B'more Sports

Baseball season is over in Baltimore, as the Ravens are back in action. Don't get me wrong, I yearn for the day when we have two sports keeping us interested into October, but that day has not yet arrived.

Yesterday's complete domination by the Ravens over the Steelers was worth the wait. It was that good. The Ravens won 35 - 7, and it wasn't even that close. The Ravens created many turnovers, Ed Reed caught two interceptions and very nearly had three. Joe Flacco was composed as he always is. He threaded that first pass for a TD to Anquan Boldin, the coverage was actually pretty good. It is fantastic that he has enough confidence in his ability to do that.

The crowd noise was also a factor causing a delay of game penalty at one point. At one point I could clearly hear a "Steelers suck" chant, which might not be the the classiest thing that Ravens fans could do, but that's football in Baltimore and I am not about to apologize for it. We are who we are.

After the game when Joe Flacco was asked how it felt to finally beat Ben Rothlisberger, he replied, "I don't play Ben Rothlisberger." That is true, he doesn't, they are not on the field at the same time, this is a team sport and one man does not make or break any team (with the exception of the Colts, apparently).

Terrell Suggs became the all time leader in sacks for the Baltimore Ravens. He got three sacks on Big Ben yesterday. That is amazing, most teams have a very hard time bringing him down, he is a big, strong guy. Click on his name to see his classic sideline interview after the game.

Last but not least and never forgotten by any true Baltimore football fan, yesterday was the 9th anniversary of the death of Johnny Unitas. I would like to think he was also enjoying the show, on the big screen.

Places to go, People to see

The Babe Ruth Museum is located at 216 Emory Street in Baltimore, just blocks away from Camden Yards. The museum is located on a quiet residential street. It looks like your typical Baltimore row house. We were fortunate enough to be able to park right on the street. We walked in and didn't see anyone else except the two people working there. There is a small gift shop that you walk in to. When we were there, the Oriole game was on the TV. The woman working behind the counter told us that wherever we saw the hardwood floors we were in the original part of the house. The museum is a nice blend of the old, preserved part of the house and the more modern parts which house more modern displays.

The upstairs bedroom is nicely preserved. It is the bedroom where he was born. Apparently Babe Ruth's mother lived above a bar with her husband but did not want to give birth above the noisy bar, so when the time was near, she went to her parents' home to give birth with the help of a midwife.

There are some wonderful items on display including the Babe's rookie card. Cooperstown wishes they had that, but they don't. You have to come to Emory Street to see that.

This museum is quiet, and it is the kind of place where you can take your time and read every plaque and view every video and not feel like you are holding up a line of people behind you. You can also bring the kids and be in and out in 30 minutes.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Blue Moon Cafe

My daughter and I ate breakfast at the Blue Moon Cafe after reading some favorable reviews online. The Blue Moon is located in Fells Point at 1621 Aliceanna St. It is a tiny place. We walked in through the open door and were greeted promptly by a young man toward the back of the restaurant who motioned toward an available table right at the window.

The decor is...well, blue. The walls are blue, there really isn't much in the way of decor, it is simple, tiny, you're not there for the funky interior decorating, face it, you are there for the Cap'n Crunch French Toast. I did notice the fresh Stargazer lilies on the tables, a nice touch. Country music was piped in and there was a 70's movie trivia question on a white board.

Our drink orders were taken right away and the menus were delivered and water was brought without having to ask for it. After "checking in" on our cell phones, we had barely had enough time to review the menus when our waitress, and I am supposing the proprietor, came over to let us know about the specials and signature dishes. She let us know about something she calls "Sweet Baby Jesus", it sounded like you might need to swing by Hopkins for an EKG afterwards just to make sure. Anyway, I knew what I was there for but my daughter chose the Caramel Apple Pancakes and a side of hash browns and a cup of coffee. I selected the Cap'n Crunch French Toast and a side of bacon.

I was brought a piping hot cup of hot water with a mug full of assorted tea bags. Nice. There was cream on the table, sugar and various sugar substitutes also. My daughter really enjoyed the coffee and she never saw the bottom of her cup. The place seemed busy but the waitress never seemed overwhelmed and really seemed to enjoy her work.

My daughter's pancakes covered her rather large plate. Her hash browns covered most of another smaller plate. My french toast was a sight to behold. This place wants you to know that their fruit is fresh, they leave the tops on the strawberries to prove it. My french toast was was topped with lots of fresh fruit, blueberries, banana, strawberries and even kiwi, whipped cream too. The bacon was perfectly crisp.

We soon realized we were very fortunate to just walk in and get a table. That was a fluke. We watched many people walk in, sign in, and then walk back out into the drizzle to happily wait for their table. Not one person decided to go elsewhere.

The bathroom is co-ed, just like at home. It was satisfactorily clean and smelled fresh too. There were plenty of supplies.

My daughter needed a box, I somehow managed to finish mine.

This was a wonderful breakfast.

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Canton

Canton is a very popular, trendy neighborhood in Baltimore. It is centered around O'Donnell Square which is home to several bars and restaurants as well as the very first branch of the Enoch Pratt Library which was opened in 1886 and has been in continual operation ever since.

Located in southeast Baltimore, bordered by the harbor on the south and Patterson Park on the North makes Canton an extremely attractive place to live. The neighborhood was created on the plantation of John O'Donnell by his son, Columbus and William Patterson. It was transformed into an industrial area with housing for the workers. This area became home to many Welsh, Irish, German and Polish immigrants in the 1900's.

There are so many great things to say about this neighborhood that I don't even know where to begin. First, there is the waterpark. There is the Canton Kayak Club at the waterpark. There is space there to just enjoy the views and the water. This is also where the water leg of the infamous Kinetic Sculpture Race takes place every spring. The waterfront is a funky mix of industrial and recreational areas. There are a few restaurants/bars on the water and there are rehabbed warehouses that have been turned into condos right on the water.

There is a dog park across the street where you can bring your pooch and let him off his leash.

There is also the Du Burns Arena where adults can join indoor winter sports league and which is also home to the Charm City Roller Girls roller derby team.

There is a mix of old and new in this neighborhood with new condos being built on empty lots, old warehouses turned into new livings spaces, and old rowhomes lovingly restored or renovated and modernized. This is also the neighborhood with rooftop decks, popular because of the harbor views and lack of usable outdoor space for barbecues and such. Canton was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The neighborhood has become home to many young professionals but is still home to many people who have lived here all their lives. It is a very interesting mix and seems to work very well. You can still find painted screens which are unique to east Baltimore. They were originally intended to offer more privacy to the homeowner, especially before air conditioning, when we used to leave our windows open in hopes of a breeze in the sweltering summer months.

O'Donnell Square is the center of nightlife in Canton. My favorite restaurant here is the Claddagh Pub. It is an Irish Pub with a nice, white table clothed, quiet dining room attached. The food here is really good, I like the Chesapeake Chicken. There are other fine restaurants including Nacho Mamas which is festive, popular and serves Mexican food. O'Donnell Square is an actual park, there are statues, park benches and trees, but most people think of nightlife when they think of this place.

To the north is Patterson Park. This is actually a separate neighborhood so you will have to wait for the p's to learn more about it, but is a very large park and is just another advantage to living in Canton. Also on Eastern Avenue is Matthew's Pizza which has the very best pizza in Baltimore.

This is the neighborhood where NJG lived when I first met him. I have many fond memories of time spent here.

The average price of a home sold in Canton in 2007 was $311,078.

Ravens vs. Steelers

It will be a good game. I hope Big Ben remembers this:

Bart Scott Sacks Ben Roethlisberger Video

I thought I would post that little reminder, just in case he is one of my readers....

Anyway, it will not be a blowout even though we have the rookie quarterback. He is well protected and well coached. He has been able to gain confidence and has two wins against division rivals under his belt already. I don't think any team wants to beat the Ravens more than the Browns do, because of the history. All that want didn't help them last week.

I think the Steelers will miss their injured players more than the Ravens will miss theirs. We have been muddling through without Kelly Gregg, my favorite Raven, so far this year. I miss the guy though. Landry and Rolle will be missed for sure, but hopefully the rush will be on and Big Ben won't have a whole lot of options for throwing the ball down field.

It will be important for the Ravens to keep their cool. If I see Bart Scott or anyone else acting like a spoiled brat not getting his way in the schoolyard, I will not be a happy fan.

It will be important for Ed Reed to choose wisely when he has to decide whether to go for the big showboat play or stay in his assigned coverage position. Sometimes it pays off big for Ed to do what he does, sometimes....not so much.

I hope Cam Cameron has a few new plays up his sleeve especially for our first away game. I like what I have seen from him so far and I have to believe we have not yet seen it all yet.

It is crucial that Joe Flacco gets the protection he has so far enjoyed. I cannot believe the improvement in the offensive line this year. Flacco has proved to be a very cool customer and has made all the right decisions when his first choice doesn't pan out for him. I know we haven't seen a passing touchdown from him yet. I know he threw a couple of picks last week against the Browns, but he kept his head and his confidence and that is something new to the Ravens.

I think we will be able to run against the Steelers, but I don't know about wearing them down as easily as the Browns and Bengals seemed to get tired. It will be different playing in the ketchup field, the crowd will play a part and I wonder how Flacco will deal with that.

I hope that if Joe's family attends the game, they are wearing some serious Ravens gear. They have shown the family in the first two games and they all look like they are just in town to see the inner harbor or something. If my son played for the Ravens, I would wear purple every day, but especially AT THE GAME I would invest in a jersey.

Anyway, I am too chicken to predict a score. I think the game will be won by three points or less in either direction...

Kenneth Harris

OK, here's the thing. You know that the wonderful place I write about here has more than its share of problems. Perhaps you have seen the old program, Homicide: Life on the Streets, you have seen The Wire. You know what a crime ridden, drug infested city this place is and I am committed to sharing only the positive, or mostly the positive, I guess.

Kenneth Harris was a former Baltimore City Councilman. He was a father of two and a committed family man. He was 45 years old. He was born in the Park Heights neighborhood to a young, single mother. He attended local schools, receiving a degree from Morgan State University. He was dedicated to improving Baltimore. By all accounts he was the kind of person who said what he thought, even if it wasn't popular. He was committed to improving life for the residents of the city, but he never let his obligations to the city interfere with his obligations to his family. He went to watch his kids play sports. If there was a choice to be made, he chose his family.

Kenneth was gunned down senselessly, needlessly early Saturday morning. This is the kind of crime that happens all the time here, but there is just something about this one that really gets me. He stopped by the New Haven Lounge at around 1:30 am Saturday morning. The owner, Keith Covington, was a friend of his. Apparently, he was only there for about 15 minutes. The two friends were outside the bar, the owner walking his friend back to his car. They were surprised by three or four armed robbers wearing masks or bandannas. Ken tried to escape to his car. Mr. Covington heard a "pop" but didn't turn his head to see if his friend had been hit because there was a gun to his own head. He was shot once in the chest, through his car window. He managed to drive a short way and crashed his car in a grassy area. He was pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins. Keith Covington was robbed of about $1,200. The robbers escaped through the back door of the club. The owner managed to fire three shots at them from his own gun, but it appears he was not able to hit any of them. He checked out front to see if his friend had managed to get away and was relieved to see his car was gone.

The police have made no arrests. It is thought that the perpetrators are known to the area. It is also suspected that these men have robbed the popular jazz club before, in July.

NJG and I have been to this jazz club many times. It is a good little club in a strip shopping center that clearly has seen better days. The music is really good. We witnessed a charming marriage proposal there over the winter. The patrons and staff are friendly and welcoming. I have never felt unsafe, but then again, I just refuse to feel unsafe in my city. This is my city. This is my city. I won't be scared away. If decent people leave the city or stay shut up in their homes, then the few, and believe me they are few, indecent thugs get to rule, it just can't happen.

I don't know what the answer is. There will be a vigil. There will be a wake. There will be a huge funeral, I am sure. There is outrage. But what happens next? These thugs are staying somewhere and the "don't snitch" mentality that keeps our streets mean is working once again. Whoever is hiding these guys needs to just finally have enough. Ken Harris did nothing to deserve this end. He tried to be part of the solution. He was killed by the very same young men that he tried to help all his life.

Baltimore City neighborhood

This week we have Cameron Village. Cameron Village is a residential neighborhood in the northern part of the city. I really couldn't find much on it. My guess would be that it is completely residential, that there are rowhomes dating from the 40's.

The average sale price for a home in this neighborhood in 2007 was $125,146.

New York, New York

OK, I am back from the Big Apple and had a fabulous time. My mind is still there. Hmmm, where to begin...

We planned this trip because NJG scored tickets to Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees battle the first place Tampa Rays. We had tickets to both the Friday evening and Saturday afternoon games.

We took off on Friday morning for the three hour trip from Baltimore. We checked in to the Red Roof Inn in Seacaucus, NJ. This is located on the "Mighty Hackensack" River. It is a quick trip through the Lincoln Tunnel and NJG doesn't mind battling the traffic. Actually, we didn't have any trouble parking, not once did we pay, we parked on the street everywhere. So, we checked in at about 1 in the afternoon.

The Yankee game started at 7:05, so we headed into town and went to the Museum of Natural History for a while. I had never been, we saw all the dinosaur bones and all the other tourists. I don't know which was more interesting. There were times that we were the only English speaking people around. It seemed to be a popular place to duck out of the rain for the stroller crowd that had been in Central Park. There is a planetarium, we didn't go inside, but the exhibit set up around the huge sphere was interesting and informative. The human origins exhibit was also fascinating to me. The exhibits are so life-like.

We left the museum and it was raining. We were ready to go straight to the game which is what we did. I had my Orioles t-shirt on, although the Yankees were not hosting the O's, I wanted to see if I would get hassled by Yankee fans, like I do when I wear my gear to see an Oriole/Yankee game in my own fair city. Of course, it was raining so I had my rain jacket on over my shirt. We parked on the street near the new Yankee Stadium, which is right beside the current stadium. For those of you who don't already know, this is the last year for the old stadium. This was the whole reason for our trip, NJG thought I just must see old Yankee stadium. The new stadium looks like a real beauty, the words "Yankee Stadium" are engraved prominently in gold lettering, no worry of a corporate name on it. The current stadium is a real hole. If ever there was a stadium in need of being torn down, it is this one. It is hard to believe that any professional sports team plays in a place like this. If you get at all claustrophobic, you would never want to try to come to a game, the passageways are so narrow and there is little headroom as well. The place smells pretty bad in spots. There are signs of deterioration everywhere. The place has no charm to it. It has been remodeled and updated so many times that it is easy to see why it is not eligible for a spot on the National Historic Preservation list. Apparently, they cantilevered the place years ago to remove the poles that once supported the upper levels. They removed the old decorative facade and now have a cheap looking replication in the outfield only. We grabbed a beer and sought shelter in seats that were not ours, under cover. This area was so dismal, the ceiling covered in some sort of unappealing, dented, siding. The aisles are very narrow. The service however, is excellent. The people working the concessions are friendly, taking the time to talk to children and make the experience as pleasant as possible. I was impressed. The concession people at Oriole Park are some of the most surly people on earth. We did get to see Freddy, in the very next section. He bangs a pot and holds up a sign, all over the stadium to keep the spirits up. We waited until they officially called off the game. Then we headed out into the drizzle, across the street to Stan's.

Stan's Sports Bar is a must see if you are going to the Yankee game at night and don't have children with you. We walked it and it was packed, but there was no wait for a beer. We managed to find a spot to stand at the bar and I got to see the photos under the glass. There are photos of baseball heroes from every team. There are no names, which makes it fun to guess who they are since most are old and on some you can't even see the jersey number. The guy standing beside me pointed out that I was right near Jim Palmer. I also spotted Brooks Robinson. It was cool, the music was loud and fitting for a sports bar. The beer selection was really good. There are very few places to sit, but the absence of bar stools makes it so much easier to fit more people around the bar and standing there, you don't miss the stool at all.

Since the game was cancelled and the night was young, NJG was happy that we would not miss the Heath Brothers at Birdland. We called and made a reservation for the 11 pm show. We headed over to 44th street and found free street parking just about three blocks away. I had wisely brought a more appropriate shirt and shoes to replace the bright orange Orioles shirt and sneakers. I changed right there on 44th street, in the car. I still don't know if NJG was impressed or appalled. We were greeted and escorted to our white table clothed seats in the section towards the back that is reserved for the no admission crowd. We were pretty hungry, so we ordered a late dinner and relaxed while we waited for the show. The club reminds me of a place that you might see Ricky Ricardo perform. It is classy and the service is great. The Heath Brothers were wonderful. Jimmy Heath plays tenor sax and his brother Tootie is on the drums. They obviously enjoy what they do. They both engage the crowd and joke and have fun. I have never heard anyone play the tambourine as well as Tootie, I guess I never considered the tambourine to be a "real instrument", just an accessory of sorts. Tootie joked that you have to look real serious while doing this or people would laugh at you. No one was laughing at his performance. I especially loved their rendition of Round Midnight. We headed back to the motel, tired and fully satisfied.

On Saturday, we had tickets for the 1 o'clock game. We slept in and took our time getting ready for the game. We had the same good luck finding a close, free parking spot. We made our way to a concession for a Diet Coke, there was no ice, I took it anyway. NJG got is beer at a Beers of the World concession. We found our seats along the first base side in the upper reserved section. It was warm and muggy. I was glad I wore shorts. The trip up to our seats was fairly steep and narrow. The game was not a pleasant one for the local fans. The Yankees were being soundly defeated for most of the game. This made it great for me, not because I cared about the outcome, but because it was so entertaining to listen to the things that New Yorkers say when things are not going there way. One guy asked another what A-Rod had in common with an automatic transmission. The answer was "no clutch". The fans were really irritated with Jason Giambi, who seemed unable to make the most basic of plays. NJG left to get me a hot dog so that he didn't have to witness the whole YMCA thing that the grounds crew does. He hates that. He also missed the stirring rendition of God Bless America by Kate Smith. I heard the guy behind me say "no, not Kate Smith" as we were asked to stand. It was funny. Oh, also before the game started, they had a moment of silence for the people lost on 9/11/2001. You really could have heard a pin drop in that place. So, the Yankees lost and the fans were bummed out about it.

We went back to the motel and showered and changed for a nice dinner. NJG took me to the Park and Orchard in East Rutherford. I love this place. From the white and black tile floors to the olive green and grape purple walls to the menu offering the new and the familiar, it is wonderful. The owner comes out of the kitchen and mingles with the diners. The service is perfect. The menu has something for everyone. I wasn't feeling adventurous and my stomach had not been feeling right all day. I ordered the pot roast, choosing to be safe. NJG had something called ants on a tree. It was some kind of pasta. I let him order the appetizers. He is so good at this. We had a salmon appetizer and humus. It was really good, as was everything. It was the most tender pot roast ever and the mashed squash dish was really excellent.

We had tickets to the 11 pm show at the Village Vanguard. We got there just before the show, which was Paul Motian, Joe Lovano and Bill Frissel. I was glad NJG had purchased the ticket online and we got to stand in the line of people who were going to the show, not the line that was hoping to go. We got a seat along the wall where the musicians walk by on their way to the stage. The walls are red. The tables are tiny. You are underground so it is dark and cozy. It has that cave-like feel and you can feel the history in the room. When our waitress heads our way, NJG says, "Here's my girl, I thought they fired her years ago." She had this clueless look about her as if it were her first day on the job. She was wearing a red shawl draped over one shoulder. She carried drinks in her hand instead of using a tray. She often had an empty glass or bottle of Pellegrino tucked in the crook of her arm. She looked around, trying hard to remember who ordered all these drinks. NJG caught her attention right away by offering to take them off her hands. She delivered them and then came right back to us to get our order even though we were not the next who should have been served. I loved the way she walked. I told NJG that watching her was worth the price of admission. Paul Motian and Joe Lovano walked right past us. The more reclusive Bill Frissel seemed to be on stage out of no where. They did not introduce themselves, after 25 years of playing together at the Vanguard they don't have to, they are home. They are so wonderful. I don't even know what to say about them. I am already a huge Frissel fan, I had never seen Joe Lovano or Paul Motian. They obviously know each other well, they play their riffs and move seamlessly through the evening. The lights come up and they leave the stage way too soon.

We headed over to Fat Cat at about 1 am. If NJG could live in Fat Cat he would. He just loves it. I understand the appeal to a point, but not as much as NJG. He must have been the kind of kid who wanted to live at the circus, I am happy to visit once in a while, but couldn't make it a regular part of my existence. The music is very good. They have an endless number of musicians waiting their turn to jump in with the others. It would seem to be disorganized and unplanned, but in reality, only standards are played there, so anyone can jump in and not be thrown off. The place has lots of small couches to sit on and enjoy the music. The rest of this, huge underground space is full of games. You can play ping pong, shot some pool, sit down to a game of chess or Scrabble, play Foosball or shuffleboard. It is pretty wild. It is a very young crowd and it is good to see the younger people digging and playing jazz.

We left after 2:30 am.

Check out was at noon and we needed every minute to prepare to leave. We decided to head to Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It was hot and humid. It was not a good idea for us to take the Subaru, with the broken air conditioning. We made it after a few detours. I got to see Chinatown on the way to the Manhattan Bridge, from the car. It was pretty amazing. It seemed funny to find the street name of Delancey Street. We also drove down the Bowery, it was great to see more and more of NYC than I had ever seen before. Anyway, the garden is spectacular. We will have to go back in June to better see the roses, but I enjoyed them anyway. We had a wonderful lunch there too. We reluctantly left the Big Apple and took our time getting home, not arriving home until midnight.

I really could use a day off just to decompress.

Off to New York

I am off to the Big Apple for a long weekend.

I am going to take in a Yankee game or two at Yankee stadium. I figure I have to go see it before it is retired for some shiny new stadium. I am thinking about having my picture taken in front of the Lou Gerig memorial that claims that his record will never be broken, wearing my Ripken jersey of course. I don't know, we'll see.

We are going to see the Paul Motian Trio at the Village Vanguard. I have never been to the Vanguard, but have seen Bill Frisell and am a huge fan of his. We will probably hit a few other jazz clubs like Smalls and/or Fat Cat.

We are staying until Sunday. Perhaps we will make it to the botanical gardens or something else. I will let you know all about it.

Black Box

I just learned about the black box and added it to my blog. I have tried it a few, OK several times, and so far it has been a blast to read the interesting blogs I would have never otherwise found. You just click on decide and make your selections and are led to a mystery blog that answered the same as you. Cool. Cool.

Please let me know if you found me this way. I am interested to learn how well this really works and what kind of people would answer the same way I do.

You must all be very disturbed.

Anniversary

I don't know what I can say about it. It was seven years ago that our collective peace was so horribly disturbed. Before this day, seven years ago, I don't think most Americans would have believed such a thing could ever happen here. Perhaps that seems arrogant to the rest of the world, I don't know.

Now, it is easy to forget about it. I wasn't even thinking about it. NJG and I had planned to go to NYC to see the Yankee game tomorrow night because it is our last opportunity to see Yankee Stadium. Next year the Yankees will be playing in their new home. So, we weren't even thinking that it will be the weekend closest to the September 11th date. A co-worker asked me if we were going to the World Trade Center site as part of our weekend. It didn't even dawn on me why she would ask this for a few minutes. How stupid, what a short memory we have sometimes.

This morning I looked forward to seeing the guy who stands on the bridge over 695 just before the exit for I95. He has been there with an American flag every month, on the 11th since the terrorist attacks. I guess I leave for work too early in the morning, he wasn't there. I know he was there in July because we were leaving town to head to VA to get married in July when I saw him that day. I can't even imagine the kind of dedication it takes to get out there every month for seven years and stand there with an American flag.

Lest we forget...

How 'bout the Ravens?

OK, I must admit that I set out to watch the Ravens game on TV on Sunday with much fear and trembling. I was very afraid that we would be soundly defeated on Sunday. I have never been more happy to be wrong.

The team looked really good. I am officially on the Flacco bandwagon. He impressed me with his calm demeanor. It was good to not see "happy feet". He kept his head. True, he did not get sacked. Some fellow fans are saying that they want to see how he does when he is hit. Personally, I would be happy to see him so well protected by the offensive line, that he never gets hit. I realize this is a dream.

I am also a fan of Cam Cameron. It was refreshing to not be able to predict what we were about to see next. It was so good not to see a 2 yard completed pass when we were 3rd down and 8. The double reverse TD was a thing of beauty.

It was also good to see no stupid penalties. There were no false starts, something that used to be standard. The clock was properly managed.

The defense was near perfect and they should be very well rested for next week. I can't even imagine how good it is for them.

Todd Heap was the only disappointment. He dropped and fumbled all afternoon. He can't seem to stay healthy.

The running backs will wear their opponents out.

I am looking forward to seeing more from the wide receivers.

Football is back in Baltimore, hon.

shameless plug

OK, I have a confession to make. I have been watching America's Got Talent. I don't usually go in for this sort of thing, but...my daughter's boyfriend's siblings are performing on this show and are doing quite well. The Wright Kids is a bluegrass band from Virginia. I ordered their latest CD and it is fantastic, really. They sing traditional bluegrass tunes and they play the instruments as well. Mason is the fiddle player in the band, but he is not on the show since he is in college, so he is unavailable. Their audition was never shown, so the first time I saw them on the show they were performing Daydream Believer in the Top 40, hoping to make it through to the Top 20. They made it, although I must say I would like to see them perform bluegrass because their harmonies are awesome.

Anyway, click on this link to see the performance. They are cute as hell.

Open Minded

I hear from liberals all the time that conservatives are not open minded. My experience has been so opposite of that.

I was kind of excited about Hillary running for President. She has the experience. I believe that she cares deeply about this country. I like her ideas for the health care system and admired her for sticking with that cause even though she failed to move that idea forward and could have abandoned that when she did fail to reform health care early in her husband's presidency. I thought it would be interesting to see how a woman would run the country, even if she is a democrat, even if the sound of her voice really grates on my last nerve. My point is, I didn't have to agree with her views on every issue, maybe not even most of the issues, in order to seriously consider her for the office of President. I was disappointed when Obama won out over her.

Around the office, some of us will talk politics and some won't. In my discussions up until last Friday, I said that I really had to see who McCain chose as a running mate before I would really form an opinion on who to vote for.

I consider myself to be fairly moderate. I am a registered Republican but have voted for Democrats. I am not keen on abortion but I also do not believe in the death penalty. I believe we were wrong to invade Iraq but that doesn't mean we just pull out and leave the mess behind. I think we should have concentrated on Afghanistan and it makes me sick that we still haven't caught Bin Laden. I wonder who will landscape our lawns and clean our offices if we deport everyone, but we need to make the immigration process easier and sneaking across the border harder. I believe everyone has a right to own a firearm. If you misuse it, you should be shot with it. I think we need universal health. Social Security was never intended to be the sole support of retired people. If it were up to me, I would let all the banks fail and even prosecute the greedy people who made a killing in the mortgage industry by putting poor people into homes they couldn't afford so they got a bigger commission.

Anyway, I think you get the point.

I have been talking to a woman at work about politics and I think she somehow assumed that I was a Democrat. She too, considers herself to be "middle of the road". I listened to her talk about how great the speeches were at the DNC last week. I don't watch alot of TV, but I followed the DNC carefully on my radio all week, listening to WNYC for commentary and excerpts from speeches, reading blog entries from Marc Steiner and listening to him on air when I could.

I heard Sarah Palin's speech on Friday when she was chosen as McCain's VP. She sounds like she could be my neighbor. She can't possibly be this normal, can she? I admire the way she has stood against corruption in her own party in Alaska. I admire the way she stands up for what she believes. She is a mother of five, married to her high school sweetheart AND she is successful in her career. I can't wait to learn more.

My coworker asked me this morning how I felt about her. When I shared my enthusiasm, she said she thought that Palin was too inexperienced to be VP, and she was too much a right wing, conservative, religious fanatic. She said that all she talks about is outlawing abortion. Funny, I have not yet heard her mention the topic. I also have not heard anything about her personal religious beliefs. When I said that I hadn't heard Palin mention abortion at all, my coworker assured me that it was coming. So, apparently, this woman hates Palin for what she might say in the future.

Is this open minded?

the questions I want asked

I am not much of a political blogger. I registered to vote when I was 18 because my grandmother said that if you didn't vote, you had no right to complain. The year was 1982. My parents were divorced and I lived at home with my mother who is a very conservative person. I also attended church every week and had attended an ultra-conservative Baptist school, although I graduated from public school because I changed in my senior year. With the popularity of Ronald Reagan, it is easy to guess that I registered as a Republican.

Dad is a "yellow dog" Democrat, which means he would vote for a yellow dog over a Republican any day. I never really got the chance to let his opinions influence me when I was young. We really never discussed politics at all until I was in my thirties, I would say.

I voted for Gore when he ran against Bush. I thought that anyone who made unflattering comments around a live mike, when he didn't know it was live, was too stupid to run a country. Remember that? In New Hampshire, I think. Anyway, I think he called a reported an asshole. My father had actually met Al Gore and assured me that he was a very intelligent man who knew government.

I couldn't vote for Kerry, mostly because I couldn't see his wife as first lady. I thought she was way too brash of a person. She seemed to always want to "tell it like it is". She made me nervous. Perhaps that wasn't fair, but it is the truth. I am sure if I thought more about it, I could make up a much better reason for not supporting Kerry, but it is what it is.

I like the idea of a smaller government and local control. However, it doesn't seem to be what the Republicans are about anymore. Spending is out of control. Anyway, this is what I want to know:

1. Have you ever ridden on public transportation. If so, what do you remember about it?

I recently had the occasion to ride the MTA bus #20 from downtown Baltimore to Catonsville, in Baltimore County. It was late at night, about 10 pm. I saw a woman with an infant in a carrier. The way she held her sleeping baby gave me the impression that she treasured that child. She also looked very tired. I wondered about what her life was like, as she got off the bus with her sleeping baby and all the gear a little one requires. I wonder how often she rides the bus with this little infant. She got off the bus in a very run down part of West Baltimore. I saw a woman who had a staff shirt on from the Baltimore Orioles. She probably worked at the concession. She looked exhausted and I figure she probably makes this trip after every home game. There were many more tired looking, hard working people on the bus, but these two stuck out in my mind.

2. Have you considered how someone is supposed to live on minimum wage? Have you sat down with a pencil and a piece of paper and figured out a budget for a family or even an individual earning minimum wage?

3. When was the last time you toured a public school in an urban environment? Would you feel like your country served you well if you had to attend a school like this every day? Take a look at the bathroom there, would you like to use it?

4. If you had to choose between prescription medication or food, which would you choose?

These are a few questions I would like to see answered.

What's are the chances that it will happen?

What questions would you like to be asked?

Yankee fans in Baltimore

I really wanted to go to all three Yankee/Oriole games this past weekend with my husband, a Yankee fan. He buys tickets to all the Yankee games in Baltimore because he is a Yankee fan and doesn't always get to watch them on TV, so I get that. I wanted to wear my Cal Ripken jersey every game because it was a gift from my husband and I really love it and I should be able to wear an Oriole jersey at Camden Yards without any hassle from anyone.

You would think it would be enough for any Yankee fan to be able to come to a beautiful stadium and watch their team take all three games. You would think you could find it in your heart to have a little sympathy for the loyal fans that do still show up for a team that has not finished a season above the 500 mark in more than 10 years. But no. It's not enough. It is hard to see that we are the minority in our own stadium. It is difficult to realize that when we go out to get a hot dog, we can't tell by the cheers if the Orioles made a good play or the Yankees, because there are so many Yankee fans there. It is hard to hear "Let's Go Yankees", constantly. It is hard to hear a rendition of "New York, New York" at the end of a home Oriole game. It is disappointing to hear the Yankee fan beside me laugh to his girlfriend about the Oriole fans who still do something as passe as "the wave". After all of this, I can't even leave the stadium in peace. As I was leaving the game early on Saturday night, some Yankee fan noticing my jersey, had to ask me if that "Ripken guy" was any good. I couldn't believe it, two Yankee fans in their 30's, two guys, picking on a middle aged woman for daring to wear an Oriole jersey to a game in Baltimore.

I just couldn't bring myself to go to the Sunday game. I just couldn't take any more of the poor winners.

Callaway-Garrison

Callaway-Garrison is a neighborhood found in the Northwest part of Baltimore. The northern boundary is West Cold Spring Lane, southern boundary is Liberty Heights Ave and it is framed on the east and west by Callaway Ave and Garrison Blvd.

It is a residential neighborhood consisting of single family homes built in the 20s and 30s. There are many bungalow style homes found here.

A home in this neighborhood was selected by Fritz Haeg, a California architect, and author of Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn. He has created edible front lawns across the country.

The average sale price of a home in this neighborhood in 2007 was $133,553.

One month

On the 12th of August NJG and I had been married for one month. So far, so good. I usually don't write much of a personal nature here, but it is the only thing I truly feel like writing about, so forgive me.

People keep telling me I seem happy and calm. I am, this is true. Funny thing though, there are stresses to this relationship. There is the stress of combining households. We still aren't completely moved in. There is the difficulty of not being used to each other's habits. I know I disturbed him when I emptied the dishwasher without bothering to close the bedroom door early one morning. There is the stress of a good friend staying with us for a little bit. There is the stress of a certain family member making decisions we do not agree with and feel helpless to change. There is the stress of being accountable to each other for how we spend our time. It is even stressful in a way to let him help me with the kids. I have been a single parent forever, even when I was involved or married to my children's father(s). I have the opportunity to make this different, but change is not easy, even for the better.

I am getting used to who I am and where I live. Yes, I did change my last name to his. It is not natural yet. Yes, I did wait until we were married before I moved in. It will take a while to decide where everything goes in the kitchen but it is fun. I am somewhat obsessed with keeping the house clean because it is so new and beautiful and I want my husband to know that I truly appreciate this wonderful place that I get to call home.

He is a wonderful, considerate husband.

So far, so good.

The Outside of the Onion

Early this morning my great aunt Madeline passed away. She was in her mid nineties and had lived in a nursing home for the last couple years. I was not close to her and never visited her, but my mother visited every Sunday and would sometime take my youngest one with her. She was the last of my grandmother's siblings. She was the last living relative of that generation on either side of my family.

As the eldest member of my generation in my family, I think about how life is like the layers of an onion. The inside of the onion is tender, juicy, small and protected by so many outer layers. I am so much closer to that outer, protective layer. Then there are the final layers of the onion that are thin and paper-like and could easily be flaked away.

Butcher's Hill

This neighborhood is located in east Baltimore, on the northwest corner of Patterson Park. It is beautiful and the homes are well maintained. Many of the homes have been creatively restored yet modernized in a way that does not interfere with the architectural details of the homes. It is a residential neighborhood with its own park, Duncan Street Park. It also borders on Patterson Park, which is the largest park in downtown Baltimore and was designed by the designer of Central Park in New York. There are many cultural and social events in Patterson Park as well as athletic fields, tennis courts, an ice skating rink and a public pool.

There are 300 restaurants within a 2 mile radius of this neighborhood, but you don't have to leave the neighborhood at all to find one of the hippest restaurants in Charm City. Salt is located on the corner of E. Pratt St and S Collington St. It is stylish and the food is wonderful. The duck fat fries are worth the extra time you will need to spend at the gym to work off the calories. The service is also wonderful.

This neighborhood was named for the prosperous butchers that once lived there. The neighborhood was established in the mid 1800's with most of the homes being built between 1850 and 1920. The neighborhood consists mainly of row homes with a few single family homes. There are homes with rooftop decks and some with flower gardens. There is an active community association and there is also an annual house tour the 2nd Sunday in October.

The average sale price of a home in this neighborhood in 2007 was $302,988.