Hops to it

This weekend promises to be quite an affair at Three Tides, the fantastic little bar tucked away on the waterfront in downtown Belfast. Starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, Three Tides will host a “One Year of Beer” party, celebrating a full year of beer-making, offering up 15 of the brews that they craft right on site, under the Marshall Wharf Brewing moniker. Pemaquid Mussel Co. will serve up mussels four different ways (steamed, smoked, baked and fried) and Belgian fries with mayo will be available all night long. Music from Old Grey Goose, as well as boccie (Italian lawn bowling) and a roaring fire in the dockside fire pit, will round out the festivities. Then, on Sunday, Oct. 19, Three Tides teams up with Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County for a fashion show fundraiser called “Haute for Hospice.” Four designers from the Belfast area will show off their stuff, with a cocktail hour at 5 p.m. and a runway show at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 and are available by calling 338-0628. For more, visit www.3tides.com.

Black Dinah delights

Even as I write this, I long to hop into my car, drive to Stonington, get on the ferry to Isle au Haut and arrive, weary but overjoyed, at the doorstep of Black Dinah Chocolatiers. The utterly divine confections created by Kate and Steve Shaffer at their island kitchen and cafe are little bites of hand-made heaven. The couple recently added a new line of chocolates to their business – the Farm Market Collection, which will debut to the world on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Blue Hill Foliage Food and Wine Festival, as well as on Oct. 25 at the Harvest on the Harbor Celebration in Portland. The collection features nine new fresh cream truffles, each of which features a product from a Hancock County Farm. Flavors include Maine Mint, made with mint from Four Season Farm in Brooksville; Wild Raspberry, made with berries from Carding Brook Farm in Brooksville; Chevre and Nib, a dark chocolate truffle made with fresh goat cheese from Sunset Acres Farm; and Roasted Apple, which features local varieties from all over the Blue Hill Peninsula and Isle au Haut. You have not experienced chocolate until you have tried one of these creations. For more, visit www.blackdinahchocolatiers.com.

Tea for you

Don your kid gloves and Sunday hats and do it 19th century style at the Old Town Museum Autumn Tea, set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the museum at 353 Main St. in Old Town. It’s a traditional, old-fashioned high tea, and it’s a fundraiser for the museum. Specialty tea, scones, tea sandwiches and sweets will be served at your table, and there will be a pre-tea tour of the museum, a display of all things tea, a presentation about tea, a tea quiz, door prizes and more. Tickets are $10 and families are encouraged to attend; to reserve a table, call 827-2435.