Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

I've Said it Before—Time and Time Again—Baltimore's Entertaining!

Alternate title for this blog post:
A Boy and His Photog.

Looking out of our windows, we see ever-changing theatre. We see sky shows with helicopters, bi-planes, and blimps soaring around—sometimes at eye-level. We see, and listen to, concerts courtesy of the Downtown Partnership and the myriad of vocal and instrumental artists who arrive ready to entertain for just our smiles and applause. We have Street Fairs, Farmer's Markets, and Art Shows.

And day and night, we see hundreds of different people doing hundreds of different things in hundreds of different windows.

Now and then we are treated to a special, more intimate show.

A Boy and His Photog 1 - Sheraton, Baltimore

A Boy and His Photog 2 - Sheraton, Baltimore

A Boy and His Photog 3 - Sheraton, Baltimore

Nude photo shoots in hotels seem to be very innocent—often comically-funny-from-a-distance—events to catch a glimpse of. It can take a longtime for the photographer to get all of the "living props" where they should be. Photographing nude models makes photographing fresh cut flowers, raw seafood and meat, and ready-to-serve food seem like child's play.

By the way, if this post seems off topic, I assure you that some of the poses that these models construct truly qualify them to be designated: Performing Artist. Hey, their poses almost qualify them to be in Cirque Du Soleil.

Ok then, that's all on this topic. Well, until the Fireman's Convention arrives in Baltimore, later this year.

A First Memory of NYC - New Yorker Hotel

My little walk down memory lane is on the New Yorker Hotel's blog. Thanks, New Yorker! For the 1960s hospitality and for the fun. This one's for you:

It was a good time, it was the best time
It was a party, just to be with you
It was a good time, it was the best time
And I believed that I would stay forever
I would stay with you and share the laughter
With never ever a good-bye after
It was a good time, it was the best time
It was a short time, but such a good time 
such a good time — 

Ok, New Yorker, save me a tower room with a Empire State Building view.

Here's the link the the story, my Q&A with the New Yorker.

And, here's a bit of history:

The New Yorker hotel opened in 1930 and was the hospitality marvel of the day. It was the largest hotel NYC with 2,500 rooms. In addition to the many ballrooms, the Art Deco structure had ten private dining "salons," and five large restaurants employing 35 master cooks.

The barber shop was one of the largest in the world with 42 chairs and twenty manicurists.

At any given time at the New Yorker Hotel there were 92 telephone operators on duty and 150 laundry staff washing as many as 350,000 pieces daily.

When initially built the New Yorker Hotel had coal-fired steam boilers and generators sufficient to produce more than 2200 kilowatts of direct current electric power. At the time this was the largest private power plant in the United States. The hotel's own direct current generators were still in use during the Northeast Blackout of 1965.

[I have no affiliation with the hotel. I am, tho, a fan of good people, and great service, and The New Yorker. And, Nikola Tesla lived there for years. Is there any better recommendation?]

Election Year 2012: Vintage Fun and Nostalgia from Voice Actor, Gary Owens

                                     Gary Owens at the RCA 44

In 1972 my old friend, Gary Owens, crafted a wonderfully zany comedy album. Put Your Head on My Finger was released through MGM Records on the Pride label and today it seems to be largely forgotten. And, that's a shame.

On the album Owens poked fun at horoscopes, politics, old vaudeville actors (my favorite bit), teenagers, funerals. You know, silly and insignificant things. 

Since it's election year, I thought you might like to hear three little clips from Put Your Head on My Finger.
[Tech note, click the bars once. Audio may take a moment to start. The clicks and jumps in the Nixon piece were intended are on the album.]

A bit about Democrats: 

Owens_Democrats

On Nixon:

Owens_Nixon

And, on the perennial candidate,
Harold Stassen:

Owens_Stassen

On a personal note, I haven't seen Gary Owens in a long time, but here is my insegrevious memory of him:

One afternoon in the early 1980s, I took a new friend of mine to a Hollywood Radio and Television Society luncheon at the newly renovated Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard and North Orange Drive.

                                     Hollywood Roosevelt

Sitting at our table with drinks in hand, my friend gazed around the room, got all excited, and said, "Wow, there's Gary Owens!"

"Would you like to meet him," I asked?

My friend's reply was a bit sour and very emphatic, "You don't know Gary Owens."

He looked back at the room and noticed Gary Owens walking toward our table. The new friend looked down at his cocktail and started to fidget with the swizzle stick.

In his deep, booming, unmistakeably articulated voice, Gary Owens said, "Stephen! It's good to see you! Come over, I'll introduce you to my friends."

At his table he said, "I'd like you all to meet Stephen Brockelman. Stephen is a very clever writer. He also made me a 3-dimensional rebus once."

I nodded at everyone, did the hellos, went back to my table and, listening to the HRTS presentation, I feasted on flattery. As I remember my friend dined on crow.

Grab a Seat on the Red Carpet for the 18th Annual SAG Awards

Seats are available to you. Yes, you. Any telvision or film fan (or photographer or bllogger) may bid on bleacher seats right on the Red Carpet.

 
               SAG Awards Coverage courtesy AP 

The Screen Actors Guild Awards online auction to benefit the SAG Foundation is offering Red Carpet Fan Bleacher Seats at www.sagawards.org/auction through Nov. 28th.

The first auction in this year’s series, features 70 seats from which fans can see their favorite stars walk the SAG Awards red carpet, take pictures and request autographs.

New to this year’s Bleacher Seat Auction is the combination of bleacher seat sets with hotel stays, dinners, makeovers, SAG Awards Backstage Tours and more.

Proceeds from the Screen Actors Guild Awards Auctions will benefit the SAG Foundation to help sustain their award winning children's literacy programs: BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), reading to over 600,000 children monthly in classrooms and hospitals nationwide, and Storyline Online, reaching an average of 2 million views globally each month.

The auction also supports the Foundation's Catastrophic Health Fund and emergency services, the Actors Center, and the video preservation of the creative legacy of professional actors. For additional information, please visit http://www.sagfoundation.org.

About SAG:

Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century.

With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 125,000 actors who work in film and digital theatrical motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, industrials, Internet and all new media formats.  The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

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 Area Casting News - Union Only.

From the Baltimore-Washington Screen Actors Guild Office, Wednesday, September 28th 2011:

Attention SAG, AFTRA and AEA Members
Interested in Background Work

SAG signatory feature, Office Seekers, seeks background actors able to portray the following:

Caucasian and African American Men: 6'1" and under who weigh less than 200 lbs.  Facial hair a big plus! White men should have longish hair. No shaved heads, dreads, or braids.

Caucasian Women: Longish hair of natural color (no bleached or dyed or streaked hair) and dress sizes between 6 & 12.

African American Women: Dress sizes 6 & 12. Long hair not necessary but no dreads, braids, “modern cuts” or wigs.

Lead Male Stand-in: 6'2" about 180 lbs. with dark brown or salt & pepper hair (more pepper). Caucasian.

Principal Boy Stand-in: Prefer an actor (male or female), age 18 or older, about 4'10" with dark brown hair. Caucasian.

Please note: If you are a SAG, AFTRA or AEA member who agrees to travel to Richmond for this work and you are traveling from more than 75 miles away, the company is prepared to offer free lodging on the night before and the night following the work!  (This applies to union professionals selected to work who previously attended one of the open calls either in Richmond or in DC as well.)

Submissions: If you haven’t attended an open call but are interested in working in Richmond (with courtesy lodging for members traveling from 75 or more miles away) AND you fit one of the descriptions, please send a CURRENT SNAPSHOT (not a professional headshot) along with your height, weight and sizes to osextrascasting@gmail.com.

If you fit the bill, casting will make arrangements to meet with you in person* either in DC or in Richmond as casting must see you in person in order to book you for work.

*The process is being implemented as a courtesy to union members so that only those who appear to be right for this project are asked to report to an open call. As such, no interview fees will be paid for these special, invite only calls.

 If you have already attended an open call, thank you! You do not need to submit again.

And another auction: Downtown Baltimore Hotel, the Brookshire Suites on Lombard

              Brookshire Suites Hotel, 120 E Lombard, Baltimore

It's a busy month for Alex Cooper as downtown Baltimore properties continure to go on the block, under theeir auctioneer's gavel.

October 3rd 2011 - Brookshire Suites with all furnishings. Here are the details:

ALL THAT fee-simple LOT OF GROUND AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, if any, situated in Baltimore City, MD known as Tax ID #04-11-0661-008 and more fully described in the Indemnity Deed of Trust and Security Agreement.

REAL PROPERTY

The real property contains approximately 84,591 sq. ft. and is believed to be improved by a 13-story hotel property containing 97 guest rooms, lobby workstation, breakfast dining area, exercise room, guest laundry room and approx. 1,250 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The building also includes laundry facility, administrative offices and fully equipped kitchen.

HOTEL FURNITURE, FIXTURES & EQUIPMENT

Pursuant to that certain Financing Statement by and between MJ Baltimore Hotel Associates Limited Partnership, Debtor and MSCI 2006-HQ10 Brookshire Lodging, LLC, Secured Creditor, recorded among the Financing Statement Records of the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on August 23, 2006 in ID No. 1000361993585896, Liber U00473, folio 1841, work order #0001281820, original file number 181279624, default having occurred thereunder, the undersigned Secured Creditor will sell at public auction the following:

All that certain tangible and intangible business property & equipment of any nature or description of the hotel business and including, without limitation, any and all furniture, fixtures, equipment, etc. (except for the leased items).

The property and improvements, if any, will be sold in an "AS IS" condition and subject to all conditions, restrictions, existing building and/or environmental violations, covenants, agreements, whether or not of record, affecting or benefitting the same, if any, and with no warranty either expressed or implied as to the description of the condition of the property or improvements. The property will be sold subject to any violation notices and subject to all conditions, restrictions, covenants, encumbrances, rights-of-way, agreements and other matters, whether or not of record, affecting or benefitting the same, if any. Note: The real estate, furniture, fixtures and equipment will be sold as entirety.

Here's the link to Alex Cooper and their auction.

See my posts just below for more on the subject of selling Baltimore's city center.

[To be continued...]

Abacrombie Building in 21201 to Go Under the Auctioneer's Gavel - "Selling As Is"

         Abacrombie Building, 52-58 W Biddle Street, Baltimore

Here are the auction details from Alex Cooper:

Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity to purchase a bit of Baltimore History!

Building History & Location

Biddle Street was named after Major Biddle, who built the property in 1891. He was a member of a prominent Philadelphia family and a major in the Union Army. In 1978 the subterranean rooms became Society Hill, a restaurant and popular night spot, with a charming interior and piano bar. The space above the restaurant became Society Hill Inn.

Located in the Mount Vernon Cultural District of Baltimore City. Walking distance to cultural venues such as the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Lyric Opera House, Peabody Conservatory and Walters Art Museum. Local to University of Baltimore and MICA colleges.

Building Description

Abacrombie Bed & Breakfast (Currently Operating)

12 rooms, 7,200 +/- SF
Each room is individually decorated to create a distinctive mood.
All rooms include a private bath, hair dyer, phone and television.
Building is air-conditioned with individual room temperature control.
Single room features twin bed, private bathroom with shower, cable tv.
Double room features queen bed, private bathroom, cable tv.
Some of the larger rooms have a sitting area and a four-posted bed.
Brand new Water Tower on roof of building that services property.

Restaurant/Bar (Not operating- Turn Key Condition)

                                   Abacrombie Bar - Closed

Formerly known as the "Abacrombie", this world-famous restaurant was one of Baltimore's most romantic restaurants.
2,400 +/- SF turn-key Restaurant space.
Restaurant comprises a bar, main dining room and atrium.
Restaurant seats 50 plus and the bar accommodates 12.
7 Day BWL License conveys. (Subject to approval by the Baltimore City Liquor Board)
30+ year old wooden bar,
Glass covered atrium.

Parking Lot (On-site)
Private parking lot adjacent to building with 18 spaces.
Land area is 0.11 +/- acres
Separate Tax Acct (No. 11020482008) Possibility of future development!

Here's the Auction Link. 

Here's my previous post on this topic.

[To be continued...]

Groeninger's New Baltimore - 1906, Download Your Free Copy

I was working on my first project for Baltimore's Historic Charles Street Association in 2006 and I went online to round up and bookmark some source material. I ran across Groeninger's New Baltimore and downloaded a copy. It's in the public domain.

Furst Bros Company in Sharp-Leadenhall is a long-time client of mine and I was excited to find one of their ads in the little book. (A half-page ad, thank you very much.) I created a cover and burned the book to a few CDs as a little gift for them.

                  A Preview of Groeninger's New Baltimore 1906

Jones & Groeninger was a photography and publishing house located at 404 N Paca in Baltimore. They were apparently hired by the City and a group of business-men to create a promotional marketing piece to show the world that Baltimore had been rebuilt after the Great Fire, was once again open-for-business, flourishing, bigger, better, and a grander center of commerce than ever before.

The photos, before-and-after the Great Fire of 1904, are wonderful. The photographer was Wm J Groeninger, a partner in the firm.This afternoon I didn't have time to find the reference CD that I'd made over 5-years ago. I went online and found that people are trying to sell this out-of-copyright book from anywhere between 99-cents and $14.96. Well, that just seems silly. I've paid for public domain material before, but only when value was added by way of research, citations, redirects, and the like.

You may download a PDF by clicking on the preview above or by clicking here to go directly to my page on ISSUU.

Jones & Groeninger published their own quarter-page ad in the book.

                          Jones & Groeninger - About This Book

For more information about the Great Fire of 1904, the Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Program is the best place to start: The Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Program is a collaborative, statewide digitization program headquartered at the Central Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library / State Library Resource Center in downtown Baltimore.

Santa Paws is Coming to Baltimore

Santa Paws will be at participating Kimpton hotels again this year. Kimpton is inviting pet guests and local four-legged friends to sleigh by for holiday photos and refreshments.

Their two-legged companions are invited to bring their cameras to Kimpton hotels to snap pictures of their pets with Santa amid festive décor while furry friends enjoy treats and toys in the hotel's living room-style lobby. Santa Paws is free and open to the public.

In Baltimore, head to Charles Street with your little loved ones in tow.

Our very own Hotel Monaco is going to be the mecca for pet pictures this December.

So, Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas with free four-legged Family Photos at the Hotel Monaco - Saturday, Dec. 11 & Sunday, Dec. 12 from 2 - 4 PM.

Check out the video of Santa Paws at the Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco on the Kimpton website.

Hotel Monaco
2 N Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201 

Update:
Kimpton's Santa Paws program benefits the Baltimore SPCA and these other fine organizations:
Mayor's Alliance for NYC Animals,
Washington Humane Society,
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria,
Operation Kindness,
Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County,
PAWS Atlanta,
Aspen Animal Shelter and Aspen Valley Horse Rescue,
Ginger's Pet Rescue,
Oregon Humane Society,
and the San Francisco SPCA 

Fine Wine, Fine Food. Festive Evening.

The Wine Source is hosting a wine dinner featuring the wines of Ken Forrester Vineyards on Monday, October 5th at the Explorer's Lounge in the Intercontinental Harbor Court Hotel.

Situated on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, in the heart of South Africa's most famous wine region Stellenbosch, Ken Forrester Vineyards are commonly referred to as the Home of Chenin Blanc and other premium award-winning wines.

This wine dinner is a big event as befits some very big wines. There are still a few reservations available and this dinner is certain to sell out. Call today and join The Wine Source on Monday evening.

5:00-6:30 - Explorer's Lounge on 2nd Floor of Hotel: Wine Tasting of all Ken Forrester Wines with cheese and crackers.

6:30-7:00 - Explorer's Lounge, Reception before dinner with passed hors d'ouevres. 

7:00-9:30- Plated Wine Dinner at Restaurant adjacent to Explorer's Lounge.

$85.00 per person including valet parking. Intercontinental Harbor Court Hotel, 550 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21202 For reservations, contact Diane Waite: 410.347.9706 or email diane.waite@ihg.com

Baltimore 21201's Hotel Monaco: A Stellar Opening Night

Jacob and I have been fans of Baltimore's grand old architecture for a long, long time. And, we've been fans of the Kimpton Hotel brand for years and years. When we first read, in the BBJ, about a possible Kimpton Hotel coming to 21201 we were thrilled.

 
When we learned that Kimpton had selected the venerable B&O Building, built in 1906, at 2 N Charles Street as the location for a new Hotel Monaco, we pondered the possibilities and the build-out and what that would mean to city-center and decided we'd stay there on opening night. We did; it was wonderful.

Our Hotel Monaco stay was a true nextdoorcation. We live just a block away.

Here's a little background on Kimpton Hotels: They are the largest operator of boutique hotels in the United States and they are truly a lifestyle brand. Their hotels are pet-friendly. You'll see a couple of doggie bowls by the hotel entrances, one constantly filled with fresh water, the other with kibbles. Both are for resident pups and the pups just passing by. Kimpton hotels are gay friendly and support the LGBT efforts in their host cities. They create hotels in stunning, architectural masterpieces that need a new life. You can read more good things about Kimpton initiatives, many more, at the their Media Buzz site.

We made reservations through Kimpton Intouch. We packed a duffel and a backpack, and headed down Charles Street on July 30th, Monaco's opening night. We left home at 5pm; we checked in around 5:15. 

We didn't dress for the stay, but lots of folks did. We wore shorts and polos and tennis shoes. And, we were treated as if were wearing our tuxes. That's the Kimpton way.

Our front desk experience was super-quick, professional, and extremely personal. So far, so good.

We were invited to the daily wine hour in the second-floor hotel living room. We headed up to our room, #1222. It was spot-on, correct. When we made the online reservation we noted that we wanted four down pillows, a king bed, a high floor with a north view, spa tub, and more.

Every single item that we asked for was provided. And we received bonuses: Iced bottled water, two plates of cookies, and a handwritten welcome note were waiting for us.

(At this point, I have to apologize for using a couple of Kimpton's stock photos. I took my Canon 20D with the L USM 16-35mm lens, newly recharged batteries, and the 580EX Speedlite. I didn't, however, put a CF card in the memory slot. Oh, swell. Just swell.) Jacob had his point and shoot camera in his backpack. It didn't serve us perfectly, but it took great photos of fish and food.

After we scoped out our room and took a look around, we called the front desk for some serious Guppy Love. Our little fish, named Charles, arrived a few minutes later, fully fed, in a pristine bowl. Check the Guppy Love link above, it's a great Kimpton program.

Our marble and granite bathroom had a neck-deep, spa tub that could easily seat two. A walk-in shower with three walls of marble. The towels were puffy and I couldn't wait to use one or two. And the faux-leather wall coverings, complete with needle-stitching emboss, were a hot touch. 

We set up our bar on the stainless steel tray provided, got ice, and had a couple of drinks. Fresh-squeezed OJ screwdrivers for Jacob. Vodka gimlets for me. Then we headed down to the newest restaurant on Charles.

The B&O American Brasserie is truly something special. A welcome addition to 21201. We didn't have reservations. And, as walk-ins, we were asked if we wanted to be on the ground floor or the mezzanine. Mezzanine, please. The perfect service continued.

A perfect Grey Goose martini arrived at our table with three olives on a bamboo skewer. Astonishingly, it arrived with a little skiff of ice on the surface. I haven't had a martini served that icy-cold since the last time Jacob and I were at the Round Robin bar in the Willard Hotel in DC. Jacob's tall, Grey Goose screwdriver arrived with a slice of orange in the glass and the true fragrance of the best Florida oranges. I didn't taste; I did sniff. Yep, very fresh, very orange.

The B&O American Brasserie has a substantial, but not extensive, menu. Our server couldn't have provided us with more perfectly-timed attention from start to finish. She knew the menu forward and backward. She recommended the Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad ($10) as a starter. Jacob ordered it. I knew what I wanted. I started with Steak Tartare & Carpaccio ($12).

Both appetizers were brilliant. Presentation and complex tastes were amazing. We shared the starters and couldn't agree on which one was best.

Jacob and I know our steaks. He ordered a Petite Filet, medium rare ($28) -- it was truly petite; I ordered a Ribeye, rare ($34). Both came with duck fat fries and pickled red onion and watercress. Jacob's Filet was as tender as cake, but it was dry as dust. My Ribeye was cooked perfectly. However, it was thin and super-tough, gristle abounded. We opted not to order anything more.

B&O's beef comes from Vande Rose Farms. Perhaps it shouldn't. It was nothing special, not flavorful, and didn't live up to the special experience that Hotel Monaco and the Brasserie were providing.

In summary, our new Kimpton hotel is as wonderful as wonderful can be. You feel like royalty when you check in.

The B&O American Brasserie is still working on it's menu legs. If the Brasserie can find steaks that live up to it's appetizers -- and I'm certain that will happen -- it will be good to go.

In the whole opening process of the Baltimore Hotel Monaco, there was only one complete disappointment: Bruce Miller at Sandy Hillman Communications. I wrote to Kimpton Corporate in San Francisco and explained how pleased I was about the pending opening of the New Monaco. I asked to be informed about developments.

The next day I had an email from Bruce Miller. He promised me the world. Constant updates, etc. Despite numerous requests, the last I heard from Miller at Hillman, was on March 31st 2009. That kind of non-response is just wrong.

It's Time Again - Hide Your Face in Baltimore 21201

 

Jacob and I have a favorite fund-raising event; we attend it every year. And, we put lots of business cards in our pockets before we leave home.

If you haven't been to the annual Masquerade on Charles hosted by the Historic Charles Street Association, read on and get a pair of the few remaining tickets. It's always a joyous night. It's a business & personal networking event that only comes along once a year. Folks are friendly and they hug. It's fun. You won't go home thirsty or hungry.

Join Baltimore 21201's movers and shakers and enjoy an open bar, the very best food from Baltimore's finest restaurants, live music by Junkyard Saints, and dancing in one of Baltimore's most historic venues, the former Masonic Grand Lodge of Maryland, the Tremont Grand. There will be live and silent auctions. And, if you buy a glass of Champagne, you could go home with one of two half-carat diamonds from Nelson Coleman Jewlers.

Put on a mask - or not, be there, and rock the night away. The best part of this event: It crosses every generational line. In 2008 the Masquerade was as heavily populated by 20 & 30-year-olds as it was by those "slightly older professionals" who I heard, many times, say: "I may have something for you. Give me your business card."

Jacob and I will see you there. [BTW, I know the networking works at the Masquerade. Ask me about it.]

A New Baltimore 21201 Hotel... Almost Ready to Take Reservations. Thank You, Kimpton!

I've written about the wonderfulness of Kimpton Hotels before. And, in 2007 I wrote about the proposed opening of a Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Baltimore scheduled to open in mid-2009. It seemed too good to be true.

There are only a couple of hundred reasons why I love the Kimpton brand. Let's begin with: Stylish, fun, pet friendly, locations in many historic buildings around the country. Kimpton property employees always seem to be having a good time, they are smart, know their way around their home city, other Kimpton properties, and are full of great advice when asked.

Number 1 on my list of wonderfulness is that Kimpton is bringing their Monaco brand to Charles Street. They are building out the top floors of the fantastic 1906 B&O Railroad building on the corner of Charles & Baltimore Streets. It was built just 2 years after the great Baltimore Fire.

   

Kimpton has been busy rebuilding the lobby, stairs... all of the public places. And, keeping them in historic condition. (There was a LOT of reconditioning to do. Think $60-million in renovations, original Tiffany windows and a ship-load of replacement marble.)

 

Kimpton has created a supurb website for the Baltimore Monaco. Visit, Read, and Book a room for the May opening. We are already buffing up our cat carriers for an early stay for the four of us.

 

We'll see you in the Monaco lobby in a couple of months with a martini or manhattan in hand. No kidding, we will.

Sheraton Baltimore, City Center's Pool Sparkles Again

Yesterday I heard from the Sheraton's General Manager, Chris Phillips.

"I wish to confirm with you that everything was being done to try to treat the water with the proper chemicals. We have a company that is contracted to maintain the condition of the water. All the necessary treatments were being completed.

"On Monday morning, do to the fact that we could not be assured what caused the pool to turn green, we drained the pool and cleaned out the interior. We also changed all the filters to ensure the problem will not occur again. The pool has been refilled and looks great," Phillips wrote.

He's right. Normally it always looks great, that's what made the vibrant green color so odd and disturbing.

OK folks, pack up those trunks and towels and spend Labor Day Downtown!

Let's Go Swim in Pea Soup - At Baltimore's Sheraton City Center

Now, this is disturbing. Really disturbing.

For the past couple of days we've noticed the water in the Sheraton's swimming pool getting greener and greener. Yesterday there were over a dozen kids and parents and others swimming in this mess.

Normally, the Sheraton pool water is crystal clear and the bright blue of the new pool paint comes shining through.

Let's all call the Sheraton (410-752-1100) and ask what's going on. I did and was simply told they would check on it. 

"Visit My Baltimore" is Gaining Steam - And, in a Good Way with Videos

When Baltimore's GET IN ON IT campanign launched last year I was dubious. And on national television, so was Jay Leno (he laughed at the concept and the $500,000 paid to San Francisco-based Landor & Associates), Regis Philbin (he was so puzzled and confused by the concept he couldn't even say the phase), David Letterman was even less kind. Even Baltimore's very own William Donald Schafer, former Mayor and Maryland Govenour, rang in through his spoksperson saying, "I've seen some dumb ones in the past, but this is the dumbest." Was he thinking of an earlier attempt to brand Baltimore as: THE CITY THAT READS?

So when the GET IN ON IT people announced that they were opening up a section of their site so regular folks could upload videos about what makes Baltimore special to them, I was even more dubious. What would the citizens of Charm City post that the rest of the country could make fun of?

Apparently I shouldn't have been concerned at all. Here's just one example of the clever videos that have been posted.

Take a look at some of these little gems. Many are so delightful that they could take us back to the Charm City days.

And then, wonder along with me if all of Baltimore wouldn't have been better served by calling on locals to produce these kinds of things and offering a purse of $50,000 to each of the ten best rather than sending off half-a-million bucks to a company based out west.

I'm betting that even John Waters would have entered. And, wouldn't that have been a wonderful thing?

Oh yes, if you haven't seen this tribute to William Donald Schafer you should. Yep, it's biased in his favor just as Schafer's support and promotion of Baltimore is biased to the Nth degree in our favor.

Downtown Baltimore to Have a Bit of Monaco - The Hotel

The Baltimore Sun reported this morning that one of City Center's finest old buildings has been sold. The real estate closing was yesterday for the $20-million-dollar sale of the 1906 headquarters of B&O Railroad located on the corner of Charles and Baltimore Streets.

The historic building will reopen in 2009 with the top floors becoming a Monaco Hotel managed and operated by Kimpton. Washington DC has a fine Monaco by Kimpton. So does Chicago and San Francisco. There's a Monaco in Salt Lake City and Seattle.

It seems that it's Baltimore's turn to have a brand new (in a century-old, classic space) boutique hotel.

ARCWheeler, the Philadelphia-based developer, has marked the middle floors as office and the ground floors for retail and restaurant use. I'm liking this concept.

Kimpton's Monaco-branded hotels are smart, sassy, and requested by high profile performing artists visiting cities where Monaco Hotels are located.

ARCWheeler's website speaks highly of their purchase:

"This 225,000 SF, $55-million mixed-use development will reside in the regal Beaux-Arts style B&O Building in Baltimore which was designed by noted architect James Gamble Rogers."

They go on to say:

"The B&O building will represent the first of ARCWheeler's "10" boutique hotel brand, which will include hotel, office and retail space, and be located in buildings of grandeur in prime locations. This historic 13-story building, built in 1906 as the headquarters for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, includes marble floors and staircases, cobalt-blue stained glass windows and high vaulted ceilings."

It's also promised that the developer will return the huge marble lobby, with dual staircases, to it's origional 1906 glory.

For Now It's a Sheraham

There are a lot of changes going on in Baltimore 21201 and I'll be reporting and commenting on many of them here.

[Note: Most of the in-column images in this blog, like the two here, will be clickable thumbnails. Click for a larger view.]

This morning the Baltimore Wyndham Hotel began the street level signage change-over to the Sheraton brand. By noon both hotel websites, Wyndham and Sheraton, still claimed the property at 101 W Lafayette Street as theirs. The websites even used some of the same photos. However, the Sheraton site had an interesting photo album attached to this property.

There's a photo of the most generic and vanilla family of four (read Caucasian... husband, wife and two kids) that wasn't taken anywhere near downtown Baltimore. It's caption reads: Leisure Family. And, there's also a photo of two people with slightly darker complections, people of color, sitting and gesturing. It's caption reads: Africia/Middle East Advertising.

I hope this language & image combination is just the result of a really bad selection of stock photos and a canned photo album.

Renovations to the interior of the Sheraham have been going on for months. Let's hope that the renovations to the website aren't far behind.