Posted by Jon Westman
It was a evening of firsts in Snow Hill last night (March 5) as the monthly celebration of art known as “First Friday” unveiled the latest and largest gallery exhibit by photographer Cheryl Nemazie at the prominent and popular Bishop’s Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft gallery.
Change is the Constant: Reflections on a Malleable Society is a stunning photographic series of water reflections captured by Nemazie as they naturally appeared.
“I began shooting the series while vacationing in Venice, Italy, for several weeks,” Cheryl said. “After days of shooting through numerous canal-ways, my eye turned to the images ethereally shifting and changing beneath me. I thought of Venice’s vibrant history and how the reflections themselves may have changed in color and structure over the course of it, but that the constant ebb and flow of the canvas had not. Since that visit, throughout my travels both here and abroad, I have always made time for similar thoughts and capturing the literal reflections with my camera.”
It is the first photography exhibit in the seven-year history of Bishop’s Stock – widely regarded as one of the Eastern Shore’s finest art galleries. Gallery owner Ann Coates has always been hesitant to hang a collection of photography, but after meeting with Nemazie, seeing her creative and captivating collection of images and learning about her photographic passions, the decision became an easy one.
“When I saw her documentary work, it blew me away,” Ann said. “The Reflections collection is true fine art photography. It is just fabulous. She had never done anything like this, and this was a first for me too, so we put our heads together and had a great time planning it. It really is a fantastic show.”
“I rely on my sense of color and composition in my framing of these images,” Cheryl said. “The works are digitally captured, but produced in methods reminiscent of traditional darkroom developing. None of the images have been “Photoshopped,” and I do not use special-effect filters. The magic lies in the ever changing patterns and colors reflecting the environment beyond a water canvas.”
“Photography’s true definition is writing with light,” Cheryl continued. “In that vein, my documentary work could be said to be my non-fiction, portraiture – my commercial work can be thought of as the business oeuvre, or fiction – depending on how jaded one feels. But my Change is the Constant series, with its finely honed images… this is my poetry.”
Change is the Constant: Reflections on a Malleable Society is on display at Bishop’s Stock through March 31. For more information, visit www.cherylnemazie.com and www.bishopsstock.com.
Poplar Springs Inn Owner/Chef Howard Foer
Posted by Jon Westman
Luxury meets serenity. That’s the first thought that comes to mind to describe the Poplar Springs Inn in Casanova, Virginia – where Erin and I spent a recent weekend. Owner/Chef Howard Foer and his accommodating staff roll out the red carpet for their guests each night – whether it’s for patrons of his magnificent Inn, the spectacular restaurant called The Manor House, or the tranquil spa – the service and amenities are first-class.
Located just three and a half hours from the sandy beaches of the Eastern Shore, Poplar Springs is a relaxing and rejuvenating retreat set on more than 200 acres of the breathtaking Virginia countryside. The return of spring provides the perfect opportunity to visit Poplar Springs and experience its lavish conveniences – both inside and out. Warmer temperatures offer guests the chance to explore the property’s romantic nature trails, to relax in its soothing outdoor hot tub or to embark on a private picnic for two exquisitely prepared by the staff.
Poplar Spring’s dining opportunities are extensive and exceptional. The resort offers a host of options, including a wide variety of delectable dinner selections, such as:
Seared Moulard duck breast served with pan roasted apricots
Herb gnocchi with a roasted Vidalia onion sauce
Roulade of veal scaloppini with pancetta & oven dried tomato and spiced pecan butter
Seared diver scallops with a tomato saffron fish sauce with a saffron fettuccini
Medallions of bison strip loin with a green peppercorn sauce
Crispy Maitake mushrooms and braised chayote squash.
An expansive selection of lunch options from the spa, coupled with a creative light fare menu served in the cozy Casanova Lounge, room service availability and brunch varieties create a host of dining choices morning, noon and night. There’s absolutely no need to look for a restaurant off of the property. I suggest ordering lunch from the spa menu and requesting it be served in front of the gorgeous lobby or library fireplaces. It’s a subtlety that will go a long way with your partner.
Look for our in-depth feature about the Poplar Springs Inn inside our July-August issue. For more information, visit www.PoplarSpringsInn.com.
After being asked "Where was the first place you and your husband made love" City Council Member Mary Knight is surprised that her husband Frank's response was not accurate! "Which woman are you thinking of, FRANK?" Poor Guy. 
Post and Photography by Brittany Krempel
A night at Seacrets with hundreds of your friends sounds like a blast — and the only thing that can make it better is sure if you can spend it with your friends and raise money for a GREAT cause. Tonight at Morley Hall at Seacrets on 49th Street in Ocean City, the Parrothead Club of Ocean City (www.ocphc.com) hosted an awesome fundraiser for the Message of Hope Eastern Shore Chapter. Check them out online at www.amessageofhopecf.org.
You should know they are a great organization. In short, the Message of Hope provides help to families who have been financially devastated in one way or another from the affects of cancer. I spoke with Debbe Manoly, the President of the Eastern Shore Chapter of Message of Hope — who decided to become a part of the group after her daughter survived a battle with skin cancer.
The event was very well attended and more than enjoyable. The “Not-So-New” Newlywed Game was beyond hilarious and had me in stitches the entire time. Some of the answers were just priceless. One that comes to mind was when Ocean City Councilwoman Mary Knight was asked, “Where is the first place you and your husband made love?” She responded that it was at Frank’s home in Monkton, Md. When Frank came out and responded to the question with a TOTALLY different location, Mary shouted, “Which of your women are you thinking about FRANK?” Poor Frank!
It was a fun night spent raising money and awareness for a great cause!
