OK, so I am slow. Shoot me. I only realized today that WYPR fired Marc Steiner. Marc was their only local celebrity. He was their shining star. He was the ONLY reason I listened to their station. I can get Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation and the Diane Rehm Show on any other public radio station. And I will.
I listen to a variety of stations while I am at work. I generally listen to WDNA for Frank Consola's jazz program first thing in the morning. I then would switch to WYPR to hear some of Diane Rehm and get ready to enjoy Marc Steiner's show. I occassionally emailed my opinions into the the and my last comment was read on air, the last week his show was available. Marc Steiner did not merely work at the station, he was the station. You could tell that Baltimore really means something to him, civil rights really mean something to him, preserving the character of our city means something to him. I would switch to WNYC to hear Soundcheck and generally keep it there for the rest of the afternoon since they pretty much carry the same national programing I am accustomed to.
I would sometimes listen to the station in the evening as I adore jazz. I would listen on the weekends to hear Car Talk, but no more. Marc Steiner was WYPR. How could the station be so unaware? How could they commit suicide like this? R.I.P. WYPR, you are dead to me...
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Yes, I watched the SuperBowl
I enjoyed the SuperBowl immensely. Watching the mighty fall is sweet. This was my third favorite Super Bowl of all time.
My favorite, of course, also involved the Giants. It was their last Super Bowl appearance when they fell victim to my wildcard Ravens. I felt bad for them that year because the Giants have never been a team that I have hated. But seeing my Ravens win after not having championship quality football in Charm City for so many years, that was unforgetable. Still, it would have been better for me had I not been still living in upstate New York at the time. I had to watch the game in the safety of my own home. I kept the newspaper articles I could find about how that win really gave hope to the entire city. I know how Giants fans feel this year. Their team was not given a chance by most experts. Their team was not given much attention at all in pregame from what I understand, I skipped the pre-game hoopla. Of course, the Ravens were not taken seriously that year either.
My second most favorite Super Bown was in 1986, when the infamous 85 Bears beat the lowly Patriots. How funny is that? Of course this was during the dark ages when Baltimore was left with no team to root for. I decided I liked the Bears. This was when I decided I really enjoyed a good defense over a good offense any time. Mike Singletary was the greatest, until Ray of course. The fridge was entertaining. What's not to love?
Last night will go down as my third favorite because of the controversy at the beginning of the year, because of the way they ran up scores all year, because of their coach, because of the things they got away with all year, especially when that one plyer, can't remember who, poked that other dude in the eye (how childish), because they got away with so much taunting and swaggering. It was so sweet to see the mighty fall. And Bellicheck showed his true colors by walking off the field with one second on the clock. Also, wasn't Tom Petty awesome? That was the best halftime show I have ever seen. Maybe I am just old, but give me a good old fashioned rock and roll halftime where we don't have to worry about any wardrobe failures, or watch something so over-coreographed it makes you sick.
I am a happy camper.
My favorite, of course, also involved the Giants. It was their last Super Bowl appearance when they fell victim to my wildcard Ravens. I felt bad for them that year because the Giants have never been a team that I have hated. But seeing my Ravens win after not having championship quality football in Charm City for so many years, that was unforgetable. Still, it would have been better for me had I not been still living in upstate New York at the time. I had to watch the game in the safety of my own home. I kept the newspaper articles I could find about how that win really gave hope to the entire city. I know how Giants fans feel this year. Their team was not given a chance by most experts. Their team was not given much attention at all in pregame from what I understand, I skipped the pre-game hoopla. Of course, the Ravens were not taken seriously that year either.
My second most favorite Super Bown was in 1986, when the infamous 85 Bears beat the lowly Patriots. How funny is that? Of course this was during the dark ages when Baltimore was left with no team to root for. I decided I liked the Bears. This was when I decided I really enjoyed a good defense over a good offense any time. Mike Singletary was the greatest, until Ray of course. The fridge was entertaining. What's not to love?
Last night will go down as my third favorite because of the controversy at the beginning of the year, because of the way they ran up scores all year, because of their coach, because of the things they got away with all year, especially when that one plyer, can't remember who, poked that other dude in the eye (how childish), because they got away with so much taunting and swaggering. It was so sweet to see the mighty fall. And Bellicheck showed his true colors by walking off the field with one second on the clock. Also, wasn't Tom Petty awesome? That was the best halftime show I have ever seen. Maybe I am just old, but give me a good old fashioned rock and roll halftime where we don't have to worry about any wardrobe failures, or watch something so over-coreographed it makes you sick.
I am a happy camper.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Be There or Be Square, Hon
From NJG:
Be There or B2
Ports America New Year’s Eve Spectacular: Largest fireworks show at the Inner Harbor this Millennium, with music by the Players Band starting at 9 pm - FREE
Mars Observation Nights: Mars in now closer to the earth and brighter than it’s gonna be until 2020. Get a front row view (weather permitting) at the Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory at the Maryland Science Center, Thursday-Saturday nights, 5:30 – 9:30 pm; 601 Light Street – FREE
For Jazz in Charm City:
3081: Trumpet, reeds, double bass and drums at An Die Musik, 409 Charles St., Saturday 8 pm, $12
Todd Marcus Quartet at New Haven Lounge, 1552 Havenwood Rd., Friday, 9-ish
Phil Cunneff Trio, every Monday night at the Cats Eye, in Fells Point
Paul Wingo Trio, great guitar, every Tuesday night, and this week for a jazzy New Year’s Eve at Bertha’s, also in Fells Point.
Be There or B2
Ports America New Year’s Eve Spectacular: Largest fireworks show at the Inner Harbor this Millennium, with music by the Players Band starting at 9 pm - FREE
Mars Observation Nights: Mars in now closer to the earth and brighter than it’s gonna be until 2020. Get a front row view (weather permitting) at the Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory at the Maryland Science Center, Thursday-Saturday nights, 5:30 – 9:30 pm; 601 Light Street – FREE
For Jazz in Charm City:
3081: Trumpet, reeds, double bass and drums at An Die Musik, 409 Charles St., Saturday 8 pm, $12
Todd Marcus Quartet at New Haven Lounge, 1552 Havenwood Rd., Friday, 9-ish
Phil Cunneff Trio, every Monday night at the Cats Eye, in Fells Point
Paul Wingo Trio, great guitar, every Tuesday night, and this week for a jazzy New Year’s Eve at Bertha’s, also in Fells Point.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Be There or Be Square
OK, so where else will you all be this weekend besides ...the mall I guess.
Apparently the Lafayette Gilchrist concert that I said was at the New Haven Lounge last weekend is this weekend. I blame Kyle for this error. If I can get my shopping done and just skip the whole wrapping idea, maybe I can make it.
Don't forget our local shops in Baltimore. We may not have the big department stores anymore but we have some wonderful local shops in our neighborhoods and we must support these ventures before they all disappear too. Harbor East looks like it has an interesting selection of shops as does Hampden and don't forget to stop by the local diner while you are out and have a nice shopping lunch at someplace that does not have a drive up window for a change.
This just in from NJG:
Hey, need ideas for today's blog?
Lafayette Gilchrist at the Haven (for real this time)
Eddie Palmieri Trio and An Die Musik
Celtic Concert and Cake Auction at Govans Presbyterian Church, 7:30
Saturday Christmas at the Jewish Museum of Maryland
The Holiday Display at the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Garden of Baltimore
......and my favorite: Unsilent Night....this is a thing they do in NYC...didn't know it made it to Balmer: "Written by downtown NYC composer Phil Kline, Unsilent Night is an outdoor ambient music piece for an infinite number of boom boxes. Participants should meet at the south side of the Washington Monument near the Peabody Conservatory of music an 7:45 pm. All music is distributed for free. The more boom boxes there are, the more :voices: in the piece. If you do not have a boom box, you are still an important part of the procession, because the more the merrier, including children. 8 pm, Dec 21."
What would I do without NJG?
Apparently the Lafayette Gilchrist concert that I said was at the New Haven Lounge last weekend is this weekend. I blame Kyle for this error. If I can get my shopping done and just skip the whole wrapping idea, maybe I can make it.
Don't forget our local shops in Baltimore. We may not have the big department stores anymore but we have some wonderful local shops in our neighborhoods and we must support these ventures before they all disappear too. Harbor East looks like it has an interesting selection of shops as does Hampden and don't forget to stop by the local diner while you are out and have a nice shopping lunch at someplace that does not have a drive up window for a change.
This just in from NJG:
Hey, need ideas for today's blog?
Lafayette Gilchrist at the Haven (for real this time)
Eddie Palmieri Trio and An Die Musik
Celtic Concert and Cake Auction at Govans Presbyterian Church, 7:30
Saturday Christmas at the Jewish Museum of Maryland
The Holiday Display at the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Garden of Baltimore
......and my favorite: Unsilent Night....this is a thing they do in NYC...didn't know it made it to Balmer: "Written by downtown NYC composer Phil Kline, Unsilent Night is an outdoor ambient music piece for an infinite number of boom boxes. Participants should meet at the south side of the Washington Monument near the Peabody Conservatory of music an 7:45 pm. All music is distributed for free. The more boom boxes there are, the more :voices: in the piece. If you do not have a boom box, you are still an important part of the procession, because the more the merrier, including children. 8 pm, Dec 21."
What would I do without NJG?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
swimmin pools? movie stars?
Yup, that's right it's Beverly Hills. I had no idea there was a Beverly Hill neighborhood in Charm City until I saw it on my neighborhood list.
Apparently, it is located on the east side, not far from Herring Run Park. The neighborhood was established in 1929. it is a quiet residential neighborhood. There is an active neighborhood association. There are approximately 275-300 homes, mostly single family homes in the English cottage or bungalow style.
The average sale price of a home in this neighborhood in 2006 was $188,830.
Next up, Biddle Street.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Baltimore Holiday Memories
I usually do not get personal on this blog but today I feel much more like sharing a holiday memory than talking about the Ravens woes or the steroid in baseball issue. Hey, it's my blog, I can do what I want.
So my maternal grandmother would take us three grandchildren downtown just before Christmas every year. She never got a driver's license, so this meant a long, chilly walk for her down to the bus stop on Patapsco Ave, and a transfer downtown to get to our house. We thought it was a treat to ride the MTA bus with Grandma because we never used the bus. This was back in the mid seventies. There was a cord that had to be pulled when our bus stop was coming up to let the driver know we wanted to get off. We all wanted our turn ringing that bell and making the bus stop.
We would head for Howard Street. This used to be the place to shop. We used to have local department stores in Baltimore. We now have none since Hecht Co. sold out to Macy's last year. We would hurry with anticipation to see the displays in the huge plate glass windows of these stores. There was Hutzler's, Hecht's, Hochschild Kohn and Stewarts. These huge departments stores were all on Howard Street at or near Lexington Street.
They were huge, my favorite being Hutzler's. Hutzler's had the Neo-Classical designed "Palace" building and the Art-Deco tower building. This store was established in 1858 and remained the last local department store in downtown Baltimore, finally closing its doors in February of 1989. This local retail giant once occupied 325,000 square feet of space in downtown. My aunt worked for them in the engineering room starting during World War II when the men who once did that kind of work were off to war. She continued in that position even after the men returned, right up until she retired.
Hochschild Kohn was a remarkably beautiful building too. It occupied the northwest corner of Howard and Lexington Streets.
We would anxiously wait our turn to press our faces up to the huge plate glass windows to see the Christmas displays. I remember little animated monkeys who played musical instruments and other Christmas scenes meant to appeal to kids. Imagine, a big plate glass window, usually displaying the latest fashions on mannequins, being used just to entertain kids. If there was anything in those windows that were displayed for the purpose of holiday advertising, I sure don't remember it. The scenes were all magical and greatly anticipated each year. I only wish I had something like this to share with my own children.
We would shop in the grand stores for presents for our parents. We would stop and see Santa and perhaps see the train garden too, although I can't remember where that was.
We would always stop in at Read's Drugstore for a treat, maybe an ice cream sundae. Then Grandma would take us back to the burbs with our treasures on the number 20 bus.
These grand stores started closing their downtown locations in the late 70's, favoring the suburban shopping mall. Eventually they all went out of business and now there are no local giant department stores and no Read's Drugstore either.
I realize as I write this, I am starting to sound like an old person.
So my maternal grandmother would take us three grandchildren downtown just before Christmas every year. She never got a driver's license, so this meant a long, chilly walk for her down to the bus stop on Patapsco Ave, and a transfer downtown to get to our house. We thought it was a treat to ride the MTA bus with Grandma because we never used the bus. This was back in the mid seventies. There was a cord that had to be pulled when our bus stop was coming up to let the driver know we wanted to get off. We all wanted our turn ringing that bell and making the bus stop.
We would head for Howard Street. This used to be the place to shop. We used to have local department stores in Baltimore. We now have none since Hecht Co. sold out to Macy's last year. We would hurry with anticipation to see the displays in the huge plate glass windows of these stores. There was Hutzler's, Hecht's, Hochschild Kohn and Stewarts. These huge departments stores were all on Howard Street at or near Lexington Street.
They were huge, my favorite being Hutzler's. Hutzler's had the Neo-Classical designed "Palace" building and the Art-Deco tower building. This store was established in 1858 and remained the last local department store in downtown Baltimore, finally closing its doors in February of 1989. This local retail giant once occupied 325,000 square feet of space in downtown. My aunt worked for them in the engineering room starting during World War II when the men who once did that kind of work were off to war. She continued in that position even after the men returned, right up until she retired.
Hochschild Kohn was a remarkably beautiful building too. It occupied the northwest corner of Howard and Lexington Streets.
We would anxiously wait our turn to press our faces up to the huge plate glass windows to see the Christmas displays. I remember little animated monkeys who played musical instruments and other Christmas scenes meant to appeal to kids. Imagine, a big plate glass window, usually displaying the latest fashions on mannequins, being used just to entertain kids. If there was anything in those windows that were displayed for the purpose of holiday advertising, I sure don't remember it. The scenes were all magical and greatly anticipated each year. I only wish I had something like this to share with my own children.We would shop in the grand stores for presents for our parents. We would stop and see Santa and perhaps see the train garden too, although I can't remember where that was.
We would always stop in at Read's Drugstore for a treat, maybe an ice cream sundae. Then Grandma would take us back to the burbs with our treasures on the number 20 bus.
These grand stores started closing their downtown locations in the late 70's, favoring the suburban shopping mall. Eventually they all went out of business and now there are no local giant department stores and no Read's Drugstore either.
I realize as I write this, I am starting to sound like an old person.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Be There or Be Square, Hon
This weekend seems full of interesting opportunities.
Tonight at Floristree, 405 W. Frnaklin St. - Sublime Frequencies Movie Night with Hisham Mayet. OK, I admit I really do not know what this is about and have never heard of this Floristree venue either. I don't even know what time it starts, but if I were looking for something different on a Thursday evening, this is where I would be.
Friday and Saturday night at the New Haven Lounge, Baltimore native, Lafayette Gilchrist will be performing. I have been wanting to go see him for months now but it is always one thing or another preventing me.
Saturday afternoon from 11-3 you can make your own sock monkey at AVAM. Just bring your own clean sock and the museum will provide the other materials. What could be better than that? It could be that perfect gift for that person on your list that has everything.
Sunday at noon, head down to the Walters Art Museum for a free concert by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Chamber Chorus. You can even sing along.
Tonight at Floristree, 405 W. Frnaklin St. - Sublime Frequencies Movie Night with Hisham Mayet. OK, I admit I really do not know what this is about and have never heard of this Floristree venue either. I don't even know what time it starts, but if I were looking for something different on a Thursday evening, this is where I would be.
Friday and Saturday night at the New Haven Lounge, Baltimore native, Lafayette Gilchrist will be performing. I have been wanting to go see him for months now but it is always one thing or another preventing me.
Saturday afternoon from 11-3 you can make your own sock monkey at AVAM. Just bring your own clean sock and the museum will provide the other materials. What could be better than that? It could be that perfect gift for that person on your list that has everything.
Sunday at noon, head down to the Walters Art Museum for a free concert by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Chamber Chorus. You can even sing along.
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