Tavern

Oysterback. -- A 30-year-old Cadillac, the worse for wear, original shocking salmon paint faded to pastel peach, bounced across the old wooden bridge over Oysterback Creek and rattled down the road.It turned into the parking lot of the Blue Crab Tavern, the huge fins seeming to heave as the brakes squeaked to a stop. A large man in sunglasses and a sagging black jumpsuit emerged and stretched, running one hand over his sideburns, then pulling a baseball cap over his thinning gray hair. He looked around at the empty streets, rubbed his aching back and ambled into the Blue Crab Tavern.

The Howard County Liquor Board has fined a Jessup tavern $300 and suspended its license for a week for selling beer to undercover police cadets who were underage.The sentence imposed on Three Nines Tavern on Washington Boulevard could have been far worse.F. Todd Taylor Jr., a senior assistant county solicitor in the county's legal office, had recommended the board revoke the license altogetheror suspend it for 30 days. Mr. Taylor had also recommended the tavern be placed on two years' probation if the license were suspended.

Peter A. Caringi Sr., former owner of a popular East Baltimore tavern, died of Alzheimer's disease Wednesday at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. He was 80. The longtime Highlandtown resident was born and raised on Eden Street in Little Italy. He attended St. Leo's parochial school and served in the Navy during World War II. As a young man, Mr. Caringi was a professional welterweight boxer. For years, Mr. Caringi was the owner of the 200 Tavern on Pratt Street. In 1979, he sold the business and purchased Tommy's Lounge at Pratt and Conklin streets.

Edward William Hartlove Jr., a retired truck driver and former Southwest Baltimore tavern owner, died of lung cancer May 6 at his Church Hill home in Queen Anne's County. He was 63. Born in Baltimore and raised on Christian Street, he attended city public schools. Mr. Hartlove owned and operated Hartlove's Tavern at Christian and Payson streets, a business he purchased from his father. "He was well known for having the coldest beer in Baltimore," said his wife of 22 years, the former Debra Kay Anderson.

Nicholas J. DeLuca, former owner of a popular Remington tavern and an avid thoroughbred racing fan, died Wednesday at Sinai Hospital of injuries suffered in a traffic accident. He was 83. Mr. DeLuca, who had lived in Mount Washington for more than 50 years, was returning home from Pimlico Race Course on Wednesday when he was involved in an automobile accident on Northern Parkway. He was born and raised on Huntingdon Avenue in the city's Remington section. He was a graduate of Polytechnic Institute.

In George M. Cohan's "The Tavern," a young woman repeatedly refers to the main character as "quaint." The description doesn't really fit the flamboyant character, but it definitely fits this 1920 script, which is so hopelessly quaint, it's practically creaky.In fact, Cohan's chestnut has become such a staple of summer stock that seeing it at Olney Theatre is almost a cliche. This is not to say that Olney doesn't do a good job with it. To the contrary, from designer Thomas F. Donahue's rough-hewn tavern set -- complete with a bevy of mounted animal heads -- to the slightly satirical tone of Bill Graham Jr.'s direction, this "Tavern" in Olney is a most pleasant place to visit.

C A compromise that would have allowed a Sykesville tavern with a sullied past to stave off demolition by the county government for another 10 years collapsed Monday.As a result, the county and Howard W. Bollinger are again at an impasse over a fair price for The Duke's Place, a tavern noted for brawling, illegal gambling and blatant discrimination against blacks until Bollinger became part-owner in 1984.The tavern sits in a flood plain on 1.3 acres at the edge of the south branch of the Patapsco River.

Charles Joseph "Chuck" Fowler Jr., who owned a Belair Road tavern and was host to monthly meetings of the Baltimore area's former National Football League players, died of complications from cancer Monday at St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 65 and lived above his Overlea business. Born in Baltimore and raised on Kenlea Avenue in Overlea, he attended St. Michael the Archangel Parochial School. He graduated in 1957 from Calvert Hall College High School, where he played ice hockey and football.

DURING A road trip down scenic Route 1 the other day, I looked up just long enough to notice a familiar white building with a green roof and rusty neon signs among the rug-remnant stores, old motels and car dealers in Laurel - a Little Tavern shop, neither vacant nor covered with graffiti. That was worth a U-turn. This Little Tavern was open for business. It had not been transformed into a Swedish bookstore. It had not been seized by a church group for Sunday meetings. Nor had it been spruced up with new awnings and turned into a sub shop.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- At the southern tip of Indiana along the Ohio River, in the southern end of the city of Evansville, there is an area locals know as Cypress, named for the trees that grow along the riverbank. There is one part of Cypress some folks still call Dogtown, named for reasons no one we asked could remember. Dogtown is not a place most sightseers accidentally find themselves; but if you are moseying through the southern Midwest (indeed, a lovely place to mosey) and have a hankering for real American food, we suggest you seek it out. In particular, look for the Dogtown Tavern.