It's obvious that the owners of the new Rumor Mill (8069 Tiber Alley, Ellicott City, 410-461-0041), located where Sidestreets used to be, are thinking big. The menu ambitiously hops around the globe, pairing Asian-inflected raw tuna with guacamole and tortilla chips, or barbecue-coated grilled shrimp with soba noodles and miso broth. A lot of things don't quite hit their mark, but like any good rumor, at least it isn't boring. The fried rice balls, filled with a stuffing that changes nightly, are a reliable companion to the place's creative and fun cocktails.

How much would you pay for a cupcake? At Baltimore Cupcake Company, it could run you as much as 12 bucks a treat, but owner Tracy Rice is having no problem finding takers: Her growing clientele is forking over as much as $2,500 an event for cupcakes sparkling with Swarovski crystals, monogrammed with chocolate letters, or topped with handmade whimsical parasols. (The basic model goes for $2.50.)

Organic milk from grass-fed cows. Bronte pistachios flown in from the slopes of Italy's Mount Etna. Free-range chicken eggs used the day they're laid. It's safe to say Pitango Gelato is a wee bit obsessive about the ingredients in its frozen treats. At their Fells Point storefront, which opened earlier this summer (802 S. Broadway, 410-702-5828), each gelato is kept in its own lidded compartment to prevent flavors from mixing. And such flavors!

The Crab Shanty (3410 Plum Tree Drive, Ellicott City, 410-465-9660), that long-lived crabhouse on Route 40, has moved its adjoining carryout businesses to the lot across the street to make room for a coming curbside fast-food enterprise. Housed together, its Pig Pickers (barbecue) and Sea King (seafood) carryout stores share a shiny new space with a few tables scattered across its tiled floor; a couple of picnic tables outside offer extra space for lunchtime visitors.

The awning of the Soho Eatery (1504 Light Street, 410-685-2989) puts two cheerfully smiling faces inside the O's of the cafe's name. And for such a tiny place (there are a couple tables, but it's really geared more toward carry-out), Soho gives customers a lot to smile about. There are the refreshing, icy, fruit smoothies. There's the crisply grilled teriyaki, pictured here, a step up from the bland, baked version found at so many local Asian restaurants.

It's crunch time for wedding planners, judging by the invitations in my mailbox. I enjoy going to weddings, for they are events filled with love and happiness and (occasionally) good music. They are also a good excuse to carry my silver flask like some sort of rogue, just in case someone needs help with nerves. And I like checking out the flowers. Standard bouquets? Custom-matched to the dresses? Plastic? Focus on all that flowery delicacy long enough, and a certain thirst develops—but don't worry, I'm not about to recommend what goes with rubber chicken.

For the past three summers, outdoor lounge Mosaic has been a favorite oasis for sipping drinks and dancing under the stars. But with the opening of a sleek indoor lounge (4 Market Place, 410-262-8713), this Power Plant Live venue has become an ill-weather option. The tented outdoor area will still be available in warmer months, but it's obvious the establishment is now redefining itself as a more traditional nightclub.