Opie's or Tastee Zone?

While the country debates Health Care Reform, in the August heat, in Catonsville, residents will choose sides on more immediate concerns. Do you like Opie's or Tastee Zone?

Just as passionate as the allegiance to Coke or Pepsi, the patrons of ice cream and snowballs have a definate divide. The crushed ice of Opie's vs. the shaved ice of Tastee Zone. The crowds on the picnic tables of Opie's vs. the curbside seating of Tastee Zone. Ask any resident of Catonsville over the age of 5 and they will have a definite preference for one or the other. Occasionally, the ice cream snowballs of the Candy Box, which are easy to grab on a trip down Frederick Rd, but it is a dash and go experience rather than a hang around to chat with anyone who shows up, kind of place. We also have the gelato of Cafe di Roma which offers a more mature, relaxing, international feel but without the tradition and history of the Junction.

We can also debate 5 Oaks vs. Rollingwood. Families naturally gravitate to one pool or the other. Both can boast about their pool, their grounds and their recreation, but they will never convince the other to concede. There are a few who choose membership to Hunting Hills, another lovely pool, but their members are mostly at the far end of town, so the splashing of swimmers at the other two pools drown out their voices.

Do you enjoy the concerts at Lurman Woodland Theatre tucked nicely into the knoll just a few steps from Bloomsbury Avenue? The smell of grilled food, the nice facilities and the kids playing nearby, make this a great retreat right here in "Music City." Or, do you enjoy the Frederick Road Fridays, a concert/block party in the parking lot next to the Santa House? It features classics like Appoloosa, Bill's Music House and Jenning's beer garden. Just like its location, this is the "heart" of Catonsville.

This raises more questions. Where is the best coffee? The best pizza? The best bakery? The best roadside stand?

So take a summer break from the debate of politics and talk of the weather, to consider which side you will take in this Catonsville discussion. As you are filled with the passion to express your opinion, feel free to post it here.