I recently had a chance to visit the main branch of my local library for a screening of the documentary, “Free For All”, a film about the history of the library system in the United States. It was a fascinating watch, and I highly recommend it (you can catch it on YouTube at this link). We often think of the local library as just a depository of books that can be borrowed, but it is so much more than that. …
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…
Ahhhhhhh, beer. The working man’s blue-collar drink. Since the dawn of civilization, skilled craftsmen have performed their magical alchemy and carefully brewed hops and barley, producing a golden elixir that has been celebrated and enjoyed for centuries. Throughout history, any town worth its salt has had a brewery. It was as common as a church, town hall, or marketplace. With the industrial age came homogenization and standardization. Local brewers were bought out or run out of business by large national…
October means cool nights, pumpkins, and of course – Halloween mania. Halloween has become the second-most popular holiday here in the US (thankfully, Christmas still reigns as the holiday champion), and there are those that wait all year for the chance to get their fright on. There are plenty of opportunities in the local four-state area to have the bejeezus scared out of you (if you’re into that), so check out these local attractions this holiday season (but just don’t…
For those of you familiar with my blog, you may remember a few months ago I spoke about the coming of BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse to Hagerstown. It’s located in the space formerly occupied by the Sear’s Automotive Plaza at the Valley Mall. In my previous post (click here if you want to review it), I offered dire predictions for their business model – based upon their menu size, price point, and local clientele. I appear to have been mistaken….
Spring is in the air. The March winds will soon give way to April showers. The nights will grow warmer, the birds will fill the trees with their morning songs, and the local area will once again come alive with the colors of the season. That means that it is also the time of year to start thinking about planting a garden. It doesn’t have to be much. A few windowsill containers can qualify, just the same as a half-acre…
I recently had the privilege of attending the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) spring production of “Seussical: The Musical” at the Maryland Theatre. Let me say that if you’ve never attended one of their shows – you should (they also do a wonderful “Holiday Spectacular” at Christmas). These kids are putting out top-quality entertainment and are all extremely talented. Honestly, you’ll forget they are high school kids in less than five minutes. Some of them are definitely bound…
How many times has this happened to you? You’re talking with friends about their weekend, and they drop the big bombshell “yeah we just saw [insert celebrity name here] in concert – it was great!” You, meanwhile, are thinking “Darn it! I didn’t even know [insert celebrity name here] was in town. I would have loved to see that show.” Don’t let that happen this year. I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of the big-name acts coming to…
Growing up in the four-state area, we often take our local sites and attractions for granted. They are so close and easily accessible that we often ignore them in favor of more far-flung destinations or activities. One of the many local gems that falls victim to this mindset is the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal. Commissioned by President James Monroe and built between 1828 and 1850, the C&O Canal was intended to provide a reliable trade route from the Appalachian…
Today I want to spend a few minutes to celebrate one of the luxuries and benefits of living in the four-state area – the local produce stand. I’m not talking about a once a week “farmer’s market” – set up in some parking lot or old warehouse building. Sure those are great, but I’m speaking now about hard working local farmers who offer up fresh and local produce on a day-to-day basis – usually right on site at their farms…