Going On Around Town

Now that fall is here, things have really kicked into high gear, socially. There are a handful of events coming up locally that are worth some attention (in order of occurrence):

Local Birthdays
First up, this fall The Oregon Grille is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a special running from September 4th through November 9th. Spend $50 and you'll either get another $15 free or you can choose to receive a complimentary bottle of cabernet or chardonnay (I'd go with the wine, but that's just me.) I have to admit, until I got this press release, I didn't realize that The Oregon Grille was only 15. That's a long time for a restaurant, of course, but the place has the gravitas of a restaurant that's been around for decades and decades.

Share Our Strength
This Thursday, September 13th, Top Chef alum/Frederick chef superstar Bryan Voltaggio, along with a crew of visiting chefs, is hosting the third annual No Kid Hungry Dinner to raise funds for Share Our Strength, a nonprofit with a goal of ending childhood hunger. The dinner will take place at Voltaggio's flagship restaurant, Volt. While it's not cheap - tickets are $750 per person for the dinner and $95 for the cocktail reception only - the cause is a good one and the chef lineup is impressive, including Baltimore wonderchef Spike Gjerde, Bryan's brother Michael (of Top Chef fame...and also famous for his LA restaurant ink.), Eric Ziebold of CityZen, Erik Bruner-Yang of Toki Underground, and, perhaps most exciting, Matt Orlando of NOMA in Copenhagen (which just might be the most celebrated restaurant in the world these days).

You can find more details about the event, including how to buy tickets, here.

As an aside, Cooper and Dixon and I spent yesterday walking around Frederick with Cooper's cousin, Sarah, who has lived there for over ten years. I'd never spent much time there before - but what a cute town!

Dining Out for Life
And finally, Baltimore's annual Dining Out for Life evening is coming up on September 20th. Dining Out for Life raises money for Moveable Feast, a nonprofit that helps care for Marylanders with HIV/AIDS. It's very simple: Just go eat at a participating restaurant on September 20th and the restaurant will donate a portion of their proceeds (20% to 50%) to Moveable Feast. All you have to do is eat.

I will caution you, though: Make reservations. We often go to Clementine for DOFL - they're one of the places that donates 50% - and it is always packed.

Another note: Because Gertrude's is closed for a private event on Thursday the 20th, they will participate on Friday the 21st. Which means that really, you could dine out for life twice next week.

For more information, click here, and to see a list of participating restaurants, including their level of participation, click here.

UPDATE: ONE MORE EVENT!

Slow Food Baltimore's 2nd Annual Urban Food and Farm Fair
After posting this, I got an email from Slow Food Baltimore about the Urban Food and Farm Fair at Real Food Farm (2801 St. Lo Drive in Clifton Park) this coming Saturday, September 15th.

Hosted in conjunction with The Farm Alliance of Baltimore City and Civic Workls' Real Food Farms, the fair will have bands, kids' activities, tours, food, and a speech by the mayor. It runs from 2 to 5 (rain or shine) and is free! It's celebrating and promoting urban farming and local foods in Baltimore - sounds fun and also a great cause.

For more information, click here.