Happy spring!
My husband, Tom, and I got our first round of COVID-19 vaccinations at the Howard County Health Department a couple of weeks ago. We get our next round next week and already we feel back on the road to normalcy
That feeling, however, will still include masks, social distancing and outdoor dining for the foreseeable future. I have to give a shoutout to all of the staff at the health department who participated in the vaccination procedure. The hardest part for us was getting the appointment in the first place. Once we got there, everyone was efficient, professional and very upbeat. The whole thing took under an hour, including the 15 minute wait at the end.
So on the second day of spring, a beautiful sunny Sunday, we dined out at La Palapa Grill & Cantina for the first time in over four months. The enchiladas were delicious, and I can’t wait to go back. Its courtyard seating is always delightful, and the streetscape is continually entertaining. There were lots of people and — a sure sign of spring — a contingent of motorcycles revving up as they drove by. We even saw an extra-long firetruck practicing maneuvers on the narrow streets. I don’t know how they make those close turns.
I asked my friend Wendy Pidel, a Howard County firefighter, about that truck. She told me that the ladder truck is usually kept at the station by The Mall in Columbia. They need narrow streets with tight turns to get good practice and so they come here.
Main Street Marketplace, Spring Edition, is coming to Tonge Row every Saturday in April from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Presented by the Ellicott City Partnership, the Little Market Cafe and the Park Ridge Creamery, the market features local businesses, craftsmen and artisans.
The Howard County Arts Council has two exhibits going on right now, one featuring students in grades 6 to 12 and one featuring artists with developmental disabilities. If you don’t want to visit in person, the exhibits are available virtually at hocoarts.org/galleries. I tried that out and it’s great; you can really see the art and spend as much time as you want with each piece.
Roggenart is a new bakery, bistro and cafe that just opened, at 9535 Baltimore National Pike. I am looking forward to checking it out as we have visited the original in the area in Columbia and have enjoyed its great variety and reasonable prices.
The Wine Bin is offering a virtual class on April 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. called “Inspired by Spring” and including dishes like English pea soup and beef or lamb nachos. The $105 cost includes food and drink for two. Go to its website at winebinec.com to sign up.
The next virtual lunch lecture by the Howard County Historical Society will take place on Friday. The topic is “Civil War Battlefields of Maryland,” presented by Fred Campbell, director of the FCC Historical Tours and a historian. Call 410-480-3250 for tickets. The event is free to society members and $5 for nonmembers.
I am happy to include readers’ stories in this column whenever I can. Email me at janetkusterer21042@gmail.com.