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B At Your Service Simplifies Life for Families, Singles and Elderly with Concierge Services
(Above: Beth Adams, owner and founder of B At Your Service).
Beth Adams and her team at B AT YOUR SERVICE, a personal assistant concierge company, are THE secret weapon you need in your back pocket. The days of telling ourselves that we can do it all are SO over. And why do we need to when kind, capable help is at the ready?
We continue to be impressed with the resourcefulness, discretion, and attention to detail B At Your Service offers for families needing help with everything from daily life tasks, like paying bills and handling meal prep, to providing warm, attentive at-home care to elderly citizens whose families may not live locally, to stocking and preparing second homes for weekend visits and booking vacations that feel safe during COVID.
Beth tells us that new clients usually ask to meet with her about one specific need, but after meeting, they discover a plethora of ways that B At Your Service can be of help. So our advice? Schedule a call with Beth, and let her surprise you with how she can simplify your life.
The Scout Guide (TSG): Beth, when you meet someone how do you describe your company?
Beth: I say B At Your Service is a personal assistant concierge company that helps individuals, families, or elderly living alone, with all facets of their lives. I go into each client meeting to help with what keeps them up at night. What’s not getting addressed in your life?
TSG: How often do you serve your clients?
Beth: Most of our clients we see weekly. We might move them, unpack and organize them, then we continue to home manage them. This is my 14th year! When I started, no one was doing the home organizing. It wasn’t as big as it is now. We’ve been organizing before it was cool to organize. In 14 years, we’ve welcomed babies, plan funerals and memorial services, I’ve buried and moved some of them to New Zealand and Australia and Europe, divorces, rehab. Kids leaving, kids growing and changing. It’s been a lifetime with them.
(Above: B At Your Service team members provide attentive, personalized care to their elderly clients and those who live alone).
TSG: What changes have you noticed in people’s needs since the pandemic? Anything you’re getting more requests for?
Beth: Our older clients and those who live alone still need us, taking them to doctor appointments, companion care. We love to do this. I have an amazing team of women. All my girls on my team are engaged with our clients and love spending time with them. That in turn gives our clients a sense of community and companionship, and they have a bond. We don’t just sit there and count the hours. We take them places, go do things. One of our oldest clients loves Shirley Temple. She has dementia, so we ordered all the Shirley Temple movies. She can’t remember anything, but she remembers all the songs. I’ve hand-picked everybody, and they’re really amazing women.
TSG: What are your most popular services?
Beth: Weekly home management - coming in once a week to a home, whether we’re doing laundry service or organizing or helping with bill pay and calendar or computer issues or personal assistant stuff, meeting vendors, getting quotes for work done. I have a large team from a handyman to an electrician or a plumber to manage the home. They’re vetted, and we know them, so my clients are getting amazing people.
(Above: Beth Adams handling life’s tasks as a personal assistant).
TSG: How does hiring you as a personal assistant simplify a client’s life?
Beth: My best type of client is somebody who understands the value we bring to their lives. They are someone who doesn't have time for bill pay, ordering, the returns, the time it takes to run a home properly. For lots of these clients who hire us as personal assistants, we rarely interact with them because they’re working. We keep their fridges stocked, manage personal chefs, we do some food prep for clients. We organize the pantry so we’re not overbuying, and we make sure things are stocked properly so they can see it. Returns for buying online. Now with spring here we’re meeting landscapers for plans happening to the outside of the house, gutter guys, roofers, window washers getting lined up for spring. This sounds wild, but we have saved so many marriages. Resentment grows because they aren’t taking care of the marriage and themselves because they’re working too hard. and people have realized the value of hiring someone else to help do it.
(Above: B At Your Service has been organizing homes for more than 14 years).
TSG: Tell us about how you prepare second homes for their owners’ arrival.
Beth: Well, we serve locations in Easton, Oxford, St. Michaels, Bozeman and Big Sky, Montana - places where lots of our clients have second homes. So when we know they’re coming to their second home, we get there first and stock the fridge and the bar, put out the outdoor pillows, make sure the pool is ready for a dip, set the house thermostat, arrange some fresh flowers, make the house look like it was waiting for its family to arrive. After they leave, we clean out the fridge, empty the house and clean it until the next time they show up.
Our main clients are people who know what they want, they’ve worked hard, and they don’t want to do it anymore. They want to just enjoy the fruits of their labor. Whether it’s planning a small dinner party or having family for dinner on Sunday so they can see each other and be safe about it, they enjoy their friends and their family instead of being exhausted from working and then trying to throw a dinner party. We make it so they can arrive at their home and immediately begin relaxing without any fussing around.
CONTACT: B AT YOUR SERVICE
@beeatyourservice
410-236-2097
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Star Bright Farm to Host Mother’s Day Picnic in Ideal Outdoor Environment
(Above: Star Bright Farm’s Kitchen Garden. Photo by Helen Norman Photography).
This Mother’s Day, May 9 from 10am-4pm, treat mom to a special meal in one of Maryland’s most beautiful settings at STAR BRIGHT FARM, a lavender farm and herbal distillery in northern Baltimore county that is laden with photo opportunities with ample outdoor space for every family to spread out.
Purchase of a catered boxed lunch is required to attend this event, so reserve your lunches now.
(Above: Farmer Peter Elmore tends the lavender fields at Star Bright Farm. Photo by Helen Norman Photography).
Star Bright Farm is encouraging picnickers to elevate mom’s dining experience by packing a picnic blanket or folding chairs and tables and upping the ante with real tablecloths, fresh flowers, linens and silverware from home. (No coolers please - pre-purchased boxed lunches only). This refined rural picnic will feel like such a treat for mom who is most likely weary from preparing endless meals this past year.
Included with the boxed lunch are handmade beverages seasoned with herbs from Star Bright Farm like violet lemonade, herbal teas and hydrosol-infused water.
We guarantee mom will love the ability to relax in the countryside or shop alone in the finely curated Barn Market for beautiful home goods and inspirational garden accessories.
(Above: Star Bright Farm’s Super Body Box makes a great gift for mom. Photo by Helen Norman Photography).
So make your plans today to celebrate mom in an environment that’s comfortable for everyone and feels luxurious to her. If you can’t make it in person, Star Bright Farm’s Barn Market has lovely gift options for moms and is happy to ship.
Purchase boxed lunches for May 9 here.
CONTACT: STAR BRIGHT FARM
2950 Garrett Rd., White Hall
@starbrightfarm
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SCOUTED: Grason Shaver Architectural Interiors
(Photos: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide photo shoot).
Ashley Shaver of GRASON SHAVER ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS is a woman who knows her way around a construction site, which makes her a bit of an anomaly. And that is exactly why we love her.
She speaks the language of a builder, which garners respect from contractors on her teams, combined with the aesthetics of a designer. Her forte is helping clients navigate through layout transformation and selection of building materials that will inform the design and structure of their projects.
“I aim to be a voice for all the facets of a residential design and build project,” says Ashley. “Clients have one point person they trust to help execute their vision for a project - that’s me.”
Ashley and her company, Grason Shaver Architectural Interiors, join us as new members for volume 6 as she puts her mark on some of the Baltimore region’s most enviable residential projects.
Read along as we get to know Ashley and her thriving new company.
The Scout Guide (TSG): Tell us about your background.
Ashley: My father was an architect and did a lot of projects developing waterfront communities up in New England. I watched him growing up, and in my early 20s I started helping him select materials for finishes inside the home. That’s how I got my start. I loved creating spaces for people and was always interested in taking little bits and pieces of the past and making them look fresh and relevant.
TSG: Then how did you transition from helping your dad into having your own company?
Ashley: When my dad started to wind down and retire, I took a pause with my kids. For a little while I had my own company that did custom greeting cards and sold them myself at Sassanova downtown until I realized I really wanted to get back into the industry. I ventured into the local Baltimore building community doing sales, design, all types of support, and eventually realized I wanted my own creative identity. My maiden name is Grason, so my company name is an homage to my dad. He named his company after his father, and I love this naming tradition to honor this creative lineage - everything I’ve learned from him and this creative identity that we share.
TSG: How do you describe your business at a cocktail party?
Ashley: My business right now is always open to growth and change and pivoting, but right now I’m focused on architectural design and interiors - helping clients through renovation or a new build start with layout. Layout is the foundational piece that needs to be in place. Some people love their layout, but there’s opportunity to look at that layout and improve upon it and create more functionality before adding design elements. Once the layout is in place, then we do the fun design stuff, and I help walk them through material selection and provide oversight for the execution and build of their vision.
TSG: Are there certain areas of the home you prefer to work on?
Ashley: I’m interested in anything related to your residential home. About 50% of my work is kitchens, 25% is bathrooms, 25% miscellaneous, including exteriors. Kitchens and baths are areas of the home where people spend lots of time and are more likely to want to update those spaces.
TSG: Do you ever partner with other contractors and builders?
Ashley: Absolutely! I love collaborating with other contractors and builders. For example, a client has had a builder they’ve worked with for years and love, but they want my help with floor plans and shopping for materials. I love that. I love any piece of the puzzle. My goal is to always represent the vision and best interests of my clients on any project.
CONTACT: GRASON SHAVER ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS
443-271-3065
@grasonshaver
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Art + Coffee = Small Business Magic
(Above: Milk & Honey Market by Vagrant Coffee in PigTown).
(Above: 3 Bean Coffee by Vagrant Coffee on Key Highway facing the Inner Harbor).
Two of our members, KELLY WALKER FINE ART and VAGRANT COFFEE, are helping Baltimore enjoy the best of the senses in two downtown locations.
Kelly’s colorful, head-turning original artwork is now on display, and available for purchase, at Vagrant’s PigTown and Inner Harbor locations. Stop in, grab a tasty gourmet coffee and treat yourself to a mini art show at PigTown’s Milk & Honey Market by Vagrant Coffee or on Key Highway at 3 Bean Coffee by Vagrant Coffee.
(Above: Kelly Walker Fine Art at the Milk & Honey Market by Vagrant Coffee).
Kelly has made a name for herself as the region’s go-to artist for architectural artwork and installations through her company, ARTSTAR CUSTOM PAINTWORKS, often defining some of Baltimore’s most iconic restaurants and hotels. She also has a solo art business of mixed media art, as seen at Vagrant. Vagrant Coffee has put itself on the map for it’s elevated coffee service, both in their brick-and-mortar shops or through their mobile events.
These two businesses represent what makes Baltimore small businesses so special: the creativity, the courage to try something new, the passion for their craft and the belief in our city. We celebrate this collaboration of entrepreneurs who love where we live and in doing so, they make it better.
(Above two images: Kelly Walker Fine Art at Milk & Honey Market by Vagrant Coffee).
(Above: Kelly Walker Fine Art at 3 Bean Coffee by Vagrant Coffee).
CONTACT:
KELLY WALKER FINE ART - @kelly_l_walker
VAGRANT COFFEE - @vagrantcoffee
PigTown location - 906 Washington Blvd., Baltimore
Inner Harbor location - 209 Key Highway, Baltimore
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Spring Fashion Trends from Mason-Mayes
The warmer weather and increase in vaccinations has us feeling excited about our renewed social lives! We checked in with Carrie Kelly, founder and head buyer of women’s fashion boutique MASON-MAYES to get the skinny on what we should be wearing as we venture out this spring.
Carrie predicts a few trends that we can easily find ways to incorporate into our refreshed wardrobes.
1. Relaxed-fit pants - Because who doesn’t need a little forgiveness after this past year at home? Step up the loungewear look with a slinky transition to spring that still fits comfortably.
2. Bubblegum pink - This fashion flavor of the moment is giving us all the good feels. A positive hue that exudes sophistication.
3. Tie-Dye - Today’s elevated tie-dye designs are SO much cooler than our DIY days as kids. Wear a little art!
4. Eyelet Details - Delicate and feminine, this airy detail always says “spring.”
CONTACT: MASON-MAYES
Lake Falls Village, 6080 Falls Road
Baltimore, MD 21209
443-991-4108
@shopmasonmayes
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SCOUTED: Precise Home Management with Andrew Lowrey
(Above: Andrew Lowrey, President, Precise Home Management. Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for THe Scout Guide Baltimore).
The Scout Guide Baltimore & Annapolis volume 6 is honored to introduce PRECISE HOME MANAGEMENT, a Baltimore-based company that for more than 22 years has successfully provided domestic staffing for homes of high-net-worth individuals both locally and internationally.
We recently delighted in a chat with English president Andrew Lowrey, a formally trained British butler, about his background attending the world’s most affluent families and how he has mastered the art of invisible service.
The Scout Guide (TSG): Tell us about your background in hospitality.
Andrew: I began working at 4-star hotels in Cambridge, England where we applied French-style service. I worked on cruise ships back in the day when cruising was elegant and sophisticated, like the QE2. My first ship was the Canberra. I started off as a waiter. Unexpectedly for a waiter, we went to war with Argentina in 1982 on behalf of England in the Falklands. They needed help taking care of the troops on the ship. On our journey down there, we were trained to use machine guns and defend ourselves. We were nearly bombed out of the action a number of times. We returned to England, and I transferred ships to the Sea Princess. After six years on ships, I returned to Cambridge to open up a tea room in Ely called Tea for Two. We had lines out the door for my afternoon teas!
As I pondered what to do next, someone suggested butlering. Growing up I watched “Upstairs, Downstairs” with Hudson, the Scottish butler. I took the Ivor Spencer butler course. He started the first butler school in the world. After graduating, an opportunity came for me to work in Monaco as the head steward. I worked on a yacht with a full-time crew of 45 people owned by a wealthy Saudi individual. You can imagine me on a private yacht in the heat of a Monacan summer, in my full butler regalia so when Madam came on the yacht, I was in tails and white gloves to greet her and her guests. Had the best time of my life in my 20s during that summer gig.
So here I am, wrapping up time on the yacht, and I’ve got an opportunity in Baltimore, Maryland. I had never been to Baltimore. I interviewed and landed at an estate in Greenspring Valley as their first butler and stayed for eight years. It was very at home, wonderful rolling hills, and I fell in love with Baltimore. When it was time for me to spruce up my resume, I encountered a lot of questions about what a butler does. (This was before “Downton Abbey”). It was then that I opened up my own agency, and here we are 23 years later.
TSG: What services does Precise Home Management provide?
Andrew: Ultimately, domestic placements for butlers, chefs, nannies, housekeepers. I do a lot of consulting work. For example, I have a client in Montana who, because of COVID, has a housekeeper coming on board, but she needs white glove training/polish. I’m holding Zoom trainings for her. Training people is near and dear to me. They don’t know what they don’t know. I love taking people with some experience and really showing them the old world nuances of being a butler, housekeeper or valet. My clients have peace of mind, knowing that the people I place in their homes are vetted thoroughly. I’m there at the end of a phone or in person to help transition them into their position.
TSG: How do you define the role of a butler in the modern world?
Andrew: A butler works deftly and invisibly. He’s always anticipating. I make things happen as if by magic. It’s not about the fanfare to get to the end results. You never want to stand on your soapbox.
TSG: What are some of the wildest requests you’ve accommodated for your clients?
Andrew: One gentleman had a 50-foot yacht that he would shrink wrap for the winter. I was to check on the boat, secure the lines, make sure it was ready for a storm. Seagulls were landing on the shrink wrap and opening clams on the shrink wrap. So all winter, we had all these holes in the shrink wrap, and it was my job in the freezing cold, to go down and crawl inside and patch the holes.
TSG: What is the greatest etiquette touch that you would like to see make a comeback on a broader level?
Andrew: I’d like to see elegant in-home dining make a comeback. Bring out the fine china and silver. Put the cell phones away, and enjoy a beautifully prepared dinner in the home.
CONTACT: PRECISE HOME MANAGEMENT
1007 N. Calvert St., Baltimore
410-659-9200
@precisehomemanagement
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How to Pandemic-Proof Your Business with Tips from Hill Bookkeeping & Consulting
(Photo credit: Shayna Hardy Photography)
Lana Hill, owner of HILL BOOKKEEPING & CONSULTING, has been doing business virtually since 2019, meeting with clients via Zoom before the rest of us ever heard of it. So 2020’s transition to working from home was no big change for her. In fact, Lana’s virtual business model holds many helpful tips that other small business owners can employ to help “pandemic proof” their businesses.
(Credit: Bex Bucci)
FIRST: Find an electronic signing platform for every contract. Gone are the days of sending out PDFs that have to be printed, signed, scanned and emailed back. And don’t rely on snail mail for sending contracts back and forth. Hill Bookkeeping uses Adobe Sign, but there are many out there. Find an electronic signing platform that works for your needs.
SECOND: The easier you make it for clients to pay you, the faster you get paid. Give your customers every resource to pay upfront and timely. Use a software where people can enter their credit card and pay you, or collect payment up front.
There are very few businesses coming through COVID unscathed. Everyone has been affected in some way. It’s important to get creative with customizing your payment plans. For example, run a customer’s credit card for $125/week instead of $500 a month at one time.
THIRD: Streamline workflows for client onboarding. Go from lead to proposal to signed contract to onboarding the client. That means having a plan. You have to sit down and figure it out. Ask yourself, “what steps have to happen to get me there?” We like the software program 17Hats for this workflow/onboarding process.
FOURTH: Remain nimble and get creative. The businesses who are coming through this stronger are the ones who are being creative and flexible. One of the major advantages to being small is you can usually make decisions and implement them quickly. There’s something about being a small business owner and entrepreneur; it’s about doing the hard work to get the results. This creative pivot has to be part of it.
In my line of work, I started doing social media posts about COVID relief; here’s what you need to know, here’s what you need to read. I sent it out to my networking groups. Be willing to give back to your community because it will pay you back in dividends.
FIFTH: Say thank you to all of your clients. After undergoing surgery in spring 2020, I sent out a personal thank you note and gift cards to VAGRANT COFFEE to thank my clients for staying with me while I recovered from surgery. This allowed me to support another local business during the pandemic, and it kept my name in front of my clients.
Another thank you story - this was Hill Bookkeeping’s 5-year anniversary. Instead of having a huge party, I sent out gifts to my clients after the new year to keep my name top of mind after the holiday rush. You want to keep your name around so they’re willing to refer you out.
(Photo credit: Shayna Hardy Photography)
CONTACT: HILL BOOKKEEPING & CONSULTING
@hillbookkeeping
443-345-HILL
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SCOUTED: WIGHT TEA COMPANY
(Above: Matcha Maker Set featuring an exclusive matcha bowl made by local ceramicist Caylynn Fahey. Photo credit: Wight Tea Company. Stylist: Giulietta Pinna. Photographer: Kate Grewal).
There’s a simple joy in the forced slow down of a cup of tea brewed with intention. Brittany and Joseph Wight, the sister and brother team behind WIGHT TEA COMPANY, are helping usher in Baltimore’s new age of modern tea drinkers, modernizing an ancient beverage into something carefully concocted and artfully served - preparing drinks more akin to a craft cocktail bar than a rose-covered Victorian tea room from your grandmother’s generation.
Alas, it was their grandmother’s affinity for tea that became the meeting point where the founding siblings formed a friendship despite their seven-year age difference. They soon came to appreciate the ritual of preparing loose leaf tea, chock full of flavor and ready to bloom when heated just right.
(Above: Cinnamon Walnut Yaupon. Photo credit: Wight Tea Company. Stylist: Giulietta Pinna. Photographer: Kate Grewal).
Today, Wight Tea Company is using their platform as artisanal teamakers to bring generations together - kids, peers, and older friends - and to build a sense of community. Their first retail location recently opened at Whitehall Mill in Hampden and is serving drinks to enjoy on-site or on-the-go.
(Above: Sage Rose White Tea. Photo credit: Wight Tea Company. Stylist: Giulietta Pinna. Photographer: Kate Grewal).
All of Wight’s loose leaf tea blends are designed by Brittany and Joseph and are hand-blended by their very small staff. These specialized flavors translate to an elevated drinking experience, something you can’t get from a microwaveable tea bag. Joseph approaches his blends as a mixologist, building a flavor structure to ensure combinations taste good and look beautiful. Both siblings value the complete sensory experience that brewing tea evolves. This is evident in the colorful and texturally interesting blends that might feature flowers for flavor and beauty or walnut shells for texture. Their teas look good, smell great, and taste even better.
Teas can be served as warm beverages or as tea cocktails. Check out the rotating menu to see what cocktails Joseph has recently designed.
(Above: Blueberry Basil Iced. Photo credit: Wight Tea Company. Stylist: Giulietta Pinna. Photographer: Kate Grewal).
For those new to brewing loose leaf tea, Wight Tea Company sells infusers, tea and mugs to get you started. They’ve got everything you need to start your own ritual, bringing mindfulness and intention to every little sip. Order tea and accessories online, or visit them at Whitehall Mill.
CONTACT: WIGHT TEA COMPANY
@wightteaco
3300 Clipper Mill Rd., Baltimore
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One Stop for Living Well at Shops at Kenilworth
(Photos from The Scout Guide photo shoot for Volume 6 with Anne Hubbard Hill)
Please join us in welcoming the SHOPS AT KENILWORTH to volume 6!
This iconic Baltimore County shopping destination is a home run for shoppers seeking unique, locally owned boutiques and one-stop shopping for all their lifestyle needs.
Curate your life in one place with everything you need to live well. Grab your wine and cheese, a date night outfit, hostess gifts, haircuts and spa treatments, shoes for the family and carryout meals.
This well-lit, safe collection of high-end shops feels breezy and manageable with stores within easy walking distance from each other and special attention to cleanliness and hygiene.
The Shops at Kenilworth have earned a reputation for being community and family-oriented, producing loveable events throughout the year like Rooftop Yoga and the kid-favorite train garden.
Trader Joe’s anchors the shopping center, pulling shoppers in to a collection of locally-owned boutiques, services, restaurants and jewelry stores.
A trip to Kenilworth never feels like visiting a mall. Shopping here is easy and relaxing without the frenzy of crowds. Ample parking means you can pop in and out with ease.
Check out a few of our favorite shops, or click here to view a full directory.
Ruth Shaw - women’s luxury clothing boutique
Radcliffe Jewelers - estate and fine jewelry
South Moon Under - women’s clothing boutique
About Faces - day spa and salon
Towson Bootery - a family shoe store with in-person sizing
Atwater’s - soup, sandwich, salad restaurant
Check with your favorite stores for curbside pick-up or Zoom appointments for private shopping.
CONTACT: SHOPS AT KENILWORTH
@theshopsatkenilworth
800 Kenilworth Dr., Towson
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Fine Art and Textiles from Liza Hathaway Matthews
(Above: Artist Liza Hathaway Matthews. Photo credit: Whitney Wasson).
Paintings by Baltimore artist LIZA HATHAWAY MATTHEWS are easily recognizable for their luminous color, graceful form and texture. Her contemporary, abstract art graces the walls of color-loving homes across the country, deriving inspiration from nature, design and pattern.
(Above: “Spring Fling”. 48″x36″, mixed media)
Her artwork translates easily into interior design and has resulted in enviable partnerships with textile companies. Designers at Anthropologie saw her work and incorporated it into their home products. She collaborates with Cotton and Quill on fabric and wallpaper and Piper Collection for outdoor pillows. It’s clear that people want to bring Liza’s colors into their homes any way they can.
We recently welcomed Liza on board for volume 6 and got to pick her brain about her art career, her favorite places in Baltimore, and how she’s spreading her wings from the canvas to home goods and textiles.
(Above: “Bloom.” 48″x48″, mixed media).
The Scout Guide (TSG): Liza, how did you get started as an artist?
Liza: I graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with a degree in painting and interior design as a minor and didn’t do anything with it at first. I actually worked in fundraising for the United Way for years until I left it to have a family. It wasn’t until the late 90s/early 2000s that I got back into painting and started working with a couple local interior designers. At that point, I hired someone to do my website and social media. People found me through social media. It all happened in an interesting, organic way.
TSG: What inspires you?
Liza: It sounds so simple, but just looking outside my window. I live close to Lake Roland. Any landscapes, the skies, the waterscapes, the colors that come together with the sky and horizon. All those things are a complete inspiration. I love colors, texture, all of it.
TSG: What materials do you use for your fine art?
Liza: I use mostly oil, acrylic, ink, and charcoal pencil to complete my canvases, paper and mylar pieces.
TSG: What have you learned about your collectors during the pandemic?
Liza: I’m finding that people are in their homes more, and it gives them more of a reason to make their walls sing. I love working with private collectors and designers to create that perfect piece whether it’s a commission or out of my inventory.
(Above: “Take to the Skies.” 36″x36″, mixed media).
TSG: Tell me about your collaboration with Anthropologie.
Liza: I’m working with them on wallpaper and lamp shades. It’s really fun because they don’t really have an artist department, so they seek out artists from all over the country. Working with them has taught me to ask myself, when I’m looking at my artwork, what other possibilities are there? I want to do more of what I’m doing now in a bigger volume. I would love to see my florals on linens and things for the bedroom. My interior design minor pulls that aspect into it more.
TSG: You’ve lived in Baltimore your whole life. What do you love most about living here?
Liza: I love all the different pockets of Baltimore. You can be in Hampden and five minutes later, Harbor East. We have these different small shopping areas that have something unique in all of them and make each one of them special.
TSG: Where can Scout Guide readers find your fine art?
Liza: Fine art is available through my website, or at Bozzuto Greene, ORIET’S FINE ART, Liza Pruitt and the Art Registry in DC.
CONTACT: LIZA HATHAWAY MATTHEWS
@lizahathawaymatthews
410-458-0644
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Sound Society Band Offers Flexible Dates as Wedding Planning Resumes
(Photo credit: Moses Cruz)
With the vaccine rolling out worldwide, 2021 is offering hope for a return to normal gatherings and events. Brides and grooms are revising their wedding planning with renewed energy, and SOUND SOCIETY BAND is ready to help create the party of your guests’ lifetimes. Can you imagine how fast we’re going to run to the nearest dance floor when it’s safe?
(Photo credit: Moses Cruz)
Sound Society Band is totally in sync with couples’ concerns about making plans this year, and they’re doing everything they can to help their clients book with confidence. Flexible Bookings with Sound Society Band is a complementary service that allows couples to change their wedding date, should circumstances require.
This live band is known for its unrivaled entertainment for highly selective clients who want to create bespoke live music experiences that are distinctive and unrepeatable. One. Of. A. Kind.
Their music adds magic to every event and brings unmatchable energy to each party. Weddings in 2021 will be the celebrations of life that we have all been missing. Sound Society Band is THE premier live music group guaranteed to send your guests soaring and leave you with all the feelings you’ve been wanting.
(Photo credit: Moses Cruz)
Check out some reviews from clients:
“The absolute highlight of our reception! Our guests danced the entire time and still cannot stop raving about how incredible the band was! They blew us away.” Dara, Bride
“Sound Society rocked the dance floor. Our friends could not believe how good our band was.” Allan, Groom
“Best band ever!! They were easy to work with in every way. They exceeded our expectations and gave us the perfect dance party.” Sarah, Bride
“Outstanding! The dance floor was full at all times. Such talent, vibrancy and music everyone enjoyed!” Dina, Mother of the Groom
(Photo credit: Moses Cruz)
“Incredible!!! All of our guests were dancing the whole night. It was a dream.” Claire, Bride
“Brilliant band! The BEST decision we made! So special and something we will remember forever.” Nicole, Bride
CONTACT: SOUND SOCIETY BAND
714-925-8682
@soundsocietyband
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PLANTBAR Makes Juicing Convenient and Delicious, Even for First-Timers
(Photo credit: Maddie Holbrook).
Daniela Troia, owner of PLANTBAR, has spent her life surrounded by food and immersed in the food business. Her family owns Cafe Troia and Grano, two iconic Italian restaurants in Baltimore, and Daniela has a degree in restaurant management.
But like many of us, Daniela needed to chart her own course as an adult, staying true to her love of food but with a new twist that matched the way she chose to eat and care for her body. Her first restaurant, Zia’s, opened in Towson in 2005, and in 2015, PLANTBAR was born. Today she serves healthy, clean juices and foods at four locations around Baltimore.
Listen in on our conversation with the delightful Daniela, and help us welcome PLANTBAR to volume 6!
The Scout Guide (TSG): When you meet someone at a cocktail party, how do you describe PLANTBAR?
Daniela: I tell people we’re a juice bar, but we do it differently. We’re really hyper vigilant about our ingredients and such. For instance, we make our own granola. I think it’s really important to start from scratch and do it our own way because there’s a lot of ingredients hiding in things, like cane sugar and bad oils, that we just aren’t going to do. We know it’s better for us to make everything ourselves. We try to share the plant-forward lifestyle with people, like on our PLANTLIFE page where we feature tools for the lifestyle.
(Photo credit: Maddie Holbrook)
TSG: How is juicing part of having a healthy relationship with food?
Daniela: I truly believe that juicing is a healing mechanism. You’re getting nutrients into your body in a way that chewing cannot do. When you juice, you’re drinking and absorbing 100% of that juice, perhaps two pounds of produce. It’s really healing. What’s going on at a cellular level is amazing. You’re going to be hydrated. We always say “get that glow.” Juicing is so wonderful for your skin and helps your body stay hydrated.
TSG: What would you say to people who have never juiced before and are visiting PLANTBAR for the first time?
Daniela: If it’s your first time consuming raw plant juice, your palate has to get used to it. I would say the more lemon incorporated into your juice the more palatable it will be. Lemon keeps juice from oxidizing. Our Skinessence juice is very sweet with pineapple, orange, apple and beet juice, so it’s a go-to for beginner juicers. If you’re looking at our menu, our juices are organized sweetest to savory. I happen to love the Hi-C, which has orange, grapefruit and carrot juice.
(Photo credit: Maddie Holbrook)
TSG: What’s the difference between cold press and made-to-order juices?
Daniela: We do both cold press and made-to-order juices. When we make juice in the store, we cold press juice on a lower speed, and it’s gentler on the cells of the produce. We fill the bottle to the very top so you can keep it up to five days and maintain its nutritional integrity. If we make juice to-order in the store, you can pick exactly what ingredients you want, and we make it with our centrifugal juicer, and you must drink it quickly before it starts to lose the nutrients.
TSG: Can we order juice cleanses from PLANTBAR?
Daniela: Absolutely! The Juice Cleanses are for pick-up only on Tuesdays. Nothing is shipped. We juice everything on Monday, and then we have our delivery guy drive them to all our stores for customers to pick them up. Order online to reserve your cleanse package ahead of time, and pick it up at a convenient location.
TSG: PLANTBAR makes juice cleansing so easy! What are the benefits to doing a juice cleanse?
Daniela: Think about this: food is the longest relationship we have with anything in our entire lives. People get understandably scared of a cleanse or any fasting. Cleansing will teach you more about yourself emotionally and with food. Some people cleanse every month. Fasting adds years to your life. Some people just need some form of a plan or something to get you rolling. If you’re going to do a juice cleanse, it’s going to change your mindset. Most likely, you’re not going to cleanse for three days and then eat a pizza. It makes you appreciate little things, like eating a cucumber. A lot of people get really energized from cleansing.
TSG: How can we get our hands on your juices right now?
Daniela: You can visit any of our four locations in-person. Call ahead, order online for pick-up or delivery (GrubHub).
CONTACT: PLANTBAR
@plantbar_baltimore
Locations: Brewer’s Hill, Towson, Belvedere Square, Harbor Point
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SCOUTED: Enhance Building Company
(Above: Steve Kimball and Sam Elder, co-founders of Enhance Building Company. Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide Baltimore Vol.6)
Starting a new company during a pandemic is not everyone’s idea of a good time. But Sam Elder and Steve Kimball, co-founders of ENHANCE BUILDING COMPANY, launched their business in March 2020 and are thriving. The stay-at-home lifestyle of 2020 and now 2021 is affording Steve and Sam opportunities to improve their clients’ homes in ways that have powerful effects on their work and family lives.
“When the pandemic hit, we knew people were going to be stuck at home, wanting to change things and improve their environment,” says Sam. “We’ve loved working on custom projects for people who want to add offices, gyms, update bathrooms or finally remodel that kitchen they’ve been dreaming about.”
(Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide)
This talented duo has decades of experience between them, and they complement each other with varied skill sets. Sam’s family has been in Baltimore County, Maryland for more than 300 years and is a third-generation builder. For his part, Steve balanced his full-time career in medical sales with building houses for 30 years. Home building was his passion project until he retired from medical sales. He then began to lay the foundation of what would evolve into Enhance Building Company.
Together, they are channeling their love of building and design to elevate the residential building experience in and around Baltimore.
(Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide Volume 6)
Sam tells us he’s most proud of the integrity of their work. “Our products are top of the line, no matter what,” he says. “We’re going to be honest with you. We won’t sell you anything you don’t need. Our goal is to change the experience - you and us working as a team.”
“We build to last. We like to follow up at 9-10 months after a project to ensure our clients are still satisfied. I’m calling our clients up, saying ‘How’s that renovation? Anything we can fix for you before your warranty runs out?’ I can say with my whole heart that it’s our service and attention to details that sets us apart.”
We are excited to welcome these high-quality builders to The Scout Guide Baltimore & Annapolis volume 6.
(Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide)
CONTACT: ENHANCE BUILDING COMPANY
443-275-3318
@enhancebuildco
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NEW LISTING Live authentically in this historic 1802 Bacon-Crosby House listed by KRAUSS REAL PROPERTY BROKERAGE. View listing.
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Summer Camp at Stages Music Arts ROCKS!
Ready or not, it’s time to think about summer camp for kids! Our friends at STAGES MUSIC ARTS just released their 2021 camp schedule, and there’s something for every burgeoning rock star. Sign up now to take advantage of early bird discounts before March 15.
There is NO music venue better suited for fun, creative collaboration and musical inspiration than Stages Music Arts. The gorgeous multi-studio facility tells kids right away, “You’re somewhere special.”
(Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill)
All campers will spend their days in the beautiful, world-class recording studios complete with oversize square footage and vaulted ceilings - perfect for social distancing. Kids get the experience of being in a real recording studio with epic acoustics where professional musicians lay down tracks and make music history. Lunches are enjoyed outside on the expansive terrace, and small groups of six kids or fewer are maintained inside.
Stages’ incredible staff of professional musicians leads each camp session.
The full list of camp options are available here. Check out a few of the Summer Camp programs that got us super pumped:
ROCK CAMP JR.
How fun does this sound? Available as a camp option for the first time, this program parallels Stages’ Backstage program, which is a performance-based program for beginners. No band experience required! Campers will spend the week learning their favorite songs by their favorite artists and finish by performing a live rock concert in the Stages theater at the end of the week. Bust out the fist pumping and Slash wigs!
WRITING & RECORDING WORKSHOP
This is a special treat. This wildly popular camp session isn’t offered during the school year. Camp is the only time to experience this unique collaborative opportunity for a whole week of composing and writing songs. Bands typically crank out one to three songs during this week-long session. On the final camp day, a sound engineer comes to the studio to track the whole group and perform their original work. Dreams coming true, right here folks.
ELECTRONIC MUSIC CAMP
Do you have a future film composer or video game sound designer on your hands? Maybe the next pop music producer? This incredible Electronic Music program is being offered for the first time as a full-day five-day camp. Kids will compose music using software instruments, all on the computer. They’ll make their own ringtones and design sounds. This is critical for when Steven Spielberg looks at your kid one day and says, “Make me a sound like a T-Rex footstep.” Check! Electronic music production combines production and music theory and composition without having to be an expert on your own instrument. Electronic music is the production wave of the future, and this session will fill up fast!
CONTACT: STAGES MUSIC ARTS
@stagesmusicarts
10 Stenerson Lane, Cockeysville
410-353-5300
#musiccamp#ilovemusic#campforkids#playhard#rockout#rockstars#musicproduction#writemusic#musiccomposition
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Abstract Storytelling with Artist Farida Hughes
(Photo credit: Anne Hubbard-Hill for The Scout Guide))
FARIDA HUGHES’ artwork is a bold, joyful addition to the Baltimore art scene. More than just colorful spheres, her oil and resin panels are abstract representations of human relationships, the connections between people and communities. Every piece tells a story, unraveled by histories.
Farida comes to Baltimore with an adventurer’s spirit, having lived in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Chicago, Minnesota and western Maryland. She draws on all those places to inform her abstract works as she pushes and pulls oil paint around her wood panels, expressing shyness and dynamism, charisma and relief through the medium of resin that allows her paint to ebb and flow.
“I’m an abstract painter who works with color,” Farida says. “I’m not reacting to nature or a scene or a still life, so I pull the colors out of my palette by intuition. The painting evolves as I go on.”
Her distinct colors make her a design-friendly artist, easily adaptable to home settings with specific color flows.
Not one to create prints of her work, Farida produces a small collection of wearable scarves, which are a direct translation of her fine art onto fabric. These colorful accessories are each named for strong, powerful women she has known and are available through her web site. Find her artwork or commission a piece through local galleries Bozzuto Greene Art and Y: Art Gallery.
We welcome her to The Scout Guide Baltimore & Annapolis volume 6!
CONTACT: FARIDA HUGHES
434-250-0261
@faridahughes_artist
@farida_scarves
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Discover Tusculum Farm Weddings: Visit In Person February 10
(Above photo credit: Clay and Company Photography)
On February 10 and March 24 from 5-8pm, the gorgeous and oh-so-romantic TUSCULUM FARM will host in-person Discover Tusculum Weddings events. These by-reservation events are a special chance for engaged couples to explore the Farm in a socially distanced yet personal setting. Stroll the bucolic grounds while enjoying light fare and take-home goodies.
Several of the Farm’s frequent events vendors will be on-hand to give couples a taste of what their special day could look like at the Farm. Participating vendors include:
To Your Taste Catering
Out of the Jordanary Cakes
Clay and Company Photography (Clay Blackmore)
Allied Party Rentals (Tents)
Custom Floral by Brian Bonita
(Cake by Out of the Jordanary Cakes)
All of these companies participated in Tusculum Farm’s “In The Name of Love” elopement packages in 2020 and know the Farm well.
Tusculum Farm’s new events manager, Melissa Rogers, will also be on-hand to introduce herself and answer questions about how the Farm can be customized for each couple’s dream experience. She will escort guests through the Farmhouse and Hay Barn, the two main areas used for wedding receptions.
(Above photo credit: Clay and Company Photography)
The 75-minute time slots are from 5-8pm on March 24th. Space is limited, so call Tusculum Farm to reserve your space: 1-833-RED-BARN.
Virtual tours are still available for couples wanting to explore the property before visiting in person. Contact Tusculum Farm to begin exploring this exquisite countryside property for your future wedding.
CONTACT: TUSCULUM FARM
833-RED-BARN
4601 Damascus Rd., Laytonsville, Maryland
@tusculumfarm
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