The Saturday farmers market in Ellicott City doesn’t officially begin until 9 a.m., but on a recent sunny June morning, many of the dozen-plus vendors opened earlier. Before long, customers formed lines to purchase savory empanadas, sourdough, and bright red heirloom tomatoes as vendors made small talk with regular customers.

Guests piled onto picnic benches at Tiber Park, located at the bottom of this hilly historic town that dates to 1772. Adults and kids dug into croissant sandwiches and Nutella-filled crepes while listening to local musician Mike Walls, who pivoted from Bob Dylan to “Wheels on the Bus” during his opening number.

Held from Memorial Day weekend to late October, the Old Ellicott City Farmers Market debuted last year, bringing foot traffic and enlivening a town hit hard by two floods (in 2016 and 2018) and the economic toll of the pandemic.

“The farmers market is the best new thing I’ve seen out of Ellicott City in the past 10 years,” says Mark Hemmis, owner of Phoenix Upper Main, a restaurant known for its extensive beer selection. “It’s been a tremendous addition to town. It really brings some life.”

The farmers market is just one of the additions that have contributed to what some locals describe as a comeback for a beloved shopping and dining destination. Visitors from around the state shop at its independent businesses housed in preserved 18th- and 19th-century buildings replete with distinctive architectural details like intricate ironwork. A host of new businesses, a weekend shuttle that moves people up and down Main Street’s steep slope—not to mention a county-led flood mitigation plan—have also boosted optimism among locals.

“I think we’re on the cusp of a renaissance down here,” says Matt Krist, who owns Backwater Books & Bibliopub with his wife, Alli.

The former teachers opened the bookstore in 2022 and the bar, which serves beer, wine, and nonalcoholic drinks, the following year. According to Alli, people who haven’t been to Ellicott City in years are “rediscovering” the place and feel like it’s coming back.

The Ellicott City Partnership, the nonprofit that supports the town’s small businesses, says it no longer tracks foot traffic. But many entrepreneurs anecdotally report growing sales and increased shoppers, though performance will naturally vary across the more than 80 businesses in town. The town’s most recent SpringFest, held in April, was the busiest for The Wine Bin since the festival began 12 years ago.

“It was slammed,” says owner Dave Carney of his 18-year-old wine shop. “I love seeing the town hopping.”

That sentiment is a far cry from how Ellicott City would have been described only a few short years ago, when two floods killed three people and devastated shops. Main Street was shut down for nearly a month after the May 2018 flood, straining business owners’ cash flow. Eventually, flood damage resulted in several buildings being demolished (though some architectural elements were salvaged and repurposed elsewhere in town).

Several cherished restaurants left the town for good after the second flood, including Portalli’s, Cacao Lane, and the humming coffee shop Bean Hollow Cafe. The devastating damage prompted Gordon Ramsey to highlight Ellicott City on his “24 Hours to Hell and Back” series, spotlighting several businesses in the town. Among them was the Jaxon Edwin Social House, which closed due to the pandemic soon after the episode aired.

“The first flood was shocking and heartbreaking,” says Julia Sanger, past president of the Ellicott City Partnership. “The second flood was soul-crushing.”

Sanger and her mother, Donna, own a 10-year-old gourmet food and cookware store, Park Ridge Trading Co., and, until last April, a popular ice cream stall, Park Ridge Creamery.

“THE FIRST FLOOD WAS SHOCKING AND HEARTBREAKING…THE SECOND FLOOD WAS SOUL-CRUSHING.”

Floods are nothing new for Ellicott City. It has experienced at least eight floods in its history, the earliest recorded in 1868. During storms, water from the Patapsco River and creeks rushes down the sloped valley, gaining speed as it descends, making downtown prone to high water. But the most recent ones prompted Howard County officials to make substantial changes to prevent the same type of lasting damage from happening again as part of its Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan.

The $350 million that have been secured for the project come from local, state, and federal sources. Some county residents have grumbled about the use of taxpayer money, but the county says that they were able to use grants, low-interest loans, and federal dollars in addition to local and state funding.

Construction began two years ago on a mile-long, 18-foot-wide tunnel that will divert 26,000 gallons of water per second from Main Street into the Patapsco River. A tunnel boring machine, nicknamed “Rocky,” began tearing through the granite blocking the path this summer and will wrap up in the fall of 2027. The plan also calls for five stormwater retention ponds, three of which have been completed.

Vendors say that the flood mitigation work has been slow-moving, but they’re cautiously optimistic that the damage won’t be as excessive during the next big storm.

“I hope that what they’re investing in now changes the future for Ellicott City,” says Tammy Beideman. She owns Sweet Elizabeth Jane, a women’s clothing and accessories shop on Main Street.

When flash flooding occurs in Ellicott City, the buildings at the lowest elevations are most vulnerable. The 2016 flood prompted Beideman, whose shop once resided near the bottom of Main Street, to move a couple blocks up the hill to higher ground.

Hemmis also moved to a safer spot. His former restaurant, the Phoenix Emporium, was one of the four flood ravaged buildings the county slated for demolition (it was ultimately torn down in 2024). So, in 2020, he purchased the former Ellicott Mills Brewing Co. four blocks up the street, renamed it Phoenix Upper Main, merged the concepts, and retained many staff from the restaurant when he acquired it.

Turns out, the upheaval was fortuitous—Hemmis says that being in a larger space with 250 seats allows him to serve bigger groups and host more banquets, boosting sales by five to six percent the last few years.

“We did a fairly good banquet business at the previous location. And now that I’m up here, we’ve got more room to do it,” he says.

In place of the demolished buildings, the county expanded Tiber Park, an expanse of green with cornhole games and planters. The park also hosts the tree-lighting ceremony during the holidays and a community art project during SpringFest in addition to being a space for young kids to play.

“The Tiber Park space has been an amazing addition,” Sanger says. “It feels more open and welcoming.”

Other improvements to the town include the Ellicott City “trolley,” a free, 14-passenger county van that runs on Saturdays and Sundays along Main Street. Inspired by a streetcar that operated here for 50 years in the 19th and 20th centuries, it eases congestion along Main Street and helps people with mobility challenges traverse the steep incline.

Vendors note that it’s especially needed during the town’s two major festivals, autumn’s Main Street Music Fest and SpringFest, when food trucks, artists, and musicians take over one of the bigger parking lots.

Several businesses that opened since the 2020 pandemic have infused the town with new energy and broadened the appeal of an area once known primarily for its antiques stores. Doc Taylor’s Toy Emporium, a whimsical purveyor of games and toys, and The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar draw families. The boba and sweet shop Sugar Plum Tea & Pastry opened in a spot formerly held by the Jaxon Edwin Social House of Gordon Ransey infamy. Umi Sushi became the town’s first Japanese restaurant in 2019 and has expanded its indoor space twice. On warmer days, diners rush to its serene patio, where they can hear the water flowing down the Tiber River.

New business owners have reinvigorated the town, Sanger says. “All they know is that they love this town, and that is kind of infectious.”

Once the site of a significant department store that lasted 50 years, the historic Caplan’s building opened last fall as an incubator for small Howard County businesses. The Market at Caplan’s features local artisan pasta makers, Black-owned beauty businesses, and pottery studios.

Home decor and gift shop store Lucky Lane Interiors and Al’s Love Cafe, which employs neurodivergent employees, opened this year. The Wine Bin’s Carney is opening a small plates restaurant and cocktail bar, Vesper at Pike & Main, this summer. He brought on Howard County native Rachel Bindel to lead the kitchen. Her impressive culinary stints include the lauded Charleston, South Carolina, restaurant Husk and the Michelin-starred D.C. restaurants Gravitas and the now-shuttered Tail Up Goat.

Carney says he hopes Vesper will fill the town’s need for an intimate spot that’s special enough for date nights but \ casual enough to attract regulars who tune in for the changing menu.

“Restaurants drive business,” says Carney, who notes that Ellicott City has yet to regain many of the eateries it lost to the floods. “I think [Vesper] is going to help.”

“THIS IS A VERY STUBBORN GROUP OF PEOPLE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE TOWN IS RESILIENT.”

As space becomes available, new tenants are stepping in, an indicator that Ellicott City still has the cachet to attract businesses. Take for example the eminent French eatery Tersiguel’s, which bid adieu in December after 50 years in business. This year it’s been replaced by River House On Main. “People want to come here and start a business down here,” Sanger says.

More events are also bringing people back to the town. The spring and fall festivals have always been a key driver of foot traffic in Ellicott City, but there are small community events, too. The Wine Bin’s parking lot overflows with adults and kids taking in blockbuster and classic films on Saturday nights in the summer—a seasonal event Carney has been hosting for 17 years. Other business owners are hosting their own gatherings.

With its cozy reading nooks, live music, and author events, Backwater Books has captivated literary lovers of all ages. Hosting poetry readings, live music, book clubs, and other events nearly every night, the bookstore has become a community hub.

“We joke that we’re a community center that’s masquerading as a bookstore,” Matt Krist says.

Sweet Elizabeth Jane hosts jewelry-making classes and farmers market vendor Enchanted Flower Farm has led bouquet-making workshops, adding another layer of experiences for customers. The goal of these events isn’t necessarily to generate a ton of same-day sales. Beideman explains that gatherings like these build community, and community supports business.

“People feel like they’re a part of something,” she says.

Beideman says business is better than ever. She attributes it to several changes she made to her shop, such as focusing more on local professional women rather than tourists, selling online, and promoting on social media. Sales during the first four months of 2026 were up 20 percent compared to last year and 10 percent compared to five years ago.

But there’s more to the Ellicott City renaissance than retail. A new cultural hub, the Capitoline Center, opened in March in a former county circuit courthouse. It features the new headquarters of the Howard County Arts Council, a black box theater, rotating art exhibits, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultural Center.

“It’s a draw for everyone to come to Ellicott City, so there’s more besides the shops and the restaurants,” says Lisa Scarbath, a resident artist at the Capitoline Center and a member-owner of the Artists Gallery on Main Street.

The center’s arts classes, from dance to figure drawing, can also draw more people downtown. There’s a push to bring more residents close to town, too. Just over the Baltimore County line in Oella, an eight-story, former flour mill constructed in 1916 is being adaptively reused into 190 luxury apartments. Expected to open by the end of September, the development will likely bring more residents within walking distance of Main Street later this year.

And all of this positive change and growth has led to a real air of hope in Ellicott City today—for the first time in a while.

“I hope in five years, the town is back to normal,” says Carney. “All the buildings have been renovated. The tunnel’s done. The flooding is in the distant past, and people don’t remember it. None of us want to talk about that anymore.  We’re all over the flood.”

But even if the town faces more setbacks, Ellicott City isn’t going anywhere, says Beideman.

“This is a very stubborn group of people. At the end of the day, the town is resilient.”

The Sichuan dish called “sauerkraut fish” might not appeal to many folks unfamiliar with the more agreeable Mandarin term, suancai yu, or the dish itself, a bowl of tender whitefish in a slightly sour broth made from pickled mustard greens.

Typically prepared with filets of grass carp, snakehead, basa, or flounder and enriched with ginger and garlic, plus the pickled vegetables that give the soup its sourness, the soup is considered one of Chongqing’s top 10 classic dishes. But despite its popularity, suancai yu isn’t found on that many of the Chinese restaurant menus around Baltimore, which tend to favor shuizhu yu (Sichuan water-boiled fish), the version charged with either Sichuan green peppercorns or a mind-blowing amount of red chiles.

Lucky for us, this changed recently, with the July opening of Fish With You in Ellicott City. It is the first Maryland location of a wildly popular suancai yu chain that first launched in Beijing in 2017 and that now boasts more than 2,500 shops worldwide, spanning from Brooklyn in New York City and a few in Los Angeles, to Vancouver, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Dubai.

Fish With You is a cheerful, tidy place, with Orioles-orange chairs, a flatscreen displaying gorgeous bowls of soup, a giant orange blow-up fish as a kind of inanimate concierge, plus hand-held fish-shaped fans for those choosing spicier items on the menu—also helpful in summer heatwaves.

A row of rice cookers is stationed near the counter, ensuring that your bowls of the rice that traditionally accompanies the soups—either basic white or the blissful charcoal-colored combination of barley/peanuts/black rice—are delivered warm. And the small tables each sport drawers filled with napkins and chopsticks. It’s a remarkably cozy set-up.

Then there’s the sauerkraut soup itself, which, it should be said, comes in a bowl the size of a hubcap. This is standard: The bowls of shuizhu yu at both NiHao and Lao Sze Chuan are massive, as they are at Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro and its sister restaurants, Orient Express and Tea Horse, all three of which have not only shuizhu yu but excellent iterations of suancai yu.

At Fish With You, the soup is made with ribbons of snakehead, which is a nice touch for locals who are familiar with the invasive but delicious fish. Snakehead is indigenous to China, so it’s traditionally used in soups. And it’s splendid here, tender and mild enough to play off nicely against the broth’s sourness. The soup is both spiced and decorated with a restrained amount of crimson chiles and a center pile of thinly sliced scallions and threaded not only with pickled greens but with nearly invisible glass noodles. A pretty dusting of sesame seeds finishes things off.

There are other variations of suancai yu on the glossy menu, made with tomatoes, additional Sichuan peppercorns—there were once garnishing sprigs of fresh Sichuan peppercorns, too, but apparently the restaurant can’t import them anymore—red chiles, lemons, scallion broth, or basa (a freshwater catfish) rather than snakehead. There are additional items: beef soup, fried pork soup, Taiwanese sausage, grilled squid skewers, plus desserts (coconut lava balls, glutinous rice cakes), teas, and many, many add-ons for your bowls, should your soup require quail eggs, say, or enoki mushrooms.

With a friendly atmosphere and all those wonderful soups, Fish With You is a splendid addition to Baltimore National Pike’s strip-mall restaurant row. And for a region with a longtime love for sauerkraut, it seems natural, even inevitable, to have a restaurant devoted to the Sichuan bowls. No, it’s not the same as what Baltimoreans grew up eating at Thanksgiving, but it somehow feels right at home.

FISH WITH YOU: 10040 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, 443-816-3737. HOURS: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
PRICES: Soups: $14.95-17.95; appetizers: $3.95-6.95; mains: $12.95 26.95; desserts: $6.95. AMBIANCE: Cheery food court.

Open the door at Bohemian House, an eclectic art gallery and gift shop on Main Street in historic Ellicott City, and you’re bound to see owner Tiffany Brown Averill standing at the till, her signature rockabilly style on full display.

She’ll flash her big smile and before you know it, you’re sharing your life story and she’s helping you pick the right crystal to get your aura back on track or she’s describing each artist in the shop like a proud parent.

“I love people. I love making connections. I love people’s stories,” says Averill, who first opened in 2020 on lower Main Street closer to the railroad tracks. She wanted her store to encompass all the things that made her happy. “I really just wanted to do it for me and do what I’m good at and obviously be part of this awesome street.”

When the opportunity arose, she moved up the hill closer to more high-end boutiques like Su Casa and Sweet Elizabeth Jane. “This is my happy hole,” she says, with her trademark throaty laugh, of her 800-square-foot brick-and-mortar.

Her shop is funky, wide-ranging, and accessible. “I want people to touch the art or pick up a sculpture or something handmade, and I want them to connect to the community,” says Averill, who fills her store with locally sourced original artwork, home décor, oddities, repurposed vintage, candles, jewelry, and healing oils.

“Every artist that I have is local, so I’m not sourcing paintings from, like, an art dealer in L.A.,” she says. “Art should be accessible. It shouldn’t be serious and stuffy.” (Averill herself is a fine-arts painter.)

Her take on art comes from growing up in a culturally rich environment. Averill was raised in Baltimore—the PR powerhouse Edie Brown is her aunt—and attended Garrison Forest before finishing high school at Seton Keough. (“I was the only Jewish girl,” Averill recalls. “Which was interesting.”) Her father was a doctor and her mother a nurse. But both parents also dabbled in sculpting and weaving. Aunt Edie owned a pottery shop when Averill was a kid.

“I used to hang out in there,” she says. “They had this walk-in kiln, and it was filled with pottery at all times, so I’d go in there and look at the glazes.”

Averill was fascinated at how the kiln—a thermally insulated chamber—used heat to alter the finishes through chemical changes. “That really inspired me.”

Her parents also took Averill and her brothers to art museums like The Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art, sketch books in tow. “When I was growing up, my parents were very hell-bent on making sure my brothers and I had culture,” says Averill.

Her natural talent was evident, and she spent time in middle and high school attending young artist studios at the Maryland Institute College of Art. “I loved it. I’ve just always been around art.”

But despite her family’s deep love of the arts, plus tons of family friends who were artists, “I think they shit their pants a little bit when I said I wanted to go to art school,” laughs Averill. They were probably worried she’d grow up to be a starving artist. They eventually relented, and Averill headed to MICA to study painting and art history. She lasted a year.

“It just wasn’t my jam,” she admits. She ultimately headed south to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where she dropped the art history part and dove into painting and fiber arts, textiles, weaving, sculpture, and crocheting—“all the things, but mostly painting.”

She loved the school and the city and spent eight years there before heading back to Baltimore. She spent the next 10 years as a restoration artist and gallery assistant at Renaissance Fine Arts and another eight at Radcliffe Jewelers as a luxury sales manager running the bridal registry.  “I can sell you a Rolex or a Picasso,” she chuckles. And she loved it, but she longed to be part of a community surrounded by the items she wanted to sell.

Growing up, her best friend lived in Catonsville—where Averill lives now with her husband and youngest son—and Ellicott City had always been the “fun backyard” they hung out in. She loved the historic buildings, quirkiness, community, and romance of a main street.

“I love history, which is one thing that drew me to Savannah. So, when I was thinking of opening a store, I knew that it was going to be either in Catonsville or here. Obviously, being in Ellicott City is an absolute privilege, and I don’t take that for granted.” (If you like ghost stories, Averill has plenty of encounters she’s happy to share.)

Even though she became a shop owner after the big floods of 2016 and 2018, she’s well aware of the scar it left on many business owners, but also the resilience that grew out of it.

“We have this motto, community over competition. And we’re a tight group,” she says. “You know, sometimes we close shop in the middle of the day and go have a martini.”

Averill sits on the executive board for the Ellicott City Partnership, which oversees the town, and is part of the Main Streets of America organization. “I really am passionate about bringing people to Ellicott City. I mean, my store is great, but I want other stores to be successful, too, because when you build a strong town and a strong Main Street, everything around it thrives.”

Even with her shop and board commitment, she still finds time to work as an art restorer for a number of historical societies and big estates. “I have a whole side hustle of restoration and conservation work,” she says. She loves relying on her years of learning and problem-solving, and there’s a little bit of chemistry, too. “It’s [figuring out] what paints they were using, what pigments, what solvents during different periods of time. So, it’s a lot of science and a lot of detective work.”

She stops. “I’m a strange bird,” she says. But she’s not. Just an impressive renaissance woman.

“They say it takes three to five years to build a business,” says Averill, who is now in year five. Last year’s goal was to double her business, which she did. So, her goal for this year is to expand her Ritual product line, which includes oils, simmer pots, and candles.

She learned to make candles when she was at SCAD, working at a shop called Kandlestix that did candle demonstrations for all the tourists. Averill would dip and hand-carve and create shapes over and over again. “I just always loved wax.”

She also loves what creating candles and oils represent—the act of doing something as self-care. “I mean, anything you can do, whether it’s having a glass of wine on your porch or lighting a candle, it’s about being present. It’s a constant reminder to just be there.”

She feels that way about art, too. It should give you pause and bring you joy. “There are so many different reasons to buy art, but it should not matter, as long as you have some kind of emotional reaction to it,” she says.

When customers come in, she tells them it doesn’t matter if they are sourcing art from a free cycle site, Goodwill, if it’s passed down, or if they spend thousands of dollars on it.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as you love it, as long as it makes your space feel like home,” she says. “That’s what art is. It’s that feeling of home.”

After you take your seat at Ellicott City’s new Sangam Indian Cuisine, before you get engrossed in the menu, order a cup of hot chai and the cone-shaped dosa.

The heady, spiced chai will revive you and the dosa will both temper and rouse your appetite while you consider what to order next, a daunting prospect, as there were 163 items on the menu when we last visited. The dosa, a crispy geometric marvel, rises above a plate equipped with small dishes of sambal and coconut, tomato, and mint chutneys for dipping.

Dosas, thin pancakes made from a slightly fermented batter of rice and lentils, are a hallmark of Southern Indian cuisine and Sangam excels at them, with 15 versions on that impressive menu.

Sangam opened last summer and is the second restaurant from Shan Chaudhry, who opened his first place, also called Sangam Indian Cuisine, in Cockeysville in 2022. The executive chef for both restaurants is Sathish Veeraperumal, who hails from Tamil Nadu in Southern India. He cooked for Chaudhry for nearly a decade, at the now-closed Masala Pot, also in Cockeysville, before the current restaurants opened. Though Chaudhry is from Punjab, in Northern India, the food from the South fills the tables at both Sangam locations. (“Northern Indian food is boring,” he says.)

The Ellicott City location is the considerably larger restaurant, with three times the seating and an expansive outdoor patio for summer dining. Its blond wood, pale walls, twinkly lights, and lots of windows create a space that is light-filled and minimalist, a departure from many Indian restaurants.

“I hate going into any restaurant that’s heavily decorated,” says Chaudhry. “A lot of people get overwhelmed by the Taj Mahal bullshit.”

It’s the food, he says, that should be the focus. At Sangam, the arrival of the dosa signals that it is. While you break off pieces of that golden cone, order one of the thali specials. Thali is the Hindu word for plate and translates into a plate of various small dishes, not unlike the Korean banchan served at the start of meals. Sangam has five versions of thali, and they’re as pretty as they are delicious.

Then consider opting for a biryani, one of the highlights of Southern Indian cuisine and of Veeraperumal’s menu. A dish of rice and various meats, seafood, or vegetables, it’s a turmeric-hued dome of flavors. Sangam’s versions are particularly pretty, decorated with crescents of red onion and lime. The goat iteration is a splendid feast, the fork-tender bits of meat hidden inside like treasure.

Both goat and lamb are an integral part of the long menu and are sourced from a Maryland farm. Another hallmark of Southern Indian food, and an excellent appetizer, are idlis, little steamed cakes made from rice flour and paired with more sambal and chutney.

Pacing, it should be noted, is as important here as bringing a few friends, because you’ll also want to order one of the appam specials. Appams, thin, crepe-like pancakes made with rice flour and coconut milk, are another regional dish that is unusual to find and which is done extremely well here. Pale, lacey, and aromatic, they’re accompanied by little bowls of curry and are both deeply flavorful and wonderfully delicate.

As for what else to order, you could just close your eyes and see where your fork lands; you’ll be happy with whatever comes out of the kitchen. There’s a section of Indo-Chinese rice and noodle dishes, another of tandoori specials, yet another of soups; vegetarians will be overjoyed at the breadth of available options.

As you’ll have long finished your introductory dosa, order another in the form of the onion dosa. This might sound pedestrian or redundant at this point, but it is one of the highlights of the kitchen. Made with a slightly different batter that cooks into a crisp filigree on the flattop, it’s folded around a spicy potato filling and crowned with chopped onions before being served with, yes, more sambal and chutney.

Sangam’s focus on ingredients also sets it apart. The biryanis are made with different kinds of specialty rice, the paneer is made in house, fresh curry leaves dot the menu, and the sauces are bright and complex.

“Do you know what happens to curry after four hours?” asks Chaudhry, who says that he gets calls from folks asking if the restaurant serves lunch buffets. Sangam does not have a lunch buffet. Rather, what it has is an astonishing catalog of dishes almost impossible to find in the Baltimore area, which has many excellent Northern Indian restaurants but very few featuring food from the South.

Bring some friends—you’ll need help eating.

SANGAM INDIAN CUISINE: 10039 Baltimore National Pike, Unit A, Ellicott City, 410-313-8818. HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30-9:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., 5:30- 10 p.m. PRICES: Appetizers and dosas: $7-20; mains: $17-24; desserts: $7-10. AMBIANCE: Classy dining in a suburban shopping mall.

It is an article of faith that some of the best and often unheralded food can be found in strip malls. So it was not surprising recently to find an excellent Sichuan noodle shop just off Route 40 in Ellicott City, next to a dentist’s office, at the side of a parking lot the size of a lacrosse field.

Pepper House, open since April 2021, is the first restaurant from a couple with no background in the restaurant industry but a great love of traditional Chinese food. Yuan Shen, who is from Hunan, runs the front of the house, while her husband, Frank Liang, is the chef. Liang is a native of Chongquing, a sprawling city in southwestern China known for its fiercely spicy noodle bowls, in this case packed with bok choy, scallions, a golden-yellow egg, and plenty of house-made chile oil (glorious stuff that you can—and certainly should—buy by the jar).

The menu is a highly curated one of noodles both with and without soup, various dry pot and hot pot dishes called “malatang,” dumplings, a few hot dishes (the crispy fish is excellent), and some smaller cold dishes (“mouth watering” chicken, mung-bean jelly). Most of the dishes are doused with chiles in one form or another, and many are charged with the Sichuan pepper corns that produce the numbing effect called “mala.”

That said, thanks to Liang’s deft touch in the kitchen, the food is not overwhelmed by heat but by flavor. Surprisingly, Liang was not trained in food but in music: A professional opera singer, he still teaches students, who come to the restaurant to take classes. And, when the restaurant isn’t busy, he plays the piano that sits against the wall in the small dining room, sometimes accompanying himself. (A tenor, he’s fond of Pavarotti.)

The small restaurant, which was previously an office, is arranged around two communal tables and a counter, atop which sits a huge glass vat of that house chile oil, like beautiful crimson artwork.

Laminated menus display one side in English, the other in Mandarin. There’s also another menu with dishes that
take longer to make—Mongolian lamb, sour cabbage duck soup, braised pork belly—and can be ordered ahead for parties or feasts.

The thin, wheat noodles that fill the various bowls come from a New York vendor; they’re supple and chewy, the perfect foil for the soups and sauces. Along with the Chongquing noodles, Liang makes a terrific Chengdu iteration of dan dan noodles, a popular dish he prepares with pork and both dried and pickled greenery and is meant to be well-mixed before consumption—something that Shen often sees to herself, shortly after delivering the bowls.

The dumplings are also unusually good: Hefty, pork-filled, and topped with the house chile oil, they’re a dream version of the wontons invariably found on Chinese menus.

“Chile sauce and mala are the soul of Sichuan cooking,” says Shen, who notes that, when she and her husband were first working to open their restaurant, they ignored friends who advised them to offer American-Chinese dishes rather than traditional Chinese fare.

We are so very glad they did.

PEPPER HOUSE: 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Ste. 105, Ellicott City, 410-418-8866. HOURS: Tues.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. PRICES: Noodles: $13.99-15.99; fried rice, hot pots and main dishes: $13.99-19.99.

The night before the biggest game of his life, Bruce Zimmermann walked on to a quiet, empty, mostly dark Camden Yards field to imagine how things might go the next day—and take in the setting.

In a scene from a baseball fairytale, a little after 9 p.m. on Sunday, with no one else around, the 27-year-old that grew up a 20-minute drive away near Ellicott City stepped on the pitcher’s mound at Oriole Park and gazed at the sights.

There was the Opening Day logo spray-painted in white in the grass behind home plate. The new deeper, and higher left field wall, reconstructed in the offseason, to help pitchers just like him. And, of course, his eyes drifted to the iconic brick warehouse in right field, gently lit in the black sky.

“It was storybook, in a way,” Zimmermann said.

So was what happened the next day.

In the 30th Opening Day in Camden Yards on Monday afternoon—and the first home opener in two years where most of the stadium’s seats were filled—Zimmermann’s performance compelled thousands of fans to chant his first name, as if he were the New Jersey-born lead singer of the E Street Band.

Bruuuce!

On a warm spring afternoon, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound leftie buttoned-up his No. 50 Orioles jersey and threw four scoreless innings. He tossed 66 pitches in all, and allowed only three hits to power the Orioles to their first win of the year, a 2-0 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. (If you’re a fan of symmetry, it was the exact same score the Orioles won their first-ever game at Camden Yards, 30 years ago.)

For a guy only beginning his second full big-league season, who grew up in the Baltimore suburbs, went to high school at Loyola-Blakefield, and then had a mostly unremarkable stint pitching at Towson University, it was as magical a day as they come.

“This one will always be up there for sure,” Zimmermann said afterward, standing near his locker. “I have to put it right there with my debut, maybe a little bit more, with everything and the environment. The first time seeing Oriole Park like that, as a player, was incredibly special.”

It was for those of us in the crowd, too. For one thing, the noise was back, along with the sense of a freewheeling, communal experience that, even with limited crowds last year, has been largely missing from Camden Yards since 2019 because of the pandemic.

On Monday, when Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins smacked a go-ahead, two-run single in the second inning, scoring lightning-fast shortstop Jorge Mateo all the way from second base, the cathartic sound of celebration was reminiscent of a big playoff moment.

“Oh yeah,” Mullins said. “That was awesome. It was an exciting moment. And we’re going to have a lot more.”

Frankly, Opening Day 2022 felt almost normal, as if we had we not lived through the past two years.

I was one of the rare few to attend the last two home openers. In 2020, I sat with a few dozen onlookers in the press box for an eerie July game against the Yankees played in front of no fans and in near silence with hand sanitizer use strongly encouraged.

Last year, a limited capacity of roughly 10,000 fans took in the O’s more traditional early April opener against the Boston Red Sox. We wrote then that it was a step toward life as we used to know it.

This year’s Opening Day marked another, and perhaps the biggest—in a baseball context. It was a crisply played game in which health protocols and COVID-19 worries finally seemed secondary to what happened on the field.

Before Zimmermann’s first pitch, fans strolled down Eutaw Street in orange-and-black gear, without masks, some in pursuit of a fresh Boog’s Barbecue sandwich, others in search of a table at Dempsey’s Brew Pub on the first level of the warehouse.

Yet a few other architecturally-inclined minds—and some kids in search of baseballs from the Brewers warming up on the field—headed straight to something new: the remade left-field stands.

In the offseason, the O’s removed roughly 1,000 seats from the short porch in left, making the field larger and home run wall a little higher, a design intended to reduce the number of home runs that fly out of the park, some that would be routine flyouts in other pro stadiums.

If it looks like someone—or specifically, construction workers—carved a slice out of what used to be there, that’s exactly what happened. There’s also now an awkward sharp corner in deep left field that we hope no one runs into full speed.

One game into the season: So far, so good.

Eventually, everyone (the crowd was announced as a sellout of 44,461 but there were obvious empties to the contrary) found their seats, and the lower bowl filled beneath a clear blue sky and gentle sun, as the orange carpet was rolled out in center field to cap off orchestrated pregame ceremonies.

As part of the festivities, Mullins received a giant Silver Slugger trophy—marking his peers voting him the best hitter in all of baseball at his position in 2021, following a breakout season in which he became the first Oriole ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season.

Fan favorite, cancer-beater and longest-tenured O Trey Mancini, who started at designated hitter, received the loudest ovation. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who set a team record for home runs by a rookie last year, beating a mark previously held by Cal Ripken Jr., enjoyed a loud welcome back too.

After the game, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who, like the rest of us, didn’t sign up for the circumstances of the past two years, said, “It was fun to hear Orioles fans cheering, and a lot of them. Our guys fed off the energy.”

Also during pregame, on the scoreboard in center field, Baltimore-based poet and author Kondwani Fidel delivered a video tribute to Camden Yards’ 30-year anniversary that gave us chills.

The Morgan State University choir, which performed the national anthem at Oriole Park on April 6, 1992, did the same this year (more symmetry!), while a giant flag from Fort McHenry was draped behind the green facade.

And, for the ceremonial first pitch, Kortez Baker, the son of slain Baltimore City police officer Keona Holley, as well as relatives of the three city firefighters who died in action in January, and the one who survived, John McMaster, took positions near the mound.

Then there was Zimmermann, who became the first Maryland-born pitcher to start a home opener for the Orioles since 1990, and first to ever do it at Camden Yards. And it happened nearly four years after he first joined the Orioles organization as a minor-leaguer via a trade that sent pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to the Atlanta Braves.

Before the game, Hyde said he hoped Zimmermann could handle the obvious butterflies in anticipation of the moment. He started 13 games last year after being called up late in 2020, but had never started Opening Day in his hometown ballpark. (Thus the night-before walkthrough, perhaps.)

After the game, Hyde said, “Zim pitched extremely well,” and highlighted his effective mix of fastballs, changeups and curveballs.

So how was Bruuuce’s anxiety level? “Pretty manageable,” Zimmermann told us. “It was high, but I knew it was going to be high. It was another start, with a lot of added adrenaline. I was more concerned about just getting through a clean first inning and setting up the rest of my outing.”

After a 1-2-3 first inning, we heard his first name being chanted a little bit in appreciation from O’s die-hards. And, after the second inning, when he struck out a batter with an off-speed pitch and a runner on second, it felt like we were at Springsteen concert. Same at the end of the third, when he got out of a bases-loaded jam following a brief mound visit from pitching coach Chris Holt.

“Walking off and hearing the Bruuuce chant and everything,” Zimmermann said, “that really hit and fired me up a little bit more.”

So did the knowledge that a large crew of longtime supporters, including his parents, aunts and uncles, and former college coaches were in attendance behind home plate.

Admittedly, though, Zimmermann tried not to look at them. He feared even a momentary distraction in the loud, jumpy environment could veer him from the vision of success he’d had on the mound in the quiet moments at Camden Yards the night before.

“Internally, there was a lot going on,” he said. “Usually, I do try to peek up, but [with] the magnitude of the day today, it was just kind of, ‘Stay focused as long as possible.’”

That was about four innings. On the surface, a performance of that length might not seem like something worth much glory, but it was the most that was expected of him. Given an abbreviated spring training stemming from labor negotiations between Major League Baseball owners and players that delayed the start of preseason and Opening Day, Zimmermann’s pitch count on Monday was predetermined to be 70.

He finished four just shy of his maximum, and he looked sharp, striking out four and allowing two walks. Two-thirds of his pitches were strikes, a very good sign of things to come.

“It’s a long season ahead,” Zimmermann said, “but getting this win and everything about today was the perfect way to set off a hopefully long, healthy, successful season.”

EAT

Aug. 8: Tianquiztli

Creative Alliance. 3134 Eastern Ave. 12-3 p.m. Free.

Celebrate the flavors and traditions of Latin America at this outdoor market in the lot across the street from the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown. For its first installment, Tianquiztly—which means marketplace in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs—will focus on maize (corn), a staple in Latin American cuisine. Upper Fells Point neighbors Cocina Luchadoras will be on site serving their handmade tortillas and other recipes featuring corn, while local artists showcase works available for purchase and musicians David Vass and Jorge Gutierrez provide the live soundtrack for the afternoon.

DRINK

Aug. 8: 8 Years of Magic with Union Craft Brewing

Facebook Live. 8 p.m. Free.

Magical is one way to sum up Union Craft Brewing’s eight years since debuting in Hampden. Though the team is unable to throw a traditional birthday blowout in the taproom this year, they’re still celebrating via Facebook Live. DJ James Nasty will be providing the music, and UCB’s brew crew will be hosting a talk show to kick off the party on Saturday night. To keep the celebrations going, Union will release three new beers over the next few weeks and bring back its beloved Double Duckpin DIPA. Plus, loyalists can show their support by grabbing one of Union’s special anniversary boxes that include two of each of the new beers, as well as an eighth-anniversary pint glass and a commemorative Magic 8 Ball.

SEE

Aug. 7-9: National Anthem at the Baltimore Museum of Art

Baltimore Museum of Art. 10 Art Museum Dr. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.. Free.

The BMA’s team knows how much visitors miss strolling through their vast galleries and gazing at their renowned collections, so this week, they are launching new outdoor programming for enthusiasts to enjoy. Premiering in the Latrobe Spring House, Kota Ezawa’s National Anthem is a single-channel animated video that draws inspiration from football players like Colin Kaepernick who took a knee, raised fists, or locked arms during the National Anthem to call attention to racial inequality and police brutality. After watching the powerful video, you can explore the grounds, visit the Sculpture Gardens, and learn about the exterior art with BMA’s Go Mobile audio tour.

HEAR

Aug. 8: WTMD’s Pirate Radio Concert

Multiple locations including Canton Waterfront Park. 6-8 p.m. Free.

While COVID-19 may have forced WTMD to batten down the hatches and cancel its famous First Thursdays concert series, the Towson radio station has not deserted its duty to bring free live music to Charm City. This weekend, WTMD organizers, along with Rufus Roundtree and Da Bmore Brass Factory, are boarding Urban Pirates’ flagship vessel to debut their floating concert. The band will be cruising through Canton, Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Locust Point while playing their funky, jazzy tunes for locals to enjoy safely on shore or aboard their own boat.

DO

Aug. 9: Second Saturdays in Old Ellicott City

Old Ellicott City. 8321 Main Street. 10 a.m-8 p.m. Free.

Spend your Saturday strolling down Main Street in Ellicott City to shop ‘til you drop. More than thirty boutiques—including Poppy and Stella, Sweet Elizabeth Jane, and Reclaimed By You—will be offering sales all day so you can snag a pair of new shoes, a fresh outfit, and even some art to bedeck your bare walls. Main Street will also be hosting outdoor dining, live music, and creative fitness classes to help neighbors make the most of their weekends.

When Paul and Claudia Zohorsky bought their Ellicott City home in the 1990s, it was a practical decision: The house had the bedrooms and closet space they needed for themselves and their seven children. For years, the focus of the family’s life was just that—the kids. Think school, carpool, sports teams, the works. But when the youngest child left for college, Claudia knew it was time for a change.

“With extended family and grandchildren coming back, this house was still a good space for us, so we decided to hunker down and retire here, but I wanted everything to be beautiful,” she says. “The emphasis was on our new stage of life.”

While there are no longer all those children tromping the halls every day, the home still needed to work for visits from the Zohorskys’ grandchildren. That calls for plenty of seating—there are two separate seating areas in the family room, for example—and the couple wanted everything to be comfortable.

“The livability of the house is real, it’s not a museum,” she says. Zohorsky selected interior designer Kelley Proxmire to craft this new, beautiful space. Proxmire is a family friend and the two women share a love of color.

“I love Kelley’s aesthetic,” says Zohorsky. “I came from the North Shore of Long Island, where there was that bright, pink-and-green preppy style…I didn’t want it to be all monotone or restricted in its sensibilities.”

“I love color, it’s just fun and happy,” says Proxmire. “But I love for color to flow.” In addition to making sure color transitions worked from room to room, Proxmire says she tried to keep large pieces neutral and use color on accent pieces. That way, as tastes change, it will be easier to update the space.

Similarly, custom wool rugs in soft neutrals ground each room. Proxmire loves the statement fabrics can make, and a good example is the Lee Jofa coral fabric in the dining room. That was inspired by the pattern of Zohorsky’s fine china.

“I love the dining room,” says Proxmire, noting the beautiful wallpaper above the wainscoting and the custom 72-inch round table, one of three custom pieces in the room commissioned from Shoemaker Country in Ellicott City.

Shades of coral emerge in almost every other room, from pops of color on throw
pillows in the more subdued library to the downright exuberant wallpaper in the
mudroom.

“That wallpaper is my favorite,” says Zohorsky of the bright textiles from
Thibaut’s Caravan collection. “I love the sense of freedom of it.”

The pre-existing living room was lacking in architectural detail, so Proxmire conceived of the mirror-on-mirror treatment to give it a focal point. In a nod to practicality, she repurposed the Zohorsky’s pedestal dining table, dressing it as a side table, though it can still be used as an extra dining area for large groups.

At the core of the home is the entry foyer, a neutral grounding point for a house of vibrant splashes of color. While Proxmire sources most of her materials from the Washington, D.C., Design Center, she loves a good find at a secondhand shop, and she’s particularly pleased with the foyer’s table.

Made of fiberglass, the pedestal (which Proxmire topped with stone) was once a prop at the former Woodward & Lothrop department store. Proxmire picked it up at one of her flea market-style haunts.

“I love one-of-a-kind pieces, and I often find them in vintage or junk shops,” says Proxmire. “I call it ‘The Hunt.’ I absolutely love the hunt.”

A room marked more by its serenity than its vibrancy is the master bedroom.
Zohorsky recalls that she selected the blue, gravitating to a fabric sample Proxmire brought.

“[She] would bring choices and let me pick,” says Zohorsky. “Once she had a starting point in the room, she would work everything around it. It’s such a natural talent for her.”

Zohorsky describes the renovated house as a haven. She loves the library with its
arched windows and fireplace, where she has tea; another favorite is the bright, oversized ottoman in the family room, which is often where grandbabies are propped up for group adoration. And the colorful mudroom always brings a smile.

“This renovation is a gift,” says Zohorsky. “We’ve done a lot of hard work with our
family over many years, and this is like the icing on the cake.

A retail store lasting for 20 years is no small feat. For Nick Johnson, owner of décor and furniture company Su Casa, the key to thriving has been support from the Baltimore community—through unpredictable weather, new locations, and everything in between.

After a long period of personal and product-driven growth, the team at Su Casa has no immediate plans for expansion and is focusing efforts on its current locations in Fells Point, Ellicott City, Bethany Beach, and Ocean View, Delaware. Collaborating with local artisans like Max’s Candles, Oak & Iron Designs, and Charlie Barton, Johnson places huge emphasis on the importance of small businesses supporting and sustaining each other.

We sat down with Johnson to chat about the history, evolution, and future of the interior design company.

What was the initial inspiration behind Su Casa?
Back then, we had this model all centered around the Big Iguana. It was basically a hippie store, lots of clothes, jewelry, accessories, and then we started doing candles, candle holders, and art—that sort of thing. Our model was to open a new store based on the parts that are doing really well. We wanted to sell more artwork and accessories and small pieces of furniture than would fit into this little hippie store. So, we created Su Casa. I would have never thought 20 years ago that we would end up with four stores, two warehouses, and this customer service model. We just wanted to sell more mirrors and glassware. Then, whoops it became serious.

How has the community in Baltimore treated you over the past 20 years?
We’ve loved it. I think part of it is our focus on the customer. We’ve never been the typical furniture store. It’s never about having Fourth of July or Memorial Day sales. We don’t do any of those things. Our customers have been super supportive, they come back to us over and over. We built policies around taking care of the customer first and the business second. We’ve moved with people and, when you take care of the people, they then support you and do whatever they can to help you out.

The flood in Ellicott City is the perfect example. The second time around was a lot harder for us than the first time, except that we knew what the challenges were and what we would have to do to overcome them. But in the end, we got an incredible amount of support, so we feel we’ve built a much better business the third time around because of the support we received.

What did you have to do for the Ellicott City location after the flooding occurred?
The first time around, we had to do a lot of actual construction because it had never happened to that store before. In the rebuilding, we did things like half-jokingly put in a waterproof floor and we’re like, “Oh, if it ever happens again, the floor’s going to be great. Because it will never happen again.”

And then it happened again. We were truly all set to leave Ellicott City because we had inches of mud covering the entire first floor. And we didn’t know if we could go through this again. We literally, in three days, took every piece of inventory, floor to ceiling, walls, everything, out. Then, the landlord said, “The store looks great, when are you going to reopen?” The store looked terrible. But as it turns out, he understood the importance of businesses coming back and so he jumped into action, cleaned out the store for us, made it happen, and then everybody that supported us financially and emotionally made it so we could come back.

Just like you expanded into furniture, do you plan on expanding the business into anything else in the future?
I would leave that up to my wife. If there’s one person who is more driven than me, it’s her. She has four different businesses right now and she keeps expanding. I love what we do. Other people are like, “You work seven days a week?” But at the same time, I love being at work. I don’t have any crazy ideas of how to pull a concept out of this store and create its own concept right now. But that being said, we have a history of doing that. So, who knows?

Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?
Work hard. Ultimately, some of the areas where we’ve had challenges I’ve overcome it by plowing into it and putting in the hours. I worry that a lot of people these days who start businesses don’t understand that you can overcome a lot just by putting more of yourself into that business. You can overcome being short on cash. You can overcome being short on staff. You can overcome losing the identity of your business, by being your business.

What has Baltimore meant to you?
The city is a great place. It has a lot of challenges right now. But I always end up remembering how fortunate we are to be in this area with things like Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, Under Armour. They drive a lot of the economy here and being in the city is a part of that. Because I don’t think you get that elsewhere. You don’t have these main drivers in employment and in an economy in every region. So, the city has been great for that—people shouldn’t take that for granted.

Why did you choose to incorporate local artisans?
That has been the most fundamental change for us in the last five years. Some of the things I’m most proud of are the people who started off making things in their garage who wanted to sell it. There are a few stories like that I really love where it’s people who end up aligning what they do with what we do. It becomes a symbiotic relationship where we feed their business, they feed our business, and their business grows into other people’s stores.

Do you have any goals for the next 20 years?
We eventually want to open more stores. We’ve really embraced this idea of being a part of a community and I think that’s the hardest thing to replicate. We don’t want to lose focus on how important a business is to a neighborhood. You can’t just open a new store and suddenly be a part of that. We look at areas where we know we have some influence or we have some support from customers or staff. We’d love to expand into Annapolis or go back up to Towson. But longer term, it’s growth, being mindful of the impact we have, and how we can support and help the communities we are in.

Are you doing anything to celebrate the anniversary?
We hope to throw some sort of party. But being in four different locations, it’s tough figuring out how to handle that logistically. But we will continue to do sales and things throughout the year, where we reinforce the fact that we’ve been around a long time and we hope to be around a lot longer.

B. Willow to open in Canton
After two years of laying down roots on West 27th Streetin Remington, everyone’s favorite plant palace, B. Willow, is opening a second location in Canton. The two-story space just off O’Donnell Square will host their already excellent array plants and terrariums, as well as a selection of furniture and home goods from Cedar & Cotton, a local company specializing in new and vintage furnishings. We have a feeling that everything in this store will spark joy. Sorry Marie Kondo. 2822 O’Donnell St.

Radcliffe Jewelers thrives in new Kenilworth home.
This past September popular local jeweler Radcliffe made the move from Towson Town Center to The Shops at Kenilworth and has been received with open arms—and more parking spaces. After over 30 years in the mall, Radcliffe is happy to be in a new space that has a real community feel with other local retailers like Ruth Shaw, About Faces, and South Moon Under. Along with their new digs, this location offers styles from Rolex, David Yurman, and many more. Keep an eye out for upcoming trunk shows and their big annual sale in April. 800 Kenilworth Dr., Towson, 410-321-6590

Poppy and Stella to open in Old Ellicott City
Fells Point favorite Poppy and Stella announced they will be opening a location in Old Ellicott City this April. The store, which was once home to toy store All Time Toys, will feature a similar assortment of shoes, apparel, accessories, and gift items from brands like Sam Edelman, Knot Sisters, and Dolce Vita to name a few. Follow along on social media for more details on the new store and an opening date. 8185 Main St., Ellicott City

Cohen’s Clothier closes after 115 years in business
It’s the end of an era for preppy style institution Cohen’s Clothier. After 115 years in business, the shop announced via Facebook earlier this month that it would be closing its doors for good. Originally located on South Broadway in Fells Point, Cohen’s was first opened in 1904 by Max Cohen and has stayed in the family as it evolved, expanded, and relocated to its Cockeysville location. In a message to his customers, owner Gilbert Cohen explained that their current lease was up and that the time had come for him to retire. “Goodbyes are never easy,” states Cohen. “But the satisfaction of filling a need in our community for so many years will remain.” 64 Cranbrook Rd. 410-666-8020

Outside of Main Street, the dining scene in Ellicott City can be summed up in two words: strip malls. In a land where private residences are neatly sequestered away from the businesses, what is lost in curb appeal is at least made up for with ample parking. But the cookie-cutter commercial facades can also belie engaging, family-oriented service and some truly inventive cuisine, aimed at the demographic sweet spot in these middle- to upper-class suburbs. The White Oak Tavern is such a place, having been a local award-winning hotspot since its opening four years ago.

Tucked in the back corner of the Enchanted Forest shopping center, the nondescript glass storefront opens into a surprisingly airy space with lots of dark wood, elevated dining areas, a sizable patio, and a wraparound bar serving as a focal point. The space feels welcoming, industrial, and modern, all at once, a carefully crafted iteration of the gastropub concept that has proven to be so successful in HoCo. Beer is thus taken seriously here—more than 40 well-curated taps, with a diverse range of styles, plus a heavy representation of local beers. There is even a free-to-join mug club to help keep track of one’s journey through the rotating selections.

The menu continues the theme of approachable with a dash of esoteric, using ingredients from numerous farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Turned-up comfort and bar-food mainstays compose the bulk of options, with influences and styles freely intermingling. Flour tortilla tacos are filled with smoked chicken (free-range, of course) that has been curried with Indian spices and dressed in yogurt and chutney, and fried calamari gets treated to a savory miso aioli.

White Oak
feels welcoming and modern, a carefully crafted iteration of the gastropub concept.

Other dishes are simply next-level versions of themselves—Caesar salad appears pretty straightforward, but the house-made dressing is subtly balanced and perfectly coated on each pleasingly crisp chunk of romaine. Mac-n-cheese is made with orecchiette pasta and house-made Italian sausage redolent with fennel, luscious Parmesan cream sauce, and a healthy drizzle of pomegranate reduction. Chili cheese fries sub the shredded stuff for a from-scratch beer cheese sauce and a deeply flavored, faintly smoky-spicy mole-based chili further amplified with grass-fed ground beef, as well as coffee-rubbed smoked brisket (both from a farm in Baltimore County). The coffee is even from local roaster Zeke’s. It’s a stacking of ingredients that nicely summarizes what the menu is all about.

That same amazing chili is also listed as a soup, along with a vegetarian Hungarian mushroom soup that is loaded with both thick slices of mushrooms and darkly sweet paprika. There are several items that seem of the “just happen to be vegetarian” variety, including fried risotto balls with pineapple salsa, wild mushroom and blue cheese tarts, a “cheesesteak” made of mushrooms, chili cilantro slaw, and a lot of olive sofrito for an extra punch of umami, and spaghetti squash in roasted garlic sauce. The chef suggests adding chicken to that last dish, driving the point home that these dishes are made to be enjoyed for no other reason than that they are enjoyable.

Not many places delve into house-made pasta, but White Oak gives it a whirl, albeit in a limited scope. Fettucine serves as a base for a Stroganoff with beer-mustard spiked cream sauce, and, again, local grass-fed brisket, except it’s braised here.

If there is a must-try dish, it has to be the General Jorge’s Chicken. The name suggests Chinese-Mexican fusion, which it is, with just a whisper of coating on the chicken chunks, pleasantly toothsome udon noodles, and a glaze that is somewhat sweet, a tiny bit spicy, and bright with citrus essence.

Staff here leans more toward a tavern experience, all sharing good-natured earnestness, perhaps possessing of varying levels of expertise and polish, but seemingly glad to be there and eager to help. Bartenders occupy the top level, being expertly knowledgeable about both beverage offerings and the food. But this is the type of place where everyone says hello, thank you, and good-bye.

Locals no doubt feel further embraced with numerous daily and weekly specials, including “Kids Eat Free” on Mondays and all-day happy hour on Wednesdays. But the best-kept secret of all may be brunch, which is exceedingly rare in that it is served seven days a week. And it is not simply that breakfast-y selections are available all week—true hardcore brunchers will appreciate that bottomless Bloody Marys, mimosas, and sangria are also part of the deal, every single day.

THE WHITE OAK TAVERN 10030 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, 410-680-8974.
PRICES: Appetizers and small plates: $4-15; entrees: $11-26; desserts: $6-7. AMBIANCE: Casual.

After any bad rainstorm, the thoughts of many Marylanders turn to Ellicott City and its Main Street businesses. Because floodwaters ravaged the historic town twice in two years, Howard County executive Allan Kittleman and county councilman Jon Weinstein introduced legislation to tear down 10 properties on the most vulnerable lower half of the street.

“I wish we weren’t here,” Kittleman said as he announced a $50 million five-year flood migration plan on Thursday. “But this is a change we need.”

The demolition of the properties—which account for about 5 percent of buildings in the historic district—will expand the flood plain and the idea is to replace the buildings with green space and a larger channel for tributaries.

Executives from Preservation Maryland released a statement noting that this kind of demolition could result in Ellicott City being removed from the National Register of Historic Places, and therefore could lose a lot of incentives that help historic communities rebound and rebuild.

And while many Ellicott City residents desire more time to provide feedback and commentary on the proposed plan, the business owners most directly affected have been heavily involved in the conversation.

“We knew this announcement was coming. They didn’t ambush us,” said Mark Hammis, owner of neighborhood bar The Phoenix Emporium, one of the spaces slated for demolition. “I have a meeting coming up about what to do next. We’re still in the negotiating phase. But we’ll move somewhere, we have to. I’ve got kids I need to send to college.”

Another Main Street establishment affected by the flood migration plan will be furniture store Shoemaker Country, whose owners say they will continue to work no matter the store’s location.

“Keep an eye for our coming new location and reach out to us for the custom pieces of furniture that we are known for,” owner John Shoemaker said. “We are still producing pieces despite losing our retail shop in the flood.”

The future of other businesses seems a bit more uncertain, like Italian restaurant Portalli’s, which was extremely hard hit in both of the devastating floods of the last two years.

“Today is an extremely sad day for us at Portalli’s,” owner Evan Brown wrote on Facebook. “[We] would like to thank everyone who played a part in making Portalli’s a pillar in the community on lower Main Street for the past 10 years . . . When we started this business, we wanted to offer the community a unique place to spend time while enjoying good food. We can only hope we’ve been successful in achieving our goal and were able to provide that for you, our guests. Words cannot describe how appreciative we are for the support we’ve received from you, time and time again, after every tragic event we’ve faced.”

Other businesses, like retail shop Sweet Elizabeth Jane, are counting their blessings that they were able to move towards the top of the hill in between floods and their building can be spared from the latest demolition plan. Though, owners acknowledge, the town doesn’t feel quite the same.

“We are all affected,” Sweet Elizabeth Jane owner Tammy Beideman said. “The foot traffic from other businesses not being here is going to be a problem. There’s still not a lot open. You really need the whole town to make things good. We just have to take it one day at a time and do the best that we can.”

Unlike the first flood when many businesses were driven to open, things are a lot different after this most recent flood on Main Street. Some businesses will not be returning this time around, and few other retail shops, like Culture Lab and HorseSpirit Arts Gallery, are relocating.

“There is no right or wrong answer,” Beideman said. “You just have to evaluate your risks, your investment, and your comfort level with the whole thing. The push shouldn’t be to reopen by all means. The push should be to do what is right for your business. What it looks like for every business is different.”

For both Beideman and Hammis of The Phoenix, in particular, the idea of keeping their businesses local has been the top priority.

“Howard County will always be the optimal location for me,” Hammis said. “But we’re going to move somewhere, of course we are. Keeping this place open is all I know how to do.”

Like many Marylanders, Brian Treacy sat devastated as he watched news footage of flood waters rushing down Main Street in Ellicott City on Sunday, May 27. The town’s second catastrophic flood in two years had wiped out businesses, overturned vehicles, and taken the life of Sgt. Eddison Hermond, a heroic National Guardsmen who was attempting to rescue a resident when he got caught in the torrent.

“My heart just went out to them,” says Treacy, president of the Sagamore Spirit distillery in Port Covington. “Less than 18 months after the first flood, these folks were going through this again. I immediately sent off an email to my team saying, ‘I don’t know what it is, but we need to do something.’ By the time I came in on Monday, people were standing there at the door ready to talk about what we could do to help.”

At the time, Sagamore’s limited-release Cognac Finish—a rye whiskey five years in the making—was just about ready to go to market. But instead of shipping the bottles through distributors and retailers, the company decided to sell them directly from the distillery and donate 100 percent of the proceeds to flood relief efforts led by the Ellicott City Partnership (ECP).

“It was a challenging decision for us in some ways because we wanted to get it as far out into the market as possible,” Treacy says. “But the way things are set up in the three-tier system, there would be one third or less of the money left by the time we went through that process. We wanted to make sure the Ellicott City community had every dollar.”

This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Cognac Finish will be on full display at a special iteration of Sagamore’s ongoing Whiskey on the Waterfront event. Aside from featuring the usual live music by local bands and eats from neighboring Rye Street Tavern, this weekend’s outdoor fête will focus on selling all 1,000 bottles of Cognac Finish.

Priced at $70 per bottle, the limited-release rye is 105-proof—featuring notes of spice, honey, almond, and vanilla from its time spent finishing in French cognac barrels.

“We proofed it pretty high, so it’s nice and strong just like the Ellicott City community,” Treacy says. “We thought it would be a great dedication to them. They’re extremely resilient, and they’re worthy of one of our best whiskies yet.”

More than 30 Ellicott City shops and restaurants have reopened since the flash flood, and officials are anticipating that traffic on Main Street could resume as early as this weekend. But there are still many residents and business owners who will benefit greatly from Sagamore’s direct donation.

“As sad as a devastating flood is, I’m uplifted each day by the generosity of people all over who want to help,” says Heather Gaetano, ECP board member and promotions committee chair. “When we’re having our rougher moments, it really helps to know that we’re still supported and people still believe in our town.”

In the spirit of community, Sagamore invited Ellicott City executives to the distillery campus earlier this month to participate in the bottling of the Cognac Finish. Gaetano—along with Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, County Council representative Jon Weinstein, and other officials—were involved in every step of the process, and even got to initial some of the labels.

“Many of our hours are usually spent agonizing over individual stories and difficulties,” Gaetano says. “So this was a really positive way to be together and feel supported. It’s nice to see that people don’t want to let go of the magic that is Old Ellicott City.”

Treacy, who describes the bottling event as a “career highlight,” is looking forward to expanding that experience to the community this weekend. Though organizers are hoping to sell out at Saturday’s event, any leftover bottles will be available for purchase at the EC Marketplace on Saturday, July 28—which will be followed by the 2018 ECStrong 5K around the neighborhood.

“It doesn’t end once these bottles sell,” Treacy says. “Ellicott City knows they have a big lift in front of them, and they do it with a smile and they don’t complain. It’s our job to keep checking in to see what we can do.”

EC STRONG
This past Sunday, an estimated 8.4 inches of rain fell in less than three hours in Ellicott City, causing another devastating flood less than two years after another catastrophic storm left a path of local destruction in July 2016—then considered a one-in-a-thousand-year event. This time, the waters gutted businesses, submerged cars, and in some cases rose as high as the first-floor ceilings. One Maryland National Guardsman, Sgt. Eddison A. Hermond, lost his life while trying to rescue a local shopkeeper. Buildings are still being assessed for structural damage, but many residents and business owners have vowed to rebuild, as they did after the last storm. Fundraisers and donation drives are now being organized to help the town in its recovery. Located in a valley at the confluence of three substantial streams feeding into the Patapsco River, experts are now assessing the impact of development and climate change on this already flood-prone geography.

GOOD CATCH
In early May, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources released the results of the 2018 winter survey, which shows that the blue crab’s population remains stable. The overall population is down, with increased mortality for adult females due in part by a cold winter but remains near its long-term average. Meanwhile, the number of juveniles has increased by 34 percent. The study suggests that these numbers may lead to a slow start for the harvest in the spring and early summer months, followed by improvements later in the season.

SLIM PICKINGS
At the same time, the Maryland seafood industry has felt the ripple effects of the Trump administration’s immigration stance, with nearly half of the Eastern Shore’s crab-picking houses left with no workers to pick the meat. Since the 1980s, the seasonal workforce has largely consisted of Latin American women who arrive by the hundreds on guest work visas. This year, for the first time, those H-2B visas were awarded by lottery, compared to the traditional first-come, first-served basis, with federal labor officials receiving some 81,000 applications nationwide while only 33,000 were approved. In Maryland, at least 200 applications were denied. With the local crab season nearly two months underway, it is unclear what impact this could have on prices. Some within the industry fear a sharp increase in picked meat prices, due to a decreased supply from the worker shortage, doubled with a decrease price for steamed crabs because of surplus of hard shells that would have otherwise been picked. According to Rep. Andy Harris, the Trump administration has agreed to approve more visas, but no update has been given at this time. Gov. Larry Hogan has requested the federal government take immediate action to increase the cap.

HAPPY SWIMMING
In late May, the Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative announced dramatic progress documented in an annual report on the Baltimore Harbor, making the nonprofit’s goal of a swimmable, fishable harbor by 2020 all the more realistic. Thirty-two out of 49 monitoring stations showed substantial improvement, including every stream, with parts of the Jones Falls now considered safe for swimming. They hope that a new $430 million infrastructure upgrade to reduce sewer overflows by 80 percent will also have a dramatic impact by its completion in 2020. An overhaul of the storm water system is also in the works, with an expected completion by 2021. In 2017, 150 tons less trash was collected in the harbor, and bacteria scores have shown signs of improvement as well.

AQUATIC TLC
On Thursday, the National Aquarium opened its new Animal Care and Rescue Center on East Fayette Street in Jonestown. Previously located in an anonymous Fells Point warehouse, the $20 million state-of-the-art facility will now be open for limited tours to the public. Starting this summer, visitors will be allowed a behind-the-scenes look at the aquarium’s 50,000-square-foot space that will provide animal care and veterinary services for up to 5,000 creatures, ranging from fish and sea turtles to stingrays and seals. New features include individually temperature-controlled tanks, specialized lighting that mimics natural sunrises and sunsets, and the ability to produce some 15,000 gallons of saltwater. The space will also be used to fabricate the aquarium’s intricate animal habitats.

SHELL GAME
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and local scientists are working to bring freshwater mussels back to the state’s rivers and streams where the bivalves were once prolific along local waterways. These tiny filter-feeders have all but disappeared, due to pollution, runoff, dams, and the loss of host fish, but efforts are underway to propagate 10,000 baby Eastern Elliptio mussels to be planted in the Patapsco River. Once established, they can live for up to 20 or 30 years. As oysters are being used to help restore the Chesapeake Bay, scientists hope these native mussels will help clean the rebounding river, which runs from central Maryland to Baltimore before flowing into the estuary. Similarly, volunteers from The Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership planted more than 200,000 oysters this month along a protected reef near Fort Carroll on the Patapsco, part of its ongoing mission to plant 5 million oysters on by the year 2020.

FINDING FLIPPER
With increased sightings taking place along local waterways, researchers have confirmed that dolphins are now appearing in the Chesapeake Bay by the hundreds. While such reports are not new for the estuary, with records dating back to the 1800s, it is leading to increased efforts to track the sea mammals and study the role of improved water quality and rebounding fisheries. Last June, researchers launched the Chesapeake Dolphin Watch website for citizens to submit their sightings. They plan to release a mobile app version of the website in the future.

FORWARD THINKING
The Friends School of Baltimore has announced plans to start using 100 percent renewable energy starting by July 1, 2018. Using CleanChoice Energy, the Quaker school will now receive electricity from regional wind and solar farms, with the move being inspired in part by the upper school’s student-faculty Green Club. Committed to environmental stewardship, Friends was named an official Maryland Green School in 2017.

For the second time in two years, Ellicott City is in need of relief after flood waters ravaged down Main Street on Sunday, May 27. The storm brought an estimated 8.4 inches of rain in less than three hours (nearly .2 inches more than the July 2016 storm), leaving cars submerged in water, storefronts severely damaged, and one National Guardsmen found dead after helping to rescue a woman in the torrent. In true Charm City fashion, the community is once again coming together to organize fundraisers, dining promotions, and benefit concerts to help residents and business owners in need. Here are ways that you can help:

ONGOING: Yoga for a Cause at Krav Maga Maryland
Every week Krav Maga Maryland hosts a yoga class benefiting local and personal causes, at $5 for members and $10 for non-members. For the rest of the summer, all profits from their ongoing Yoga for a Cause fundraiser will go toward flood relief in Old Ellicott City. Come out to Columbia on Thursdays at 6 p.m. to donate in down-dog style. 8865 Stanford Blvd, Ste 141 Columbia, 6 p.m. $5-10.

5/30: Horseshoe Casino Fundraiser
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is lending a hand by donating a portion of the day’s drink proceeds to Howard County Government’s relief fund. Specifically, Horseshoe will give $2 of every drink sold at its multi-level bar 14Forty throughout the day. During the Stanley Cup matchup in the evening, $3 of all drinks sold will go toward disaster relief. 1525 Russell St., 844-777-7463

5/31: Flood Fundraiser for Ellicott City and West Baltimore
Stop by Fells Point Tavern from 6-10 p.m. on Thursday to sip Tito’s drink specials and challenge friends to a round of life-sized Jenga in support of the cause. All proceeds from the evening’s event will be donated to disaster relief in Ellicott City and other areas of West Baltimore that were severely flooded. Fells Point Tavern, 1606 Thames St., 6-10 p.m. 410-276-4700.

5/31: Yogi for Old EC
Stop by Yogi Castle in Ellicott City—which thankfully wasn’t damaged by the storm—this Thursday evening to enjoy a cup of frozen yogurt for a good cause. The shop will offer raffle prizes and a donation station to benefit those in need. 10132 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, 410-418-4889

6/2: Fundraiser for Old Ellicott City at Wieland’s Barbecue
This barbecue joint, located just a stone’s throw away in Catonsville, is hosting a benefit concert featuring the folk and Americana sounds of local band Strings Attached. All donations made during the event will be given directly to the Ellicott City Partnership. Wieland’s BBQ, 821 Frederick Rd., Catonsville, 5 p.m., 410-593-1245.

6/2: Dry, Dry Again: Benefit Concert for Ellicott City
The family-owned Rooster + Hen Store is lifting spirits through music therapy at this benefit concert. The organic market will feature local artists, like the Colamiles and Joe P. Harris, while serving food for friends and family. Treats and tunes are nothing new for Rooster + Hen Store, which hosts free live music every Wednesday. But this Saturday, proceeds will go to the Ellicott City Partnership, starting with a $10 suggested donation. Rooster + Hen Store, 2302 Frederick Road, Catonsville, 6-8 p.m. 443-341-6166

6/3: Ellicott City Fundraiser at Black Flag Brewing Co.
This Columbia brewery has named one of its latest releases after Ellicott City. The EC Wit—a Belgian witbier made with coriander, cherries, and blackberries—will debut at the brewery’s benefit for flood victims on June 3. Hang out in the taproom to sample the beer while enjoying pretzel rolls from Dough Boy Fresh Pretzel Co. Fifty percent of all on-premise drink sales (plus $1 of any to-go purchases) will be donated to clean-up efforts. Plus, all bartenders will be donating 50 percent of the day’s tips to aid in relief. Black Flag Brewing Co., 9315 Snowden River Pkwy, Ste. C., Columbia, 12-7 p.m.

6/6: Peace a Pizza Fundraiser
Neighboring Ellicott City in Catonsville, Peace a Pizza was luckily unaffected by the weekend’s flash flooding. In an effort to help rebuild Miss FIT on Main Street, the pie shop is donating 20 percent of its pizza proceeds on June 6 to the women’s gym. Whether dining in or carrying out, be sure to mention supporting the cause. 15 Mellor Ave, Catonsville, 410-747-2255

6/7: Fundraiser for Ellicott City at Heavy Seas Beer

Heavy Seas stands up to flash flooding with this fundraiser to clean up and minimize devastation. Next Thursday, the tap room will host live music by the Faceless Ones, and donate half of its earnings to the Ellicott City Partnership—just as it did to aid damage in 2016. Back then, the nonprofit was able to collect and distribute over $1.85 million to help with recovery. Heavy Seas Beer, 4615 Hollins Ferry Rd., Halethorpe, 3 p.m. 410-247-7822

6/8: A Drink for Ellicott City
Join The Baltimore Whiskey Company for pizza, cocktails, and live music at Paulie Gees in Hampden. The evening’s entire bar tab will be donated to the Ellicott City Partnership. Paulie Gees, 3535 Chestnut Ave., 9 p.m.-2 a.m., 410-647-1048

6/9: Ellicott City Fundraiser at Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House
Guinness’ new facility in Halethorpe is lending a hand to its neighbors in need with this fundraiser on Saturday, June 9. The test taproom will donate 50 percent of the day’s beer and merch sales to the Ellicott City Partnership to aid in rebuilding efforts. 5001 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe, 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

6/14: Goldschmidt Vineyards Seminar
Petite Cellars fine wine shop in Ellicott City will host educational seminars throughout June, starting with this talk from winemaker Nick Goldschmidt. Learn about his experience working in wine areas like New Zealand, Australia, and South America as he showcases featured wines like Chelsea merlot and Boulder Bank sauvignon blanc. All proceeds will benefit the Ellicott City Partnership. 11079 Resort Rd., Ellicott City, 6-9 p.m. (410) 750-0562, $35

6/15: Knob Creek Petite Cellars Single Barrel Launch
Indulge your senses during this Knob Creek bourbon tasting with light hors d’oeuvres. There will be discounts available through the event, along with a bottle engraving. Proceeds will go to the Ellicott City Partnership, and donations are also encouraged. 1079 Resort Rd., Ellicott City, 4-8 p.m. (410) 750-0562, $10

6/22: We Are EC Strong Benefit Show
A handful of local musicians and drag performers will gather in Mt. Vernon for this benefit show at Grand Central Nightclub. Enjoy entertainment by Kyle Sharp, Anastasia Mae Belladonna, Venus Fastrada, Chris Jay, and more. There will also be t-shirts on sale to benefit the cause. Grand Central Nightclub, 1001 N. Charles St., 9-11 p.m., 410-752-7133

6/22: Patron Roca Tequila Mixology Class

Test your tequila technique and learn how to mix a masterful margarita at this seminar that takes you through the history and production of Patron. Purchase your favorite variety afterward for a discounted price, while tickets go toward the Ellicott City Partnership. 1079 Resort Rd., Ellicott City, 6:30 p.m. (410) 750-0562, $25

7/28: ECStrong 5K
The ECStrong 5K started in 2016 as an annual race to remember the devastation caused by that year’s flash flooding. Now, in the wake of the second flood, runners will support businesses that were impacted in 2016, as well as those in need of relief currently. The race’s $35 registration fee includes a t-shirt, chip timing, and free beer at the finish line. This year the festival returns with live music, vendors, and breweries. All profits will be donated to the Ellicott City Partnership. Course begins at Howard County Courthouse at Park Place, 3451 Court House Drive, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., $35.

7/28: ECStrong Festival
Bring the entire family to the Howard County Fairgrounds for this festival that will donate 100 percent of ticket sales to flood victims. Highlights will include live music, onsite breweries and distilleries, a variety of food trucks, and a kids zone with toys and games. Howard County Fair, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., West Friendship, 12-8 p.m., 410-442-1022

Diablo Doughnuts Creates Ellicott City Doughnut: Stop by this doughnut shop—which recently unveiled its new location in Federal Hill—to sample a special EC Strong doughnut glazed with the colors of the Maryland flag. Owner Michael Roslan is making eight dozen per day, and selling them for $2 each. All proceeds will be donated directly to disaster relief. 1035 Light St., 410-892-3251.

United Way Reestablishes ECStrong Fund: In an effort to provide shelter, food , and other basic necessities in the wake of the flood, United Way of Central Maryland has reactivated its ECStrong Fund—which initially launched after the devastation in 2016. Mirroring the previous campaign, 100 percent of all donations received will go directly toward providing relief as quickly as possible. Residents are encouraged to call 211 for immediate assistance.

GoFundMe for Ellicott Mills Brewing Company Employees: Ellicott Mills Brewing owner Timmy Kenzski has established this crowdfunding campaign to help his staff get back on their feet. “Help if you can,” he posted to Facebook. “All we can do is wait and do what we can.”

Phoenix Emporium Recovery Fund: After fully recovering from the 2016 flood, this beloved bar was once again wiped out during Sunday’s storm. Management has established a GoFundMe page that will assist employees with rent, car payments, and other living expenses until they can find employment elsewhere.

GoFundMe for Park Ridge Trading Company: Among the many businesses damaged or destroyed is Max Robinson’s Park Ridge Trading Company—which is back to square one again. The family-owned gourmet kitchen goods store rebuilt once before and is looking for support to reopen a second time. Robinson has established a GoFundMe page to fund reconstruction, provide for employees, and support tenants in the apartments above the store.

Fundraiser for All Time Toys: It was all fun and games at All Time Toys, which was established by a group of friends in 2006. Ten years later, after ownership shifted to co-founder Jason Barnes, the store needed complete reconstruction from the first flood. Now, Barnes has created a GoFundMe page raising money to salvage his livelihood yet again.

GoFundMe for Su Casa Furniture: For 18 years, Su Casa has furnished Ellicott City homes, among others nearby its three additional locations in Maryland and Delaware. Ready to rebuild again, the company started this GoFundMe page to continue being a part of Historic Ellicott City. In this trying time for the city, Su Casa appreciates “the strength in our communities,” they wrote on the page.

GoFundMe for Antique Depot Buddy McFreed: In 2016, Beth Tribe of Reisterstown began a GoFundMe on behalf of Stefan Freed to help with rent after the first flood. His shop, Buddy McFreed’s, was a trove of retro treasure, with the goal of making “the world a little brighter.” Now, the same page has been reactivated as Freed works to reopen the store.

Fundraiser for A La Mode Boutique: This beloved boutique, which was forced to relocate to the top of Main Street after the first flood, had only been open for six weeks before the waters rushed in again—causing significant damage to its brand new space and products. Friends and customers have established this GoFundMe page to help husband-and-wife owners Chris and Amie McCaslin rebuild their store yet again. A La Mode Boutique has also begun selling $5 ECStrong bracelets to support the cause.

Fundraiser for Junk Girl and A Journey from Junk: Both of these vintage stores from owner Kelli Fitzsimmons-Myers sustained significant damage and loss during the flash flood. All donations from the crowdfunding campaign will go toward rebuilding and reopening the stores, so that Fitzsimmons-Myers can reconnect with her loyal customers.

Sgt. Eddison Hermond Memorial Scholarship: Friends and family of Sgt. Eddison Hermond, who was tragically and heroically killed in the flood, have set up this scholarship fund in his memory. While serving as a National Guardsmen, Hermond also worked for Howard County’s Victoria Restaurant Group—which operates Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia and most recently opened Manor Hill Tavern in Ellicott City. To continue the legacy of his service, the scholarship will be awarded annually to a member of the hospitality industry who embodies the values that Hermond lived by.

Save the Clock T-Shirts: These t-shirts are back on sale after the iconic Ellicott City clock on Main Street was swept away yet again. The shirts are $20 each and all proceeds will be donated to the Ellicott City Partnership.

T. Rowe Price Makes Sizable Donation: The Baltimore-based global investment manager is donating a $20,000 grant to be distributed evenly between the Community Foundation of Howard County and United Way of Central Maryland’s ECStrong Fund. “Our thoughts are with those who were impacted by last week’s flood in Old Ellicott City,” said T. Rowe Price Foundation president John Brothers, in a statement. “The town is a historic treasure, and we consider it our responsibility to invest in the vitality of the communities where our associates live and work.”

*This list will be updated.

Less than two years ago, Ellicott Mills Brewing owner Timmy Kendzierski created a GoFundMe page to help his employees get back on their feet after a devastating flood in Ellicott City. Yesterday, he found himself doing the very same thing.

“I simply have no words right now,” he posted to Facebook. “I am concerned for the families affected and have a lot of work and considerations to make. Right now all I need is support and a lending hand to get through this.”

The National Weather Service estimated that 8.4 inches of rain fell in Ellicott City in less than three hours on Sunday. The gauges in the July 2016 storm captured 8.22 inches. Water rose to the second floor of places like The Phoenix Emporium, decimated businesses including Tea on the Tiber, and many people were forced to move to higher ground.

“We noticed the water pounding outside and we knew there was some rain in the forecast, but this amount was not expected,” says Mt. Vernon resident Dan Driscoll, who grabbed a late lunch at The Judge’s Bench and moved to higher ground on the second floor of The Wine Bin across the street. “We were very appreciative of the EMT workers and fire department for their assistance from the very start and are thinking of the people of Ellicott City.”

As we reported last year, many Ellicott City businesses rebounded from the 2016 flood. Out of the nearly 150 businesses and services in the neighborhood’s historic district before the flood, a mere 19 decided not to return. A recent study estimated that the downtown area contributes nearly $200 million to Howard County’s economy.

“I have a lot to think about and consider,” Kendzierski wrote. “Please pray for my family and my brewery family and all the residents and business affected.”

Geography, of course, does not do the town any favors. Ellicott City’s Main Street acts as a funnel with substantial streams—the Hudson, the Tiber, and the New Cut—converging and running underneath buildings before entering into the Patapsco River.

Gov. Larry Hogan, who visited Ellicott City yesterday with Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, declared a state of emergency on the town. As of Monday evening, National Guardsman Eddison “Eddie” Hermond was still reported missing after trying to help a neighbor rescue her cat.

“This is a great community and a great country,” Main Street Oriental Rugs owner Mojan Bagha told The Washington Post. “Like a phoenix, it will rise from the ashes. Let’s be positive. Let’s think how we can rebuild.”

Already, several area businesses have planned fundraisers to aid in rebuilding relief, including Hysteria Brewing in Columbia earlier today and Fells Point Tavern, which is a hosting an event this Thursday.

Of course, many in Ellicott City are wondering about future flooding. Following the 2016 storm, engineering firm McCormick Taylor compiled a Hydrology and Hydraulics Study of the town, advising the installation of several storm water retention ponds, among other recommendations. But the inevitable conclusion was that, even with the modifications in place, nature could still take its course.

Kendzierski of Ellicott Mills Brewing Company shares that events like this put things into perspective.

“I am uncertain at this time where the state and county will take us from here,” he says. “Immediately, I have to take care of priority one: my family.”

In 2017, everyone wanted a piece of Lindsey Jordan. The Ellicott City high school student had just recorded a raw, reverberating EP with her two childhood friends in their small-town garage, and in a few short months, it seemed like every publication, festival, and fan now knew her band’s name. As the new whiz kids of indie-rock, Snail Mail performed SXSW, graced The New York Times, set up shop behind an NPR Tiny Desk, and arguably became Pitchfork’s favorite act of the year, all before recording a full-length record.

That day is finally here, with June’s debut Lush—a robust coming-of-age album full of refreshingly genuine emotion and ’90s-era guitar—and Jordan’s life shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In between photo shoots, music videos, and cross-country tours, we caught up with the 18-year-old singer-songwriter-guitar-slayer during a visit home to Maryland. Catch her band at the Parkway Theater on July 12.

Your life is crazy these days. This year alone, you’ve been to SXSW, toured the U.S., and released two music videos. You still live in Maryland, though, when you’re off the road?
Yeah, in Ellicott City! I’m kind of in-between deciding if I want to live on the West Coast, North Carolina, or in Baltimore City. I’m really torn but at this hopeful crossroads.

Do you find coming home to be rejuvenating?
It’s incredible. It’s the best thing ever. I have a really nice routine. I sleep in and make food. I go to the gym in the morning, then this coffee shop right next to my house called Bean Hollow, where I just read. I go roller-skating when I have time on Thursday nights at our roller rink. I write songs. I love traveling but it’s so good to have time at home.

When you’re not home, how do you stay grounded? 
I find the process to be humbling. It’s been fun and terrifying and busy, but aAll the publications and travel and attention are pretty secondary to how everything actually happens. At the end of the day, it’s just me in my room, writing songs. Everything’s down to my discretion. The most important part is the songwriting and the performance. So much goes into just knowing yourself and being a genuine writer. But if you really believe in what you’re doing and actually care about the music, everything goes pretty smoothly.

Your interest in music started at a young age. How did you come to find the guitar?
I asked my parents for a guitar and lessons for Christmas when I was 5. I have very vague ideas as to how that came to be because it was such a long time ago. It may have had something to do with the movie School of Rock, and I really liked Avril Lavigne. But once I had a guitar in my hand, I discovered Paramore, at the age of 8, which is still my favorite band today. Paramore was the first band I knew that was led by a woman. I was so into all those Warped Tour bands and didn’t even know that girls were allowed to be in them. But my sister took me to their concert and I remember so clearly having this big moment.

Growing up in Maryland, did you go to a lot of shows?
I went to a lot of shows in Baltimore and D.C. as a tween with my mom. She’d go and stand in the back so as to not embarrass me, which is really sweet. But I was always an avid music fan. I remember being really young, watching MTV and VH1, and copying whatever my older sister was listening to. I went to rock camp and played in the jazz band and the church band and school plays. As I became a guitar player, I reallydove into music so that I could have even more to play. A lot of shreddy stuff, because that’s the kind of player I wanted to be.

You mentioned that you still write when you’re home today. What is your process?
I write really sparsely. I don’t write on the road; I only write when I’m fully alone in my house and feeling absolutely inspired or in the mood, or else it feels like I have to do it. With the last record, I had to actually sit down and write because I was running out of time and didn’t have enough songs. Nobody’s put a deadline on me for the next record. I’m fully planning on taking as much time as possible to make the best thing I possibly can. I don’t want to spoil the process for myself. It still feels like a really magical thing.

There’s been a lot of magic in the air, including a recent interview with one of your favorite artists, Liz Phair. It must be pretty cool to just have casual phone calls with some of your idols.
It’s just cool to have that around you. I don’t find myself drooling over anybody or being anything more than just humbled to be around musicians who I’ve always respected and admired. It’s been especially amazing to experience the album-making process. I’ve learned so much. There are so many things coming up that I don’t think I ever would have had if it weren’t for this opportunity.

You’ve been friends with two of your bandmates—Ray Brown, on drums, and Alex Bass, on bass—since high school. Is it nice having them be a part of this with you?
I really love and care about them and I’m so glad that they’ve been able to take time off school to do this. We brought this thing from the ground up, all together, and it just feels right. We all really support each other. We love going out to breakfast together when we’re on tour. We’re as close as can be. It’s so natural and nothing is forced about it—or anything with Snail Mail for that matter. Everything still feels really homegrown.

Now that Lush is about to come out, how do you feel?
I’ve actually never felt crazier in my entire life. Well, when we were making the album, I probably felt a little crazier. But it feels like you’re about to go down a drop on a roller coaster. I love roller coasters, but I’m still kind of scared. At the same time, I feel ready to share it with the world. I can’t wait to play it live and have people know the words. I still really believe in all of these songs and I wouldn’t change a single thing if I could.

You’ve talked about the frustration that comes with being considered a “female guitar player,” rather than just a “guitar player.” Does that still bother you, and how do you balance that with the pressure to own your femininity in the midst of the #MeToo movement?
I do think we’re going through a really cool time in music, but I don’t necessarily feel like I’m proud of being a woman. It’s just who I am. There’s a lot of “you go, girl!” energy out there right now, and in a way, it’s kind of infantilizing. It puts forth this idea that girls are born with an actual disadvantage. In music, young girls are not encouraged to play the guitar, and I definitely grew up in gaggles of boys, struggling to figure out what it meant to me to be a musician and a guitar player and where I stood in the equation.

I don’t necessarily involve my private life in my public life, not because I’m ashamed of it, but because it doesn’t feel like it has anything to do with my music. At the same time, I am openly gay, and if that allows me to be a beacon of representation for people, then that’s good to do. I’m comfortable talking about being gay and being a woman if that means something to someone else. If that can mean we’re making strides and that my daughter one day will be able to be in a band and not just be the “female guitarist,” then that’s great.

You’ve now sold out the Ottobar and WTMD and, soon enough, the Parkway Theater on July 12! Do you consider yourself part of the Baltimore music scene like we do?
I definitely used to be. If there was a show, I was at it, like every single day as soon as I got my license. I followed all the DIY and punk bands and was really into local record shopping. Now I don’t get that much time at home, but I watch it from afar and have lots of local favorites—Romantic States, Outer Spaces, Post Pink, Celebration, pretty much anything Jana Hunter has ever done; I have all of her Lower Dens records. It’s still really important to me. I’m really excited to play the Parkway.

“It will be about an hour-and-a-half wait,” the hostess said, while reassuring us that this was typical for a Friday night. Our party of two had shown up—naively, it turned out—without reservations in the midst of Ellicott City’s Midnight Madness, the early December evening when the historic mill town’s many boutiques stay open late to accommodate holiday shoppers. The town was engulfed in a holly-jolly hubbub, and, apparently, we had the same idea as nearly everyone else: “Let’s grab a bite to eat at Manor Hill Tavern.”

The crush of patrons vying for tables that night illustrates just how quickly, since opening in early 2017, Manor Hill Tavern has ingrained itself into the town’s dining firmament. And once you get a look at the space—a warren of dining and bar areas inside a series of brightly colored barns—and its menu—designed by chef Chad Wells of Victoria Gastro Pub fame and full of microbrews and creative gastropub fare—it’s easy to see why.

This is a Goldilocks restaurant if ever there was one, a place designed to please everyone from finicky kids to fusty Aunt Edna. On our visit, we sat in the upstairs dining room and appreciated its rustic architectural details, including exposed beams, shiplap walls, and a working fireplace. We also listened as high-spirited chatter floated across the hall from the upstairs bar. (There’s another bar area downstairs.) The bar highlights microbrews from Manor Hill Brewing, the restaurant’s farm-brewery, which grows its own hops and other vegetables on 54 acres in Ellicott City. We could see how one could spend a Sunday in the bar with a couple of brews (maybe a Manor Hill Grisette or traditional IPA), some appetizers, and the game on the flatscreen.

But we were here for the full dinner experience, so we started with an appetizer of meatballs served over broccoli-cheddar mashed potatoes. A demi-glace of caramelized ketchup (essentially barbecue sauce) was a bit too sweet, but it did provide some nice moisture for the slightly dry meatballs. Manor Hill Tavern prides itself on its Neopolitan-style pizzas, which are made in a brick pizza oven. Several specialty pies are on offer, as well as a build-your-own menu offering everything from basil to wild boar. We opted for The Old Line pizza, an 8-inch red-sauce pie topped with a provolone-mozzarella blend, beer-braised sausage, shreds of Maryland crab, and a healthy dusting of Old Bay. The spicy Old Bay balanced the rich crab and savory sausage well, and the medium-thick crust managed to be both crisp and chewy.

Of our two entrees—a lemon-herb-marinated half chicken and a barley risotto with mushrooms, cauliflower, and Parmesan in a tomato gravy—the risotto was the standout. The barley was a clever substitute for rice, and the mix of flavors worked—earthy mushrooms, creamy Parmesan, and sweet tomato broth. The chicken, served over artichoke, tomato, and goat cheese orzo in arugula pesto sauce, was perfectly pleasant, if unremarkable. Dessert was tempting, but we demurred for another time—if we can get a table, that is.

MANOR HILL TAVERN 3733 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City, 410-465-8500. HOURS Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-2 a.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-midnight. PRICES Appetizers: $6-13; Pizzas: $8 and up; Entrees: $9-22; Desserts: $8-9. CUISINE Creative gastropub. AMBIANCE Rustic colonial with modern touches.    

Fast fashion—or mass produced styles that go from the runway to retail quickly to capitalize on trends—has never been appealing to boutique owner Macy Della of Bear Fox Babe in Old Ellicott City. 

“I hate trends,” says Della. “I really just want people to be aware that they can get quality pieces at an affordable price.” 

And that’s why she opened Bear Fox Babe—named after nicknames for her two dogs and her husband (cue the “awwws”)—in a charming little cottage in Old Ellicott City’s Lot D last April. 

Having worked in the fashion industry as a model, Della noticed that designers would get rid of leftover pieces from each season at a much lower price point. She then began making connections with showrooms and building her inventory with samples and overstock from some of her favorite designers—brands like Rachel Zoe, Free People, and Reformation. 

“We are always at least at half off the suggested retail price,” says Della. “Of course I am most often compared to Marshalls or the Nordstrom Rack, but my pieces are at an even lower price point and my selection is much more curated.” 

After the devastating flood that took place last summer, Ellicott City came to a standstill, and while Bear Fox Babe only had minimal damage, Della chose to leave her original store space for a new location on Main Street in March. 

“It is daunting, because we are right in the center and if something ever happened again it would affect us drastically,” Della says. “But I’m willing to risk it because I love this town.” 

The new store is light and airy with more room for product and Bear Fox Babe’s recently launched rental collection, which consists of evening wear and cocktail dresses available for week-long rentals starting at $22. Della is able to reach more people in the new space and offers free personal shopping. 

“Boutiques are supposed to be a tailored experience,” she says. “That’s part of the joy in it for me. I want to create an experience.”

Last summer, Luu Quoc Hung and Kay Chen, the husband-and-wife owners of the fantastic Hong Kong-style restaurant Asian Court, relocated their 7-year-old business from its original home in Ellicott City to five miles farther west on Baltimore National Pike. And though its new home in the Turf Valley Towne Square is more accessible to I-70—making the drive from Baltimore that much easier—we’re almost sorry the move was made. 

The new location is accommodating, an improvement over the original digs operating in the shadows of a tire shop. Even so, there was something about the original that let customers know they were in for an adventure. The interior was so drab that you knew the food had to be great. It looked just like a foodie find should. 

The food is still very special at the new Asian Court. There is evidence that an innovative chef is in the kitchen, and the dining experience is still dizzying, especially if you go for dim sum on a weekend, which you should. Asian Court actually serves a dim sum menu seven days a week, but on weekends it serves dim sum from carts—the dining room on a recent Saturday afternoon was merrily hectic. 

Brace yourself: Things happen fast. Carts wheel by, groaning with all manner of things on small plates, some of them—various dumplings filled with meat or shrimp—instantly recognizable. Others are less so, but try them. Only a few things, like the tripe and the chicken feet, feel like something out of Anthony Bourdain’s travels. Most items are surprisingly accessible, eye-pleasing, and delicious. 

You’ll definitely want to grab the har-ren, which are fried balls of minced shrimp, like bite-size versions of shrimp toast; the lo-bak-goh—turnip rice cakes (delicate, mild-flavored palate cleansers); and the nai-won-bao, one of several steamed bun options—this one filled with a slightly sweet egg custard.

Ask for the regular menu, because you’ll want to do some ordering from there, too. Here again, there are a few dishes that even experienced international diners might think twice about—sautéed pig intestine, anyone? But the majority of these dishes are just exotic enough to give you the feeling of eating something bathed in a halo of authenticity.

Chief among our favorites is the salt-and-pepper fish fillet, which dissolves meltingly on the tongue with each bite. Another favorite is jumbo shrimp served with walnuts in a mayonnaise-based sauce, kind of a Hong Kong-style Waldorf salad. You may consider separating a dim sum excursion from a menu-based meal. Once you get a taste of what Asian Court has to offer, you’ll have no trouble convincing yourself to return.

›› ASIAN COURT 11105 Resort Road, Ellicott City, 410-461-8388. Hours: Mon.-Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Appetizers: $2.95-8; entrees: $10.95-32.95; desserts: $2.95.

Two p.m. is a peculiar time for a bar to open on a Saturday. Late for the lunch rush, but well before happy hour. On Main Street in Ellicott City, you don’t need a clock to know when the day’s 14th hour is approaching—just glance toward The Judge’s Bench. There you’ll see people start to, if not line up, mill about in anticipation of the front door’s unlocking. By a few ticks past two, most of the stools around the large, semi-oval bar will be, as they have been for years, cheerfully occupied.

Once a mom-and-pop grocery store where judges from the original Howard County courthouse would come for a cold drink they’d enjoy on a nearby bench, the bar has been a beloved downtown institution since 1978. (Current owners Michael and Jane Johnson bought it in 2007.) While it largely escaped the catastrophic damage inflicted on so many of the city’s businesses by a devastating flash flood last July, its doors were shuttered for more than a month.

There’s nothing particularly special about the place, unless you count a diverse rotating roster of craft beer, 280-plus kinds of whiskey (including what it claims is the “largest selection of single malts in the state”), or a slew of solid bar-food options that boasts a surprising number of vegan offerings. Actually, we do consider that special, which is why we wanted to revisit after it reopened.

We found the scene, service, and food to be, thankfully, unchanged. Chalkboards on either side of the bar display what’s available from the 17 taps, and the friendly bartender was more than happy to offer a sample to anyone with questions about a brew.

We needed some sustenance to go with our suds, so we started with Buffalo wings and vegetarian pot stickers. Odd bedfellows, for sure, but that’s a theme within a menu that includes everything from pizzas and quesadillas to a Reuben and a vegan “Gardein” burger. The wings were meaty and physically hot, but not overwhelmingly spicy, though they were slathered with a generous amount of sauce. The pot stickers offered a nice contrast, both in temperature and taste.

An 8-ounce Angus burger was served as we requested (medium rare), which is sadly a rarity in many restaurants these days. It was solid but outdone by the hazelnut-crusted vegan cutlet sandwich, caked in barbecue sauce with caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomato. Even the most carnivorous in our party tried a bite and admitted it was delicious.

When we strolled out around 4 o’clock, nearly every table was filled and nary a barstool available. It doesn’t really matter when you visit The Judge’s Bench—there’s no bad time for a cold beer and a tasty bite.

›› The Judge’s Bench 8385 Main St., Ellicott City, 410-465-3497. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 4 p.m.-2 a.m., Sat. 2 p.m.-2 a.m., Sun. 1 p.m.-2 a.m. Snacks: $3-10.95; sandwiches/wraps: $7.95-10.55.