If you're not attending any of the Beltway rivarly events this weekend, you should check out The Walters Art Museum's exhibit preview party "Game Show at the Walters" on Saturday night.

Prior to the event, guests are invited to join the Walters Enthusiasts (WE)—a group for people ages 25-45 who want to be more involed at the museum—for a cocktail taste test and a behind-the-scenes tour of the new summer exhibition, Public Property. The Walter Enthusiasts group seems to be part of a larger trend, like the Pratt Contemporaries, of storied institutions trying to attract a younger following. Tickets are going fast, but stay tuned for future WE events.

The main event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in the Walters auditorium with a game show that features artwork from Public Property, a unique exhibit all its own because the show's title, themes, and artworks were chosen by more than 53,000 votes cast online and by museum visitors. The interactive nature will be evident Saturday night, too, as each piece of art will be a "contestant" and the winner will be determined by the audience and celebrity judges, including WYPR's Aaron Henkin and musician Dominic “Shodekeh” Bouma.

The event will also feature food trucks from Cazbar and The Wild Dog, craft cocktails from Rye, and a live performance from local band Yeveto.

The whole soiree sounds like a really fun way to introduce the unique exhibit, which runs through August 19. 

[Image: courtesy of The Walters Art Museum]

New gastropub Of Love and Regret, located in Brewer’s Hill, opened in March and is a collaboration between Stillwater Artinsal Ale’s Brian Strumke and Ted Stelzenmuller of Jack’s Bistro. We just had to try the winning combo of local beer and food powerhouses.

Located across the street from the Natty Boh Tower, the space once housed by Canton Station has an unassuming black door that leads into the pub’s long, narrow bar and dining room. Gleaming dark woods, brick walls, and tables lit by candles in mason jars contribute to the hip atmosphere—very Pacific Northwest. This place gets the vibe right without trying too hard.

A long chalkboard to one end of the room lists the 23 beers on tap, which include Stillwater Artisanal brews, imports, and other local beers like Sublimation by Brewer’s Art. Ranging from $7-9 for a 12-ounce poor, this place is on the higher end for Baltimore pubs, but the crowded bar proves patrons are happy to pay the price. Another note: We asked to sample one of the beers, but were told we could only purchase 6-ounce pours if we wanted to try them. Offering samples would be a great way for patrons to experiment before deciding on a particular brew.

But, Of Love and Regret’s knowledgeable bar and wait staff, all clad in black, did help us navigate the long tap list. The Baltimore-brewed Oliver’s Channel Crossing v5 was a refreshing U.K.- and Belgian-inspired golden mild ale served in a goblet. The stronger Emelisse Holland Oats, brewed in the Netherlands, was a smooth amber with hints of toasted oats and applestroop.

For $18, select picks off of the draft list are available to share in a 36-ounce pitcher. As our waitress delivered the carafe of locally brewed Cellar Door, a white sage infused wheat beer, she described it as “a step up from Blue Moon.” A complex and unique mix of spices, it was, as my friend put it, an “elevator ride” from the grocery store Belgian-style witbier, and the perfect summer drink.

We also tried a couple of the pub’s signature cocktails, our favorite being their rendition of a Boris Karloff cocktail (gin, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white) garnished with lime zest and black pepper. This gin fizz was executed perfectly, light and fruity with a foamy top.

Straying from drinks for a second, all of our food was delicious. Most unique, The Golden Burger, as the menu warns, actually is gold. Edible spray paint is used to achieve the effect, our waitress explained. (A full food review will appear in an upcoming issue).

We’ll be back soon to taste more of the constantly changing drafts, and maybe—if we dare—venture into the list of 30 bottles, which are separated into dry and crisp, sweet and sour, and strong and dark sections.

—Rebecca Kirkman, Baltimore magazine intern 

[Image: courtesy of Of Love and Regret]

The bucolic Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia has been host to a number of great events over the years, but it's rare that you can experience the double-header that I got to last Saturday.

During the day, Merriweather hosted the 20th annual "Wine in the Woods," an all-day festival featuring local wineries and vineyards sponsored by Howard County Recreation and Parks. The wooded grounds are an ideal setting for various wine tents, where you can sample or buy whatever vino fits your fancy. A lot of Maryland wines are on the sweeter side, which paired nicely with the unseasonably warm weather.

The weather helped to draw a pretty huge crowd, who were able to enjoy two stages of live music—everything from reggae band Jah Works and zydeco band The Crawdaddies to Dave Matthews tribute band Crowded Streets.

The music was just getting started as "Wine in the Woods" wrapped up at 6 p.m., because Saturday's ticket included lawn admission to Merriweather's concert that night: Justin Jones, the Drive-By Truckers, and Lucinda Williams. One qualm I had with this transition is that guests were not allowed to bring open wine bottles (which were uncorked when you bought them) and wine glasses (which were given to you upon entry) into the grounds of the concert. For next year, it would be great to either give out plastic wine glasses or amend the rules, as this was a big challenge for festival go-ers.

That said, seeing three great bands from a blanket on the lawn at Merriweather was a perfect way to conclude our day. I really enjoyed local singer-songwriter Justin Jones, whose twangy Americana was both catchy and creative. (Jones is currently doing a residency at The Ottobar, where you can see him on May 28 and June 4.) I've seen the Drive-By Truckers several times before, and their set didn't disappoint, as their hard-driving Southern rock soared through the amphitheatre. Lucinda Williams followed the Truckers, a move I'm guessing was a nod to her enduring folk and country career, but her slower songs almost seemed anti-climactic after such an explosive set.

All in all, it was a great Saturday at Merriweather. It made me feel lucky to have a venue, which hosts a plethora of great events, just 20 minutes down the road.

[Image: courtesy of jrynda.blogspot.com]

It's a beautiful day outside and, if you don't have plans, you should come down to Leinenkugel's Beer Garden (which was one of 2011's Best Bars), where we're presenting "The Spring Fling, A (Beer) Garden Party."

From 6-9 p.m., you can enjoy live music, a specialty pink lemonade-beer cocktail, 2-for-1 Leinenkugel brews, $4 call cocktails, a new spring pizza from Joe Squared, and 15 percent off food.

The beer garden was made just for spring weather like this, so come and enjoy!

[Image: courtesy of Leinenkugel's Beer Garden]