Wagon whale, rooftop sips and the guy who saved the day
It’s officially “sip things on a patio” season but I’m just sitting here wondering why my grass grows 3 inches every time I blink. For today I’ll call it ‘intentional re-wilding’ and continue to ignore it. Then be racked by guilt when I see my neighbor weed whacking. Sigh.
Anyway, we have better things to talk about than my grass. We’ve got rooftop reveals, seasonal scoops and a history lesson that proves our ancestors were for sure weirder than we are.
Let’s dive in.
🤔 Did you know?
Washington wasn’t the only one crossing the Delaware. In November 1815, a 20 foot Northern Bottlenose whale took a very wrong turn and ended up in the shallow waters of the Delaware River near Morrisville.
Local residents captured Wally (a name given by clever historians) and decided the most logical and obvious next step was to haul poor Wally to the center of Doylestown on a giant wagon (what.the.heck.).
You could pay 25 cents to see the 'Monster of the Deep' - a nickname that definitely wouldn’t have hurt Wally’s feelings at all - at the Doylestown Hotel (which is now a Starbucks, because, progress). Next time you’re waiting for a latte, just remember: a decomposing, 20 foot whale once sat exactly where you're standing. The smell was, by all accounts, historically bad…(these bad jokes are part of the charm).
🍳 On the menu
Seafood lover or not, mosey on over to Jules at Market for their spring menu. Start with the oyster flight (a passionfruit and urfa chili combo). It’s insanely good. The move for dinner is Bronzino. The primavera fregola salad and sweet peas give it the spring vibe you want. And we’re dessert fans here so save a little room for the strawberry citrus olive oil cake. Walk it off on the Bristol Waterfront afterward if the weather is nice.
Are we even friends if we don’t talk about ice cream? Owowcow dropped the new seasonals and honestly, it’s a hazard to my waistline. I’m personally eyeing the ‘fancy tea party in a cone’ (tea & biscuits). But here’s the full lineup: Tea & Biscuits: Earl Grey lavender with lemon shortbread. Toast & Jam: Brown butter base with swirls of berry jam. Chocolate Honeycomb: Milk chocolate loaded with crunchy honeycomb bits.
❤️ Local heart
Sometimes, being a good neighbor means more than just waving across the driveway (or not mowing your lawn before 8am on Sundays). Back in December, eight of our neighbors were marked safe thanks to the incredible bravery of two local heroes.
Around 5am, Justin Ritorto was heading out for an early gym session when he spotted flames at a home right across from Penndel Borough Hall (more proof that working out is a good call) . Without a second thought, Justin sprinted toward the fire, banging on doors and windows to wake the family inside. He was quickly joined by Officer Sean Peck, who had spotted the blaze from the station across the street.
Together, they managed to get three generations of the Turner family (including the kids) out of the house just moments before it was fully engulfed. Our local congressmen recently recognized Justin for his heroism. We couldn’t be prouder to call him a neighbor.
📍Where I’m heading
We all know the Ferry Market is the go-to when nobody in the group can agree on what to eat. But it’s also officially evolved into one of our favorite weekend hangout hubs. You can grab a SkyRoast pour over, order a pizza or gyro and people watch (you do that too, right?) on the dog friendly patio. It’s now less of a quick bite spot and more of a “stay for two hours” destination.
Outdoor sip season is officially here (finally!). Which means you’re probably looking for the ultimate perch. So, look no further than the new Main Sip rooftop bar (private cabanas available, just fyi). It’s the first place in Doylestown where you can drink while being closer to the clouds. And there’s just something about a cold drink and a warm breeze that hits differently when you’re a few stories up.
By the way, the best “I’m too cheap to turn on the AC” replies from Friday:
Jim: “Soak some hand towels then freeze them, wrap them around your neck.” (Sweet relief for about 5 minutes)
Jill: “Tuck frozen peas in your pillowcase.” (Feels lumpy, I’m doing this wrong)
Linda & Dawn: “Add a bowl of ice cubes in front of your box fan!” (I’m sold on this one actually)
Good news is you won’t need any of these tricks for a bit since we’re headed back to ‘freeze warning’ status 🙃.
Have a great Sunday, see you Tuesday!
May your lawn get mowed by someone other than you,
Cait at From Bucks
P.S. Reply and let us know what you’d love to see here. We love hearing from you and reply to everyone.