I just blog for fun, and I really don't feel that I'm particularly good at it (and that wasn't a neurotic self-deprecating ploy to get you say otherwise, I assure you). Today, however, I feel the need to be serious and articulate, because they're actually publishing what I say in a place where lots of people go to get their Baltimore news.
That's right, ladies and gents... mosey on over to B the site and read about my day. And hope that I don't say something stupid.
Showing posts with label city living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city living. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, August 18, 2008
My first (Kabuli) time
Ever since 9/11 and the Department of Homeland Security and "Freedom Isn't Free" bumper stickers, I feel like anyone who says the word "Afghanistan" runs the risk of getting tackled to the ground and carried away with a pillow case over their head by one of Dick Cheney's henchmen. But that's because the country at large has forgotten that the bad guys are the Taliban, not the poor women in Afghanistan walking around in burkas and unable to drive cars without a male relative escorting them.
I'm glad that the social stigma hasn't yet affected Afghan cuisine in Baltimore. A sometimes out-of-town, sometimes Baltimore transplant of a friend was in town this weekend. I left it up to her to pick the restaurant and/or bar where we would meet up to catch up. She suggested The Helmand because she'd wanted to eat there since forever. I've passed it many a time, but have never gone in. I can't understand why I've never partaken... apparently the owners also claim Tapas Teatro to their list of Baltimore-based restaurants, and it's one of my favorites and most frequently visited.
I love food, but I can't say that I'm the most adventurous wannabe foodie. I'm more a creature of habit, so I didn't know what to expect. M and I got there right at 5 when the restaurant opened. We were seated and waited awhile for The Maestro to finish being important and come to join us. While we waited, we nursed two (very affordably priced $6) glasses of malbec. When The Maestro finally caught up with us, we ordered. M got the vegetarian special, The Maestro two very exotic appetizers in lieu of an entree, and I chose kabuli (a traditional Afghan dish consisting of roasted lamb, raisins, glazed carrots and pallow-- a traditional Afghan long-grain rice).
We barely had time to chat. I blinked my eyes and all of our food was sitting in front of us. Seriously... it maybe took them two minutes to prepare and serve our food. And the place was absolutely packed. I have no clue how they managed it. Everything we had was delicious. Mine was so good, I'm thinking about actually cooking and learning how to prepare the dish. M's veggie special was humongous. The Maestro had to help her finish it. But not like Outback-Steakhouse-huge-portions. More like Thanksgiving-dinner-at-Memaw's-house-huge-portions. Her plate was just packed with a bunch of interesting-looking, tasty options.
When it was time to settle up, the damage for three (super quality) meals and three glasses of wine was only $58. Any restaurant that keeps company with other establishments that consider themselves gourmet while I consider them overpriced and still manages to stay affordable AND delicious is an A+ in my book. The Helmand fits that bill. Whether you live in/near Baltimore or think you might visit one day, keep The Helmand high up on your list of places to visit.
After we were finished with dinner, it was such a beautiful night that we went two doors down to Donna's and bought coffees to enjoy outside in Mt. Vernon Square. You know Baltimore might quite possibly be the smallest town in a "big" city ever when all three of us ran into people we knew just by sitting there and sipping.
And now that I've Googled "Afghanistan," "burka," and "Saddam Hussein" to check my spelling, I'm probably on some Federal watchdog list.
I'm glad that the social stigma hasn't yet affected Afghan cuisine in Baltimore. A sometimes out-of-town, sometimes Baltimore transplant of a friend was in town this weekend. I left it up to her to pick the restaurant and/or bar where we would meet up to catch up. She suggested The Helmand because she'd wanted to eat there since forever. I've passed it many a time, but have never gone in. I can't understand why I've never partaken... apparently the owners also claim Tapas Teatro to their list of Baltimore-based restaurants, and it's one of my favorites and most frequently visited.
I love food, but I can't say that I'm the most adventurous wannabe foodie. I'm more a creature of habit, so I didn't know what to expect. M and I got there right at 5 when the restaurant opened. We were seated and waited awhile for The Maestro to finish being important and come to join us. While we waited, we nursed two (very affordably priced $6) glasses of malbec. When The Maestro finally caught up with us, we ordered. M got the vegetarian special, The Maestro two very exotic appetizers in lieu of an entree, and I chose kabuli (a traditional Afghan dish consisting of roasted lamb, raisins, glazed carrots and pallow-- a traditional Afghan long-grain rice).
We barely had time to chat. I blinked my eyes and all of our food was sitting in front of us. Seriously... it maybe took them two minutes to prepare and serve our food. And the place was absolutely packed. I have no clue how they managed it. Everything we had was delicious. Mine was so good, I'm thinking about actually cooking and learning how to prepare the dish. M's veggie special was humongous. The Maestro had to help her finish it. But not like Outback-Steakhouse-huge-portions. More like Thanksgiving-dinner-at-Memaw's-house-huge-portions. Her plate was just packed with a bunch of interesting-looking, tasty options.
When it was time to settle up, the damage for three (super quality) meals and three glasses of wine was only $58. Any restaurant that keeps company with other establishments that consider themselves gourmet while I consider them overpriced and still manages to stay affordable AND delicious is an A+ in my book. The Helmand fits that bill. Whether you live in/near Baltimore or think you might visit one day, keep The Helmand high up on your list of places to visit.
After we were finished with dinner, it was such a beautiful night that we went two doors down to Donna's and bought coffees to enjoy outside in Mt. Vernon Square. You know Baltimore might quite possibly be the smallest town in a "big" city ever when all three of us ran into people we knew just by sitting there and sipping.
And now that I've Googled "Afghanistan," "burka," and "Saddam Hussein" to check my spelling, I'm probably on some Federal watchdog list.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
"But uh-oh those summer nights..."
The Maestro got home from his final summer tour on Thursday night. Summers are typically trying because he travels a lot for work and I'm generally knee-deep in production of a show or three, and so communication between the two of us often falls by the wayside. When he gets back from his final tour of the summer, though, we try to find fun and new things to do to celebrate being in one another's presence again.
On Thursday night, I told the Maestro that I felt as though I'd wasted the entire summer because I hadn't done anything authentically Baltimore-in-the-summertime all season. The city has a plethora of really great summer activities-- festivals such as ArtScape and HonFest, neighborhood cultural fairs (Greek Festival is my absolute favorite), and the like. Imagine my delight when he suggested that we go see an outdoor movie last night.
Little Italy has a famous tradition of screening free movies on the side of a building on Friday evenings in the summer. Last night, they screened The Blues Brothers. How I got through 24 years of life without watching The Blues Brothers or seeing an outdoor movie in Little Italy, I will never know, but I'm glad that I have recently reconciled both of those wrongs. I think it goes without saying that the film is both a cult classic and leftover acid trip, but we had fun nonetheless. I think the Maestro and I may have been the only two people in the audience of hundreds who had never partaken in the movie. There was a little hiccup in the video stream around the time when Dan Aykroyd's character tries to pick up the hot blonde in the convertible at the gas station... I'm not quite sure what happened around there, but I got the general jist of the movie.
And everyone cheered after this special little number:
The Maestro picked up some great snacks at Eddie's for us to munch on al fresco and we grabbed gelato and espresso from Vaccaro's for dessert immediately after the movie. They show movies every summer through the end of August, so check it out if you're looking for something super cheap (the screening is free... space is available on a first come, first served basis) to do in the next couple of weekends. They're showing Cindarella Man next week and Cinema Paradiso the week after next.
If you're going to go, here are a few hints that the Maestro and I learned for next time:
1. Go early! In prime Downbeat/Maestro style, we got there right in the nick of time. We would've seen the beginning of the movie had there been any open parking. As this is a great Baltimore tradition with a huge following, there wasn't readily available street parking, and all pay parking was a flat rate of $15. Since we'recheap economical, we rode around for an extra 15 minutes waiting for the heavens to open up and grant us a parking space. If you don't want to pay out the nose for parking and want to see the entire flick, make sure you add an extra 30 to 45 minutes as parking in Little Italy on a Friday night is a pain any time of year.
2. Take lawn chairs Want to know when the Maestro and I realized that neither of us own lawn chairs? As we were getting out of his car and walking towards the parking lot where the movie was being screened. Thankfully, he unintentionally had a blanket in his car, so we had something that wasn't direct asphalt to sit on, but we were struggling to stay comfortable the entire time. There was a lot of shifting and maneuvering on both of our parts to make sure that legs didn't have to be amputated for lack of circulation by the end of the evening.
3. Clear out ASAP If you're going to hit a bar of Vaccaro's after the film is over, don't wait for the credits to finish. All 500 million people who are there without children are going to want to get their drink/ice cream/coffee on when the movie's finished, and if you get there before the credits stop rolling like we do, you'll avoid a heinous line.
4. Don't sit near the bathrooms/trash cans/a large group of people We sat next to the port-a-pots because we got there late. We heard doors slamming through the entire movie and got to fight to see with the people standing in line waiting for the can. I saw people in similar situations as ours who sat near the only trash receptacle or who were flanking teenagers who came in large groups. That pretty much goes along with getting there early to stake out your spot.
5. Don't bring more than you need Neither the Maestro nor myself are particularly green. I know, I should get better. At any rate, when you're going to one of these things, it almost pays not to. He got our snacks in those disposable plastic containers so that we could throw them away immediately afterwards. Even the stuff that we weren't finished with wound up getting tossed in the end so that the rest of our night downtown could happen unencumbered by unnecessary clutter.
All in all, we had a great time. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something to do in Baltimore... or even if you're not in Baltimore, free outdoor screenings are definitely a fantastic date night anywhere. Find an open air screening in your city and enjoy the rest of the summer.
On Thursday night, I told the Maestro that I felt as though I'd wasted the entire summer because I hadn't done anything authentically Baltimore-in-the-summertime all season. The city has a plethora of really great summer activities-- festivals such as ArtScape and HonFest, neighborhood cultural fairs (Greek Festival is my absolute favorite), and the like. Imagine my delight when he suggested that we go see an outdoor movie last night.
Little Italy has a famous tradition of screening free movies on the side of a building on Friday evenings in the summer. Last night, they screened The Blues Brothers. How I got through 24 years of life without watching The Blues Brothers or seeing an outdoor movie in Little Italy, I will never know, but I'm glad that I have recently reconciled both of those wrongs. I think it goes without saying that the film is both a cult classic and leftover acid trip, but we had fun nonetheless. I think the Maestro and I may have been the only two people in the audience of hundreds who had never partaken in the movie. There was a little hiccup in the video stream around the time when Dan Aykroyd's character tries to pick up the hot blonde in the convertible at the gas station... I'm not quite sure what happened around there, but I got the general jist of the movie.
And everyone cheered after this special little number:
The Maestro picked up some great snacks at Eddie's for us to munch on al fresco and we grabbed gelato and espresso from Vaccaro's for dessert immediately after the movie. They show movies every summer through the end of August, so check it out if you're looking for something super cheap (the screening is free... space is available on a first come, first served basis) to do in the next couple of weekends. They're showing Cindarella Man next week and Cinema Paradiso the week after next.
If you're going to go, here are a few hints that the Maestro and I learned for next time:
1. Go early! In prime Downbeat/Maestro style, we got there right in the nick of time. We would've seen the beginning of the movie had there been any open parking. As this is a great Baltimore tradition with a huge following, there wasn't readily available street parking, and all pay parking was a flat rate of $15. Since we're
2. Take lawn chairs Want to know when the Maestro and I realized that neither of us own lawn chairs? As we were getting out of his car and walking towards the parking lot where the movie was being screened. Thankfully, he unintentionally had a blanket in his car, so we had something that wasn't direct asphalt to sit on, but we were struggling to stay comfortable the entire time. There was a lot of shifting and maneuvering on both of our parts to make sure that legs didn't have to be amputated for lack of circulation by the end of the evening.
3. Clear out ASAP If you're going to hit a bar of Vaccaro's after the film is over, don't wait for the credits to finish. All 500 million people who are there without children are going to want to get their drink/ice cream/coffee on when the movie's finished, and if you get there before the credits stop rolling like we do, you'll avoid a heinous line.
4. Don't sit near the bathrooms/trash cans/a large group of people We sat next to the port-a-pots because we got there late. We heard doors slamming through the entire movie and got to fight to see with the people standing in line waiting for the can. I saw people in similar situations as ours who sat near the only trash receptacle or who were flanking teenagers who came in large groups. That pretty much goes along with getting there early to stake out your spot.
5. Don't bring more than you need Neither the Maestro nor myself are particularly green. I know, I should get better. At any rate, when you're going to one of these things, it almost pays not to. He got our snacks in those disposable plastic containers so that we could throw them away immediately afterwards. Even the stuff that we weren't finished with wound up getting tossed in the end so that the rest of our night downtown could happen unencumbered by unnecessary clutter.
All in all, we had a great time. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something to do in Baltimore... or even if you're not in Baltimore, free outdoor screenings are definitely a fantastic date night anywhere. Find an open air screening in your city and enjoy the rest of the summer.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
The website a friend and I totally thought of making like 3 years ago and failed...
I'll just start off this post by saying that I am a sucker for networking. I'll sign up for just about anything and then determine its worthiness or unworthiness. And I am definitely an online marketer's DREAM. In fact, I read a half a post at Jezebel today about a show that I'd vaguely heard of months ago this one time when someone was talking about TV and immediately keyboard-marched over to the AMCtv.com website to watch the first episode to see what all the fuss was about. If you want me to buy your product, watch your show, ingest your new drug... whatever... send me and e-mail or put a comment on my blog. If it's on the internet, apparently I must have it.
Gosh. I'm gonna get a lot of spam now, aren't I?
At any rate, a few weeks ago, this company started following me on Twitter. Usually I chalk that up to creepy people stalking me, but this one seemed to be Baltimore-based, so I followed them, too. And then one of their updates said that their website was live. So I went! And I joined!
...and then I took awhile to contemplate the usefulness of this thing that I just arbitrarily joined because the internet told me to and someone started following me on Twitter and I was flattered.
So the website is 600block.com. Their whole shtick is that they post user-generated reviews on restaurants, bars, and retailers. And I know you're rolling your eyes and saying, "Duh, you can get that in at least 8 million other places on the web." I know you're saying that to yourself because that's what I said even after I wrote a few reviews. But then I saw this magical little box in the upper right hand corner of the site that has a list of specials. Want a half-priced beer after 9 or a new place to have happy hour in 5 minutes? go to 600block.com and it will tell you exactly what's going on in Baltimore by way of cheap food and drink on a daily basis. This little box is my new best friend.
A few summers ago, before I had a place of my own, and far more disposable income, and didn't really have to worry about having a grown up job because I was still in school, a friend and I tried a new nightlife spot at least twice a week with the thought that we'd start this anti-tourism guide book for Baltimore 20-somethings... outlining where all of the specials were each day, and suggesting places for blind dates and romantic evenings and nights out with large groups of friends. That was a few years ago.
Paper is so passé in 2008.
And also, apparently, 600block.com beat us to the punch.
I'm not paying attention to any of the retailer stuff right now because I'm more interested in having a lovely dinner than fitting into half of what's in my closet right now, but maybe in time, it will be like Twitter and prove its usefulness to me... and hopefully, if you're not in Baltimore, it will move on to your city one day, too.
Also, Baltimorons, it's Restaurant Week. Go out and try some place new to eat for $30.08. If you need suggestions, my favorites are bicycle, Gecko's, Sascha's 572, Slainte, and Pazo. All linkable from the Baltimore Restaurant Week site.
Gosh. I'm gonna get a lot of spam now, aren't I?
At any rate, a few weeks ago, this company started following me on Twitter. Usually I chalk that up to creepy people stalking me, but this one seemed to be Baltimore-based, so I followed them, too. And then one of their updates said that their website was live. So I went! And I joined!
...and then I took awhile to contemplate the usefulness of this thing that I just arbitrarily joined because the internet told me to and someone started following me on Twitter and I was flattered.
So the website is 600block.com. Their whole shtick is that they post user-generated reviews on restaurants, bars, and retailers. And I know you're rolling your eyes and saying, "Duh, you can get that in at least 8 million other places on the web." I know you're saying that to yourself because that's what I said even after I wrote a few reviews. But then I saw this magical little box in the upper right hand corner of the site that has a list of specials. Want a half-priced beer after 9 or a new place to have happy hour in 5 minutes? go to 600block.com and it will tell you exactly what's going on in Baltimore by way of cheap food and drink on a daily basis. This little box is my new best friend.
A few summers ago, before I had a place of my own, and far more disposable income, and didn't really have to worry about having a grown up job because I was still in school, a friend and I tried a new nightlife spot at least twice a week with the thought that we'd start this anti-tourism guide book for Baltimore 20-somethings... outlining where all of the specials were each day, and suggesting places for blind dates and romantic evenings and nights out with large groups of friends. That was a few years ago.
Paper is so passé in 2008.
And also, apparently, 600block.com beat us to the punch.
I'm not paying attention to any of the retailer stuff right now because I'm more interested in having a lovely dinner than fitting into half of what's in my closet right now, but maybe in time, it will be like Twitter and prove its usefulness to me... and hopefully, if you're not in Baltimore, it will move on to your city one day, too.
Also, Baltimorons, it's Restaurant Week. Go out and try some place new to eat for $30.08. If you need suggestions, my favorites are bicycle, Gecko's, Sascha's 572, Slainte, and Pazo. All linkable from the Baltimore Restaurant Week site.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Where everyone knows your name...
Without divesting too much, I will share that my last two months or so professionally have been an exercise in patience, humility, and will. As a result, I've been going out after rehearsals with far more frequency than usual. Last night was just one of those nights. My brother-from-another is rehearsing a show in Fells Point, so I figured it'd be easiest for us to meet down there for post-rehearsal cocktails. I will always admit that I'm a creature of habit, but occasionally I'm up for something new. Apparently, last night wasn't one of those nights... at least as far as venue is concerned. We went to our Wednesday night mainstay, Slainte Irish Pub at my eventual behest. We got a few strange looks from the bartenders who know us as Wednesday night regulars, but then sat at the downstairs bar (again peculiar for us) and started chatting. It was much quieter on Thursday than it is on Wednesday (Wednesday nights are industry night for food service workers, and all food and drink is 1/2 price, which is why we've been Wednesday night regulars since back when I still worked in a restaurant). I deviated from the norm for my beverage selection and ordered a McAllan 12-year Scotch and followed it up with Loose Cannon, the Clipper City beer that's on draught right now. I suppose that when times get tough, we stick to what we know to help us perservere. At least I do. Admit it-- you do, too.
And this post is getting WAAAAAY too Carrie from Sex and the City, so I'm going to buck up and pretend nothing ever happened. You do the same, okay? I live with you with my soon-to-be-husband Barack Obama's first general election campaign video. He's so dreamy.
I would talk about the drama going on with Sheila Dixon, but it pisses me off too much.
And this post is getting WAAAAAY too Carrie from Sex and the City, so I'm going to buck up and pretend nothing ever happened. You do the same, okay? I live with you with my soon-to-be-husband Barack Obama's first general election campaign video. He's so dreamy.
I would talk about the drama going on with Sheila Dixon, but it pisses me off too much.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Real Estate for the Young and Clueless
The Maestro and my Brother-from-Another live in this adorable historic neighborhood on the northeast side of town called Mayfield. It has beautiful, historic houses on wide, tree-lined streets. If you're actually inside of Mayfield, you'd never believe that you were inside Baltimore's city limits. Think Homewood or Guilford for the slightly less loaded.
Every year, Mayfield's Community Association hosts a home and garden tour, where about 10 different familes open up their homes and/or gardens for residents and guests to walk through, observe, ooh and ah, etc. The 2008 home and garden tour was a few rainy Sundays ago, and The Maestro and I went with his recently ex-other roommate.
By the time the 10th house rolled around, we were all a little tuckered out, but it was well worth the wait. It was a gorgeous house with breathtaking views of Lake Montebello. Best of all, it's also on the market. I spent the rest of the day begging The Maestro to buy it. And much to the chagrin of everyone with whom I interract on a regular basis, I've been talking about this house ever since. Just for giggles, I sent the listing to my mother a few days ago. She responded yesterday with the results from this website. You can plug any address into this bad boy, and it gives you the property's stats (i.e. # of beds/baths, square footage), something it calls a Zestimate (estimated market value), a tax assessor's estimate, bird's eye views of the property from Google Earth, neighborhood information, previous sale and listing information if applicable, and even more cool stuff that it's pretty impossible to list all that it does.
What's even more fun is that you can plug any address into this, so it's a good way of getting an informal value of your property if you own and are thinking ahead to when you're going to sell next. I'm not a real estate junkie. I'm young, I just happen to like what I like. Seeing all of the statistics for this house that's been the subject of my daydreams for the past few weeks helps put things into perspective for someone who's otherwise unsavvy to the ways of the real estate market.
Go to zillow.com to start playing.
Every year, Mayfield's Community Association hosts a home and garden tour, where about 10 different familes open up their homes and/or gardens for residents and guests to walk through, observe, ooh and ah, etc. The 2008 home and garden tour was a few rainy Sundays ago, and The Maestro and I went with his recently ex-other roommate.
By the time the 10th house rolled around, we were all a little tuckered out, but it was well worth the wait. It was a gorgeous house with breathtaking views of Lake Montebello. Best of all, it's also on the market. I spent the rest of the day begging The Maestro to buy it. And much to the chagrin of everyone with whom I interract on a regular basis, I've been talking about this house ever since. Just for giggles, I sent the listing to my mother a few days ago. She responded yesterday with the results from this website. You can plug any address into this bad boy, and it gives you the property's stats (i.e. # of beds/baths, square footage), something it calls a Zestimate (estimated market value), a tax assessor's estimate, bird's eye views of the property from Google Earth, neighborhood information, previous sale and listing information if applicable, and even more cool stuff that it's pretty impossible to list all that it does.
What's even more fun is that you can plug any address into this, so it's a good way of getting an informal value of your property if you own and are thinking ahead to when you're going to sell next. I'm not a real estate junkie. I'm young, I just happen to like what I like. Seeing all of the statistics for this house that's been the subject of my daydreams for the past few weeks helps put things into perspective for someone who's otherwise unsavvy to the ways of the real estate market.
Go to zillow.com to start playing.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Pleasant Surprises
...I was pleasantly surprised by quite a few things over the long weekend. In chronological order, they are as such:
1. Someone gave something back that didn't belong to them: The poltergeist in my house that has been stealing my stuff returned my favorite mascara on Friday when I got home from work. Granted, it returned it to the spare bathroom that I never use so it can't even depend on my assuming that I just misplaced it. I know you exist, you stuff-stealing poltergeist!
2. I saved a whopping $3.50 on beauty products: I had a EUREKA! moment on the way home. I never get manicures (much to my mother's chagrin) because they don't last that long since I abuse my hands on the piano at least 15 hours a week for rehearsal. I got one a few weeks back for a black tie I was attending. My nails then deteriorated into this awful state of half-crimson-enamaled for weeks because I couldn't find my nail polish remover. I tore my bathroom apart. I knew I had some last summer for the last time that I was on stage, but for the life of me couldn't find it when I actually needed it. I was being cheap and stubborn and refused to buy knew stuff when I knew I had nail polish remover sitting someplace, mocking me, ready to be used that once time a year when I actually needed it. And then, as I was driving home, the heavens opened and revealed to me that the nail polish remover had been sitting in a box (a BOX! not a bottle... no wonder I couldn't find them) in my bathroom drawer that I open every morning... going unidentified because I bought those nail polish remover wipes that you can use once for all ten fingers and then throw away. Elated, I removed my nail polish as soon as I got home... spared from looking like a spaz for the rest of the weekend.
3. Some things never change. As I posted earlier, I went out with some old college friends to see a mutual friend's band. It was seriously quite an amazing reunion. Old friends and new, expected and unexpected. Everyone was so happy to see each other. And even though the tickets were $14, the drafts were only $3.50 and there was a Smirnoff brand rep walking around giving away free shooters for the hour and a half that we were there. But all in all, seeing old friends lifted my spirits and the night was (mostly) just as it should've been.
4. Just like Monopoly: Because I was running late getting into the city (between applying my new found mascara and removing my spaz-tastic nail polish), I wound up driving into Federal Hill, contrary to my plans. Refusing to drive around, wasting gas, for an hour looking for parking (not like I had the time to do that), I decided to bite the bullet and park in the garage. When it came time to leave, I put my ticket into the payment kiosk, and the parking was free! All of that yacking and moaning and the City of Baltimore let me park in a bustling metropolitan area for free for a few hours.
5. Old traditions with new friends: I still remember all the words to Moulin Rouge.... and I found a friend who will sing along with me.
6. Some things will always make me melt: I still haven't found a flavor at Pitango that I don't like. You should go and try to find one that doesn't make your mouth water, too.
7. Luckily some families are even more dysfunctional than mine: We onDemanded The Savages on Sunday... both having wanted to see it since it came out in the theatres. First of all, I think whomever does the opening credits for all Fox Searchlight films just goes out of their way to be obtuse. Laura Linney (as always), however, made my heart sing... especially when she called herself a "theater person" when the Nigerian man asked her what she did for a living.
Here's to all of the other "theater people" out there... who have no other words to define themselves.
1. Someone gave something back that didn't belong to them: The poltergeist in my house that has been stealing my stuff returned my favorite mascara on Friday when I got home from work. Granted, it returned it to the spare bathroom that I never use so it can't even depend on my assuming that I just misplaced it. I know you exist, you stuff-stealing poltergeist!
2. I saved a whopping $3.50 on beauty products: I had a EUREKA! moment on the way home. I never get manicures (much to my mother's chagrin) because they don't last that long since I abuse my hands on the piano at least 15 hours a week for rehearsal. I got one a few weeks back for a black tie I was attending. My nails then deteriorated into this awful state of half-crimson-enamaled for weeks because I couldn't find my nail polish remover. I tore my bathroom apart. I knew I had some last summer for the last time that I was on stage, but for the life of me couldn't find it when I actually needed it. I was being cheap and stubborn and refused to buy knew stuff when I knew I had nail polish remover sitting someplace, mocking me, ready to be used that once time a year when I actually needed it. And then, as I was driving home, the heavens opened and revealed to me that the nail polish remover had been sitting in a box (a BOX! not a bottle... no wonder I couldn't find them) in my bathroom drawer that I open every morning... going unidentified because I bought those nail polish remover wipes that you can use once for all ten fingers and then throw away. Elated, I removed my nail polish as soon as I got home... spared from looking like a spaz for the rest of the weekend.
3. Some things never change. As I posted earlier, I went out with some old college friends to see a mutual friend's band. It was seriously quite an amazing reunion. Old friends and new, expected and unexpected. Everyone was so happy to see each other. And even though the tickets were $14, the drafts were only $3.50 and there was a Smirnoff brand rep walking around giving away free shooters for the hour and a half that we were there. But all in all, seeing old friends lifted my spirits and the night was (mostly) just as it should've been.
4. Just like Monopoly: Because I was running late getting into the city (between applying my new found mascara and removing my spaz-tastic nail polish), I wound up driving into Federal Hill, contrary to my plans. Refusing to drive around, wasting gas, for an hour looking for parking (not like I had the time to do that), I decided to bite the bullet and park in the garage. When it came time to leave, I put my ticket into the payment kiosk, and the parking was free! All of that yacking and moaning and the City of Baltimore let me park in a bustling metropolitan area for free for a few hours.
5. Old traditions with new friends: I still remember all the words to Moulin Rouge.... and I found a friend who will sing along with me.
6. Some things will always make me melt: I still haven't found a flavor at Pitango that I don't like. You should go and try to find one that doesn't make your mouth water, too.
7. Luckily some families are even more dysfunctional than mine: We onDemanded The Savages on Sunday... both having wanted to see it since it came out in the theatres. First of all, I think whomever does the opening credits for all Fox Searchlight films just goes out of their way to be obtuse. Laura Linney (as always), however, made my heart sing... especially when she called herself a "theater person" when the Nigerian man asked her what she did for a living.
Here's to all of the other "theater people" out there... who have no other words to define themselves.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
I thought gentrification was when you brought yuppies into a bad neighborhood
Apparently North Avenue market used to be hot stuff. I wasn't alive, but I get the impression that it was like a Lexington or Cross Street Market for midtown Baltimore back in the day. Now, if you know the whole North Avenue corner of the universe, it's the reason that I can't walk any farther north on Charles Street than Tapas Teatro without a taser. Well apparently these developers are now attempting to restore the North Avenue market and transform it into a multi-purpose arts-focused area for shops and restaurants. Their intent is to use this space as a continuation of the Station North arts district.
I, personally, hear the word gentrification thrown all over the place... usually in the context of revitalizing some neighborhood that Hopkins has bought and is slowly developing luxury housing for the young, rich, kind of suburban set to move into the city be chic. Don't get me wrong... I think it's wonderful when new development in the city has an arts focus. It helps to validate my existence as a musician in Baltimore. My cynical mind finds it hard to fathom the transformative powers of an arts venue in the depressed corridor that is North Avenue, however. I really, really hope I'm wrong, though, because if it works, it will be awesome.
Source: Bringing back city landmark [Baltimore Sun]
Further reading: Baltimore's North Avenue Market Past and Present, Maryland Daily Record (login required), Developing Midtown - bthesite.com
I, personally, hear the word gentrification thrown all over the place... usually in the context of revitalizing some neighborhood that Hopkins has bought and is slowly developing luxury housing for the young, rich, kind of suburban set to move into the city be chic. Don't get me wrong... I think it's wonderful when new development in the city has an arts focus. It helps to validate my existence as a musician in Baltimore. My cynical mind finds it hard to fathom the transformative powers of an arts venue in the depressed corridor that is North Avenue, however. I really, really hope I'm wrong, though, because if it works, it will be awesome.
Source: Bringing back city landmark [Baltimore Sun]
Further reading: Baltimore's North Avenue Market Past and Present, Maryland Daily Record (login required), Developing Midtown - bthesite.com
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