Blends

Breaking through the thick fried crust of a vegetable samosa at Mirchi Wok takes some effort, but once you succeed, and that delicious shell cracks, a cloud of steam, gently scented with cumin, will rise out of the mix of peas and pale yellow potato within. The samosa appetizer ($3.95 for two), served with two kinds of chutney, should convince fans of the vegetarian restaurant Mango Grove that its new omnivore cousin hasn't abandoned its vegetarian roots - it's just added meat dishes to the mix. Poor:]

Residents of older homes often wonder how much of the past can and should be preserved in the course of a needed renovation. Fortunately, we've largely overcome the once-common American attitude that the new is always preferable to the old. Many of us are now willing to take the extra step -- and to pay the extra dollar -- to protect or restore the work of builders and designers of an earlier era.But even when the decision is made to preserve a fixture or...

One on One is a weekly feature offering excerpts of interviews conducted by The Evening Sun with newsworthy government and business leaders. James E. Tebay is president of the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence Inc.Q. What is the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence and what is its purpose?The foundation is a non-profit organization, which is designed to aid manufacturers, and in aiding manufacturers its specific purpose is to link the needs of those manufacturers to the many, many resources that exist within the state.

Second Presbyterian Church's gift to the Baltimore music calendar -- two series of free Sunday concerts -- opened this weekend with an appealing blend of chamber music by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians and friends.The format of the "Chamber Music by Candlelight" series is pleasant: No single instrument or type of ensemble predominates. Though this concert favored the viola, the repertory ranged from a trio for oboe, horn and piano by Carl Reinecke to a cello sonata by Edvard Grieg.

This blend of malbec, syrah and the little-known red wine grape bonarda has yielded a smooth, ready-to-drink but complex and full-bodied wine with a lot of character. It offers rich blackberry fruit with notes of herbs, Asian spices, vanilla and a touch of pine. It's a great value in this price range. From: Mendoza, Argentina Price: $11 Serve with: Grilled meat, pasta in red sauce

This artful blend of zinfandel, grenache, syrah, merlot and other red varietal is simply a very pleasant experience. The mix proves to be harmonious, and each variety seems to play its part perfectly. There's the power and earthiness of the zin, the broad shoulders of the syrah, the exuberant fruit of the grenache and the soft elegance of the merlot. The cherry and blackberry flavors are intense and penetrating but not harsh. It's a model of balance. It just goes to show that while the soil is crucial, the skill of the winemaker is important too. A big bonus is that Kendall-Jackson wines are widely available.

What a simple premise -- lose weight effortlessly while you sleep. From Los Angeles to New York, a blitz of radio advertising promotes the wonders of Body Solutions Evening Weight Loss Formula. Take a tablespoon, follow it with a glass of water, and, bit by bit, you'll wake up smaller. Radio personalities, traffic reporters and sportscasters offer seemingly constant testimonials on how Body Solutions helped them shed 10 or even 25 pounds, eating the pizza and ice cream they wanted, without having to diet or exercise.

W ith more than 900 exchange-traded funds, you can find one that fits every investment sector, strategy or mood you're in. Now get ready for even more variety with actively managed ETFs. This new product combines the tax and cost advantages of a regular ETF with the expertise of a professional money manager that you get with most mutual funds. Baltimore's Legg Mason and T. Rowe Price Associates, along with other fund companies such as Vanguard Group and John Hancock Funds, are seeking approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer actively managed ETFs.

It is only one mile east of the commercial corridor that is Route 3 in the Crofton section of Anne Arundel County, so it is hard to believe there are some 175 acres of farmland taking shape as an 18-hole golf course in the neighborhood.It is even more surprising to learn this is part of an original tract of more than 350 acres that includes the now-restored house in which Johns Hopkins was born in 1795.Each is an interesting story in itself, although they have become entwined since Stephen W. Duckett, former owner of an Annapolis laundry and dry-cleaning business, bought the property in 1941.

SYMPOSIUM.Muriel Spark.Houghton Mifflin.192 pages. $18.95. It's always rewarding to any audience when an artist reveals not only a brilliant style but also a comfortableness in executing this style. The audience of Muriel Spark is thus rewarded upon reading her latest novel of black comedy, "Symposium."It is clear from the beginning where Ms. Spark is heading: In the midst of apparent civilization lurks the evil of a violent crime, and the perpetrators as well as the victims are to be found among those who bear their perfected and controlled civilization most painstakingly.