Iron Bridge Wine Company offers a beverage for every time of the day, from that first sip of coffee in the morning to that glass of Pinot Noir while you wind down your evening. This wine bar and coffee shop is frequently voted one of the best eateries in the Baltimore area, and it’s even been recognized in national publications as a hotspot for fine wines.

Inside, you’ll find a warm, dark wood bar and wine bottles lining the walls, as well as cozy dining tables for those who want to enjoy a sit-down dinner along with their glass of red or white. The menu features gourmet cheese platters, tapas-style appetizers, and grilled flatbread pizzas to start, as well as quiche, pastas, and salads for lunch or dinner.

Everything on Iron Bridge Wine Company’s menu is made with seasonal, local ingredients in a small-plate style, and the dishes are so artfully plated that they’re almost too pretty to eat!

Iron Bridge Wine Company
10435 State Route 108
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 997-3456
www.ironbridgewines.com

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr tribp

If you’re looking to disconnect from your electronics for a while and get back to nature, Centennial Park is the perfect place to do so near Monarch Mills. This award-winning park spans an impressive 325 acres of land, and it is a part of Howard County’s park system, which comprises more than 7,000 acres.

A beautiful lake sits at the center of Centennial Park, and a 2.4-mile walking trail creates a loop around it. Visitors spend time walking, jogging, or bird watching on the trail, and it also connects to areas at the lake’s shores where you can cast a fishing line or launch a boat. There are grassy open areas ideal for picnicking, and you’ll often see rabbits, deer, and beavers in their natural habitats while you relax nearby.

Many of these areas also make great places to play a pickup game of soccer, tag football, or catch with the little ones!

Centennial Park
9801 Old Annapolis Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-7271
www.centennialmd.org

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr zenjazzygeek

Halloween is a favorite holiday for many people, but if you’re not careful it can also become very expensive. But how can you create the perfect costume without spending a lot on its various parts? These simple money-saving tips will show you.

1. Make your own costume. No matter which way you slice it, one of the best ways to save money around Halloween is by forgoing the pricey costume stores and making your own costume.
2. Take advantage of thrift stores. Thrift stores are often filled with great components for many different types of Halloween costumes, and they’re much less expensive than craft or clothing stores.
3. Be smart about decorations. Instead of splurging on Halloween decorations from expensive home goods stores, shop around at discount stores first. Places like dollar stores and, again, thrift stores are great places to check. You can always wait until closer to Halloween to decorate, as stores often put their decorations on sale later in the month.
4. Save on candy. If your neighborhood is filled with children, handing out trick or treat candy can also get very expensive. To save money, purchase one type of candy in bulk from a bulk food store instead of buying numerous different types.

10 Ways to Save Money This Halloween [Lifehack]
4 Ghoulish Ways to Save Money this Halloween [Reader’s Digest]
5 Tips For Saving Money This Halloween [Money Crashers]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr psyberartist