Frederick Maryland Online

On Tuesday evening, the three of us were invited to take a tour of VOLT Restaurant, 228 N. Market St, to see how the renovations of the old mansion are coming along. We were met there by Executive Chef and General Manager Bryan Voltaggio and Hilda Staples who, once open will be in charge of marketing and external relations, and their sommelier Aaron Schifferle. It’s easy to see how excited they all are about this project, a massive undertaking as they’ve had to completely gut the first floor of the building and start over (there’s a separate business on the upper floor).

The space itself is divided into four distinct areas. The front left side of the building (if you are facing the building from outside) will be the more formal dining area, which will seat 38 guests. Continuing back on that same side will be a chef’s kitchen dining room that will seat about 16 people, who will be able to see all that’s going on in the kitchen just beyond that area.

Opposite the chef’s kitchen is a private room for a large group of twelve or so. This area, the conservatory, will be spectacular, as it is surrounded by a curved wall of windows overlooking the garden. Finally, in the front right will be a bar and lounge area. The bar area will be L-shaped with 14 bar stools and a beverage ledge on the opposite wall. The lounge area will be furnished and more informal with tables and chairs and seating for approximately 20.

As for the food, I can say with 100% certainty that VOLT will not be a steak house. Their menu will stress seasonal, local and/or organic fare. Bryan has found some great seafood resources and it’s very important for him to find ones that stress farm raised, sustainable fish that can be shipped one day and prepared the next. They’ve also found some great local resources for coffee, beef and dairy. The formal dining room menu will be a la carte, the chef’s kitchen menu will have a 5 or 7 course menu and the lounge area will have a more cocktail-type menu. The wine list sounds like it will be accessible for all price points, with a wide variety to choose from. Aaron definitely knew what he was talking about!

Valet parking will be available after 5:00PM and they are hoping to open in July. We wish them all the best and hope that they are finished with their renovations in time. It’s going to be a unique restaurant in Frederick, that’s for sure. The attention to detail is quite thorough. But, rest assured, they are not looking to be only a special occasion restaurant. With all the menu and dining options they will have to offer, and the really great people they are who want to create a special place in Frederick, we are sure they will do well here. Thanks for the invite guys! We had a lot of fun.

Watch out for the pictures from our tour on Flickr in the right sidebar.

Lizfrog

Guy

After all the rain we had I decided to walk down to the Monocacy River near my house and see how high the water was.

Here is the trail I usually walk on …

And here is approximately the same area on a sunny day …

Yikes!

~Guy~

In addition to Liz’s write-up of things to do this month, Dani from Tots2tweens has also taken some time to list some additional family happenings in and around the county:

So much is happening this month –

The 150th YMCA & Frederick Police Department Birthday party, May 17th from 12 – 4pm (rain or shine). This FREE family event will be held at the YMCA, 1000 North Market Street in Frederick. Tots2Tweens will be there – be sure to stop by and say hi! NOTE: If it’s raining, the event will be held indoors!

Also, May 17th & 18th – Mt. Airy Mayfest.

May 19th – we kick off the first of many mornings with the City of Gaithersburg. These Kiddy Concerts are on Monday and Thursday mornings (10:30am) – free concerts held at the City Hall band-shell. Bring a blanket, some chairs and the kids for a morning of fun!

May 24th – Family Fun Disco from 4-7pm at the William Talley Recreation Center in Frederick. It’s a 70’s theme so get those bell-bottoms out and have some fun! Family Fun for All Ages!! Parents vs. Kids Dance Off, A Hula Hoop Contest, Door Prizes, Limbo, Best Dressed Contest- the best Disco outfit wins a PRIZE!! And Lots More. Contact Party Fun @ 301-662-0889 or 1-866-885-5FUN for more information. Ticket Price $10.00 each (3 yrs and under Free).

May 26th – Happy Memorial Day! Have a moment for those who have served this country and allowed us our freedom.

Check our website for all the up-to-date happenings in and around the county: www.tots2tweens.com. Select the Fun As A Family category or check out our Events calendar.

Dani Gurrie is the founder of Tots2Tweens.com an online directory for parents listing everything from Birthday Party Entertainment to Photographers to Summer Camps to Acting Classes. She is the mother of two children and grew up in Frederick.

Thanks Dani! A little editor’s note, Dani actually had found more events and sent them my way, but it got buried in my emails. Sorry Dani and those looking for things to do in the beginning of May.

~Guy~

Friday, May 16th is the Principal Financial Group Family Fun Fest at Harry Grove Stadium. This is a free event that starts three hours before game time. That night the game starts at 7PM.

Come early to Harry Grove Stadium for the Principal Financial Group Family Fun Fest. The FREE event opens 3 hours before game time just outside the ballpark. Don’t miss the batting and pitching cages, bungee runs, super slide, the Xbox 360 Best Buy Home Run Derby Video Game Trailer with Rock Band stage, a spectacular Minor League Baseball Museum, and you can even put yourself on a free souvenir Days Inn baseball card or Sports Illustrated Kids Magazine cover. Donate new or gently used baseball equipment to “Pitch in for Baseball” and receive a coupon for XBox 360 software at Best Buy and a special ticket offer from the Keys.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and heard a commercial for the 2nd Annual Longest Yard Sale, to be held on Saturday, May 17th in the parking lot at Harry Grove Stadium.

Join 106.9 The Eagle on Saturday, May 17th for the 2nd Annual Longest Yard Sale in the Lower Parking Lot of Harry Grove Stadium.

The Longest Yard Sale will begin promptly at 7am and runs until 11am.

Registration for this event is a $10 donation, with all donations going to Volunteer Frederick.

By the way, both of the Keys games on those two nights, May 16th and 17th, are fireworks nights!

Lizfrog

This Sunday, May 11th is Mother’s Day.  Here’s a few things I’ve been able to find:

Mother’s Day High Tea and Wine Tasting at Elk Run Vineyards.

May 10-11, 12-4PM  (two seating’s) 12-1:30 or 2:30-4:00
Mother’s Day High Tea and Wine Tasting

$15.00 per adult Children 4 and over $8.00 (tickets required)

Seated under our spacious outdoor tent, spend an afternoon looking over the vineyard in early bloom. We present crumpets, scones, devanger cream and fine teas along with three Elk Run wines. Additional wines may be purchased.

Mother’s Day brunch at Linganore Winecellars: (According to their website, this event is sold out, although it’s unclear if both days are sold out or just Sunday.)

Join us for an elegant brunch, either Saturday or Sunday, to celebrate Mom’s special day at Linganore Winecellars.
Relax to soft  music in our Abisso banquet room while you enjoy a gourmet brunch buffet of delectable dishes including carved turkey breast, quiche, pasta, fruit, chocolate cup mousse, and much more, along with 1 glass of Linganore wines and 1 Linganore Mimosas (21 and over) with a keepsake wineglass. Have a professional family portrait taken while everyone is together and dressed up! No sitting fee, just pay for the portraits. Along with presenting every mother a flower for her special day, Linganore will present each table with a surprise gift. Tickets are $47 (ages 21+) $40 (under 21) $25 (under 12). Space is limited so reservations are required.For reservations please call (301) 831-5889 or email events@Linganorewines.com or simply stop by the tasting room to purchase tickets.

I would imagine that most of these places are having a special brunch although their websites don’t mention anything specifically.  I was at Brewer’s Alley a few weeks ago and they had a Mother’s Day menu printed out but there’s no news on their website.

What are your Mother’s Day plans?  If you know of any special things going on and can share them, please leave a comment.

Lizfrog

I discovered today that Volt has a blog. From the most recent post (May 3rd):

We are well under way with construction at this point. It is very exciting to see Charlie, our architect, and our vision taking shape. Our kitchen view dining room, dubed the chef’s dining room, ceiling and framing are almost complete. Our lounge and main dining room are also framed to the point where the walls and ceilings look a bit like a large skeleton of the restaurant. This week our hood will arrive and the install will be early in the week. That in it’s self is an exciting milestone, as we all know what is stationed underneath will be close behind. Plumbers, electricians, masons, and steelworkers are all taking position and working simultaneously to bring the space to life.

You can also sign up for email updates on the opening at Volt’s website here.

Also, don’t forget about the Frederick Forum. There are lots of new questions over there!

Lizfrog

I saw this article in the Frederick News-Post and it made me sad …

Anyone interested in buying a home facing foreclosure can save time and gas by boarding the Bargain Bus.

Long & Foster’s Mount Airy office launched bus tours three months ago for visits to foreclosed-on homes.

Sharon Crisafulli, who manages three Long & Foster offices, said the tour has been so far a hit. Mount Airy is in a four-county area, and the company puts on one tour a month. So far Frederick, Carroll and Montgomery have been visited. Howard County is next.

“People may say what a horrible thing we are doing, preying on these people (facing foreclosure),” Crisafulli said. “But the sellers are glad to see us working, trying to sell the home for them. It is in their best interest to get it sold.”

Participants get information beforehand about the properties and then get to visit each one. The company charters a 28-seat bus and visits about 10 homes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tourists get a gift bag with water and fruit.

“On the bus we have an attorney, a home inspector and a mortgage person,” Crisafulli said.

Also, kind of related is this article about the rise of crime in empty foreclosed homes. Sorry for the dose of bad news, I think I like the anti-smoking Playboy bunny at the cigar story post much better.

~Guy~

I received an anonymous tip from an FMO reader about Luke’s Pizza Company …

I just discovered that Luke’s Pizza Company on Crestwood Blvd. is now closed for two to four weeks for “emergency renovations.”  I wonder if this means the Health Department nailed it, or if the store has changed hands once again?

No word on the Luke’s next to Jug Bridge. I haven’t eaten at Luke’s in awhile, but I used to frequent the place quite often. Hopefully they bounce back, whatever the cause of the closure.

~Guy~

I volunteered at the Frederick Marathon today. A friend of mine and I were at mile 8 with a very nice group of Boy Scouts (sorry that I forgot their troop number) handing out loads of water to the brave souls who took to the streets for the run.

I took some pictures of our station. I wish I got more of the runners, but here is a great shot of them. Also the FNP has a ton of coverage and info on the event.

I was amazed at the scope of the event, at least from what I could see from my limited vantage point. Anyone out there run the race? What did you think? I would love to here from some of the runners, volunteers, or staff.

~Guy~

Liz turned to me earlier tonight and asked me if I thought this announcement from Urbanamaryland.com and Davidus Cigars was worth posting on FMO. Since it was Sunday, I figured it was post worthy.

The Urbana location of Davidus Cigars is hosting Playboy’s Miss June 2006 Stephanie Larimore on Thursday, May 15th from 4 to 7 PM. I am not sure what this Fort Wayne Indiana native is doing in little old Urbana Maryland, but I am pretty sure it has something to do with selling Cigars.

The essential questions:

AMBITIONS:
To put 100% effort into anything I do, whether it’s modeling, acting, fashion coordinating or owning a spa.

TURN-ONS:
Eye-contact, good manners, intelligence, confidence, a sense of humor, nice abs and a smile.

TURNOFFS:
Arrogance, materialism, smoking, spitting, bad hygiene, drug use, shallowness and laziness.

Turnoffs = SMOKING I’m pretty sure not too many guys will be smoking at the store when she’s there…

~LizFrog~