Baltimore21201.Com

To JIM AMATO and His New Wine Shop in Charles Plaza: We Say, "WELCOME"

I've written before about how odd and strange it is to have to go to a Rite-Aid Drug Store for a bottle of wine or a bottle of scotch when unexpected guests are on their way over for a visit. I've also written about the wonders of being able to order from The Wine Source and have everything delivered a few days later... that process, though, takes some time and planning.

More than anything else, I continue to write about supporting promising businesses coming to Baltimore's City Center. And yes, supporting the businesses that are already here.

A few days ago we received a courtesy note from Southern Management Corporation letting us know that a new business may be on the way. It seems that a fellow named Jim Amato is planning to open, subject to Liquor Board approval, an upscale, wine and spirits shop at 222 N Charles Street in Charles Plaza.

Mr. Amato is no Johnny-Come-Lately to the spirits business. He owns and, for over 5 years, has run a very classy venue called Roland Park Wines and Liquors at 4032 Roland Avenue. It's just south of Cold Spring Lane. Not a shabby address and Roland Park Wines and Liquors is not a shabby establishment.

As downtown residents, we need to support this new business with great gusto. This new shop will not, according to Amato, sell liquor in what is known in the trade, as Half-Pints or Shorties. Nor will the shop sell Large Format Beer... kegs, 40-ounce or 22-ounce bottles.

Who wouldn't want a store like this in our neighborhood?

One of the most important parts of bringing Charles Center (and the neighborhoods to our east and west) to the forefront of progress, growth and desirability is to increase foot traffic which will increse residential and consumer confidence in walking the area we live in.

The new SuperFresh store is a monumental addition to 21201. A new wine shop will only add to the greatness of our new downtown and its retail & service mix. Contact Amato and our Liquor Board. Let them both know of of your support. Please do.

Baltimore Sun Falls Short... Really Short!

Checking the Baltimore Sun's Arts/Life section for a couple of best bets for the weekend usually isn't a foray in to the dark side of being grossly and totally and politically incorrect. After this morning, I wonder if the Sun isn't providing just a tad bit Too Much Light for All:

Let's see now... what's up this weekend according to the Sun...

I haven't seen The City Real and Ideal at BMA...

Photographer Dan Magus is having a book signing at Touchet Gallery on Ann Street...

Emmy and Peabody Award winner, Paul Mecurio is headlining at the Comedy Factory...

...and, say, what's this? Could it be? Why, yes it could. IT IS: MIDGET STRIPPERS at Club Paradise in Middle River!

Oh, that's nice.

And by way of reporting this you see, I went to the Club Paradise website to confirm this, uh, event. And, get this... the venerable Baltimore Sun failed to mention that there's a special contest at Club Paradise tonight. An award for the Smallest Chick with the Biggest Rack!

I'm certainly not a bluenose. It's just that, for me, things turn south at the mention of little people getting naked for prizes and tips.

Pictoralist, Photojournalist... Perfection

...is, without question, my favorite American photographer. The Baltimore Museum of Industry is presenting (through April 2007) an exhibition titled Bodine's Baltimore: A City at Work. If you haven't seen it yet, make tracks.

A. Aubrey Bodine's daughter, Jennifer B. Bodine, operates a Website with her husband, Richard Orban, that honors her father's work and offers reprints of some of his finest photographs. Bodine says that she's her father's greatest fan, and I'm right behind her.

One warning: Visiting aaubreybodine.com can be time consuming, and in a good way. Once you begin exploring the dozens of galleries, and over 4,000 images, you'll lose total track of time. So, take it slow and learn what made this Baltimore Sun photographer famous around the world.

Brown-Bag-It on Wednesdays

The Baltimore Architecture Foundation has announced its lineup of Forums for Spring '07. The hour-long forums begin at Noon in the Berman Auditorium of Johns Hopkins University's Downtown Center (10 N Charles Street). The forums are packed with valuable information for anyone even remotely interested in the history and development of Baltimore. And if you truly care about Baltimore's past and future, the free and open to the public forums are a Must Attend.

The Spring '06 forums featured presenters like Otis Rolley, Director, City Planning, discussing Baltimore's charter requirement for a Master-Plan and Dr. Gary Vikan, Executive Director, Walters Art Gallery, leading a forum on neighborhood, city, and regional branding.

Last Spring we learned about redevelopment of the Rotunda and Michael Murphy, AIA, Murphy Dittenhafer, treated everyone to a stunning visual tour of the reconstruction and adaptive reuse of the former Masonic Grand Lodge building on Charles Street which has been reborn as the Tremont Grand.

The '07 lineup begins on March 14th with the latest proposals for development in the Station North area and concludes on May 9th with Joe Cronyn of Lipman Frizzell & Mitchell LLC discussing The Economic Value of Landmarking.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch, their friends and an appetite for discussion. Make it easy on yourself... Block your Wednesday's for the series now. Pick up a sushi lunch and an iced green tea at Harbor Gourmet Deli (201 N Charles Street) and settle in for a great hour. I'll see you there with sushi in hand. 

DRUGS FOUND IN BALTIMORE: With Great Professionals, Exceptional Service

If you were fortunate enough to be born in a small town and you grew up there, you'll have fond memories of the people on Main Street who knew most everything about you. Your minister was one of them. Your doctor was, too. And more than anyone else, your pharmacist not only knew everything about you and called you by your first name... he most likely knew everything about your parents and your grandparents and your extended family.

That Main Street pharmacist had a code of service, ethics and confidentiality that exceeded today's HIPAA codes.

In the current era of the factory-like pharmacies, I thought we were all doomed to the long waiting lines, automated telephone lines, and cold stares that accompany a visit to them.

I'm thrilled to report that the personal service and individual care of a small town pharmacy and the knowledge of the big-guns in the Rx business can be found together, right here in Baltimore21201.

Mt. Vernon Pharmacy is a rare find. You can phone them and actually speak to real-live pharmacist: Stephen Weinner. Not only will he speak with you... He actually returns calls. When was the last time that happened after you left a message at one of the chain pharmacies?

Not only is Pharmacist Weinner knowledgeable, caring and approachable, their entire staff is as well.

If none of the above has convinced you to take your business to Mt. Vernon Pharmacy... How about this:

They have free delivery and they are specialists on all forms of insurance.

Does it get any better? Not by my way of thinking.

Mt. Vernon Pharmacy
900 N Cathedral Street
(They are actually on Read Street. Around the corner, just west of Cathedral Street)
410-539-8030

Nor'easter? Not Likley for 21201.

The winter of 2006/2007 looks like it's going to be a tad shy on decent snowfall. Yes, there were predictions of six inches or more for this storm in our area. My favorite weather optimist at Accuweather promised twelve.

It began snowing slowly over Charles Center around 7AM - tiny little flakes. By 11AM it was beginning to look promising - big fluffy ones. By early afternoon this is all we had to show for the effort.

So, it appears that what we may get is a just a serious layer of ice. And since the professionals don't seem to have a clue at this hour, I'm off to explore other issues.

There's always next year. And yes, Mayor D'Alesandro deserves a better photo. (Sorry Nancy.)

Accuweather's Severe Weather Expert Says: SNOW!

Henry Margusity is AccuWeather.com's Sr. Meteorologist and Severe Weather Expert and he's just posted a forcast map and a video outlining his snow forcast for 21201.

Check out his FULL REPORT.

And, let's not forget that Accuweather was right on target for last February's big snow. And, they called that storm early.

Fingers crossed, everyone?

Charles Center - Plaza Progress

It's been nearly a year since the Charles Center Plaza - bounded by the BG&E buildings to the West, the Park Charles apartments to the North, the buildings fronting Charles Street to the East and Fayette Street to the South - began the start of a transformation.

The plaza looked like this in March of 2006:

As a Balimore resident who passed by and walked through the Plaza in the late 1980s and early 90s, I was pleased, last year, to learn of the make-over.

The original plaza was concave from sidewalk level to the center of the Plaza. Much like an inner city bowl. And, the newer BG&E building's window ledges housed more than a few dozen of pigeons... as those ledges still do today.

Nearby residents would feed the pigeons all sorts of slices of bread, crumbs, cereal and seeds. It was a nice gesture, though the result was terrible. No, the result was disgusting.

From mid-Spring through early Autumn the bowl-shape of the Plaza did two things extremely well: Collect waste of all kinds and magnify heat. The sun cooked the waste from the birds (and, yes from other "critters"). A stench moved up and around through the air. The result was... fragrant. And, not in a nice way.

Summer of 2007:

The green space will be moved to the center of the Plaza. A "fountain feature" will be added to the mix. It's a huge project. And, the progress is moving along apparently according to schedule.

Here's where the project is today, February 5th 2007:

It's all coming together. The initial utility chases are in place.

The wrap-around for the "water feature" seems to hold some promise.

When it all comes together... What in the world will we do with the pigeons? Squab anyone?

Winter Restaurant Week

Good news arrived in the monthly newsletter from The Historic Charles Street Association this morning.

Next week, February 5th thru February 9th, Baltimore is going to have another welcome Restaurant Week. Following the success of last summer's Restaurant Week, we're having our first Winter one. There are over 28 fine restaurants at this point (more to be added) serving up their signature dishes for pennies on the dollar. OK, OK... for much less than they normally charge.

There's a menu to match any appetite. There are many locations right here in our Vertical Neighborhood.

What's a bit odd though, is that that you have to visit CityPeek to get a grasp on the restaurants and their menus. It's a strange and convoluted website. Slow to load, Difficult to navigate.

It's not at all like the website developed last July 2006 for Restaurant Week. That website was elegant, smart, intuative, fast... and really sold the premise. Moreover, it was about our local restaurants... not about the portal.

I doubt that any online changes will be made to CityPeek in the few days left. So, I suggest that you work your way through the process and make a reservation and show our Chefs and eatery owners in 21201 that we appreciate them. And tip heavily. Please do.

(Remember that just because you are dining at a highly discounted rate... you are still dining at a fine restaurant. Your servers have to work just as hard... perhaps harder.)