Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

Start the New Year with Dancing Feet!

"You've got to go on, and you've got to give and give and give. They've got to like you. Got to. Do you understand? You can't fall down. You can't because your future's in it, my future and everything all of us have is staked on you. All right, now I'm through, but you keep your feet on the ground and your head on those shoulders of yours and go out, and Sawyer, you're going out a youngster but you've got to come back a star!" -- Director, Julian Marsh

42nd Street (1933) at The Charles Theatre. 42nd Street was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1934, and in 1998 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant". In 2006 this film ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.

SHOW TIMES: Saturday, January 2 - Noon, $6; Monday, January 4 - 7 PM, $8; Thursday, January 7 - 9 PM, $8.

My favorite 42nd Street tune? Dick Powell singing I'm Young and Healthy. Or, maybe Shuffle Off to Buffalo.

Christmas is Always Better with Rocks

Really, really big rocks. Huge rocks. Diamonds.

I received a note the other day from my Twitter friend, Ron Samuelson (@diamondbuyer) -- Ron is the powerful force behind Samuelson's Diamonds, the 87 year old, family owned business, on West Baltimore Street.

Samuelson's Diamonds is hosting a Holiday Party on December 20th, 4 to 9 PM. And, yes they will be showcasing some huge rocks along with food, drinks, fun, and diamond give-aways.

Yep, diamond give-aways! And, if that's not enough... there will be free beer. Could it get any better?

Sure it could. If you're reading this, you're invited! Does it feel like Christmas around Baltimore 21201, or what?

BTW, the two photos above are actually diamonds from Samuelson's. I snagged the pics from their website. For the diamond give-away, Click Here to Register. The invitation is on Samuelson's Facebook page.

This just in, Jon Wood will be playing acoustic for the Samuelson's Holiday Party. Jacob and I will see you there. Somehow, I think Ron will dazzel us.

And a Good Time Is Being Had By All

And, you can join in the fun, the food, the drinks and the good company until 6PM today, Saturday the 7th.

I just returned from a couple of hours at Let's Eat! Charles Street. The crisp Autumn air is magical and the folks on Read Street (between Charles & Cathedral) are hungry, thirsty, friendly, and having a special Saturday afternoon playing in the street.

El Guapito is doing a land-office business. As is Mick O'Shea's and The Helmand. The smells of Mexican, Indian, American, Afghan, and a half-dozen other cuisines is filling the air along with lots of happy conversation.

I worried that Let's Eat! Charles Street. being the same weekend as the Greek Festival, not far up the street, might not be a good idea. I worried for naught. Looks like folks are making it a double header. You should, also.

Thanks to Michele Coiron, Executive Director, Historic Charles Street Association for making this happen. What a wonderful way to spend a beautiful Fall day. Go now. Play in the street!

Fall Opera Series at The Charles

From our friends up the street:

The Charles Theatre continues its Fall opera series this Sunday October 25th at noon (repeat screening on Tuesday October 27th at 6:30 pm.) with Wagner’s Die Walkure.

This production of Wagner’s epic second evening of the The Ring of The Niebelung comes to us from the spectacular new opera house in Valencia and the production is every bit as brilliant as the house itself.

 
Since I'm not operacentric, operasmart, or operainclined I'll let the good folks at The Charles tell the rest of the story:

In the words of the prestigious German weekly "Die Zeit," the stage production of Wagner's "Rheingold" and "Walküre" by La Fura dels Baus "quite possibly shows us the path that musical theater will be taking in the future."

There's no doubt about it: the city of Valencia is setting new accents in 21st-century opera not only with its spectacular new theater designed by Santiago Calatrava, but also with its visually transfixing production of Wagner's "Ring" staged by Carlos Padrissa and his theater group La Fura dels Baus. The Barcelona-based Fura ble! nds music, dance, acrobatics and technology into unforgettable stage events of sometimes raw but always captivating power.

The Fura made its breakthrough in the classical establishment with its production of Berlioz's "La damnation de Faust" at the 1999 Salzburg Festival. The Fura's fertile visual fantasy and endless combinations of savvy video technology, lighting and props (often formed of human beings) are predestined for Wagner's visionary expressive world. Wagner's dream of a Gesamtkunstwerk becomes reality as this shape-shifting sequence of tableaux unfolds before our eyes: 3D computer projections that evoke computer games, organic structures built of athletic performers that recall the "Cirque du Soleil," and much more. In this production, "the visual codes of the digital era become elemental and dazzlingly employed means of narration" (Opernwelt).

Musically, the first two parts of Wagner's tetralogy – "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walküre" – are on a par with productions from historically more prestigious opera houses. Part Three, "Siegfried," was performed last June, and Part Four, "Götterdämmerung," is set for June 2009.

Legendary conductor Zubin Mehta leads world-class Wagner singers such as Peter Seiffert, Petra-Maria Schnitzer and Matti Salminen, and promising young talents that include Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde), John Daszak (Loge) and Juha Uusitalo (Wotan), whom the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung hailed as a new "Number one among the opera gods." Equally outstanding is the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, an ensemble of top musicians hand-picked by Music Director Lorin Maazel.

Genießen. Und sagen sie mir die geschichte in einem kurzen absatz. Danke.

I Love a Gershwin Tune. How About You?

Plan early and save the date: Friday 7:30PM, October 23rd 2009. At the Peabody Institute, East Hall: The Peabody Jazz Orchestra. With vocalists Amanda Bloom (shown) and Hanna Elson. Oh yeah, this is going to be good.

Peabody Jazz Orchestra creates some hot concerts and this event is no exception. This one will be a packed house. Call early for tickets: 410-234-4800, Box office is open 10A - 4P.

The program is wonderful. With Michael Formanek, Director.

1. Cole Porter: Night and Day
2. Antonio Carlos Jobim: Chega de Saudade
3. George and Ira Gershwin: I Loves You Porgy
4. Burt Bacharach and Hal David: The Look of Love
5. Nat King Cole: Straighten Up and Fly Right
6. Thelonious Monk: 'Round Midnight
7. Joe Zawinul: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

Tickets: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors, $5 Students with ID

Plaid Can Be Cool. And, Forever.

Especially when Plaid and Forever are in the title of one of the most popular and longest-running Off-Broadway musicals of all time.

For one night only -- July 9th 2009 -- you can see the 20th Anniversary performance at a theatre near you.

From Broadway.Com:

Forever Plaid is an affectionate musical homage to the close-harmony ‘guy groups' that reached the height of their popularity during the 1950s. This quartet of high-school chums, and their earnest dreams of recording an album, ended in death, when their '54 Mercury collided with a bus filled with Catholic schoolgirls on their way to see the Beatles' American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. The girls were fine. The play begins with the Plaids returning from the afterlife for one final chance at musical glory.

From me:

Forever Plaid is wonderful, tuneful, smart, fun, and thought-provoking.

It will be broadcast live from Los Angeles in a red-carpet format, to select movie theatres nationwide. Members of the original cast are in this presentation.

Tickets are available for the performance at several theatres around Baltimore. Check out the website for this presentation. Even if you can't get to the big screen on the 9th, you should check out the trailers. It's fun stuff. And the website is really top-shelf.

You Can't Fly to Milan's Teatro alla Scala? Be There Here, in 21201!

Baltimore's Charles Theatre is offering up the last four screenings of their 2009 Spring/Summer Opera Ballet Season.

You don't have to go beyond 21201's 1700 Block of N Charles Street to see some truly great performances.

Il Viaggio a Reims - Sunday July 5, 2009

at 11:45 AM

Il Viaggio a Reims is Rossini's last opera in the Italian language (all of his later works were in French). Commissioned to celebrate the coronation of French King Charles X in Rheims in 1825, the work has been critically acclaimed as one of Rossini's finest compositions. It is a demanding work, requiring 14 soloists (three sopranos, one contralto, two tenors, four baritones, and four basses).  

The uniqueness and audacity of the opera is compounded by its plot, which concerns a group of people who plan excitedly for a viaggio (journey) to the city of Reims that at the end never happens.

Swan Lake - Sunday July 12,2009

at 11:45 AM

Swan Lake was the first ballet set to the score of a symphonic composer. From around the time of the turn of the 19th century until the beginning of the 1890s, scores for ballets were almost always written by composers known as "specialists" - composers who were highly skilled at scoring the light, decorative, melodious, and rhythmically clear music that was at that time in vogue for ballet. Tchaikovsky studied the music of these "specialists", such as the Italian Cesare Pugni and the Czechoslovakian Léon Minkus, before setting to work on Swan Lake

Aida - Sunday July 19,2009

at 11:45 AM

Aida met with great acclaim when it finally opened in Cairo on 24 December 1871. However, although Verdi did not attend, he was most dissatisfied with the fact that the audience consisted of invited dignitaries, politicians and critics, but no members of the general public. He therefore considered the Italian (and European) premiere, to be held at La Scala, Milan on 8 February the following year, and in which he was heavily involved at every stage, to be its real premiere.

Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes - Sunday July 26,2009

at 11:45 AM

Like the concept? Visit the Charles Theatre website to learn more about each screening. Tickets for this kind of special entertainment are as cheap as dirt in Baltimore 21201. Be there.

Now, This is a Murder to Die For

You know you want to see it. The Murder. The Mayhem. The Mystery. The Man with a very sharp razor...

You know you want to hear it. The Musings. The Madness. The Melancholy. The Music that will haunt you for a lifetime. You just can't forget show tunes that begin like this:

Man: [singing] Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. His skin was pale and his eye was odd. He shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again. He trod a path that few have trod, Did Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Company: [singing] Swing your razor wide, Sweeney! Hold it to the skies! Freely flows the blood of those who moralize...
Sweeney Todd: [singing] Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd...
Company: [singing] Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd...
Sweeney Todd: [singing] He served a dark and a vengeful god...
Company: [singing] He served a dark and a vengeful god...
Sweeney Todd: [singing] What happened then? Well, that's the play and he wouldn't want us to give it away. Not Sweeney...
Todd, Company: [singing] Not Sweeney Todd... the demon barber of Fleet... Street!

 
Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is at Baltimore's Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre thru April 19th.

If you're up for an evening of theatre containing dark content, strong language and a musical that comes with a parental guidance warning, Spotlighter's has the show for you. And, I totally recommend it.

I consider Sweeney Todd one of the best books and scores that Sondheim has ever produced... it's one of the best and most complex Broadway shows ever. It's based on revenge.

As for the characters: You'll love Mrs. Lovett. (Don't touch her pies.) You'll hate Judge Turpin. (Just look in his eyes.) And as for Aldofo Pirelli... I'll let you make up your own mind. (Here's a tip... he spies.)

As for the storyline: If you don't know it, don't look it up. The greatest amount of horror - and true entertainment - is in the details and the orchestration. The suprises are many. The laughs are many. (Yes. For one of the darkest musicals ever written it has an amazing amount subtle and broad comedy.)

Ticketing Services for Spotlighters provided by TicketTurtle.com

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8pm - Sunday at 2pm

Lobby opens one hour prior to curtain, with seating approximately 30 minutes before curtain.

Tickets are $18. Seniors, Students and BTA Members $15 and may be purchased on line.

Spotlighters Theatre - 817 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD  410-752-1225

Baltimore's Charles Theatre - A Pavarotti Tribute

Two showings only. Saturday, January at Noon and Wednesday, February 4th at 6PM.

Staring Placido Domingo, Sting, Angela Gheorghiu, Andrea Bocelli, Cynthia Lawrence and Sherrill Mines, Flutist Andrea Griminelli Jovanotti and Laura Pausini, thirteen year old violin sensation Aleem Kandour and the Italian rock star Zucchero, the Charles Theatre is presenting Salute Petra.

 

Salute Petra is a beautiful charity tribute concert honoring the late Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
The event was presented on October 12th 2008, Pavarotti's birthday, in front of an exclusive invited audience of royalty, classical and popular music stars at the world heritage site Petra, Jordan.

Our Charles Theatre notes: The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra accompanies all the stars and the entire presentation. The performance is set against a breathtaking natural amphitheater. It is one of the musical performances of the decade.

I agree.

[Note from me to the Charles Theatre: Hire someone to proofread your copy before you send out releases. While I'm a huge fan of most everything you do and promote... well, you have the idea...]

2009 - The Year of Poe, Poe... And More Poe in Baltimore

 

Just in from Nevermore2009.Com:

"January 19, 2009 marks the 200th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe and to commemorate this historic milestone, the city of Baltimore will host Nevermore 2009, a year-long celebration of the life and works of one of Baltimore's most famed residents. The year will be filled with a variety of events, including birthday celebrations, lectures, wine tastings, art exhibitions, theatrical performances, special tours and more."

OK, I'm already on board. The Poe schedule is amazing and begins with the launch in January '09. Here are just three highlights - the scope of this year-long project is facinating:

January 17 
7 p.m.
Westminster Hall
EDGAR ALLAN POE BICENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Come toast Poe’s 200th birthday while enjoying a rare exhibition of Poe artifacts along with a number of special performances. Only in Baltimore will you experience this world-famous event. The evening will include:

• An Edgar Allan Poe tributeby noted actor John Astin of “The Addams Family” fame. Mr. Astin will present a spellbinding hour of Poe’s most beloved works interspersed with comments and observations on Poe’s life.
• Theatrical performance of Hop Frog, Poe’s chilling tale of revenge,complete with special effects, life-size puppets and live actors. A feast for the eyes and the imagination.
• A musical tribute to Poeby soloist Paula McCabe from the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. Ms. McCabe sang at the funerals of beloved sportscaster Jim McKay and football legend Johnny Unitas.
• A sparkling apple cider toastto Poe conducted by Jeff Jerome from the Poe House and Museum and John Astin will conclude the evening’s event.
• This event is sponsored by the City of Baltimore

and

March 27
Time TBA
Westminster Hall and Catacombs
CASK OF AMONTILLADO WINE TASTING AMONG THE BONES
Sample the wines mentioned in Poe's stories while enjoying the ambience of the Westminster catacombs. Witness Montressor luring Fortunado to a gruesome death in a theatrical performance of The Cask of Amontillado. Enjoy characters from Poe's stories as they mingle among the living.

and

October 10 
Two services – noon and 4:30 p.m.
Westminster Hall
POE'S FUNERAL SERVICE
A horse-drawn funeral hearse will bring Poe's body from his home on Amity Street to the Westminster Hall for burial services. A drum and fife corps will lead the procession. The funeral service will include musical selections performed by a pianist, soloist, violinist and a choir. Guest speakers will include five people who knew Poe, "legacies" such as "Alfred Hitchcock," "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," "Charles Baudelaire" and "H. G. Wells" will present eulogies. Invited representatives from the literary, stage and movie industries will present their own eulogies for Poe. Tributes from ambassadors from many countries will also be read.

The full year schedule is amazing and will grow.

Check it out & let's find a great source for some fine Amontillado. Then, let's all meet up at Annabelle Lee Tavern... and lift a glass.

Kennedy Center Just Released a Stunning Block of Tickets - Think George Carlin!

This will be a short post. Just the facts so you can contact the box office for a once in a lifetime event.

 

Monday, November 10th. 8PM. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. A presentation of the 11th Annual Mark Twain Prize to the late George Carlin.

From the Kennedy Center:

"The Kennedy Center will posthumously award the eleventh annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to the late George Carlin, one of America's foremost humorists. A star-studded lineup, including Richard Belzer, Lewis Black, Margaret Cho, Ben E. King, Denis Leary, Bill Maher, Joan Rivers, Garry Shandling, Jon Stewart, Lily Tomlin, Ben Stiller in a video appearance, and others, will celebrate the life and achievements of the late comedian. Carlin passed away on June 22, 2008.
 
"Mr. Carlin was a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author, whose career spanned more than 50 years. He released 22 solo albums and 3 New York Times best-selling books, which have sold more than 2 million copies. The five-time Emmy-nominated actor starred in an unprecedented 14 HBO Specials and appeared in a wide variety of television and movie roles. He was the first-ever host of Saturday Night Live, and appeared on The Tonight Show more than 130 times.
 
"The program will be taped by WETA Washington, D.C. for airing on PBS stations nationwide at a later date (check local listings)."

A whole lot more will be on the agenda. Check the Kennedy Center website and get tickets. It will be a night to remember.

Additional Details

Sing it Sister: "Pigtown Will Shine Tonight, Pigtown Will Shine..."

If you've ever thought, even for a brief second, that John Waters' depictions of Baltimore life were a tad over the top this video shows that he may actually have been a tad bit reserved! This is a 1978 Evening Magazine television segment that was shot at Sid's Bar in Baltimore's Pigtown and produced by Tom D'Antoni, a Baltimore native who lives in Portland, Oregon. Tom, if you have any more of these time capsules, please post them. For the next generation and beyond, this is museum stuff.

It's not just the video that's amazing. Turns out that Tom D'Antoni is amazing in his own right. The Huffington Post says, "I'M A FAN OF THIS BLOGGER..."

D'Antoni is also the author of a book: Rabid Nun Infects Entire Convent. Yep, the man must be from Baltimore. And, he's one of the most astute political writers that I've come across in years. Did I mention that he has a radio show on KMHD FM? Yep. A radio blog also. And, on it goes. What a find.

I've Never Liked Elvis.

Never, ever. Even when he first arrived on the scene he looked soft to me. Like an under-cooked dumpling. I didn't like his voice either. Call me crazy - like many of my friends did at the time - I just didn't get the rush... And I never, ever wanted those Blue Suede Shoes. Elvis started out odd and kept getting odder.

Hold on, this really DOES have a Baltimore connection.

Today I received a note from the Creative Alliance at Patterson Park announcing some pretty cool, upcoming events. One of their best yearly series is their highly respected Art to Dine For.

Here's their tease:

"Thirty-two amazing soirees in this scintillating series of fab fall gatherings. Tour the harbor in a vintage motor launch. Go crabbing! Dig on Bahamian cuisine, dancing the night away in a cool under-gound venue. Hear Gary Vikan channel Elvis. See Doreen Bolger's gracious home. Visit world class collections of art - from ancient Indian to twentieth century Warhols. So whether you want to go Andy Goldsworthy and build art in the woods or do Baltimore glam and sip champagne in a lush garden built around five alley rowhouses. Don't miss!"

I did a double-take. Dr. Gary Vikan, director of the Walters Art Museum, will channel Elvis? I've watched Vikan lecture; I've had lunch with him. But Elvis? Then I remembered a post I'd read on Vikan's blog about Elvis. I did a quick search and sure enough the whole package comes to life. Amazing. Check out this video...

I'm thinking this is a must attend event. When Vikan is speaking about Byzantine art he's clever and funny. When he presented the branding concept for Baltimore a couple of years ago he was brilliant. (The campaign - Get In On It - not so much so.) Vikan on Elvis... I'm waiting for tickets to go on sale. Get in line behind me.

Enjoy Kennedy Center Concerts from 21201. For Free.

This isn't actually happening in Baltimore. But it's just too cool to ignore. And you can enjoy it from 21201 or 21202 or 21230 or... well, fact is you can enjoy it from 10023 or 90069 or anywhere!

The Kennedy Center's Milennium Stage Summer Concert Series is in full swing with daily presentations at 6PM. Every concert is free, no ticket required. But wait, there's more: You can watch the events live on the Internet.

"The Smithsonian Festival continues to celebrate culture, NASA, and Texas with artists such as the talented Quebe Sisters Band and Texas State Accordion Champion Mark Halata. Come enjoy concerts performed by the NSO Summer Music Institute, featuring works such as Schumann's "Rhenish" and Mahler's Symphony No. 1. Hear outstanding vocal performances by The Zionaires, The Chancel Choir, and Jamie Coon— a singer/songwriter part of the NMAI Summer Music Series. Progressive poets with the Green Mic poetry slam, multicultural melodies, and sensational soloists fill the rest of July with acts you won't want to miss!", they say. And, they say it right.

I'm looking forward to Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys singing 50 Years of NASA and Big Balls in Cowtown. Check the schedule, they'll be on stage tomorrow, June 25th.

You Work in Downtown Baltimore? You're Appreciated. And Yes, You're Invited!

The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and the Clean, Safe & Beautiful Team (who, by the way, do a magnificent job), and a bundle of other sponsors are announcing the 2008 Downtown Employee Appreciation Week.

It's a week of fun stuff and activities and can make for an extended lunch hour. That's always a good thing.

The event this year is June 16 - 20 and is always a great hit. This just in from Downtown Partnership:

Celebrate Working Downtown

Downtown Partnership and the Clean, Safe, and Beautiful Team invite you to get out of the office to enjoy special events and giveaways.

Monday, June 16, noon–2 p.m. Kick-Off event at Hopkins Plaza with games, sampling* by Pepsi, 7-Eleven, and Pretzel Twist, and free ice cream. 

Wednesday, June 18, noon–2 p.m. Lunch Party at Center Plaza with free samples* from Downtown restaurants:

Mex
Pizzeria Speranza
Sofi’s Crepes
Taharka Brothers Ice Cream
Additional sampling by Pepsi and The Peanut Shoppe. Rain Location: BGE building in Center Plaza.

Thursday, June 19, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Networking Event at Power Plant Live! at the Blue Door Bar (Plaza Bar). Music by Nelly's Echo. Complimentary buffet from Mex. $2.50 beer, wine, sangria, and margaritas. The first 150 people who bring this email will receive 2 free drink tickets.

Stop by the Downtown Partnership booth each day to pick up giveaways and enter for your chance to win one of many prizes including tickets to the Baltimore Chefs and Wine Experience, gift certificates to Edible Arrangements and CENTERSTAGE, passes to the Aquarium, B&O Railroad Museum and the Maryland Science Center, and more.

Bring this email to MECU's table Monday and Wednesday to be entered to win a pair of tickets to the Baltimore Chefs and Wine Experience hosted by Sandra Pinckney and featuring Ted Allen.

Juno Ya Wanna be on the Pier this Summer!

It's going to be a super summer in Baltimore if the Fells Point Development Corporation has anything to do with it. And, they do. And, in a big way.

Grab your favorite deck chair and head over to the South Broadway Pier for some fun summertime flicks.

The movie for July 9th is JUNO. [Thanks Corey for the correction!] Be there and enjoy. A whole lot of folks say that the soundtrack, the music, is more important than the actual film. Just in case you've been in a cave for the past couple of years or so...

Here's a video of the Moldy Peaches on ABC TV's the View.

Moldy Peaches call themselves Anti-Folk. I don't see it that way: Remember the two Guthries, Ella Jenkins, Mickey Bones and Cisco Houston? Moldy Peachs fit in with the very, very best of folk.

Go see. Tell me if I'm wrong. And, check out the full schedule of Films on the Pier.

While you're at it visit the Fells Point Development Corp's website. Sign up for their newsletter - it's all good.

Get on Track, You!

Just when I think that Amtrak may not actually be headed, full speed, toward a solid brick wall... they come up with another very expensive PR move. One that may or may not play to a new, younger rider audience, which is what they need. Especially a younger vacation & excursion rider audience.

The first annual National Train Day is Saturday. Major celebrations in the largest rail stations they service. It celebrates the day the Golden Spike was driven in Utah. Al Roker will be heading up the festivities in Washington, DC.

Their releases do make some good points: "Now, 139 years after the golden spike connected east and west, there’s never been a better time to take the train. Huge crowds and the frustrations that go with them burden our highways and airports. And at a time when we all share the same pressing concerns about ecology and energy conservation, trains are a more energy-efficient mode of travel than either autos or airplanes. Riding the rails is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Not to mention meet interesting people and see breathtaking scenery".

Now, that's not bad copy... though, I'm not sure about that 'interesting people' business.

Also, Jacob and I were threatened with expulsion from Baltimore's Penn Station while we were waiting for our train to DC. I was taking photos of the stained glass dome in the ceiling. Apparently that was a security breach. The security guard was large... and armed. I put the lens cap on the camera and sat down.

Don't get me wrong. I love riding the train. I just wish this PR push would let me know why the Amtrak tickets from BWI to NYP are so expensive as I'm reducing my carbon footprint.   

After January Each Year: The Ho-Hum Press Releases Hit Baltimore

Odd, but true... Take this urgent message from the Live Baltimore Home Center:

Need a makeover? Want to be on national TV? Then head down to the Harborplace Amphitheater on Monday, February 18, where one lucky person will be "glambushed" live on TV during the CBS Early Show. [Say now, that sounds like a good time to be had by all.]

The Early Show's Dave Price will be LIVE in Baltimore on Monday morning. All Baltimoreans are invited to show their support by joining him as part of the show's audience from 5:30 - 9:00 a.m. One lucky audience member will be selected for a makeover by designer to the stars, Bradley Bayou - author of "The Science of Sexy." WJZ-TV's Ron Matz will also be broadcasting live. We want to show support for the CBS Early Show and proudly represent the city of Baltimore, so come out and don't miss your chance to be on national television. 

[They've got to be kidding, right?]

And, this just in from "The Insiders Club" at 1st Mariner Arena:

WWE PRESENTS BACKLASH - Sunday , April 27^th AT 7:45 PM

As a member of the 1st Mariner Arena Insiders Club [I'm on their mailing list, yes. But, I had no idea that I was a member of anything so very special...] you are invited to take part in an exclusive presale for WWE Presents Backlash, at 1st Mariner Arena on Sunday. Attendees must be 14 years of age.

[Oh swell, let's round up all of our young teens and head out to see this smart little package. Oh and yes, the best tickets are $175 each...]

He doesn't look like another Hanna Montana so I think I'll hold-off on this one and not stand in line.

If you've ever read this blog before, you know that I'm a rah-rah, full-on supporter of Baltimore and 21201. It just gets creepy on the PR front around this time of year. Stay tuned for some of the truly worthwhile notices of late winter.

And, if you see huge guys walking around downtown Baltimore in tights... well, consider yourself warned. It's not altogether pretty.

I Love Kraut

And most of all, I love it on a Sabrett hot dog from any street vendor in New York. A Sabrett with natural casing, covered with kraut and mustard in a steamed bun is the perfect food.

So I may have to check out Gertrude's Fifth Annual Kraut Festival. At first blush John Shield's menu seemed a tad kraut-excessive... a day later, not so much.

Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Friday, January 11th. 6 to 11 PM with Polka Music. And these fine eats:

Kraut & Roasted Beet Borscht
Kraut Stroganoff
Braised Pulled Pork with Kraut and Apples
Stuffed "Kraut" Cabbage Rolls - meat and veggie
Ziti with Kielbasa & Sauerkraut
Kraut, Tofu and Braised Mean Greens Fettuccini
Charcuterie Platter - Binkert's Bavarian Brautwurst, Knackwurst, Weisswurst, and Bauernwurst and Ostrowski's Kielbasa and Veggie Wursts
Kraut Braised Red Potatoes and Carrots
Pumpernickel rolls and German rye
Desserts
Grandma Wissman's Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
Sauerkraut & Apple Flan
Double Chocolate Tart with Caramel Kraut

And yes, the cash bar will have a Krautini along with some "specality" vodkas. $22 in advance, $25 at the door. Reservations: 410-889-3399.

Avenue Q - Quintessentially Quotable

After over twenty years of being a regular theatre-goer, something strange and wonderful happened Saturday night.

I expect to walk home, after seeing a musical, humming the two or three most memorable tunes. And as an utterly and completly tone-deaf singer, it's a torment - if not a true torture - for my friends.

Saturday Jacob and I saw Avenue Q at Baltimore's Hippodrome and we walked home reciting the hysterically funny, rude, politically incorrect, and downright nasty lines. We were laughing like the show was still going on. For us, it was. We both agreed that you haven't really lived until you've been given the finger by a puppet. Or, watched puppets DOING IT complete with dramatic lighting and sound effects and well placed gasps.

You haven't lived until you've watched a gay puppet come out of the closet to his friends and immediately go back in his apartment for a three-way. Avenue Q is heady stuff. (I'm not giving anything away here. The plot is not complex.)

So, what exactly were we and most of the audience laughing at that evening? Here are a couple of G-Rated samples (for the really good quotes - R-Rated and X, get tickets):

[On a Missed Teaching Assignment]
Kate Monster: Hello?
Mrs. Thistletwat: Good afternoon, Katherine. If you may recall, you were supposed to teach my class this morning while I got my heart replaced. You left the children unattended for three hours! They created their own tribal society and were about to sacrifice poor little Brittany! Where were you?
Kate Monster: I overslept! I'm so sorry!
Mrs. Thistletwat: I should never have hired a monster.
Kate Monster: What?
Mrs. Thistletwat: Your race is notoriously lazy!
Kate Monster: Well, better a monster than a crabby old bitch!
Mrs. Thistletwat: Crabby old bitches are the backbone of this nation!

[On Schadenfreude]
Nicky: How 'bout straight A students getting B's?
Gary: Exes getting STDs!
Nicky: Waking doormen from their naps!
Gary: Watching tourists reading maps!
Nicky: Football players getting tackled!
Gary: CEOs getting shackled!
Nicky: Watching actors never reach
Both: The ending of their Oscar speech!

[On Gift-giving & Investments]
Trekkie Monster: Me give you ten million dollars!
Princeton: Trekkie! Where did you get all that money?!?
Trekkie Monster: In volatile market, only stable investment is porn!

NOTICE: As advertised, the Tony award winning, Avenue Q is "Not Fur the Kiddies"... It's apparently not FUR most grandparents either. The ladies on either side of us looked Queasier and Queasier with each drop of the F-Bomb. But hey, they should have known that they - for about two fun hours - were going to live on Avenue Q!