Deep Creek Lake

It’s Time to Break the Ice!

Angie Landers — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:42:00 +0000

Mother Nature was certainly kind to us last week by blanketing the area in lots of pretty white fluff. Wisp has almost all of their slopes open, not to mention the tubing park and ice skating rink. It is definitely a great weekend to be coming into the area. If you want to experience a true ‘Mountain Winter Escape’, then I suggest that you head to Oakland Winterfest! This is one event that I always look forward to! Held in downtown Oakland, visitors will find a true winter wonderland. Going on its 5th year, the event is sponsored by various Oakland businesses and will be held from February 17th to the 19th. What might one find at this Winterfest? The highlight of the event are the amazing and unique ice sculptures that can be viewed throughout the town. Master carver, Bill Sandusky, from Frozen Assets Ice Carving Company will be returning for his 5th year to showcase his astounding talent. Local businesses are given the opportunity to purchase a sculpture that Bill will carve, generally, in an image pertaining to the business. He will do five live carvings on Saturday and “The Tribute to Oakland” on Sunday. The displays are well lit at night and on display until they melt. For the little ones, there is a ice sculpted bowling lane, an actual slide made out of ice, and in ice throne for them to perch on. They will also be able to take home a free personalized block of ice with their name in it. Other activities that will be going on are the snowman building competition, the crowning of “SnowFlake Toddler and Princess”, various craft vendors, and horse drawn sleigh rides by Pleasant Valley Dream Rides. Various dining establishments will be offering hot soup specials throughout the weekend as well. Still unsure? Think hot chocolate! Warm beverages and snacks can also be purchased at several locations throughout the town. If you are looking for some real old fashioned family fun then I highly recommend that you head to downtown Oakland this weekend to check out this excellent event. In the meantime, snow is on the ground, perfect for snow shoeing or cross country skiing. Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations is running some great specials for next weekend, so now is the perfect time to call to reserve your dream vacation home. In the meantime, we can’t wait to see you at the lake! http://www.deepcreekvacations.com/

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Did you remember to get your sweetie a valentine?

Deep Creek Living — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000

With tomorrow being Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d do some digging into the history. According to Wikipedia, Valentine’s Day was established in 496 AD, but wasn’t associated with the common practice of showing your love until around the 15th century. The art of sending handwritten greetings during the early celebrations have now turned into one of the largest card exchanging holidays around the world, not to mention the chocolates, roses and other gifts that are given.

However, just a little word of warning, this practice of showing your love is not accepted in all cultures around the world. Some countries and cultures strictly forbid the practice of celebrating and have banned anything to to with Valentine’s Day!

To read further into the history and modern day practices of Valentine’s Day, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine. I think you’ll find it as interesting as I did – enjoy!

PS – Don’t forget to get your sweetie a Valentine!

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A Look Back….

Angie Landers — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:23:00 +0000

Long before Deep Creek Lake became Western Maryland’s best kept secret, visitors still flocked to the mountains to visit Mountain Lake Park, a neighboring town of McHenry and Oakland. Of course, this was back in the late 1880’s when Methodist business men and churches were trying to find a new area to vacation. Drawn to Mountain Lake because of the fresh, clean mountain air, spectacular lush scenery, and convenience to the railroad, they developed the town and added a 22 acre man-made recreational lake that was used for swimming and boating. The town built an assembly hall that was quickly followed by the addition of rentable cottages, boarding houses, and hotels. The newly acquired town wanted to give vacationers a place of peaceful recreation that was far away from the frivolous and sinful recreations generally found in resort areas. The town promoted Christian principles which forbid those living or visiting the town to drink, gamble, play cards, dance or drink, even in one’s own home (I’m thinking this thought would not work so well today, especially on any given Sunday when the Steelers and Ravens are playing on TV.) If you wanted to participate in such evil misdeeds, you were encouraged to visit the neighboring town of Loch Lynn. Hence, the popular saying, “If you want to sin, go to Loch Lynn. For Jesus sake, go to Mountain Lake.” Of course, the town today basically resembles Hometown USA but they do still encourage others to visit. Many of the homes that were built back then, were fashioned as large Victorian type homes that now often allow visitors to tour them. Other attractions, you may want to check out are the Simon Pearce glass blowing store where you can purchase some fabulous gifts and tour the company to see first hand how the glass is created. (www.simonpearce.com) Another attraction in the area is Louis DiCarlo’s Stained Glass Gallery. Lou is an award-winning designer and stained glass craftsman. Visitors are welcome to view his amazing showrooms or call for an appointment to take a stained glass gallery lesson. (http://www.stainedglassgallery.net/) Although the original built lake no longer exists, there is another lake in the park called Broadford Lake Park. It houses a small sandy beach and the lake can be used for swimming, fishing, orsmall paddling boats. It also has a tennis court, pavilions for picnics, and multiple playgrounds for the wee ones. A very fun place to visit in the summer. If you are in the area and looking for something a little different, I encourage you to take the short drive into Mountain Lake Park. If you are suffering from a sinful sweet tooth, cross over the railroad tracks and enjoy a peace of coconut cream pie @ The Loch Lynn Restaurant. Tell Sheila and Bridgette that we said “Hello”. In the meantime, slopes are open, snow is in the forecast, and Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations is ready to help you plan your mountain getaway. We can’t wait to see you at the lake!
http://www.deepcreekvacations.com

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A new reason to love Wednesdays!!

Angie Landers — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:45:00 +0000

To most people, Wednesday’s simply mean hump day. The day that puts you further away from Monday and closer to the weekend. Here, at Deep Creek Lake, Wednesday’s actually signifies more than that. It signifies an evening of casual yet elegant ambience. A night to indulge with a large selection of delectable, gourmet cuisine . A night to create a feast to your specific desires without the painstaking work of actually preparing it. Yes, that’s right, folks. We are talking about Pasta Mania night at The Four Seasons Restaurant. If you have never dined at the Four Seasons, I strongly recommend that you check it out. The restaurant itself is fashioned in elegant décor with votive candles accenting the tables. Offering some of the finest lakefront dining in the area, guests can enjoy their meal while taking in the exquisite lake and mountain views. Their menu consists of everything from steak and seafood to yummy appetizers such as calamari and Thai scallops. On Pasta Mania night, they set up a large buffet style station where guests get to choose their own pasta meal. By choose, I mean they offer a variety of different noodles, sauces, and toppings (lots of fresh veggies included). Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations employees and employers ventured out for a night on the town last Wednesday to check out the selection and I must say, we have nothing but positive things to say. The food was absolutely divine; the customer service stellar, and a great time was had by all. In the meantime, slopes are open, the sun is shining, and it is a great time to call for some fabulous last minute deals on your perfect vacation home. In the meantime, we can’t wait to see you at the lake!

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Deep Creek Lake’s Winter Weather

Deep Creek Living — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:59:00 +0000

With the predicted icy conditions this weekend, I thought it may be nice to remind everyone of their driving safety tips on icy roads. This excerpt was taken from www.weather.com:

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop.

2. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.

3. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.

4. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists. Keep your lights and windshield clean.

5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.

6. Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.

7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.

8. Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.

9. Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

For a complete list of winter driving safety tips, please visit the following link, and BE SAFE! http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafety/drivingsafetytips/snow.html

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Everything Deep Creek 2012-01-18 09:35:00

Angie Landers — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Recently, nature decided to cooperate with us and brought to the mountaintop some very much coveted snow!! Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts have been flockingly happily to Wisp Resort to get their snow groove on! I, on the other hand, decided to celebrate the holiday with some exciting indoor activity. Bowling!! Still lots of fun with way less chance of falling on my rear! The family and I gathered some good pals and headed to Par-Matt Lanes Bowling alley in Oakland for a day of competitive fun. (****See photo of silly boys being, well, silly! The best way to be, somedays, if you ask me!!) If you haven’t been there in awhile, you should stop in and check out some of the recent upgrades they have made to their lanes. They have made them more kid-friendly by putting up barriers in the gutters to avoid gutter balls. I must admit that I was tempted to use them but refrained. They also keep the kitchen running throughout the day and evening, offering everything from pizza to burgers, wings, nachos, etc. I personally give a big thumbs up with the hot wings! They are delish. If you are looking for some good old fashioned family fun, then I recommend you check out Par-Matt Lanes.
If you are looking for something with a little more flair to it, then you may want to check the McHenry Highland Festival’s annual Robert Burns Supper held this Saturday the 21st at Dutch’s at Silver Tree. Every year, Scots around the world and in Garrett County, gather together to celebrate the birth of Robert Burns, author of many Scot poems. They celebrate his life with entertainment such as readings of his poems and of course, bagpipes. Scottish delicacies such as Sheppard’s pie, shortbread, and haggis (I will let you google this one on your own. It’s sounds very, ummm, interesting). Of course, let’s not forget the whisky tasting (I have to wonder if this is a direct result of the haggis!) Tickets are only a mere $45 per person and can purchased on the McHenry Highland Festivals website, attached on here. Sounds like a guaranteed good time! Reports of fresh snow is on the way so be sure to call Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations for some great last minute deals on your vacation home! In the meantime, see you around the lake!!

McHenry Highland Festival at Deep Creek Lake Each year at Deep Creek Lake on the first weekend in June...
McHenry Highland Festival at Deep Creek Lake Each year at Deep Creek Lake on the first weekend in June...
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Just shopping for the BEAR necessities!

Angie Landers — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:13:00 +0000

Entering the month of January, finds life in the mountains to be all good. Temperatures are comfortable, the snow has finally arrived (with more to come this week) and life as we know has returned to normal. I decided to reward myself for surviving the holidays with a little shopping excursion. I decided to check out Bear Creek Trader’s located in Market Fresh Square in McHenry. When I walked into the shop, I was immediately in awe of the vast selection that was before it. If you need it, it is most likely here. The store boasts a spectacular arrangement of Deep Creek memorabilia, from key chains, jewelry, totes, towels, and the list goes on. It’s also an awesome place to shop for home décor with original and unique vases, wall clocks, signs, mirrors, and more. As most of us do when we go on vacation, we tend to forget to pack something. Need ski gloves for the slopes? Forget your beach towel or sunscreen? Maybe your visiting and plan to attend a baby shower but forgot the gift (hey, it could happen). Well, worry not, Bear Creek Traders offers all of this. They have wonderful kids’ displays throughout the shop as well. There is an area where the kids can pick out an arrangement of Deep Creek Rocks to take home as a souvenir or a row of really unique kid’s toys. If your glutton for punishment and really want to sugar them up then allow the kids to carouse the old fashioned candy counter. (Temptation is a weakness of mine and I gave in and got the huge pixie straw stick. I used to love these as a kid and believe it or not, the sugar rush is equally fun as an adult!) They also have a very impressive assortment of candles and candle décor. If you stop in soon, you can also take advantage of the After-Holidays special. I saw a lot of beautiful Christmas ornaments/ decorations that were marked 50% off. So, if you’re out and about and looking to shop local with a humungous variety of items, I suggest you check out Bear Creek Traders. Otherwise, don’t forget to contact Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations for your Martin Luther King holiday getaway. The snow if fresh, the air is crisp, and we can’t wait to see you here at the lake.

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Here’s to a Happy New Year!!

Angie Landers — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Snow was a welcome sight earlier this week as the area was covered in several inches of the fluffy white stuff. Wisp took advantage of the cold and started cranking out the snow in anticipation of all of the guests that will be coming into our area for the holidays. Currently they have over 10 trails open. If skiing and snowboarding are not your thing, don’t forget about the many other exciting activities that Wisp has to offer at this time of year. The ice skating rink is now a favorite place for the families to check out. Benches, dangling twinkle lights, a bonfire, and warm beverages add to the true winter wonderland experience. They also offer snow tubing, snowmobiling, and snow-shoeing tours. Basically anything involving snow that can be made into a fun and exciting activity, Wisp offers it. Throughout the weekend, All Earth Eco Tours will be giving snow-shoeing lessons at Swallow Falls State Park. I highly recommend that you check them out. Crede, the guide, is wonderful and really goes the extra mile to make sure you not only enjoy the tour but see many of nature’s wonders that we would normally miss or not notice. An additional bonus to all of our renters this holiday is to check out the brand new Garrett College Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex. They are offering visitors day passes to use during their stay. There you can swim in the Olympic sized pool, work out in the fitness facility, or use the big spa after a day of vigorously hitting the slope. Whether you are coming to the area to partake in some outdoor excursions or just getting away to relax for the holidays, we truly hope you enjoy your stay. From everyone here at Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations, we wish you a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year! See you at the Lake!

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Family Traditions

Deep Creek Living — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:03:00 +0000

It is a Family Tradition!

This time of year is always a time we reflect on years past and cherish our family and friends, so I wanted to share with you a little bit about our family traditions.

As a child it was always important to me to know some of Grandma’s recipes. I was always her constant companion as she cooked away in the kitchen. And, I think even back then I knew it was something I would want to share with my children and grandchildren so our legacy of love could be continued for generations.

Every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas, one of our favorites would be homemade pumpkin pies from scratch. No recipe, just cooked pumpkin (fresh from the garden), canned milk, eggs, brown sugar to taste, a little vanilla, and some pumpkin pie spice. Stir until well mixed, pour in pie shell and bake. And, still to this day, I take the time to make homemade pumpkin pie for my family! A little secret I’ve learned over the years, however, is to bake the pumpkin in the oven until it becomes soft, then scrape it from the shell with a spoon.

Another family favorite is “Dutch Fried Potatoes”, but that’s a secret recipe that I’ll have to save for another post! Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t complete without “real” pumpkin pies, Dutch fries and fried oysters. (Yummy)!

Wanna share some of your traditions?

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Everything Deep Creek 2011-12-20 06:58:00

Angie Landers — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:58:00 +0000

Last Tuesday evening, the employees and employers of Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations celebrated their annual Holiday company party at Dutch’s at Silver Tree restaurant. A fabulous evening was had by all! This was my first time in the restaurant since it opened earlier this year although I had been hearing nothing but rave reviews from everyone. Our party was held downstairs in the lower level next to the bar. They had it cheerfully decorated for the holidays which added a wonderful ambience to the already festive atmosphere. We began our party with some sincere and heartfelt thanks from our employers. Chad, then in return, decided to be Chad and poke fun of the whole gang with his homemade videos. I have to give kudos where kudos are due. They were hilarious (check out some of them on our facebook page) but also very heartfelt. We had a buffet of food that was to die for. The prime rib was delish and everyone told me repeatedly that the twice baked potatoes were awesome (that’s what I get for trying to stay away from the carbs!). I also want to say what a fabulous job Dutch’s waiting staff did that evening. They were very on top of everything from refilling the water glasses, cleaning off dishes, or just getting you anything you needed. We concluded the holiday party with our annual Yankee Swap. It was a great deal of fun and it’s always interesting to see what you are going to take home with you. Perfect food, perfect setting, and perfect company made it a spectacular evening! Thanks once again to Dutch’s for your top notch service and to Joe, Jodi, and Chad for being the wonderful employers that you are! We are truly lucky to be part of such a wonderful team! In the meantime, as Wisp continues to crank out the fluffy goodness, we continue to fervently wish for snow (which seems to be working at the moment!), we look forward to seeing you at the lake!

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