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~

Restaurant posts are kind of hard to write because most restaurants don’t seem to post new information for each new event on their websites. That being said, I decided it’s easier for me to just post a list of Mexican restaurants that may be holding specials for Cinco de Mayo (I’m running into the same problem with a search for Mother’s Day brunches. Just when I think I’ve found a place with a great menu, I find it’s from 2007 or earlier.) Anyways, here’s a list of places to go to on Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) and if you can add to this list please do so in the comments. There are certain restaurants that seem to bring out the most vocal critics. All I can ask is that you please keep the comments civil.

(Warning: There is music playing on the sites for Mexicali Cantina, Cacique and Mariachi.  Thanks, Jim!)

Casa Rico

Mexicali Cantina

La Paz

Cacique

Mariachi

Also, El Paso at 5732 Buckeystown Pike (in the plaza with Gold’s Gym and Common Market).

Another I just heard about in Mt Airy called Siempre de Fiesta in the Twin Arch Shopping Center.

Los Potrillos is on the Golden Mile in Westridge Square.

Fajita Grande (Thanks Storage Lady!), is on Willowdale Ave., just off the Golden Mile.

What have I forgotten?

Lizfrog

I find this news very exciting because I spent many hours playing disc golf (we called it Frisbee golf) in the mid-80’s in upstate New York.  From the Gazette:

The park is located west of Md. Route 194 and adjacent to the Copper Oaks subdivision.

Disc golf is a sport in which players throw Frisbees at elevated metal baskets rather than hit golf balls at holes with clubs. The object, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association’s Web site, is to finish each hole in the fewest number of strokes.

The course in Woodsboro will be free to the public. Players will need to bring their own discs.

Baskets for the nine-hole course are in storage and are expected to be installed within a week, Rensberger, the town government’s liaison to the Parks Commission, said.

‘‘[People] can play as soon as they see the baskets up,” he said, adding that the tee boxes – two for each basket , pro and amateur – are under construction. ‘‘Soon to follow will be a course layout [and a] rules sign; most people will need to know.”

Woodsboro’s course will have scorecards as well, he said.

For more information on the sport, click here.

(No mention about if you can bring along a cooler like we used to be able to do!)

Lizfrog

Frederick Maryland Online reader, Josh wanted to share a cool online map he created:

I just created a Google MyMap with things to do around Frederick for families with young kids. I’ve got two little girls, and I sometimes read tidbits on your blog or in the FNP about things to do for young kids. I created this map so I wouldn’t forget these tidbits! I’d love it if other people could add to the map things they do around Frederick to keep their kids busy and entertained.

Check out the map here. Thanks for sharing Josh!

~Guy~

I just came across a publication from The Daily Record called the Frederick County Progress Report 2008.

In it there is a mention of th Frederick Wine Trail. Since we spent a while discussing Frederick wine at the coffee shop the other night, I was glad to see there is an organization following wine made in Frederick County.
Who hasn’t been to Linganore/Berrywine Plantation (the oldest winery in the county) for one of their summer festivals?  I know the venue is a winery, but this was a frequent hang-out for us in the ’90’s when the kids were young.

Black Ankle Vineyards, also in Mt Airy, will be the newest, scheduled to open it’s doors in August ‘08.  I am looking forward to tasting what they have to offer.  A true Mom & Pop operation, with grapes grown on site.

Also in Mt Airy are Elk Run and Loew Vineyards.  I have heard good things about both of these places, but don’t think I have ever tried one of their wines.

I did have a chance to taste some Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards in Comus (eek, isn’t that Montgomery County?) wines at a reception in the FSK Hollidome last year.  Their wine was surprisingly dry and tasty, as I was expecting it to be sweeter like other local-grown wines I have tasted.   We also had a brief sampling of the Frederick Cellars wines at an Alive@Five event last year.  I only recall it was stinking hot and I was in more of a beer mood.  Liz enjoyed it, though.

So in the spirit of eating & drinking local, I encourage you all to give Frederick County wines a try!

~LizFrog~