Friends who know I am a “foodie” have been asking recently – “have you tried ‘Foster’s On The Point’ yet?” So, while the kids were out of town recently on a trek with my mother, my wife and I got the chance to check the place out for dinner. Located on Salem Avenue on the west side of Hagerstown, MD., Foster’s took over and totally rehabbed the restaurant and bar space formerly occupied for many years by the old Woodpoint…
The dog days of summer are here, my friends. Yes, it’s hot out, but there are still some days where a cool morning or evening breeze makes me close my eyes, take a deep breath, and be thankful to be a resident on this big, blue planet we call home. I have several summertime traditions, built over a lifetime of experiences. These are “highlights” that I like to enjoy each year, and the list is ever-changing and growing. To me,…
Ahhhh, summer camp. As a youth, I distinctly recall a memorable week at Holiquin Stables (near Waynesboro, PA) , where I learned all about horses and riding. My brother and I spent seven glorious days and six nights learning riding techniques, horse anatomy, stable chores, and animal care. We were also the only two people at camp who rode “western saddle”, like in the cowboy movies (this was at my grandfather’s insistence – everyone else at camp rode proper “English”…
As this Independence Day draws near, I hearken back to a time when America threw probably its biggest celebration party to date – the Bicentennial celebration. Yes, in 1976, the nation went wild with festivals and celebrations for the nation’s 200th birthday, and in the days before cell phones, YouTube, or Go Pros, one had to actually visit the special events going on around the country to experience the pomp, circumstance, and majesty of the spectacle. Remember the “Tall Ships”? …
Remember when the shopping mall was THE place to be? One could have it all – clothing, sporting goods, home goods, shoes, even check out the latest movie. Big-name department stores anchored each end of the mall, and smaller specialty shops filled all of the spaces in between. You could eat at your favorite fast-food outlet or grab a snack from a nationally-known kiosk. The mall was also a social gathering place. Teens flocked there – to see and be…
The summer months are upon us. Now is the time to get out on that grill! If you’re like me, you use the grill all year round, but the summer months are a special time for cooking outside. How can you beat a juicy steak, burger, chicken thigh, or sausage – flame-kissed and beautifully browned with those distinguishing grill marks? Grilling is also a fast and easy way to make a delicious lunch or dinner, and also helps to cut…
As I have written about in previous articles, I am spending the summer as a seasonal employee for a big-box home improvement store (the blue one) in the “inside seasonal” section of the store. I assist customers with their purchases of everything from lawn chemicals and bug killer to lawn mowers, trimmers, air conditioners, and air filters. Yes, it’s a busy section – and a busy time of the year. Veterans of the store refer to the summer season as…
Wow! School has been out for only two days and already I’m hearing “I’m bored” from the kids in my household. That certainly didn’t take long. The summer has “officially” returned, and this one will be one of the longest away from school in many years (thanks to the decision to send the kids back to school after Labor Day this year). So what’s a parent to do? How can the kids fill the hours (and not drive you insane…
There’s a long holiday weekend coming up. It’s the “unofficial” kick-off of another summer season. Memorial Day weekend will be marked around the country with cook-outs, the uncovering of swimming pools, and an extra day off from work to celebrate the impending warm weather ahead. Amidst all of the holiday hustle and bustle; however, I urge you to take a few moments to understand and remember what the holiday is really all about. Celebrated on the last Monday in May,…
Local residents often take for granted that the four-state area is steeped in history, dating all the way back to the days when this country was founded. One event that celebrates the transportation systems of an earlier time is coming up this weekend – National Pike Days. One of the first major “improved” highways funded by the federal government (and authorized by President Thomas Jefferson in 1806), the National Pike (also known as the “Cumberland Road” or its more common…