LE  GARAGE

 

Hampden has some great bar/restaurants and Le Garage fits right in.  Vicki and I went there tonight and were not disappointed.  We prefer to sit at the bar and tonight the bartenders dazzled us with their drink making talents.  The bar specializes in specialty drinks and beer.  We loved our choice - the Beaute.  It consisted of Polish rye vodka, creme de pamplemousse, grapefruit juice, and mint.  Smoooothe.   To accompany our cocktails, we shared a cheese course.  Fresh ricotta with honey on zucchini bread.  It was delicious.  Following that, Vicki chose an open faced bacon, tomato and basil sandwich and I loved my onion soup loaded with braised short rib and flavor.  We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and after looking around the room, felt a good time was had by all.

 

 

 

LE GARAGE

911 W 36th Street

Baltimore, MD  21211

PH: 410-243-6300

THE FOOD MARKET

Sunday Brunch - one of my favorite things!  Today's brunch was especially fun because I've been wanting to get together with my friends Bill and Brian and Eileen and Richmond.  We ventured to The Food Market in Hampden hon, on The Avenue.  Everyone enjoyed their selections, but here are the ones I considered to be the best from our choices:  Drink:  French Tease.  Hendrick's gin, domaine de canton ginger liqueur, splash lemon juice topped with champagne.  Lunch:  Pat Lafrieda Burger.  Diced bacon, lettuce, tomoato, onion, cheese, pickles, sesame bun.  Dessert:  Heath Bar Bread Pudding.  And that says it all!  We are looking forward to trying their dinner offerings, hopefully very soon!!

THE FOOD MARKET
1017 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD  21211
PH: 410-366-0606

ALCHEMY, Maryland

What a FUN night!!  The four of us were supposed to eat dinner together at a table by the window in lovely downtown Hampden hon, but we got there early and the four seats at the upstairs bar were calling us.  We nuzzled in and had a wonderful dinner with the help of our great bartender.  We loved the beverage menu and each of us ordered something different (Amy withchild, drinking non-alcholic).  Our dinners were great, three of us ordering from the Restaurant Week menu.  We all loved our choices and were quite pleased with our decision to eat here.  Do give it a try!


ALCHEMY
1011  W.  36th Street
Baltimore, MD  21211
PH:  410-366-1163

Crab Mac & Cheese
 

 OUZO  BAY

Georgia and Vicki and I met here tonight to celebrate my birthday.  What a great evening.  As a New York City lover, I am always looking for restaurants that remind me of NY and this one fit the bill.  I love going out with Georgia and Vicki because they appreciate good food and know where to go.  Tonight was no exception.  The lamb meatballs appetizer was amazing and my scallops entree was perfect.  Our server couldn't have been more nice, not to mention attentive.  If I'm going to get older, this is the way to do it!!!!


OUZO BAY
1000 Lancaster Street
Balto  MD  21202
PH: 443-708-5818

THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE

Tonight I attended the Industrious Woman Event honoring Baltimore City Deputy Mayor, Kaliope Parthemos.  The Exchange began shortly after the Civil War and has been at it's present location on Charles Street since 1887.  There are lots of hand-crafted goods made by women (and men) wishing to support themselves with dignity.  A great place to pick up specialty holiday gifts!  Visit at lunch time (11am-2:30pm) and enjoy delicious home-inspired comfort food.

THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE
333 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD  21201
PH: 410-685-4388, 410-244-6450

 BUSBOYS and POETS

It's been awhile since I've blogged, not because I haven't been out and certainly not because I haven't enjoyed myself.  It feels good to be back;  I'm going to try my best to find some time to sit at my computer and share my good times.  Lately there haven't been enough hours in the day.  My cousin Beth was recently in Washington D.C. and we managed to find a few hours to meet over lunch in Hyattsville at a fun restaurant called BUSBOYS AND POETS.  It's a casual, roomy spot with excellent food.  Neither of us had been there so it was a good find for us both.  Their menu offers traditional, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free items.  Beth was a good girl and ordered a salad (which she loved by the way) and I decided to cheat on my low carbs diet and eat bread.  I can always find a good reason to give in to eating bread, in this case meeting Beth was my special occasion excuse.  And, I should add that my Avocado Panini was wonderful, not to outdone by delicious sweet potato fries.  Woweee.  I can't wait to return and eat a great lunch and sit on one of the sofas afterward with my tea. 







BUSBOYS and POETS
5331 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD  20781
PH: 301-779-2787

 WHISKEY TASTING
Last month eight of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at a private whiskey tasting.  We met at James Joyce Pub located in Baltimore's Harbor East area.  I've been there several times, but never for this kind of treat.  Maybe it was a special night because I had no idea what to expect, or maybe because I don't drink whiskey and thought I might not have fun.  Either way, it was great!  Our host worked for Johnnie Walker, and gave us a mini whiskey education with each of our tastings.  James Joyce served us exceptional food and each serving was complimented with a different whiskey.  We sampled Johnnnie Walker Red, Black, Gold, and Blue.  I liked the Blue the most, but wouldn't turn away the Gold if asked.  (Just in case you're asking)

Cappuccino mousse cake

Pan seared duck breast

JAMES JOYCE PUB
616 S. President Street
Baltimore, MD  21202
PH: 410-727-5107

THE KITCHEN AT ROCK HALL

The Kitchen was recommended as a good restaurant for dinner and I am so grateful to have listened.  It was wonderful.  I knew the minute I heard Billie Holiday singing in the background that I was in the right place.  It is an intimate space with good service and a chef who cares.  What more could you ask for?  Oh yeah, good food.  They have that too.  My rock fish was crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, centered with three large shrimp, and resting on a bed of rice.  I don't know exactly what the sauce was, but I do know I couldn't get enough of it.   And what better to get in Rock Hall than Rock Fish???  Bill thoroughly enjoyed the fresh pan fried oyster appetizer and coupled it with a petite seared beef tenderloin and mashed red potatoes.  We were both very happy and full but knew that we could not ignore that this restaurant was too good to not sample dessert.  So, at the suggestion of our server, we chose the chocolate bread pudding with two spoons.  Neither of us are actually bread pudding fans, but this was exceptional.  If you find yourself hungry in Rock Hall, find yourself at The Kitchen.

THE KITCHEN AT ROCK HALL
5757 Main Street
Rock Hall, MD  21661
PH: 410-639-2700

INN AT HUNTINGFIELD CREEK

Entrance area/ living room

Every year Bill and I attend the Women's Housing Coalition fundraiser and each year we leave with a silent auction tidbit or two.  Last year Bill had the highest bid on an overnight stay at the Inn at Huntingfield Creek in Rock Hall, Maryland.  Almost a year has passed and we decided it was time to redeem our certificate.  So, we made our reservation and yesterday we drove to Rock Hall and had a wonderful, relaxing, enjoyable breather. As you can see, the Inn is beautiful and its owners, Joanne and Jim, are equally enjoyable.  Definitely add this to your list of destinations!

Dining room

Library/refreshment room

Library/refreshment room

Pier

Breakfast is served



INN AT HUNTINGFIELD CREEK
4928 Eastern Neck Road
Rock Hall, MD  21661
PH: 410-639-7779

STANFORD GRILL

Since Carol was the only one working today, Vete and I drove to her neck of the woods to meet her for lunch.  That "neck" happens to be Columbia.  It was fine with me because I've been to the Stanford Grill with her before and I was looking forward to returning.  Today I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie, it was delicious.  I try to curb my intake of breads, but that was not an option once I tasted the delicious crust of the pot pie.  Yumm.  The service was wonderful and the surroundings very comfortable.  Definitely a keeper on my list!


STANFORD GRILL
8900 Stanford Boulevard
Columbia,  MD  21045
PH: 410-312-0445

Tonight was a wonderful night.  Zoa and I sat outside at Oregon Grille and toasted Amy's new babies, Maggie and Mollie.  They were born today and we felt compelled to "toast" these two new babies and welcome them into this world and our circle.  It was a beautiful night so we decided to eat outside.  A light breeze made a comfortable night even more comfortable.  The food is always excellent here and there's never any question as to what I want to eat.  The sliced steak with fries is amazing and I can never resist ordering it.  As always, it was delicious!  I recommend the outside patio to everyone.

The Oregon Grille

1201 Shawan Road

Hunt Valley, MD  21030

PH: 410-771-0505

I got back into being an Orioles fan about three years ago and am I glad!  The O's are doing great and I'm loving every minute of it (almost).  Last night I got to watch them in person at Camden Yards.  Vicki and Clare and I had a great time.  We were in the third row at third base waiting for that slide into third that never came.  The weather was perfect and even the Red Sox fans around us were decent. Winning helped too!

When I returned from Italy, Vicki was returning from Belize and Georgia was getting ready to go to Italy.  The three of us managed to squeeze in a fun dinner at a relatively new restaurant in Historic Fells Point in Baltimore City.  It was a night to share our experiences and plans and be together.  Thames Street Oyster House is on Thames Street (duh), a very popular street along Baltimore's waterfront in its Fells Point Neighborhood.  We met early which is recommended, because after 7pm  there is little parking available, and that includes weeknights.  Our dinners were wonderful.  They serve seafood and offer an a la carte raw bar.  There is seating downstairs in the bar area, upstairs, and in the outside back garden.  I think they will be very busy this summer, hopefully I will be part of the crowd!









THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE
1728 Thames Street
Fells Point, MD  21231
PH:  443-449-7726

AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM, Maryland

Bill and I took his granddaughters to this museum last weekend. We wanted them to have a fun day, and a little culture we could all use. We had a great time. One of the artists gave us a private tour of some of the exhibits making us feel very special. There is plenty to see and absorb and appreciate and I think we all did that. Afterward it was gift shop time, which is another venture all its own!

AVAM
800 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
PH: 410-244-1900

CAFE HON, Maryland

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Hampden in Baltimore. Devin and I thought we would grab some lunch and walk around and maybe see some good "finds". It was "Support your Small Business Day" so the streets were crowded. The main street in this neighborhood is 36th Street, also known as "The Avenue". On "The Avenue" sit several restaurants and many stores of interest. Since Baltimore is known for its Hons , we decided to first eat at Cafe Hon and then browse their gift shop Hon Town across the street. It was a fun day, one to be repeated any day of the week, any chance we get.

CAFE HON
1002 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
PH: 410-243-1230

MA'S KETTLE, Maryland

Beth and I surprised Carol with a visit to go out for lunch. Carol surprised us with Ma's Kettle. It was an intimate blast from the past with home cooked food that "hit the spot". We all got hot food and pretended lunch was dinner. After observing familiarities between patrons and employees, it seems to be a favorite in the area. I know I will be going again for more.











MA'S KETTLE
8949 Baltimore Street
Savage, MD 20763
PH: 301-725-8838

LIQUID ASSETS, Maryland

I often heard about Liquid Assets, but I really couldn't appreciate it until our girls' weekend visit. Located on Coastal Highway in Ocean City, it doesn't stand out from the stores connected to it. However, once inside, I could see why it stands out among other places to go. It's a package goods store with a bar and a restaurant. Or, is it a bar and a restaurant with a package goods store?? I couldn't decide. Regardless, it was wonderful. Zoa and Christy and I sat at the bar which sits in the center of the room with its lounge area. There is table seating in another room. The bar is not huge, but it seats patrons on all sides. There are tvs for sports fans which was perfect since this is football season. And, the best part, is the food. We started with an assorted cheese board that came out too pretty to eat (even though we did). My entree choice was scallops with risotto. It was amazing! In the course of our visit, we made a trip or two around the room to scan the wine bottles and choose one to take back to the bar. There is a standard corking fee, but how often do you get to choose what you want to pair with your food after you've decided what you're eating? Everything about it was great, can't wait to go there again!

Liquid Assets
9301 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, MD 21842
PH: 410-524-7037

HOTEL ATLANTIC, Maryland

It's been awhile since I've written, time seems to have gotten away from me. Guess I was so busy being on the go that I didn't find time to sit down and write about it. A few weekends ago, Christy and I went with Zoa to Ocean City for a fun couple of days. One afternoon it was a little chilly for the Boardwalk, so we drove to Berlin, Maryland. Berlin is the town where the movie Runaway Bride was filmed. We strolled the streets and visited shops and enjoyed a relaxing lunch at the Hotel Atlantic. Our food was good and we sat by the window on the porch where we could take in the historic surroundings. I had one eye on my plate and the other looking for Richard Gere.

Hotel Atlantic
2 N. Main Street
Berlin, MD
PH: 410-641-3589

TOWN DOCK, Maryland

Town Dock is located in St. Michael's on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It's a wonderful place to sit by the peaceful water or browse lots of shops throughout the town. My brother and I spent several enjoyable hours there last weekend. We started out sitting on a dock at the Crab Claw Restaurant, eating a crab cocktail, drinking margaritas, and watching folks feed the ducks nearby. Afterward, we strolled through the historic town and chose to eat dinner on the deck of the Town Dock Restaurant. It was a beautiful night and our food was delicious. We chose two entree's to share, seafood risotto and scallops with polenta. Both were excellent, but rich. Neither of us could eat dessert. The restaurant sits in three levels facing the water. The bar sits above the inside restaurant area which sits above the outside seating area. It's a great place to satisfy patrons with diversified tastes.

TOWN DOCK
125 Mulberry Street
St. Michael's, MD 21663
PH: 410-745-5577

MISS SHIRLEY'S

It's August and I thought everyone should be at the beach. Surely, restaurants that are normally crowded wouldn't be in August. Wrong!! When Suzanne and I got to Miss Shirley's today for lunch, it was packed. There was a long wait to eat inside, so we opted for outside. Not our first choice because it was 90 degrees, but we're getting older and our patience seems to be getting shorter. So, outside we went. We were enjoying our mimosa and grapefruit crush when the rain started. At first it was refreshing, then it was just wet. Our waiter was kind enough to move us to a table under the overhang. We sat there for the remainder of lunch, quite happily. My chicken salad sandwich was good, but Suzanne's choice was the winner. She had a crabcake eggs benedict that was amazing. Since they don't take reservations, I would suggest you not be surprised if there's a wait, even though it's worth it.


Miss Shirley's
513 W. Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21210
PH: 410-889-5272