What's Up Magazines

The calendar might say it's summer for another few weeks, but I say it's fall. After all, pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts has its pumpkin doughnuts, and the weather is (kind of) cooling down. Best of all, breweries are releasing their autumn seasonal beers. 

Gordon Biersch is tapping its Festbier with a party from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14. The beer is a rich, moderately hopped, bronze lager. It's also the same beer that Gordon Biersch is entering in Chesapeake Beer Madness on Oct. 1 at Park Place in Annapolis. 

 

The party at Gordon ...

$0$0$0$0Maryland Seafood Festival, which runs Friday-Sunday at Sandy Point State Park, will offer a mix of standard events and new features. The biggest news from this year’s event? The festival has now gone green with the help of Greener Results Events Management.$0$0The 2010 festival is dedicated toward minimizing the environmental impacts by promoting recycling of cans, bottles, glass, paper, and cardboard; offering reusable cups and discounts on refills; using eco-friendly materials; encouraging the elimination of Styrofoam and waste from vendors; and donating leftover food to the Maryland Food Bank. These are just some of the ways the festival will ...

Welcome to Power Lunch. Each week we’ll review a restaurant in Annapolis or on the Eastern Shore from the perspective of nine-to-fivers getting lunch in the middle of their workday. Hence, pace and cost will be factored differently than you’d expect from a typical restaurant review, which is usually from the perspective of a dinner experience.  

How we got there: I happened to be working on the Eastern Shore the day we needed lunch, so I hopped on Route 50 and cruised to Cambridge with a friend. Ocean Odyssey is right on Route 50—super easy to get to, whether ...

I've been reminded over and over the past couple days, through Facebook status updates and message board posts: Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks!

I adore this autumn treat. I might wait a couple weeks until I finally indulge in one just because it doesn't feel right to have one while the temps are still in the 90s.

If you don't want to fork over $4 for a coffee drink, try out a recipe from The Kitchn: Pumpkin Spice Latte

I made it last year after I decided that I was devoting too much of my paycheck to Starbucks, ...

There's a new bar coming to Annapolis, and it certainly sounds intriguing. Dancing waitstaff? A "wild hour?" Well, I just can't wait to see how this plays out.  

Wild Willy’s Rockhouse & Sports Saloon, a new bar and restaurant in Annapolis, opens to the public on September 18, 2010, at 7 p.m. The new venue is located in the space previously occupied by TK Sharky’s, and is situated off West Street adjacent to the Annapolis Towne Center.

The space has been completely renovated to reflect a new theme, centering on Rock 'n' Roll, live music, special events and sports. The venue ...

Here's a chance to get a taste of award-winning Chef Brendan Keegan, of 208 Talbot in St. Michaels. Read on for more from the press release I got today:

On Saturday, September 18th, Chef Keegan will bring his culinary expertise and love for locavores straight to the farm as the featured chef at the fourth annual “Field to Fork” Dinner hosted at Homestead Farms, Inc. in Millington, Maryland. 

Guests are invited to join Chef Keegan, Homestead Farms, Inc. owners Luke and Alison Howard, and Dishing Up Maryland author Lucie Snodgrass for a decadent four-course dinner, farm tour and book signing. Dining ...

It's been 21 years since Ram's Head Tavern was born on West Street in Annapolis, and they're celebrating their coming of age with a big shebang on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The day starts off with a traditional "Kegs n' Eggs" at 7 a.m., when the doors open. "For over 20 years we've been committed to cold beer, great food and an exceptional experience," said Vice President Erin McNaboe. "Our Kegs & Eggs event celebrates all of those commitments ... just at the crack of dawn! Those who have attended the event in the past know it is a celebration filled with laughter and ...

This past Tuesday, I had the fortune of being invited to Harbour Inn Marina and Spa in St. Michaels. The restaurant there has just brought in a new executive chef, David Hayes, and they were holding a cocktail party of sorts to introduce him to loyal customers, media and so on.

I say "fortune" because this was really a great event. The food, the wine, the company - all of it pulled together to make a fun, delicious evening. Because we were all there to see the chef, clearly food was the centerpiece of the whole event, though wine played ...

Looks like Paladar has finally set the date for its opening - check out this press release I received today:

The bold and fresh flavors of Latin America are coming to Annapolis. 

Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar, set to open September 16, 2010, will be located in Annapolis Towne Centre off Riva Road and across from Gordon Biersch. 
 

“We’re so excited to bring our fresh interpretation of Latin American fare to Annapolis. Our goal is to create a fun, lively, and enthusiastically welcoming place that our guests will think of for everything from family dinners to business lunches to ...

How we got there: Yama is located on West Street, near the Towne Center, which is always convenient for us when we’re coming from our main office in Annapolis. We headed down West Street, made a U-turn at Holly Avenue and parked. The exterior of the restaurant is somewhat inconspicuous, but the interior surprised us -- Yama’s décor featured retro-70s hues (bright orange and yellow) matched to sophisticated pastel paintings, mahogany trim, and contemporary dining furniture, giving the quaint restaurant an urban feel.
 < p>< p>

What we ordered: We started with a volcano roll as an appetizer to split because at ...

Yesterday, I had a great opportunity to spend the day in Crisfield, Maryland, a town deeply entrenched in what the Eastern Shore is all about: Small, tight-knit communities and the bay, along with everything that goes with it, most notable being crabs.

Olde Crisfield Steakhouse hosted some members of the press, along with community organization leaders from Baltimore, to show us what Crisfield has to offer. As the food editor, I was clearly most interested in one thing: Eating!  



We started out with a bowl of Maryland Crab Soup. I'll admit, I'm not usually a fan of tomato-based or vegetable ...

We tend to focus on the Annapolis and Eastern Shore dining scene here, but every once in a while, a press release shows up from outside that area that I just can't ignore. This happened to be one of them.

As someone who formerly lived in NYC and goes back there frequently to visit, the press release I was sent this morning was welcome news: the popular New York City burger stand, Shake Shack, will open next year in Washington, D.C. Check it out:

The people have spoken: Shake Shack to open in Washington, DC. Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality ...

Eastern Shore residents, were you lamenting over The Melting Pot's Dogfish Head Dinner because it was too far of a drive? I have good news for you – Ocean Odyssey in Cambridge is also pairing up with Dogfish for a special dinner that will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8. 
 

I spoke to Travis at Ocean Odyssey, who let me know some of the details. The dinner features five courses matched up with five beers. Which beers are actually being served aren’t set in stone; however, he expects some combination of Punkin Ale (My fave!), Indian Brown ...

Just east of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, you can participate in a culinary exploration with the Kent Manor Inn. This summer, the Inn has been hosting "Eat, Drink, Love: A Culinary Exploration Series," the next of which is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 20.

The first part of the series focuses on what to drink with your meals. Friday's edition explores the wine of France and Italy, teaching when it's best to pair a meal with a Bordeauz, Chianti, Super Tuscan, or Merlot.

The menu for the night includes Cedar-Planked Diver Scallops, a roasted Sweet Corn and Mache Salad with Champagne ...

When you're planning your weekend, consider including these food events in your plans:  

- Saturday, August 14: Seafood Feast-I-Val, Sailwinds Park, Cambridge, Md. Indulge in a true Maryland feast--steamed crabs, crab soup, fried fish, fried clams and barbecue chicken at all on the menu at the annual Seafood Feast-I-Val. Beer will also be sold by the glass. The event runs from 1-6 p.m. Tickets cost $32 for adults and $10 for children age 3-11. Visit www.seafoodfeastival.com for tickets, directions and other information.    

- Saturday, August 14: The Basics of Wine Tasting, Bin 201 Wine Sellers, Annapolis Towne ...

With all this talk about beer clubs and beer-pairing dinners, at least one restaurant is skipping past the brews in favor of spirits. Carrol's Creek Cafe on Severn Avenue in Annapolis will host a five-course tasting dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31. The menu, paired with spirits from The Patron Spirits Company, is designed by Executive Chef Ricardo Bello and sounds quite delicious.

You know, so many people have a tequila horror story from their college days, and that makes them shy away from the liquor. I am not one of those people. Give me some salt and a ...

During my regular browsing of local restaurants' websites today, I came across a few things of interest at Gordon Biersch, which is located at the Annapolis Towne Center. First, when I followed the link to their Facebook page, I discovered that "liking" Gordon Biersch gave you a coupon for a free Garlic Fries appetizer. It's for dine-in use only and can't be used with any other coupons. However, the fine print doesn't say there's any purchase required; however, I do recommend pairing the fries with a cold beer.

Additionally, if you sign up for the restaurant's e-newsletter, you can get ...

Fondue - the practice of dipping food skewered on a metal rod into cheese, chocolate or a broth - was all the rage in the 1970s. It's struggled to really make a comeback, although I do admit to owning a fondue pot. At The Melting Pot, though, on Solomons Island Road in Annapolis, fondue never went out of style.

I'm always looking for fun things to do that don't cost too much. After all, no matter what your income level, who doesn't like to get a good deal? The Melting Pot seems to have some deals for couples, beer-lovers and gal pals.

For couples
Share ...

Did you know you can receive a complimentary birthday dinner at The Chop House in Annapolis? This is quite interesting to me because my birthday just so happens to be on Friday.

The deal is this: Come in on your birthday with a valid ID, and they'll discount your bill, according to the nice woman I spoke with on the reservations line. If there are two of you dining, the food portion of your bill will be discounted 50 percent; if there's three of you, it will be 33 percent off; four of you and they'll take 25 percent off, and ...

Welcome to Power Lunch. Each week we’ll review a restaurant in Annapolis or on the Eastern Shore from the perspective of nine-to-fivers getting lunch in the middle of their workday. Hence, pace and cost will be factored differently than you’d expect from a typical restaurant review, which is usually from the perspective of a dinner experience.  

How we got here: James and I hopped in the car and headed to downtown Annapolis. The Kitchen at 137 is located 137 Prince George Street. The Kitchen is small and decorated in a Mediterranean style, with large, fun frame posters separating the ...