Bel Air News & Views

Fruit festivals sweeten summer in Harford County

2008-07-17T13:59:00.005-04:00

I always love a fruit festival. I just like like the way it sounds -- a whole festival of blueberries ... or peaches. We have both coming up in Harford County. The Harford Friends School is holding its annual Blueberry Festival Saturday from 10am to 2 pm at the Deer Creek Friends Meetinghouse, 1212 Main St. Darlington. For more information, click here to see their flyer. (After the blueberry festival, you can stop by the Sts. Mary Magdalene & Markella Church's Greek Festival on Dublin Road in Darlington. It runs Friday through Sunday. Click here to read BANV's post on that festival.)

The peach festival is coming up Aug. 16 at the Webster United Church of Christ at 4100 Webster Road in Havre de Grace. It runs 8am to 4pm and features peach pies, peach sundaes, fresh peaches, baked goods. It serves breakfast and lunch and local country music artist Ashleigh Marie is scheduled to perform.

If you want to pre-order pies, click here.

To reserve a vendor's table, click here.

And if you notice in the photo above (taken while stopped at a red light this morning), the Forest Lakes neighborhood is holding a community yard sale this Saturday if you're in the mood for something other than a festival.

Greek festival comes to Darlington this weekend

2008-07-16T10:06:00.005-04:00

Sts. Mary Magdalene & Markella Greek Orthodox Church in Darlington hosts its annual Greek Festival this weekend on the church grounds at 3714-16 Dublin Road in Darlington. (Click here for a map). Follow the signs to the parking area. A shuttle will take you to the festival grounds. The festival offers Greek and American food, Greek pastries, beer and wine, live Greek music and children's activities.

Hours are:
Friday, July 18: 4pm-10pm
Saturday, July 19: 11am-10pm
Sunday, July 20: 12pm-6pm

For more information, visit the church's website at www.gochc.org or call 410-836-9754.

Wee-cycle Mart coming to Forest Hill in September

2008-07-14T22:30:00.004-04:00

If you're looking to save a little money on your back to school shopping, you might be interested in this info I received from the folks involved with Wee-cycle Mart. A big consignment sale is coming to the Bel Air Moose Lodge in Forest Hill in September:

Wee-cycle Mart – a huge children’s consignment sale is being held again at the Bel Air Moose Lodge in Forest Hill (The Bel Air Moose Lodge just off E. Jarrettsville Road. Down the lane next to Wargo's Restaurant in Bel Air/Forest Hill, MD.)

Sept 12th – 14th with the New Moms Pre-sale on Thursday Sept 11th (passes required).

Everything from Maternity to Teens - Including but not limited to clothing, toys, games, books, videos, baby equipment, costumes, scrapbooking supplies, sports equipment and more! Shoppers will find amazing savings on over 6000 new and like new items! Saturday features MomsFest – with over 30 vendors that support moms, offers a free baby photo contest and free childcare for 3+ potty-trained! And Sunday is 50% off day! Benefits in part the Local Food Bank. Admission is $2 or $1 and some non-perishable food. For more info visit: www.wee-cyclemart.com

Click here for more information on the Bel Air sale.

Bel Air art teacher starts photography business

2008-07-14T22:20:00.003-04:00

Local art teacher Nicki Jergensen has started a new business called Where is the Camera? Jergensen, who owns Exploration Art School in Bel Air, can be hired to take pictures of everything from play dates to graduations. She says no job is too small. Click here to see her flyer: www.whereisthecamera.com

For more information on her art school, visit www.explorationartschool.com.

Another quarter auction scheduled at Webster United Church of Christ in Havre de Grace

2008-07-14T22:09:00.003-04:00

A reader (thank you!) sent me a notice of yet another quarter auction coming up at Webster United Church of Christ, 4100 Webster Rd., Havre de Grace, MD 21078. According to the press release:

A Quarter Auction to benefit Webster Congregational Church will be held on July 25 at 7 p.m. in the Church Social Hall. With ten different vendors participating we promise an evening of fun and fellowship with many of the proceeds going to benefit Church programs. Food will be for sale throughout the evening. Please join us and support your community Church

One of these days I'll have to go to one of these quarter auctions. I'm getting more and more curious about them.

Big wine festival coming to Bel Air in September

2008-07-14T22:03:00.002-04:00

The organizers of the 3rd Annual Harford County Wine Festival sent me another reminder today that their big event is coming up Saturday, September 13th from 12 to 7 pm and Sunday, September 14th from 12 to 5 pm. The event will take place at Rockfield Manor, 501 Churchville Rd., Bel Air. According to their press release:

The event will feature "Wines from Around the World", food, Pottery at the Barn, unique artists, crafters and silent auction. In addition, this year's festival will feature live music from Around the Block, known for their unique blend of rock, pop, and soul, on Saturday from 12-3 pm. The Kelly Bell Band will follow from 4-7 pm. Armed with an infectious groove and style, Bell and his band have held the title of “Best Blues Band in the Mid-Atlantic Region” for many years in a row. Their deeply rooted style is capable of stepping across several musical genres from one moment to the next. As many fans across the Eastern Seaboard can attest, their live show is a musical marathon second to none.

On Sunday from 12-5 pm, Nothin' ta Plunder will take the stage. Nothin' ta Plunder covers the full gamut of musical styles from the Beatles to Van Morrison. Rock, Rockabilly, Country, Blues and some Motown are thrown in for good measure.

Tickets are $25 for ages 21 and over, $10 for ages 13-20 and kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are available online at www.rockfieldmanor.com. Advance tickets are also available at Bel Air Liquors, 116 S. Hickory Ave., Bel Air, MD. Each ticket valid for one day only. No pets or coolers allowed. No alcohol brought onto the premises. Proceeds benefit the Rockfield Foundation. Rain or shine. Sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are still available.

The Harford County Wine Festival is presented by the Rockfield Foundation, a non-profit organization charged with the promotion and general operation of Rockfield Manor, a multifaceted meeting, recreational and cultural venue offering continued service to the local community. Wine Festival sponsors include the Town of Bel Air, Harford County Executive's Office-Division of Agriculture, BB& T and Bel Air Liquors.

For more information call 410-638-4565 or visit http://www.rockfieldmanor.com

Cat named Pumpkin lost near Forest Hill

2008-07-14T13:21:00.004-04:00

The kids and I were at Sharon's Shaved Ice at the corner of Rock Spring and Red Pump roads this afternoon when we spied this flyer about a lost cat. I thought I'd post it here to see if any BANV readers might have seen this little guy. His name is Pumpkin and according to the flyer, he's been lost since May 15th. His owner is Colleen. If you've seen her cat, call at her the number in the picture above.

Sundaes are cheaper on Sundays

2008-07-13T12:52:00.006-04:00

If you've been reading BANV's new Twitter updates that are running in this blog's sidebar, you may have noticed we've been visiting The Ice Cream Hut behind Redner's in Hickory rather frequently this week. We've been twice already. Their peach ice cream has big chunks of frozen peaches. Their birthday cake ice cream has pieces of cake and pink and blue streaks of icing and their fried ice cream flavor tastes of cinnamon and caramel with little nuggets of fried dough throughout. We liked them all. They also offer soft serve ice cream, snowballs, Italian ice, ice cream sodas, shakes and sundaes. On Sunday's those sundaes go for $3.50.

BANV tries new Bliss Coffee & Wine Bar in Belcamp

2008-07-10T20:53:00.004-04:00

I heard about the new Bliss restaurant from a wine distributor I was interviewing for a freelance story. The combination coffee/wine bar sounded intriguing so Mr. BANV & I headed over to Belcamp for dinner without the kids. We enjoyed it very much. Right now Bliss is the only establishment open in a brand new Riverside Station strip mall on Route 7. (Pizza Hut is coming soon.) Owner Sarah Ortiz-Brown says she and her husband decided it would be a great location for a restaurant since there aren't a lot of places to have a nice dinner in the area. Bliss opens at 6 a.m. serving up coffee near an electric fireplace and lounging chairs that give it a Panera/Starbucks feel. The tables in the other half of the restaurant are available for lunch starting at 11 a.m. The lunch entrees are the in the $10 range. Dinner prices stretch up into the $15-$20 area. Mr. BANV had the shiitake chicken and I had the seabass over risotto. Both were very good. Bliss' Executive Chef Lance Lader came from the Wakefield Valley Golf Club in Westminster and has worked at Sotto Sopra in Baltimore. The restaurant serves beer and wine, with an emphasis on wine and a variety of weekly specials offering guests a chance to experiment. Tuesday nights are "flite nites" where you can taste five wines for $15. On Wednesdays, every bottle under $30 is offered for half price. To check it out, see their website at www.live-your-bliss.com.

Conte's bike shop just opened in the Festival at Bel Air

2008-07-10T14:47:00.002-04:00

I just got an e-mail and pictures from the folks running the Conte's Bicycle and Fitness shop, letting me know they just opened in the Festival at Bel Air. You can check out their website here:

http://contebikes.com/page.cfm?PageID=512

If you're looking for a good spot to bike, Mr. BANV & son biked the 2-mile extension of the Ma & Pa Trail from Tollgate Road to Annie's Playground this week and enjoyed it. They said the ride back down to Tollgate was much easier. You can pretty much coast the whole way.

No Kohl's in Forest Hill group to rally again Thursday

2008-07-09T21:42:00.004-04:00

The No Kohl's in Forest Hill Committee held a community meeting last night and decided to hold another rally Thursday. Look for them on the corner of Route 24 and Osborne Parkway at 6 p.m. tomorrow. I didn't go to the meeting last night, so if anyone wants to fill me in on the details, please feel free. (belairnews@comcast.net)

Here's the e-mail I received about the meeting:

We had a great turnout for last night's meeting. The attendees wanted to have another rally and we agreed on tomorrow night, Thursday, July 10th @ 6:00 pm.

Meet at the entrance of Forest Lakes!

Make signs to hold to "Tell Klein's...no Kohl's in Forest Hill"

Please come to show support for YOUR neighborhood.

Tell you neighbors!!!!

See you tomorrow!!!!!

BANV tries Kahlers crab house in Rosedale

2008-07-09T20:05:00.004-04:00

Ok. So this wasn't anywhere near Bel Air. But it's still worth doing. Mr. BANV wanted to take the kids to an authentic crab house (I know we have some in the Bel Air area, so please feel free to comment below and let us know which are your favorites.) But we decided to hit one in Rosedale where he grew up. Kahlers has been around for some 30 years. They've perfected the crab house experience. We hear one of the owners even goes out crabbing himself. The crabs are steamed in huge pots just beneath the dining room and served when they're still almost too hot to touch. You bring your beer, but they're happy to provide a bucket of ice to keep it cool. My kids loved the little sink in the middle of the dining room that you turn on with foot pedals so that you don't get the handles full of Old Bay. They offer all you can eat crabs on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays for $25 a person. (My 10-year-old was half-price.) The crabs are served with local white corn. We went on a Tuesday night and it wasn't crowded. Both the restaurant and the servers were charming. And $25 for all the crabs you can eat is a pretty good deal especially since you're not responsible for the clean up.

New Seasons Pizza on Conowingo Road is open

2008-07-08T16:45:00.004-04:00

The new Seasons Pizza in The Rink on Conowingo Road is open. I had been noticing several readers were searching for news of Season's Pizza on this blog so BANV & family drove up to the former Bel Air Skating rink turned shopping center to check it out today. They were open and they do deliver. Click here to see a menu.

Here's their info:
Address: 1401-A Conowingo Road, Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone: (410) 420-1699
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight

And if you're looking for a job, the sign outside says they're hiring.

The developers of The Rink shopping center were working to include the distinctive curved roof of the former rink in the design. Here's how the roof looks from inside the restaurant:

Littlest BANV sees her first Orioles game at Camden Yards

2008-07-07T21:42:00.004-04:00

We took our son to his first Orioles game before he was a year old. He had a little Os hat and was wearing the very same Orioles jacket his daddy wore when he was baby. His daddy carried him into Camden Yards in a Baby Bjorn strapped to his chest. I have no doubt he loved his first game, though it was pretty hard to tell. When our daughter came along, she had to wait until she was 5-years-old and then could point out to us explicitly that while Daddy watched the Orioles every night on TV and had taken her older brother to games with him several times, she had not yet been to a game at the stadium. She'd passed by it when we drive downtown, she mentioned. But we had not ever taken her inside. This past Saturday, we decided to do right by her. Her Daddy bought her a pink Os cap and chose Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers, figuring it would be less crowded than Sunday's where the Orioles were promising fans free tickets if they managed to beat the Rangers. (They didn't.) Unlike when her brother was little and we had to use connections to get decent tickets to a game, on Saturday we could walk right up to the ticket window and have our pick of good seats. We got some on the upper level behind home plate. We went early enough that the kids could play on the playground set they have inside the entrance and practice pitching in a pitching tent. We took her into the stadium to show her batting practice and the ushers made a fuss over her and two of them offered to take our family picture. One of them suggested we go to fan assistance for a certificate and the women in there made a big deal about my daughter's first game. She keeps mentioning how they told her to come back and visit them next time. The envelope they gave her at fan assistance included a postcard of the Orioles bird and when she saw him show up near our seats, she insisted on getting his autograph because she knows her brother has one. We had planned to stay at the game through the fifth inning, but the kids were having such a good time, we ended up staying to see them lose 5-3. On the way out, she kept asking when she could go back again. And as we passed M&T Bank Stadium on the way to our car, the kids asked why we didn't get tickets to see the Ravens play. We told them those are much harder to get. They'll have to wait until they're a little older or until we get some connections and some little purple Ravens hats. If you'd like to take your kids to a game, the Orioles have plenty of ticket deals. Click here on their website for some bargains.

Might need to find a better spot to view the Bel Air fireworks next year

2008-07-04T23:18:00.007-04:00

The Greenbrier Shopping Center parking lot might not be such a good place to watch Bel Air's fireworks. We watched them from this spot near the Safeway last year and returned again this year after failing to locate anywhere closer to the launching site at Rockfield Park. When the show started at 9:30, we found the fireworks hard to see from our location behind the building that houses the Long & Foster real estate agency. We tossed our folding chairs back into the trunk of the minivan and walked to a better position in the lot. Our view was less obstructed, but the fireworks seemed low in the sky and quite far away. We weren't close enough to hear the kinds of earth rattling booms that usually make my 5-year-old nervous. The traffic in the lot was a little scary as well. There were quite a few cars moving through the crowded lot during the show and there were a lot of kids sitting on the ground or walking around. We saw a couple of close calls. It looked like the folks sitting on the hill in front of John Carroll High School might have had a better view. But you have to go early to get in there before police close off the entrance to the school's parking lot.

One BANV reader shared his or her views on tonight's fireworks in the comments to a previous post. Click here to read it.

It rained on our parade, but it didn't stop the crowds from coming

2008-07-04T19:34:00.005-04:00

The rain started falling just in time for the Bel Air 4th of July parade. Luckily it was a soft rain and the crowds still came to claim the spots they'd staked out. Rows of umbrellas lined the parade route to cheer on the marchers who marched without so much as a raincoat. Kudos to the beauty queens who rode the route smiling and waving through the raindrops.

Bel Air 4th of July mid-day report

2008-07-04T11:55:00.008-04:00

July 4th started with a light rain that kept attendance light at the Bel Air Lions Club blueberry pancake breakfast -- until about 9 a.m., when we arrived. The rain had let up and the line outside Bel Air High School's cafeteria stretched the full length of the building. But it moved rather quickly and we only ended up waiting about a half hour before we got our big fluffy pancakes. It was fun to see the new high school building under construction right next to the old school, which is looking like it's about had it. BANV & family finished breakfast in time to catch the championship round of the turtle races at Shamrock Park. A turtle named Booger took first place in the "non-box turtle" category. Turns out the Abingdon turtle owned by Ian Wilde is something of a Triple Crown winner. He's raced in the past two July 4th races coming in 2nd his first time out and 3rd last year. (Click here to see last year's results.) We caught only the beginning of the frog jumping contest, so if you know who won, please let me know. When the sun is out today it's pretty hot so we headed home for a break. If you're headed to Shamrock Park, be careful not to park too close to residents' driveways. The police are out giving tickets. They're also riding Segways around the park, which looks like fun.

If you're thinking about setting out chairs to save your spot on the parade route, it looked like there was still some room. And if you put yours out now, you'll have the only dry chairs and blankets on the block. The parade starts at 6 p.m. Click here to see the parade route.

The fireworks are scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. at Rockfield Park. Click here for a map of the fireworks site. The shopping center parking lots north of the park are a good places to watch them. Please leave a comment below if you know of any other good viewing spots.

For more information on today's events, visit the Bel Air Independence Day Committee's website at http://www.belairjuly4.org/innerpages/home.html

The Bel Air Independence Day parade stake out has begun

2008-07-03T23:13:00.005-04:00

If you're looking for a great spot to view tomorrow's Independence Day parade in Bel Air, you might want to run out right now and stake out your spot with some blankets or lawn chairs. Space along Kenmore Avenue was filling up by 8:30 tonight. We sent Mr. BANV out to get some pictures. The parade starts at 6 p.m. Click here for a map of the route. Mr. BANV also got a shot of the sign near Town Hall that lists the day's events in Shamrock Park. For more information on the schedule see the Bel Air Independence Day Committee's website at http://www.belairjuly4.org/innerpages/nextyear.html

For previous BANV posts on July 4th events click here.

BANV reader hosts monthly quarter auctions for charity

2008-07-03T22:25:00.004-04:00

A reader (thank you!) tells me she has been holding monthly quarter auctions at the Bel Air Moose Lodge to raise money for charities. During the past two years, she says the auctions have supported The American Cancer Society, Komen for the Cure, Relay for Life teams, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and local sports teams and scout groups. She asked me to mention the auctions on Bel Air News & Views to help get the word out. Here's the info:

QUARTER AUCTION
3rd Thursdays of Every Month at the Bel Air Moose Lodge, 310 E Jarrettsville Rd Forest Hill MD 21050.
4th Tuesdays of Every Month at the Whiteford American Legion 2217 Whiteford Rd Whiteford MD 21160
100+ prizes from The Pampered Chef, Longaberger, Tastefully Simple, Sunny Hill Farm, Mrs. "Purse"onality, (10 vendors in all)
Doors open at 6pm, bidding begins at 7 ends approximately 9pm. Come join the fun!!!

If you're wondering what a quarter auction is exactly (I was and I suspect it's a Maryland thing), I found a good description on the Maryland Life Magazine's website. Click here to see it.

This reader is also involved in the Washington DC Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. She writes:

Please consider supporting me by joining team "Wonder Women" or by making a donation.
Check it out! http://08.the3day.org/goto/denise.sawyers

No Kohl's in Forest Hill Committee schedules another community meeting

2008-07-02T22:45:00.005-04:00

The No Kohl's in Forest Hill group asked me to post this flyer they're circulating about another community meeting they've scheduled for July 8. The last Development Advisory Committee meeting held on the Klein's family's plan to put a Kohl's Department store on the 10.5 acre parcel they own at the entrance to the Forest Lakes housing development saw a lot of discussion from upset Forest Lakes residents. But it didn't result in any changes to the developer's plan. The residents who don't want the department store at the site and who held weekly protest rallies back in April have decided to hold another community meeting on the issue. (Click here for previous BANV posts on the No Kohl's in Forest Hill issue.) Here's their flyer:

NO KOHL'S IN FOREST HILL movement still in full effect!

We need YOU to attend a community meeting to discuss the progress of the "No Kohl's in Forest Hill" movement!

Tuesday, July 8^TH @ 7:30 p.m.

Christ Church Rock Spring

Parish Hall

2100 Rock Spring Rd
(From Forest Lakes, turn left on Rt. 24, make a left on Rock Spring Rd.)

It is very important that everyone attend to try to make a difference! Learn about what has happened and what is planned for the future of OUR neighborhood.

Remember this is your neighborhood!

See you at the meeting!!!

Bel Air fireworks likely to fly rain or shine, says committee president

2008-07-01T23:19:00.007-04:00

According to Bel Air resident Mark Hofmann's weather station, July 4th offers a chance of thunderstorms and a 50% chance of rain along with a high of 85 degrees and a low of 67. That means the fireworks show will likely go on as scheduled at 9:30 p.m. in Rockfield Park. After last year's pre-fireworks thunderstorms that sent hundreds of readers (thank you!) to this blog searching for information on whether the fireworks would be canceled, I decided to touch base with the organizers and exchange phone numbers ahead of time. Long time Bel Air Independence Day Committee President Don Stewart told me this morning that a little rain and even a threatening thunderstorm probably won't keep the sparks from flying. He's says once some 40,000 people are in place to see the show, it's pretty hard to get the word out about last minute changes. They're more likely to simply go on with the show and figure the audience is responsible for trying to keep themselves dry. He says the fire marshal is the one who ultimately makes the call on whether the show will go on. And he says the fire marshal tends to prefer a little wet weather when explosives are igniting. Of last year's stormy fireworks display, Stewart says, "It was like nature was fighting back. It was kind of fun to watch the man made and natural fireworks exchanging blows." BANV & family watched from inside our minivan. If weather does interfere enough to cause a cancellation, the rain date for the fireworks is Saturday at 9:30 p.m.

Click here for previous BANV posts on Bel Air's July 4th festivities.

Click here for the Bel Air Independence Day Committee's schedule of events.

If you want to see what last year's Bel Air fireworks were like, someone posted this video of them on YouTube. (If it rains Friday and you don't want to get wet, you can sit home and just watch this video.)

The latest edition of Harford County Kids Magazine has hit the digital newsstand

2008-07-01T20:54:00.004-04:00

I just got an e-mail reminder that the latest edition of Harford County Kids Magazine is available for viewing online. This is a clever feature the free monthly magazine recently started offering. If you register on their site, it gives you the ability to flip through the magazine online and see the information presented just as it appears in the print edition. The digital edition usually appears shortly before a print version lands in my mailbox. If you look at pages 6 and 7 you'll see a number of items in the News & Notes section penned by yours truly. Check out the item about the Trinity Lutheran School eighth graders painting ceiling tile murals they donated to the pediatric unit at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center. Their art teacher Dawn Donelson contacted me here hoping to get her students work mentioned on Bel Air News & Views. I thought the magazine would be an even better way to let people know what her students were up to. If anyone has some news you think would be interesting for Harford County kids and their families, just let me know. I can mention it here or submit it to the magazine. Go check out that digital edition. The little swoosh sound it makes when you turn the page is pretty cool.

Joppa's Independence Day parade will be held on Sunday

2008-06-29T23:01:00.004-04:00

A reader (thank you!) asked about 4th of July activities in Joppa. It turns out Joppatowne will be celebrating the 4th on the 5th and the 6th. Saturday's events include singer Cece Winans who is scheduled to perform at Mountain Christian Church. Tickets are $37.50 in advance (Call the Paul Diggs Insurance Agency at 866-926-3921) and $5 at the door. .Doors open at 6 p.m. According to the church's website, the concert benefits the Edgewood Community Association's efforts for the Route 40 Corridor and their July 4th Celebration.

On Sunday, Joppatowne will hold a parade that starts at 2 p.m. at Joppa Farm Road and Shore Drive. The Edgewood Community Council is sponsoring the parade.

Kingsville 4th of July Parade starts at 10 a.m. Friday

2008-06-29T18:09:00.005-04:00

If you want to start your 4th of July celebration with a parade, Kingsville's pre-parade activities start at 10 a.m. Friday. The parade, sponsored by the Greater Kingsville Civic Association, starts at 11 a.m. and continues until 1 p.m. The parade route begins at the Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department, heads down Bradshaw Road, turns right on Jerusalem Road at Judges Viewing Stand and continues to St Paul's Lutheran Church parking lot.

For a list of Baltimore County July 4th parades, click here.

Havre de Grace carnival opens Tuesday; Independence day parade and fireworks scheduled for Saturday

2008-06-29T17:44:00.006-04:00

Havre de Grace starts celebrating Independence Day on Tuesday when its annual carnival opens at 6 p.m. The carnival at Millard E. Tydings Park runs 6 to 10 p.m. through Friday and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Saturday's events include a parade along Union Avenue at 2 p.m. A 7 p.m. concert featuring the band Night Street and fireworks. For more information, contact the Visitor Center at 410-939-2100.

Click here to see more summertime events in Havre de Grace.

Click here and here to read previous BANV posts about Havre de Grace's 4th of July events.