Enjoy the first of the Belvedere Square Concert Series with music by The Crawdaddies, whose music combines Louisiana’s cajun, zydeco and blues sounds with the North East’s rock, Americana and ska influences to create a unique sound all its own. The square will be open for food, drink and browsing. Join the fun!

When an email for a “closing sale” at Ruxton’s Ellie Boutique entered my inbox, I thought maybe a line of clothing was closing out or some other “closing” was the horizon, so far from my mind was the possibility that Ellie would be shutting its doors for good.

The boutique, owned by Wilmington, Delaware residents Steve and Margaret Smith, has been through many iterations: The Wilmington Country Store, The Pink Crab and, since 2009, Ellie.  But a version of the boutique, owned by the Smiths, has been in the Ruxton shops for over 30 years.

“They were really upset about the closing,” says store manager Bridget McConkie.  ”Margaret cried when she told me.” The reason for the shuttering: Lilly Pulitzer approached the owners about opening a “flagship” store in Rehoboth Beach and the offer was too good to pass up.  Accepting the offer put the couple’s store ownership at six. “It was too much,” Bridget says.

As fate would have it, the Ruxton store’s lease was up at the end of the month, giving the Smiths a reasonable option, which they took.

The couple owns The Wilmington Country Store in Greenville, Delaware, two Ellie Boutiques, one in Greenville and one in Philadelphia, The Pink Crab in Annapolis and now one in Rehobeth Beach, too.  The address at the new Rehoboth store is 235 Rehoboth Avenue.

As one would expect, they are having a great big closing sale — prices marked down up 80 percent — and lots of well-wishers coming by to say farewell to a neighborhood staple. “Lots of people vacation in Rehoboth, so I’ll still see a lot of our customers,” says Bridget who has already been installed as the manager at the Rehoboth store.

No word yet on what will go in the space next, but according to Bridget there have been inquiries, mostly from other boutiques.

Available at Wee Chic

WHAT:  Wee Chic, the children’s boutique in Green Spring Station, celebrates this week four years as Baltimore’s go-to destination for children’s clothing, accessories and gifts. Join Wee Chic for a full week of fun and deals all this week, through Saturday, May 18.  Shoppers will pick a lollipop from the Wee Chic birthday cake for a 20% to 50% discount on your entire purchase. No adjustments to previous purchases available and not offered in combination with any other offer. Don’t forget to join Wee Chic on Facebook for giveaways and special deals www.facebook.com/weechic throughout the week.

Wee Chic believes kids are never too young to enjoy great style and self-expression.  Considered one of Baltimore’s most fashionable baby boutiques and winner of three consecutive Best of Baltimore nods, Wee Chic offers a unique selection of kids clothing and gifts from birth to size 12.  Wee Chic is now carrying a full selection of fashions featuring favorite New York and Los Angeles designers such as Desiguel, Tooby Doo, Splendid, Joe’s and Mayoral for kids.  The popular San Fran based Tea Collection is now exclusively at Wee Chic in Baltimore.

WHEN:                    Monday, May 13 through Saturday, May 18, 2013, 10 am to 6 pm

WHERE:                  Wee Chic

Green Spring Station

10751 Falls Road, #101

Lutherville, MD 21093

Casey Jenkins, Owner of Darker Than Blue Cafe. Photo by Steve Ruark.

Courtesy Bmore Media – Waverly is best known as a place to buy fresh raspberries and yellow corn Saturday mornings.

But Main Street Hats Owner Clyde Davis-El reminds us that it’s also a neighborhood where customers come as far away as upstate New York and Atlanta to buy fedoras and Panamas. Davis-El is just one of the neighborhood’s business owners who are counting on leaders to revitalize the neighborhood so it is known as a place to shop and dine, and not just the 32^nd St. Farmers Market. Read More →

Be delighted and intrigued by the collection of beautiful objects at Sprezzatura. From jewelry and fashion accessories to home décor and gifts for men, women and children, Sprezzatura — located in Stevenson Village — is your source for unique shopping.

Stepping into the store is like stepping into a well-curated museum: A sophisticated selection of original art, books, home accents and gourmet treats fill the collection. And you’ll always enjoy gorgeous fresh cut flowers and exceptional service at Sprezzatura, including signature gift-wrapping and a knowledgeable staff to help you find just what you need.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Sprezzatura will host afternoon wine and champagne daily from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the week before Mother’s Day, beginning Tuesday May 7.  Each day, the boutique will feature a selection of women’s fragrances, accessories and jewelry that mom will adore.

Expansive selection of gourmet teas

Unique imported fragrances

Fragrances

Read More →

Want to be certain you buy something mom will love?  Head to Halcyon House, the gift shop and home store of  renowned interior designer Stiles Colwill, close your eyes and point! The selection is just that good, with elegant home accessories, divine bed linens (a wide selection of John Robshaw lines the shelves), chic jewelry and more to make the store the place to a find sure-fire winning gift for mom.  See what’s in store below!

Handmade Ceramics

Agraria diffusers & soaps

Pono Tortoise jewelry

Rattan serving pieces

Vases & cachepots

Wheel Barrow Salad Bowl

Multiple colored leather clutches

Hand carved soapstone decorative boxes

Angela Caputi bracelets

Summer Tunics

Pewter Topiary salt & pepper shakers

Lafco scented soaps and candles

Decorative Mexican dishes

Mouthblown vases

Halcyon House Antiques

M is for the many things she gave you…now it’s time to give back! Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12.  We know it’s tough to buy for someone who always wants “nothing,”  but don’t resort to another coffee mug this year. Get yourself over to Green Spring Station, at Falls and Joppa Roads, where you’ll find gifts for mom like a soft, fluffy terrycloth robe from Yves Delorme, elegant jewelry from Bijoux or Misha & Co., books, stationery and more from The Pleasure of Your Company…the list goes on and on! See some of our favorites in the gallery below.

GSS added bonus: Flowers + Chocolate – Next Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10, the boutiques will hand out to shoppers stemmed flowers from local growers, while supplies last. (One per customer per store.) In addition, The Velvet Chocolatier will open a pop-up shop at Green Spring Station starting May 1, that will run until Saturday, May 4, and again next week from May 8 – May 11. Yum!

As you may have heard by now, Baltimore was host to the annual Drink Local Wine Conference last weekend where food and wine enthusiasts from across the country gathered to learn about Maryland wines.  The Maryland Association of Wineries organized the tour and left a lasting impression of Maryland’s promising viticultural future.

Even if you’re not into the wine scene, the strides the industry has made creating new avenues for farmers of bygone crops (like tobacco) and for promoting land preservation are enough to puff out your chest: Maryland is on the cutting edge of locally produced, biologically diverse wines.

Friday kicked off the conference with a bus tour, starting with Sugarloaf Winery in Montgomery County, where co-owner Jim McKenna  was among the owners greeting the media with an enthusiastic showing of Sugarloaf’s award winning wines. Read More →