Reminder: Recyclables Pick-up Delayed in Holiday Week

Happy Independence Day Week!

As a reminder, since the holiday falls on Friday, Howard County's pick-up for recyclables will slide one day to Saturday while trash pick-up is unaffected:

Tuesday (7/1/14): Trash pick-up (normal schedule)
Saturday (7/5/14) Recyclables pick-up (slides down one day)

You can find the rest of the scheduled slide days for the year on Howard County's web site, Holiday Slide Schedule, but they are reposted here for your convenience:

Safeway BBQ Battle (DC)

One of the advantages of living halfway between Baltimore and Washington, DC is the wealth of things to do, some of them fairly unique to the area. 

This month we're highlighting the Safeway BBQ Battle, the 22nd Annual edition of which was held just a week ago on the weekend of June 21-22.

Each year Pennsylvania Avenue NW is closed between 9th Street and 14th Street in Washington, DC and turned into a combination food and music festival with a barbecue competition attached to it.

Our Newest Neighbor: Jailbreak Brewing

Last year Howard County changed its zoning laws to allow commercial ("Class 5") microbreweries producing up to 22,500 barrels of beer and the first of these new breweries, Jailbreak Brewing, opened up on Route 1 only a few miles from us with an emphasis on their own unique recipes for beer.

(Blackeyed Susan Brewing is also looking to open in Columbia, and the owners of Victoria Gastro Pub plan to start another new variation, Manor Hill Farm Brewery in Ellicott City.)

Jailbreak Brewing's industrial exterior hides a spacious, tasteful Tap Room clad in stainless steel, wood and stone, with a large plexiglass window providing a view into the brewing operations.

School's Out: Ice Cream and Movie Night!

Adrienne and her girls hosted another informal social event that they opened to the entire Autumn Walk community, an ice cream social followed by a movie night to celebrate the last day of school!

Adrienne had three tables set up with a huge array of toppings:

Vanilla ice cream and about 20 different toppings

Sterling Park Playground Renovation

(Updated 6/26/14 with pictures of the new equipment - which looks great!)

Emerson HOA sent out a message today saying that the long-planned replacement of the playground equipment at Sterling Park is scheduled to begin Friday or Monday, depending on the weather.

Sterling Park is on Eternal Sky Drive, bounded by Fall Rain Drive
and Deep Skies Drive

The Old Playground Equipment

6/23/14:

Everything was ripped out on June 23rd

Emerson 2014 Picnic and Pool Party

It was a beautiful day for the Annual Emerson Pool Party...it felt like the whole community was out there at some point in the day!

Flamingo Rising

Many thanks to Bindu and Dharm for kicking off the 2014 Flamingo Friday Season on "Flamingo the Thirteenth"!

The Flamingo Stops to Smell the Flowers

I had to leave early but I think I saw about half of the street there and even a few "alumni". The potluck was starting to roll in and there were a few growlers from the local vats of Jailbreak Brewing for a little judicious sampling!

The early afternoon deluge gave way to a perfect summer's evening with a light breeze, though I think the next storm rolled in at the end of the night to chase the stragglers away.

The Flamingo is now back in the Flamingo Cave but keep an eye peeled for further appearances (or drag him out yourself and host a Flamingo Friday)!

Emerson Community - Gorman Road Closure 6/21/14

(Update 8/12/14: Gorman Road Re-Opens!)

Gorman Road will be closed for construction for a month starting about June 21st. Below is the note from Emerson's CMC management team as well as a transcript of the voice recording from Howard County:

EMERSON COMMUNITY/GORMAN ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION: