OCEAN CITY, MD — Dec. 21, 2016 — Anyone interested in fighting hunger locally is invited to participate in the 4th Annual Empty Bowl Project, a benefit for the Diakonia food pantry and the programs of the Art League of Ocean City.
The Empty Bowl Project is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and a unique opportunity to use art in a way that helps the community. The project — which begins with bowl-making sessions and culminates in a community soup dinner — is a collaborative effort of the Art League of Ocean City and Diakonia to raise awareness and funds for hunger through creative engagement.
During the past three years, the event has raised more than $30,000 to benefit the two non-profits. More than 400 people attended the Empty Bowl Soup Dinner in 2016.
The Art League and Diakonia are seeking sponsors for the project, including the bowl-making sessions and the Empty Bowl Soup Dinner on March 31. All activities take place at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 94th St. bayside.
“First Shore Federal Bank is the title sponsor for the Empty Bowl Project,” said Rina Thaler, executive director of the Ocean City Center for the Arts, “but we are seeking additional monetary donations, event sponsors, and donations of soups and breads. Anyone who can help should call the Arts Center at 410-524-9433 or contact us at www.artleagueofoceancity.org.”
The public can also get involved by hand-making ceramic soup bowls in January and February at the Arts Center. No experience is necessary, and all materials, including instruction, are included. Only 300 bowl-making slots are open to the public for a cost of $20 per slot, which includes the bowl and admission to the soup dinner.
The one-hour bowl-making sessions begin on Jan. 8 and continue through Feb. 21. Sessions are offered twice a day, and many include both daytime and evening sessions. A complete schedule is available on-line at www.artleagueofoceancity.org. Registration is required by calling the Arts Center at 410-524-9433 or by registering on-line.
Local students from Berlin Intermediate School, Buckingham Elementary School and home schools are already involved with the project, making bowls to be used at the soup dinner. The Stephen Decatur Middle School Builders Club is raising money for the project with a candy drive. And professional potters are also making bowls for the event.
“The Empty Bowl Project has become more then just a one-night event,” Thaler said. “This year, we are ramping up the production of bowls to meet the demand we have had, and also extending the hours and increasing the capacity of the soup dinner itself to better serve everyone who wants to attend.”
The Soup Dinner will be held at the Arts Center on Friday, March 31, and is open to the public.
Continuous seating hours have been extended for 2017 from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. and an additional dining room has been added. For a $25 donation at the door, those who attend will receive a handmade bowl filled with a choice of soup donated by local restaurants. There will also be breads, desserts, a cash bar, a soup-to-go station, a silent auction and live music. Guests are asked to keep the bowl as a reminder of all of the empty bowls in the world.
The Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th Street is the home of the Art League of Ocean City, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts in the Ocean City area through education, exhibits, scholarships, programs and community art events. The arts center is supported by memberships, corporate and civic funding, donations and sales of art.
More information is available at 410-524-9433 or www.artleagueofoceancity.org.
Bowl makers and sponsors needed for Empty Bowl Project
Mayor hosts New Year’s Day concert at Performing Arts Center
Ocean City, MD – (December 19, 2016): A lot can change in 20 years, as is evident in the evolution of the Mayor’s Open House on New Year’s Day featuring a New Year’s Day concert. The event, which has been a community custom since 1997, has celebrated various town departments, community partnerships and elected officials, past and present. With the 21st anniversary of the event approaching, Mayor Rick Meehan believes a new tradition is fitting.
“For 20 years, the Mayor’s Open House has offered the perfect opportunity for our citizens to meet with the elected officials that serve our community,” said Meehan. “The event has changed over the last several years, moving from City Hall to the Performing Arts Center. Along with meeting elected officials and community members, the event has become an opportunity to allow residents and visitors to enjoy an extraordinarily venue and great local talent, free of charge.”
Scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day, residents and visitors are invited to enjoy a brief meet and greet with the Mayor and City Council members, before taking a seat for the featured concert. The meet and greet will last approximately 30 minutes, and will also include several of the town’s community partners. At 1:30, the theater doors will open, allowing guests to take their seats before the 1:45 p.m. performance begins. This rare, free concert will feature Delmarva Big Band and Bryan Russo’s Bargain Scotch.
“I can’t think of a better way to welcome the New Year then enjoying a free concert in Ocean City,” Meehan said. “No matter your music preference, we invite you to bring your family and enjoy the afternoon in our stunning auditorium with performances by extraordinary local musicians. It’s going to be a great show!”
Participating in the event’s meet and greet are several of the town’s community partners, including the Ocean City Beautification Committee, the Ocean City Development Corporation, the Art League of Ocean City, the Chamber of Commerce, the Ocean City Life Saving Museum Society, the Beach Patrol and the Community Response Team. The New Year’s Day Concert is free, with light refreshments provided by Center Plate. For more information, please contact Jessica Waters at 410-289-8967.
Town of Ocean City offers free bus service on New Year’s Eve
In order to encourage responsible celebrations this New Year’s Eve, the Town of Ocean City will offer passengers free service on the Coastal Highway Beach Bus. Modifying their normal schedule for the holiday, the town’s Transportation Department will offer free bus service on New Year’s Eve from 6 a.m. on December 31 to 6 a.m. on January 1.
Additionally, on December 31, bus services will run every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and every 10 minutes from 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. on January 1. Buses on New Year’s Day will also run every 20 minutes from 4 a.m. until 7 a.m., at which time they will resume a normal winter service schedule of every 40 minutes.
Also beginning December 26, the Town of Ocean City will provide a Christmas tree drop-off site at the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot. Trees can be placed in the northeast corner of the 100th Street lot December 26 through January 15. Please remove all tinsel, ornaments and other non-wooden items from the tree. Trees collected at the site are taken to the county landfill where they are recycled.
For more information about Town of Ocean City services and holiday closings, please visit http://oceancitymd.gov.
This post was updated Dec. 2016 — Ed.
6 reminders about why Winterfest is awesome
We wanted both to take the time to remind you why you should go to Winterfest and also help encourage people who haven’t yet been to finally make the effort. If you don’t know what Winterfest is awesome, let me try and convince you.
The lights in and of themselves are worth seeing, but Winterfest has even more to offer than that. There’s the Christmas Village, which is where all the real fun happens. After your chilly ride around the light display, people come to love the cocoa and cookies that are available as well as the potential for visiting with Santa that it brings. Most important, it is in the Christmas Village at hat families build memories by taking photos and warming up and really getting into the holiday spirit before slogging back home. These are our sic favorite experiential photos that capture Winterfest.
Ocean City Fire Department Offers Fire Prevention Tips
Ocean City, Maryland – (December 7, 2016): For most of us, the holiday season represents a time for family festivities and good cheer. What few of us consider is that the holiday season is a time when there is an increased risk of home fires. According to the Ocean City Fire Department, many households engage in holiday activities that serve as some of the leading causes of U.S. home fires. Christmas trees, candle usage and holiday decorations significantly contribute to the seasonal causes of home fires. Add to that the hectic nature of the holidays, when people are trying to accomplish multiple tasks at one time, and the chance for home fires grows even more.
“As everyone gets busier during the holidays, we often become rushed, distracted or tired,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “That’s when home fires are more likely to occur. Our main priority is to ensure the safety of our citizens and visitors while making the holiday season an enjoyable one”
According to NFPA, U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 210 home structure fires caused by Christmas trees per year. One of every three of them is caused by electrical problems, and one in six result from a heat source that’s too close to the tree. On average, one of every 34 reported home Christmas tree fires results in a death. Fortunately, with a little added awareness and some minor adjustments to holiday decorating, the season can remain festive and safe for everybody. “By taking some preventive steps and following simple rules of thumb, most home fires can be prevented,” Hartley continued.
The Ocean City Fire Department offers the following advice for picking, placing and lighting the tree:
- If you have an artificial tree, be sure it’s labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.
- If you choose a fresh tree, make sure the green needles don’t fall off when touched; before placing it in the stand, cut 2” from the base of the trunk. Add water to the tree stand, and be sure to water it daily.
- Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit, and is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, candles and heat vents or lights.
- Use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory, and make sure you know whether they are designed for indoor or outdoor use.
- Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords, or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
- Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
- Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
- After Christmas, get rid of the tree. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside the home.
- Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.
- Please Note: Live trees are not permitted within hotels or assembly occupancies (bars/restaurants/nightclubs)
Although good maintenance of holiday equipment can help lessen the risk of a home fire, it cannot entirely prevent it. Working smoke alarms are vital in notification of a fire, allowing you and your family adequate time to escape. Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your home (including the basement) and outside each sleeping area. It’s a good idea, especially if you sleep with your doors closed, that a smoke alarm is also installed inside your bedroom. Alarms mounted on the wall should be positioned 4-12 inches from the ceiling, while ceiling-mounted alarms should be positioned 4 inches or more away from the nearest wall. Alarms must be tested every month, and have their batteries replaced twice a year.
By following these fire prevention tips and measures, the Ocean City Fire Department says you can greatly reduce the risk of fire in your home, and enjoy a safe holiday season. For more tips on how to make this holiday season a safe one for you and your family, or to inquire what decorations are permitted in your business, visit www.nfpa.org or contact the Ocean City Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal at 410-289-8780.
Theatre Review: A Christmas Carol
I admit to a decided lack of devotion to Dickens. Like most Americans I read Great Expectations in high school because it was assigned, and like many students I hated the book as a result. It wasn’t until late in my college career that I discovered the joy of Dickensian prose through the unlikely but delightful A Christmas Carol. I read it mostly out of curiosity. I had seen too many versions of the classic story and I picked it up expecting to hate it; however, I found in the original an artfully crafted tale about a man who has spent his life becoming the very cynic I myself was. In the hands of not only a master story teller like Dickens, and a master craftsman of characters, the iconic Scrooge finally came to life for me. A Christmas Carol became my favorite holiday novel.
So it was with, ahem, great expectations that I saw the Lower Shore Performing Arts Company’s production of A Christmas Carol at Washington High School in Princess Anne. I took my daughter whose only knowledge of this story comes via Walt Disney. I hoped she would discover the beauty and purity of the original work as I had all those years ago. I was not disappointed.
This is a big production with a cast of more than 50 people gracing the small stage, including dozens of caroling children. Director Mark Tyler, no slouch when it comes to directing large ensembles—he also helmed the spring LSPAC production of 1776: The Musical—has assembled a cast that deftly navigates the pages of this classic Dickens tale.
A Christmas Carol onstage
The dark stage initially frightened my daughter, as a story filled with ghosts was likely to do. She buried her face in my coat until the lights came up on Bob Cratchit. Chris Jump brings the character to towering life with a boyish charm. He is good and kind even in the face of the miserly old Scrooge who belittles him for using too much coal and for wanting to take off Christmas Day. Jump can’t help but exude an innocent virtuousness when, later, he raises a glass to Scrooge, despite his wife’s objections.
Still, it was only when Scrooge, bedecked in all black, shuffled onto the stage that my daughter finally let go of her grip on my arm. Played by a veteran of the stage, Nick Donchak, Scrooge is grumpy, miserly, and ill-tempered without being mean spirited. His trademark “bah-humbug” is delivered without malice, more as a statement of disaffectedness than of hatred. Donchak’s Scrooge is, like Dicken’s original, a troubled soul, a man whose life has led him to believe only in himself, a man who has no regard for other people. If they work for him, he expects them to do the job he pays for. If they do not work for him, he doesn’t want to know they exist.
Scrooge himself is a rich man who has in his life come to regard everyone else as beneath him. He locks himself away in his office and counts his coin but doesn’t spend it. This miserly hermit is visited by a ghost and four spirits, the ones who will change his life. Jacob Marley, played with devilish good humor by the director himself, frightens Scrooge with his tale of after-life woe. “I wear the chain I forged in life,” Marley intones to a quivering Scrooge. “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?”
This is a story known by almost everyone. Three ghosts will visit Scrooge, and it is only through the knowledge they give him that he may have the opportunity to change, to avoid the same fate as his old friend and partner. Scrooge rediscovers his own origins and learns about the lives of Bob Cratchit and his nephew, Fred. His bitterness and hatred cannot survive the glaring light of scrutiny.
Solid performances abound
His guides on this journey are the three spirits. Jodi Meyers is the light-hearted and spritely Ghost of Christmas Past who shows Scrooge how he came to be the person he is. John Lenda, bedecked in robes and a red beard, intones as the giant Ghost of Christmas Present. (“He isn’t that big,” my daughter said.) Mr. Lenda packs a powerful punch as he departs the stage after introducing Scrooge to the Child of Ignorance and the Child of Want, throwing Scrooge’s own words back at him. “Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses?” It is a chilling moment for Scrooge who has forgotten his own meager upbringing and has, like so many others do, passed off charity as something for the weak, as something to be derided.
It is the Ghost of Christmas Future, hauntingly portrayed by a masked Mark Tyler, who finally frightens the light back into Scrooge’s heart by showing him his ultimate end: death.
My daughter warmed up to the play by the time intermission hit. And when she won the raffle, a finely illustrated copy of the original Dickens work, she was elated. “Dad, can I read it now?” she asked as she came off stage from accepting the prize. Maybe this, too, will be her favorite Christmas book.
A Christmas Carol, directed by Mark Tyler, produced by Kathryn Redden, will be performed at the Washington Academy and High School Theatre on December 16 and 17 at 7pm, and December 18 at 2pm. Tickets available at the door or at the LSPAC website. LSPAC has partnered with the Maryland Food Bank, so bring along a canned food item to donate at the performance.
Light up Downtown Ocean City
The 2017 Light Up Downtown Event will be 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Inlet.
Those of you who don’t know are welcome to swing by Northside Park or check out the photos of the annual Ocean City Christmas Parade, but you also might just take my word for it: Ocean City is really into Christmas. The people and institutions enjoy it as an event as much as as a holiday.
I have a working theory about this:
Mostly, we love having guests. But just like having guests in your home for a massive party, the enthusiasm and house-pride is tempered by the stress of trying to make everyone feel at home. Similarly, during the summer, it is a pleasure to have visitors, but it is really during the off season that Ocean City shines. It’s a simple question of volume, we can pay more attention to more people off season, and we really get to show off.
Inexpensive exclusivity
Although the hotel rooms are less expensive, there is a sense of exclusivity that comes with the winter. People can be better served and tend to have an excellent time despite the reduced crowds. Beyond all of this is the opportunity for locals to do “touristy” things. Dropping the hipster pretense that there is a barrier between things that tourists do that locals don’t like to do is a relief once the weather breaks (or, I guess, unbreaks).
Add to that the nostalgia of those who have been wintering in Ocean City for generations, and it isn’t difficult to see the appeal of the movement to return to decorating Ocean City’s Downtown for Christmas in a big way. With that in mind, several locals have initiated an effort to return to the days when the Downtown was dressed to the nines for Christmas.
Ocean City Winterfest 2017! Your Guide to Winter in Ocean City Md
A Winterfest Excursion – Things to Do in Ocean City Maryland It was a cold night as we drove along the Route 90 into Ocean City. From the bridge, you could see the array of lights set along the coastline, illuminating the buildings all around town.
Revisiting the past
The Downtown Association of Ocean City has been working toward the goal of bringing some more focus to Downtown Ocean City over the winter holidays. Although the arcades and several of the restaurants and shops stay open all year, Downtown has a reputation for being a summertime place. So aligned with the beach is the downtown that people assume there is closed. Which is too bad, because there are plenty of things to do, especially on the weekends. The Downtown Association folks have been working for years to bring more and better Christmas decorations to the neighborhood as a way of reminding people that it still is there and still is an attraction.
The difficulty is that some of the things that used to be done in the area (such as a massive Christmas light display on the beach) are impractical because of the weather. The reason that the Downtown doesn’t have these major displays anymore is because of storms that had blown them down or sent in the ocean to take the displays out to sea. The new plan is to Light Up Downtown in a way that is more weather-resistant.
Endgame is near and far
Each year the Downtown Association of Ocean City raises a little more money and can purchase more decorations. According to Tiffany Phillips, who runs the association, the city has committed to storing and erecting any lights the association buys. Her vision is eventually to have the entire Downtown all lit up, from the beach to the bay. It is a goal they get a little closer to with each event. The expectation is it will be something that is improved upon every year, which might be the first step toward a year-round revival in the seaside downtown.
If you are interested in volunteering with the association or in donating toward their cause, visit www.downtownassociation.net/
Christmas parade winners, 2016
OCEAN CITY, MD – (December 7, 2016): If you weren’t in the holiday spirit before Saturday’s Annual Christmas Parade in Ocean City, there is no doubt participants and visitors left beaming with the spirit of the season. As Christmas colors lined the streets and Christmas carols filled the air, the community parade boasted nearly 50 entries including high school bands, holiday floats, antique cars and much more. What follows are a list of the Christmas parade winners, 2016.
Professional judges reviewed the participating units and presented awards in nine categories, including Coca Cola’s Best Overall Parade Entry and the Carousel Award for the Best “Ocean Vacation” themed entry. The first, second and third place winners were:
- School Band: Snow Hill High School Band (pictured) first place, Pocomoke High School Marching Warriors Band, second place, and Stephen Decatur High School, third place.
- Commercial Float: Trimper’s Rides, first place, OC Tri Running Sports, second place, and The Harrison Group “Beachie” Christmas, third place.
- Non-Commercial Float: Ocean City Elementary School, first place, Assateague National Seashore, second place, and Bearded Men’s Society of Ocean City, third place.
- Antique Vehicle: Seacrets Distilling Company, first place, 1961 Mercedes Benz 1902SL Roadster, second place, and Melvin Thomas 1960 Ford, third place.
- Fire Company Representation: Ocean City Fire Ambulance, first place, Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department, second place, and Ocean City Fire Department, third place.
- Marching Unit: Snow Hill Marine Corp JROTC, first place, Stephen Decatur High School NJROTC, second place, and East Coast Westsiders Marching Band, third place.
- Costume/Mascot: Delmarva Shorebirds Sherman, first place, Chick-Fil-A West Ocean City Cow, second place, and Sherwood of Salisbury Kippy Kia, third place.
- Motorized Vehicle: Matteo’s Salsa Loco Tiki Bus, first place, H Traffic Control, second place and Jeep Week Representatives, third place.
- Coca Cola Award – Parade entry with the most energy & fun: OC Stars
- Carousel Award – Best “Ocean Vacation” Entry: Harrison Group “Beachie” Christmas
- Berlin Automotive Group Award – Best Holiday Presentation of a single vehicle or group of automobiles: The Ropewalk
Awards were presented during the post-parade reception, hosted by the Carousel Hotel. “We had a wonderful day, with terrific weather and an outstanding and enthusiastic crowd,” commented Ocean City Special Events Director Frank Miller. “A very special thanks to all of our parade participants and spectators for making the 34th Annual Ocean City Christmas Parade a great success and a true example of a happy holiday celebration at the beach!”
The 10 Best submitted photos this week
One of the great things about writing for this site is I get to go over so many of the excellent photos you guys send along for us to share. Lots of you share them on Facebook, which is cool and we’re happy that you do. These photos, though, are different. They’re submitted through our OceanCity.com site and often come in larger sizes with a little more detail about the photos. To be clear, these weren’t all submitted this week (many of them were submitted during the summer) they’re just the 10 best submitted photos I chose this week. Each week I’ll try and choose more.
I was thinking that it would be fun to do a call for photos with stories attached. So, if you’re interested, please send along your favorite photos of Ocean City or the surrounding area along with a description of why you took the photo and what it means to you. We’ll share the best ones in a post like this as we get more.
Finally, if you’re an enthusiastic photographer anywhere in Maryland and would like to establish your own photoblog on OceanCity.com, Maryland.com or Annapolis.com, reach out and we’ll talk.
7 healthy dining choices in Ocean City (and one secret “cheat day” splurge you don’t want to miss)
With 2017’s New Year’s Resolutions looming in the very near future, I wanted to share some options for eating healthy while still enjoying your trip to the beach. I recently joined Weight Watchers at the end of September and have visited Ocean City numerous times since beginning the diet. While at the beach, I was worried about feeling deprived when my table-mates would eat their fried shrimp platters, hush puppies, ice cream and boardwalk fries right in front of me. After doing a bit of research, I have found some restaurants that offer delicious and healthy dining choices for those of us looking to break free of “fried.”
This list is just a small sampling of solid options for nutritious and delicious lunches or dinners – please add your favorites in the comments section. To keep the calories even lower, ask for any salad dressing or condiment on the side and use sparingly, or better yet, bring your own zero-calorie dressing, such as Walden Farms brand, so you can use as much as you want!
- Harborside Bar and Grill’s Seared Ahi Salad – The sky-high quality and generous quantity of sushi-grade barely-seared ahi tuna on this salad is what makes this salad a superstar!
- Crazy 8’s Cali Wrap – Lean turkey, avocado, fresh spinach, a little bit of bacon all wrapped up with a bit of sweetness from their delicious avocado honey mayo. A perfect quick lunch to grab and go! We’ve received reports that this restaurant is closed. — Ed.
- Hooked’s Harvest Moon salad – combines hearty kale with earthy walnuts, creamy goat cheese and dried fruits in a delicious winter-inspired salad.
- Bull on the Beach’s Happy Hour steamed shrimp and raw oyster specials – Watching your wallet as well as your waist? Head to Bull on the Beach for great prices on a half pound of steamed shrimp and raw oysters, available year round! Both foods are very diet-friendly and high in protein. Add a side salad and dinner is served!
- Culture’s Belizean Harvest Bowl topped with Grilled Shrimp – Authentic, fresh and unique flavor combinations abound in this hearty salad featuring flavors of avocado, coconut, pepitas and roasted pineapple. Top with perfectly grilled shrimp, chicken, or mahi for a satisfying lunch or dinner. We’ve received reports that this restaurant is closed. — Ed.
- Crabcake Factory Seafood House (open off season) – Delicious options include the crabcake salad, single crabcake dinner, or perhaps the crabcake with half roasted chicken to share! Just ask for your selection to be broiled instead of fried, and you can enjoy Ocean City’s most famous seafood option guilt-free.
- Piaza’s Kale Power Salad – When the rest of your group wants wood fired pizza, head to Piaza, a new restaurant over by Walmart on Rt. 50. Their Kale Power Salad combines a number of superfoods including spinach, kale and quinoa as well as almonds and strawberries. The whole family will find something they like at Piaza, and you have a variety of choices to feel good about, too.
If you are starting a diet or continuing on your weight loss journey, congratulations and keep up the hard work! It is a relief to know that there are many options for healthy and tasty eating, and they are not all strictly salads. And since you made it to the end of this article, I have a little insider information for when you want to have a “cheat day” while in Ocean City. Go to Longboard Café and ask to order the “Longboard Wings”. They are not on the menu but they are the most delicious wings I have ever had!! Imagine a basket of sticky, crispy awesomeness topped with blue cheese crumbles and bacon bits. Yeah, you can thank me later. Happy new year everyone – make it your best yet!
Retiring to the beach: Ocean City Stories
Bob and Cindy Plympton have been regulars at the Fenwick Inn for the better part of a decade, and in Ocean City generally for the better part of three. Cindy grew up in Annapolis and Bob in Bladensburg, but the couple was drawn to vacationing in Ocean City from the first; North Ocean City in particular.
Cindy said that they liked what she called the slower pace of the higher street numbers. It is the same ocean, clearly and essentially the same beach, but it is less frenetic in North Ocean City than it is closer to the Inlet. In the Summertime, the beach is plenty crowded without being suffocatingly so. In the winter, it is as if you own the entire place some days, especially during the week.
The Plymptons particularly liked that the Fenwick Inn was always so friendly and accommodating. They got to know the staff and the staff looked out for them. The Plympton’s never purchased a time-share, preferring to be able to come to the hotel whenever they wanted and to stay for as long or short a time as they pleased. They visited, if not monthly, certainly quarterly, stretching long weekends and taking advantage of mid-week specials all during the last 25 years. It proved to be the right choice, because this year they decided to make their vacation permanent and purchase a home in Selbyville.
The top 10 reasons to own real estate in Ocean City – OceanCity.com
It’s time to make your favorite vacation spot your home. Ocean City proves false the old adage “the grass is always greener on the other side” because, well, the grass here really is greener. The shine doesn’t dull once you put down roots here – in fact, you’ll probably come to realize that it only …
The decision came for what might be considered their lucky anniversary. The couple shares a birthday, January 26. They were married on that same day, and this year they will celebrate 26 years of marriage on January 26. Bob and Cindy have earned their place. They really were looking forward to retiring to the beach and moving in.
For their last trip before the closing, they spent a final weekend at the Fenwick Inn because they were to meet with their realtor. Cindy cultivated a lot of houseplants during the quarter century she and Bob lived on the western shore and the moving company wouldn’t take them. The person who helped them find their new home was happy to put up Cindy’s plants for the week or two it took them to get moved in and settled. That is the kind of general attitude, Cindy said, that attracted them to the area.
From the hotel to the real estate agent, everyone seemed to like having them. Part of it, of course, is they are nice, fun people, but there’s also a general welcoming attitude that is part and parcel with being hosts all the time.
It is the one aspect of living and working in Ocean City that it is easiest to forget is that many of the people here are used to being hosts. Even those of us not in the hospitality industry regularly are asked for directions or visited by out of town friends who want to spend a few days at the beach. Even when it’s tough, many of us try and remember it is t a privilege to live and work here, which is something the Plymptons are about to discover for themselves.
This story was updated Dec. 5, 2016 – Ed.
Art is a way of life in Berlin
This weekend artists all over Berlin will open their studios for tours. Some are in buildings, some are in homes and others in businesses that aren’t exclusively for art. It’s part of a continuing initiative to remind people that the arts are a vital part of Berlin’s identity and the artists who work and live there take it pretty seriously. That is, the Berlin art scene is a thing.
The event comes on the heals of what, by all accounts, was a tremendously successful Holiday Arts Night, the day after Thanksgiving event that has become the traditional solution to Black Friday craziness.
On this week’s Podcast, we spoke with Heather Layton, who owns Bungalow Love in town and runs the Art and Entertainment District. She’s been promoting the arts in Berlin for awhile and, as the town begins to prepare to level up again, she came on to tell us what was happening.
In the coming year, Berlin will be providing more artists more opportunities to show off their work, including an expansion of their 2nd Friday Makers Market and a ton of other things that are aimed at making Berlin even more artist-friendly.
This weekend’s event isn’t limited to painters (although there are a bunch of them) there will be mixed media, writers and glassblowing to name just a few. It’s a great way to spend the afternoon following the Ocean City Christmas Parade.
Hair issues and other trivialities
Besides telling stories about local artists and the great Berlin boom of the early oughts, we cover the usual nonsense, including a little more praise of Berlin’s public bathrooms than is necessary and my search for a barber after the death of my current barber. It isn’t going well.
In one cool thing, Todd talks about a local guy, Kevin Dunworth who won a reality show involving motorcycles:
Flat Track Fever
Brian Sloma takes on Brady Young in building a classic flat tracker bike.
The Happy Hour Todcast podcast is recorded Wednesdays at the Pitt Stop bar in Berlin. You can listen to this episode here or subscribe below. If you’ve have something to promote or just want to share your Eastern Shore experiences on the show and are free on a Wednesday afternoon, reach out to Tony.
The Inlet Park in Ocean City: Alternate perspective
As we prepare to head into the late fall, one of the great things about living in Ocean City is we get to take another look at the places we might see all the time and take for granted. Throughout the season we’ll be posting photos from places you probably know, but at angles you might not have seen them from. The following photos and accompanying observations were from the Inlet Park which, if you didn’t know, is at the corner of the final turn before the Inlet parking lot and jetty.
Welcome to Ocean City Maryland!
The Indian at the Inlet is always a site for sore eyes, and lots of great photos of him already exist. I thought it would be fun to try a less-flattering angle for a change. It’s actually how I came up with this theme.
Ocean City Life Saving Station
One thing you can do in the off-season that you totally can’t (or at least shouldn’t) during the summer is stand in the middle of the street and shoot up at the watchtower. It was a cold, clear day so I got lots of great blues. From this perspective it looks a little more dizzying than in real life (IRL as the kids say).
Spectacular Ocean City Maryland views
I love the binocular stands. Having grown up on the Jersey shore taking day trips up and down the coast, they always remind me of days off with time to kill or of summer day trips. When you see these from the side of the road, you know there’s something interesting to see, even if you can’t tell what it is until you pop your quarter in the slot.
Welcome to Inlet Park, Ocean City Maryland
To be honest, I wasn’t aware that this was a named park until after I uploaded the photos and geotagged them. It has all the earmarks of a park, benches, natural space, but it’s pretty narrow. I decided to get a little artsy here and place my camera on top of one of the pilings.
Taking photos in Ocean City
This apparently is a popular spot for photo shoots, although if you don’t notice a person with a camera, I’m not certain you’re paying close enough attention to notice a sign. One of my great pleasures is taking pictures of poorly-conceived, pointless or confusing signage. To be clear, I didn’t put the sign here. The “artist” who did either forgot to remove it or feels as if he (and we all know it is a “he”) has exclusive rights to shoot engagement photos here. Now, I’ve been the victim of typos myself, so I’ll let it go unremarked upon except to say that the arrogance and not the questionable spelling interpretation caught my eye.
Oceanic Motel
At the end of the park, you’ll find the Oceanic Motel, with its playhouses. I thought it would be fun to get a shot of the setting sun from just outside this small castle. I would have gone inside by you don’t wanna be the grown man coming out of a children’s playhouse in a public park.
Ice flowers
The border flowers at the park were just holding on for dear life when these photos were taken. It was the end of November, the cold had settled in for a week and it was beginning to show. Still, it was pretty in the fading light. If the winter has an upside it’s that getting sunset photos and sunrise photos takes a little less effort, since they’re so much closer together.
Share your photos and thoughts
If you’re interested in contributing your own photoblog of Ocean City (or any place in Maryland) feel free to reach out to me via the author links below. Photoblogs are easy and fun and it always is a little flattering to get shares and likes.
Winter by the pier: Alternate perspective
Starting in the Inlet, I wandered around by the base of the pier next to the closed-for-the-season Jolly Roger park. The internet likes vertical photos, but I like horizontal ones. What follows are photos I took horizontally and edited into vertical, for fun as much to make me concentrate on taking a perfectly normal photo and finding the alternate angles in it. Remember to send your own alternate photos to us for inclusion in crown-sourced photo blogs. Or email me if you want to start your own Ocean City, Annapolis or Maryland photo blog.
The best way to start and end your day (15 photos)
“The sun shines everywhere, not just at the beach.” -Brande Roderick
While that may be true, the sun is certainly more enjoyable at the beach with your feet in the sand and the salt in the air. There’s something refreshing about the experience. What’s even more spectacular is a sunrise or sunset at the beach. The sun sets to rise again; it’s the routine interchange between day and night and it’s beautiful. It’s no wonder why everyone’s so eager to catch a glimpse of and capture the moment. When you combine the beauty of a sunset or rise with the comfort of the beach you get an experience like no other. That very combination exists in Ocean City.
This post was updated on Nov. 30 for content and context. It originally appeared on Aug. 27, 2015. — Ed.
Skateboarding in Ocean City Maryland
Skateboarding has become more than just a trend as it increases in popularity in Ocean City, Maryland. For those skateboard enthusiasts there are competitions, lessons, camps, and skate parks to fill any skateboarding needs. Ocean Bowl Skate Park is one of the best skateboarding facilities on the East Coast and is currently the oldest operating public skate park in the United States.
Skateboarding in Ocean City
It opened in the late 1970s after skateboarding was banned on the streets of Ocean City. Located on Third Street and St. Louis Avenue, this public park is 17,000 square feet. Ocean Bowl is constantly providing new challenges for skateboards through the combination of east coast and west coast styles. Features include: a pool bowl with a deep and shallow end, a large vertical ramp and mini ramp, 13,000 square feet of open concrete with hit walls and more.
Ocean City skatepark hours
Since the skatepark is seasonal, the hours change with the seasons. The park is open daily until dark and opens at 9:30 a.m. on the weekends.
June through August it opens at 9:30 a.m.
Sept. and Oct. it opens noon weekdays.
Nov. through March it opens 2 p.m. weekdays and is closed Wednesday.
April and may it opens noon weekdays.
Admission fees for the Ocean City skatepark:
Weekday admission is $12, weekends are $15, and a weekly pass is $42. Annual passes are available. Ocean City residents pay $60 for the year and nonresidents pay $110.
The Ocean Bowl Skate Park provides lessons, camps, competitions, and a clinic. Since 2003 Ocean Bowl has offered Skateboarding Camp every summer for all children over 6 years old. Competitions are held at the park once a month during the summer. There are different age groups that compete and there are judges who rate their skill. Prizes from local skate shops are awarded to winners. During the spring and fall lessons are offered for beginner and intermediate skaters. The Back to School Skateboarding Blitz is a clinic that is held a weekend in October. Also, the park is available to rent for a half day or full day for events such as birthday parties.
Skateboarding in Worcester County
As a result of the continual growth of skateboarding, Ocean Pines recently opened a skate park. It took over two year of plans and design to create the new amenity and it is a great addition to the Ocean Pines community. The skate park is open daily from 8am to dusk.
The park is free of charge but users must be registered to Ocean Pines Recreation and Park Department. Skaters can register at the administration building in White Head Park and are also required to sign a waiver and wear the proper equipment. The park is opened by the recreation and parks staff and closed by the police department. The park is under video surveillance 24 hours a day and if there is a violation of a rule the park will close for a two hour period. However, so far, the park hasn’t had the need to shut down. Howell said, “they [the skaters] do a very good job of policing themselves…everyone has been very hospitable.”
Skateboarding is very popular in Ocean City; however, skateboards are not permitted on the Boardwalk, sidewalks, alleys, public streets, or public lots in Ocean City. Luckily, skateboarders have these nice skate parks available to them.
