Ever wonder where your tapwater comes from On Sunday, you can see it, up close and raw.  From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., people can visit the three drinking-water reservoirs Baltimore city maintains to supply the region and learn how its safety is maintained.

Walk out on Loch Raven Dam, like you used to be able to do, and get a presentation from the engineers who oversaw reconstruction of the impoundment. You can hear, too, about the Gunpowder Valley and its role in the region's water supply. Up in the Pines area, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., check out a presentation by "Scales and Tales" of what animals occupy the reservoir watersheds.

Guided hikes, fly fishing lessons and more, including live music.  All part of the kickoff of National Water Week. Call 396-3500 for more information. (Warning: Event may be canceled if it's raining cats and dogs.)

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 7:14 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

Green is in, especially this month, and Marylanders who want to learn how to make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly can do so in Annapolis on Saturday.

Take a tour of green homes and buildings in and around the state's capital, organized by the Historic Annapolis Foundation. Geothermal, solar, grey water, you name it, most of it worked into older (aka historic) homes, just to show you don't need to start from scratch.

The tour runs from noon to 6 p.m. and costs $35 per person.  For reservations, call 410-267-8156 or go to www.annapolis.org

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 9:30 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (1)
                       

Here's a chance to savor one of the bay's lost treats - American shad.  On Saturday, head to Vienna in Dorchester County to join in the 14th annual Nanticoke River Shad Festival.  They'll be serving up "planked" portions of the tasty fish, to be eaten while enjoying live music, browsing crafts and taking part in the day's varied festivities.  There'll also be boat rides, children's activities, a raffle, fish toss competition, educational exhibits and a touch tank.

It's all done to celebrate the shad, which once thronged the bay's rivers and streams every spring on their spawning runs.  American or white shad were prized in the Chesapeake Bay for both their eggs, or roe, and their delicious but bony flesh.   They were such a staple in the nation's early days that writer John McPhee titled his book about shad The Founding Fish.

But their popularity proved their undoing, in a sense.  Overfishing and habitat loss, including hydropower dams, devastated the stock so that Maryland banned commercial catch of them in 1980.  Virginia followed suit several years later. Though the fish have rebounded some from thir low point in the 1980s, the ban in the bay has never been lifted.  The festival is getting its shad from one of our neighboring states, where the fish are somewhat more abundant and can still be caught. 

The photo above, from the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance's Web site, shows how the shad are slowly roasted on wooden planks over open fires to soften and essentially dissolve the bones.  It's a method the local Chicone Ruritans learned from their fellow Ruritans in Wakefield, Va, who have put on an annual spring shad planking for decades.  I attended the Wakefield feast years ago when I was in college, and recall the fish was scrumptious and bone-free.  

Besides feasting on fish, the Virginia planking was a raucous political rally, with officeholders and hopefuls showing up to schmooze and stump with the assembled celebrants.  The Nanticoke fest doesn't have such heavy political overtones.  Local legislators, Vienna Mayor Russ Brinsfield and a few other dignitaries will take part in the fish toss (using finsters made of foam, not the real thing).  The event is basically in good fun, though proceeds do go to help with local shad restoration efforts.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free.  It is put on by the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, the Chicone Ruritans, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Heart of the Chesapeake Project, and the Town of Vienna.  For more information, visit www.nanticokeriver.org or www.viennamd.org or call (410) 873-3045.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 6:30 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

With spring here, many folks may feel like getting out and about.  If you want a taste of quaint, quiet rural village life in a spectacular waterfront setting, I recommend visiting Whitehaven.

My wife and I spent last weekend there, on the banks of the Wicomico River.  Saturday was sunny, but a bit brisk.  Sunday, however, was gorgeous.  

We stayed at the Whitehaven Hotel, pictured at left. 

Originally built in 1810 as a road-house or private home, it was expanded and converted to a hotel around 1877, when this village was a bustling riverfront town, with a cannery, shipyards and several stores.

It gradually deteriorated - I can remember seeing it boarded up, with paint peeling, in the late 1980s, when passing through town - but was spared from the wrecking ball and restored several years ago.  It's a bed & breakast now. Innkeeper Cindy Curran greeted us, showed us around and generally made us feel at home. Great breakfast, very quiet, and spectacular views.

The hotel is right on the river, where several times a day you can see tugs pushing barges loaded with fuel and other cargo up and down the river.   There's a free ferry there, too, one of the few left in Maryland, that stays busy through the day, weather permitting.  My colleague Rona Kobell wrote a feature about the ferry a couple years back, that you can read here. You can see the ferry below. It was so gusty on Saturday that it wasn't running. 

We walked around town, taking in the peace and quiet.  The old two-room schoolhouse has been converted to a museum and community center, where we met Jefferson Boyer, the local historian and publisher of a chatty monthly newsletter.  He regaled us with tales of the village, which has about 30 full-time residents. The population swells a bit on weekends and in summer, as several houses are maintained by out-of-towners.

You can also see plenty of waterfowl.  We saw ducks, cormorants, great blue herons, a bald eagle (spotted by my wife and other guests at the hotel, but not me), red-winged blackbirds and a profusion of other songbirds.  Heard geese in the distance, too.

And, of course, it's hard to miss the ospreys, which nest directly across the river from the hotel, atop a pole at the ferry landing on the Somerset County side of the Wicomico.  Apparently they can't read the "No Trespassing" sign below.

The birds don't seem to mind the ferry, or the cars and trucks that pass right below its nest.  But people afoot get the birds jumpy.   I managed to snap one's picture before it flew away.

There aren't any stores in Whitehaven, but there are two restaurants nearby, the Red Roost in town and Boonies, about 10 minutes' drive away in Tyaskin.

After staying overnight at the hotel, we took the ferry across to Somerset and followed a scenic route through a landscape of farms and forests.  Plenty of chicken houses to be seen there (and smelled here and there, as growers spread "litter" from the houses on their fields to fertilize new crops).

We stopped off in Princess Anne, Somerset's county seat, where there was a daffodil show going on not far from the impressive campus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 

Such a lovely weekend, we plan more jaunts through the spring and summer.  I'll share them here, resuming the local travel notes begun by my colleague Rona. 

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 9:47 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (1)
                       

For those Baltimoreans who want to live more sustainably and in closer touch with nature and the cultural gems around us, there's a new must-have map to get.

Folks who turn out for Rally for the River, Sunday's festival celebrating the Jones Falls, can pick up a Baltimore Green Map pinpointing more than 170 nature, culture and sustainable living sites within the city's portion of the Jones Falls watershed.  Farmers' markets, organic food vendors, museums, parks, consignment shops, green buildings, they're all identified by distinctive icons.  There's even a weeping eye for "blight" sites, places that need cleaning up. 

The flip side features a similar "green" map of Druid Hill Park, plus background information and a rundown of opportunities for action. 

The map is free (though admission to the festival is $5), and foldable to pocket size.  It's also viewable online here.  It's produced by Baltimore Green Map, a local affiliate of an international network of grassroots mapmakers who've charted sustainability resources in communities in more than 50 countries.

The idea behind the map is to encourage us to make a difference, environmentally, in how we get from place to place, where we shop and eat and spend our free time.  As such, it's a great response to those surveys we've written about before that found Baltimore lagging other cities in walkability and in reducing its carbon "footprint."

Baltimore Green Map was launched last year by the Jones Falls Watershed Association, with help from the city's departments of recreation and parks and planning.

Look soon for a green map of Loyola College's campus.  Janet Felsten, director of the project, says she's hoping to secure funding so she can launch a "campus green-map challenge." Her aim: chart eco-resources at places like Morgan State University, Towson University and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.  After that, who knows?  That may depend on you.   You can volunteer to help prepare maps, or just nominate a site, by going here. 

Rally for the River, by the way, runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and features a frog race, kayaking and canoeing, a skateboard competition, native plant nurseries and "earth-friendly" vendors, plus lots of other kids' activities.   And, of course, the neat thing is you get to walk or bike along the Jones Falls Expressway, closed for the afternoon to white-knuckled, road-raging motorists.  Admission is $5, but free for anyone 18 years old and younger.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 11:19 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Two events of note, for those who cherish nature and the outdoors .....

The popular and venerable Irvine Nature Center is celebrating its move from Stevenson to Owings Mills with a grand opening celebration this weekend.  The 33-year-old environmental education nonprofit relocated recently to 11201 Garrison Forest Road, moving into a "green" building on 116 acres of "woodlands, wetlands and meadows" in Caves Valley.  

It's kicking off the housewarming with an ticketed gala today, but Saturday and Sunday there'll be a free "family fun event" with nature games, puppet shows, animal encounters, music and story-tellling.  Also, on Sunday, the center plans to recognize Johns Hopkins University professor M. Gordon "Reds" Wolman for his long career teaching about and advocating for the state's waterways.

For more information, go to www.ExploreNature.org or call 410-484-2413.

As Ike whacks the Gulf Coast, some may feel like appreciating the tiny bit of Atlantic coast that Maryland has.   Saturday, there'll be  wildlife to see, entertainment to enjoy and environmental education at Assateague State Park to mark the 12th annual Maryland Coast Day.

There'll be bay and ocean seining for crabs and fish, chances to see live owls, turtles and hawks, lessons in building sand castles and carving bird decoys and Native American dance.  There'll also be a nature hike and talks about the history of the region. About 30 organizations will be on hand to talk about their work preserving nature and wildlife.

The festivities run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  For more information, call Kate Diffenderfer at 410-213-2297 or email kdiffenderfer@mdcoastalbays.org   (Assateague photo by Wessel Kok, Special to the Sun. 2008)

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 10:39 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Last week, uber-video master and former food editor John Lindner did a fabulous story for Taste on road-side food, or more specifically, gas-station food. Elizabeth Large linked to it on Dining at Large, where Lindner is an occasional contributor.

Much commenting ensued. Someone mentioned the gas station on Kent Island. I'd been there before, so I posted a comment, but I returned yesterday and have much more to add about the Kent Island Depot/BP.

This is a great place to stop on your way to the Shore. It couldn't be easier to find...first exit after crossing the bridge going east is Route 8. Take that, follow it to the right for about a half a mile, and you will see the Depot (second driveway is entrance, not the first.)

What's so special about the Depot? Two words: boxed wine.

No, just kidding. But seriously, I spend a lot of time on the road, and it's a struggle to find healthy, wholesome options out there (and no, Royal Farms chicken doesn't count as healthy, though I find it tastier than Lindner seemed to.)

Some of the Depot's road food options: fruit salad, eggs with salsa, wheat bagels. In the evening, I have seen crab cakes and quiches, plus various pasta salads. They of course have the usual gas-station fare: crackers with peanut butter and the like. They also seem to sell staples, like soaps and things, in case you forgot something.

There is seating, and a bulletin board tells you what's going on in the community.

A friend tells me the place used to be run by a French chef named Gerard. Only on the Shore. I think I actually do remember him. But the new owners haven't really changed things.

I assumed Lindner hadn't been there because he didn't want to take his bike across the bridge. But I was wrong. He loves to do that. So, maybe on his next visit, or yours, you may check out this alternative to the usual fare.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 9:39 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Last year around this time, I posted a list of great summer getaways. I know we've been doing this weekly now, but I thought I'd repost the list as it's now time to start thinking about our summer travel. to steal Ocean City's new-old slogan, most are about a half a tank or less away. In no particular order, here they are. Enjoy:

1. RIDGE:  Hop on a bicycle and ride through the beautiful green fields of this Southern Maryland town. There's not much in Ridge, or nearby Scotland, but you're near Point Lookout State Park and a great little marina/biker bar where they'll serve you fish that tastes like it was caught right in front of you. Reasonable B and Bs, not many tourists-the place we stayed was probably the nicest B and B I've ever been to, and I think it was only like $110 a night. 
     
2. WHITEHAVEN: My dental hygienist grew up in this Wicomico County hamlet and confirms it's every bit as serene as it looks. It's the sort of place where you can imagine a one-room schoolhouse and kids in dresses with little bows tied in back running through the fields. There's a ferry that goes across the river to Somerset County; watching it and the birds are what passes for entertainment. There's a nice hotel here, The Whitehaven, but I stayed at the B and B where, bonus, the owners give their guests cordials before bed. Also, it's so homey I ended up listening to her son's piano lesson as I typed my story-that was the only place with an Internet connection.
     
3. ROCK HALL: Everybody and their shopping-happy aunts seems to have found Chestertown, and I won't dis it. It's one of the most beautiful towns on the shore, or anywhere for that matter. But Rock Hall has the watermen and Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge. If you're going to one, it's worth a trip to the other.
     
4. TILGHMAN ISLAND: It's beyond St. Michaels, but worth the extra miles. There's a unique used bookshop, excellent seafood and a real oyster shucking house.
     
5. DENTON: I can't help but have a soft spot for Denton. It's trying so hard. When I was there a year ago, the mayor proudly told me that even the bright green trash cans were locally made. And if you're going to Rehoboth, you'll be right near there anyway, why not swing by? I have gotten some good deals at the antique shops in town and the courthouse lawn is quite lovely. There is riverfront, too, but you have to go hunting for it. Adkins Arboretum isn't far away, and neither is the so-called strawberry capital of the world, Ridgely.
     
6. EASTON: Ok, it's not exactly a hidden treasure, but if you haven't gotten off the road in a couple of years to check it out, I think you'll find it looks different than the last time. It's chock full of elegant restaurants, semi-famous chefs and pretty parks. There's an art museum and a theater for concerts, as well as fine coffee shops and a cool toy store.

7. GALENA: When you pull in to your parking space here you might wonder why I recommended this northern Kent County town. It's simple- for the antiques. Then drive up the road to pretty Georgetown, home of the Kitty Knight House, where charming Miss Kitty convinced the British not to burn her town. Good thing-it's lovely, and Kitty's place stands as a restaurant as well as a B and B-though last time I passed by it was closed. 
     
8. CAMBRIDGE: I know parts of it have seen better days, but there's something about the rustic, unpolished town that makes me smile. Plus, you have to love that view of the Choptank. 
     
9. SNOW HILL/PUBLIC LANDING: Public landing is just that-one of the few public places in the state where you can enjoy a view of the water and a picnic.  Snow Hill has the stores, the cafes and the people, but public landing has the view.
     
10. BERLIN: it was good enough for Julia Roberts and that girl from Gilmore Girls, and it's still far less crowded than nearby Ocean City. The architecture feels to me like a step back in time, and I mean that in a good way. 
     
Fellow bloggers, I'm sure, have their own favorites. And readers, too. Tell us yours -- and be careful on the Bay Bridge.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 1:31 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (4)
                       

George Washington was born here. James Monroe grew up near here. Alexander Graham Bell and his family summered here on breaks from inventing the telephone. And casinos once thrived here.

 That's a lot going on in a town of about 3,000 people that I'd never heard of until a few days ago.

The media came to Colonial Beach this week and then quickly left, but after I filed my story, I took a walk around to see what I could learn about this town. I must have looked like a local because a guy in a pick-up truck rolled down his window to ask me where the trailer court was. I had no idea, of course.

Colonial Beach offers beautiful views of the Potomac River, on whose banks it sits. Because it's at the low-watermark of the border with Maryland and Virginia, the law allowed for casinos on piers that extended into Maryland waterways. Slot machines went strong until about 1958.

When I called the Potomac River Fisheries Commission to ask about a place with wifi for my computer for the governor's event, she said Colonial Beach was a "real small town' that didn't even have a coffee shop.

Well, it does, and it's a cute little one on Washington Street. It also has a library, which is pretty nice and is a LOT bigger than the one on Chincoteague, or at least the old one. The town has a Days Inn, which you can find reviews for here. It also has several Bed and breakfasts, including Bell's summer home. (Insert lame telephone joke here.) I walked past the Tides Inn and it looked nice and is centrally located, though I didn't go inside.

Seems to me this would be a good start for exploration of the Northern Neck. A word to the wise, though: it's a haul. As mentioned in a previous post, 301 is a traffic-clogged, stop-and-go road. My guess is that Colonial Beach is about two hours from Crofton/Bowie under normal condtions, instead of the hour I was predicting from the map.

Also, the Potomac River Bridge is not unlike the Cyclone at Coney Island; you go up, and you pray to God it's not quite as steep as it feels when you come down.

The people who are scared of the Bay Bridge should try this one; it might make them less afraid of the ole' William Preston Lane.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 7:00 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (1)
                       

Things have changed since I was last at the Queenstown Inn.

The charming home along one of the town's main streets was enticing enough when it was just a Bed and Breakfast, with a fine collection of Chesapeake Bay memorabilia and great breakfasts.

But now, owners Mike Lydon and Josh Barnes are adding a spa and a kayaking/adventure company to their offerings. So, within an hour of Baltimore or Washington, you can enjoy a massage, paddle through Queenstown harbor and check out the herons, and tool around one of the bay's most charming small towns.

Queenstown will surprise you. It did me on my first visit. Who knew that, tucked beyond Routes 50 and 301, just beyond the outlet malls and that huge golf course, there would be such a pretty little town? It has some unknown bonuses, too; thanks to impact fees from the outlet malls, the town usually has enough cash for things like maintenance, and its active citizenry has successfully fought off efforts to grow it into something akin to another suburb.

Talk to people here, and you'll find a lot of them, like Lydon (a State Department employee) commute to Baltimore or Washington. They must like the dichotomy of being in a big city one day, then catching up on all the small-town intrigue at the town's lone deli, the Potter's Pantry, on the next. Last time I was there, a darling little boy was being pulled by his sister in a little red wagon. How Norman Rockwell can you get?

Town Hall is the pretty blue house in the square. Stop in if you have questions; they're very friendly.

Lydon said dining options in town are slim, but Kent Narrows is just down the road.

Asked to descrive his adopted hometown, Lydon said: "It's the quiet, charming hub for everything that's on the Eastern Shore."

And because the town isn't likely to grow much, Lydon said, "Queenstown will hold its charm for a very, very long time."

Posted by Rona Kobell at 4:05 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Winding streets that lead to the water, occasional boat races, lovely parks and delicious crab cakes...who doesn't love Oxford?

This Talbot County town is like the quieter cousin of Easton and St. Michaels, which bustle with antiques and clothing shops as well as marinas, restaurants and well-heeled people.

Oxford is well-heeled in its own right, with landmarks like the Robert Morris Inn for crabcakes (and a serving of James Michener lore) and a yacht club. But it's dignified in its quest to be something other than a Shore tourist town: a quiet place for residents, whether come-heres, from-heres, or come-backs, to enjoy life.

Things don't really kick off in town for a few weeks, so you still have time to reserve your room at the Robert Morris Inn, if you want. It opens the first week in April and they are not fillled for the season. Also, the inn is for sale, but hasn't been sold yet.

If anyone has recommendations of other inns, (maybe cheaper inns?) please send a comment so travelers can find them.

 Later, on April 26, the town will celebrate Oxford Day. You might want to plan your visit around that, as it's a great way to take in all of the attractions. Then there are the log canoe races. The town offers plenty for sailors, too -- most notably, marinas that are not choc-a-block with large powerboats.

What are the attractions? Those include the fact that the town has no traffic lights, that every waterfront street ends in a public place with a bench, that there is a beach where people still actually swim, that working watermen still keep their boats in the town's marina at a discounted rate and that there are stunning views of the Tred Avon and Town Creek from multiple vantage points. 

Oh, and there's a ferry. It's not free, like the Whitehaven Ferry, but it will take you from Oxford to Bellevue, which is near St. Michaels. A lot of people like it as a bit of a shortcut for a biking destination-you avoid the main raods a bit.

As is typical of a reporter on the run, my Oxford meals lately have consisted of a sandwich at the market. So I asked two Sun colleagues who live near there, at least part of the year, and they both recommend a place called Latitude 38.

One colleague reccomends eating at the bar: same great food, just less of it and cheaper.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 2:31 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

It may be unfair, but after you've been a newspaper reporter for a certain number of years, and you've written or read umpteen stories about a place (and been there a bunch of times, too), there are certain word associations you can't shake.

Mention a place, and a certain thing, or detail, or icon comes to mind.

You say Chesapeake City, I think canal.

You say Havre De Grace, I think ducks.

You say St. Michaels, and I think Dick Cheney (OK, that's recent - I used to think lighthouse)

You say Crisfield, and I can practically taste the Old Bay on my fingers.

So you say "Port Deposit," and I think "floods."

As I said, it may be unfair, but I associate the town on the banks of the Susquehanna with high water. Geographically, it's on these rocky bluffs overlooking the river. And every so often, there is a flood warning that the river water will rush through the dam and flood the town.

A deposit indeed, and an unwelcome one.

But maybe it's time to give this 19th century town another look. a bed and breakfast, Granite And Lace, opened recently, and if the pictures are anything to judge by, it looks indulgent. Every room has a jacuzzi bath. And the rates are a lot more affordable than some of the inns around here.

Mary Zajac of Chesapeake Life had a good weekend there, from the sounds of her piece in the mag recently:

All rooms have Jacuzzi baths, but since I have my choice, I pick the Hytheham Suite, a huge three-room space in the same vibrant green as the parlor. Birds are the botanical theme here. I find them on several lamps, in the fabric of the black upholstered couch that sits opposite the gas fireplace in the sitting area, and in the paneled screen that I wish I could take home with me. The bathroom is nearly as large as the sleeping area and contains not only the Jacuzzi, but a two-person shower. After dinner, we spend a few minutes on our covered porch before retiring to watch one of the suite’s two flat-screen plasma televisions.

One note of warning, however: While train enthusiasts might delight in sleeping approximately fifty feet from functioning railroad tracks, all but the heaviest sleepers should remember ear plugs, especially on Sunday nights when more than a half dozen freight trains pass through town.

Special Touches Aside from sweet touches like pillows wrapped in fabric bows like Christmas packages, each bedroom offers modern bathrooms with Jacuzzi baths, plasma screen televisions, and free Internet access.

What’s for Breakfast Just like the cheese plate that greets guests upon arrival, breakfasts at Granite and Lace are ample and very fine. We enjoyed a variety of fresh fruit, bacon, sausage patties, deliciously not-to-sweet orange pancakes, and a slice of frittata with spinach, feta, and sliced tomato—all on one plate. Judy also presented us with homemade apple strudel accented with almond. If you leave the table hungry, well, it might be time to reconsider your food intake.

Her sightseeing recommendations include the Paw Paw Museum for Civil War-era history and a hike to the top of the Naval Training Center to see the river.

Who knows? Maybe after your next trip, you'll hear Port Deposit and think "Darn trains-I can't stop that ringing in my ears!"

Posted by Rona Kobell at 5:56 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

This week's destination, Havre de Grace, is not something you have to spend a long time planning. For Baltimore residents, the drive is about 45 minutes; and likely some of you are even closer. It's just off I-95 as you're heading north and is known for the Maryland House rest stops nearby.

For that reason, a lot of people might not consider the Harford County city a day-trip, or even a destination. More like a suburb being rapidly absorbed by neighboring golf courses and condos that, a la Kent Island, seem to extend into the bay in defiance of tides and gravity.

But I would urge another look. This small town's harbor is still a great place to watch ducks, have a nice meal and tour a few doable attractions. True, Havre de Grace doesn't get the canvasbacks that it used to, but even run-of-the-mill waterfowl are beautiful to watch as they sun themselves on the beaches of the Susquehanna. This is, after all, where the Susquehanna meets the Chesapeake Bay, and it has a rich history of duck-hunting and fishing.

If it's ducks that float your boat, try the Decoy Museum, which boast a small but excellent collection of carved decoy ducks. Check their web site for carving demonstrations. The town's maritime museum tells the hsitory of the proud town. The Concord Point Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operated light in Maryland, and offers spectacular water views. Check here for its hours.

And Havre De grace has one of the state's last remaining skipjacks, the Martha Lewis.

Ask an old-timer in town about Tropical Storm Agnes, and you will probably get an earful on what happened to the Susquehanna Flat's lush grassbeds, which were food for the legendary ducks and also key habitat for the blue crab. The grasses have made a comeback in recent years, though they are not what the old-timers remember.

I regret I never made it to the Crazy Swede restaurant, which now appears to be out of business. But even without it, the town seems to have no shortage of dining options. Here's a list of them.

Havre de Grace is one of those places I always mean to go back to, because my trips there have been brief. Now that it's warm out, I imagine we'll be going there soon.

(Baltimore Sun photo)

Posted by Rona Kobell at 1:26 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

We did not get the groundswell of diners I was hoping for to tell us about the food at Suicide Bridge restaurant. But those who went seemed to say it was worth checking out, so here goes:

Suicide Bridge is in Secretary, not Hurlock, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, not far from Route 50. Go here for directions and info.

Chowhounds seem to like it, and you can get more in-depth reviews here.

What sounds so great: they offer boat rides along the Choptank, and they feed you Eastern Shore-style chicken and crabs. 

The food sounds a bit heavy for my tastes, but I have found it is the sort of thing people are here love: crab balls, crab cakes, lots of side dishes that involce vegetables and butter.

But I think the real attraction here is the setting, and the fact that you can get on a boat and enjoy it. That, and the legend of Suicide Bridge: at least four people have chosen to jump, according to the restaurant's Web site. Kind of creepy, but at least conversation over the meal won't be dull.

Next week: Havre de Grace. Submit any comments you have in advance if you wish.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 11:25 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

I know several people in Kent County that aren't going to like this post, but you've been found out. Now everyone will know Kent County is the best place to live in rural America.

Progressive Farmer tells us so. Right here in their Best Places to Live edition. Here's what they say:

By all reasoning, Kent County should be covered with homes, strip malls and "farmettes." But it's not. Not anywhere close.

Instead, Kent County is a rare holdout in the sprawl and development in this country that clearly is out of control. Kent County maintains a culture of farming, wildlife, and small towns and villages that are relatively untouched.

Some of the northern Eastern Shore county's amenities include Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, Betterton Beach, Crumpton Antiques market and of course Chestertown, perhaps one of the prettiest towns in America. All have been talked about on this blog, so it's probably clear that, while I haven't visited every rural place in the cuuntry, I would not disagree with the magazine. Also, they have great sandwiches at the gas station in Still Pond, and excellent chicken at the Crumpton market. Good canoeing (so i hear) near Kennedyville, and that Kennedyville Inn is supposed to have great food.

Another amenity: it's not on the way to Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach, so if you live there, you might suffer traffic along 213, but you won't be trapped in your home on a Saturday in June, as you would be on Kent Island.

But there is one downside, and it's probably keeping many from crossing that lovely Chester River bridge. It's not cheap to live in Kent County. Just ask any of the county's teachers, or firefighters. You'll find many of them living across the line, near Centreville.

Kent Countians would probably be happy to have your business, and they're extremely friendly, from the Chestertown Mayor right on down. But many of them will be just as happy when you go home... so by all means, visit, look at the dairy cows, walk by the water. And then make your plans to come back next year, maybe for a whole week!

Posted by Rona Kobell at 2:12 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Apologies for the late local travel story. I've been in DC most of the day taping a television show (more glamorous than it sounds) and just got back...

By popular demand (OK, one reader's suggestion), this week's destination is Greensboro, in the green Garden County of Caroline.

My last visit to Greensboro, which just off Route 404 not far from Denton, it was Christmas 2006. I was there to write about a lovely hotel, The Riverside, that was going out of business. The place was eerie - made beds, tip envelopes on the night stands, even coffee stirrers in the kitchen. But no one had slept there in nearly a year.

I hope someone bought it. Anyway, if you visit, see if you can walk around to the back of the hotel for a view of the Choptank, which hardly looks like the same river you see in Cambridge. Narrow and muddy, it's a prime nesting spot for all manner of birds, and there is a nice little walking path. For those Crumpton lovers who talked about their camp a little while ago, the back of the Riverside reminds me of where I went to camp in New England and the Ware (where?) River that ran alongside the road.

The main attraction in Greensboro is Harry's. Or, more specifically, Harry Wyre, the affable host who presides over exquisite food at the Goldsborough House downtown, a lovely historic home off the main street. I interviewed Harry a couple of years ago, but I never ate his food. (and there's no Elizabeth Large review in our archives.) He wasn't open yet, as it was early on a Sunday afternoon. No matter. I was entranced by the historic furnishings and the story that always goes with such a showplace.

Harry has a visiting French chefs program, where he brings in cooks from all over the countryside to stay at the house and cook. I checked the site and the next time there's a special is Easter, but you can contact Harry directly for more information.

I'm curious to try Harry's next time I'm in town. Maybe during French chef week?

Posted by Rona Kobell at 5:53 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

What could be more romantic than waking up at the crack of dawn and driving to what feels like the end of the earth to stake you claim on a wrought-iron table, a worn-out ukelele or a trunk full of old doll's clothes?

Well, if that sounds like your idea of fun, you won't want to miss Dixon's, the auction house in the tiny north Eastern Shore town of Crumpton. You could make it a late Valentine's Day getaway.

Crumpton has waterfront, a sliver of it anyway, and it's only about 10 bendy miles from Chestertown. It doesn't have a stoplight, or much of anything, but follow the trail of cars going to Dixon's every Wednesday and you won't go wrong. You have entered the biggest antiques auction on the East Coast. Park wherever you can find a spot on the grass and start bargaining! Even the delicious Amish roasted chicken will be auctioned off at the end of the day.

Wednesday is hard for a weekend getaway, but you could make a trip out of it by staying in Chestertown or Rock Hall the day before and take the early part of a week off. Chestertown has no shortage of lovely lodging places: the White Swan Tavern if you want something centralized and homey; the Imperial Hotel across the street if you want elegance and a restaurant with delicious oysters; and the Brampton Inn if price is truly no object.

The auction runs rain or shine. You may hear the lore of the guy who bought a $400 rug and sold it for something in the five figures, but I have found in my own Crumpton experiences that it is hard to know what is junk and what is not, so just buy what you like and watch those New York dealers with the sharp elbows.

A quaint Eastern Shore hamlet it is, but the dealers are big city all the way.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 7:40 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (3)
                       

Much of the Eastern Shore has a reputation for catering to the three R's: "Rich, Republican and Retired." That was probably reinforced when Rumsfeld and Cheney nearly simultaneously bought property near St. Michaels a couple of years ago and became fixtures on the local restaurant scene.

And the R part is certainly in effect on Route 50, which is lined with signs for the Republicans who are now engaged in a hotly contested primary race in the first Congressional district.

But the Shore is a lot more diverse that people give it credit for. And maybe that's why, at the coffee shop in Centerville, a group of people gather every month to talk about their love for Barack Obama.

The cafe's owner said she likes to stay non-political, but when one member of the group hand-painted stones with "Obama 2008" on them -- they're called "Ba-rocks," get it? -- she just HAD to display them on her counter. She likes Obama, too. And all over town are signs for Frank Kratovil, who is running against all those Republicans in the 1st District and hails from the county.

Whatever your politics, the town's coffee shop, Hayden's Alley, makes good lattes. Centerville also features a pretty town square with one of the state's oldest courthouses.

And in 2004, our dining critic, Elizabeth Large, gave only two restaurants her coveted four-star rating. One was a barbecue joint on Harford Road, and the other was Julia's, of Centerville. I have never eaten there -- unlike Elizabeth, I'm not paid to enjoy $25 entrees, and besides, whenever I pass through in the afternoon, they're closed. But here's what she said:

Almost everything here strikes the right note for the way affluent Americans like to eat out in the '00s. The servers are warm and friendly but not too chatty. If a waitress gets busy, other members of the staff pick up the slack. The small wine list is thoughtful and not too pricey. And the food is intriguing but not too offbeat, beautifully presented, and, most important, tastes great.     

The haute cuisine comes in the form of contemporary American with Asian accents. (David is of Korean descent.) He can do elaborate, but he's not above simplicity when it's called for. Case in point: the oyster stew, which may be the best I've ever had. The oysters were poached separately, so they were beautifully plump and sweetly juicy in their bath of perfectly seasoned cream and oyster liquor.

If you want more excitement (although why would you?), the crab summer rolls are fabulous, with their rice-paper wrappings bursting with shredded vegetables, rice noodles and lumps of crab meat with a sweet, set-your-hair-on-fire-spicy dipping sauce.

Centerville is on 213 about a half-hour from Annapolis and is an easy day trip from Baltimore or Washington.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 8:51 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

The drive to Hoopers Island is not a great time to carry on a cell-phone conversation or reach in the back seat to rescue a fallen toy or needed map. This is a trip that requires the eyes on the road and the hands on the wheel.

Veer too far off the road in either direction, and you will be in marsh. Or, if you're really unlucky, your car will make contact with the Honga River, and not in a good way. For this small chain of three islands is about as remote as remote gets. It shows you on the map, plain as day, but you have to see it to believe it-- the main road over the causeway looks as thin as a ribbon, water on either side, and sometimes even in the roadway. It leads to three remote islands, known as Fishing Creek, Hoopersville and Applegarth.

I thought Hoopers Island would be more like Tylerton, on Smith Island -- a small remote fishing village of a couple dozen houses. It's much bigger than that, or so it seemed to me. But, like Smith, this is a place where most of the folks still make their living on the water. Maryland's small crab houses are here, and many driveways hold delivery trucks boasting names like "Ruark" and "Rippons" -- names that are known on Hooper's and have been for decades.

Phillips seafood got its start here, too, before it became a popular Harborplace dining spot and processed much of its crab meat in Thailand.

As far as I know, there aren't any hotels on the island. But you can stay in Cambridge, about 30 miles away.

A small store, Island Pride, caters to basic needs. And Old Salty's restaurant is known for both great seafood and terrific pies.

Attractions: there is a lighthouse, the Hooper Island light. An old graveyard. And check out these photos from Rearview Mirror's blog.

But the real reason to take a trip to Hooper's Island is to see a community living on the edge, at the mercy of the bay, the winds and the tides. These are people who were cut off from the rest of the world during Tropical Storm Isabel; it wiped out their causeway and stranded people in Hoopersville and beyond. Talk of global warming and climate change and sea-level rise is much more than just talk to people who live on a spit of land sandwiched between bay and river. It means the difference between surviving and not surviving.

If you go, enjoy the view. Just make sure you put that phone down. Really, what could be that important? 

Posted by Rona Kobell at 8:59 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (1)
                       

A year or so ago, I was covering the election for the new governor and was sent to a freezing cold precinct in West Baltimore to ask people personal questions about their politics. There was a delay in getting the voting machines to work, and it was 7 a.m. and an icebox in that firehouse, so needless to say people weren't in the greatest mood. I struck up a conversation with a fellow who was going to vote for Ehrlich and he began telling me he was sick of all the problems in the city. He was getting out, building a house on the bay and planning to retire.

Where's your house? I asked.

Oh, you wouldn't know the town if I told you, he said.

Maybe I would. You'd be surprised, I said.

Ok, he said, it's Ridge.

And from there, me and this fellow from Druid Hill became fast friends, talking about the town's two restaurants -- one like a biker bar, the other one slightly more fancy, both excellent places for seafood -- and its rural charms. Suddenly, it seemed to warm up in that frigid firehouse as we thought about that Southern Maryland town near St. Mary's College and historic St. Mary's City,  where the crabs are fresh and the air is breezy.

To paraphrase a popular slogan for small Chesapeake Bay towns, Ridge isn't the end of the world, but you can see it from there. Point Lookout State park, a few miles away and technically in Scotland, offers sweeping views of the Potomac and the Bay. There is excellent fishing, opportunities to ride bikes through the green fields, and generally just relax.

I can no longer find a listing for the wonderful place we stayed while in Ridge a couple of years ago, called the Creekside Inn. Perhaps it's closed. There are, however, some other nice options: The Brome-Howard Inn of St. Mary's City. And the Victorian candle Inn. Here is a complete list of hotels, campgrounds and other accommodaitions in the county.

Added bonus: if you go to Point Lookout on the weekends when it's warm, you will probably see a lot of folks from El Salvador cooking up carne asada, playing soccer and singing. When we were there, we even saw a couple of baptisms.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 2:51 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Apologies that this is a day late -- I was home yesterday with a sick child and haven't mastered the very complicated art of blogging at home. Never fear, I am sure my 2-year-old will be able to teach me in a few months, the way these kids are learning technology today.

I’ve got to get myself promptly to Onancock.

For a town of about 1,500 people, they seem to have it all: restauranteurs from Argentina and the former Czech Republic, fancy galleries, pampering accommodations — The Inn at Onancock and the Charlotte Hotel were named as favorites — and a "liar’s bench" in town, where people get together and talk.

Many of the commenters stumbled upon the town on their way somewhere else and fell in love; others return frequently because they have friends there. Many people have noted that Onancock isn’t the kind of town that serves the fun up to you — you have to find it yourself. Friendly, down-to-earth people help in this quest, as do the numerous tourist-friendly inns and boutiques. You can just bike around the town or take long walks and soak it in; downtown is only two or three blocks long.

My favorite of the stories I received was the one from Deborah Morrison, who happened on the town and then bought a fixer-upper and stayed. Her son has since moved there and opened a restaurant, Mallard’s, where he occasionally sings and plays his guitar.

Travel writer Mary Burnham, who also lives in Onancock and calls it "the best little town in Virginia," describes in detail the fun to be had there in this Washingtonian article. Mary and her husband, Bill, also lead kayaking expeditions. Chesapeake Life also did a nice spread on the town. And here are a few of the other recommended places:

For sleeping: John Smith allegedly camped here, but you have your choice of multiple bed and breaklfasts.

The Inn at Onancock can be reached at 757-789-7711. This is a place to go for luxury, massages, claw-foot tubs, and indulgent breakfasts. Innkeepers used to work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, so I'm guessing they know a thing or two about bird-watching and other outdoor pursuits.

The Charlotte Hotel, another favorite of this blog's readers, offers dinner in its gallery next door, where it exhibits the work of hotel owner, Charlotte Heath.

From my unscientific survey, the fan favorite award goes to the Spinning Wheel B and B -- many of you remarked on the charming hosts, the Nolans, and their adorable dog, Chudley. This would seem to be the budget option of the three: rates are between $85 and $115 a night during peak season, and as low as $75 right now. The inn is "not suitable" for children under 8, according to its web site, but pets are allowed in one room.

For eating:

Johnny Mo, the guitar playing chef, serves up casual meals at Mallards; see him rocking here. Readers also recommended Stella's but I couldn't find a link for it.

Thanks again, readers. This is great feedback. Next time we do this, I’ll just ask everyone to send in their own comments, I think. But I am so grateful for the help. Now, it’s off to the Travel section to pitch my own Onancock story!

Posted by Rona Kobell at 11:09 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (6)
                       

For many of this blog's readers, going to Edgewater probably doesn't feel much like traveling. It's only about 20 minutes south of Annapolis and still well within commuting distance to Baltimore.

And yet, this small community near the South, West and Rhode River is definitely worth exploring.

The best reason to go there is for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, a research institution that doubles as a vast wildlife preserve. You'd have to look long and hard to find this much unspoiled land in Anne Arundel County -- acres and acres of forests, wetlands and coves. It's just off of 214 and is open to the public Monday thru Saturday from 9-4:30. They have kids' activities, teen activities and adult activities organized for you, or you can do your own hiking along the trails or canoeing. Pick a day when it's not freezing and you will probably have an afternoon of peace; even in more touristy seasons, I don't think too many people know about SERC.

Of course, after all that activity, you'll have to eat. Fortunately, there's Yellowfin Restaurant on Route 2, not far away. I've never eaten there, but Janet Owens used to hold her fund-raisers there, so how bad could it be? I have been to the faster-food version of Lebanese Taverna at the Annapolis Harbour Center. Except for the spelling of "harbour," I have no complaints.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 10:56 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (1)
                       

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Posted by Rona Kobell at 8:00 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

I have to say, the Town That Fooled The British has never been one of may favorite bay places.

St. Michael's is beautiful, no doubt. I love visiting the Chesapeake Maritime Museum and its signature lighthouses, and walking along the river and watching the boats go by. it may be a bay cliche, but it's a pretty cliche.

The problem is that it's just too expensive. Meals, lodging, shopping -- it's all beyond my budget. It's fun to browse, but when even the coffee seems expensive, it's not that much fun.

But the good news is that the crowds thin in the winter, and the prices drop. And it's still possible to glimpse some of the town's favorite residents: The Cheneys and the Rumsfelds, who are known to enjoy the local eateries.

I've heard tale that one of St. Michael's finest properties, The Inn at Perry Cabin, has some incredible winter mid-week special. But it's not listed on their web site.

 The Five Gables Inn and Spa has winter specials listed on their site, though it doesn't specify what they are. The Old Brick Inn has all kinds of specials, including throwing in dinner at 208 Talbot with a two-night stay. And the cottages at Two Swan Inn are always moderately priced, at least in comparison to the other places.

The Old Brick even encourages the celebration of your babymoon-- apparently a trip before the baby is born to celebrate the birth. I always thought the birth was celebration enough, but nevertheless, I would have liked to have known there was such a thing so I could have convinced my husband to take me to St. Michaesl (or, perhaps, Hawaii) to celebrate...but I digress.

There are so many well-known restaurants in St. Michaels: The Town Dock is pretty famous; there's the french Bistro St. Michaels, and the afroementioned 208 Talbot. I think most are known for their seafood.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 12:15 PM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

I am attempting to continue my somewhat erratic efforts to be a Chesapeake Bay tour guide.

 At the suggestion of our multi-media editor, I'm going to try to post these travel bits every Thursday, in order to give anyone who wants to go a little planning time. We'll call them "Local travel."

First, let me say that the winter is a great time to explore the Shore. When I visited Cambridge two weeks ago, I had one of the town's top bed and breakfasts all to myself...and I would venture that anywhere you go, it will be the same, especially if you're able to travel on a weeknight.

Why Cambridge? Well, this Dorchester County city sits on the Choptank, and its downtown is getting a facelift. There are at least four restaurants, three antique shops, several upscale boutiques and art galleries. Here's a list of all of them, courtesy of Main Street Cambridge, which has been working to breathe new life into the town. I particularly liked A Few of My Favorite Things, an eclectic store featuring chocolate, coffee, piggy banks and lots of flamingoes.

(For those looking for a bargain, they have two thrift shops. But act quickly: I saw a $5 plastic kitchen I wanted to buy for my daughter, but when I went back 1 hour later, it was gone.)

There is wireless internet for everyone downtown, and Main Street has put up these computer kiosks that tell you in real time what's happening around town and who is offering discounts on what, so you can decide to get a last-minute massage or stay overnight if a special becomes available.

Where to stay? Cambridge is known for the Hyatt, but I can never seem to get a rate quote of under $300, so I don't stay there much. And the Holiday Inn on Route 50 is certainly clean enough and probably a fine choice if you want a certain atmosphere. But I would recommend staying in the historic district so you can really take in this very walkable town.

I stayed at Cambridge House, a Bed and Breakfast on High Street, for a small fraction of what the Hyatt usually charges. The rooms had TVs, a great selection of magazines and charming innkeepers. The Mill Street Inn also looks very nice. Both are walkable to all attractions. Ask if they allow children; they might, even if their web site doesn't specify it.

What to do there? Shop, of course.  And there's the sailwinds park, which offers sweeping river views. There are also a few small museums. At the moment, I don't know of any place that rents boats, but with Cambridge surrounded by water, that seems like it would be a fine addition. And if you bring your own, there are many options.

The people of Cambridge have long been trying to coax people off of Route 50 and into their town. If you, like me, have often bypassed the place in your rush to get to the beach or some other place, you will likely be surprised at how much it has changed since your last visit. I sure was. The last time I was there was a couple of years ago, and there wasn't much happening.

Posted by Rona Kobell at 6:35 AM in Local travel | Permalink | Comments (2)