Pick Your Pleasure

Maybe you’re a pumpkin spice person or maybe you’re a mulled cider person. What ever your preference, I think it’s safe to say that Fall weather is making itself known and it may very well be time to put away the last of the summer clothes and pull out some sweaters or comfy hoodies. 

Maybe. We know how quirky Maryland weather can be.

Speaking of pumpkin….are you a pumpkin carving person or a pumpkin painting person? I’ve done both. After years of encouraging squeamish preschoolers to stick their hands into pumpkin guts for the sensory experience, I’m certainly not afraid to get my hands dirty. But a whole lot of glitter paints (and maybe even glow in the dark?) can be fun, too.

Why do I ask? Well, I noticed that Tribos Peri Peri in Ellicott City is doing their free pumpkin carving again this year.

From Tribos Peri Peri Instagram 

Join us at Tribos Peri Peri Ellicott City for spooktacular evenings of creativity all month long!

Enjoy free pumpkin carving-bring your own tools or use ours! Carve your own jack-o-lantern and take it home to brighten up your neighborhood.

Whether you're channeling your inner artist or looking for a fun family activity, we've got you covered with delicious food and no clean-up hassle!

Every Thursday from 5 PM to 8 PM

until Halloween! Offer is at the Tribos Peri Peri Ellicott City location only. Call 410-720-2448

to RSVP!

Below are some photos from last year’s events. I’m almost tempted to dive in, myself.

Yes, I’ve written about Tribos before. We discovered them on the Fourth Of July in 2023 and just keep coming back. The food and service are excellent and the owner and his family have been very kind to us. 

If you haven’t been there yet, they are located across from Waterloo Elementary School, near where Eggspectation used to be. Or, to be precise:

Today’s Thursday, so - - if you want to get in on this pumpkinpalooza, give them a call to reserve your spot.

And now, for something completely different:

Here’s an event which is definitely not kid friendly and it’s not in Howard County. But it’s absolutely, positively Halloween-themed.

Image from Monarque social media 

A sinfully sweet Halloween awaits you at Monarque 

Join us for a night of interactive entertainment, a prix fixe menu, Sweet Gwendoline cocktails and much more. 

Reserve your seat https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=1070506&restref=1070506&experienceId=348364&utm_source=external&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=shared

From the Open Table Listing:

Join us for a tantalizing event in partnership with Sweet Gwendoline Gin! Monarque will be celebrating Halloween in style with intimate discoveries, interactive entertainment, and burlesque on the main stage. Join us early in the evening for a three course meal, two Sweet Gwendoline cocktails, and the full range of wicked entertainment. Then slide through the secret passage to Elk Room for a wild afterparty!  Delight and Bewitch is an event for guests 21 years of age and over.

Monarque is located on Fleet Street in Harbor East.

Why am I sharing this here? It’s simple. The event is the brainchild of former HoCo Blogger HoCoHouseHon. Those personal connections  carry a lot of weight around here.

What’s your favorite Fall and/or Halloween tradition in HoCo? Let me know.

 Village Green/Town² Comments 

Racism Mars Community Conversations

 

I’m about to make a claim for which I have no scientific proof. You have been warned.

Nobody who has read this news is happy about it:

Howard County Police arrest teen, charge him with first-degree murder in weekend shooting, Abby Zimmardi, Baltimore Banner

Or, to be more precise, every response I have seen on social media has been expressed with varying degrees of anger, fear, sadness, and frustration. At long last, Howard County can agree on something.

That’s where the agreement ends, however. Where we diverge is in how we respond, how and if we want to lay blame, or what we think should be done next. I can safely say that some folks want to lay blame a whole lot more than they want to entertain viable solutions.

In reviewing three of those online conversations/threads, I wasn’t surprised to see that some used this inicident as an open door to spew all kinds of racist nonsense and glaringly obvious dogwhistles. The sheer enthusiasm of this kind of online behavior looks less like community concern and more like children on a holiday trip to the amusement park. Perhaps these commenters generally keep their racism under wraps during day-to-day exchanges but, wow - - give them an excuse and the floodgates are opened.

It’s sad. And I would feel sad if it didn’t make me so angry.

It is possible to discuss this topic and not spew racism. I know this because I read through another local online conversation where there was plenty of deep feeling and disagreement but not one incident where racist words were used. 

The third conversation was primarily straightforward with a few unhelpful comments. Other commenters called out the racism when they saw it.

It is possible. It is possible to talk about this deeply disturbing incident which combines crime, violence, guns, schools, and students without using it as a free pass to be racist.

Not only is this behavior just plain wrong it also does nothing to address the problems that we, as a community, need to address. In fact, it makes them even harder to solve.

If it isn’t possible for you than maybe you should take a hard look in the mirror.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Drink up, HoCo!

The Baltimore Banner ran a brief piece yesterday about Howard County seasonal cocktails. 
 

What’s on tap in Howard County this fall? Sip into the season with autumn-inspired drinks, Claire Duarte, The Columbia Mom for the Baltimore Banner

I don’t know exactly how these sorts of arrangements work. I don’t think that Claire Duarte works for the Banner in the traditional sense. She’s an independent content creator with an emphasis on advertising and marketing. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram. 

Also, she’s not to be confused with Kris Schneider of Howard County Moms  which is a Facebook group focused on community. Both women were written up in the Baltimore Sun in April. Alas, I no longer have access to that article. The Columbia Mom page is pushing content out, whereas Howard County Moms engages group members in community-oriented conversations around local opportunities and events. Both share relevant local information; the way they do it and what they are aiming for differs.

Schneider was also written up by the Sun in 2017 if you are able to see that. (So far I don’t regret cancelling my subscription to the Sun when it comes to their current coverage. I do miss having access to past material.) 

But I digress: the topic was cocktails, yes? Duarte’s piece reminded me of the time I was fortunate enough to attend a media evening introducing Cured/18th and 21st. One of the restauranteurs who spoke to us talked about the evolution of the new restaurant concept, and how he had carried around an idea for a new cocktail specifically for 18th and 21st “in his back pocket” for a very long time. It was the first time I had thought about the creative process as it pertained to beverages.

And it is creative. Possibly even an art. 

Reading this piece in the Banner brought to mind an article I’d like to read: what are the local establishments that have the best alcohol-free options: creative mocktails, NA beers and wines? That would be strong selling point for me, as most visits I make to restaurants include a mix of drinkers and non-drinkers. When I choose a location for a family gathering or birthday meal, I want to be confident that the options for everyone in the party are equally appealing and imaginative.

To be honest, most places we’ve been consider themselves accommodating if they offer one alcohol-free beer. 

More and more people are choosing to live sober or to choose alcohol-free options from time to time for any number of reasons. Hopscotch Bottle Shop in Fells Point/Baltimore opened in response to the growing sober and sober-curious market. Here in Howard County local nonprofit Sobar has brought appealing alcohol-free options into the mainstream at area events and festivals. 

So where are HoCo commercial establishments promoting their Fall mocktails? Seasonal NA brews? Alcohol-free wines that pair perfectly with their new seasonal menu? 

I wonder if the hospitality industry is operating under the assumption that alcohol is for everyone, alcohol-free is for a small, specialized group. Who are you going to pitch to? Not the small, specialized group, I guess.

There’s also a financial aspect. There’s a huge markup on alcohol and that’s where a lot of businesses really make their money. Customers are used to the idea that it’s the alcohol in the drink that makes it expensive, so they balk at an alcohol-free beverage carrying the same price tag. But when those drinks are made with creativity, care, and high quality ingredients, they aren’t cheap to produce. Asking restaurants to willingly lose money is a hard sell.

Asking restaurant patrons to change their mindsets about the cost of their drinks can be, too.

Questions of the day: 

1. Do you have any favorite fall drinks of any variety?

2. Have you had any exceptionally good alcohol-free beverages in Howard County? Downtown Columbia, even? 

Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Acorns, Eels, and the Power of Connections

I can’t tell you how thrilled I was at the positive response to last week’s post about the eel ladder. I was afraid it was one of those things that intrigued me personally but lacked general appeal. This happens. 

I never would have known about the eel ladder if it weren’t for someone whose name might be familiar to you: AJ Metcalf. Metcalf was a local editor for Patch back in the day. The early days of Patch were peopled with some legitimately gifted journalism folks and I’ve kept track of some of them since then. 

Mr. Metcalf is now the Director of Media Communications for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. It’s that human connection that prompted me to follow DNR’s  social media accounts. You may recall I wrote about their intriguing call for acorns last year. 

“We need yours nuts.” 

Simply because of this one personal connection I’ve frequently found myself fascinated and better informed about aspects of Maryland I had really known very little about. From their website: 

Vision Statement

Inspired by nature and rooted in science to improve and grow stewardship for Maryland’s natural resources.

Mission Statement​

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources leads the state toward a resilient future by using data, partnerships, and an innovative spirit to improve ecological, social, and economic outcomes for all communities.

Naturally I’m always on the lookout for stories where the activities of the DNR fall within our local area. That’s what drew me in to the eel ladder story. Then, last night, in an entirely different setting, the Department of Natural Resources popped up again. 

This question appeared on the ColumbiaMD Reddit:

When is peak foliage expected to occur this fall in Columbia Maryland?

Well! I thought people only cared about peak foliage in vacation destinations like Vermont. Does anyone keep track of perfectly ordinary Columbia, Maryland? Surprisingly, yes.

Guess who? A reader responded:

A month or so, you can get emails from DNR. The info is posted here:

https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2024/10/10/fall-foliage-report-for-october-10-2024/

In case you appreciate visual aids, here’s a map DNR posted several days ago.

Map showing the Fall foliage in Maryland 

Years ago I had a rather heated discussion with someone about what was the most motivating factor in getting people to attend choral concerts. He said it was the music on the program and I said it was who would be performing. Yes, it was a rather silly argument and more an indication of what each of us was most motivated by. In retrospect, both are important. But even then, fresh out of college, I was aware of how much personal connections motivated me.

It’s also true that, in the case of Mr. Metcalf, if I hadn’t already been deeply interested in the natural environment I might not have been motivated to take more than a cursory glance. It’s rarely either/or. 

Have you ever become interested in something because a friend or family member clued you in to something new? I think sometimes we underestimate the power of those connections.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Bad Attitude

I’m just going to admit it. I’m more ticked off about a bunch of things than I am inspired about any particular local stories right now. For today, I’m asking you to humor me. You most certainly do not need to agree with me. But a blog is meant to be commentary, after all.

My current laundry list:

1. People who want to celebrate Columbus Day should be required to give public readings of the atrocities committed by Columbus during his lifetime.

2. Not everything you don’t like in community affairs is an evil scheme.

3. Professional football is violent and racist, wildly expensive, and contributes nothing positive to who we are in this country.

4. While we’re at it, high school bands should not exist to serve football.

5. I really, really hate political campaign seasons, national and local. Local is worse, I think.

6. Not a fan of what Larry Hogan thinks passes for leadership. 

7. I hate that I am always discovering little pockets of racism in myself. 

8. So pleased that inflation is under control. Could someone please let the grocery stores know?

9. What is it with HCPSS and deferred maintenance??? 

10. Scapegoating immigrants is ugly whether it’s in a campaign speech at the national level or in local Facebook groups.

And there you have it. Perhaps I should add, “Get off my lawn” ? I’ll see you tomorrow, hopefully with a better attitude.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

F ³: When the Music Speaks

 

I feel as though it has been a while since I’ve talked about arts education. The topic reached out and grabbed me last night when I stumbled upon a program in public television called Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends.

This program is a part of a larger series called Voces. 

About VOCES

Produced by Latino Public Broadcasting, the acclaimed PBS documentary series VOCES features the best of Latino arts, culture and history and shines a light on current issues that impact Latino Americans. Devoted to exploring the rich diversity of the Latino experience, VOCES presents new and established filmmakers and brings their powerful and illuminating stories to a national audience. - - PBS/mpt

This episode tells the story of the Mambo Legends Orchestra, a music ensemble “committed to keeping the sounds of the great Afro-Cuban bandleaders Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez alive for future generations.” The program is rich with engaging storytelling that invites the viewer into the history of the rise of mambo in the U.S. and the Afro-Cuban musicians who loved and championed it.

It’s also alive with the music itself: exciting rhythms, complex harmonies, a driving energy that makes you feel the entire orchestra might lift off and take flight. I’d encourage you to look them up on YouTube to get a sense of the music and how they perform together. An audio recording alone isn’t enough.

As I watched I realized there were two things percolating in my mind. One was that I was learning so much history and it bothered me that I hadn’t been exposed to any of it in school. This was a culture that none of my educational environments had deemed important enough to study. And, as a music major in college, this was a musical genre that I never encountered.

Of course, that was a while ago. Perhaps college music programs are broader these days.

The other thought I had was how cool it would be for schools to have their own mambo groups. Yes, we are all used to Jazz Bands but could students learn the same skills and gain new musical experiences by participating in a different kind of ensemble? Total immersion in mambo’s musical culture could be a beautiful thing, not just musically but also as an affirmation of cultural identity.

To be clear, this is not the same as having your Jazz Band do a piece with a “Latin flair” any more than one can claim to honor Black music by performing a spiritual once a year for Black history month. This kind of music is worthy of more than a token acknowledgment. The history and culture of the people who are keeping this music alive is worthy of study and celebration, and not just during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

We can’t ask our public schools to be all things to all people and I do believe that our music programs do amazing things. I’m excited about the developing Modern Band curriculum which is offering more opportunities to students who might normally opt out of participating in school music ensembles. But as I watched Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends, it got me thinking about whose cultures we honor and how much we miss by continuing to do what we have always done.

What do you think?

Village Green/Town² Comments

Let’s Go to the Park

Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods is the place to be this weekend with back to back community events.

(Does that sentence need an exclamation point? I’m not sure I’m awake enough for that yet.)

On Saturday it’s the return of the Hops and Harvest Festival from 12 to 5 PM. 

From the event page:

The Hops & Harvest Festival returns to Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods on October 12th! For 2024, Hops & Harvest is running a single extended festival session from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

This year's lineup features more than 100+ local beers, wines, and spirits with unlimited tastings, live entertainment, artisan, vendors, fresh local eateries, games, and more!

Featuring live performances by the best local artists, the entertainment lineup for this festival is great!

Enjoy activities like cornhole while letting the little ones play in the children's area.

This is a paid, ticketed event. Click here to purchase tickets. To learn more about what’s on offer at the festival, visit the Hops and Harvest website.  I’m tickled to see that local nonprofit Sobar will be there featuring NA beers and ciders. 

As with any event that centers around alcohol, make sure you have a designated driver. 

Sunday is HoCo Pride 2024! (Okay, I was ready for that exclamation point.) 

From the event page:

This year, we are celebrating Finding Vibrance Everywhere at our 5th annual HoCo Pride Festival!!

Our Pride festival is a vibrant, family-friendly event that brings together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity, promote equality, and foster a sense of community. The festival will feature a variety of activities, including live music, entertainment, vendors, food trucks, and games.

Our goal is to create a welcoming space where everyone can feel proud of who they are and who they love.*

Pride is free and open to the public but you must register in advance for your tickets so they know how many people to expect and so they can assign parking.

Weather predictions for the weekend (as of now) look hopeful. I’m looking forward to Pride and spending an afternoon in my favorite park.

Village Green/Town² Comments