Fairground gates open at 10 Am Saturday October 16, 2010 and 11 AM Sunday October 17, 2010,

$5 general Admission over age 12, Free Parking. Event ends around 6PM each night.

Oyster Shucking, cooking and eating. Who could ask for more.

Pick Your Own Apples and Pumpkins

Heartland Orchards

3064 Hartland Lane, Markham, VA 22643

540.364.2316

http://www.hartlandorchard.com/

Homestead Farm

15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland 20837

301.977.3761

http://www.homestead-farm.net/

Larriland Farm

2415 Woodbine Road | Woodbine, MD 21797

301.854.6110

http://www.pickyourown.com/

Taste of Bethesda — Oct 2, 2010 11:00am – Oct 2, 2010 4:00pm

Save the date: 21st annual Taste of Bethesda scheduled for Saturday, October 2, 2010!
Bethesda’s famous food and music festival, brings over 50 restaurants and four stages of entertainment to Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Each year, more than 40,000 attendees sample the delicious restaurants, enjoy the live entertainment and visit the kid’s corner for face painting and arts & crafts.

Admission / Tickets
Admission to the Taste of Bethesda is free. Taste tickets will be sold on-site in bundles of four tickets for $5. Food servings cost one to four tickets.

Location:
The event is held along Norfolk, Fairmont, St. Elmo, Cordell and Del Ray Avenues in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Taste of Bethesda is located just three blocks from the Bethesda Metro.

The annual Taste of Bethesda is held in conjunction with Best of Bethesda Day, which also features Come Back to Bethesda classic car show and Rescue Day.

Germantown Oktoberfest — Oct 2, 2010 11:00am – Oct 2, 2010 7:00pm

This year marks the 28th Anniversary of the Annual Germantown Oktoberfest! Oktoberfest is Montgomery County Maryland’s flagship Upcounty event at which people from all over come together to celebrate our community and heritage. Germantown Oktoberfest offers a wonderful, fun-filled day of live music and performances, delicious food, kids’ games & inflatables, exhibits by local crafters and businesses, the ever-famous Germantown Oktoberfest Biergarten, and a spectacular display of fireworks to end a perfect day!

This year’s biergarten is organized by the Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees. The biergarten is proudly serving Samuel Adams’ Octoberfest and Miller Lite. Proceeds from the biergarten benefit the Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees programs in the Germantown community.

Hours of Operation – 11AM to dark

Pick Your Own Apples and Pumpkins

Heartland Orchards

3064 Hartland Lane,  Markham, VA 22643

540.364.2316

http://www.hartlandorchard.com/

Homestead Farm

15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland 20837

301.977.3761

http://www.homestead-farm.net/

Larriland Farm

2415 Woodbine Road | Woodbine, MD 21797

301.854.6110

http://www.pickyourown.com/

Clarendon Day - Saturday (Sept. 25)

Clarendon Day Block Party.  The best cuisine in town from over a dozen restaurants. Live music on 2 stages will provide the soundtrack. Kid’s Carnival, Kinderhaus Kid’s Stage, and more. The outdoor market features retail booths, arts and crafts. The Clarendon Day 10k/5k and Fun Run starts at 9am.

Hours of Operation – 11AM to 5PM

Location – Clarendon and Wilson Boulevards between N. Garfield Street and Washington Boulevard

http://www.clarendonday.org/

Das Best Oktoberfest – Saturday-Sunday (Sept. 25-26)

All The Show Features Are Under Cover- so Rain or Shine- you are totally wunderbar! As you enter the show, you’ll receive a souvenir tasting mug and 6 beer tokens. For those who like to drink more, you are welcome to purchase more tokens ($1 each), just drink responsibly. There is nothing worse than a professional person (dressed in a German outfit) slurring their words as they sing drinking songs!

There will be lots of the best International Beers and Wines and lots of Oompah bands to enjoy your favorite German drinking songs. You can also enjoy the sausages, potato cakes, sour beef, schnitzel and other great German classics! Is that a snitzengruben I smell?!?!?!?!?

Other great Festival foods will be there, as well. If the food and the drinks aren’t enough then go to the Main Stage and enjoy the great music. Or check out the Oompah Bands on the German Stage.

•For those of you who are “man” enough ……win big cash in the Biggest Beer Belly Competition

•For the ladies………the Miss Oktoberfest Competition

Hours – 12PM – 6PM

Location – National Harbor

http://www.dasbestoktoberfest.com/washington-dc/show-info

Frederick County Fair – Friday to Sunday (Sept. 24-25)

I love fair food. Coming from the midwest you get to have pretty much anything that your heart desires on a stick. Bacon, hot dogs, mac n cheese and even cheesecake. I have never been to this fair but I am sure that they will have corn dogs and funnel cakes.

Admission: $7

Location: 797 East Patrick Street PO Box 604 Frederick, MD 21705

http://www.thegreatfrederickfair.com/

Lovettsville Oktoberfest – (Sept. 24-27)

In celebration of Lovettsville’s German heritage, the 17th Annual Oktoberfest will take place during the last weekend of September. Friday night the activities begin with a live band in the main tent.  The main event is Saturday when the Town comes alive with food, crafts, and entertainment along the Town’s historic streets. There will be a pancake breakfast and a community church service on Sunday with music in the tent in the afternoon. There will be a Scramble Golf Tournament on Monday.  As with past years, the festival is FREE to the public and FREE parking is provide.  Food, Beer and Crafts are available for purchase.

http://www.lovettsvilleva.gov/default.asp?contentID=26

Pick Your Own Apples and Pumpkins

Heartland Orchards

3064 Hartland Lane,  Markham, VA 22643

540.364.2316

http://www.hartlandorchard.com/

Homestead Farm

15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland 20837

301.977.3761

http://www.homestead-farm.net/

Larriland Farm

2415 Woodbine Road | Woodbine, MD 21797

301.854.6110

http://www.pickyourown.com/

Pick Your Own Apples and Pumpkins

Heartland Orchards

3064 Hartland Lane,  Markham, VA 22643

540.364.2316

http://www.hartlandorchard.com/

Homestead Farm

15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland 20837

301.977.3761

http://www.homestead-farm.net/

Larriland Farm

2415 Woodbine Road | Woodbine, MD 21797

301.854.6110

http://www.pickyourown.com/

H Street Festival - Saturday (Sept. 18)

Food, Art, Music and Urban Sports.  Should be a great day to go and walk around.

Location – 1000-1300 blocks of H street NE

Hours of Operation – Noon till 6PM

http://www.hstreetfestival2010.com/

Vintage Crystal City

Sep 19, 2010 2:00pm – Sep 19, 2010 6:00pm

The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) is turning up the heat with the return of the flavor-filled fourth annual Vintage Crystal. The spice is back with more wines, food, music and dancing. Building on last year’s Latin-themed success, Crystal City will once again be serving up tasty tapas, tempting tequila, and a ton of fun.

While enjoying more than 30 different wines hailing from Spain and South America, visitors to the festival can taste complimentary dishes from local favorites including Cabot Creamery, Café Pizzaiolo, CC Bistro, Domaso, Hamburger Hamlet, Jaleo Crystal City and Wine Shop, King Street Blues, Kora, Lebanese Taverna, Morton’s, Portofino Restaurant, Restaurant Mez, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Salsa La Glorias, Slice N Dice, Tagolio Pizzeria & Enoteca and Zpizza.

The Latin flavor doesn’t end with just the food and drink – jazz will fill the air and local Latin American dance groups take the stage. Attendees can join in the fun with Rumba, Salsa, Samba and Cha-Cha-Cha lessons from the Salsa Room.

Tickets cost $20 for drinks and food, and $10 for food only, and include unlimited tastings. $20 tickets also include a complimentary wine glass.

http://crystalcity.org/do/vintage-crystal1

Have a great Weekend!

• Taste of Falls Church — Sep 11, 2010 10:00am – Sep 11, 2010 4:00pm
  Bring in the fall with live entertainment, amusement rides, pony rides, crafters, businesses, civic organizations, and fantastic food! A children’s activity tent will be open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with free face painting and craft projects.

  Restaurants Included in this years taste of Falls Church include: Applebee’s, Argia’s, Café Nessma, Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, Dogwood Tavern, Hoang’s Grill & Sushi Bar, Ireland’s Four Provinces, Ledo Pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Open Kitchen Bistro, Robeks and Trader Joe’s.

  Location – Located at Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave. Falls Church

  Hours of Operation – 10 AM till 4 PM.

  
  

• D.C. Vegfest — Sep 11, 2010 12:00pm – Sep 11, 2010 6:00pm
  The DC VegFest is a FREE outdoor festival celebrating the very best of everything vegetarian in and around the nation’s capital. There are so many reasons to choose a vegetarian diet—for our health, the planet, and animals—and Washington, D.C. offers wonderful opportunities to explore meatless cuisine. The DC VegFest has something for everyone to enjoy, so be sure to bring along your friends and family!
• Adams Morgan Day Festival — Sep 12, 2010 12:00pm – Sep 12, 2010 7:00pm
  The Adams Morgan Day 18th Street Festival is characterized by two large signature music stages and other innovative & dynamic cultural, music, arts and dance activities. The famous Columbia and Florida Stages (located strategically on 18th Street at Columbia Rd and at Florida Ave.) feature live music acts from all genres from Central and South America, Latin rock, salsa, jazz, to soul, funk and American rock.

  The Longest Continuous Neighborhood Festival in DC! First held in 1978, this nationally known regional event showcases the international and cultural diversity and creativity that is the hallmark of Adams Morgan. This Festival celebrates the dynamism and innovation that arises from the melting pot of cultures and their interaction together. This regionally known DC Festival always produces consistently large attendance in the 25,000 range. The compact 4 block area allows different venues & locales advantageous to sponsors, vendors, and visitors, not to mention local residents.

• DC Restaurant Week — You still have time.  Restaurant Week starts Monday!!!  DC Winter Restaurant Week is upon us.  Here is the gist of it.  Restaurant Week consists of the best DC area restaurants offering a 3 course prix fixe meal for $20.10 for lunch and $30.10 for dinner.  Restaurant week is from August 16-22, 2010.  So making a reservation at your favorite restaurants is a must as they fill up quickly.  It may be a little late to reserve a table at the hottest restaurants, but you can still find a table at one of the other awesome restaurants.

Here are my tips for a great restaurant week

• Pick a restaurant that has the full menu for restaurant week
• Stay away from the Steak Houses – They are usually lame
• If the restaurant has a Restaurant Week menu look at it on their website before reserving a spot.
• Try a new restaurant – Restaurant Week gives you the opportunity to try new and interesting cuisines.
• Have fun! – Order a glass of wine with dinner.

• Montgomery County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:00am – Aug 21, 2010 10:00pm
  Yet another fair.  I love carnival food so I always post about fairs.  Cotton Candy, Candied Apples, Elephant Ears and the most delicious of them all “The Corn Dog”.  Friday includes honey bee demonstrations and pig races.  Saturday includes honey bee demonstrations and a 4H bake sale.  Sunday includes the honey bee demonstration and a 4H cake auction. If you don’t get a chance to go this weekend the fair is running through the 22nd.

  Location – 16 Chestnut St, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

• Prince William County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:05am – Aug 21, 2010 10:05am
  It is a weekend of fairs.  Friday is Half-Price day.  Sunday includes the Hershey Cocoa Classic.  1.) One entry per person 2.) Entry must be a baked dessert made from “scratch” in a non-returnable baking dish/tray. 3.) A minimum of 1/4 cup of cocoa must be used. 4.) Dessert entry must be submitted on cardboard for judging (no doily required). 5.) Two copies of recipe(s) listing the ingredients, preparation instructions, and recipe author must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of the page.  It is open to everyone.  Entries need to be submitted between 1:30 and 2:30 pm on Sunday.

  Location – 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112

  Hours of Operation – Gates open at 3pm on Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday

  Tickets are $5 and rides and food are extra.

• “BAKE BETHESDA A PIE” CONTEST — Sep 5, 2010 11:00am – Sep 5, 2010 11:30am
  To enter, contestants must be amateur bakers. All applications include a $5 fee  that will benefit Manna Food Bank. For an application, go to www.bethesdafarmmarket.com and enter before August 31, 2010. A separate entry form is required for each pie entered; bakers may submit up to two pies. Entries may be e-mailed to moserdebra@aol.com or turned in at the information tent at the Sunday market. For complete details and contest rules, click on www.bethesdacentralfarmmarket.com

  The contest will be judged on Sunday, September 5 at 11 a.m. at the market by some of Washington’s top food professionals: Bonnie Benwick, Assistant Food Editor, Washington Post; Carole Sugarman, Food Editor, Bethesda Magazine; Nancy Hickman, Manager, Buzz Bakery Arlington, and Deann O’Brien, Gazette Newspapers. Prizes will be awarded for both fruit and savory pies. First place is $100 gift certificate, second place wins $50 gift certificate and third place is a $25 gift certificate. All prizes can be redeemed at participating local restaurants, shops and at the Bethesda Central Farm Market.

  Bethesda Central Farm Market, located at the Elm Street parking lot between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and at Bethesda Row on Thursday afternoons from 3-7 p.m.

Awesome Posts this Week

Chocolate S’mores Muffins – Yeah, chocolate and marshmallows together in a muffin.  Elle totally outdid herself with this one.

Homemade Chili Powder – Chris from Nibble Me This made some awesome homemade chili powder.  Not only did he make chili powder, he cold smoked the peppers first using a tin can and soldering iron.  This is a must read if you have extra chili peppers lying around.

The Perfect Martini – SippitySup breaks down a list of the best martini’s.  I am with greg when it comes to the perfect martini.  I like his twist on the classic with a dash of orange bitters.  Check it out for a list of great martinis.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – Dana and I are on a hummus kick.  The stuff is super tasty.  This recipe from Evil Shenanigans is right up my alley.  Who doesn’t love garlic and smokey roasted peppers.

What to do in DC

• Howard County Fair — Aug 7, 2010 8:00am – Aug 14, 2010 11:00pm
  It is fair season.  The Howard County Fair is a great traditional county fair.  Food, rides and livestock.

  Admission is $5.

• Spike’d Sundays — Aug 8, 2010 12:01pm – Aug 8, 2010 10:00pm
  Every Sunday this summer from noon to six, you can relax poolside with refreshing beverages and a perfectly grilled Spike burger.  There will be a live DJ spinning the newest beats poolside.  Make sure to stay till dusk as that is when Spike’d Cinema starts.  They will be showing one comedy each week poolside.

  Cover charge: $15, which includes a juicy, freshly grilled burger with all the toppings (cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, etc.) plus chips and a pickle.

  Food/Drink specials: Besides those Spike burgers, there’s grilled chicken and other sandwiches. Drink specials include $5 cocktails like Spike’d Lemonade (vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lemonade) and $4 Miller Lites.

• Loudon County Fair — Jul 25, 2010 9:00am – Jul 31, 2010 11:00pm

  A traditional county fair featuring a demoliton derby, extreme motorcyclists, bull riding, circus thrill show and carnival rides.  On Saturday they will be announcing the winner of the kiss a pig contest.  Yep, the person that raises the most money gets to lock lips with a pig.  Saturday also features cooking demonstrations and a donut eating contest at 2:30.  Maybe I will head over there to get some donuts.

  Gates open daily around 8:30 am and goes on to past 10 pm.  Check the website for more information on times and events.

  Loudoun County Fairgrounds
  17558 Dry Mill Road
  Leesburg, VA 20175

• Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week — Jul 26, 2010 9:26am – Aug 1, 2010 10:26pm
  I love a good Restaurant Week.  You can try out some amazing restaurants for an even more amazing price.  Bethesda Chevy Chase Restaurant Week returns to offer prix fixe lunch and/or dinner menus at 31 Bethesda area restaurants. A two-course lunch is $12 or $15 and three-course dinner is $25 or $30.
• 7th Annual Asian Festival in Reston — Jul 31, 2010 10:00am – Aug 1, 2010 6:00pm
  Asian Festival extravaganza aims to promote diverse cultures and celebrate traditions and talents from the Asian continent. The Festival aims to bring together people from various cultural backgrounds, to promote peace, harmony and unity. Each participating country will showcase its unique music, dance, food, fashion, handicrafts and other products under the single largest structure in Northern Virginia.  Features the Singha Beer garden with beer and live entertainment.
• Redbull National Wakeboarding Competition — Jul 31, 2010 3:00pm – Jul 31, 2010 4:30pm

  The banks of the Potomac are about to see something special. Red Bull athletes and Professional Wakeboarders Brian Grubb, Parks Bonifay, JD Webb, and Adam Errington are taking their beloved sport to National Harbor in Washington, DC. They will fly, they will soar, they will wow the crowd with wild airs and double overhead sprays of the Potomac River.

  These tremendous water athletes will be flying off of custom made features built especially for National Harbor. Towed by Red Bull Waverunners, Grub, Bonifay, Webb and Errington, along with some local wakeboarders, will put on quite a show for National Harbor visitors.

• Spike’d Sundays — Aug 1, 2010 12:01pm – Aug 1, 2010 10:00pm

  Every Sunday this summer from noon to six, you can relax poolside with refreshing beverages and a perfectly grilled Spike burger.  There will be a live DJ spinning the newest beats poolside.  Make sure to stay till dusk as that is when Spike’d Cinema starts.  They will be showing one comedy each week poolside.

  Cover charge: $15, which includes a juicy, freshly grilled burger with all the toppings (cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, etc.) plus chips and a pickle.

  Food/Drink specials: Besides those Spike burgers, there’s grilled chicken and other sandwiches. Drink specials include $5 cocktails like Spike’d Lemonade (vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lemonade) and $4 Miller Lites.

This weekend…