TAKE THE HIGH ROAD
The owner and executive chef of the Milton Inn in Sparks, north of Baltimore, recently opened an equally 
elegant country restaurant in Howard County. Brian Boston’s new Highland Inn, located in a renovated 150-year-old farmhouse in a rural setting, will resemble the Milton Inn by offering a new American menu. But Boston, pictured at left, voted 2011 Chef of the Year by The Restaurant Association of Maryland, says prices will be a little lower, and he plans to honor such Maryland traditions as The Preakness with special themed dinners. He’s also hoping to cater large “tented” events like weddings at the site. The Highland Inn will have a strong emphasis on wine; in fact, the locus of the new lounge is an 800-bottle, glass-enclosed wine room, open for browsing. In spite of the building’s age, the Highland Inn will be entirely up-to-date in one respect- the restoration includes environmentally friendly details: geo-thermal heat, LED lights and the use of bamboo for all disposables.
BALDWIN’S STATION IS SYKED FOR FALL
Baldwin’s Station, located in Sykesville’s original 1883 train station, was named Maryland’s Favorite Restaurant by the Restaurant Association of Maryland at its spring awards gala. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the restaurant, overlooking the Patapsco River, is known for its musical series as well as Ladies’ Night Out parties (like a summer “rumtastic” party on the deck).
HUMBLE PIE
When local restaurants joined forces to raise funds by proffering “pink plate specials” to diners during the Blossoms of Hope festival last spring, Steve Wecker, in photo, far right, Blossoms of Hope board member and owner of the Iron Bridge Wine Company, issued a challenge to participating restaurants to see who could raise the most money. Mary and Joe Barbera, left and center, owners of Aida Bistro, took on the challenge, raising $9,100 for the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center. The penalty? Wecker and his staff agreed to wear specially made T-shirts for a week in July, proclaiming, “I’d rather be at Aida Bistro & Wine Bar.” All in good fun, as Wecker says, “the loser is cancer.” The two restaurants raised more than $12,000 for the Blossoms of Hope. We want to know what happened to the shirts when the week was up.
PUMPKIN (DIS)PATCHES
Larriland Farm in Woodbine celebrates fall with a month of events. Tractor drawn hayrides will ramble through woods decorated for Halloween, with evening hayrides available with a reservation. The signature “pumpkin hayride” includes a stop to pick your own pumpkin and visit to the autumn maze, constructed with more than 1,000 bales of straw. For younger kids, the Boo Barn features not-too-scary ghosts and goblins.
Along with the usual family-friendly events, like Family Farm Walks, a petting farm and the Enchanted Forest, Clark’s Elioak Farm in Clarksville has plenty of autumn events planned. Hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins, pumpkin coloring and crafts events, and the farm’s resounding conclusion to the season: a chance to catapult your tired pumpkin across the farm and see how far it goes at the annual Pumpkin Chunking Contest, the weekend after Halloween.
