Birthday

A friend of mine just posted a link on Facebook to this interactive "heat map" that shows how common different birthdays are . You should check it out -- it's pretty interesting, and the interface is cool too. (Just hover over a birthday to see its rank.) After Leap Day, the least common birthday is Christmas Day, followed by New Year's Day. It's a pretty quick visualization, also noted on the blog, that July, August and September are the most common birth dates, so folks do tend to conceive during the winter holidays.

It's only been a year? A hit from the start, the Food Market opened on the eve of last year's Honfest. Co-owners Chad Gauss and Elan Kotz, the Food Market's executive chef and general manager, respectively, are celebrating their great first year with a birthday party at the Hampden restaurant on June 5. The party, a benefit for the Hampden Family Center , will include hors d'oeuvres and sweets provided by chefs and restaurateurs. The well-wishers providing food include Cyrus Keefer ( Fork & Wrench )

Distracted by the making of paragraphs and domestic duties, I overlooked that March 1 was the ninety-first birthday of Richard Wilbur, one of our most distinguished poets. I heard him read once when I was undergraduate, and a more urbane, witty, and polished master of verse you cannot find. His translations of Moliere are a pleasure both to read and to hear. And his version of Villon's Ou sont les neiges d'antan? is perfect in English in its concision and melancholy realism: "But where shall last year's snow be found?"

Pabu Izakaya is celebrating its first birthday at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore on Wednesday. The party will include an all-night happy hour, a special dessert by Four Seasons' pastry chef Chris Ford and a special "sake greet" for diners. Chefs Chad Gauss of the Food Market and Opie Crooks of Roy's will join Pabu's Jonah Kim in the kitchen. The birthday party at Pabu will also feature the disc jockey Jay Gray, who will spin from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. #sigshell { padding: 10px; float: left; width: 320px; height: 52px; margin: 20px 0px; display: block; }

On Jan. 19, community activist Geneva Pope, of Abingdon, seated in second row holding baby, celebrated her 83rd birthday among family and friends.

On Dec. 8, Esther Morrow celebrated her 100th birthday with her friends, family and fellow residents at Rock Spring Village, an assisted living community in Forest Hill.

On Jan. 29, more than 100 family members and friends gathered at the St. Agnes Council Knights of Columbus to celebrate Betty Nolan's 90th birthday. The guest of honor was surprised and teary-eyed as tributes in the form of songs, pictures and poetry were sung, shown and read. Along with her family, this longtime Catonsville resident served as grand marshal of the 2010 Fourth of July parade.

Celebrate the birthday of Elvis as Jed Duvall returns as the King of Rock 'N Roll, with performances Friday, Jan 11 and Saturday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m., at Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main St. An award-winning Elvis Presley performer, Duvall represents all eras of the King: rocking the 1950s, his comeback in 1968 and his Vegas years. Dress in your best '50s attire and win a prize. Best female costume and best male costume prizes awarded at each show. Tickets are $15 for general admission.

Last Friday was the 80th birthday of one of my vocal idols, Montserrat Caballe. I offer these belated good wishes with a sampling of the Spanish soprano's radiant tone and sublime musicality in a Strauss song. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.  Feliz cumpleanos, Madame Caballe.

It's President George W. Bush's birthday and what does he get?  Not an awesome new mountain bike or a sweet  new baseball glove or even a cool  new set of gopher traps .  No, instead all he gets is a big story in the New York Times  in which current Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry accuses him of being a liberal .  "In recent years, Mr. Perry has broken politically with Mr. Bush, questioning his credentials...

The 90 Club has its newest members for April 2013. Ted Hoke celebrated his 93rd birthday on April 16, Alice Jones celebrated her 93rd birthday on April 20 and Louise Pinkney celebrated her 90th birthday on April 21. More than 100 family and friends enjoyed themselves at the Bayou Restaurant in Havre de Grace for an afternoon of food and fellowship.

The happy convergence of Midweek Madness time with Barbra Streisand's 71st birthday means a little levity is in order. I always did have a soft spot for every moment of "Color Me Barbra," because it was the first Streisand album I owned and the beginning of a life-long, unrequited romance. The TV special that generated that album includes this comic gem -- a harried Marie Antoinette getting a hurried last song in.

Back in 1972, when John Waters successfully persuaded his friend, Divine, to eat a handful of doggie poo in the name of cinematic trailblazing, who would have guessed that Waters would one day be regarded as among Baltimore's most accomplished and distinguished citizens. It has, indeed, been a long, strange trip. From quiet, almost clandestine showings of "Multiple Maniacs" in musty church basements to exhibitions in major art galleries throughout the world, Waters' career has undergone quite the trajectory.

Last Friday was the 80th birthday of one of my vocal idols, Montserrat Caballe. I offer these belated good wishes with a sampling of the Spanish soprano's radiant tone and sublime musicality in a Strauss song. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.  Feliz cumpleanos, Madame Caballe.

Children's birthday parties at home with cake and games will never go out of style. But if you or your child would like to try something different this year, there's no shortage of specialty sites in the Baltimore area eager to host your celebration. It doesn't matter if your child is an artist, an athlete, an outdoor enthusiast or all three -- there is a specialty party designed just for him or her. Here is a sampling of sites to check out: BALTIMORE COUNTY Abrakadoodle Art Studio 9606 Deereco Road, Timonium 443-841-7171 abrakadoodle.com Bring out the artist in your party guests with themes like Party Pirates, Monet Water Lilies or Castles and Dragons.

Children's birthday parties at home with cake and games will never go out of style. But if you or your child want to try something different this year, there's no shortage of specialty sites in the Baltimore area eager to host your celebration. It doesn't matter if your child is an artist, an athlete, an outdoor enthusiast or all three - there is a specialty party designed just for him or her. Here is a sampling of sites to check out: BALTIMORE COUNTY Abrakadoodle Art Studio 9606 Deereco Road, Timonium 443-841-7171 abrakadoodle.com Bring out the artist in your party guests with themes like Party Pirates, Monet Water Lilies or Castles and Dragons.

Happy birthday Don Larsen. The former Oriole and World Series perfect-game thrower turns 83 on Tuesday. If you want to send Larsen a gift, consider a Sullivan's Steakhouse gift certificate. Larsen liked his crab cake dinner so much at Sullivan's Baltimore restaurant last Friday, that he came back again on Saturday night, and he brought Hall of Fame closer Rich "Goose" Gossage with him. On Saturday, Larsen had the 26-ounce Long Bone Ribeye and Gossage got the Bone in KC Strip.

Edward Norton is a fine actor who starred in such films as "Fight Club," "Primal Fear" and "Rounders. " He is also a Columbia native and one of the most famous people to admit in public that he is still an Orioles fan. Norton turned 42 today. What does he want for his birthday? For Cal Ripken to come save his Orioles . “Thanks for all the nice messages. People have been asking what I want for my birthday. This:” Norton wrote on Twitter, linking to a site asking for donations for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust . He added: “And for Cal Ripken to come back and be Manager and GM of the Orioles and revive our poor team.” Norton is going to have to wait at least another year for his birthday wish to get fulfilled.

Bold Affair broke for the front and raced comfortably on the lead the remainder of the way in defense of her title in the $100,000 Conniver Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park. Bold Affair carried Abel Castellano to a two-length victory, beating four other Maryland-bred fillies and mares. She completed the seven-furlong distance in 1minute, 25.14 seconds. It was the second stakes win in as many starts this year for the Howard Wolfendale trainee. Howard Wolfendale She opened her 5-year-old campaign with a victory in the What A Summer Stakes on Jan. 12. "I started to hustle her a little bit and she started going so I let her do her own thing," Castellano said.

Lions and tigers and Oz movies, oh my! With the recent release of Disney's “Oz the Great and Powerful” and the expected release this year from Summertime Entertainment of the animated “Dorothy of Oz,” we think it's the perfect time to plan a birthday party down the yellow brick road. Click your heels three times, and follow us to Oz for step-by-step instructions on how to throw a DIY birthday party that will have your child and his or her guests over-the-rainbow. The Big Surprise Some of the best advice we can pass on for party planning is this: Always plan an element of surprise that no one will be able to stop talking about.