Four original cast members from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory are scheduled to appear at The Chocolate Expo when the event comes to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25.

The appearances will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the 1971 film and include Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie Bucket; Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca Salt; Paris Themmen, who played Mike Teevee; and Rusty Goffe, who appeared as an Oompa Loompa.

The cast members are scheduled to participate in a live panel discussion and audience Q&A beginning at 1 p.m. each day. Celebrity panel discussions and Q&A sessions are included with admission.

The Chocolate Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days and feature vendors offering chocolates, baked goods, specialty foods, cheeses, craft beverages and other treats, along with tastings, shopping and entertainment. The Maryland event marks The Chocolate Expo’s first appearance at the Maryland State Fairgrounds.

Vienna, VA coffee shop Caffè Amouri announced that founder Michael Amouri has died peacefully at home.

According to FFXnow, Amouri died this past weekend, more than three years after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The outlet reported an outpouring of tributes from customers, current and former employees, friends and local leaders, who remembered Amouri for his dedication to the Vienna community.

“It is with great sadness and gratitude that we share with you that Michael Amouri passed away peacefully at home,” Caffè Amouri said. “Michael loved every bit of life and was a tireless promoter of community and loved Vienna dearly. We will miss him with all our hearts.”

Amouri opened Caffè Amouri on Church Street in Vienna in 2010 as an independent coffeehouse and artisan roastery. The business was founded around the principles of quality, community and sustainability, with an emphasis on creating a gathering place for the local community.

Amouri was also active in the community outside of the coffee shop, including as a longtime youth sports coach and Vienna Business Association board member, according to FFXnow.

In 2018, the business expanded its educational focus with The Caffè Amouri Experience, designed to make coffee education accessible to both industry professionals and consumers interested in learning more about coffee.

The restaurant concluded its announcement with a phrase it said Amouri often used: “PEACE.”

Since early 2024, co-founders Shihan Chowdhury and Amgd Gende knew they had something special to bring to the people. When they launched Flavor Hive as a food truck in Alexandria, VA, it immediately gained viral attention for their “walking taco” chip bag concept; $10, any size bag, and they will load up the ingredients to the point where that chip bag could feed a small family. These days, you see many small and large businesses adding a similar item to their menus, hoping to capture the same magic that Flavor Hive did when they started out.

With that success, came opportunity. A little after a year went by, and the partners opened their first permanent brick-and-mortar restaurant in Annandale, VA. They built out the space to operate like a build-your-own bowl concept, now not just relying on the chip bags that brought them their early virality. Since then, they’ve added new concepts, such as Cafe Hive where guests can bring items to blend into ice cream for their own unique creations. I even did one with Old Bay Caramel Popcorn and Baltimore’s famous Berger cookies (It was fantastic).

Now, Flavor Hive operates at 9 different locations. Most recently, they opened new locations in Waldorf, MD as well as M St NW right in the middle of Georgetown. I got to visit both spaces early, and have no doubts that both will continue the pattern of success that they’ve worked so hard for. The Waldorf location sits adjacent to a creek with beautiful views and a walking path. They also acquired the neighboring space for a sit-down restaurant called “The Creek.” Here, you can try some of Shihan’s other creations from social media such as a chopped cheese sandwich, double smash burger, chicken wings and many others.

The Georgetown location is right in the heart of M St, where you walk in and immediately down into the space that’s decorated with the classic Flavor Hive black and red colors, and has a very intimate feel for such a small space. Both locations of course deliver on Flavor Hive’s promises; large portions, big flavors and a welcoming family feel that would make any customer feel appreciated. As they continue their regional expansion (hopefully with more spots in Montgomery County), I’ll be pulling for their continued success because it’s awesome to see someone like Shihan who grew up in MoCo live out their dreams at such a large scale.

 

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@mr.8.that The @Flavor Hive empire continues to expand and is a testament to hard work and people who are passionate about what they do! Two new locations in the last month! #flavorhive #dmveats #foodiefinds #halalfood #mr8that ♬ original sound – mr.8.that