The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is holding an Open House in recognition of International Museum Day this Friday, May 18 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The free event will celebrate the theme of 2018 International Museum Day, Hyperconnected Museums: New approaches, new publics.
“Hyperconnectivity” is a term created in 2001 to describe the various means of communication we have today including face-to-face contact, text messaging, email, telephone and the internet. Every day the global network of communications becomes more complex, diverse and integrated, and in the hyperconnected world of today, museums join the trend.
It’s impossible to understand the role of museums without taking into account all the connections they make. They are an integral part of their local communities, their cultural landscape and their natural environment, and thanks to technology, museums can now reach way beyond their core audience and find new publics when approaching their collections in a different way.
“We want to encourage our visitors to take a picture of an exhibit or artifact that truly resonates with them, then share that picture on social media,” said Museum Director Sandy Hurley. “When visitors choose to post photos of the Museum on social media they are widening the Museum’s audience, and ultimately strengthening our mission.”
For more information, please call (410) 289-4991 or visit our website www.ocmuseum.org.
The postcard in the image above depicts Dunes Manor, just past the Ocean City Boardwalk on 28th street, in all its glory. It’s a simple souvenir, but it’s one that you’ll want to keep in a photo album or in a child’s memory box. There it’ll be safely tucked away, waiting for the day you feel nostalgic for OC, MD and all the memories you made there with your family — memories that are guaranteed to be bright ones when vacation days are spent at the Dunes.
In fact, Family Vacation Critic just named Dunes Manor #14 on their list of 16 Best Family Resorts That Don’t Charge Hidden Fees, which the Dunes’ Guest Services & Marketing Manager Tracy Rice attributes to, what else? The hotel’s abundance of family-friendly events throughout the year.
So take a seat on a rocking chair on the back porch, and let’s talk about all the ways you can make memories at the Dunes this summer…
A summer packed with things to do, for everyone
Some people like to spend their vacations lazing around, sleeping in and soaking up the sun wherever the wind has blown them. Others prefer more structure. Dunes Manor is an answer to those on either end of the spectrum, and everyone in between: their summer calendar is jam-packed with activities that families can simply drop in on or plan an entire vacation around. And this applies to every week of the summer, because jam-packed is not an understatement.
“Last year we added about five new activities,” Rice said. “This year we added about 27.”
For vacationers who want to keep a workout routing and don’t mind breaking a sweat, the Dunes is offering Tai chi classes, a gentle form of martial arts that any individual of any physical ability can take part in. There’s also an on-the-beach workout called Beach Body Fitness that’s new this year, in addition to Mind & Body Yoga now being offered twice a week. Work up an appetite, then hit the Barefoot Beach Bar to enjoy a frozen drink special offered daily within the first hour of opening.
Also down at the Barefoot Beach Bar? Madame Esmerelda. An employee of the Dunes set up a Tarot card reading station for just an hour last summer, and her readings were so wildly popular that she ended up staying for four.
“It was unbelievable,” Rice said. “She’s not a real gypsy fortuneteller, she works here, but the way she interprets [cards] is very whimsical and cool.”
There are piano sing-a-longs held in the lobby for all to enjoy Wednesday through Sunday, which will often be followed by the Sweet Dreams Cookie Cart — kids get cookies, milk and a bedtime story read to them in the lobby a few nights out of the week. Speaking of the kids…
Crafts, mermaids and more
Arts and crafts for kids of all ages that were once just offered one day a week will now be offered for four days. “They’re really quality crafts, not just silly little things you make and never even take home,” Rice said — kids have made crafts ranging from pinatas to sea bead jewelry to mermaid paper dolls.
And mermaids especially are a hit amongst the littler crowd: last year the hotel began offering Swim With a Live Mermaid once a week, which will now be offered for two. Women come dressed up in mermaid tails and all to play with the kids, do facepainting and give out favors. “People have been emailing me, ‘What day are you doing the mermaids, ‘cause those are the days we’re coming!'”
Saturday nights are fun for everyone with the Family Beach Scavenger Hunt, which Rice says has really taken off since it started in the winter. Families are sent all over Ocean City — for example, to the Boardwalk to get an arcade ticket or to a local surf shop to take a selfie. More beach fun can be found during the week at the Sandcastle Club (digging tools and buckets provided!), and Cornhole & Croquet is another activity for the competitively-spirited on Thursday nights.
That might seem like a lot going on — the hotel had to hire more employees this year just to keep up with all the events and activities happening this summer — but the ones listed above are really just the tip of the iceberg.
“I think that’s why we’re very unique,” Rice said. “A lot of hotels do activities, certainly, but I would say that we have the most. We’re really trying to be #1 in that area.”
If you’re coming back to the Dunes Manor for the first time this year, you’ll probably notice that it looks a little different. (By the way, here’s a hot tip for those who frequent the hotel: repeat guests can join the Dunes Circle Loyalty Program and get 15% off their stay. There’s more info on specials like this one here.)
Dunes Manor is known for exuding an old Victorian sort of charm, and that will always ring true. However, the hotel did receive a mild facelift over the winter, including new carpets throughout the entire building, new furniture in the lower lobby and reupholstered furniture elsewhere, new walk-in showers in the deluxe rooms and a fresh navy-and-gold look for the Victorian Room restaurant.
Even the employees of the Dunes are always having fun, and sometimes posing for pictures, as seen here in the remodeled Victorian Room restaurant.
So come spend at least a piece of your summer vacation at Dunes Manor. Admire the old Victorian charm and new upgrades around the hotel, take part in a few of their activities at your leisure, and send your own postcards to those friends and family members who weren’t lucky enough to vacation at the Dunes with you.
The median fence on Coastal Highway is slated for completion by May 23, and the new pay-by-plate meters in the municipal parking lot downtown have been in effect since April 1. Both of these new features are the talk of the town, and we’ve been receiving lots of questions about both of them.
Here’s a handy FAQ about the new pay-by-plate parking systems near the Inlet and the new midtown median fence.
If you have questions that aren’t included below, ask them in the comments section and we’ll do our best to answer them and add them to the list!
Pay-by-plate parking
How do I use the new pay-by-plate parking meters?
If you don’t have your plate number memorized and can’t read it from the meter, take a picture of it with your cell phone. Simply enter the numbers into the console, then toss in your coins for how much time you want or swipe your card and enter the amount of money you wish to put in. You can go paperless or ask the machine to print a receipt for you. Later, you can extend your time at the meters or with the Parkmobile app.
Do I need to download an app in order to park?
No, but you do have that option. The Parkmobile app can be used to pay for parking and extend your time (which comes in handy when you’re all the way on the other side of the Boardwalk and realize your time is almost up).
How much does parking cost now?
It’s still $3 an hour to park at the Inlet during peak season.
Can vehicles with handicap tags still park for free?
There is a 30-minute grace period for all vehicles, including those with handicap tags, in the Inlet lot. If a vehicle is parked in the Inlet lot for 31 minutes or more, the entire amount of time spent parked will have to be paid for.
As for street parking with the new meters and other municipal lots, there is a 60-minute grace period for vehicles with handicap tags.
Should I still place my receipt on my dashboard?
No, there is no need to place your ticket on your dashboard since you will have entered in your license plate number.
Coastal Highway median fence
Why was this fence built?
The median fence is five to seven feet tall, so it can’t easily be hopped over, and was constructed in order to prevent jaywalkers from unsafely crossing the street.
Will it obstruct my view of Coastal Highway?
While the fence is tall, and does obstruct your view of the other side of the highway when you’re looking at it head-on, the fence posts are angled so that you can see in between them while driving. It does not in any way obstruct your view from cars turning at intersections.
When will the project be finished?
Construction is currently on schedule to be completed by the Wednesday before Memorial Day (May 23).
How long does the fence run?
It runs from Convention Center Drive to 62nd street, and extends 2.7 miles.
I hate these new parking meters and/or this new median fence!
There has been a huge influx of messages like these popping into our Facebook messages, our community posts and the comments sections of our articles. We hear your concerns, and we understand them. However, we do not represent the Town of Ocean City or any town government officials who voted to put these new systems in place. As always, we love to hear your thoughts and opinions on everything that happens in Ocean City, but when it comes to matters like these ones, we can’t do much but send you to the Town’s inbox.
Happy Photo Friday everyone, and congratulations to our winner Kathy (who submitted the photo above of Baby’s First Dumser’s), who has won a pair of tickets to Jolly Roger Amusements. We received a great influx of submissions this week via both our submit page and on Facebook, where many photos were shared of sunsets, the occasional sunrise and lots of kids having fun during summers past and present.
Here’s a reminder that you are only eligible to win our weekly prize if you include a full name and email address in the caption of your submission! I won’t publish those details but I will use them to contact you and get you your amusement tickets/gift card/whatever fun thing we’re giving away that week.
Now without further ado, here’s your photos from the week.
SunsetHanging on the OC boardwalk My daughter Cassidy, Boardwalk,Bayside sunset @ fishtales last summer end of june 2018.Ninety year of father and son enjoying the beach on 125th Street. Kevin spent years coming with his father to Ocean City and he brought his dad back to enjoy the ocean once again in the July of 2017Worcester county. Brody on the Beach June 2017Father and son fishing on the pierKids enjoying the beach June 2017A beautiful inlet morningChecking out the ocean on 94th Street !Ride anyone.This is my daughter Ella enjoying her first Dumser’s Ice Cream cone on the boardwalk, July 2017! I grew up in Maryland but now live in Minnesota but come out every summer to visit my siblings and we always make a trip to OC!Abbey and Bella enjoying the kites! Ocean City MD, Kite festival April 28thBella enjoying the Carousel at Trimpers Customer appreciation Day! MAY 6th 2018BeachBeachAssateagueI was staying at the Quay on 107th Street in Ocean City Md in June 2017 and I woke up to take this beautiful picture of the sunrise!Raylynn 3 1/2 and Harper 4 had the best time on the Dunkaneer pirate ship in 2017 .Riding the ocean city rocket boat! With my family.
Let’s take a trip back to mid-century Ocean City. Because when you take a walk down Ocean City’s Motel Row — from around 15th to 33rd street — you can, to this day, feel like you just stepped out of a time machine.
Mid-Century Motel Mania
After World War II, motels took hold in the U.S. and offered travelers inexpensive lodging where they could pull their cars right up to the door and spend a night or two in an air-conditioned room. Sometimes they’d even come equipped with a color TV, or all the class and comfort of the Magic Fingers vibrating bed!
The motel industry peaked in 1964 with 61,000 motels operating throughout the country. As of 2012, however, there were only 16,000 motel properties still in commission. While motels aren’t nearly as in-demand as they once were, Ocean City, Maryland is a town lucky enough to still have beautifully retro, mid-century modern/Art-Deco style motels open and ready for your reservations.
The first properties to hit Ocean City’s Motel Row — the Sea Scape, the Surf and Sands, the Santa Maria and the Stowaway — were built in the mid-1950s and, unfortunately, have all since been replaced with newer accommodations. However, a number of motels built soon after those original four are still standing in south Ocean City today.
Some of the motels pictured below look like they came right out of a history book, but they’re ready for you to make your reservations now in 2018. Staying in a decades-old Ocean City motel isn’t a bad way to enjoy all the aesthetic draws of a mid-century building with all the conveniences of the 21st century.
A walk down “Motel Row”
Of course, a look at Ocean City’s most iconic accommodations can’t start without the Oceanic Motel at the Inlet, complete with the Oceanic Fishing Pier and the beach just a stone’s throw away. Now we’ll really head to Motel Row, just some blocks away…All the way down to 31st street. The famously pink Flamingo Motel marks the north end of Motel Row, where it’s been owned and operated by the same family since 1963. The Motel originally consisted of one 23-unit building, but now the second-generation business is made up of three oceanfront buildings which include rooms, efficiencies, kitchenettes and suites. The Flamingo throws it back to the ’60s with its inexpensive accommodations and retro look, while also being updated, clean and, of course, providing WiFi. Not too far from the Flamingo is the Seabonay, located at the very end of the Boardwalk (one block away, to be exact). Here, you can relax on a guarded beach, swim in the outdoor pool, or easily take a tram ride down the Boardwalk. Down on 19th street is the Empress, which was built in 1965 and still has its original neon peacock sign. The peacock is a symbol of royalty, which any Empress would appreciate. Behind the Empress is the Eden Roc motel on 20th street, with a sea of rental bikes in front of it. Eden Roc is a relic of the ’60s. The Ocean Mecca on 23rd street was built in 1958 by William and Kathleen Harman to provide a sort of oasis to travelers. The Arabian style of the motel’s sign and exterior pay homage to some of Kathleen Harman’s favorite movies, The Sheik and The Voyages of Sinbad. (Okay, Three Cheers on 30th street is technically a condo building, not a motel, but it still looks cool. It was built in 1972 and, as evidenced by this typeface, keeps an early ’70s aura about it.) Then there’s the Thunderbird Beach Motel on 31st street. And the Sahara Motel on 19th street. And finally, a bonus picture: The Safari gorilla guarding the beach and Boardwalk at 12th street.
OCEAN CITY, MD — (May 8, 2018): From Tuesday, May 15 to Sunday, May 20, Ocean City’s Coastal Highway and Philadelphia Avenue will be designated as a Special Event Zone for the four-day Cruisin’ Ocean City event (taking place May 17 – 20). Speeds will be reduced and fines will be increased in the Special Event Zone.
Governor Larry Hogan signed the Special Event Zone bill into law in April. The law allows the State Highway Administration, at the request of a local authority, to designate areas on Worcester County’s state highways as a special event zone, and reduce established speed limits in the zone.
It also allows a local authority, such as Town of Ocean City officials, to designate a city-owned road as a special event zone. Fines for violators will be increased in special event zones.
Thousands of car enthusiasts are expected in Ocean City for the event and citizens should expect to see a large police presence. Officers from allied agencies will be assisting the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD), including the Maryland State Police, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland Transportation Authority, and Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Officers will be strictly enforcing all traffic laws. Additionally, pedestrians are urged to Walk Smart!and always use crosswalks when crossing roadways. Wait for the signal to change and be sure that drivers see you while crossing.
A beacon of light in the dark, the Ferris Wheel is back lighting up the sky.
As of last weekend, the Jolly Roger Ferris Wheel on the Ocean City Pier is back and better than ever — seriously.
Jolly Roger reinvented the wheel this year, much to our advantage, by giving it a new, updated look and restoring its interior and exterior so the Giant Wheel in the sky can keep turning and light up Ocean City for another summer of fun.
Where’d the wheel go?
Back in October, I published a short article here titled “Where’s the Jolly Roger Ferris Wheel?” The story wasn’t meant to be clickbait-y — I wrote it because we’d been getting a ton of messages and comments asking that same question, so I called up Dean at Jolly Roger to answer it once and for all — but it seemed that many people scrolled across the headline and immediately assumed the worst. Oh no, the famous Ocean City Ferris Wheel is gone forever! But thankfully, no. It was just gone temporarily for some basic repairs and updates.
In September, the wheel was dismantled and sent to Big B Manufacturing in Pennsylvania, where the galvanization process began. Each piece of the ride was detached and coated with a protective layer of molten zinc to produce a corrosion-resistant, multilayered coating of zing-iron alloy and zinc metal, to keep the wheel protected from general wear and tear and beachfront abrasion.
After the six-month restoration process, the wheel is back on the Pier with new LED lights — a total of 35,650, twice as many as before — which use only 15% of the electricity that regular incandescent lighting would consume.
In April the Ferris Wheel was erected back on the Pier, quarter by quarter, and on Friday, May 4, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place and the wheel was officially open for the season.
Photo from a sunset ride, taken last summer.
A treasure since the 80s
It is a shame to visit Ocean City in the winter months and not see the crown jewel of the Jolly Roger Pier turning in the sky, but such refurbishments are necessary to keep the ride safe, sturdy and beautiful year after year. The 108 ft. wheel has been a staple of Ocean City for over 30 years, and has seen more than 3.2 million riders since its initial opening in 1986.
Here’s a timeline courtesy of Jolly Roger that shows how the Giant Wheel fits into the history of the Pier overall.
The wheel was built in the mid-80s by Marple Rides in Uithoorn, Holland, then shipped from Rotterdam to Baltimore on Polish Ocean Lines. It arrived in ’86 along with rides 1001 Nights, Music Express and Enterprise, completing the Pier’s second renovation following the winter storm of 1979.
The Giant Wheel was complete with lights on the tops and bottoms of the gondolas and lights circling the wheel, and since its first fateful year on the Pier in ’86, the Ocean City skyline hasn’t been the same without it.
“Ferris wheel cars ascend to about 100 feet, and offer one of the grander – and more stable – views of Ocean City, the Boardwalk, the inlet, and nearby Assateague Island. For a stunning view, ride this Ferris wheel at sunset. And bring a camera.” –The Baltimore Sun, August 9, 1987
When speaking of property, the catchphrase is location, location, location. However, many people do not understand just how vitally important location is.
Individuals choose an area or county to live in based upon a number of varying criteria, but it all boils down to location of that county to the requirements or attractions for that person(s) or family.
The criteria can range from a specific school district to employment opportunities. Whatever county you reside in, you are a local to that area.
Worcester County pride
Being a local is about enjoying your community and taking pride in your neighborhood and your county. Here on the Eastern Shore, we are very fortunate in the many attractive features offered, such as close proximity to:
The attractions listed above also bring with them a multitude of enjoyable pastime activities, including:
Boating/sailing
Crabbing
Clamming
Water skiing
Surfing
Golfing
Bird watching
Observing wild life, including wild ponies
Biking
Hiking
Walking on the beach
Fishing
Driving on the beach
Divulging a few local secrets…
Being a local is also being aware of all the out-of-the-way places to locate good food. In Worcester County, there are several “off the beaten path” restaurants and take-out treats that are well-known to locals and should not be missed:
Emings for the best BBQ chicken and ribs. Emings is located on Route 113 Northbound, only ½ mile before the Delaware border. A lunch for two runs under $15! Mark your calendar for the last Friday of each month for Emings’ pig roast.
Emings BBQ.
Chesapeake Farms, located at the intersection of Route 50 and Logtown Road in Berlin, has the best (real cream) ice cream to be found.
Chesapeake Farms.
Grove Market restaurant offers a variety of dinner options. The building rests in a strand of trees on Bishopville Road. Reservations are required. No credit cards accepted, cash only.
For fresh crabs and seafood, Hemphills’ Dock is the place to go. Hemphills offers crabs at $35 a dozen. Call to make arrangements.
Hemphills’ Dock.
These local attributes are not only what attracts each and every one of us to our particular counties, but these attributes also add value to our properties. As much as we enjoy the coastal life, buyers looking to come to our area are even more attracted to that life.
Although factors like schools, churches, close proximity to shopping, etc. also have an impact on value, there are some advantages that are a common interest for the majority of the public. As an example, the closer your property is to the areas of higher interest to the general public (i.e. the ocean, or bay), the more location affects your property value. Of course, you cannot pick up your property and move it to another area, but you can extol the benefits that are available in your area.
Being a local means contributing to your neighborhood. Contributing can be any number of tasks or acts, ranging from volunteering your time, to simply maintaining the outside of your home and yard.
For other suggestions or thoughts on how you can add to the value of your real estate, please contact the REALTOR in your area.
It’s our first Photo Friday of the season, and our randomly-selected winner Colleen, who submitted the sunset photo above, has won a pair of tickets to Jolly Roger Amusements.
You could win, too — justsubmit your vacation photos here! We’ll compile them into a photoblog like this one every Friday and pick a winner (and even if you don’t win, you get to share your Ocean City pictures with the world!). Just remember, you must include your full name and email address in your submission in order to win.
Many of the photos that were submitted this week seemed to reflect the theme Family Beach Fun. They weren’t all taken this year, but they did embody a want to come back to the beach this summer for fun in the sun with kids and grown-ups alike. There’s nothing better than watching little ones explore the sand and the seawater for the first time, but us adults have as much fun just soaking up the sun.
“Océan city from Assateage.”“136th Street beach. Sept. 3rd 2017 My children playing on the beach at sunset.”“This picture was taken on the beach in front of the pyramid on 94th street nearing sunset the last week of summer. I grew up spending my summers in ocean city and now we are sharing the experience with our children.”“From Seacrets;11ish am;Bayside; Nobody is in the picture but Probably some fish in there!”“I took this looking from the beach over toward the rides at Jolly Roger last fall 2016. It fits into the theme of boardwalk, beach, recreation, sunsets and the sky lit up and this turned out so nice , I was very happy.”“Kids first time at the ocean and they had a blast @the boardwalk ocean City MD! Can’t wait to bring them again!”“Assateague beach, July 17th, 2017, in the picture my husband Jim and I having a blast on our first trip to Ocean City!! Horseshoe crab and lots of horses, absolutely amazing to see!”“Kite Festival”“The seagulls wanting our fries. At the inlet on a warm sunny July 5th day.”
Here are a few more cool submissions from April.
“My stalker!! You cannot see my blanket but he was right beside!!!”“I run a blog NJBloodymary.com. I frequently visit OC since I have a lot of family here. I was here visiting my sister and we went to iRope Walk. This is their Sunday Brunch Bacon and Egg Bloody Mary. It’s one of the best bloody marys in OC.”“Assateague Island August 2017”“Largest Flounder caught in Ocean City MD in 2017. Caught aboard the Angler Charter boat on 25-Nov-2017”“Robby & Lilly “hanging out” summer 2017 !”“Doug Brown”
The Art League of Ocean City, located in the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th street bayside, is one of Ocean City’s hidden jems. The art center’s five galleries display new exhibits of regional and local artists which rotate monthly, so whenever you stop in, you can expect to see something different and exciting.
Exhibits kick off with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. The receptions, as with all of the Art League’s activities, are open to the public.
Everything’s in bloom this week outside and inside the Art League. You’ll notice there’s a definite fragrance in the air as soon as you step inside…
23 fragrance vials to go along with Howard’s paintings.
Debra Howard: Fragrance
Thaler Gallery — In the main gallery this month is an interactive exhibit that not only involves using your sense of sight, but your sense of smell, too. Debra Howard exhibits 23 fragrance-inspired paintings, each with a vial of fragrance to go along with it. Visitors can choose an essential oil vial, enhale the fragance and see if they can match the fragrance with the painting, or just take it one-by-one as they walk around the gallery. Coffee beans are available so guests can start fresh between fragances. For anyone who wishes to learn more about how our brains respond to fragrance, and about Howard’s art in general, she will be presenting a free Artist Talk at the Art League on May 5.
Debra Howard spent her childhood in Miami, Florida, where she first discovered her love affair with color, light, painting, and sailing. She studied at Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, and began her career in San Francisco where she opened her first illustration studio. After 17 years as a successful illustrator in various cities, she closed her studio to concentrate on fine art painting. Debra is an award winning plein-air artist with a passionate collector base.
“Come to Your Senses” Group Show
Galleria — “Come to Your Senses” is an all media group show inspired by the five senses. Judge: Angela Herbert-Hodges.
Screen painting by John Iampieri.
John Iampieri Screen Painting
Studio E — Anyone familiar with the neighborhoods of East Baltimore has seen the hand-painted screens that once filled nearly every window and door of the long blocks of brick and formstone rowhouses. Painted screens are an authentic Baltimore urban folk art, created, displayed, and beloved there since 1913.
Screen painter John Iampieri, formerly of Baltimore and now of Bishopville, is the artist in residence for the month of May. A member of the Baltimore Painted Screen Society, he is a roster member with MSAC and Young Audiences of Maryland, and a teacher in schools throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware.
The artist has invited the public to contribute to the screen paintings. The open painting sessions are scheduled for First Friday, May 4, from 5-7 p.m.; Wednesday, May 23, from 1 – 4 p.m.; Friday, May 25, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 29, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Anyone who wishes to participate or watch the work is welcome to walk in.
Environmental Visions
Spotlight gallery — “Environmental Visions” showcases the works of Salisbury University Environmental Studies students. Professor Charlie Ewers teaches two courses for the Environmental Studies Department at SU: ENVR 205 (Art, Nature, Culture) looks at environmental issues from the perspective of the humanities, and ENVR 460 (The Bay in Words and Pictures) is a photojournalism course on Chesapeake-related topics.
One of the term projects for ENVR 205 centers on nature photography—students must take at least one picture a day for 30 consecutive days, make prints of their best four images and write an essay describing the process. In ENVR 460, the class compiles an online magazine of photo-illustrated feature stories.
Featured in the spotlight gallery for the month of May will be a selection of images curated by Charlie Ewers, poster-size prints on foamcore board and a looping slide show.
Environmental Visions piece by Michaela Mitchell.
Artisan Showcase: Joy Galicinao
Jeweler and aromatherapist Joy Galicinao.
In the artisan showcase this month is the work of Joy Galicinao, an aromatherapist and jeweler who has been creating jewelry for over 25 years, working with semi-precious metals and stones. A certified aromatherapist, Galicinao began melding her two passions this past year and focuses on creating jewelry for the personal diffusion of essential oils. As an aromatherapist, she focuses on creating blends that target therapeutic, emotional and energetic needs, and as a jeweler, she focuses on creating unique jewelry for aromatic diffusion.
This article was updated on 5/3/18 to reflect current events and restaurant specials in Ocean City –ed.
Hey friends, once again it’s Cinco de Mayo in Ocean City! Our town is filled with places to drink a cerveza, enjoy a margarita, eat an enchilada, and celebrate the 5th of May with a fiesta. Check out these restaurants and activities if you’d like to participate in today’s Mexican holiday.
Start off with Bikes to the Beach Spring Rally with Hooper’s as a central gathering place. With this many bikers in town, how could you not find a place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Ocean City? Bikes to the Beach rally at Hooper’s – Margaritas at Sneaky Pete’s.
If bikes aren’t your thing, stop by Springfest for a day in the sun and join in the seasonal celebration, or head up to Berlin for a Jazz and Blues Bash. Then be sure to stop by one of these Mexican restaurants in Ocean City for food and drink specials on their favorite holiday of the year…
Have you checked out the new Mexican restaurant taking the place of Phillips in North Ocean City? Bayside is celebrating their recent opening and Cinco de Mayo with all kinds of specials from 4 tp 7 p.m. Feast and unwind with flavor packed authentic recipes using fresh ingredients. Relax with $4 classic margaritas, $4 sangria, $4 drafts, and $15 Corona Bucket. Festivities will include live music by RandyJamz and a free Nacho Bar.
Don’t let the tricky “Sorry, We’re Open” sign scare you away from Mother’s Cantina in the 28th Street Plaza on Coastal Highway. Mother’s Cantina is known for their amazing happy hour drink specials. From 4 to 7 p.m. turn to Mother’s for the best food and drinks in OC. $1.50 domestic drafts, $3.50 margaritas and $1.75 tacos. The 3-Pepper Queso Dip is so good you will want to lick your bowl clean! Try a multitude of any entrée on the menu. The Chimichanga Combo is delicious and includes a Chorizo sausage chimichanga, one taco, one enchilada, refried or black beans, and Mexican rice. You’ll find tattoo-clad bartenders quickly whipping up drinks behind the bar. Mother’s also has several Mexican dessert options like Fried Ice Cream, Fried Cheesecake, and Chocolate Chipotle Lava Cake to quench your need for sweets!
Are you a tequila lover? Tequila Mockingbird offers 100 different tequilas to choose from. The bar at Tequila Mockingbird is known to have the largest selection of tequila in Maryland. Sample the wide selection of Mexican import drinks and domestic beers: Corona, Dos Quis, Negra, Modelo, Tecate, and more. Some knock-out items on the menu are the homemade Guacamole dip with chips and the Quesadillas Slimini Chimi. Try the Slimini Chimi if you’re conscious about the upcoming bikini season! Slimini Chimi’s are healthy vegetables wrapped in a flour tortilla and baked in a large oven. Tequila Mockingbird’s on 130th Street in the Montego Bay Shopping Center has Cinco de Mayo specials going on…
Drink Specials: $5 House Margarita, 1/2 Price Carafes of Red and White Sangria, $2.50 Jose Cuervo Gold/Silver Shots, $3 Tecates.
Food Specials (All Night): Mexican Street Corn Soup $6 (Corn, Onions, Butter Topped with Bacon, Sliced Jalapenos and Cheese), Jalapeno/Mango Bacon Poppers 5 for $7, Pollock Ceviche $7.
Daytime Specials 12pm-4pm: $5.00 Nachos (Choice of Beef, Chicken, Beans, or Pork), $1.25 Crunchy Tacos (Choice of Beef, Chicken, Beans, or Pork).
If you’re looking for a locals favorite Mexican restaurant, look no further than Plaza Tapatia (located in Ocean Pines, Salisbury and in other places around Delmarva). Cinco de Mayo specials at the Plaza include $4 32 oz. drafts, $2.65 16 oz drafts, $7 Coronita buckets, $416 oz margaritas on the rocks, $6.99 32 oz margaritas on the rocks, $4 and $6 tequila shots and $7.75 burritos.
Cinco De Mayo is every Vatos favorite Fiesta Fiesta, Guido’s says, and nobody does it better then Guidos Burritos. Celebrate at the Cinco de Mayo Festival at Guido’s with mucho cervaza, mucho tacos and burritos, mucho tequila, mucho musica and mucho dancing on the bar. There will be food specials and drink specials all day including $5 margaritas, $3 Coronas and $3 tequila shots, and a DJ will be playing beats all night long.
No matter where you decide to go tonight, kick back, relax and celebrate Mexican heritage and pride with a margarita or two. Head to one of these five restaurants to settle your fajita fix. Happy Cinco De Mayo!
I’d never been to Fager’s Island before Monday night. I’d heard about it plenty from friends and co-workers — the food’s great, but the view of the sunset on the bay is spectacular, is what I’ve constantly heard everyone say — but for some reason it still took me this long to make my way down there.
I chose the first Monday Night Deck Party to make my grand entrance at Fager’s, and it was the best dining/nightlife decision I’ve made in a long time. April 30 was the Deck Party kick-off date. It was still chilly out on the deck and the dance floor was packed with mostly locals — the party-lovin’ tourists for the most part have not made their way down to the Shore just yet, it seems — but the pink-and-orange sky, the light-footed bartenders and the live band that jammed classic rock hits all night long promise a season of good times on Monday nights at Fager’s Island.
Plus, they’re not wrong about the sunset. Even when you’ve seen it Instagram’d about a million times, nothing compares to seeing a beautiful, clear Ocean City sunset in person.
Here are a few photos from the best Monday night I’ve had in awhile. Do yourself a favor and clock out a few hours early at least one Monday during the summer and embark on your own Fager’s adventure!
The night started out the way most really good nights start out, which is with really good food. The blackened scallops appetizer is to die for.l ordered the quesadilla as I was not feeling particularly adventurous, but my dining partner ordered a Fager’s original: The Islander, pictured here, made up of roasted turkey breast, deep smoked ham, Swiss cheese, romaine lettuce and Russian dressing on rye. It’s as delicious as it looks. We ate early, then waited around on the gazebo for golden hour (the best time of day to take photos when the lighting is just right) to hit. Here’s Fager’s, basking in that golden glow. (Pros of showing up to the party early in the hour and the season: you get the gazebo practically to yourself!)Looking over the water toward Fager’s two hotels, The Edge and The Lighthouse Club. The drink specials all night were $4.25 Corona Lights, $3.50 Natural Lights and $4.25 16 oz. Natty Bohs. I ordered the Natty Boh. My friend Megan ordered her signature drink, the vodka sprite.Inside, the party was just getting started, and even at 7:30 the dance floor was poppin’.Outside, the sun was beginning to set and the 1812 Overture would soon start to play, as it does every night.The sun goes down, and the last light of the day shines on the water.It’s calm and quiet outside, but inside Tranzfusion is playing the hits of the ’70s — Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues’ Nights in White Satin and the Doors’ Roadhouse Blues, to name just a few.Some songs allow for a hyped-up dance floor, while others are slower and couples can take the opportunity to slow dance. Because if you get the opportunity to slow dance to Pink Floyd, I mean, why not?
Here’s a Facebook live I took earlier in the night, before the sun went down. I captured the dancers for a few moments and then walked out to the deck.
And if you’ve never watched the sunset over the bay while hearing 1812 Overture… Here’s a video taken by Anne last summer. Just keep in mind that nothing compares to being there in person, enjoying all the sights, sounds and smells of Fager’s and the Ocean City bay in real time!
This home is a charming first floor nautical-style condo with two bedrooms and two bath. Enjoy bayside living in quiet community of North Ocean City.
You’ll be close to shopping, dining and beach access, and it’s ready to move into with sea-loving beach decor. The spacious balcony and grassy yard are perfect for grilling on warm beach nights. The balcony is accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Boat docking is available through the condo association.
Some recent improvements to this condo include new sliding doors in the living room and bedroom and wood flooring in the kitchen and dining room. This is the current owners’ private beach retreat, which has never been rented out to the public. There is one assigned parking space and an extra parking space in the visitor lot. The building has had major exterior improvements completed recently.
Courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway Homeservice & PenFed Realty. Contact Brenda Truelove for a free private showing while you are in town. See more info on this property here.
Canal view from the North Ocean City condo for sale.
Property details
Property/type: Condo/townhouse, other
Bedrooms: 2
County: 24 – Worcester
Bathrooms: 2 Full
Year built: 1975
Water: Electric Water Heater, Public Water Service
Construction: Frame, Stick Built, Brick
Sewer: Public Sewer
Square Feet: 1,026 sq. ft.
Subdivision: N/A
School information
Elementary: Ocean City
Middle: Stephen Decatur
High: Stephen Decatur
Detailed room information
Bedroom(s): First Floor Master Bedroom
Bath description: Full Bath
Interior features
Appliances: Dishwasher, Disposal, Microwave, Electric Range/Cooktop, Refrigerator, Washer/Dryer
Cooling: Ceiling Fan(s)
Heating: Electric Heating, Baseboard
Basement: No Basement
Doors/Windows: Storm Door
Fireplaces: Electric
Additional Interior Features: Window Treatment
Exterior/lot features
Parking: 1 Parking Spaces. No Covered Parking, Assigned Parking Space, Off Street
Exterior: Brick, Frame
Patio: Balcony, Rear Porch
Roof: Built Up
Pool: None
Pool Description: No Pool
Lot View: Canal
Zoning: R2
Additional Exterior/Lot Features: Navigable, Waterfront, Canal, Seawall/Bulkhead, Public Roads.
We’re one day a way from May (queue that old *NSYNC song…), and that means two things.
Almost every business in town has opened back up for the season, and we have more prizes to give away.
It’s photo sharing season again, too!
It’s really the best time of year, because more and more Ocean City lovers are coming to town for their summer vacations and weekend getaways, which means there are more cute, funny and sceneic Ocean City photos to be shared. We love seeing them, and sharing them with others who love Ocean City just as much as we do. That said, you can share #throwback photos with us, too. Whether they’re taken with a Polaroid thirty years ago or with an iPhone yesterday, we love them all.
You can share your pics with us at any time, but we’ll put the call out on social media every Monday just to remind you. We’ll arrange all of our favorites into a Photo Friday blog, and winners will be awarded prizes ranging from restaurant certificates to Jolly Roger tickets.
Just a few important things to remember when submitting photos: they need brief captions that detail what’s happening, and if there are people in the photos, please identify them by name. All photos must be at least 1200 px (either vertical, horizontal or square) to be considered, and the photographer’s email address also has to be included for us to be able to name a winner. You can read the complete rules by clicking on that “submit” link above.
Here are a few pictures from past Photo Fridays, in case you need any inspiration. Happy picture-taking!
Breakfast at the DoughrollerThis picture was taken October 24th around division st. Friends forever enjoying the beach in the fall.5:40 am Sunrise in front of Fountainhead Condo’s. We stay there each year for over 10 years now. This is the first year we were able to get up early to see the sunrise.Beach waves at 142nd on July 7.Assateague Island 7/8/2017 Full moon rising over the horses.
Hodge as a child with her late father, Aubrey Cordrey.
Dawn Hodge wears many hats. Most regulars of North Ocean City’s Original Greene Turtle would probably recognize her from there, at the restaurant she manages on 116th street, but cancer survivors, and the friends and family of cancer survivors in north Worcester county, probably know her from somewhere else: the local Relay For Life chapter, which she’s been a co-chair of since 2006.
Relay For Life had already been happening in Worcester County for about five years when Hodge started as her chapter’s accounting chair. She got involved as a way to honor and remember her dad, who died of liver and gallbladder cancer when she was 27.
“We just didn’t question it, we did exactly what he wanted, which was to do nothing,” she said. “So we didn’t push him to try and do anything, and he never left the hospital since he found out he had [cancer].”
Relay is the American Cancer Society’s signature event. North Worcester County’s chapter hosts one every year, as well as year-round fundraising events in Ocean City and the surrounding regions. Cancer survivors, their caregivers and anyone who has been affected by cancer can find a network of support through Relay for Life and its offshoot events, just as Hodge has since her father’s passing.
“I had no one to turn to, besides my family, but no one with any knowledge beyond what to do,” she said. “I really feel like if I had the Cancer Society to turn to and ask, call that 800 number even, we might have done something different. I don’t know if it would’ve made a difference or not, but you never know — he could have lived a longer life.”
Oceans of Hope at the next Relay
North Worcester County’s 2018 Relay For Life event will take place on May 11 at Frontier Town in Berlin, MD, just outside Ocean City. The Original Greene Turtle is a sponsor, of course, along with the likes of Frontier Town, Atlantic General Hospital, Peninsula Regional Medical Center and others. Hodge has gotten some of her employees involved on Team Greene Turtle, and even the restaurant’s owner Steve Pappas is involved.
The first-ever Relay For Life took place in 1985 in Tacoma Park, Washington, when colorectal surgeon Dr. Gordy Klatt ran around a track by himself for 24 hours and raised $27,000 in the process. Today, Relay For Life is the largest cancer fundraising event in the world and raises funds across the U.S. and beyond for cancer-related research, education, advocacy and patient services.
North Worcester County’s upcoming Relay will be held at Frontier Town’s campgrounds, where teams will start registering at 4 p.m., the opening ceremonies will start at 6 p.m. and activities including live music, bingo, a scavenger hunt and raffles will last until midnight. From 6 p.m. to midnight, “there’s something going on constantly,” Hodge said, and at some point between midnight and morning a big bonfire will be held.
Dawn Hodge has been involved with the north Worcester County Relay For Life chapter since 2002.
A track will be mapped out around the campground, where teams will walk laps all night long. Cancer survivors will take the first lap of the night, followed by caregivers like Hodge taking the second lap, teams on the third lap and sponsors on the fourth. Each team will have at least one person walking the track throughout the night because, according to Relay, “Cancer patients don’t stop because they’re tired, and for one night, neither do we.”
The theme of this year’s Relay is Oceans of Hope, and after a year of hard work spent planning, fundraising and throwing events, Hodge just hopes the event isn’t rained out as it has been the past two years.
“That morning we’ll all get together and go to Frontier Town, and we’ll decorate and put up signs, we usually decorate to our theme so we have lots of fun beach-y stuff that we’re going to decorate with,” Hodge said. “It’s just fun.”
Should there be inclement weather, the Relay will take place at Stephen Decatur Middle School. Rain or shine, local cancer survivors and their families know they have somewhere to turn to for resources and community support.
Ocean City, MD – (April 23, 2018): Marking the start of the season, the Town of Ocean City is celebrating its 28th annual production of Springfest from May 3 – 6, 2018. Visitors coming to Maryland’s Eastern Shore over Springfest weekend will find live music, food, arts, crafts and more — all just off of Ocean City’s iconic Boardwalk and free, beautiful beach. Springfest is one of the top arts and crafts festivals in the nation and features over 250 vendors selling arts and crafts.
The festival is fun for people of all ages and admission to the four-day event is free, including all entertainment, with the exception of the ticketed evening headline performances. The festival is located in the Inlet Lot at the south end of the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Two stages at the festival provide entertainment in the form of live music throughout the weekend with headline acts performing popular hits. Satisfaction, the International Rolling Stones show, will be playing the night of Thursday, May 3, reminding us that rock ‘n’ roll is here to stay. Tickets are $10 – 20 and will be available on the festival grounds at the Springfest ticket booth.
Trace Adkins and Bret Michaels will play to SOLD OUT crowds on Friday and Saturday. If you weren’t able to get tickets to Springfest’s headlining acts, tickets are still available for upcoming Sunfest performances by Forever Tina, The Cadillac Three and Daughtry.
There will be 30 food vendors serving delicious fare ranging from Eastern Shore favorites to ethnic cuisine and gourmet offerings.
Parking in the downtown area is limited. The Town of Ocean City will offer shuttle bus service to and from the West Ocean City Park and Ride on Route 50 beginning at 6 a.m.Thursday, May 3, and operating throughout the event, May 3 – 6. When the Ocean City Park and Ride service is not available, Shore Transit will provide service to and from both the Park and Ride and the South End Transit Station. For more information about the West Ocean City Park and Ride service, call the Ocean City Transportation Department at 410-723-1606.
Hours for the festival are Thursday – Saturday10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
For more information about Springfest 2018, call the Ocean City Recreation & Parks Department at 410-250-0125, toll-free at 1-800-626-2326.
Are you a tequila lover? Tequila Mockingbird offers 100 different tequilas to choose from. The bar at Tequila Mockingbird is known to have the largest selection of tequila in Maryland. Sample the wide selection of Mexican import drinks and domestic beers: Corona, Dos Quis, Negra, Modelo, Tecate, and more. Some knock-out items on the menu are the homemade Guacamole dip with chips and the Quesadillas Slimini Chimi. Try the Slimini Chimi if you’re conscious about the upcoming bikini season! Slimini Chimi’s are healthy vegetables wrapped in a flour tortilla and baked in a large oven. Tequila Mockingbird’s on 130th Street in the Montego Bay Shopping Center has Cinco de Mayo specials going on…
