Ever since I was little, I’ve loved model trains (and that ladies and gentlemen – is a long time). I love to watch them wind around the track, chugging through tiny worlds that are lovingly created in exact detail. There are tiny shops, tiny trees, and tiny people. It fascinates me, and I could stare at model railroad displays for hours. I can fondly remember traveling out to the Hagerstown Fairgrounds when I was a wee lad to view the…
Well, we held out as long as we could in the Snyder household (at my insistence), but come the break of the post-Thanksgiving dawn on Friday, November 25th, my youngest began the constant barrage of “Dad, when are we going to put up the Christmas tree?” Honestly, she should be sent to Gitmo as an interrogator, as I’m convinced she could break every dangerous prisoner there inside of a week. (For those of you wondering – the tree went up…
Next week is Thanksgiving week, the busiest travel week of the year. Millions of Americans will be moving about the country by car, by bus, and by airplane to spend a long weekend with friends and family. Many of those folks will be travelling via Allegiant Airlines – some from right here in Hagerstown (as Allegiant serves the Washington County Regional Airport). I myself have relatives flying in via Allegiant. It has made its name as a low-cost airline, but…
What’s happened to all the “fine dining” choices in Hagerstown? “LJ’s”? Gone. “Aqua 103”? Being “re-launched”. “Family Meal”? Didn’t make it 6 months. These days, it’s easier to spot a Sasquatch or an “I’m with Hillary” bumper sticker than it is to sit down to a linen tablecloth when dining out in the county seat. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good Legion Steak Feed or hog butchering as much as the next guy, but there are times when…
Dear American Craft Brewers: Hello! I know you don’t know me, but I’d like to think that I write this letter to you as a representative of the American beer drinking population. First of all, let me say “thank you” for giving us much better versions of Pilsners, Lagers, Porters, and Stouts than any of the “big” breweries out there. You know which ones I’m talking about. The ones that produce watered-down, urine-colored hops and barley that I affectionately refer…
Taking advantage of the wonders of nature doesn’t always involve travel. In the four-state area, we are blessed with many breathtaking vistas right outside our own windows – beautiful mountains, sleepy creeks, and farmland dotted in squares of color. Next week, you’ll only need to walk outside and look up to see an astonishing show. The “Supermoon”. The full moon on the night of November 14th will appear larger and brighter than normal, due to the fact that its elliptical…
Well, it took long enough, but beautiful fall foliage finally arrived to the four-state area. I think this past weekend was probably our autumn peak for color. The leaves are now falling from the trees in earnest, the time change back to “Standard Time” has occurred (meaning shorter evenings and longer nights – by the clock at least), and colder temps and frost are in the forecasts. So what do the prognosticators and weather warlords predict for winter this year? …
Well gang, today marks my 5oth post to the blog, and in order to celebrate, I thought I would offer my up my personal recommendations for dining in the four-state area. There are high-end places to spend a lot of money for a special night out as well as local joints that aren’t fancy, but serve tasty food. Sure, your favorites may not be listed below, but there are also a lot of places I haven’t been as of yet,…
With just less than three weeks to go until Thanksgiving, you might very well wonder where all of the traditions and trappings we follow here in the United States came from. Well fear not, turkey fans, for I am here to provide you with all of the useless knowledge that will make you the conversation specialist at this year’s holiday table. Thanksgiving – the Date Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on different dates in different states in the early 1800’s. …
Every now and again it’s good to stop in at various eateries one encounters on the open road. If you’re a bit adventurous, the result can be an unexpected find or at the very least, a funny tale of culinary horrors you can relay to your friends and family. My wife and I had the recent good fortune of encountering the former – a little gem along route 68 in Western Maryland I never even knew existed until now –…