 9:30-11:30 a.m.  Classes are free.

Yoga Teachers: Lex Fry

Washington College, The Yoga Cave — Go in the front door of the Life Fitness Center, take a right, go downstairs, take a left, go straight back, and there you will find the lair of Lex, a.k.a, the yoga cave.

It’s a spacious room decorated with yoga posters, in the middle of which sits Lex, a super fit blonde with glacially clear blue eyes, behind which about a million watts of energy seems to be surging pretty much full time. No kidding. If Chestertown ever suffers a major blackout, all we need do is wire Lex as a human generator, and I’m sure she could heat and light the entire town with voltage to spare.

Her teacher is Beryl Bender Birch, author of Power Yoga. Lex teaches Ashtanga yoga, where the idea is to heat up the body and sweat. (Not to be confused with hot yoga, where people throw up and pass out.)

I caught up with Lex in the toasty yoga cave earlier this week, and asked her to expound on yoga.

SPY:  What is your personal approach to teaching yoga?

LEX: People come to yoga for a myriad of reasons, and they get a myriad of benefits. But sometimes we take it all so seriously that we start to drown in it. We really inhibit ourselves as adults, so I try to bring humor and lightness to the class so that my students can do it almost as an experiment.

My job here is to facilitate change, and I have no idea what that change will be—nor do I need to know. I may never even see it on the outside, although typically I do.

Recently, a student asked me, “what’s the trick?” She had finally nailed one posture and figured there was some magic way to nail them all.

“The trick,” I said, “is to give up looking for the trick.”

I love teaching yoga to performance athletes. They’re used to doing a repetitive action to produce a piece of skilled performance in some arena. In yoga, you don’t get that kind of instant return, so for them it can be frustrating. Lance Armstrong is one of my Facebook friends, and he’s been doing yoga to prepare for the Tour de France next year. Last week he posted: “Just came back from another yoga class. Damn it.”

SPY: Is expecting an instant return a particularly western attitude?

LEX: It really is. To get results in yoga, you have to make an investment over time, and we’re not used to putting in that kind of sustained effort.

Years ago I was in Tibet and Bhutan on a mountaineering expedition trek, and the mountain Buddhists would find us so humorous. The western approach is one of expectation: what am I going to get out of this? It’s looking for something out there to provide us with the experience we want. The eastern approach is one of intention: what am I going to do right now to make this (intention) happen?

SPY: (with a slightly confused look on her face) Umm . . .

LEX: For example: a student wants to do a backbend. Her expectation is, “will I get a backbend out of this semester?” She’s looking out there for the backbend to come to her. Compare that approach to setting an intention, which might be, “I’m going to practice x,y,z, everyday to increase my flexibility.”  Expectation and intention are separate things.

SPY: You have a broad spectrum in your classes, from Washington College students to various people in the community. How does that work?

LEX: When I started doing yoga, it was disconcerting at first to be in a class where the ages could range from 16 to 70. But everyone’s body is different, and we are all on our own path. In teacher training with Beryl Bender Birch, we would sit around in a circle and share every ache and pain until it sounded like we’re all at the edge of total collapse, and then Beryl would say, “okay, it doesn’t matter. This is all impermanent. Let’s do yoga.”

SPY: You’re also teaching meditation. What’s that like?

LEX: I’m having so much fun teaching this really short meditation class. The group is finally at a point where it doesn’t matter! They’ve reached that place where they can step outside of it all. Truly, not judging yourself is the hardest thing you will ever do.

It’s such and honor watching people work and evolve.

SPY: You’ve studied with several internationally known teachers: Beryl Bender Birch, David Swenson, David Williams, Barbara Benagh, and Rod Stryker.

LEX: And part of my job is sharing the understanding that those of us who teach yoga are just students walking the path. We are all paying homage to the teachers who came before us.

Yoga is a 5,000 year-old tradition of great depth. Yoga means: yoking the mind to the body and the breath, and ultimately to the spirit. We’ve created some confusion in the west about yoga, combining asanas with push-ups, etc. That’s not yoga, that’s exercising. As Beryl would tell her yoga students at the New York Road Runners Club in Manhattan, “this is not a stretch class.”

I’ve always loved learning, and you learn the most from the elders because they’ve done life. It’s simple: the longer you’ve lived, the more experiences you’ve had, and the more you know.

With that Lex stood up and pulled on a yellow sweater. The blond hair, the dewy skin, the sparkling blue eyes: I thought she was like a walking light switch, or like the glo stick app on my iSpyPhone™. She was on her way to teach a private lesson, with [sigh] energy to spare.

ALEXA “LEX” FRY, M.Ed, holds the E-RYT 500 level certification with the National Yoga Alliance. She is a graduate of The Hard and The Soft Yoga Institute. She directs Missing Link Yoga and Pilates. For information about local classes, email Lex at, missinglink@southforkstudio.com

Yoga Teachers: Phyllis Johnston

Every Body Yoga, Centreville — While in Centreville on spy business, I stopped to see the only actual yoga studio in the mid-shore area. Proprietor Phyllis Johnston and I have never met, but that doesn’t stop her from greeting me with a hug. Physically, she reminds me of Peter Pan, and I think I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her hop up on a window ledge and fly off.  But when she starts speaking in a voice that’s one part wise old soul and one part kindergarten teacher, I decide she is far too calm and grounded for such antics.

She shows me around her 700 square foot yoga studio on the ground floor of this new, award-winning building (awaiting LEEDS certification) designed by her architect husband. The spacious main room has a maple floor, lavender blue walls, natural light, and a wall-sized window behind which sits a lovely Zen garden.

Well-being and stress reduction is the heart of Phyllis’s approach to yoga. Though very gentle and nurturing, her classes are not low energy. Bubbling behind Phyllis’s relaxed exterior is a full tank of Peter Pan-esque energy; and, I am about to discover, a hefty list of written-down goals to direct it.

SPY: What’s number one on your 2010 goal list?

PHYLLIS: My main goal is to teach yoga to everybody, hence the name, “Every Body Yoga.” Everybody can practice yoga. You just start where you are. Some people say they’ll start coming when they get in shape, but I say, don’t wait, just come now.

SPY:  “Everybody” is a lofty goal.

PHYLLIS:  It is, and I keep trying. I teach yoga to ages 3 to 90. I teach at a nursing home to dementia patients; I teach special needs children; people with cancer, disease, back pain, injuries, and of course, healthy people. What I’m about is trying to make it work for the person. I have a Masters in Education, so I’m interested in teaching as opposed to just leading a class. My students don’t need to meet my expectations; it’s about them: body, mind, and spirit—the whole person.

SPY: What style yoga do you teach?

PHYLLIS: I’m eclectic, but my training is in Iyengar, which is a systematic approach that uses props (belts, blocks, etc.) as aids in performing the poses. I think it’s the most helpful way for people to learn the poses. I haven’t seen people grow as much in the other styles.

SPY: How long have you been teaching yoga?

PHYLLIS: This is my tenth year of teaching, although I’ve been doing yoga since 1987. Since being registered with the Yoga Alliance in 2004, I’ve logged over 1000 hours of teaching. I have the E-RYT credential, which means I can train other teachers. There’s no teacher training available in the mid-shore area, so one my 2010 goals is to get a teacher training program in place.

SPY (eyeing Phyllis’s handwritten two-page list): What else for 2010?

PHYLLIS: I want to do an in-depth study on showing local people how they can use yoga to lower their blood pressure.

I also want to teach relaxation, focusing, and breathing techniques in the schools to help kids limit their test anxiety. Kids are tested a lot, and the pressure on the schools to perform at certain levels is really intense. I want to teach kids basic coping skills: how to breathe; how to relax their eyes, which relaxes the brain; how to sit properly, which reduces fatigue. If I can also teach the teachers, they will model the skills. When you’ve lowered the anxiety and stress level of the teachers, it trickles down to the students.

I feel I’m going to make a breakthrough next year on this.

A handout on Phyllis’s desk says, Reduce Stress Now: Breathe, Blink, Relax, Smile, Repeat above.  Just for fun I imagine everybody all at once following these simple instructions . . . oh, my, what it world it would be!

EVERY BODY YOGA AND WELLNESS, 205 E. Water Street, Suite C, Centreville. For class schedule and information call, 410-758-0403, or see, www. everybodyyoga.biz

Yoga Teachers: Wendy Morrison

KENT ATHLETIC AND WELLNESS CENTER — Thursday, 10:40 a.m. With cheeks flushed pink from yoga class, Wendy Morrison’s students are pulling on socks and sweaters and draping scarves around their necks. Wearing expressions of contentment, they file out slowly—as you too probably would had you just exercised every muscle in your body.

Wendy and I sit down on a bench and she pulls one thigh nimbly atop the other. She has pale blue eyes and speaks softly and deliberately. When I started asking those in the know about yoga teachers in Chestertown, Wendy’s name was always one of the first to come up.

SPY: Is it true that you were the first yoga teacher in Chestertown?

WENDY: Leslie Raimond was teaching classes, and a few others, but I was the first to do it consistently, to actually have a class that went on and on. I’ve been teaching my Wednesday night class nonstop since 1983. It used to be at the library, but now it’s at the Episcopal Church. It’s a great class, and I love giving it.

SPY: Has the yoga scene in Chestertown changed much in the past twenty-six years?

WENDY: Tremendously! There was a lot interest in the sixties, then it slid off, but now it’s back up again. The number of styles has increased greatly, especially since so many “stars” have gotten into it. Yoga is more of a business now. In Chestertown, yoga has really exploded in the last two years. There are more people teaching different styles. It’s great to have a variety of types of yoga available. Trying to fit yourself to a particular style doesn’t work; you have to find a style that fits you.

SPY: What is your teaching style?

WENDY: Very eclectic. In class we work mostly on asanas (poses) but I try to bring in a lot of breathing, some chanting, and meditation. Also a sense of attitude, and a style of living. And always at the end of practice a full relaxation, which is really important.

SPY: Is it possible to learn yoga from a book?

WENDY: I’ve been doing yoga since I was thirty, and I began with a book called The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga. I was traveling a lot then, and I practiced on my own with the book. But then I met a teacher in Delaware, and he began to get me to work with breathing, and to hold the poses longer. Working with a teacher is really different from working on your own. I’ve studied with lots of teachers since then. My 200-hour certification is from American Yoga College, now International Yoga College. I am an RYT (registered yoga teacher) with Yoga Alliance, and I take continuing education credits every year with teachers lke Rama Vernon and Erich Schiffmann.”

Wendy peeked at her watch and then unfolded her legs. She works full-time at Washington College as a computer programmer and had to be getting to work. “Ahh,” she said, stretching her arms overhead, “after class I feel so good, I wish I could go home and do yoga all day. On the other hand, one of the reasons I enjoy teaching so much is that I’ve never done it as a way to make a living.”

“Follow your bliss,” says the mythologist, Joseph Campbell. Almost thirty years ago, Wendy Morrison was lucky to have found her bliss in the study and practice of yoga, and she’s been following it ever since.

Wendy teaches at the Kent Athletic & Wellness Center, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The cost for non-members is $8 per class, or $65 for 12 classes.  Club members pay $5 per class or $35 for 12 classes. On Wednesday at the Episcopal Church, Wendy teaches from 5:15 to 6:45. The class is free, although a $2-3 donation to cover the church fee is suggested.

Best Bets This Week

Lecture:  Religion and the Transition from Communism in Bulgaria
Monday, November 23, 7pm – 8pm
Washington College, Litrenta Lecture Hall, John S. Toll Science Center

The Honorable Philip Dimitrov, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria, first post-Communism leader of the Reform Movement under Communism “Religion and the Transition from Communism in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe”

Film: Some Like It Hot
Monday, November 23, 7:30pm – 10:00pm
Washington College, Norman James Theatre, William Smith Hall

Cross-dressing comedy directed by Billy Wilder, starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis. Two musicians witness a mob hit in Chicago and flee by disguising themselves as women and joining an all-female band. (1959)

Parade: Santa Comes To Town
Friday, November 27 – 7pm
Downtown Chestertown

Chestertown Home for the Holidays. Enjoy a weekend filled with holiday events. The official lighting of Downtown for the holidays, Kent County Marching Band, Santa arrives @ 7pm on Friday by fire truck, pictures taken with Santa. Annual Christmas Parade is at 10 am on Saturday. Sponsored by Downtown Merchants/DCA46th

Special Program: Annual Chestertown Antiques Show & Sale
Friday 4 to 7 pm; Sat 10 am to 5 pm; Sun 10 am to 3 pm
Chestertown Middle School, 402 E. Campus Avenue

Chestertown’s Premier Antiques Show & Sale returns with an expanded roster of dealers and merchandise, from classic, traditional period pieces to mid-century modern furnishings & accessories. 30+ dealers – many longstanding and many new arrivals offer a diverse selection of quality items. Benefitting the Kent Association of Riding Therapy, Inc., a 501c3 United Way Agency.

Parade: Annual Christmas Parade
Saturday, November 28, 10 AM
Downtown Chestertown

Home for the holidays annual Christmas parade with Santa, Kent County community marching band and the downtown Chestertown elves. Sponsored by Downtown Merchants DCA

Excursions: The Yoga Teachers of Kent County (Part 1)

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM’S — 11:00 a.m., the lull before lunchtime, when there are still a few empty tables and you can actually hear yourself think. I was here on a simple mission: to get to know Helèn A. Sears, the newest yoga teacher in town. On her website I had read that she was born and raised in Sweden, on a beautiful island in the Baltic Sea. In person she simply radiates positive energy, plus she has a really cool Swedish accent.

She and her husband, Ricky, who teaches art at Washington College, moved here this fall from New York City. Helèn has a fresh scrubbed glow and the perfect posture of a former dancer. I sat down with her (and then immediately sat up a little straighter) and asked some questions.

SPY:  How is teaching yoga in Chestertown different from teaching in New York City?

HELEN: In New York you can pack over forty people into a class. I am teaching in my home, and my class size is fairly small, three to four. The small size is nice, as I can give lots of personal assistance.

SPY: Do you plan to always keep the classes small?

HELEN: Rather than increase class size, I will add more classes. I have fixed up my space to be just the way I like, something I couldn’t do in New York. But my goal is to expand; as my practice grows I will need to find a larger space.

SPY: How do you like small town life?

HELEN: The transition was hard at first, but not that hard. One day I walked out on the porch and smelled the air and saw a flock of blackbirds swirling and dipping in the sky and I said, oh this is really good. I think it’s easier to go from the city to the natural world than from the natural world back into the city.

SPY: So the absence of big stores doesn’t bother you?

HELEN: I find it calming.

[Note to Spy self: learn to do Swedish accent.]

SPY: What is yoga? And why should we do it?

HELEN: Ah, first, yoga is much more than asana (physical postures.) Asana is only a small part of yoga. I would say yoga is trying to live in balance, peace and harmony with all living forms. It is how you live your life moment to moment. Through asanas—and you have to do asana consistently to feel the benefits— you learn to become aware of your mind, your body and your actions. And then you can take complete responsibility.

SPY: Describe your personal practice. Do you do yoga every day?

HELEN: I can’t say I do an hour and a half every day. Some days, even to do ten, twenty, thirty minutes is enough. Just a little bit every day is best. Some days your body needs a rest; some days it is feeling lazy, you have to know the difference.

My personal practice includes sun salutations, some asana, pranayama (breathing exercises), meditation with mudras (hand positions, or, “yoga in the hands”), and moving meditations, which is informed from my background in dance.  This is where I step out of the box and explore creativity through movement. Basically it is repeating a set of movements combined with breathing techniques.

With this Helèn rose slightly out of her chair and her torso took on the attributes of a bird soaring left and then right, her arms and hands carving out chunks of space. It was a dance injury that brought her to yoga, but clearly the dance never left her body.

You can learn more about Helèn by visiting her website: http://www.helensearsyoga.com

Best of Chestertown: Potato Bacon Soup

While Jerry Seinfeld had a Soup Nazi in his neighborhood, Chestertown may have it’s very own Saint Soup in residence at Herb’s Soup & Such. Every week, Herb Will serves perfectly executed soups that headline the menu at this small take away lunch counter, complete with lovely service and great reggae music in the background. Herb also makes a very fine seafood wrap, and some excellent weekly dinner entrees to heat up later, but the soups are in a class by themselves. And Jerry’s warning to Elaine about one of the Soup Nazi’s masterpieces holds true for Herb’s potato and bacon, “You can’t eat this soup standing up, your knees buckle.”

Herb’s Soups and Such
827 High Chestertown

Excursions: A Spy at Chincoteague

Located along the Atlantic Flyway (a migratory bird route along the East Coast), the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a fine place for a spy to come in from the cold. This past week, the first of tens of thousands of snow geese began arriving (they winter in the refuge), so while all eyes were watching the white V-formations in the sky, I turned the black Citroen into the parking lot of the Best Western on Maddox Boulevard.

I’ve been staying there for years, checking in under a variety of aliases, and yet no matter what name I use or costume I adopt, the uniformed clerks at the front desk treat me like a treasured and loyal patron. I highly recommend the place: the rooms are large and spotless, the free breakfast (eggs, bacon, waffles, etc.) is generous, and no matter who you are or pretend to be, the BW staff will treat you as if you are British Royalty.

Since the refuge is a habitat for migratory birds, there are a lot of birders on site, i.e., people who roam about with binoculars and cameras stuck to their faces. They are watching waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds, and for this reason, a spy can move about largely unnoticed.

The famous wild ponies of Assateague Island are a big draw. To explain: the refuge is actually on Assateague Island, which is connected to Chincoteague by a narrow bridge. There are two herds of ponies: the Maryland band lives on the northern section of the island, and the Chincoteague ponies, the larger herd, live on the Virginia side. Along the main road through the park, en route to the beach, people plop tripods along the shoulder hoping to spot the ponies grazing on marsh grasses or drinking at freshwater ponds. I have never found this necessary, as the ponies are magnetically drawn to the Spy car. The official brown park signs say: Please don’t feed the ponies, but they do not say: Please don’t feed the ponies information.

I can tell you this much: the two herds trade top-secret tidbits among themselves. How do they move messages across state lines, you might ask? Well, cleverly, by way of “the Roundup.” Sponsored by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company (owner and manager of the Virginia herd), the Roundup occurs every year on the last Wednesday and Thursday in July. Horseback riders gather the ponies and drive them across the channel to the Chincoteague carnival grounds, where some of the ponies, the ones who don’t know how to keep a secret, are sold at auction. The rest are returned to the island.

After I’ve had my fill of birds, ponies and various other mammals–Sika Elk, River Otter, the rare and exquisite Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel–I head for the main attraction: the perfect, unspoiled beach. From Maui to the Mediterranean, I’ve walked lots of gorgeous beaches, but truly, it doesn’t get better than this. Keyword: clean.

I’ve saved mentioning the very best of the wildlife for last, the Chincoteague oyster. Salty, plump, sublimely delicious. If you have never had a true Chincoteague oyster, come here first. Eat them on the half shell at The Village Inn, where the shuckers apparently don’t know how to count, or else think 13, 14 or 15 is a dozen. Beware when ordering Chincoteague oysters in certain wanton mid-Atlantic cities. Unscrupulous types ship oysters to Chincoteague for overnighting in the clean salty waters, and then pass them off in restaurants as Chincoteague oysters. The connoisseur will detect the difference at once, with or without a registered iSpy Bivalve Scanner™.

Foodies should try the Sea Shell Café for European bistro-style food. It opened last year and has been getting consistently great reviews. The clam chowder is so good that, hard as I try, I cannot decode messages while eating it. And that’s saying something!

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Three hour drive from Chestertown. Most of the refuge is located on the Virginia end of Assateague Island; about a third is on the Maryland side. Only the ponies know when and how they first arrived on the island. If you’re curious, just ask one, but be prepared to bargain.

Excursions: Crossing the Bridge

If you suffer from claustrophobia, walking your bike across the Chester River Bridge may be a bit unnerving.  Whistle, hum a tune, count your footsteps, and in no time you’ll be on the other side. Then you can hop on your bike and proceed south on Rte 213.

On weekends the traffic on 213 isn’t bad as it sounds (especially when 10 or 20 motorcycles roar by) and you do have plenty of wide bike lane. Still, it’s a relief to turn left onto Rte 544, McGinnes Road, at the Royal Farms. I like to zip past the pumps, just to hear what tune is playing.

Served me right: for the rest of the ride, I couldn’t get this song off my mind:  I just want to cel-e-brate, another day of liv-ing . . ..

From Rte 544 take the first right onto Leverage Road. After a slight climb, the view on your right is marvelous: somehow you feel much higher up than you really are. Winding around to your left, enjoy the wide expanse of now cleared fields.

Turn left at Ewington Road and coast downhill. As you’re approaching Rte 544, pay particular attention to the dense tall trees flanking the road: they may be filled with vultures. They are silent birds, but if you startle them they will begin flapping from tree to tree. It is an eerie sight.

Turn left onto Rte 544 and prepare to get up out of the saddle and do some leg work.  Depending on the shape you’re in, by the time you climb the hill, you may or may not feel like the tiny cemetery at the top is waiting just for you. On the map it’s called the Thomas Cemetery, and is apparently reserved for members of the Thomas family. A quick scan with my Chestertown Spy Scope™, revealed there haven’t been any new graves in a long time.

Congratulations. The hardest riding is behind you, and from now on the inclines are moderate. Turn right onto Kibler Road (just opposite Leverage Road) and pedal to the end. Turn left onto Round Top Road.

Just before Round Top curves sharply to the left, I noticed an inconspicuous gray-green sign: Chester River Field Research Center. Curious, I pulled over, activated my iSpy phone, and Googled the name on the sign.

From the CRFRC website, I learned that I was standing before 228 acres of restored native grassland where scientists are studying how to manage wildlife habitats, particularly as they interact with active modern farming. There’s also a year-round avian migration research and banding station, called the Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory.

Later, I contacted Dan Small, of CRFRC.  He clarified, “the property is not open to the public (i.e., folks can’t just turn in off Roundtop Rd and go exploring on their own). Prior arrangement is required for all visits. We don’t have nature trails per se and there is hunting on the property. That said, we give bird banding demonstrations to interested groups whether its scouts or just for a family outing.”

Depending on how tired and hungry you are, you can either turn around and start back, or continue another mile or so to Roundtop Park, where you can perhaps watch a match of tennis.

Go back the way you came. At Rte 544, turn right, and then right again, at the Royal Farms onto Rte 213 north. At the Chester River Bridge, you may (by now) find yourself happy, perhaps even thrilled to get off your bike and walk across the bridge.  Your thighs will get a nice stretch, and the traffic, now in front of you, won’t seem nearly as menacing. One bridge, two completely different experiences. What a planet!

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