Gambrills, MD

This community has over 200 condos tailored for the 55+ Adult lifestyle. Conveniently close to Route 3 and major highways, these are 4 story condos with Elevators and Secure Entry. Some of these condos come with underground parking and a storage unit.

Shopping is never easier with a 72-acre shopping mall very close by with a major grocery store, drug stores, restaurants, day spa, banks, doctors and dentist offices and so much more. Click http://www.shopwaughchapel.com/ to learn more or you can view http://www.ggcommercial.com/projects/pdfs/Waugh_Chapel.pdf to get a birds eye view. There are more stores planned such as a gym and Wegmans.

There is a lake in the middle of this community and paths all around it. At night the fountain is lit up with multicolored lights and presents a spectacular view from the condos and the restaurants.

I have a listing in this community. Please check it out at

http://activerain.com/blogsview/756331/2605-Chapel-Lake-Dr-313-Gambrills-Md-21054

"The Greater Crofton Area" is generally considered to include Crofton, Gambrills, and Odenton - three distinctly different communities located in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis Triangle. (And, I might add, there are distinctly different neighborhoods within each community.) Some of the confusion probably comes from the nonsensical zipcode boundaries created by the U.S. Post Office for Crofton.

Just picture a donut: Gambrills is like the donut itself, and Crofton is the hole in the center. Odenton is north and west of Crofton and Gambrills, but I couldn't tell you where one stops and the other starts.

Adding to the confuson:

• Crofton Centre (retail shopping) is located in Gambrills.
• Crofton Farms and other Crofton-named subdivisions are located in Gambrills.
• Crofton Automotive, Crofton Skate-Zone and other Crofton-named businesses and professional offices are located in Gambrills.
• The Greater Crofton Council is an umbrella organization for community associations in all three zipcodes (PLUS Davidsonville).
• Many community organizations include residents of all three zipcodes.
• School boundaries in each of these zipcodes were affected by the recent opening of Nantucket Elementary School, formerly known as the "Gambrills Area Elementary School" - but located in Crofton.

Besides sharing a convenient location in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis Triangle, Crofton, Gambrills and Odenton share many local resources such as shopping, dining and professional services. They use the same public transportation (MARC Station in Odenton, BWI Airport) and highways for commuting. And residents are looking for that "hometown feeling" in spite of living in a huge metropolitan area. Most newcomers nterested in any one of these communities will also look at homes in the others - and they can't go wrong, no matter which zipcode they choose for buying a home.

I, for one, do think of The Greater Crofton Area as a single entity, with different three communities that make this a great place to live and work!

Some of the differences in these zipcodes are reflected in the real estate market. Take a look at these tables comparing the number of units sold in September, 2005-2008, and the average days on market for the same period:

Want more real estate info on these communities? I can provide you tables showing the average and median sold prices during the same timeframe, and details about current and recently sold home lilstings. Just ask me. Or maybe you want to check out homes for sale in these communities.

Crofton Homes for Sale Gambrills Homes for Sale Odenton Homes for Sale

Included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

This is not your mother's hairdresser or nail salon!

Robert Andrew Salon & Spa is a 22,000 sq. ft. "Tuscan-themed" day spa located in Gambrills (about 15 minutes from Fort Meade) offering a wide range of hair and nail services, massages, skin treatment, and retail products.

I could recite the history of Robert Andrew Salon & Spa or provide a detailed list of all the services they offer, but you can find those at RobertAndrew.com. I could rave about Jennifer, my manicurist, and Lorie, who does my hair. But their beautiful facility and variety of services are not the only things that set apart Robert Andrew from other salons - in fact, from other businesses in the area. They're a GREAT neighbor!

Each month, when I walk through their doors, evidence of their community service or health awareness promotion for the month is evident. For example, one month they may select Go Red For Women to promote women's heart health. Another month, Breast Cancer Awareness may be their theme. In September, they're promoting Operation Support the Troops, with retail space set aside to display appropriate items for care packages or Christmas stockings to send deployed soldiers or recuperating veterans at nearby medical facilities, and many staff members are wearing camouflage tee shirts with the Robert Andrew logo emblazoned in silver glitter. ('Makes me chuckle just to think about them!)

But that's not all - They treat wounded female soldiers and wives of recuperating military personnel to services at the Robert Andrew Salon & Spa. And they invited some of our nation's heroes and their families to the company's annual picnic. This is clearly an effort from the heart and not just a marketing strategy. I have to applaud owner Bob Zupko for his leadership in these efforts.

Wait, there's more... A Tuscan fountain, which is the centerpiece of the retail area at Robert Andrew, is surrounded by tables and chairs where customers wait for their appointment. But it's more than a decorating feature - coins tossed into this fountain year round are donated to the Make a Wish Foundation.

If you're new to Fort Meade, Gambrills, Odenton or Crofton and haven't yet found the right place to get your hair and nails done, check out the Robert Andrew Salon & Spa at the Village of Waugh Chapel in Gambrills. At least go in and pick up one of their brochures and price lists. And while you're there, toss a coin in the fountain. It's a great cause!

Thank you Robert Andrew Salon & Spa for being such a good neighbor, and congratulations on repeatedly being named one of the Top 200 salons in North America by Salon Today Magazine.

P.S. - Hey guys... the next time you need a birthday or anniversary present for a lady in your life, stop in to pick up a gift card. She'll love it. And who knows... you might get lucky by coinciding your visit with the Washington Redskins or Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders, since Robert Andrew is the "official" salon for both teams.

PHOTO: MWoda
Robert Andrew Salon & Spa - Gambrills, Maryland
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved.

Kauffman's Tavern, in Gambrills Maryland, is not located on the water, where you might expect to find one of Anne Arundel County's premier crab houses. In fact, it's not even a crab house. But boy.... do they have good steamed crabs! You can get them any day for dining in or carry-out (in season, while supplies last) - yet Sundays are special because that's the day they offer "all-you-can-eat" crabs from 3-9 p.m. for just $28 per person. Not only that, they have live music on the patio from 2-6 p.m.

Kauffman's is located on Gambrills Road, off Route 175 between Fort Meade and Route 3. It's kind of a road to nowhere, so you're not likely to discover Kauffman's in your daily travels - if you're a regular customer, you probably remember who first told you about their crabs.

But crabs are not their only scrumptious menu item. One evening, Larry and I noticed nearby diners with prime rib that looked very good, so we ordered it ourselves. My own personal favorite place for prime rib is the Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst, in North Carolina, so I was thrilled to discover a local restaurant serving great prime rib.

There's more...

• Sunday -Jazz Brunch from 10 a.m. -2 p.m., with live music in the Sunight Garden Room
• Monday - One pound of jumbo spiced shrimp, just $15
• Tuesday - Prime rib night $15.95. Enjoy it with select wines for 50% off
• Wednesday and Thursday - All night Happy Hour (4 p.m. - 1 a.m.) with $5 chicken basket - on the patio
• Friday and Saturday - Live music on the patio

I've never had anything at Kaufmann's that wasn't good, and the service is always good, too. It's one of those neighborhood restaurants that only the locals know about, and you owe it to yourself to check it out.

DIRECTIONS:

From Crofton, take Route 3 North to Left on MD Route 175, Right on Gambrills Road to restaurant on the right. (about 15 minutes)

From Fort George G. Meade, take MD Route 75 to Gambrills Road on the left to restaurant on the right. (about 10 minutes)

PHOTOS: Istockphoto and MWoda

This post included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County Maryland