Things to Do in Columbia

Although tape and video media were once the mainstays of recording technology, repeated usage will gradually deteriorate their quality. The team at Advanced Video Systems has stymied that deterioration by digitizing Super 8, 16mm, audio, and other media into wear-proof CDs and DVDs for more than three decades. In addition to preserving precious memories, the staff also restores the color and contrast to faded and foggy images, slides, and vinyl records.

The Taste of Pikesville brings together more than 30 of the area's assorted eateries, whisking guests on a culinary voyage to Latin America, Asia, the United States with savory and sweet fare. Pairs can wander the room making conversation as they nibble on bite-size portions of samples such as charred steaks and chops made famous by Ruth's Chris Steak House or simmering Peruvian-style chicken or Cuban-inspired meat dishes from Mari Luna Latin Grille. Area enophiles from Boordy Vineyards showcase wines that may include bottlings from their Landmark Series, sourced from 100% Maryland-grown grapes. Sweet treats will also be on hand, such as red velvet cakes and fruity rainbow cupcakes from Many Mini Cakes. Dessert bites can be paired with a brewed cup of locally roasted or organic coffee poured by Coffee with T.

A portion of the evening’s proceeds benefit the Baltimore County Police Community Relations Councils (PCRC). The councils harbor an open forum between the police and the community, a dialogue that occasionally leads to ride-along programs that allow community members to ride along in police cars and turn on the siren any time they witness a squirrel jaywalking.

While other children were playing outside Charlene Randolph's bedroom window, she was buried in her coloring books, scribbling intently with her crayons. This passion for two-dimensional art led her to take a slew of illustration classes in high school, but it wasn't until college that she discovered the clay medium and the world of functional, three-dimensional art. Tossing her canvases and drawing pencils to the side, Charlene became the primary instructor at The ClayGround Studio & Gallery, a BYOB workshop that provides novice potters with all the tools, materials, and fire-breathing abilities needed to craft stoneware art. Charlene's own masterpieces are available for purchase through the studio's website or at various boutiques and galleries across the country.

Reisterstown Sportsplex seamlessly melds competitive fire and ice with a regulation NHL skating rink and a similarly spacious indoor field for lacrosse and soccer. Since opening in 2008, the facility has expanded to host both serious and recreational events, from birthday parties and broomball matches to figure-skating lessons and hockey leagues for all ages. The center frequently hosts open public-skating hours, giving fledgling figure skaters the chance to prepare for real-world, high-pressure job interviews at the local RollerBurger.

Terrapin Adventures offers an array of activities for indoorsfolk seeking enthralling outdoor expeditions. With the Terrapin Tower adventure package, guests get two hours of climbing time, with a climbing lesson and climbing equipment included, on Terrapin Adventures' 43-foot-high outdoor climbing tower. The four-sided tower serves up a dozen different ascents, with a canopied platform at the tower's pinnacle offering a peaceful view of the Little Patuxent River and its ghosts of Revolutionary War–era extreme sportsmen. Terrapin Tower allows scalers of all skill sets to conquer the edifice with ease. The tower offers flat routes, overhang routes, and cargo nets for a variety of scaling surfaces, and climbers can simulate the digestive process of a timber rattlesnake by descending the tower headfirst through the stretchy Rainbow Serpent tube net.