Tuesday night, I guess we should all be tucked in now that the days are shorter. It was the perfect night to go out to dinner. Four friends got together for a World’s Best Champagne Dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Berlin, Maryland. My Motto is Good Food, Will Travel and so we did.
This dinner was a celebration to two iconic women of their times. In 1805 at the age of 27 Madame Clicquot became one of the first businesswomen of modern times when she took over the business that was established in 1772.
Ruth Fertel bought in 1965 the Chris Steak House in New Orleans. It was against the advice of many. You do have to follow your instincts. The rest is history.
This dinner was well attended. If you like champagne you would have been able to enjoy the best with each entree.
We started with the scallop crudo. It had an asian pear relish. Crudo means raw. The pairing was Moet & Chandon Imperial.
The next was the roasted parsnip soup with mini buttered croutons and fresh turmeric foam. I would have liked it a bit warmer.
The soup was paired with the Brut Yellow Label.
The next course brought to the table was a Prime Skirt Steak. Smashed rosemary red potatoes and a soy and ginger chimichurri. A little kick the chimichurri gave. Veuve Clicquot Rose we all really enjoyed.
Great Filet Mignon with Blue Crab was our next presentation. Shareable potatoes Anna and asparagus frites. Medium rare for me, please. Paired with the elegant Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, 2015. ??
A sweet ending of coconut cake, a roasted pineapple cream filling, brulee pineapple, and passion fruit coulis. Use your imagination because I forgot to take the photo.?
It goes without saying that a dinner date with friends is therapy for the soul.
Some of the information for this post was taken from their website.
These two women are admired for having a great influence and example to future businesswomen. Cheers to Ruth and Madame Clicquot.
AboutMyBeaches is on Facebook and Instagram. Check it out.
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I am remembering so well when last year I went to the opening of the Christmas Markets in Berlin, Germany. It was Thanksgiving and visitors were a little apprehensive after the tragedy in Paris. Berlin was well guarded. It is a beautiful city and it transforms itself into a living Christmas. There were about 60 markets around the city. Buildings, shops, restaurants were all decorated with real trees and thousands of lights.
And today, once again another tragedy happened. It was at the market called City Weihaachtsmarkt. I remember telling my children that if someone wanted to do damage these Christmas markets would be perfect targets. The first photo above is right across from where today’s tragedy occured. And, the second one is of that particular market, as well. This West Berlin street called Tauentzienstrasse is very upscale; sort of like the the Fifth Ave of Berlin. Our hotel was 2 blocks away.
Residents of Berlin were comfortable with the fact that so many refugees were being accepted. They have had no problems with others that have assimilated the culture. But, they did say that if something did happen things would start change very quickly. So, here we are.
Getting into the Christmas Spirit was easy in Berlin. You could not help it! Some of the Christmas Markets are bigger than others, and some are more family oriented. The food was amazing.
All markets are laden with traditional food, drinks and crafts.
The tradition of these markets go back to the Middle Ages. I would go back again because there is still so much that I did not see. Discovering the world is a must. It is getting much smaller and definitely more dangerous. If you are traveling abroad you can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. It is a way of staying connected through these uncertain times. If you enroll, they will send you travel alerts, weather surprises, uprisings in any particular country, so please visit https://step.state.gov/step.
Until next time I remain. Merry Christmas!
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I could not believe it!! No rain! Can you imagine? We have been so inundated with rain that I was not sure how this event was going to turn out. But, as it happens, on Thursday, May 19th, the skies were clear, the moon and the stars were out and the location was mesmerizing.
It was going to be a celebration of the 23rd year anniversary of Atlantic General Hospital located at 9733 Healthway Dr., Berlin, MD 21811. Tel. 410-641-1100. Website? http://www.atlanticgeneral.org.
We were meeting at the “Speakeasy”, where the event was taking place. This is the farm of the Host and Hostess, Mr. & Mrs. Buddy Jenkins. Atlantic General has been celebrating its anniversaries with an annual event. Fun and Fundraising for the hospital. This year’s theme was the Roaring 20’s and with 500 people of their supporters, family and friends in attendance it was certainly a memorable evening.
Most of the attendees wore 1920’s dress code…..long pearls, fringes…it was a time of excess. Games and crafted cocktails. You picked your own glass at the entrance and fill it to your hearts desires. The tent was huge and it was very well appointed. The center pieces were gorgeous, as well. No detail was left out.
LA Catering from Liquid Assets located at 94th & Coastal Highway in Ocean City, Maryland did a spectacular job with their catering. Besides their restaurant in Ocean City their catering side of it can work magic for any of your events, small or large. As you can see they fed 500 and there was no shortage of food throughout the evening. Tel. 410-524-7037 Website? http://www.ocliquidassets.com.
We are located on the eastern shore so seafood is regarded as a main staple at events. Surrounding the Speakeasy there were stations where attendees could fill their plates and come back for more.
Oysters on the half shell, shrimp, smoke scallop salad, smoked salmon, crab claws!!
Softshells!! My favorites!
Cheeses and Charcuterie!!
Lisa & Cindi checking it out!
Seafood Paella.
Sushi!!
Dessert!! That sweet ending that completes a meal….Have you had the doughnuts made in house at Liquid Assets? They are to die for. At the event they gave them a little twist. You could customize them. They were warm, perfect to hold in one hand or on your plate and then the sweet condiments on top.
I took a look at the cakes….could they possibly be the cakes that have been the talk of the town? Yes!! I could not believe it. I am going to learn more about the two guys that are from Brooklyn and call themselves the Brooklyn Baking Barons. The cakes featured the other night were Honey Whiskey Cakes, accompanied by local strawberries. They were so good that at the table we all went back for seconds. They are the perfect size…guilt free shall we say? They will be opening a store front in Berlin, I believe on or around Memorial Week-End. Check them on Facebook. From their website they ship nationwide. http://www.bkbarons.com.
Cannot wait to taste a new flavor….the Limoncello Cake with homemade Limoncello….Justin Noble, a friend of theirs said this new cake is out of this world.
It is that time of the year to fund raise at the Maryland and Delaware Beaches. People have big hearts here. Lucky to call it home!!
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“Wine is meant to be with food – that’s the point of it.” julia child
It is January at the Deaware Beaches and it should a little quieter. And it is, don’t get me wrong. But these beaches have become year round resorts. No longer just for summer residents, people have been moving to the Delaware Beaches in large amounts. Years ago living in Bethany Beach meant that once Labor Day Week-End came around, only abou 500 of us would be left behind. I liked it like that but the towns had to grow just like anything else.
I was meeting on Thursday with a few friends from Ocean City, Maryland. This was a good mid point to meet. But, we also found out that 99 Sea Level, a new restaurant that opened this year at the also newly opened Marriott Bethany Beach Ocean Suites, was considered very good with a perfect location, as well. 99 Sea Level is located at 99 Hollywood St., Bethany Beach, DE 19930 Tel. 302-539-0299 The restaurant is open at this time of the year, Wednesday through Sunday. Wednesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Website? http://www.99sealevel.com.
99 Sea Level is inside the hotel on the same level of the hotel’s Reception.
It is too cold to sit outside but this summer make sure to stop by and grab outdoor dining which is oceanfront by the Boardwalk.
The lobby of the hotel is so pretty and make sure to notice the chandelier designed and built by glass blower, Jeffrey Auxer, from Berlin, Maryland.
Every Thursday 99 Sea Level offers a Wine Society Dinner. You can choose to be part of the dinner or you can eat from the regular menu. We decided to go with the wine dinner. Ms. Donna Serafini who is the Director of Operations was going to be our Wine Sommelier.
4 Courses paired with beautiful wines. This dinner was $48.00. The bar was crowded and also the room was full with all of us expecting one delicious meal accompanied by the perfect wines.
The First Course was a Chickpea Vegetable Stew with pearl onion, fingerling potatoes and flatbread. The Wine? Firesteed Riesling from Oregon.
Between courses the staff made sure we were comfortable attending to our needs. We were enjoying chatting and catching up.
The Second Course was Warm Octopus…leeks compote, Peruvian Anticucho Sauce, Truffle Virgin Olive Oil. Anticucho, say that again? They say it is a name given by Peruvians to a very hot soup, prepared with a special pepper from the jungle. The Wine? Ferarri Carano Fume Blanc, a Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County, California.
The Third Course was a Veal Sirloin…yuca puree, carrots, and mustard peppercorn. It was paired with Edmeades Zinfandel from Mendocino County.
The Fourth Course…The sweet ending of Dessert was an Apple Upside Down with cinnamon, vanilla cake, and candy pecans. It was paired with Block Nine Pinot Noir from California.
It was a lot of fun…and lots of wine!! These dinners happen every Thursday. They will also have in February a Beer Dinner also pairing courses with them. You can check the website or visit them on Facebook for more information.
There will be a Super Bowl Party on the 7th!! And Valentine’s Day is around the corner, as well.
So the evening was over. I headed to Rehoboth Beach and my friends headed to Ocean City, Maryland, but not before we stopped in front of our favorite jeweler in Bethany Beach, Alice H. Klein of TKO Designs.
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A week in Berlin, Germany, just as the Christmas Markets were ready to open. It is a German tradition called Weihaachtsmarkt or Christmas Market. Not only there are about 60 markets around the City, but Berlin itself has an obssession with Christmas decorations throughout. Buildings, shops, restaurants….all are decorated and for the most part all Christmas trees are real.
A main shopping street in West Berlin is Tauentzienstrasse…Shops are upscale and plenty of them are not shy about saying Merry Christmas!! One of such store, Hugo Boss.
This avenue will be completely lit up at night and they were still placing lights as we left on Thanksgiving Day.
With everything happening in this world, it was great to see all the decorations and hear Christmas music all throughout the city.
But nothing will get you more in the spirit of Christmas than Berlin’s Christmas Markets. All the markets are laden with traditional food, drinks, and crafts.
The market just opened this past week and will be opening throughout December. It is a lot of work as I watched some of the merchants putting the last minute details on their stalls.
One market in West Berlin, near my hotel, was called City Weihaachtsmarkt.
The markets open around 11 a.m. and continue until about 10 p.m. depending on the market. Also, some of them have rides for kids and others have heated restaurants within the market.
Plenty of food and no need to be on a diet in Berlin….you can’t.
I love roasted chestnuts so twice I went to this stall….the chestnuts were from Italy. I had them in the a.m. and then in the p.m. They told me that late in the day they were better….they tasted great to me both times.
They were perfectly roasted, easy to peel and best was eating them while walking around checking other stalls out…..did I tell you that Berlin does not have open container laws?
The Christmas Markets are a place to meet for drinks and dinner. Grab something up or just have a drink and enjoy. It was cold so make sure you bundle up.
Stay tuned….a few more posts from the markets in Berlin.
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Arriving at the Brandenburg Tor (Gate) in the evening it is so impressive. It was quiet too. But still there were a few like us, new in the city, checking the most important sites to see. It is Berlin’s landmark and it represents important turning points within German history. At the end of WWII it remained the only gate to the city still intact.
This is East Berlin. After the construction of the Berlin Wall, Branderburg Tor was right within the restricted area and because of that it was not accessible neither from the West nor from the East. And when the Berlin Wall came down, it actually became a symbol for a reunited Germany and Europe.
As you cross the gate, then look up….
Brandenburg Gate’s most prominent statue is the Quadriga. This is the statue of the goddess of peace, Eirene. Also known as the goddess of victory..riding into the city on a chariot drawn by four horses. This is a copy of the original, which was destroyed in WWII.
During the day Brandenburg Gate’s is full of people. Also, this is a very important place for peaceful demonstrations. Many tours originate at the Gate.
The American Embassy is located here. During our visit it was heavily protected.
Across the street from the American Embassy you will find the French Embassy. Due to the recent tragic developments a memorial could be also found in front of it.
Right on this square is also the Adlon Hotel. Believe it or not this is the hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby. I kid you not, they mentioned that on the tour. You can have tea in the afternoons at the hotel.
Living statues…
On week-ends just like in any other city, the visitors come out to explore and catch tours. We took a great free tour by New Europe Tours. Our tour guide, Sam, was so well informed, entertaining and so friendly. These tour guides are self employed. More info? Please visit http://www.neweuropetours.eu.
Sam took us on the Free Tour from Brandenburg Gate to Site of Hitler’s bunker, Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, SS Headquarters, The Berlin Wall, TV Towr, Pariser Platz…it was cold but we made it.
And, Georgia took us on an Alternative City Tour…12 Euros. We explored Berlin’s underground in all its grit and graffiti.
Was it cold in Berlin this time of the year? Yest it was.
The week went fast and now I can show you some of the things we did…..stayed tuned.
After a very satisfying dinner at Sello’s in Ocean City, Maryland, we took off for Ocean Downs Racetrack & Casino. This has been a racetrack for 66 years. We were looking forward to a nice evening of harness racing and a little gambling, as well. Don’t worry our bets were very conservative. Address 10218 Racetrack Rd. Tel. 410641-0600
Casino at Ocean Downs has 800 slot machines and electronic table games, like Crabs, Blackjack, Roulette and Poker. For more information please visit http://www.oceandowns.com.
At the game tables you will play against a virtual croupier. You have to be 21 years old and please play responsibly.
A Trotter or a Pacer? The Trotter moves a right leg and a left leg forward at the same time; his right front and left rear, then his left front and right rear. The Pacer moves both legs on the same side of his body forward at the same time.
Running horses gallop, moving both front legs forward and then both rear legs forward.
At the racetrack children are allowed to come in if accompanied by an adult. You must be 18 or older to place a wager (bet). Four wagers are available: Win, Place, Show Exacta, and Big Triple.
When you wager (bet), you are not betting against the track, but against everyone who is making that type of wager in that race. Post time is 7:20 p.m.
All of us won some money on that beautiful evening. We laughed…we were there to have fun. First I started picking the horses traditionally….by their starts. Then, I said the heck with this, it is going to be by the names. Their names were just too good to pass.
Here are some of the names: What I say Goes, Girlfriend Bash, Givetheladyabeer, Fashion Villager, Gimmesomeroom, Feelingmightygood, A Wild Impulse, Big Is Better, Howsaboutakiss, Shessoserene, Well Maid.
There were 11 races on Sunday evening. You can watch these races every Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday through September 4th.
“Fund-Racing” in Historic Berlin, Maryland….In 2014 Berlin was named America’s Coolest Small Town. It is in the heart of Worcester County, near Ocean City, and Assateague Island National Park. It is quaint, full of restaurants, shops, and art galleries.
The Worcester County Arts Council is excited to announce the inaugural 5K Race/Walk For The Arts to be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015 in Historic Downtown Berlin. This healthful, family friendly, and positively focused event is a fundraiser to increase the awareness and importance of Arts in our Communities!! Runners of all ages are encouraged to sign up.
Race fee is $25, even on the day of the event.
For details, schedule and registration go to: http://www.octrirunning.com. OC Tri-Running Sport, Inc., is an endurance and multi-sport event management company. It was founded by friends, and locals to the OC MD area that have participated in many triathlons, running, and cycling events.
A FREE, 1 year membership to the Worcester County Arts Council is included with your registration for this event!! The Arts Council thanks T-Shirt Sponsors, Event Sponsors, and Mile Marker Sponsors. Please visit http://www.worcestercountyartscouncil.org for information on other events, summer arts camps, exhibits and programs.
Summer Arts Programs are designed to help area children improve themselves while having fun engaging in art activities. The camp will start on June 22nd until June 26th from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Please check the above mentioned website or give them a call to 410-641-0809.
Note: Paint Berlin – 6th Annual Plein Air – Artists Registration is Open!!
This competition will be held September 17 – 19, 2015. It will feature talented artists from across the region who will pain the beauty of Berlin and surrounding areas to capture and preserve the best aspects of the community.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later!
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