AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
After hibernating for several weeks due to snow-covered roads and near zero-degree temperatures, most of us welcomed the February thaw. Eager to get out, we were looking for something fun to do. Luckily, a number of Galentine’s Day events were being held locally and provided the perfect answer.
Three that caught our attention were held simultaneously on Thursday, February 12th including the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber Successful Women In Business Galentine’s Party hosted by Dr. Judy Yu of Dental FX in Pasadena. As it was the farthest away, we weren’t able to attend but understand from friends who did that it was a lovely event.
We were able to attend the other two held back-to-back within a couple miles of each other.
The first, at Fishpaws MarketPlace, began at 4 pm. A chalkboard sign at the entrance foreshadowed the Galentine’s Day Tasting event that awaited us inside.
Fishpaw’s owner Kim Lawson was away on a trip but, the moment we walked in the door, we were greeted by manager Terry Phoebus who encouraged us to try the Wine & Cheese Tasting Bar and introduced us to two of the Galentine Tasting event guests.
Making their way to the VanEllin table from the Tasting Bar, glasses in hand, Kristie Chisholm and Kim Marin were familiar faces to us. We’ve run into them at several events including a Homestead Gardens Girl’s Night Out in December of 2019.
Photos by Sharon Lee Tegler
“This is our regular Galentine’s Day mission,” Chisholm said. “We love this event”.
We could see why. Tastings were offered by many of the distributors whose products are carried by Fishpaws MarketPlace. Stopping by the Annapolis-based VanEllin table ourselves, we met Vanessa who, along with her mother Lynda, created the wholesale specialty baked goods company. She gave us a rundown of the samples so tastefully arranged on her table.
“We’re serving caramelized onion focaccia, a rosemary focaccia and Casanova Crunch, a bourbon butter-soaked pretzel with a bit of heat,” Vanessa said. “There are also bourbon and lemon-flavored cookies.”
Moving on, we found Glen Fewster representing Ten Ecyk Brewing Company, a woman-owned Queenstown, Maryland company operated by a team of women veterans and first responders. Fewster was offering a Mexican lager, a dark Czech lager and a Moroccan spiced coffee stout.
“I’m quite a fan of Fishpaws and have long enjoyed attending events here,” he said.
Fully into the spirit of Galentine’s Day, owner Sandy Mazza of Sandy Bottom Sparkling Rum Cocktails enjoyed treating Tasting guests to samples of her rum-based cocktail with its coconut, lemon and lime tropical vibe. Mazza notes that the product is made in Middle River, Maryland and is fond of relating her brand’s backstory.
“I was boating with friends on the Chesapeake Bay and mixed them cocktails which they loved. They encouraged me to market them. So, I did and created my brand which has done well. In fact, I’m about to introduce a new cranberry and blood orange cocktail,” said Mazza. “I’ve done this wonderful Galentine’s event previously and I feel fortunate that Kim Lawson carries my product and has been a long-time supporter.”
We were not about to leave Fishpaws’ Galentine’s Day Tasting without stopping by the table of Pam Meador, a distributor for Effie’s Biscuits. We’ve met Meador before as she has appeared in conjunction with Fishpaws MarketPlace at fundraisers for University of Maryland’s Baltimore Washington Medical Center at Homestead Gardens in Severna Park. We arrived as she was offering guest Theresa Bloom a choice between Effie’s Pecan Biscuits with Point Reyes Bay Blue Cheese from Oregon with or without a dab of local honey – all of which are carried by Fishpaws.
We loved chatting with Pam but it was 5 pm and time to move on to our next event…
…BD Provisions’ Galentine’s Sip & Shop
By the time we arrived at BD Provisions, it appeared that the shop’s second annual Galentine’s Sip & Shop event was well underway. We liked the sign greeting guests as they arrived and decided that we’d definitely “sip” some of that Midnight Joe java the Severna Park shop is known for.
When BD Provisions owner Debra Saltz conceived the idea of holding a Galentine’s Day event last year, she decided to invite some of her fellow small business owners to share the event as vendors. This year there were a total of eight vendors showing off their products.
As we entered, we immediately noticed quite a bit of activity at the back of the store. So, we headed first to an attractive display of dyed papers and handcrafted books and journals from Linthicum resident Brooke Borman’s Spill the Tea Paper Company.
“I named my business Spill the Tea Paper Company because I dye many of my papers with tea or coffee,” Borman said. “I also offer pastel papers I tint with Easter egg dyes.”
Borman’s display was back-to-back with that of another vendor so we rounded the corner and visited Severna Park resident Dawn Lautenschlager’s Purple Pugs Creations. Lautenschlagers’ wares included 3D Paper Art, Cards, gift tags and other specialities.
Leaving Purple Pugs Creations, we rounded a bend past the BD Provisions section of barrels devoted to flours, whole grains, chocolate and caramel chips and other baking staples and made our way toward the familiar presence of Caren Bach’s Baltimore-based Cookies by Caren . For the second year, Bach brought a selection of beautifully decorated heart shaped cookies perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift for someone special…or simply as a Valentine’s treat for the family.
Bach was, interestingly, set up next to the Midnight Joe coffee station. Part of the “sips” offered for the occasion; the BD Provisions coffee was a perfect chaser for the cookie samples set out for customers to taste.
Back for a second year as well, Amy Heath’s Hip, Mod, Vintage display of gorgeous reclaimed and restored vintage jewelry drew customers like bees to honey. Heath is well-known as a regular vendor at the Severna Park Farmers Market where she sells her own jewelry and other products.
Catching up with Heath, we chatted about the fact that her business has more challenges these days thanks to the fact that silver prices have risen.
“The price of silver has risen to three digits recently,” Heath said. “In September the price was $33 per ounce. By November, it had risen to $107 per ounce.”
On our way to the next vendor, we bumped into Galentine’s Shop & Stroll attendees Kary Biles and Megan Salerno at the Heigh Tide soaps display. The pair told us they were first-timers and absolutely loved the event. While Biles is from Kent Island and Salerno is a Severna Park resident, both said they’d visit BD Provisions again.
As the event progressed, we observed that every time an attendee entered the door chime rang. We heard more and more rings as event traffic picked up and the check-out counter grew busier and busier.
Meanwhile, some customers were drawn to a silver bucket containing bubbly bottles of sparkling cider from which to pour a “sip”.
Other customers moved in an entirely different direction opting to shop for chocolates or Valentine’s Day appropriate candy or heading to the center of the store where Katy Belford was giving oh-so-relaxing massages. Just behind her was Evie & Park’s Ashlee Gibbs who, like Amy Heath, we recognized from the Severna Park Farmer’s Market. For the past six years, Gibbs has made the amazing array of clean burning soy candles carried by Evie & Park.
There was one more vendor to visit – Heather Sanders, The Oyster Shell Girl, whose Fresh Oyster Bar we found fascinating. Her beautifully decoupaged oyster shells are highly decorative accessories. They also can be adapted as jewelry or other items. Since Sanders learned she could print on tissue paper she’s been able to create oyster shell replicas of flowers, state flags or even family portraits.
We found the Gallentine Day events we attended were not only convivial gatherings bringing attendees into contact with friends, but they provided great opportunities to support community retailers by SHOPPING LOCAL.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
