Santa Claus set to visit weekends at Eldersburg mall

Carrolltown Center in Eldersburg will sponsor visits with Santa Claus at the mall.

Santa's hours through Dec. 22 will be from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 20. Photos are $5 each.

Santa will pose with pets from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Dec. 19. Photos are $5 each.

Other holiday events this week include:

Kids Club at 10 a.m. Tuesday with Nonnie Cargas, author of Gingerbread Houses. Cargas will show how to make a gingerbread house, then help children make their own to take home.

Puppets of Faith will present a puppet show at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. At 4 p.m., the Old Line Statesmen Barbershop Chorus will sing.

Carrolltown Center is on Liberty Road. Information: 410-781-7070.

Holiday activities set for Westminster's TownMall

TownMall of Westminster is continuing its holiday activities this month.

Shoppers can bring their pets for a photo with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 15 in center court. Proceeds will benefit the Carroll County Animal Shelter.

Men's Night at the Mall from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 15 will feature 98 Rock's Kirk, Mark and Lopez with coupons, a drawing for a weekend getaway and door prizes just for the guys. Gift-wrapping will be available in exchange for a $2 donation (per package, any size) to Carroll County's Neighbors in Need program, located in the mall. Baby-sitting will be available for young children.

Holiday Music in the Mall continues through Dec. 21. Performers include:

Runnymede Elementary School at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Concert by English hand-bell soloist Frank Bowker at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Cry of Mercy from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Patty Neivert's School of Dance at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15.

Manchester Elementary School at 7 p.m. Dec 17.

Westminster Church of God at 7 p.m. Dec. 20.

Carroll Holiday Horns from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Joyous Voices Strolling Carolers from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Twelve Bassoons of Christmas from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 21.

Information: 410 857-0300.

Marine Corps Reserve collecting Toys for Tots

Carroll County offices of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are collecting toys for the Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program.

The sales offices will take donations of new, unwrapped toys through Dec. 17. The Marine Corps Reserve then distributes the toys to local charitable organizations.

Coldwell Banker offices in Carroll are in Eldersburg, 2037 Liberty Road, 800-765-7355; Hampstead, 1631 N. Main St., 800-333-4763; Mount Airy, 505 E. Ridgeville Blvd., 800-898-8850; and Westminster, 1130 Baltimore Blvd., 800-288-1957.

Women's health club opens in Hampstead

Curves for Women, a health club designed specifically for women, held a grand opening Nov. 18 in Hampstead.

The health club features the Quickfit 30-minute workout and a weight loss program that offers results without permanent dieting.

Curves for Women has more than 3,500 club locations.

Curves, owned by Lisa Singleton, is located in the Robert's Field shopping center, 721 Hanover Pike. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.

Information: 410-374-8386.

Japanese steak, seafood restaurant in Eldersburg

Osaka Japanese Seafood & Steak House has signed a 10-year lease at Freedom Village Shopping Center in Eldersburg. The restaurant is scheduled to open in May.

Osaka will feature 16 tables with built-in grills and tableside food preparation. Owner Song Phong plans a quality menu of fresh food and a Japanese atmosphere that includes a bridge and fish pond leading to the bar, seating area and sushi bar.

The restaurant will serve dinner seven days a week and lunch Thursday through Sunday. Osaka will employ 12 full-time and six to eight part-time workers.

Phong has been a restaurant owner for 18 years, and owns Golden Szechuan Restaurant in Bel Air.