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Category: Road Trips

A Disney Vacation:  Is It Still A Magical Experience?

A Disney Vacation:  Is It Still A Magical Experience?

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Ahhh, the dream of the typical, American family.  There’s Mom, Dad, the eldest son and the youngest daughter.  They get the happy news in April that Dad got that well-deserved promotion at work and to celebrate, this summer they are going to pack up their suitcases and head down to Orlando, Florida for a week of fun and frolic at the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World.  They excitedly talk about it over the dinner table, discussing what…

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Road Trip:  Deep Creek Lake, MD

Road Trip:  Deep Creek Lake, MD

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For someone who has lived in Western Maryland for most of his life, I had never been to the Deep Creek Lake area of Western Maryland – an oversight I happily corrected over the recent Easter weekend.  Located in western-most Garrett County, it is Maryland’s largest fresh-water lake (fun fact – all the lakes in Maryland are man-made), covering over 3900 acres and consisting of over 65 miles of shoreline.  As one can imagine, it has year-round outdoor opportunities –…

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Questionable Business Ideas – Who Approved This?

Questionable Business Ideas – Who Approved This?

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I see a lot of what I would consider “questionable” business ideas around my local area.  For example, we’ve got a ‘Bed, Bath, & Beyond’ that seems to be on its last legs in one of our local shopping strip malls, and what did some genius decide to put in just a few storefronts down?  A ‘Home Goods’ store.  Are their pillows really that much better than the ones at BB&B?  Just how many candles holders does one household need,…

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Local Breweries:  The More the Merrier

Local Breweries:  The More the Merrier

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Ahhhh, beer. These days, brew masters are always finding new ways to ferment ingredients into an elixir enjoyed by humans since the dawn of time.  Whether it be lagers, ales, stouts, sours, or ciders – if it can be brewed into a beverage, someone local is doing it.  With the weather turning colder, it’s a great time to get out and sample some of the concoctions these local artisans have to offer.  Listed below are some of the places I…

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Road Trippin’:  California Style (Part Two)

Road Trippin’:  California Style (Part Two)

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Last week I detailed my first two days of my recent California Labor Day adventure, where I got to spend a few busy days visiting my brother on the West Coast.  If you missed Part One, I suggest you go take a look.  Things will make a little more sense as we dive into the back half of my ‘So Cal’ travels.  Let’s get going, shall we? Day 3 I awoke early again (still on East Coast time), and got…

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Road Trippin’:  California Style (Part One)

Road Trippin’:  California Style (Part One)

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You may have noticed I didn’t publish a blog entry last week.  That’s because I took the Labor Day weekend for a quick trip to the West Coast to spend some time with my brother, who lives in Los Angeles.  It was a short visit, but boy did we pack it in. Day 1 After a cross-country flight, I touched down at the Hollywood-Burbank airport around noon local time, where I was picked up by my younger brother.  His wife…

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College Football Season:  Who Ya Rootin’ For?

College Football Season:  Who Ya Rootin’ For?

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You know fall is approaching when college football season is back in business.  The excitement starts this coming weekend – so who are you pulling for?  Who’s your favorite team? Many folks root for the university they attended.  That’s all well and good, except for when your college is without a football team.  My alma mater, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) doesn’t have a football squad (although they did become the darlings of March Madness in 2018 when…

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College Move-In 2022:  The Apartment Version

College Move-In 2022:  The Apartment Version

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I was away from the writing desk last week, taking the weekend to drive back down south to move my youngest back in for another year of college.  This time, it was a little different, as she was moving into her first apartment – off-campus (her university only guarantees on-campus housing for the freshman class).  As you can imagine, this took a little more planning and research, since her university is about twelve hours away (driving time) from our home….

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Great Ideas:  Summer 2022 Edition

Great Ideas:  Summer 2022 Edition

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Did you ever feel you have a “million dollar” idea?  Not that you’d literally make a million dollars, but an idea you feel just “can’t miss”? My wife and I get these all the time.  For example, years ago, we thought that if a pet food company came out with cans of gravy – just gravy – they’d make a fortune.  We even named our idea – “Auntie Leigh’s Happy Lappin’ Cat Gravy”.  Sure fire winner right there, and apparently…

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Picking Crabs: A Maryland Tradition

Picking Crabs: A Maryland Tradition

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There are some foods that are synonymous with a state’s identity.  Maine has its lobster, Georgia has their peaches, Louisiana has the crawfish; however, in Maryland, one food item reigns supreme. The Maryland blue crab. Nothing beats sitting down at a long, paper-covered table piled high with freshly steamed blue crabs, the air filled with the signature smell of Old Bay seasoning.  Armed with a mallet and a small knife, it’s now each diner’s job to dissect these crustaceans, picking…

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