Birthday Cake

Remember Baltimore's Bicentennial Birthday Cake? I didn't want you to miss Frederick N. Rasmussen's story about the "35-ton embarrassment" Baltimore's city fathers whipped up for America's Bicentennial celebration. Am I losing my mind? Was that really 35 years ago. It seems like only yesterday that I was rowing my boat in the Inner Harbor when what should I see but  ...  

Two special fundraisers took place at the Port Deposit VFW Post 8185 last weekend. In the big hall was a "celebration of love and support" for the Kessler Family, featuring several bands, a silent auction, raffles, food and door prizes. The proceeds of that 12-hour fundraising marathon will benefit local wounded veteran, Jeffrey Kessler. Jeffrey will soon move into the home provided for him by Homes for Our Troops, but donations of materials plus private and corporate monetary funding is still necessary to make his home a reality.

Kim Johnson was born and raised on Maryland's Eastern Shore, graduated from Garrison Forest School in Reisterstown and just last week moved to Kentucky from Los Angeles.Her and her husband, Murray, are running their first horse in the Kentucky Derby. He is Green Alligator, owned by Kim's grandfather, Anderson Fowler, of Far Hills, N.J.Kim has agreed to share her experiences at Churchill Downs this week with Evening Sun readers.Green Alligator was born on May 4, Derby Day, so ABC is bringing over a birthday cake for him. I guess it's going to be part of the Derby show.

Wedding day: Sept. 2, 2012 The bride: Julie Straus-Harris, 32, grew up in Potomac. She is a law clerk in the Baltimore chambers of Judge Diana Gribbon Motz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Her late father, Dr. Stephen E. Straus, was the director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. Her mother, Barbara E. Straus, retired as the assistant to the principal at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville.

HAZARDS OF the trade: In my last column featuring Baltimoreans who have gone on to fame in Hollywood or New York, Peggy Obrecht reminded me that I left out Remak Ramsay: "Remak, the late Carrie Ramsay's oldest son, is usually on Broadway in any given season. He just finished a successful run in 'The Heiress.' He is best known for the TV commercial he did for Noxzema. He's shaving while this Swedish model is whispering, 'Take it off, take it all off.'"Herbert Shofer called to tell me that I left out "Baltimorean Michael Tucker.

A homemade birthday cake used to mean colored candles and sugary decorations that broke before you could get them arranged.Now, the supermarket stocks all sorts of materials for the amateur cake decorator, from colored sugar to canned icing with dinosaur sprinkles.And that's just the cake aisle. The candy and cereal sections yield more possibilities, from marshmallows to Froot Loops.Cut-up cakes -- sheets or layers cut and reassembled into fanciful shapes -- provide the ideal canvas for the cake-cupboard artist.

Historic birthday parties will take place Thursday through Saturday in Lexington, Va., to celebrate the birthdays of Robert E. Lee (Thursday) and Stonewall Jackson (Saturday).Lexington contains homes, colleges, churches and the final resting places for both generals. Activities include a Founder's Day Convocation at Washington and Lee University Thursday; a birthday cake bake-off and party at Campbell House and a slide lecture Friday; free tours and birthday cake at the Stonewall Jackson House and a wreath-laying ceremony by cadets from Virginia Military Institute at his grave Saturday.

The forecast calls for snow and ice. At least that's what Baltimoreans seemed to prefer in the blistering weather last week. When humidity pushes the heat index beyond 100 degrees, snowballs and ices provide sweet relief. Each year, hot new flavors cool crowds. Anika Cunningham, 25, whose pink hair and purple-rimmed eyeglasses could be modeled after a snowball split between cotton candy and grape, says she started working at Hamilton's One Sweet Moment snowball stand when she was 8 years old. The stand - more of a snowball rowhouse where customers crowd a carryout window on the porch - opened 17 years ago. Back then, the menu featured 14 flavors; customers can now choose from more than 100 regular flavors and more than 100 specialty flavors, many of which, Cunningham says, she created herself.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- What a mess.What a jumbled, incomprehensible, beautiful mess.The Kentucky Derby is never anything less than an equine and human circus, but this year's 125th running is taking the theme to a new extreme.There are geldings, fillies, a battery-charged horse, a female trainer, an Arab sheik, Bob Baffert's possible threepeat and, well, let's not forget about the owner who met his wife when she jumped out of a birthday cake.Oh, and there's no clear-cut favorite, either."You can't say the Derby is boring this year," trainer Nick Zito said yesterday on a cool, clear morning at Churchill Downs.

When the Baltimore Public Works Museum celebrates its 20th birthday on Saturday, there will be no typical party. Instead, the museum is marking the occasion with a Heavy Metal Birthday Bash, offering guests a chance to interact with the machines that keep the city clean. Equipment including a dump truck, a line-painting machine and a fire engine will be on site for guests to climb aboard and operate (in some cases). Kids can wear uniforms, gloves and hard hats and pretend to be workers.

Samson, the Maryland Zoo's young elephant, made quick work of his vegetarian cake while a hillside of children and parents serenaded the birthday boy who is turning 4. His arching and nimble trunk first went for the prize, one of four big carrot candles atop a confection crafted of cornbread, mashed potatoes, squash, bananas and grapes, neatly garnished with lettuce. "He was actually smiling. I could have sworn he knew it was his birthday," said Sykesville resident Melissa Rectanus as she picnicked on pasta salad and strawberries with her husband, Michael, and children, Kelsey, Jessica and Abigail.

Billy Crystal and LeBron James ain't got nothing on a zombie being shot in the head through another zombie's head! The producers of "The Walking Dead"had to compete against both the NBA All-Star Game(Dumb) and the Oscars (Plum dumb) on Sunday night, and Team AMC brought it hardcore. I think most fans would agree that this may have been the best. episode. ever. What made it great? Here's a quick rundown: 1. The zombie kills. You'll have to wait until the "Best zombie kill" section below for all the gory details, but suffice it to say that I deleted what I wrote down in my notes as the leading candidate about five times.

Name: Kennedy Jude Patti Owner: Jeana Patti How They Met: Kennedy was given to me when he was 6 weeks old. I didn't think it was going to work out at first (my first dog ever) he was always in trouble to say the least, but we instantly became BFF's. He started out a frisky puppy who has recently mellowed out into a mature senior citizen. Age: 12 Home: Nottingham Breed: Labrador mix Best Trick: Speak! Favorite Activity: Aside from being with his grandparents and cousins, Kennedy loves to sit out front and chill.

Laurel Park will celebrate its 100th anniversary with live racing, birthday cake and a Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 22 from noon to 6 p.m. The live card will begin at 1:10 p.m. As part of the centennial celebration, the first 3,000 people will receive a 100th birthday key chain, and drawings will be held for prizes such as flat screen TVs, iPads and airline gift cards. A health fair will be held and entertainment includes live music and on-track performances between races, featuring Medieval Times performers, pony club members and Jack Russell terriers and basset hounds.

Remember Baltimore's Bicentennial Birthday Cake? I didn't want you to miss Frederick N. Rasmussen's story about the "35-ton embarrassment" Baltimore's city fathers whipped up for America's Bicentennial celebration. Am I losing my mind? Was that really 35 years ago. It seems like only yesterday that I was rowing my boat in the Inner Harbor when what should I see but  ...  

Last night on his show, comedian Jon Stewart picked up on an important part of Monday night's debate: The "baby-off. "  He played clips of candidates Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney all pleasantly informing the audience of their number of children and grandchildren.  Stewart then cut to Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. "I've given birth to five babies and I've taken 23 foster children into my home," Bachmann said, introducing herself to the New Hampshire crowd.  "We have a winner!"

Laurel Park will celebrate its 100th anniversary with live racing, birthday cake and a Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 22 from noon to 6 p.m. The live card will begin at 1:10 p.m. As part of the centennial celebration, the first 3,000 people will receive a 100th birthday key chain, and drawings will be held for prizes such as flat screen TVs, iPads and airline gift cards. A health fair will be held and entertainment includes live music and on-track performances between races, featuring Medieval Times performers, pony club members and Jack Russell terriers and basset hounds.

When my server at Clementine in Hamilton asked my sister if she'd like to have the homemade coconut cake topped with boiled, white, seven-minute frosting, I had a vision of a cold winter day in my family's Guilford Avenue kitchen. Let me tell the story. My brother Eddie decided to cheer me up after my kitchen pipes froze and I got a $2,400 plumbing estimate to correct a bunch of ills in an old house. He suggested a fast run to Harford Road and the consolation of a good lunch where we could forget household issues for a couple hours.

The weather report for Saturday morning reminds me that this would be the perfect day for making boiled white icing for birthday cake. My sister Mimi celebrated her birthday this week, and in another 30 days, we'll be celebrating the births of my father, my sister and twin nieces. My grandmother, Lily Rose, who was born in 1886 (or so; age was never mentioned) was a fast worker in that department. She could make any task seem easy. She had mastered her craft and was confident. She was also a generous person by nature and liked nothing better than delivering the goods for a family celebration.

The forecast calls for snow and ice. At least that's what Baltimoreans seemed to prefer in the blistering weather last week. When humidity pushes the heat index beyond 100 degrees, snowballs and ices provide sweet relief. Each year, hot new flavors cool crowds. Anika Cunningham, 25, whose pink hair and purple-rimmed eyeglasses could be modeled after a snowball split between cotton candy and grape, says she started working at Hamilton's One Sweet Moment snowball stand when she was 8 years old. The stand - more of a snowball rowhouse where customers crowd a carryout window on the porch - opened 17 years ago. Back then, the menu featured 14 flavors; customers can now choose from more than 100 regular flavors and more than 100 specialty flavors, many of which, Cunningham says, she created herself.