Catherine Marie Cruise in Annapolis, Maryland–Cake Conflict

View From Annapolis Marriott Waterfront

I recently attended a business dinner in Annapolis, MD.  Quaint brick-lined sidewalks, boutiques, seafood restaurants, and colorful cedar-shake houses with window boxes that spill summer flowers adorn Annapolis. The  harbor teems with yachts, powerboats and sailboats that vie for attention in “ego alley.”

My husband and I stepped aboard the Catherine Marie, which was docked in the Annapolis harbor,  for a wine-tasting-dinner cruise. We sipped wine and enjoyed a delicious dinner. The sommelier paired Italian wine from various regions for each course. We enjoyed lively conversation and laughter with the people at our table.

Everything went well, until the dreaded dessert course. As we sipped dessert wine, the sommelier suggested that we should  accompany the wine with chocolate.

Great idea!  I waited until the dessert line lessened, and I got in line (at the end, of course) with Wendy from our table.  When I stepped up to the dessert bar, I noticed that two pieces of chocolate cake remained.  I handed a piece of cake to Wendy.  As I reached for my piece, a woman rushed to the other side of the bar (without standing in line) and grabbed the last piece of cake. She said, “I think that I will take that!”  My mouth dropped open and I stared into her eyes.  I thought that she might quickly stuff the cake in her mouth to save it from me. I hoped in vain, that she would return the cake to its rightful owner.  The cake culprit carried my chocolate cake with my chocolate icing to her table.  How could she possibly enjoy it knowing that it was just inches from the grasp of the person who waited in line.   If I was a few seconds faster, I would have had my hand on the plate. I wonder if she would have pulled it away. We could have had an “I Love Lucy Show” on the Catherine Marie.

I returned to my table with my head down and cakeless.  Wendy offered me the cake that I handed to her. I tried to refuse, (honestly), but she insisted. It was a very nice gesture.

“The Case of the Stolen Chocolate Cake” generated loud laughs from our table, and I have a new story to tell at my next dinner party.

If you spot me in a dessert line, watch out!

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The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island — A Relaxing Retreat

The Sanctuary

My husband had a business trip to The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, SC, and I  accompanied him.  A long quiet palm and pine-tree-lined road brings you to The Sanctuary.  Large cream columns, shuttered windows and black mediterranean wrought iron balcony railings make you feel like you arrived at a plantation.   Smiling doormen welcome their guests. 

Jasmine, butterfly bush, wave petunias and various other flowers and bushes line the pathways throughout The Sanctuary.  Their sweet fragrance scents the breeze.

The Sanctuary atmosphere is quiet and relaxed. We visited in late April, but I heard that the pace picks up in the sweltering summer months. Many families arrive for summer vacation.

The 2012 PGA Championship is scheduled for August at The Ocean Course at The Sanctuary. Can you imagine the celebrities that will attend? My husband played golf on The Ocean Course, and it will be interesting to hear his perspective while we watch the PGA (as long as he doesn’t get carried away).

Ocean View

During our visit, we rode bikes on the beach. It was a crystal clear day with a slight ocean breeze. The best part was enjoying the ocean scenery without dodging people and cars.

I also took a tennis lesson, and I learned more from one lesson than many previous lessons. The pro gave me great visual images that I will use when I am playing a match. He noted that they are rated the #1 tennis resort in the world for another year by www.tennisresortsonline.com.

The resort staff provided great customer service from the bellmen to the wait staff. Various staff members asked about our stay. Of course our response was that we had a wonderful time.

The only down side for me was the alligators. I saw numerous signs warning about dangerous alligators. I saw a few and believe me, I was watchful!

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Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida

The Boca Raton Resort and Club

After several years, I recently returned to Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida. There is nothing comparable to approaching the impressive, ornate resort from the palm-tree-lined entry road. I am not a resort-type person because I prefer quiet vacations. However, the Boca Resort and Club’s amenities outweigh any inconvenience from crowds during the busy season.

The Boca Resort and Club offers a beautiful beach, several pools, golf, tennis, croquet, a spa, fitness center and a marina. They even have children’s programs. (My children participated in these programs many years ago.)

Previously, I accompanied my husband when he visited Boca for business. We loved the resort and brought the children with us on vacations.  The Boca Resort excelled in customer service.

During one of our past visits, I had a great experience. We did not tell the personnel at the resort that it was my birthday, but when we returned to our room, the management sent us chocolate covered strawberries with a birthday note. I presume that someone saw my birthdate on my license and followed up. We were impressed!

Last week my daughter and I visited the Boca Resort and Club. I felt that their 

The Ferry From the Resort to the Beach Club

customer service had changed from my past experiences.

Tennis was one of the highlights of my Boca Resort experience.  Over the years, the tennis staff would fit me into a tennis game on short notice (even when I was a beginner and could not hit the ball even if my life depended on it).  On one of my trips when I was about 35  years old,  an 80-year-old man beat me in tennis.  It was extremely embarrassing.  I remember that I had a cocktail at the pool bar just to recover. My husband asked me repeatedly if the man was really 80.

When I arrived at the Boca Resort last week, I stopped into the tennis shop and asked if I could get me into a tennis game. (I have improved since the mean 80-year-old’s victory over the helpless 35 year-old.) They took my name and room number.  When I stopped into the tennis center on my departure day to exchange an item, I mentioned that I never heard from them. They told me that I was not on their list, but they could have used me that morning in a game. I was disappointed.

The morning that I planned to leave, I had another issue. I was reading and relaxing in my room (in a robe) when I realized that I had not checked in for my flight. I called the business office and asked them if they would please print my boarding pass.  The man who answered the phone told me that I had to come  down to the kiosk and do it myself. I jumped into my clothes and hurried to the kiosk. I could not get the boarding pass to print and still needed assistance. I finally found a manager to help me.

I feel that the Boca Resort and Club is still a beautiful resort but their customer service has declined in some areas. However, my husband and I are going to give it another try.

On a positive note, my daughter and I had a blast. We excel at eating  and enjoyed the resort’s restaurants.  We ate sushi in Morimoto, seafood in Cielo, we had  a fun casual dinner in 501 East Kitchen and Bar. (The only complaint about 501 East was that my daughter wouldn’t let me order the cocoanut cake, because she wanted the monkey bread.)

We loved our room and they allowed us an early check in and a late check-out. We ate, exercised, relaxed, swam and bonded!

Core in Timonium, MD and Debbie Schultz

I drag myself out of my car and stumble into Core to exercise with DebbieSchultz once or twice per week.  After my workout, I sprint to my car like an Olympic athlete.  (Okay, I leave Core with more energy.)

 I work out at home regularly, but I am likely to exercise more often when I 

Debbie Schultz

have a weekly commitment with Deb.  I also work harder than if I exercise alone. She encourages me to try new exercises and movements.

  I see a difference in my balance and muscle tone. I am stronger.  If I listened to all of her suggestions, (and didn’t drink wine and eat sweets) I would be very fit. I selectively follow her suggestions as long as they don’t interfere with my lifestyle. (I can’t give up everything.)

 Exercising with Deb is fun and challenging.  She adjusts my routine to work different muscle groups. She watches my form with each exercise to ensure that I do it correctly to prevent injury or death from lack of coordination. She also tells me which part of my body benefits from a particular exercise. This information makes the difficult exercises seem a little easier.

  After I warm up, we usually start with a plank. Often she asks me to do a backward lunge with a step platform livepage.apple.com (My platform is much lower than the previous video, and I use lighter weights.)  This is one of the more difficult exercises,  it increases my heart rate and it  tones the hamstrings and glutes.  Another exercise that I do is the wood chop,  livepage.apple.com which tones the abs and obliques.  I use the stability ball to do a bridge leg curl in which tightens the abs, glutes and legs and the dumbbell press which works my chest and arms. These are just a few of Deb’s tortures, I mean exercises.

 I also work harder if I am conditioning with a small group.  I go that extra mile because I don’t want to be the one taking a nap while the other ladies are sweating.  I burn extra calories by attempting to keep up with the group.  I attempt to look coordinated and not stumble.  Oh well, one can only try!

 Deb mixes my routine to make it fun and effective. Most of the exercises work several muscle groups at once, therefore it takes less time to get the most benefit.

 I dislike large gyms where members are concerned about their social life, attire, make up and coiffed hair. I like Core because it is never too crowded and the clients are there to exercise then leave, like me. 

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Safeway Towson, MD –Where are Their Employees?

At 5:00 on Friday, I stopped by Safeway in Towson to buy some deli products. When I arrived, there was one deli man diligently slicing meat behind the counter, there were two people ahead of me, and one person was behind me in line. After waiting for about five minutes , a woman arrived to help with the deli orders. I noted that there was a man in the back cleaning. I wondered if he should have assisted customers.

As I checked out, I noticed that the man behind the customer service counter (who was also by himself) was juggling answering the phone and the four customers waiting in line. (I was glad that I wasn’t in that line.)

When I payed for my groceries, my cashier told me that she had been at work since 9:00 and hadn’t had a break.

My heart goes out to the employees at the Safeway in Towson. It seems like there is a lot of pressure to wait on customers without sufficient help.

Even though the store is convenient for me, I think twice before frequenting that Safeway, because I am not a big fan of standing in line.

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Greetings and Readings, Hunt Valley, MD — Great Customer Service

We had a great experience ordering custom printing materials from Stephanie at Greetings and Readings . Greetings and Readings is located in the Hunt Valley Towne Centre in Hunt Valley, MD.

 The store is packed with unique merchandise. They stock cards, books, movies, music, toys, games, collectibles, candles, jewelry and numerous other items.  They even sell Ravens, Terps, and O’s gear.  They stock several name brands including Vera Bradley, Brighton and Swarovski Crystal (to name a few).  It is difficult to decide where to look first. If you want something new or need a wedding, shower, engagement, baby or birthday gift, you will find it at Greetings and Readings.

 My friend and I met with Stephanie in custom printing to discuss a print order for an upcoming event.  Of course, we needed the print order yesterday. (So what else is new?) We perused catalogs and selected our card stock.  Stephanie made printing suggestions. We proofread the material and placed an order. We hoped to receive our order within a week.

 I called Stephanie to follow up on the arrival time for our order.  She called the company (where we ordered the cards) and asked them to rush the print order.  I believe that she contacted them several times. We received the order earlier than expected without paying extra postage. 

 We appreciated Stephanie’s professionalism and follow through. She was also fun to work with! (Hopefully, we were too.)

Best Buy Timonium, MD, “One Stop Shopping” Failed

Best Buy in Timonium, MD

My husband, Doug, purchased a television and installation services from Best Buy in Timonium, MD. The install date was Thursday, January 19, 2012.

After the purchase, the salesperson took my husband to the Comcast -in- house center to purchase a HD box from Bob. Bob indicated that he had just given the last HD box away, but he told Doug that others should arrive soon.

Bob took Doug’s phone number and told him that he would call when a HD box arrived. He also gave him a Comcast phone number into the Best Buy store.

Doug did not receive any calls on January 16, 17, or 18. He called the Comcast in- store number about 10 times, there was no answer machine and no one answered the phone.

My husband called the store and waited on hold for about 25 minutes while a kind saleswoman tracked Bob down.

Bob told my husband that they did not have any HD boxes. He added that Comcast would not pay for an answer machine.

On January 18, my husband spoke to a woman from Best Buy who confirmed delivery for January 19, between 8a.m. and 12 p.m.

On January 19, I had a question about the cable, and I called Best Buy. During the call I learned that we were not scheduled for delivery that day.  I changed plans to ensure that I was home. They told me to call dispatch. Don’t you think that it was their job to resolve the problem?

I eventually spoke to the Best Buy assistant manager Dave. He set up delivery for nine days later.

On the second delivery date, we never received a call to confirm our delivery schedule. We were skeptical. My husband called Best Buy and spoke to Becca. She told him that the store manager Mark would return his call to confirm delivery. He never called.

We eventually received the television, however, Best Buy’s “One Stop Shopping” failed.

Has anyone had a similar experience at Best Buy?

Manhattan Bicycle Rickshaw/Pedicab Scam

A pedicab driver scammed my daughter and me in Manhattan recently  (the man in the picture was not our driver).

My daughter and I Christmas shopped for several hours one day in December. As we walked towards our hotel,  we decided to climb into a bicycle rickshaw.   The driver gave us a heavy wool blanket and rolled down a thick plastic sheet for warmth.  Our pedicab weaved in and out of  swarming -yellow  taxicabs.  Some came within inches of our cart.  I contemplated jumping out, but I stayed to enjoy the  relaxing adventure with my daughter.

Credit line:© Michael Ludwig | Dreamstime.com

After six blocks of  horn-screaming bumper-to bumper traffic, my heart was pounding.   I had enough fun.

I was looking forward to a great dinner with my family, so I wasn’t ready to die in a pedicab.  (They would never let me live it down.) 

When we exited the rickshaw, the driver said that we owed him $40.  As I questioned him about the price, a man pulled up next to us and asked about our discussion. I  said that the driver charged us $40 for pedaling six blocks. When the man glared at the rickshaw driver, I knew that we were  scammed .   At that point, I tossed $20 to the rickshaw driver and walked away.

 I researched  pedicab companies to learn the appropriate cost for pedicab rides. The Central Park Pedicab Tour site’s price list seems reasonable.  Also, The NYC Pedicab Owners’ Association offers tips to avoid scams. My advice is to negotiate a price before climbing into  a bicycle- rickshaw -death trap.

What has been your experience with pedicabs in Manhattan?

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Safeway Store Labels Generic Chicken as Perdue

I recently visited a Safeway store in Baltimore. I went to purchase a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster for dinner.   The poultry case displayed Perdue chickens, but they also had several  other chickens with a Perdue label.  I looked at the packaging and noted that the  Perdue labeled chickens were not in Perdue packaging. I asked the meat department  employee why chickens  in generic packaging were labeled Perdue. He responded that the Perdue label would help them sell.  I mentioned to him that they were misleading the customer. He told me “they were just chickens” but he removed the packages. I wonder if any other items are misrepresented in Safeway?  

I purchased a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster that  was on sale. When I returned home, I noticed that I paid  full price. 

Will Registry in the American Kennel Club Harm the Leonberger?

Bacchus is a 7-year-old Leonberger. Generally, their life span is from 6 to 8-years old. However, some Leonbergers live until 13-years old.

The American Kennel Club recently added the Leonberger dog to its registry of purebreds. This is still causing controversy among some members of the Leonberger Club of America who previously controlled the breed.  The LCA had imposed strict breeding requirements to test male and female dogs for health and conformation standards previous to breeding. While the AKC requires some health testing, their requirements are not as stringent as the LCA, and the long-term health and breed standard of the Leonberger may be jeopardized.

 The Leonberger was accepted into the American Kennel Club on June 30, 2010.  It is the 167th breed added to the AKC registry.

  The AKC, founded in 1884, sponsors dog events and registers purebred dogs. According to the AKC, a purebred dog has ancestry from the same breed.  When a puppy is registered with the AKC, the dog’s lineage is included on the pedigree.

  “The biggest argument we had with the AKC was they stopped short of having heavy disciplinary measures spelled out” if the breeders did not follow the breeding rules, said Bill Wilson, the treasurer of the LCA who initially opposed the club joining the AKC but eventually supported it.  He added that while the LCA remains the “parent club” that oversees the Leonberger breed, it does not have any “enforcement capabilities” under the AKC.

 The only regulation that the AKC has is that both parents have pedigree papers, Wilson said.  He also said that the AKC markets puppies to the community as if they are a “Good Housekeeping Seal registry.”

  On the positive side, Wilson added that the AKC spends money on research, education and non-show activities.

   The Leonberger, or “gentle giant,” was categorized as a “rare breed” before AKC

Leonbergers are also known as “lean-on bergers” because they lean on anyone that is available. They are gentle, even as puppies, compared to other breeds.

recognition.

 Heinrich Essig, an elected official in Leonberg, Germany, created the breed during the 1800‘s.  Essig wanted a dog that resembled the lion on the Leonberg crest. He bred a St. Bernard with a Landseer Newfoundland. He eventually added a Great Pyrenees to the mix. The Leonberger breed was introduced at the Oktoberfest in Munich in 1870. The Leonberger stands 25 1/2 to 31 1/2 inches tall at the shoulders. They have a long-double coat that protects them from the weather. Their coat ranges from “lion” yellow to brown, and their fur often has black tips. Leonbergers also have a “dry mouth,” which prevents drooling.

They have webbed feet, are considered strong swimmers, and have an instinct for water rescue.

  The Leonberger is considered a “working dog,” because they pull sleds and carts, protect homes and farms, and are used for therapy and agility training.

 Judy Johnston, a governing committee member for the LCA,  said  she wanted the AKC acceptance because it was inevitable, but she wanted the LCA to become the parent club. A parent club promotes their breed through education and community programs.

“It had worked out pretty well” for people interested in participating in many dog shows, Johnston said. However, she said that AKC competition is “cut throat” since some people pay professional handlers.

 Johnston said that the biggest fear before joining the AKC was that the breed would become extremely popular and breeding would be compromised. She said she doesn’t think that has happened.

Beverly Travis, the breeders’ assistant with the LCA, said that she was totally against joining the AKC. She added that the AKC is concerned with money and power not the breed’s welfare.  For example, she said that the cost to register one puppy with the AKC is $20.

 Travis said that the LCA tested potential Leonberger parents for hip, elbow, eye and thyroid problems.  She said that the dogs had to meet certain standards for breeding purposes.  The AKC runs similar tests,  she said, but dogs only have to pass the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals test, or hip test, for breeding eligibility.

 Travis added that the LCA website has a section called the Canine Health Information Center where a consumer can view the results of all of these tests. She suggests that consumers educate themselves about health issues before purchasing a Leonberger.

 Travis said that the popularity of the Leonberger breed has greatly increased under the AKC.  She also said that because AKC dog show judges prefer smaller dogs, she fears the Leonberger will be bred to fit that mold. She added that AKC membership and breeding will ultimately impact the Leonberger’s health.

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How do the Occupy Baltimore Protesters Occupy Themselves?

Tom Kiefaber Former Senator Theatre Owner

Some of the occupants have jobs and others are homeless.  Many of them want change.

Tom Kiefaber, the former owner of the Senator Theatre, wore a sign that said,  “I am Revolting.”   Kiefaber recently lost the Senator Theatre in foreclosure.   He said that he is revolting because Baltimore is “one of the most corrupt cities in America. They took my job, they took my professional and personal reputation and they took my real estate all through manipulating the media.” Kiefaber’s “revolting sign” is an opening to discuss his opinions about Baltimore politics, the Senator Theatre, the media and the “Occupy Baltimore” movement.

Holly Brown is unemployed and on disability.   Holly said that she is part of an international group called “Women in Black” who “stand vigil” to promote peace and justice.  According to Holly, she stands  at Light and Pratt streets while holding the Arabic peace sign, salam.  She  has participated in anti-was marches in Washington, D.C., said Holly.

Elise Heroux  works in an organic grocery store and she said that she has spent every night at McKeldin Square for three weeks.  According to Elise, she has attended the “Occupy Baltimore General Assembly.”  She said that it is a “participatory democracy” and they don’t make decisions without a majority.  For example, she said that The Department of Parks and Recreation gave the “occupiers” a list of rules.  The occupiers told The Department of Parks and Recreation that any item they couldn’t agree on,  “they would not do,” Heroux said.

Heroux said that some occupants participate in knitting workshops, but she has participated in the “De-escalation Workshop.”  She said that the De-escalation Workshop teaches the occupiers to let their bodies “go limp” if police ask them to leave. She said that their body language is saying, “If you want me to move, move me.” She said that many times the police will pick you up and throw you in the street, but if you let your body become limp it will prevent a resisting – arrest charge.

William Lipscomb is homeless and has stayed at McKeldin Square from the start. “I cook, I clean and I do all kinds of other stuff so I am just trying to get everything figured out,” said Lipscomb.  He said that four years ago he had a job washing cars and has looked for work at McDonalds’s, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Charles Ballweg stayed at McKeldin Square for three nights.  He said that he cleans up the trash and cigarette butts. “I stay busy,” Ballweg said.

Some of the occupants carry 99 percent signs to protest the 1 percent top- income earners. Occupiers told me, they represent the 99 percent and the banks and wealthy are the 1 percent.

Two protesters carried a 99 percent sign while holding their Tibetan Mastiff dog. The Tibetan Mastiff is the most expensive dog breed in the world.

 

Sheilah Kast Lecture about Journalism and Social Media

Image via Wikipedia The Washington Star Building

Public radio reporter Sheilah Kast said she is hopeful about the future of American journalism, even as the profession is changing dramatically in the digital age.

Kast, the host of National Public Radio’s Maryland Morning show, said the Internet’s power to open a two-way conversation between journalists and the public has the potential to make the news gathering process more transparent and accessible.

But she said the Internet also worries her as websites do more aggregating and less original reporting. She said she is also concerned that news organization may be determining which stories to publish based on page views rather than traditional news judgment.

“To an old school journalist like me, social media, blogs, Facebook, Twitter is at a minimum sort of a pain and actually pretty scary,” Kast said during a speech at Loyola University.

In her speech, Kast touched on the highlights of her long career, which she began as a “dictationist” at the Washington Star in 1971.

“I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the newsroom. I fell in love with the adrenaline,” Kast said.

Kast said that when the Washington Star folded in 1981, few reporters realized that the newspaper industry was about to undergo a major shift.

“We saw it as a sort of circulation problem, not as the beginning of a huge generation of changes in journalism that would really change the fundamentals of the newspaper and journalism in general,” Kast said.

Kast said she became a broadcaster for ABC News.  As a broadcaster, she learned that “the most important piece of technology is the channel changer. What scares my bosses most is that someone will pick up the channel changer and change the channel.”

Kast said that sound bites were shrinking because audience attention spans were shorter.  In 1968, for example, she said political candidates spoke for almost 43 seconds. By 1992 they spoke for 7.6 seconds.

“If I wrote a script in which someone was speaking for 15 seconds, my producers were pulling their hair out,” she said.

Kast said that television news was expected to turn a profit, adding that executives worried about audience size because they needed advertising revenues to pay the bills.

“Every judgment about what to put on the air was made in terms of what will hold the interest of enough viewers,” she said. This meant high emotion stories that kept viewers tuned in, she said.

Kasts said that as a broadcaster they had big networks, big teams and big investments which depended on a large audience. With the internet “a lot of that model started to crumble,” Kast said.

Kast said the Internet has fragmented the audience. Newspaper readership and revenues kept shrinking, news organizations faced layoffs and executives expected news organizations to do the same work with a smaller staff.

Kast said the Internet has made international news much more accessible to the public. She said it is also easier for young journalists to enter the field. However, she noted that one reason newspapers have suffered so badly is because they lost the lucrative classified advertising market to Craig’s List.

Kast said that social media honors the individual, adding that there are now many voices in journalism. She said that this could make journalists more in tuned to what individuals need.

Kast said that there is a lot wrong with the system but that she is “hopeful.”

Bluestone Restaurant, Baltimore — Consistent Quality

I recently  visited  Bluestone Seafood Grill & Fishmarket  at 11 W Aylesbury Road in Timonium, MD.  Their phone number is 410-561-1100.  

I love  their  Flash-Fried Calamari appetizer with Thai sauce.  The calamari is  light and crisp, and the Thai sauce is sweet and tangy. The  sauce makes the fried calamari unique.  In my opinion, deep-fried calamari with marinara sauce does not compare to Bluestone’s calamari.

Bluestone is known for their Fried-Green Tomatoes topped with lump-crab meat. The crab and tomatoes  are  drizzled with lemon-butter sauce infused with garlic, shallots and chives.  It is  a delicious appetizer.

My favorite appetizer is the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna. The tuna is sushi grade and served with ginger, and  spicy-wasabi-cucumber sauce.   When we split appetizers,  I always order the ahi tuna.

I like their Chicken Cobb Salad.  It  includes grilled romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, bacon and blue cheese. The grilled romaine makes the salad distinctive.  I love grilled lettuce.  I request  the  lemon-vinaigrette dressing on the side. (I  limit my salad dressing, so I can rationalize  adding several hundred calories when I order dessert. I can’t imagine why I can’t lose weight!)  

Recently, I ordered the Tuna Tacos with rice and black beans. Seared ahi tuna over sliced green, yellow and red peppers, was  served with warm tortillas and tomatillo sauce, pico de gallo, and mango and papaya salsa. It  was spicy, flavorful and filling.  I think  they should  have  additional tomatillo sauce, and mango and papaya salsa on the side. I felt like I was rationing it. 

My son ordered the Firecracker Salmon with rice and stir-fried-crisp-tender vegetables.  A seasoned balsamic-teriyaki sauce glazed the salmon.  He loved it.

I occasionally order the fresh-fish special for lunch.   I am never  disappointed.

Every Tuesday, Bluestone offers bottled wine at 1/2 price when you place a food order.  If you enjoy wine, this is a great time to visit.

Harry and David, Towson Town Center – Great Customer Service

Image via Wikipedia

 I needed a hostess gift for a special luncheon. I thought about flowers, guest soap and wine. I stopped in Harry and David in  Towson Town Center. Their address is 825 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204.  They are located on the third floor near Macy’s. Their hours are Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Their phone number is 410-825-8272 and  their website is  www.HarryadDavid.com.  Harry and David sells food items like fruit, cheese, chips, salsa, crackers, dips, smoked salmon,  candy etc. that make great gifts.  

I browsed the store and nothing jumped out at me. I was looking for a gift that could be enjoyed during cocktail hour.

The  sales staff  told me, they could assemble a gift box or basket with my  purchase. Tabitha  made some suggestions as we walked the store.  Christine added her ideas.  I could not ask for better service.

I chose my gift and they wrapped it.   I purchased a reasonably priced basket, flax seed - tortilla chips, salsa, organic – water crackers and bruschetta spread.  I will return because the staff was pleasant and provided great customer service.

The Salty Dog at Faneuil Hall in Boston

Image via Wikipedia Attribution Frogmation

I love historic Boston. The Salty Dog Seafood Grille & Bar at 206 Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston feels old.

If  you eat outside at the tables  on the cobblestone sidewalk, or sit at the bar, you can watch the Faneuil Hall tourists. It is a great people watching venue. Inside there are two bars and a small dining room.  Dark wood and brick walls enhance the relaxed atmosphere.

Travel Companions, my daughter and sister

When we arrived at the Salty Dog, we initially sat outside.  Since it was cool, we descended the old stone steps into the bar. As we waited, hoping to get a seat,  I was impressed that the bartender acknowledged us promptly, because  he was busy preparing drinks and serving food. He got us three seats at the bar.

We enjoyed New England clam chowder. It was creamy with diced potatoes. The best part of out meal was the raw oysters with lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce.  They were fresh and salty. We also had fried oysters served with tarter sauce. They were fair.

My sister ordered fish and chips with no-mayonnaise coleslaw. The slaw was crisp and slightly sweet. We loved that it  was flavorful and didn’t have mayonnaise. 

I had a Bloody Mary with a cooked shrimp (that was still in the shell) and a large celery stalk. You could taste horseradish in the drink. It was average at best.

I would visit again because of the friendly atmosphere and congenial bartender. I would order raw oysters and a beer.