Waterfest and Broadway and Penn

I went to Excelsior last night and braved the thick humidity to hang with the K-man at one of the town's primo festivals..... Waterfest. We kicked off with a delish dinner at Willow Spring Mercantile. The lovely Daphne sold me on a hoppy Weston microbrew called Drop-Kick Ale. The brew and our refreshing Fruit and Cheese sampler were perfect tonics for the heat. We then devoured our Roast Beef Gyros with red onion, red bell pepper hummus, tzatziki sauce and feta cheese on a warm pita....yuh-hum. I know I've put up the website address before but I'm gonna keep doing it so everyone will go.....http://www.shopthemercantile.com/default.html

Fortified, we moved back to the heat where Keith had to return to official duty at the Waterfest table, so I scurried down to finally check out the newest entry to the downtown canvas. When I opened the door to vintage wonderland Broadway and Penn, I was nothing short of blown away. One of my favorite ES residents, Lisa McElwee has been working along with her family for some time to create this very special space and indeed the result is just fantastic. The look and the feel are all about vintage and it's captured perfectly. Exposed brick, wood floors and a striking centerpiece of hanging antique window frames all contribute to the homey atmosphere. The long wooden bar and retro decor complete the comforting picture. I loved the vintage kitchen goods. The utter thrill for me, though, was Lisa's goal for the space......a classic coffee bar and inspired food lines as well as an impressive selection of kitchen aprons, both vintage and new.....and so, so much more. I've known Lisa for a while. She's a Force of Nature, abundant with vision and creativity and she's been dreaming of a place of her own for some time. Girlfriend has done it in style. Stay tuned and watch this space.....big things will be coming to Broadway and Penn and soon. Check them out at http://www.broadwayandpenn.com/default.html.

With vintage themes dancing in the brain, it was inevitable we would finish the night with classic carnival food....the Almighty Funnel Cake and some fresh-squeezed lemonade. Funnel cakes and fireworks.....fine way to finish a hot summer night.