Coming Attractions...

Eat Drink and Be Merry...

This weekend I'll be going into the field due to my gig as the Maryland columnist for the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News. On Saturday afternoon I will be heading to Timonium to attend the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival. For $20 at the door you get to sample a variety of local and imported beers and a variety of bourbons while grooving to the Kelly Bell Band (until 3:00 PM) and then Mister Wilson comes on at 4:30.

Considering you get to enjoy beer, bourbon, bbq and blues music, I gotta say, it sounds like a helluva time.

I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike...

Yes, we are getting into that time of year again, but that's not what I'm really talking about. What I am talking about is an event for the hard-core cycling fanatics and the Floyd Landis supporters. According to a story at Lancaster Online, "The Floyd Fairness Fund will hold a 'champion reception' on Saturday at the Ephrata Performing Arts center."

The reception costs $25.00 and you will have a chance to mingle with Landis, according to the story. This Saturday's reception was added after the previously scheduled Sunday event sold out.

Contact Green Mountain Cyclery in Ephrata at (717) 859-2422 for tickets and information on availability.

Would you prefer a red or a white with your jazz?

Frederick Cellars, one of the County's four wineries will be hosting the Kevin Lewis Jazz Quartet on Saturday evening. For a five spot relax and listen to some jazz while soaking in the atmosphere in one of Shab Row's most recent additions and a recent winner of the Governor's Cup Award.

If you have a chance to talk to the owner, Charles Daneri, he's a pretty urbane guy and very committed to the success of the winery. I had a chance to talk to him several times while he was in the process of opening the downtown location - a rarity in the industry as a whole (Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries association told me at the time that he believed there were roughly ten located in urban settings throughout the entire country) wanted to put the winery where the people are. He felt that was a key.

Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what else he does to ensure the business grows.

It's Been A Busy Week

Sorry, but the last week has been very busy. I have several things to get up on the blog this week including information about events in Timonium and Lancaster for bourbon/beer/bbq and bicycling enthusiasts respectively, as well as information about a blues performance in downtown Frederick this weekend. More on all later.

I just wanted to mention there will be the occasional week like this where I won't be able to get around to posting as often as I would like - for example, this week I was under deadline for an article I was working on for Wine Business Monthly (sorry, but the paying gigs have got to come first). I don't know when the article will run, but it deals with the impact of a Supreme Court ruling from two years ago on the Maryland and Virginia wine industries.

For anyone that followed my writing while I was at the Gazette, you will be familiar with what I am talking about. For those of you unfamiliar, let me know and I will provide some insight into the issues at hand.