Baltimore21201.Com

Seafood. 3 Courses. 30 Bucks. I'm There!

The City Paper says, in part, "Believe the hype... The food lives up to the buzz." They are talking about downtown and the Inner Harbor's only homegrown, fine seafood restaurant...

Blue Sea Grill is celebrating its 3rd Anniversary and serving up a special deal. Your choice of soup or salad, an entree from their regular menu, and one of three special desserts.

The City Paper continued, "The surprising triumph of the meal was the flounder imperial ... just the kind of dish that most restaurants manage to annihilate with cloying sauces and inferior fish. Not here. The fish itself was mild but still full of real taste, generous silky crabmeat layered between top and bottom fillets and all enhanced by an impeccable lemon beurre blanc."

I advise calling for reservations, wishing Blue Sea Grill a Happy Anniversary, and heading over to 614 Water Street at the Inner Harbor's Power Plant Live.

The phone number is 410-837-7300. After you've feasted on the Anniversary Special... return and try the Grand Raw Bar Platter.

The Saratoga Condominiums. Hot, New Baltimore Homes.

Coming soon to Baltimore 21201 from Phoenix Developers: The Saratoga Condos. The 19 unique floor plans are being constructed in a building that has history going back to 1847. It was reconstructed in 1873 after a fire and named St. Alphonsus Hall. It was run as a Catholic School by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was used as an educational facility until 2002.

The floor plans are amazingly wonderful, imaginative, and no two are the same. There are 2-level one bedrooms, 2-bedroom duplexes and loft-like units with overlooks. Some of the amenities include onsite parking, a fitness center, sauna, a theatre & media room, and many homes have private balconies or patios. All together, that makes for an impressive package for an inner-city condo project.

What a great addition to downtown and the near-westside. To The Saratoga Condos, WELCOME HOME.

Personally, I'm kind of fond of Unit 17...

MPT - Television Worth Watching - Presents an Auction Worth Visiting

Maryland Public Television is off to a great start in promoting their 2007 Spring into Summer Online Auction. The bidding begins May 3rd.

Visit their auction website an take a look at the wide variety of great lots and items. Unlike many of the PBS affiliates around the country, MPT has items in price points for everyone, for every budget. Here are just a couple of examples:

Dinner for two at John Shield's restaurant, Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art and a copy of his Coastal Cooking cookbook - Bidding begins at $44.

A Weekend Escapade at St.Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites - Bidding begins at $250.

While you are looking at all the goodies visit MPT's Membership page and, if you're not a member, JOIN. If you are a member, try to up your membership level. Remember, IT'S TELEVISION WORTH WATCHING.

Mick O'Shea's & Tim Cyphers: A Great Combo

Mick O'Shea's on North Charles Street is well known for its $6.99 Burger Night every Monday. (Half-pound burger, fries, and your choice of 16 oz. draft!) It's certainly known for its St. Patricks Day celebrations. But, O'Shea's should be better known for its tag-line: A Cold Drink, A Hot Meal, and a Warm Welcome.

In a world of over-blown advertising hype, O'Shea's has one of the few marketing tags that rings absolutely true on every visit.

Make your way to 328 N Charles tomorrow night, April 25th, and you'll get an extra treat.

Tim Cyphers will be playing, singing and hosting an open mic.

Cyphers plays lots of hot venues. However, he seems at his peak when he's at Mick O'Shea's. Maybe it's all the brick and the wood. Maybe it's the appreciative crowd. Or, maybe they are just simply a perfect match.

Listen for Cypher's tunes: Broken Vice and Ride of my life.

Michael Olesker Writes Nice.

Oh sure, back in the day Michael Olesker would take Governor Ehrlich and his administration to task. Yep, he truly ragged on much of the right-wing, conservative element in Maryland. And yes, he was accused of plagiarism while he was one of the hottest reads at the Baltimore Sun. Olesker is now at the Baltimore Examiner and while I don't completely understand the Examiner's place in the market, I do read Olesker.

Today I read a truly delightful and seemingly heartfelt article titled: Take a bow, Bud Meyerhoff, for your humble generosity.

I won't attempt to paraphrase. You just must read Olesker's words for yourself.

I will log in with a short quote: "...[Meyerhoff] is the Enoch Pratt, or the Johns Hopkins, of our time. He does not take many bows, or give many memorable speeches. He just gives enormous sums of money to great causes and makes certain the money is spent wisely, and this is how he makes a life."

What a lovely tribute the entire article is to Harvey M Meyerhoff, who by all accounts, is a giver ranking above most all others.

I enjoyed Olesker's kinder side so much that I revisited the plagerisim charge and agree with The City Paper's David Simon.

Simon's 2006 article (which I hadn't read) titled: Michael Olesker Is A Plagiarist? Who Isn’t? seems so right-on as to be prophetic for the years ahead with YouTube and sponsored corporate and personal Blogs and the like.

Now, This Will Be a GALA! For Baltimore's Everyman Theatre.

Baltimore's esteemed Everyman Theatre "Goes to Town" on Saturday, April 28th.

The benefit gala will provide additional funds for the theatre's move, in 2009, to new digs on West Fayette Street across from the Hippodrome.

Dance to the music of the Count Basie Orchestra. Eat and drink in the atmosphere of a 1940's supper club. Bid on some super-hot items in the live and silent auctions. (I'll be bidding on the week in a Paris Apartment donated by Len and Betsy Homer!) Have a great evening. And, remember your checkbook and dancing shoes.

Check out Everyman's website and get your tickets today!