Water Taxi Stop #16 - Canton Waterfront Park

C and I decided at dinner we should do something absolutely insane and attempt to hit the Fells Point Fun Festival for nighttime pics.

Fells Point Fun Festival is an annual street party. There are vendors everywhere. Beer Gardens and bands abound. There are so many people, streets are closed, the entire area becomes an impossible debacle at times.

A cab seemed less than optimal and we had already walked so much we didn't think we wanted to walk there and back. And there wasn't a chance we were driving ourselves. . .Ahha! Water Taxi.

For $9 a person you can ride unlimited all day to a lot of stops around the waterfront. We walked to the stop. Waited about 10 minutes, boarded, and sat back and watched the sunset.

The ride back was just as nice. We will definitely use this more.

Spotted - No Surface Redline

The City is proposing a new public transportation route - a heavy track train line. I haven't read a lot about it and I haven't formed an opinion for myself yet. From what I understand, a good portion of the route will run below the City. However, the train will come above-ground in the Canton area on Boston Street.

This seems to have really irked some folks and they have signs of protest posted in their windows.

Sunset on Foster Street

Orleans Street #33

Homewood and the ArtWalk Tour #3

Homewood - the rear portico/piedment - recently restored.

So after Burt gave us the scoop on the outside of the property, he placed us in the capable hands of an equally knowledgeable man, who's name unfortunately escapes me.

This gentleman gave us a tour inside Homewood. Wow! It's been meticulously restored thanks the the generosity of a JHU alum named Merrick. The painstaking work it took to research and acquire the contents is apparent.

We learned Carroll of Homewood ended up tapping his father for about $40,000 to complete the grand house. Amazingly, all of the reciepts for furnishings were kept by the elder Carroll and that helped guide the restoration process. The records are down to the smallest of details. . ."framing for 18 prints of the City of Philadelphia." The records are that complete.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective, I have no interior photographs. We were the only two with the docent and I didn't want to distract him or interrupt him by continually clicking pics.

Homewood and the ArtWalk Tour #15

Homewood and the ArtWalk Tour #11

C: "I'm not feelin' the rabbit on the anvil."
d: "Maybe the rabbit's not feelin' you either."

Homewood and the ArtWalk Tour #12

C and I were the only two on the tour and our guide was amazing. If you go, Burt will give you a top-notch tour. He was extremely knowledgeable about a whole host of subjects.

The tour covers what was once Carroll of Homewood's summer estate. When Carroll of Homewood married into the prominent Philadelphia Chew family, his father Carroll of Carrollton gave him a wedding gift - 130 acres and $10,000 to build a home.

The Artwalk tour covers that property. The Baltimore Museum of Art is situationed on at least a portion of the original property (including it's outdoor sculpture garden).

Homewood and the ArtWalk Tour #9

For our first FreeFall Baltimore event, we opted for the Homewood/BMA Artwalk tour. The tour can either start at Homewood Mansion/Museum OR the Baltimore Museum of Art. You need to call ahead for reservations but we made ours just a few hours before going and it was fine.

We opted for the 2 o'clock tour leaving from the BMA. The tour does not include interior exhibits of the BMA (although that is also free). We plan to check it out thoroughly soon.

Spotted - Orleans Street!!

You could call this place or you could just go on Jerry Springer. . .

The pregnant looking Mona Lisa adds an air of class and sophistication don't you think?

Free Fall Baltimore

It seems our little summer adventures have become a bit of an addiction for homeeckwreck and C. . .

Free Fall Baltimore is like crack! We can hear both Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, amongst others) and Elizabeth Edwards speak at Hopkins?

We can learn about glass blowing? We can learn how to dance? We can see amazing juried shows at MICA? We can hear lectures about historic ships ON the ships? we can see David Keltz do Poe?

This is the Baltimore I always knew was here. . .I guess I was too busy working, going to school, working on the house before. But now? What's stopping me?!

I haven't lived very many places. I suspect if I lived a gazillion places, I'd still call Baltimore home.

If you have any free time this month, please check out something Baltimore has to offer. Clearly, I'm planning an educational/cultural marathon this month.

Me, C, & the Camera (and sometimes the pups). . .On an adventure. . .and we're not stoppin' until our curiosity is satisfied (or they arrest or commit us).

http://freefallbaltimore.org/

Sammy's Does it Again (and Again)!

Had dinner with a dear friend this evening and C at Sammy's Trattoria (Charles and Biddle Streets). Every blessed time I'm there, the service is great, the food is great. . .It's the big Italian Family you always dreamed of sans the Soprano-like drama.

Here's how cool this place is:

I ask for the house white at the bar. They offer me a sample. While I'm sipping, Sammy walks by and says, "Would you like to try something a little different?"

d: "Sure."

Sammy is smart about his food and drinks, easy on the eyes, and seems to have this amazing kid-at-heart demeanor. I dare anyone to distrust Sammy. It's impossible. Some people are blazing, brilliant, 100% genuine - I suspect he keeps company in that crowd.

Sammy: "We have this pinot/chardonnay blend that is amazing. I fell in love with it. I haven't been able to keep it in stock all summer."

d: (How can you turn down that kind of endorsement?!) "I'd love to try it."

Handsome and knowledgeable bartender (unfortunately I did not learn his name or else I'd share it) has a glass at the ready (plus an adorable smile).

This is EXACTLY the wine I wanted this evening. I didn't want a big old hearty red. I like them in the winter.

It's still a little muggy here this evening and I like a refreshing, crisp, fruity but not too sweet and not to dry white. . .The blend was perfect.

I never asked the name. They never told. . .Despite my obvious endorsements (i.e., copious drinks). . .Maybe it's their secret?

Try it AND the lobster and crab ravioli before it's off the specials menu!!!!

http://www.sammystrattoria.com/

Raining in Baltimore this evening. . .but warm.

What has Become of Me?!

OH…..MY…..GOD!!!!!

When I got to work this morning, I had a little treat waiting in my inbox. . .A link to this site!

It's not high-brow humor. Nor is it exactly kind. Some of the posts are pretty funny.

I don't think it's typically appropriate to mock people based upon their outside appearance. HOWEVER, if you are an adult male and elect to walk around in public in white spandex and underwear that resembles children's under-roos, surely you're expecting some type of reaction?

I'm not joking. Same guy several times. . .From MARYLAND!!! Oh I should be so lucky to meet this man in person! I'll bet he has an interesting perspective on things.

AND before you decide I'm some superficial bully, mocking the poor "confused" middle aged man in yellow go-go boots without having walked a mile in them, please know I really do view this as a celebration of America's ingenuity, individuality, and freedom of expression.

I also find it freaking hilarious.

Yeah Andy!!! Pocket Door Chronicles

Holes are gone. Door slides like a dream. Scared to death to try to match the paint.

Also there was a bit of a Shop Vac situation. . .It un-sucked for lack of a better term, creating a snowfall of dust, pet hair, and general filfth all over the bathroom and closet. Ugh.

Maybe its time for a new toothbrush?

Rough Night

For me. . .where do I sleep?!

NEVER Stop Looking! #20

Both of my parents - who haven't likely spoken to one another in nearly a decade - say the same thing about me to me:

You never wanted to sleep. You were afraid you'd miss something.

To this day, I'm not sure what that means. . .But I'm thankful for it.

Sure it's lonely sometimes in the wee hours. But often you're rewarded with a near-harvest moon and Venus to boot!

Please enlarge for better viewing.

NEVER Stop Looking!

I NEVER don't have my camera. Yesterday was the exception. I was really irked when I saw a praying mantis in the courtyard.

Today I had the camera. Also today it was nearly at ground level when I found it again. SO I was bent over on my hands and kness in 4 inch heels and a skirt suit photographing a praying mantis in our office court yard.

I used to care if people thought I was nuts.

And then one comes to a point when they realize scuffing the toes of Coach shoes on patio pavers, in an office park, so you can photograph a praying mantis pretty much speaks for itself.

Raining in Baltimore - Saturday

Has anyone actually come to terms with the sculptural art outside Penn Station? I drive past it twice a day, just about every day and I still wonder. I suspect this makes good art. . .

People squawked about it like crazy when it was installed - so a definite emotional reaction. . .

And I'm still trying to figure it out - thought provoking.

Speaking about trying to figure it out. . .Here are a couple of updates about some stuff I was gassing off about in prior posts.

1. The Fat Ass Dispatch - I've bounced around between a 5 and 7 lb weight loss for the past few weeks. My resolve has been less than stellar. C's fav comment? "How's your diet going baby?" (Typically when I'm eating something vile and forbidden and sooooo gooooood - like Five Guy's Fries.)

And I've started doing something I'm not proud of: I've started eating processed microwave meals for lunches. I thought this would be a good way to control calories in a pinch. BUT, despite their healthful sounding names, they are loaded with sodium and other stuff that I'd rather not necessarily ingest as routinely as I've been doing it.

In my haste to reduce the amount of food we're wasting at home (see also Lifestyle Challenge), I'm not doing a great job allowing for leftovers. Time for tweaking.

2. Speaking of the Lifestyle Challenge - Things have been going amazingly well on that front. Without airing all of our finances, lets just suffice to say I WAY underestimated the amount of money I was spending on things I never needed.

For one, since August 15 - the start date, I haven't set foot in a mall. I've only been to Target once and I didn't deviate from my shopping list - which consisted entirely of consumable and deplete able items.

And the fact that we're not spending weekend time "shopping" has rewarded us with weekends-full of time spent together on novel, local adventures (barf, gag, wretch - I know). It's true. Our weekends used to be spent slogging to two or three different retail establishments. . .I was looking for quirky and creative finds and C was looking for an escape route. Without the need to search for random items, we're free to act like dorks at a State Park, museum, or other interesting locale.

I've learned so much more about Baltimore this summer than I ever would have learned had I just spent my Saturday morning in Nordstrom drooling over the latest Tory Birch shoes.

A. What have we done well?
1. Staying out of retail establishments.
2. Avoiding frivolous purchases (over-all)
3. Enjoying our time together
4. Purchasing lunch only once a week (if that)
5. Planning meals, purchasing only what we need
6. Using supplies we already have in the house before purchasing more (who knew that "thick" foundation glides on like a dream when mixed with moisturizer and a little primer?
7. Sticking to shopping lists


B. Needs Improvement? (or potentially too impractical in our original plan)?
1. Planning meals so there are sufficient leftovers
2. We have definitely purchased more than one dinner over the course of a week at times.
3. We still occasionally make "impulse purchases" but they're small - I found this fantastic gigantic Bonnie Bell LipSmacker (Dr. Pepper Flavored - of course) at the Giant. It cost all of 2 bucks and I couldn't resist. Strict adherence to the rules would have disqualified that purchase.
4. Gifts - we purchased a couple of gifts for folks. It's just not practical to think we could make or barter for these types of purchases all the time.
5. We still need to hit the grocery store and Target (less often). I wanted to have the groceries delivered but I never plan timely enough to schedule delivery when needed.

Hmmmmm. . .Not bad for a summer. Have I learned anything? Always. The Lifestyle Challenge is something definitely worth trying.

This is not just about pinching pennies - in fact it never was. It was about how material wants and needs affect other aspects of our lives - even if we don't realize it.

I have a concept I'd like to try our if readers want to participate. . .I'm still working on a plan but it would involve 20 days and 20 bucks a week. . .or similar.

Thoughts?

Raining in Baltimore

Attended a rainy homecoming at the UB Law School. Snuck a few shots on the way to the car. They were less than stellar. The interior of Penn Station didn't disappoint. I had never been in the train station and we snuck in just for a moment to check it out. I don't want to sound overly judgmental when I say this, but I was so pleasantly surprised by how clean and nice the train station was. Yeah Penn Station!

So Far this Week. . .

Nothing too eventful is going on so far this week. I thought I'd share a few tidbits. . .

First of all, there has been an amazing series on Public Television about America's National Parks. It started Sunday. I'm not sure if it runs through tomorrow but if you ever get a chance to check it out, it's worth the time.

Second (and I'm probably going to dread this because I positively stink at inserting links into blog text for some reason) but there are a couple of bloggers out there that deserve a little recognition whether they attain Mobbie glory or not. Here are a couple of my favs (at least so far):

Let me add one caveat to this. . .I don't have too much edgy or raunchy content on my site mainly because I don't think I can do it with a funny spin. . .Some of these folks are extremely skilled at it. There's nothing terribly adult or offensive. I just thought I'd offer the caution. (Disclaimers come in handy in my line of work).

The Prince of Dundalk - I was laughing out loud yesterday at the Monkey show post.
http://www.princeofdundalk.blogspot.com/

Sandra Shaw - Weather in Satin - I'm not a huge fan of relentless superficial mockery but the delivery here is definitely funny. Who knew an entire blog could be devoted to one weather forecaster's poor fashion sense?

http://weatherinsatin.blogspot.com/

Beer in Baltimore - Yeeessss. . .The title got my immediate attention. It is chock full of all sorts of fantastic stuff including links to a bunch of other blogs that celebrate all things brewed, amber, hoppy, stout, creamy, and delish in the Land of Pleasant living and surrounding areas.

http://beerinbaltimore.blogspot.com/

*Note - I had no idea there were so many "Foodie" bloggers out there. I have barely scratched the surface in terms of my exploration in this category. If anyone wants to point me to a particular starting point, please send a comment.

You Don't Say - My writing skills have deteriorated quite a bit with increased use of texting, email, and (does a comma go there?) decreased practice. This gentleman made me feel a bit smarter after reading just one post. He also inspired me to do better. Best of all? He seems to have a wickedly dry sense of humor and I dig it.

http://johnemcintyre.blogspot.com/

Voting for the Mobbies

Home Eck Wreck is currently sixth in the Misfits category and ninth in the Personal category.

Voting is a breeze. You can vote for each category as well as best overall blog.

Thanks for your support!

Big Votes for H to the E to the Wreck. . .MOBBIES

Please vote early and often. . .

Official voting begins at 8 AM Monday. . .

BIG THANKS!!!

http://data.baltimoresun.com/mobbies/

Fridge Clean Up

Grocery this morning. Putting away the goodies, stumbled upon some really vile gorgonzola in the back of the cheese keeper. . .Massive clean up ensued. . .

Remote Control

Dexter has possession of the remote. I believe this is a clear indication the pets are running the show at Home Eck Wreck.

PSU Loss Therapy - Frame Job

When I was waaaaay younger and even to this day, I liked to create paper collages and crafts. About a year ago, a dear friend made one for me!

I've been meaning to frame it. This evening it happened. It was bigger than the frame so I had to "alter" the art a bit with an exacto knife. I hope she won't mind.

Tomorrow morning it will finally take its rightful place in our stairway "gallery" of cherished memories.