Life + Culture

Sip the Season

A holiday cocktail from Lib's Grill to your home bar. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Steve Vilnit and Harco City Lifestyle Each year, Lib’s Grill goes all out, celebrating the holiday season with its Cocktails & Candy Canes event. With festive floor-to-ceiling decor and creative seasonal libations, the restaurant turns into a wintry wonderland.  While stopping into the local spot from late November through December is a must for any holiday enthusiast, you can also bring some of...

Life + Culture

Pouring it Forward

Owner Martin Grams Jr. shares how The Screaming Bean Coffee Shop brews kindness daily. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Martin Grams Jr. and Harco City Lifestyle What was the inspiration for starting Screaming Bean Cafe? Everyone has a dream. Mine was to open a coffee shop — a dream that brewed for seven years before becoming reality. But I didn’t just want a place that served coffee; I wanted to create a third place. You know — if you’re not at home and you’re not at work...

Life + Culture

Wine Wisdom for the Holidays

Inside the award-winning Vineyard Wine Bar's approach to pairing, passion, and the joy of discovery. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Mark Robinson From distribution and retail to harvesting and pruning, Joe Lertch has spent most of his career in the wine industry, both in the United States and internationally. As the proud owner of the award-winning Vineyard Wine Bar in Havre de Grace for 16 years, he shares his vast knowledge and unique, curated collection of wines with...

Life + Culture

Changing Lives, One Home at a Time

Passion meets purpose through personalized care for local seniors. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Kerry Dietz From 2012 to 2024, Jarrettsville native Justin Kress built a career in medical device sales, often traveling around the country and successfully climbing the ladder in corporate America. However, after just shy of a decade in the industry, Kress began to question his trajectory. “I had a desirable job, I made good money -- it’s a great sales job,” he said. “But I thought...

Food + Beverage

Autumn in a Glass

Maple Bourbon Smash Article and Photography by Harco City Lifestyle INGREDIENTS 1.5 ounces Maple Bourbon 1 sprig Fresh Mint 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice 1 ounce Ginger Beer Ice Come by Barrett's on the Pike at 588 Baltimore Pike in Bel Air to enjoy: Maple Bourbon Smash – A refined balance of smooth bourbon, pure maple sweetness, and bright citrus, delicately finished with fresh mint. A timeless sip of warmth and sophistication.

Food + Beverage

Great Restaurants We Recommend

Where refined flavor meets community in Harford County’s dining scene Article and Photography by Harco City Lifestyle Vineyard Wine Bar   vineyardwinebar.com   Pairings   pairingsbistro.com   Enotria   enotriarestaurant.com   Black Forest Taphouse   blackforesttaphouse.com   The Local   thelocalharco.com Barrett's on the Pike   barrettsonthepike.com   Lib's Grill   libsgrill.com   Latitude Seafood   latitudeseafoodco.com   One Eleven Main   oneelevenbelair.com Bacco Italian + Wine...

Food + Beverage

Hops on the Homestead

Fall in Harford County is made for farm brewery hopping—here are the three to visit. Article by AK White | Photography by Kerry Dietz FALLING BRANCH BREWERY At Falling Branch, every pint tells a story a hundred years in the making. Falling Branch Brewery founder Alex Galbreath says the farm has been a pillar of his family since his great-grandfather purchased it in 1924. It’s seen many transformations: it was a swine farm, a dairy cattle farm, and a creamery. Galbreath, the fourth...

Professional Services

A Mutual Benefit

Geneau Thames is invested in the interest of the people she serves. Article by AK White | Photography by Harford Mutual Insurance When Geneau Thames was 9 years old, she saw a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. on TV.  Curious, she asked her mother what he was doing. “He’s a lawyer, so he’s helping people,” her mother told her. That struck Thames. “I remember thinking: Okay. I want to do that,” says Thames, vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary for Harford Mutual Insurance...

Fitness

Six Decades of Community

Maryland Golf & Country Clubs is the epicenter of social, athletic, and community life. Article by AK White | Photography by Kerry Dietz Did you ever hear about the pioneering Major League Baseball Hall of Fame executive who, after leaving the game, opened one of the most beautiful golf properties that just happens to be in your backyard? Head over to MacPhail Road in Bel Air, home to the Maryland Golf & Country Clubs. MGCC is blissfully sprawled on the site of the former Glenangus Farms...