Dinner & Destruction in Ellicott City

A typical date night for my husband and I… back in the day, was to go to Cacao Lane or Chez Fernand  for dinner. These eateries were the backdrop for our romance. They were both fine dining establishments on that main drag… that flash flooded in Ellicott City, Maryland over the weekend. Our hearts are so sad. It is a beautiful little historical town nestled in the heart of Howard County. And when you visit you are enamored. At Cacao Lane  we spent many a weekend and New Years Eve, upstairs where the music was. And downstairs at the restaurant… where we always ordered their Coquilles St. Jacques and Black Bean Soup. It was exquisite. The front window at Cacao was reserved for special occasions, and when you were lucky enough to nab one,  you could see the whole downtown alive with people. And buildings that had the character of the 1800's. Once… my husband and I were caught in a torrential downpour in Ellicott City due to the remnants of a hurricane that had hit the coast. That night we found sanctuary inside Cacao Lane... where they surprisingly gave us a window seat. We ordered our standard fare and watched as the street outside began to flood. Water rose above the curb and spilled onto the sidewalk coming dangerously close to the door. It was scary. But... we eventually made it home, by going uphill away from the river, after we finished eating. (That flood was nowhere near as bad as the one the other night.) I understand that window tradition for special occasions still remains, though Cacao has completely changed their menu, since we frequented it back in the 70’s. At Chez Fernand I learned to eat my first escargot. I couldn't handle the utensil they gave you to do that. It was spring loaded. So I somehow managed to shoot the snail shell across the room... over the heads, of other diners who were not amused. My husband and I could hardly contain our laughter. However, it was not the place for such antics even though it was unintentional. The French cuisine there was delectable and would rival Julia Child any day of the week. I heard the place burned down in 1984. The significance of this town to us personally, can not be overstated. It was where we ate, where we shopped, where we played. We have walked up and down that scenic hill, a million times over (where this devastation took place) and it was there... we both said , “I love you” to each other, for the very first time.”  Our hearts are heavy, as we watch the evening news and see this special place we love so dearly, totally in ruins. We are there with you in spirit Ellicott City… as you begin to rebuild what Mother Nature’s fury so cruelly obliterated.

If you want to help merchants and residents

https://ecpartnership.org/#donate

Here are some YouTube videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY7jMlAhs5I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGY8NAfKMps

Back in the day cell phones did not exist and taking pictures when you courted was not a widely accepted practice. So we have few if any. So I do not know what the protocol is for sharing these things. I got the 1st picture from the Cacao Lane Facebook page. And the last pic from a govt site via Facebook too. The links to the videos were directly from YouTube.  Please forgive me if I overstepped any boundaries. 

PS) Once again my blog post is not showing up in the feed until hours later. What's up with that Blogger?