The Dunes has been preparing for summer all year, and now that it’s nearly upon us, the management and staff are in full summer mode. They’re organizing under the banner New Summer, New Story at the Dunes Manor.
That is not to say that the Dunes hasn’t been doing some of the following things for years, only that there is a refreshed attitude that accompanies them. The plan is to remind people that the Dunes is among the most family friendly places in this family friendly resort town.
The entranceway at the Dunes Manor sets up an expectation of elegance that belies the family friendly fun.
Plan to stay awhile
When you come to stay at the Dunes Manor, there is an expectation that you may want to stay there exclusively. To that end, they have built an itinerary of sorts that allows guests to do arrange their week so that the only time they have to leave the hotel is to take a few steps down to the ocean for a dip.
Each of the properties in the Dunes family gives you access to each of the others. So, for instance, if you choose to stay in the Dunes Court and want to bring your family across the street to participate in the Mad Hatter Tea Party or one of the Mermaid events, it only is a matter of a few steps from one property to another.
The Dunes hotels all are steps from the beach and, as a result, provide a great way to make sure you squeeze some beach time into your resort vacation.
Family Fun Time at the Dunes
One of the centerpieces of the #NewSummerNewStory approach the Dunes is taking involves an emphasis on family fun. The Dunes always has provided outlets for parents (or grandparents) and kids to do things together right on the property, but this year the emphasis is on structure.
In addition to one time and special events, the #NewSummerNewStory program features weekly events that families can participate in together and anticipate attending together long before they even arrive. The idea is that whether you want to make sure there is something to do any given day (or even every given day) the Dunes has your answer.
Their events calendar includes Weekly flamingo pool party Saturdays, A Mad Hatter Tea Party as a twist on their improved proper daily high tea, a Lego pirate treasure hunt, beach crafts and tons more.
Every event the Dunes holds also will feature selfie stations and props for easily contextualized summer memory photos.
Blue skies always are preferred in Ocean City, but the Dune Manor has contingency programs for the occasional rainy day.
Fun inside and out at the Dunes
On a sunny day, you might want to use the sand castle building supplies at the Dunes to build and color your own sandcastle on the beach, or take advantage of the hotel’s partnership with Jolly Roger Amusement Park to spend a day riding the rides at a special rate.
But sometimes the weather gods aren’t on your side and the rain comes. The Dunes Manor has an anti-rain contingency plan to keep things fun inside the hotel while you weather the storm. In addition to their daily tea parties, and “Miss Shirley” on the piano, a rainy day is a movie day at the Dunes (as it is at home).
The hotel sets up a small theater in the ballroom to make the most of any disappointing weather that might find its way to the Ocean City coast.
To learn more about the Dunes Manor App, specials, coupons and loyalty program visit DunesManor.com.
The Ocean City experience is made up of pieces, it is more mosaic than photograph. Each of your Ocean City memories make up a part of the overall Ocean City experience. At the bottom, that’s what the Best of Ocean City® is all about. It is a chance to reflect on the things we love about the resort and to acknowledge our connection with them. There are many things we enjoy for no reason we can describe. There are some, however, that we like better than others for very specific reasons. For example, people who surf like the beach better than the mountains. People who ski feel the opposite. But whether we have reasons or just feelings for liking the things we like, thinking about how they give us pleasure is an important part of remembering why we enjoy them.
As we gear up for the season, OceanCity.com is once again sponsoring the Best of Ocean City® voting and awards. The idea is to amplify everyone’s excitement about coming to the resort and focus it, both to help the attractions that people prefer and to highlight others that new visitors, or less avid travelers might not even know about.
Annual Lifeguard competition in Ocean City it a massive draw and a great time.
Give your Best of Ocean City reasons
If you haven’t heard about the voting process before, this is how it goes. Visit our Best of Ocean City® page of our website and vote on your favorite things. It’s simple enough. If there is a business you feel is missing from a category, shoot them a note on Social Media encouraging them to sign up. It doesn’t cost the businesses anything to participate and we always are excited to be able to promote popular as well as up and coming beach businesses and attractions. It’s also important to know that the contest isn’t limited to Ocean City proper. Attractions and businesses from any of the surrounding towns are also there for the voting.
One of the twists we’re suggesting for this year is that, when you vote for a particular place, or if you have a favorite photo of you and your friends enjoying Ocean City, tag the post #BestOfOceanCityBecause. We’ll share some of our favorites with Ocean City enthusiasts just like you across all of our social networks. Make sure you still vote for your favorites, but if you want to give extra love to a place, this is how to do it. You don’t even have to have a reason people can relate to.
If you met someone special at a local bar, or had a memorable birthday party that included a trip to Jolly Roger, just let us know with a photo and a hashtag so we can pass it on.
Vote early and share, share, share.
Although the voting will remain open until Memorial Day weekend, you definitely should plan to get your votes in as soon as possible. Although there is (clearly) a competitive aspect to the Best of Ocean City®, there also is a celebratory aspect to the event. It is a way for fans and patrons to tell their favorite places what makes them special. Vote so they have a great showing, but also post on social media so they know who their top fans are. Moreover, following along will allow you to see the Best of Ocean City® presentations at the local businesses. The presentations will take place during the runup to the 4th of July weekend. Feel free to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to see what your friends and fellow Ocean City enthusiasts stand on the Best Of Ocean City as we wait for the warm weather to come for good.
I’m a fan of the greasy spoon diner. The kind that serves mediocre coffee but amazing food that’s the hallmark of the American experience: Cheesy eggs! Pancakes as large as your face! Golden chicken and waffles! In Ocean City, there’s no shortage of diners with vinyl seats and where you can order late breakfast without shame. Here’s the top five places you need to stop by after a long day on the beach – or recovering from a crazy night.
1. Layton’s Family restaurant on 16th Street
This place excels in two diner staples: low prices and huge portions. But putting that aside, Layton’s is the place where you sit down at the counter, thinking you’d be helped in 15 minutes, but it’ll actually be five. Favorite items are the sweet potato pancakes and the crab-topped Neptune Benedict eggs. It’s an absolute must to take home a box of melt-in-your mouth donuts. Flavors include vanila oreo cookiee and chocolate raised.
Red, White and Blue Pancakes… which fresh strawberries, blueberries and coconut baked in!
2. Malia’s Cafe on 18th Street
Tucked behind the Spinnaker hotel, Malia’s has a fresh beach theme – fitting since it’s a block from the ocean. Seaside murals and dreamy mermaids are painted onto the walls. But the real star is the refreshing menu, with vegetarian and carnivore options for lunch and dinner. The falafel come highly recommended for lunch, but for breakfast, there’s the red, white and blue pancakes. These are made with strawberries, blueberries and shredded coconut baked in the batter. Fresh and fluffy goodness!
An oasis of appetizing foods, and most on a massive breakfast menu. And the king of that menu is a cheesesteak topped with sweet peppers and onions fried eggs and crab meat called Joe Smooth A Go-Go. Great deals can be found here, like $7.50 weekday waffles and pick two lunch combos. This is one of the rare places on this list that’s open for dinner – and has 2 dishes, from sirloin steak to ravioli, for $20.
4. TC Diner in West Ocean City
If you want a hole-in-the wall dinner, look no further. Standard breakfast here is done well, including a egg and scrapple sandwich and funny-looking omelettes that are stuffed with whatever filling you want. This place is a little off-kilter where no two mugs are the same, vinyl checker tablecloths with photos of old Ocean City, but don’t be turned off. Piping hot food that’s homemade…. What else could you want?
Eggs, homefries and gravy made in one delicious brick format.
5. Decatur Diner in West Ocean City
This place is famous for two things: its smallness and the Pipeline. The place gets slammed, so be prepared to wait a little for a table, but the food is worth it, from their greasy burgers, golden fried chicken and chipped beef.
The Pipeline is a behemoth of the best of recovery foods combined. It’s a block of home fries, onions, cheese and eggs, topped off with gravy. I highly recommend it with their signature peppercorn gravy and splitting it with a friend. If you take it home, (and if you order a whole one, you will) you’ll have breakfast for days.
Ocean City, Maryland – (May 9, 2017): In honor of International Museum Day, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum will be holding an Open House on Thursday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be free admission for all and discounts in the Museum Store.
The theme of International Museum Day 2017 is Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.
This theme focuses on the role of museums that, by working to benefit society, become hubs for promoting peaceful relationships between people. It also highlights how the acceptance of a contested history is the first step in envisioning a shared future under the banner of reconciliation.
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to increase public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society, and it has been steadily gaining momentum ever since. In 2016, International Museum Day garnered record-breaking participation with more than 35,000 museums hosting events in some 145 countries.
The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is located on the south end of the Boardwalk at 813 South Atlantic Avenue. For more information, call 410-289-4991 or visit www.ocmuseum.org .
Town threatens to remove memorial benches if families don’t cough up extra dough.
On May 5, 2017, a conversation began in the 15,000+ member Facebook group Ocean City Cool owned by Robert Banach, regarding a new letter that has gone out to current Ocean City memorial bench owners. In it, owners were told that they needed to pay an additional $1,160.00 refurbishment fee for their benches else they would lose ownership. Almost 100 comments were generated, many from upset bench owners and would-be buyers, concerned with the ten-year term cost on top of the initial bench fee. One of those owners is Linda Halbritter.
When Linda Halbritter retired to Ocean City, Maryland, she brought with her the memories of her childhood spent alongside her mother and sisters playing in the ocean, building sand castles, and wandering the boards. In honor of her late mother who passed away unexpectedly in 2011, she purchased a memorial bench on the boardwalk to celebrate her memory.
“We were very close and her injury and untimely death caused me a lot of grief,” said Halbritter.
Since Halbritter’s mother was cremated and she has no grave to visit, the bench brings both a sense of peace and a place to create new memories with family. Halbritter brings her grandchildren to visit the bench where they can take part in the memory of their great-grandmother in Ocean City.
Halbritter’s grandson Arion sitting on her mother’s bench
Halbritter purchased the memorial bench in October 2012 for $1,700.00. She received a purchase of agreement that included the information being written on her mother’s memorial bench plaque, where to make the check payable to, and where the bench would be placed.
So, when Halbritter received a letter in the mail five years later stating that she needed to fork over an additional $1,161.00 to keep ownership of the bench, she was astonished.
“Imagine someone you love passes away and you bury them. The cemetery calls and says you have to pay an additional fee to keep the headstone on the grave,” she said.
Council says ‘Sorry for your troubles’ to surprised families
Halbritter took her frustration to the city council and after contacting each member, one returned her emails and calls. Councilman Wayne Hartman advised that he would look into the situation and get back to her but there was no rush since there was plenty of time before her ten-year restoration term was up in 2022. I spoke with Councilman Wayne Hartman about the matter.
Hartman said that he wasn’t on the council when the Memorial Bench Dedication program began. Public works came to the city council with the issue of benches not lasting as long as they had originally expected. He said the benches needed refurbishing due to salt water and graffiti. Hartman also said that the ten-year term letter included three options for bench owners:
To keep the bench on the boardwalk: where the cost to do so is currently averaging $1,161.00. “It is important to note that the ‘cost of restoration’ will be specific to whatever the actual cost is at the exact time of restoration.”
To not fund the cost of the restoration: you can remove the bench for personal use. Note, there is no help from the city for removal of benches.
Donate the bench to the town of Ocean City: the city can keep the bench, but they will return the memorial plaque to you as a keepsake.
New 2016 memorial bench owners were notified of the ten-year refurbishment term at the time of purchase, but previous owners weren’t notified until spring 2017. The term letter was sent from Deputy Director of Public Works, John VanFossen who I was unable to reach for commentary. VanFossen is the Manager of Maintenance. Thomas Dy, however, contacted Linda Halbritter.
“In response to your letter sent last week and as you stated, there was no ten-year term assigned when you first purchased your bench however, to try to address your concerns, the Mayor and City Council are now faced with the reality of budgeting $100,000 + annually just to cover current restoration charges for all the dedicated bench program participants,” Dy said. ” Note, this amount does not include the Town’s in-house Public Works costs for general maintenance support which we still provide.”
He goes on to say that there are 900+ benches to maintain and that, “…it’s become such a large amount the Town could not continue to fund each year alone. Basically, the program couldn’t survive without the financial help from its participants.”
If the costs of the program were superseding the amounts charged for the benches, it is unclear as to why the program wasn’t halted until a solution was found.
“If you purchase a bench do you think the bench will last forever? No. Do you want a memorial on the boardwalk that has been defaced by salt water and graffiti or do you want it pristine like the other benches?” — Wayne Hartman
According to Councilman Hartman, the benches are sold pretty close to acquisition costs from the manufacturer and the current purchase price for memorial benches are around $2,500.00. Information for how to purchase them can be found online at: https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/departments/public-works/boardwalk-bench-dedication/. The current price does not include the ten-year term restoration fee that will be assessed after the restoration period is over.
No guarantees against future blind increases offered
Katherine and Owen sitting on their grandparent’s bench
In 2008, Brian King and his brother-in-law purchased a memorial bench for their wives as a gift to honor their deceased parents. They didn’t expect to receive a letter in 2017 asking for an additional $1,160.00 to restore the bench. King spent his college years as a Salisbury student working in Ocean City. As an adult, he and his family visit four to five times a year.
“It frustrates me to no end. We had an agreement. The bench itself becomes a memory where kids take pictures on it every year, now the city is playing on people’s emotions. How can they just change the rules? What’s next? And where does it end? I don’t trust them at all.”
Hartman claimed he will make sure that the ten-year term is the only one enforced during his time on city council as long as he is still voted in by constituents. There is no plan at this time in place to ensure that no additional fees are assessed for the memorial benches.
Sharon Hagy and her husband were gifted a memorial bench for their 50th wedding anniversary last year from their four daughters, only this time the daughters knew about the ten-year term because it was stated in the new bench memorial agreement. When Sharon found out about the additional upkeep fees that would come down the road, she and her husband started putting money aside to help defray the costs on their children. “When our daughters got us the bench, they were also looking ahead to future years, planning to visit the ocean as a family, even after we may be gone. The memories will always be a part of them and this bench represents all the love and good times we have shared there. I can’t imagine having our memory bench removed, or donated to someone else because our children or grandchildren can’t afford a refurbishing fee,” said Hagy.
Hagy Family Photo on 50th Anniversary Memorial Bench
Hartman added that any bench that belongs to a deceased couple will have its plaque removed if the new refurbishment fee isn’t paid.
“Who is taking care of the benches for the couples who are gone?” asked King. “Are they just throwing those plaques away?”
Essentially, the current cost of a memorial bench is not $2,500.00 but is actually $3,660.00 for ten years when you add on the cost of the ten-year term at the end of the refurbishment period. For customers like Halbritter, King and Hagy, priceless memories are made on the Ocean City memorial benches. But the city is holding those memories hostage until the owners pay up or give back their boardwalk property.
There are a quarter of a million people who come to Ocean City in the summertime, and thousands of them walk the 27 blocks of the Boardwalk each day. In “What Are You Doing Here?” we stop a few of them and find out what brought them to our corner of the Eastern Shore.
Twelve-year-old Summer Brenner was perched on the end of the bench outside Thrasher’s while Duchess, a great, fluffy St. Bernard, held court on the Boardwalk on April 22.
“Her name’s Duchess, and she’s 11 years old,” Summer told the 10th person who stopped to marvel at this gargantuan pooch stretched out on the bench. Summer started the introduction on Duchess’s gender because people often mistook her as a male. “You can pet her, she’s really friendly.”
Her father Bob Brenner of Ocean Pines stood behind the bench and occasionally dropped a fry for Duchess to lick up.
“You know, we had our picture taken for the Beachcomber last year, and it showed up again in this week’s paper,” Bob said, as a somewhat explanation of why people stopped to pet Duchess.
“I got her a few years ago, when she was just a puppy,” Bob said. “It was right after my last one went to dog heaven and that was a hard time. You know, I always thought of the old song, ‘If you get to heaven before I do/ Just bore a hole and pull me through.’ Like my dogs would be waiting.”
Duchess, like many other dogs on the Boardwalk that day, were rescue dogs celebrating the 18th annual Boardwalkin’ for Pets fundraiser for the Worcester Humane Society. The Brenners and Duchess raised $500 for dogs just like the St. Bernard, which was taken in by the county when she was a pup.
“I wasn’t going to adopt another one, but I got a call from the humane society that they just got a St. Bernard and they couldn’t hold onto a dog that big,” Bob said. “She had flies in her ears and heartworms, and it was hard for away, but it went away with time and she settled right in.’
“You know people say that big dogs are hard to handle and that’s why they’re not adopted, but I haven’t ever had a problem,” Bob said. “Duchess has been trained, and in the end, that’s what it’s all about: training.”
Duchess seemed to agree, lolling on a Boardwalk bench as several strangers pet or took pictures of her.
Despite this interruption of her Saturday outing, Duchess took it all in good sport. After all, why shouldn’t she? She was out for a adventure on the Boardwalk, got to see the Ocean and when she got too tired or waterlogged, she had two owners who loved her enough to let her ride in the car back to a warm house, even if it meant dealing with the unpleasant smell of wet dog that clung to the leather seats afterwards. Right now, she got scraps of the best fries in the Eastern Shore. Sometimes, all you need in life are the basics.
Duchess’s life could have taken a different path, where she stayed in the humane society for her entire life. Without the kindness of a stranger, that’s all she’d know – and who’s to say she wouldn’t have turned out differently? What can be said is this: don’t underestimate the kindness of strangers, or the basics – like a roof over your head, a walk along the beach and a lifelong companion to grow old with like Summer and Duchess.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and with that comes the obligation for every father or child to come up with something fun, exciting and relaxing, all at the same time, for that special Mother in their lives.
As we all know, this can become an ever more difficult problem especially when Mom uses the old “Whatever you decide will be great, I don’t really want anything just my family” gem as an answer to “What would you like to do on Mother’s day?”. So fathers, sons and daughters the world round make reservations in invariably crowded, noisy restaurants and buy gifts that may or may not be wanted or needed. In an effort to help I have put together some culinary ideas that work on a number of levels. First they show that you put some effort and thought into the gift (BIG points will be scored). Next, you can get the whole family involved so you fill the “Family” quotient. And, finally remember that alcohol can never hurt.
So here we go; first things first, let Mom sleep in as long as she wants without interruption!! While she is sleeping in until noon you can prepare the drink of the day:
White Sangria: (this will taste much better the longer it sits so maybe try to make it the night before)
1 bottle White Spanish wine (Albarino is great)
1/3 cup Brandy
1/4 cup Cointreau
1 cup fresh squeezed Orange Juice
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1/4 cup Lime Juice
Agave Nectar to taste
Fresh Fruit:
Orange Slices
Lemon Slices
Apples (peeled and cubed)
Berries (whatever is in season)
In a large pitcher mix all the liquid ingredients and taste, if you feel it needs to be sweeter add the Agave nectar to taste. Add the fresh fruit and refrigerate. Serve over ice. (I would always suggest making a double batch to keep everyone in a happy mood)
Next, when Mom wakes up let her primp and get ready at her leisure. Then pick some of her favorite romantic “chick flicks” and put them on for her (good rule of thumb is if you would not normally watch the film then she will probably love it). While she is relaxing in front of the TV with a cup of her favorite coffee or tea get your Brunch Dish ready.
Baked Eggs:
1 cup cooked/chopped Spinach (squeeze as much of the liquid out of them as possible)
8 Eggs
1 ripe Tomato
8 tbl Heavy Cream
4 slices Bacon (cooked and chopped)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh Thyme
1/4 tsp grated Nutmeg
Unsalted Butter
Parmesan (grated)
Salt and Pepper to taste
In four oven-proof ramekins, greased with butter, divide the spinach in the bottoms of each evenly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then crack two Eggs into each ramekin (Crack them into a separate cup to make sure you don’t break a yolk or get any shell and then place them in the ramekins). Cut the Tomato into eighths and place two wedges in each dish on opposite sides of the eggs. Put two tablespoons of Heavy Cream over each dish then evenly distribute the Bacon crumbles and Parmesan Cheese over each dish. Add the Thyme, Nutmeg, Salt and Pepper. Set your oven to broil and place the ramekins on a sheet pan. Place your oven rack on the second closest setting to the top. When the elements are hot slide in your sheet pan and cook until the egg whites are set and the cheese is a golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a plate with a napkin liner and serve with toast and her favorite jam. Make sure your wife and family know that the ramekins are very HOT.
After Brunch break out the White Sangria and relax, maybe sit on the back deck and listen to some nice music. This will hold you until dinner time when I would suggest her favorite carry-out, maybe Chinese. Believe me after she sees all the effort you put in on the Brunch and after a couple of glasses of Sangria she will not mind at all. Along with a nice card, a nice Spring Flower arrangement and some hand-made gifts from the kids this will be a memorable Mother’s Day!!
This article was updated to reflect date and title changes. — Ed.
It was the right kind of dark when I came into Pickles Pub. The bar area wasn’t sun-lit, but there was no question that the ambient light was directly related to the time of day. It was barely noon, and the people at the bar sat with their backs to the window to minimize the light interference. Still, it had what I call a good day drinking vibe. Day drinking sometimes gets a bad rap because it conjures pictures of smoky rooms and drunk old man falling off bars, but there’s another way to day drink and that’s the kind I prefer on my Happy Hour Adventures.
See, summer in Ocean City means many if not most people are on vacation. While the day to day rules for living don’t evaporate while you’re on vacation they are really malleable. When I go into bars in Ocean City during the winter at one o’clock or so there aren’t a lot of people at the bar. Patrons usually are having lunch sitting around tables drinking soda. Beers at the bar at noon or earlier are a particularly summertime event.
The thing I tend to prefer about Pickles Pub is that the bartenders always are friendly. They catch your eye even when it’s busy, which is always a sign of a good bartender if you didn’t know. Lots of places especially in Ocean City and especially in the summertime get insanely busy. It’s unwise to go to a bar and not expect to sit for a bit before you get served, but a good bartender will catch your eye and let you know that they know that you’re there. Oftentimes they don’t say anything because “I’ll be right with you” can sound dismissive, especially when it’s busy. In this case, the people who were there before me had ordered at the same time and Jonnie McGrath was busy pouring beers and taking orders. While most of us had just a beer, a couple people were having lunch at the bar.
That’s another particular pleasure but not enough people remember. Maybe it’s an old guy thing but if I’m going to a bar at lunchtime I’m having lunch at the bar. A beer, and something that comes with a side of fries is the perfect way to really enjoy your lunch.
Jonnie squared up with everyone at the bar as she was in the middle of doing and came to take my order. I ordered the Fin City. It came in a 3rd Wave glass. Later on I would have the 3rd Wave in a Fin City glass, which just amused me. Glasses are kind of interchangeable at a bar, but when you’re a beer writer it’s always kind of weird, like you don’t want to take a picture of a Fin City beer and tweet a picture of it in a 3rd Wave glass. That’s why I had two, no one can tell the difference, then. I’m the kind of journalist who is willing to take one for the team. Especially if that one is a second beer.
She left me to my own devices and I struck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me. They were Irish and if you haven’t struck up a conversation with some of the international students in Ocean City especially at a bar it’s always a pleasure. These guys have the right idea and it’s something that really a lot more people should consider. If you don’t know many if not most of the international students are actually on vacation. They have a kind of pay-as-you-go policy where they come and they work for their keep over the course of the summer tending bar or waiting tables or delivering pizzas, and on top of their 40 hour week they have a vacation. It made me a little jealous not only because they were traveling internationally but because they were young enough to accommodate a full on beach vacation on top of 40 hour work week.
The guys were planning day trips and working out how to get to DC or New York or Baltimore during their stay. They were having just two pints themselves, while their laundry was doing next-door. Sean Mohan, got up a couple times to check the laundry. His friends gave him a hard time because of his apparent paranoia, but when I told him that sometimes people do mess with clothes (it happened to me) they got really indignant. They were personally offended at the lowness of that kind of laundry violation,that anyone would mess with anyone else’s clothes. Of course they were right, but having known them over only a few minutes I felt as if I had to reassure them a bit. My laundry violation was committed in Delmar. I explained that, to be fair, that’s kind of what I get for using a laundromat in Delmar.
Like all the best bartenders, Jonnie was around as much or as little as needed.
The other good thing about day drinking is, if you have the calories available, you can treat yourself to something fried in the afternoon. At some level you want to have what Pickles Pub is famous for and named after. The fried pickles are always a pleasure they never turn out to be anything but awesome, but there’s lots of other great bar food. It’s really a kind of central part of what they do.
Although I can recommend everything fried, it’s important to know that Pickles has lunches and proper food as well. As I mentioned, there was a gentleman there who was enjoying his lunch with a beer at the bar, but it looked as if the guy across the way might have been having dinner. He spoke with an accent that I couldn’t place and had a steak or some sort of large knife-and-fork meal out there at 11:45 on a Tuesday morning. He was my hero. You get the impression that he’d finished up his overnight shift, worked a little morning overtime and was ready to enjoy a meal before heading home and catching a nap. Alternatively maybe he’s just the kind of guy who has two beers and a massive steak for lunch and goes back and does whatever the very manly do for a living after lunch.
The outside of Pickles, though, is something that’s often underrated. They have a few tables outside and it’s mostly in the shade. As evening comes on has kind of a best of both worlds vibe. On the one hand you get the sun setting over the bay you don’t see hit at the water but you do see it going down and watch the sky go from blue to pink to red to black. You can distract yourself by the by watching the parade of cars go by. Watching downtown Ocean City life happen on the streets, as people scamper across on their way to the beach, young people in cars preen and couples make their way up and down Philadelphia Ave. on the way to whatever they’re going to do that evening makes it feel as if the show is being put on just for you.
Sometimes passions just take over. It’s something I’ve seen happen in the craft beer industry and something that increasingly is happening in the food truck industry. Making things by hand for the people who will consume them really is a reward unto itself. For many of the people participating in the rising food truck culture, there is just one style of food they like to do well. For John Lord, whose “No” Barbecue truck opened earlier this year, that food is barbecue. After years of slow cook barbecuing with his brother, Dennis, John’s passion eventually got the better of him and he decided to upgrade to professional level equipment to match his professional level commitment.
John Lord slices up the St. Louis Cut beef ribs he serves at “No” Barbecue.
Two kinds of barbecue
Barbecue is a subgenre filled with subgenres, and there are pretty specific designations. Not only isn’t it preferable to be great at them all, it might not even be possible. John settled upon a couple of recipes and processes that he was doing well and aimed at perfecting them:
Central Texas style beef barbecue, which is rubbed with spices and slow-roasted over oak until it is “falling off the bone”
and
Eastern North Carolina style pork barbecue, which features a vinegar pepper sauce. The answer to whether he makes the sweet-style tomato sauce barbecue can be found on the front of the truck, although he does have some sauces for people who absolutely must add them.
For John it was a question of serving his passion honestly. He spent years finding the right meats and other ingredients and understood that to take it to scale he needed the right equipment.
John spent a long time in the restaurant business, getting to know the operating procedures as well as many of the purveyors. There he learned two things: the first was that overthinking a dish can ruin it. The second was how to get the best meat from the best purveyors. When he decided to go pro with his hobby, he relied on his professional experience and connections to streamline his process. He also saw that when restaurants tried to be too many thing to too many people they ran into both logistical and customer service difficulties.
At the bottom of “No” Barbecue, I think, is the pride of knowing you’re good at something. Or, rather, the pleasure you get in doing things well. Generally a staid kind of guy, John really lights up when talking about the processes and the recipes. He wants you to like his style of barbecue, to give yourself over to the possibility that things will be awesome if you just will let them. Place your order and let the professionals do their jobs and give you the best meal they can. This was the mindset that was behind both the name and the attitude at “No:” Choose the food. Take the food. Eat the food. Very simple transactions surrounding a very simple menu.
“My dream was always to open up a chicken shack someplace,” he said.
Being set up on the Costa Ventosa Winery property, “No” doesn’t have the same vibe a chicken shack in, say, Chicago might, but it does draw on the sweet simplicity of making and serving fantastic food, period. Super basic food with super complex tastes, a couple of picnic tables and that is all.
Putting in the time
After years of perfecting his barbecuing methods, John set to creating the side dishes he would serve. Again, he keeps it simple and tasty: a salad-y cole slaw that will hold up the the barbecue, mac and cheese, smoky baked beans and corn muffins. Simple stuff to go or to stay, depending upon the weather and your mood. Barbecue, when it is done right, is more predictive than made to order. John has to set his beef or pork to cooking outrageously early in the morning to have it done it time for lunch. Since he still has a day job, it can make for a long tough day, but getting to do what he likes takes the edge off a bit.
“A lot of people go home from work feeling exhausted,” he said. “When I go home I feel good about being exhausted.”
This story was updated to remove grand opening info – Ed.
There are a quarter of a million people who come to Ocean City in the summertime, and thousands of them walk the 27 blocks of the Boardwalk each day. In “What Are You Doing Here?” we stop a few of them and find out what brought them to our corner of the Eastern Shore.
Michael and Erica Heery came from Leighton, Pa. on the blustery, rainy day on April 22. They came with their dog Snoopy. All three were dressed up in “Star Wars” costumes while they walked in the 18th annual Boardwalkin’ for Pets. Erica was dressed as Rey from the “Force Awakens” and her husband dressed as Chewbacca.
“We’ve been doing this for eight years, and we love it. We always come dressed up, ‘cause we want to win the costume contest,” said Michael, who dressed as Chewbacca.
“Looks like we’re the only ones this year, so there’s little competition,” joked Erica. She was dressed as Rey from the latest film. “We’re big-time Star Wars fans. Snoopy’s Han Solo!”
When asked which “Star Wars” was the best, the couple answered at the same time: Return of the Jedi.
“Although Empire Strikes Back was pretty awesome,” Erica said, as her husband nodded.
That, and they enjoy Ocean City’s pristine beaches.
“It’s so clean here. New Jersey isn’t like this, and it’s only a four hour drive,” Erica said.
Before the couple headed home, they had some items they wanted to cross of their lists:
“When you’re here, you have to have the Thrasher’s. It’s a must,” Michael said.
“I’m more for Fracture Prune,” Erica said. “And Assateague. It’s gorgeous out there.”
Yellow-cake donuts, Thrasher’s Fries and beautiful beaches are all just footnotes to the Heery’s trip, and not even the main attraction. They come every year without fail ever since they saved the “Han Solo”-costumed pup from a kill shelter eight years ago. Every year, for eight years, they’ve fundraised hundreds of dollars to the Worcester County Humane Society to help provide for dogs just like Snoopy that crowd the pounds across the country.
In a odd way, Boardwalkin’ for Pets also saved Snoopy’s life. When he walked in his first event, he was limping to keep up with other pooches. It turned out he needed emergency knee surgery or he’d never walk again. After many pins, wire and rehab. Maybe he struggled for a while, but perseverance after the pins and rehab, Snoopy can play fetch and run and walk on the boards as any other dog out there. He was saved by the compassion of one couple from Pennsylvania, spending their time, money, energy and making room in their hearts for one scrappy puppy.
Since the Heery’s took a chance on him, Snoopy’s walking as good as any other dog on the Boardwalk could in a garb and a windy day on the Boardwalk. And it’s in his own way to pay it forward… while enjoying the beautiful beach with his humans.
Ocean City restaurant Macky’s Bayside Bar and Grill is a great place day or night
Macky’s Bayside Bar and Grill is known for its spectacular nightlife. For its theme parties, its DJs, its happy hour specials. For manager Stephen Masten, though, those are the strengths that are well known precisely because Macky’s is such a storied beach bar. Masten books the activities and helps plan out the theme parties, but this year he is on something of a mission to remind people that Macky’s is at least as awesome during the day as it is once the sun sets.
A sign at the entrance to Macky’s Ocean City asks a difficult question of everyone.
A little vacation at Macky’s in Ocean City
Sitting as it does on the bay, not far from the Route 90 bridge, Macky’s is a great place to take a long(ish) lunch during the week. This fact isn’t lost on locals who await Macky’s annual opening as much as any other group. It’s a quiet place to relax during the day and even into the evening. They take their status as a premier lunch place pretty seriously.
If you’re worried that spending your lunch hour with your feet in the sand is too tempting, Macky’s has a proper restaurant inside with bay views. It also is a proper bar with darker, cooler places for the heat-averse. Macky’s during the day is a kind of oasis. It provides relief as much from the pressures of work as the mania to ensure you get the most about of fun stuffed into your vacation. It is an opportunity to sit and relax. Dogs are welcome at Macky’s where they even have their own menu as well as merch.
Macky’s is so much more than a party place
As Masten pointed out, a lot of people remember Macky’s from their college days, so when they return as adults with families considering Macky’s a dinner place isn’t necessarily a logical step for them. Macky’s always has been a casual restaurant first, but they have been so good at promoting the party that people don’t always remember the fact. But “family” doesn’t have to mean serious and boring. That said, the restaurant is as affordable for families as it is welcoming to them.
“Them,” of course, includes the family dog who not only is invited to join in the fun at Macky’s but also gets its own menu. Being dog friendly wouldn’t necessarily set Macky’s apart from other dog friendly places, if it just were friendly. Macky’s is welcoming to dogs, which is a very different thing. They’re happy to have them, which is attitudinally different.
As much as it is a family restaurant, Macky’s still is a fun party place once the sun goes all the way down.
Macky’s still has great parties
Long after the kids have eaten and the dog has been walked, Macky’s gears up for what is still one of the epic nightlife scenes in Ocean City. This year they have added a bunch of new events as well has having carefully planned out ways to keep the traditional events feeling fresh. The theme parties are especially important to Macky’s nighttime fans and are put together in a way that accommodates expectations as well as dispositions.
If, during your visit to Ocean City, Maryland, you do not go the beach at least once, you are definitely in the minority, and you are definitely missing out. We have one of the cleanest, not to mention the longest, strips of pristine coastline of any beach resort on the Atlantic Ocean. I have lived here my whole life and I have been to the beach more times then I could count, but it never gets old to me, and I have managed never to lose the sense of gratitude
I have for getting to live in such a wonderful little city by the sea. Sometimes I go on short trips to the mountains, thinking that I am so sick of the boring flat coastal plains of Eastern Maryland. However, when I am off in the Shenandoah Valley or in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee or North Carolina, or the high country of Maine’s great north woods, even in these places of extreme and breath-taking beauty I realize I could never abandon living by the sea. There is a great lure in its mystery and vastness, a sense of wonder for the secrets it holds. Even the tallest of the misty mountains of Appalachia, the most dazzling foliage of the great hardwood trees of the North, could never surpass the majesty of the wine-dark waves of the mighty Atlantic. In addition, some of the most beautiful coastline of that Ocean is right here in Ocean City, especially on Assateague National Seashore.
A view through the windshield of the Verrazano Bridge. I feel about it the way many people feel about going over the Bay Bridge, “In a little while things are going to get a whole lot better.
The beach in Ocean City spans the entire length of the resort, about nine miles, all the way from the inlet at the southern end of the resort, to the Delaware line at the northern end of town. From the inlet to 26th Street, the Boardwalk runs along the beach. This is a good place to hit the beach if you are going to be there all day; you can walk right up the boardwalk to get food and drink (make sure to stay hydrated!). Every one or two streets there will be a blue rental boxes at the entrance to the beach throughout the entire length of Ocean City. At these, you can rent umbrellas, beach chairs, tubes, rafts, boogie-boards and other beach stuff by the half-day, all day, multiple days or all week.
On most streets from Memorial Day to around the third week of September, lifeguards are posted on every street from 10am to 5:30pm. There surf in Ocean City is usually not at all rough; it is actually calm most of the time. The surf is perfect for kids who are learning to swim or would like to enjoy some boogie boarding without being pummeled by rough surf conditions. From what I have heard from local surfers, despite the small to medium sized waves, Ocean City is still a decent place to surf. From Memorial Day to Labor Day there are to designated surf beaches, one in the north and one in the south end of town, that rotate daily. You can ask the lifeguards or call K Coast Surf Shop at 410-524-8500 for the location of the surf beach as well as surf conditions for the day.
You can surf fish off the beach in Ocean City in the morning until 10am and in the evening after 530pm, as long as you are no within fifty feet of anyone in the water. The inshore water of Ocean City are full of flounder, sea bass, bluefish, rockfish, and trout that you can reel in right off the beach or off the big ocean pier at the inlet. There are plenty of bait and tackle shops in town, and if you aren’t content with fishing off the beach you should definitely book on off-shore fishing charter; the Atlantic waters off the coast of Ocean City offer some of the finest game fishing in America.
If you don’t like leaving the beach with you and all your stuff covered with sand, use a street with a beach entrance that has a hose to wash off before getting in your car or going to your room; some streets have them, some don’t. I always like to get in the pool after swimming in the Ocean; its refreshing somehow. Remember, always use sunscreen, even if you are already tan or think you have a high tolerance to sun light. It only takes a two or three hours to burn, but this is so easily avoidable, just put sunscreen on any exposed skin every 4 to 5 hours. I hope you learned something useful for your vacation, and I look forward to seeing you here in Ocean City!
The Ocean City beach playground is just the latest in a long tradition of free things to do in Ocean City.
After months of anticipation Ocean City officially opened its first playground on the Boardwalk this week with the snip of a ribbon in spring of 2017.
The playground, which features three slides, monkey bars, a small ice cream stand and a map of the United States, sits on the concrete slab near the boards on North Division Street and behind the backdrop of the water. Ocean City has been planning for months to put the playground on the boards, with assistance of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. It was open for business on Monday.
“The Town is very grateful to the Department of Natural Resources for recognizing the value of a playground along Ocean City’s amazing Boardwalk and for providing the funding to assure its construction,” Ocean City Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito said. “This project would not have been possible without the input and cooperation from many of the Town’s Departments, and we are all so pleased to be able to offer another fun recreational amenity in Ocean City for our residents and visitors.”
Many Ocean City staff members like engineer Terry McGean, Public Works Deputy Director Jon Van Fossen and Parks Superintendent Calvin Ginnavann joined forces on this project. Construction started over the winter and final touches were put on in March, but is the culmination of nearly a year and a half of planning. Petito first proposed using a state grant to purchase a playground to be placed near the beach in August 2015.
In the past few years, the Recreation and Parks Department had explored several avenues to replace the wooden beach toys on the beach that were getting old, outdated and vaguely cracked. 2014 was the first year that saw new playground equipment being placed on the beach with “Dino” the dinosaur bones near Third Street. These were made of a concrete mixture.
The next year, the city bought Wally the Whale, a fiberglass structure of a whale head and tale peaking up above the sand. The general idea is that the whale could entice kids climb on it while teenagers or adults could be inspired to take their pictures with it. Wally the Whale was installed last May on the beach near Somerset Street.
To celebrate the play structure becoming officially open for play, Ocean City held a ribbon cutting on Monday afternoon, with dozens of city officials and parents and kids in attendance. Led by Mayor Rick Meehan, the ribbon was cut by a half-dozen kids. Quickly afterwards, the kids scampered up the play structure to use the slides and monkey bars.
Parents are going to have a hard time getting their kids off of this playground if the opening day festivities were any indication. The kids in attendance kept sliding down, climbing up and scooping pretend ice cream as the sun sunk across the horizon. Sometimes, families walking by stopped to play with their kids on this latest addition to the family-friendly resort.
Our May show devotes the entire Arts Center to the feminist cause and movement.
The show, curated by Deborah Rolig and assisted by Dee Gray, is a show by women, about women, and for women and everyone. May will be an incredible month devoted to the Divine Feminine.
“The unifying theme, ‘Divine Feminine,’ revolving around the empowerment of women through honest expression, speaking from the heart,” said Curator Deb Rolig.
Schedule of Events:
Starting on Friday, May 5, from 5 – 9pm, we’ll have our monthly First Friday opening reception as well as a Women’s Marketplace, a gathering of artisans selling a variety or wares to the public, creating an open market feel.
The Artisan marketplace will continue on Saturday, May 6, from 10 – 3pm.
Join us on Sunday, May 7, at 10am, for a healing sound bath demonstration with Chrissy Ehrhart.
Register in advance for the “Divine Affirmations” collage workshop with Deborah Rolig and Dee Gray on Saturday, May 13, from 1 – 4:30pm. The focus will be on positive affirmations that strengthen and unite us as women. Bring scrapbook papers and ephemera to enhance and personalize your work of art. Register ahead online or at 410-524-9433.
On Monday, May 15, from 2 – 4pm we’ll have readings from “The Divine Feminine: An Anthology of Seaside Scribes” curated by Kathleen Martens. Join us to celebrate the literary arts, as local women authors perform readings from their works of fiction and poetry. You’ll be captivated by the diversity of these talented coastal writers.
Dr. Judy Pierson will be at the Arts Center on Tuesday, May 16, from 6 – 8pm giving a lecture on “Stepping into the Embrace of the Great Mother: Learning to Love Yourself and to Let Yourself Be Loved.”
Join Karen Barwick, LPCMH, on Tuesday, May 23, from 6 – 8pm for a lecture on “Daring To Say Yes!” She will guide us in a collaborative conversation that explores components required for living with your whole heart.
Last but not least, on Saturday, May 27, from 10am – 4pm, there will be a “Defining Your Truth” journaling workshop with Deborah Rolig and Dee Gray. Discover ways to express your thoughts and emotions. No art experience necessary! Includes 48-page journal and most materials. Bring personal photos, papers, quotes, etc. Register ahead online or at 410-524-9433.
The Divine Feminine show opens First Friday, May 5, from 5 – 9pm and continues through May 27.
All this and more during the month of May! Free Family Art Day, Art & Soul Healing Series, Outdoor performances by Brown Box Theatre, and also an woodburning class. Visit www.artleagueofoceancity.org for a full list of upcoming classes and events.
Ocean City Leaders, Businesses Work Together to Uphold Tradition
April 20, 2017 — The Maryland Sportsmen’s Foundation today applauded the Town of Ocean City and the Fishermen United of Ocean City coalition for working together to restore and enhance funding for the first White Marlin catch and release of the season. The city recently reversed an earlier decision that would have redirected its customary $5,000 prize contribution, and the Fishermen United coalition of area businesses has pledged to add $5,000 to the annual award.
“Ocean City is not only Maryland’s most popular tourism destination, it is the White Marlin capital of the world, attracting anglers from far and wide,” said Foundation Chairman David Sutherland. “On behalf of all Maryland sportsmen, we want to thank the Mayor, the council members, and the business community for their continued support of this important tradition.”
“Sometimes you take action and it leads to something good,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “I think we need to not only support this but improve it and really promote it to make it something special.”
“We look forward to working with city officials and representatives of the fishing community to effectively promote and market both this prize as well as Ocean City’s other world-class sport-fishing opportunities,” said Keith Fraser, President of All Tackle and Foundation Board Member. “Every dollar spent promoting these incomparable opportunities has an exponential return on our economy; the White Marlin Open alone has a fiscal impact of more than $15 million a year here in our city.” All Tackle has also added a $500 gift certificate to the first-catch award.
The 44th Annual White Marlin Open – the largest billfish tournament in the world – will take place from August 7-11, 2017, in Ocean City, Maryland. A dispute over whether last year’s proclaimed winner followed tournament rules — along with $2.8 million in prize money – remains in federal court.
The Maryland Sportsmen’s Foundation is a small group of committed hunters, anglers, trappers, and business owners, who work collaboratively to protect and promote these traditional rights, and to safeguard open space and water quality.
My soul is drawn to the ocean, much like my stomach is to Thrasher’s French Fries. Just when I think I’ve had enough, I find myself needing more. A couple weekends ago, I felt a strong pull to the coastal town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware after a particularly stressful week. My spiritual battery needed recharging.
One hour after making the decision to drive the forty minutes it takes from Smyrna to Rehoboth, my husband and I were travelling down Route One anticipating every memorized landmark. The first wetland we pass in Frederica, spying egrets or cranes on the hunt for fishy meals, the Meding’s Seafood restaurant with its eye-catching Propeller from the Aircraft Carrier Shangri-La on its front lawn, and each beach sign whizzing by along the highway: Bowers, Slaughter, Broadkill, etc. Precious sights that notify us that we are nearing Rehoboth. Minutes later, the car was parked on Rehoboth Avenue outside the miniature version of Ocean City’s Quiet Storm. Time to plug in.
As I was standing on the sand in front of Mother Ocean herself, she kissed my toes ‘hello.’ It was as if I was learning how to breathe all over again. I inhaled salt air and exhaled salty tears. With every new breath I felt my inner being stabilizing. I started to take photos and videos for my social media friends which was a sure sign that I was feeling better, the happier I am, the more I want to share my happy moments with the world.
Feeling better already at the beach
Mother Ocean at Rehoboth
I snapped more photos of Rehoboth Beach than I have ever taken before. It was as if the Bandstand was suddenly grander in my eyes and I realized that I was looking at Rehoboth through a new lens. I left the sand for a little while and took a photographic journey down Rehoboth Avenue taking photos of Dolle’s Popcorn, Thrasher’s French Fries, Nicola’s Pizza Restaurant, and random landmarks such as a gazebo in front of the Bandstand, forests of baby sea grass planted along the edge of the beach, and several white benches facing the chevron patterns of the famous boardwalk. Taking these photos and noting these details reminded me of why I enjoyed writing. So I could bring my vision to others, be it fiction or nonfiction.
For those who don’t know me personally, I took a hiatus from sharing my writing with the world for a few years. I was previously a published author and writer focusing on children’s literature when my life changed. I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and Fibromyalgia, went through a divorce, married my best friend Jason, built a home with him in Smyrna, and began a life together with our fur-children. A new path has taken its toll on my concept of being published. In my former writing life, I had won awards and grants for my children’s literature. Although I will always love writing for children, the lens on my writing has changed.
When a photographer needs to see the world more clearly for her photos she slips another lens into his view. Each lens serves a purpose – wide-angle for landscapes, strong lenses for distance, portrait lenses, prime, zoom, you name it there’s a lens for it. Nowadays, you can press a button on most cell phone cameras so you can see more clearly. The lenses on my writing took longer for me to adjust. I didn’t even realize they needed adjusting to be quite honest. Every time I sat down to write a young adult story it kept turning into something more along the lines of what adults or entire families would read. Had I lost my muse? Did I no longer believe in science-fiction/fantasy? (Don’t worry, that is not the case as I am a die-hard Star Wars fan amongst many other series and books). Why had my writing changed? I don’t know. Well, maybe I do and I just don’t want to share it yet. But the point is, I no longer wanted to exclusively write Young Adult Fiction. I wanted to write for every one of every age.
Returning to more than the ocean
Families Playing on the Beach
What people may not know is that I did in fact keep writing. How could I ever stop? For me to completely stop writing would be to pretend I am someone else, and I am none too keen on self-fiction. There are far more moments than I could list that add to the imagery and inspiration for my stories. Every spontaneous car ride to the Farmers Market in Middletown, Delaware for my husband’s pretzel cheese dogs, trek back to my hometown of South Philly to visit my mother, sister and family, each time an in-law taught me what being in a sarcastic family was like (and developing in me a much better sense of humor), and every trip to the beach with family and friends that I love… well, it was all written down. Just not on paper. I memorized every detail and it’s been written on my heart. All I needed to do was remember it all. Stepping on the sands of Rehoboth Beach revived me to 100 percent so I could go back and do it all over again.
