This past weekend, I celebrated another birthday. I turned 57, which is not old enough to qualify for Social Security, but still is old enough to say “may I have the senior discount, please?” at the movie theater. Anyway, at my age, a birthday is a good time to pause for a moment and reflect about the past, take stock of the present, and look forward to the future. I’ve made my share of life mistakes, but I’ve never had…
I’m always on the lookout for a great place to have dinner with friends and family. Market Street in Frederick, MD has several fantastic dining options, but for this visit, I traveled to the north end of that busy street for a taste of French cuisine at Up on Market Bistro. As the name implies, the bistro (and attached inn) is styled in the classic décor and furnishings of a typical French bistro or brassiere found all over Paris. Brass…
Well, another relatively dry and hot summer is in the record books, and I’m now looking forward to the cool nights and colorful landscape that makes fall my favorite time of the year, especially in the region where I live. In addition to the vibrant foliage, there are many other things that make autumn my favorite of all the seasons. What’s your favorite part of the fall season? Drop me a line in the comments below!
I spent this past weekend down in sunny (and wet) Florida, visiting family and also attending the parent’s weekend at my youngest daughter’s college – the University of Central Florida. Back when I was a Florida resident, UCF was just a small commuter school (think the size of Hagerstown Community College), but over the past twenty years, it has grown by leaps and bounds, now boasting the largest university population in the state with over 70,000 students. The construction on…
The beginning of September marks the start of college football season, and I spent a lot of time this past weekend channel surfing between YouTube channels watching various games (this week’s million dollar business idea – NFL RedZone [where only the scoring or big play highlights for all games are screened in one place live], but for college football. Someone can thank me later). So, who am I watching? Well, that all depends. I generally will watch a good Top…
The end of August signals the annual trek back to school for students all over the country. My youngest has started her fall semester at college, and I now get to navigate all of the daily school bus traffic on the local roads twice a day (be careful out there). My youngest is taking a Microeconomics course this semester, and I thought it would be interesting to follow along. So, while she attends her classes in person down south this…
The craft beer industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the past ten years. Now, in the beginning, that was a good thing. We were becoming more like Europe, where in countries such as Germany, it seems like every small town has their own brewery, and the beers there are generally good, unique, and flavorful. The first brew pubs were packed here in the U.S., and for connoisseurs of that wonderful, malty beverage, it was a golden age. Beer…
As you may know, I’m a big fan of the Walt Disney Company. I worked there for over fifteen years. My wife worked there. My brother and his wife worked there. My youngest daughter currently works there. Needless to say – we’re fans, so all of us were patiently waiting for the big announcements coming out of D23, Disney’s showcase of company announcements and plans for the future of their parks and experiences. Seeing as how Universal is opening up…
The first week of August means only one thing in my small town. It’s carnival week! Yes, that cavalcade of carnies, questionably-maintenanced rides, deep fried food, inflatable trinkets, and colorful, live entertainment descends once again on my little town, offering a week of summertime entertainment to young and old alike. The carnival marks the wind-down of the summer season, when kids know school is just around the corner and older folks know another summer is almost gone, soon making way…
Living in a rural area in the summer is a magical time. Gardens are in full bloom, and all over the countryside, local fruit and vegetable stands are busy, presenting fresh and just-picked produce used in our favorite summer recipes. They may be a formal market, a lean-to on the side of the road, or even just a small table at the end of a driveway (where payment is made on the honor system), but no matter where you find…