When you live in Baltimore, you are never far from so many different settings. They call this state "America in Miniature" for good reason – we have the sea shore at Ocean City, we have the largest estuary in the United States with the Chesapeake Bay, we have flat farmland on the Eastern Shore, and the mountains of the Appalachians in the west. Not long ago we took advantage of the possibilities by driving over to Kent Island for lunch.
The Bay Bridge from a moving car.
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When you cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge you also cross from the hustle-bustle of Baltimore and Washington, DC, to a slower and quieter way of life. Kent Island is at the other end of the bridge and a world away.
Here you can stroll along the water watching the splashing ducks and look at the perched bird. You can slow down and enjoy the brilliant flowers, and then settle in for a delicious lunch at a place we enjoy, The Narrows. Named for the narrow waterway that separates Kent Island from the rest of the Eastern Shore, The Narrows is close enough for a lunch-time jaunt, but still has that on-vacation feel. The crab cakes and cream of crab soup with a splash of sherry is a favorite of many summer diners.
That's what I enjoy – a mini-getaway at Kent Island, Maryland.
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Gary Sisson is a Floyd Wickman trainer and one of my mentors. We met early in my career after I took the Sweathogs program, and have stayed good friends throughout the years. Gary called to say he was on his way to New Jersey visiting family, and would be coming through Baltimore on his way back home to North Carolina. We made plans to have lunch on his way home.
Lee and I would meet them at a favorite restaurant, the Bay Café in Baltimore,Maryland.
This is not a first for us..take a look You Can Get There From Here...Baltimore's Bay Café
It was a perfect day for us to have lunch at the Bay Café with Gary, his wife Lauren, and their lovely daughter, Olivia. The bar and restaurant has multiple levels, but we took a table outside and right on the water.

Bay Café is also known as Baltimore's Best Beach and with good reason.
When you walk from the parking lot it feels as if you've been transported to the tropics!
Look how they have made this feel like an island beach with gorgeous plants, lots of palms and flowering hibiscus.
Even the chalkboard of special events had a tropical feel, thanks to a couple of talented artists who work at the Café.
A Bit of Paradise...Good Friends at The Bay Café in Baltimore, Maryland



It was so pleasant sitting by the water, with good friends and good food. We enjoyed the superb shrimp salad, crab cakes, pizza and curly fries. In fact, we got so wrapped up in our conversation and feeding the birds that I forgot to photograph the food! But we have proof that the birds enjoyed the fries.

What else would you want for paradise but good friends, good food, and good conversation?
A Bit of Paradise...Good Friends at The Bay Café in Baltimore, Maryland
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After a full day of work or play...Here's a delightful way to get Ice Cream Down On the Farm and Oh So Close To Baltimore! You can be out into the country without traveling very far from Baltimore. Nearby Bel Air in Harford County, just north and east of Baltimore, is home to Broom's Bloom Farm.
You get out in the fresh country air and at the same time go back in time to when things were simple, hand made, and came with a good sense of humor. You knew it was good by the long line waiting to try one of the delicious flavors. Watching the people, of all ages, decide on what size was a real treat.


From the road there is no question this is a working farm. Pull in to a parking space and you'll be so close to the tall corn that you could actually pick an ear or two from your car.
The farm and house date all the way back to the early 1700's - David and Kate Dallam are the 9thgeneration of that family to live and work here. Since 1997 the Dallams have had 65 milking cows and they recently started making and selling old fashioned ice cream, cheese, and pork sausage. They feed their animals a natural diet and don't use any artificial growth hormones. Just another good reason to enjoy their fresh foods!


The décor is definitely "Down on the Farm" style with cows and chickens and bits of humor all around. When it came to choosing an ice cream flavor from that long list, it was no problem – chocolate cake batter for me! Choosing a size was harder – those dips were really big.


It's nice to know that this farm will not become a shopping mall some day. An Agricultural Land Preservation Easement assures that the Broom's Bloom Farm will be preserved forever. We'll certainly be back for more delicious ice cream!
When will you be having Ice Cream Down on the Farm and So Close to Baltimore ?
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A Romantic Dinner at Tio Pepe in Baltimore,Maryland
Yes, we went to Tío's tonight. No special occasion unless you count our 15,030-day anniversary as an occasion. Our very favorite restaurant is still almost unchanged even after forty plus years.
We went to Tío Pepe in downtown Baltimore when we were first married over 15,000 days ago. And after all this time, when we decide to go out for a romantic dinner, like tonight, we still are greeted like old (well we are) friends.
Francisco Lobo, the Maitre D', who we have always called Paco, treats us like royalty, telling us about the special dishes including some that are not on the menu. The chef and owner, Emiliano Sanz, studied cooking as a young man in Segovia, Spain. He apprenticed at some of the finest restaurants in Madrid before coming to Baltimore in 1971.
His unique style of combining classic techniques with regional Spanish cuisine has made Tío Pepe a Baltimore favorite. It has remained among "Baltimore's Best" for 12 consecutive years in Baltimore Magazine.
There is a wonderful selection of dishes to choose from. Our favorites include appetizers of shrimp in garlic sauce, salad Tío Pepe, crab meat in clam shells, black bean soup, gazpacho, and their famous potato puffs. Main dishes range from roast suckling pig, to the best soft shell crabs in the world, and a fabulous filet with béarnaise (Lee's favorite) along with a wonderful selection of fish including Dover sole.



Everyone always says they are too full, but somehow they manage to make room for something from the dessert tray like the luscious pine roll cake or chocolate roll cake along with a cup of delicious coffee or cappuccino.


Tío Pepe is one more good reason for a visit – don't miss this superb restaurant. We might just see you there.
When will you plan to have a A Romantic Dinner at Tio Pepe in Baltimore, Maryland?
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It was a perfect weekend getaway, just what I needed in the middle of an incredibly busy time. Last weekend I traveled with my good friend Anne Hruby to Detroit for the Summer Forum with The Floyd Wickman Team. What fun meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. (Be sure to read Dean Moss' blog about it, too.)

Dean Moss and Floyd Wickman with lucky me in the middle
I was fortunate to take my first Floyd Wickman course in 1991 – back then they called it "SweatHogs." Since then I've been a Floyd fan, and try to connect with him when I can. So what is a "Forum for Master Salespeople?" It is a gathering (twice a year, summer and winter) to publicly help everyone hit their goals. It was an active participation, open discussion, with asking and answering some special questions - and with a great deal of enthusiasm. As you see in the photos, everyone was intensely involved in our round table discussions. So much wisdom shared by so many successful Realtors. There were topics for discussion like "Best Money Making Ideas," and the ideas flowed!

Social Media was also one of the topics, and I was asked by Mike Pallin of the Floyd Wickman Team to speak about none other than ActiveRain. There was plenty of interest as I shared some of the ways AR has been a big part of my real estate business in the past three years. There were lots of questions, and I asked for business cards from those who wanted to try AR so I could send them an invitation. Little did I know there would be so many interested! The first night back I sent out a bunch of AR invitations, late as it was.

We had a terrific panel discussion about REO and Short Sales led by Mary Johnson. With so many agents around the country experiencing lower income and depressed markets, this was the absolute best time to get back to basics.

Of course it wasn't all work. There was also a lot of fun stuff, too, with karaoke on Friday night, and presentation of an award to Floyd by The Rat Pack. Saturday was dinner at Buce Di Beppi with mounds of delicious food, drink, laughter, and above all friendship.

I wonder how many ActiveRainers have taken a session with Floyd? Can we find out? We have Floyd Wickman and the "You Get By Giving" philosophy in common. Anyone reading this who has been a part of a Floyd Wickman course, or knows someone who has, can we connect again?
Do you recognize any ActiveRainers in the photos above?
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