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UPDATE: Halloween Fire Closes Hollywood's Famous Magic Castle on October 31, 2011

                Private Club, the Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA

The home page of the Magic Castle's website reports:

The Magic Castle will be closed tonight,
October 31st, due to the fire that has just occured.

The Hollywood Reporter's first report about the incident read, "An early afternoon fire damaged the attic and walls of the Magic Castle, the famous private magicians club in the Hollywood Hills, on Monday.

The Los Angeles Times provided one of the first online images of the fire and quoted the Los Angeles Fire Department as saying, "The blaze was contained largely to the attic and walls of the historic venue but that there might be significant water damage."

The LA Times continued, "Magic Castle will be closed for Halloween as a result of the fire that struck the complex Monday, according to an update on the club's website. The site said details about reopening would be provided as soon as the damage could be assessed."

As a reminder that there is a whole lot of love in the performing arts community, The Comedy Store in Los Angeles offered to give its venue to the Magic Castle:

           Comedy Store Tweet to Magic Castle, screen capture

The Magic Castle's tagline is "the most unusual club in the World."

I've been fortunate to have been a guest at the Magic Castle twice and I can attest to that fact. A visit to the Magic Castle will make novice guests slightly crazy. The food and the drinks are all top shelf, but the physical and visual magic built into the venue will test your sense of reality every single minute of your stay.

I won't explain exactly why or how your senses are challenged at the Magic Castle. While I'm not a magician, I adhere to the magician's code: Don't Reveal How It's Done.

To the @magiccastle - We are all watching you, we are wishing you a speedy rebuild, and we are here to support you. On this night I believe that Harry Houdini is looking down and supporting you, also.

[UPDATE]

I just received this information from the Magic Castle:

The Academy of Magical Arts is delighted to announce that the Magic Castle will re-open (some of) its doors Friday night, November 4th. This "soft opening" will feature our Parlour showroom, special (unticketed, first-come-first-served) shows in the Palace of Mystery, and closeup magic in the Peller Theatre.

The Castle will be open on a "member +1" basis; only members (with valid membership card in hand) will be admitted with a single guest. No unescorted "guest pass" guests will be admitted. 
Our normal dress code will be in effect.

Our regular valet service will be available. Members will check in at the front desk in the Castle lobby, where they may purchase tickets ($20, which includes tax) to a buffet offered from 6:00 to 10:00. Once they check in, they will enter the Glover Annex through the Inner Circle entrance, where they may enjoy access to all the theatres and bars throughout the Annex.

Donations for our "Inferno Fund" will be accepted at the front desk and throughout the Annex as well. 
These next few nights will be some of the most exciting in Magic Castle history. They'll also be some of the most challenging, though, so we ask your patience and your help in sharing in this unforgettable experience.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Baltimore 21201. The Blog, The Swan Song

That's it for this blog. To quote my favorite broadcast journalist, Edward R Murrow, "Good night and good luck.

To my friends, Keep On Truckin'.

Baltimore, What's This Food? A Contest. And the Winner Is...

                                      Click Image to Enlarge

The first person to identify the delicious edibles in this image will win 16-ounces of them from the best purveyor in the world. It's a swell prize.

To enter, you must post your best guess as a comment below. Entries by email, Twitter, or other sources are not eligible. The first correct answer wins. All entries will be posted on October 6th 2011 and the winner will be announced here at that time.

Good luck!

[UPDATE, DAILY CLUES]

Friday Clue: Charles Dickens wrote of them.
Saturday Clue: I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a _______.
Sunday Clue: Sometimes you feel like a _______, sometimes you don't.
Monday Clue: He looks like he's been weaned on a _______.

[FINAL UPDATE]

And the winner is... Mr Daniel Waldman!

He was the first to come up with Walnuts (on Friday, September 30th at 1:05 PM).

There were some great guesses in the mix:

grapes?
POSTED BY: DANIELDUBYA

Camembert, Black truffle manchego, smoked gouda, sliced black olives, caviar, the round thing next to the plate-liverwurst?
POSTED BY: LISA

Truffles?
POSTED BY: DIANE

Dried Brandy Figs?
POSTED BY: DIANE

Truffles?
POSTED BY: MMMCDERMOTT

walnuts
POSTED BY: DANIELDUBYA

prunes
POSTED BY: DANIELDUBYA

Look like olives to me, not sure what variety though.
POSTED BY: JAYVIE CANONO

I've got it! Century Egg Yolks!
POSTED BY: DANIELDUBYA

White truffles?
POSTED BY: BARNEY PARKER

black olives.
POSTED BY: KRISTIN MOLNAR

Sugar plums
POSTED BY: LYNNE COMBESS ADAMS

Quince
POSTED BY: GORDON GREEN

It looks like a (pickled) black walnut to me.
POSTED BY: RACHEL

There was a perfectly correct entry by Anisha Jagtap, owner and chef at Baltimore Burger Bar, and Chef at Puffs and Pastries. Unfortunately she only posted her entry on Twitter and the rules are the rules. Her entry via Twitter also brought the contest entries to a dead stop.

My friend, Andrea Snyder guessed black olives, but her entry was also only posted on Twitter so it's not on the time-line here.

I was amazed that Matt McDermott didn't win this little contest. We had pickled walnuts on the Stilton cheese board at our big December 2010 party -- We talked about pickled walnuts and he and his wife, the lovely Wendy, had some and liked them. (Though, thinking back, Matt was really busy with my speciality, chopped chicken liver.)

We buy our pickled black walnuts from Barnicle Farms located on Old Ten Mile Road in Eugene, Missouri. We have tried other brands, but we find the hand-crafted ones from Tony and Lorraine Barnicle in the heart of the midwest have the finest taste and texture of any that we have ever tasted. Pickled walnuts are a holiday tradition with us, but they are great year-round with any dominate cheese. Sliced thin they add glory to any egg dish (diced, they are amazing on deviled eggs), and as they have a bit of a Worcestershire flavor, they enhance any meat or game.

Here's the background story from the Barnicle's homespun website:

“Presently we drove on and in another hour we were hungry. We stopped at an inn, which was half farm also, and ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese, and drank beer in a sunless parlor.”
Evelyn Waugh, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED

“After they had bled him, the first faint glimmerings of returning animation were this jumping up in bed, bursting out into a loud laugh, kissing the young woman who held the basin and demanding a mutton chop and a pickled walnut.”
Charles Dickens, THE PICKWICK PAPERS

We were introduced to pickled walnuts at the home of a friend in London in 1981. After an evening of pickled walnuts, cheese, and beer, our host gave us his recipe that is hundreds of years old.

Since returning to Missouri we have been experimenting with the recipe, which is for pickled English walnuts. We wanted to see if we could process a similar product from the many black walnut trees that grow on Barnicle Farms.

This year, 2003, we are proud to introduce Pickled Black Walnuts. We were delighted when our product was approved by the USDA and even more excited when we received the “Agri-Missouri” certification from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The Hammons company displayed our pickled black walnuts at their annual Walnut Festival.

We had planned to test the market this year and only produced 15 cases. Now we have a new problem. We are almost sold out and within a short time we expect to be selling futures. Next year we plan to pickle as many walnuts as we can gather.

It has been fun promoting Pickled Black Walnuts.  Some people like them sliced thin on a cracker with cheese. Many like to grind them in a blender and use them as a condiment that can mix into a cheese dip or a salad. Use the ground pickled black walnuts to add flavor to your favorite meat dishes. You will enjoy experimenting. Whatever way you choose, we wish you a delightful experience. It will enrich your meal and the conversation at your dinner table.

We are so happy to be able to share our Pickled Black Walnuts with you.
-Tony and Lorraine Barnicle

One last thing, as many of you know, one of my favorite cocktails is the classic Manhattan. A quarter of a pickled walnut on the cocktail pick instead of the cherry adds a wonderful, mysterous flavor to the drink. Somehow the pickled walnut and the bourbon seem to instantly marry and enhance each other.

Thanks to everyone who played along with this contest. Keep an eye open for the next installment of Baltimore! What's This Food?

[UPDATE] Marbles: The Brain Store Coming to Maryland's Columbia Mall

Growing up, my best friend and I played WFF ‘N PROOF: The Game of Modern Logic for hours at a time. Much to my consternation, WFF ‘N PROOF is now known as the Granddaddy of Educational Games.

I've always had a fondness for critical thinking and memory games so I was thrilled to learn that Marbles: The Brain Store is opening Tuesday, August 9th.

 
                            Marbles: The Brain Store on MSNBC

One of my favorite things about Marbles: The Brain Store's website are the video explanations of their different games. Here's the demo for Instructables:

 

Marbles: The Brain Store
The Mall in Columbia, Zone B (lower level)
410-997-0023

{UPDATE: 8/8/2011}

Marbles: The Brain Store is also hiring for the new Columbia location. To learn more and see the unique application process head over to www.marblesthebrainstore.com and then go to the CAREERS section.

Don't Be Selfish, Share Some Shellfish

It's almost that time of year again. It's almost time for the 43rd annual Maryland Seafood Festival. The festival will be held, as it has been for the past 30 years, at Sandy Point State Park.

Think food, fun, music, and more.

All of our favorites will be back this year:

The Capital's 20th Annual Crab Soup Cook-off, The Oyster Recovery Partnership, the many Beer & Wine Tastings, Regional Arts & Crafts Show and Sale, and oysters and crabs and fish cooked every way you can imagine. The festival's raw bars are outstanding.

New for 2010:

Professional food vendors – enjoy food from Phillip’s Restaurant, Red Hot & Blue, Real Seafood Co., Lures Bar & Grill, Annapolis Seafood Markets, West End Grill, Watermans Tavern and more.

Castles in the Sand - watch Randy Hofman build sculptures in the sand all weekend long. Chances are you’ve seen his work in Ocean City.

Dessert Island, tasty treats from many local restaurants and caterers.

The Maryland Seafood Festival is one of Maryland's great, just-off-season, family friendly venues. It brings over 20,000 seafood lovers to Anne Arundal County from all over the east coast.

Save the dates: September 10 - 12.

From Baltimore, Take I-695 to exit 4 for Route 97 South toward Annapolis. Exit off of Route 97 at Route 50 East. Take exit 32 to Sandy Point State Park - it's just prior to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Adults: $10. in advance, $12. at the gate.
Children 6 - 10: $8.
Children 5 and under: Free

You may purchase tickets online here.

So grab a friend and don't be selfish, share some shellfish!
 

Can You and Your Friends Play Golf with Michael Phelps? Sure. Make It Happen.

Talk about networking opportunities! In Baltimore, it doesn't get better than this.

On behalf of the Michael Phelps Foundation, you and three friends are invited to be part of a truly memorable day that that will help raise money for remarkable philanthropic initiatives.

You will be joined by one of the greatest Olympians of all time, Michael Phelps, along with many of his friends and business partners, in the inaugural Michael Phelps Foundation Golf Classic to benefit the Michael Phelps Foundation, plus hotel accommodations at the Baltimore Hilton (2 rooms for 4 guests).

                         Michael Phelps photo courtesy jdlasica 

Fourteen-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps established the Foundation with the $1,000,000 bonus he received from longtime partner Speedo for capturing eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games.

This one-of-a-kind golf tournament hosted in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, will feature a meet and greet with Michael and supporting his philanthropic efforts while playing golf on one of Maryland’s finest courses, Hayfields Country Club, Baltimore.

The Hayfields Country Club is a championship golf course that has challenged such famed golfers as Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson,Hale Irwin, Lee Trevino, Tom Kite and many more. The Club, developed on the historic Hayfields Mansion site that utilizes buildings predating 1800, offers a stunning test of golf that stretches out over 7,000 yards complete with bent grass from tee to green, 68 bunkers and 6 ponds, and ample fairways framed by native grass areas that harkens back to the Timothy Hay cultivated on the site’s original farm.

The proceeds for this CharityBuzz Auction will benefit the Michael Phelps Foundation. The auction, Terms & Conditions, and additional information is here.

Let's Eat! Charles Street. Fun, Food, and Friends.

Thanks to the Historic Charles Street Association and Executive Director Michele Coiron for organizing the 2nd Let's Eat! Turn up your speakers and enjoy the good times all over again.

Now That the O's Are Winning Again...

Head over the the website of the Library of Congress for a super wonderful video presentation by Paul Dickson. He's the author of The Dickson Baseball Dictionary.

The DBD is an indispensable resource for hard-core fans as well as anyone newly interested in our national pastime.

It was 25 years in the making. Contains more than 10,000 terms with 18,000 individual entries. Was written with the help of 300 baseball and lexical experts. And the origins of many of the words and terms are remarkable.

This isn't just for baseball folks, though. If you love words, terms, dictionaries, research... you'll love this presentation. I did and I thought out of left field meant presenting a bad advertising concept.

Midnight Will Arrive at Noon in Baltimore

When will such a thing happen? Why and how come? Details from the Maryland Science Center:

 

"Does the ball drop after your bedtime?

"Not this year! Join the Maryland Science Center in its New Year's Eve celebration at Noon–Midnight Noon.

"Get here early and make your own party hat and noisemaker, get your face painted, and get ready to party down to the sound of popular kids band Milkshake as they kick off our celebration at 11:30 and help us announce the New Year at Noon.

"Following the concert, join the Blue Sky Puppet Theater in the MSC Theater as they embark on an adventure with Ralph the Jester to find laughter for King NAFFETMHL–the king who never found anything funny.

"The entire Science Center will be open and ready to ring in the New Year!

"All activites are free with paid admission: adults $14.50, youth (3-12) $10.00, children under 3 are free. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival. For questions, please call 410-545-5960."

Is this part of the MSC's approach to creating a new generation of smarter, more inquisitive, goal oriented Baltimore children? Ones that will tend to be better students and finer more productive adults? You can bet your boots that it is.

Our 170,000 square-foot Maryland Science Center has been creating better kids (and better parents) since they opened their doors. Read their history here. If you're not tempted to click on the link, read this from the MSC History Statement...

"The Maryland Academy of Sciences is Maryland's oldest scientific institution and one of the oldest such institutions in the entire nation.

"At its inception in 1797, the Academy was an amateur scientific society—members met to discuss papers on astronomy, botany, zoology, and other subjects then known as the "natural sciences." Rembrandt and Raphael Peale, sons of painter and scientist Charles Wilson Peale, were among the distinguished early members..."

Think again about clicking that history link.