The Orioles Dugout Club

A few days ago before my trip to the beach, I mentioned that my nephew Evan was the newest member of the Orioles Dugout Club.  The Dugout Club is a really good deal to get your kid to the games at a relatively cheap price.  When your kid becomes a new member, he/she gets vouchers to 10 selected Dugout Club games throughout the season, a drawstring bag, a hat, a wristband and a badge for $20.  Of course the parent or guardian taking him to a game will have to buy a ticket but that will only cost you $6 for an upper reserve seat or $15 for LF lower box.   At each game, the dugout club member will also get a different promotional item.  Not a bad deal huh? 

Unfortunately Evan was not able to go to the first event of the season this past Saturday but at least he will get to go to the final 9 events. Really I don't make enough time for the little guy so this is a good way to spend some time and root on our 14-8 Orioles.  In case you don't follow baseball, the O's are in first place.  Yup!

Happy Belated Birthday to Evan - Oriole Dugout Club Member

A happy belated 6th birthday to my nephew Evan.  I know I was uncharacteristically late but apparently my technical savvy matches my 80-something year old grandfather.  Who would have thought all you needed to do was click attach and the picture would upload?  Your birthday gift is on the way.   The gift I got is one that every child should get; a membership in the Oriole Dugout Club.  I will write more about the Dugout Club sometime later today.  Happy birthday buddy, love you!

Samos - #1 in the Rotation

If there’s one restaurant that I can’t do without in Baltimore, it’s Samos.   Samos has served many different purposes for me over the years.    When I was a kid, my grandmother would send me up the street to get a gyro or souvlaki with western fries like other mothers would take their kids to McDonalds for a happy meal.   I didn’t eat a gyro from another restaurant until I was much older but most but at the time; I was brand loyal and would have refused the competition. 

As I grew out of childhood, my willingness to try new foods expanded as quickly as my body.   This does not mean that I stopped eating gyro and western fries, it meant that I would eat additional food like one of the homemade soups, a salad, or maybe some calamari to go along with everything else.   What I started to find out is that even the non-Greek items on the menu were really delicious.  

My 20’s brought about a new realization, Samos is really good for a hangover.   Again I go back to the soups.  I’m telling you the soups are ridiculous.  The avgolemono (lemon and orzo) soup is better than my mom’s.  I really hope she doesn’t read this but Stacie gets this soup on our regular visits.  I would get the soup, a meatball sub, and wash it all down with an Arnold Palmer. 

I also realized around this time that Samos was great for a date night.   Most of the women I dated were not Greek and were clueless about the culture.   What better place than Samos to introduce them to proper Greek food.  You can order large plates to share and Samos is BYOB so you could take in a couple bottles of wine for me and my date. 

Samos has satisfied my business clients, colleagues, friends and family events over the years and they will continue to do so for one simple reason.  With the exception of the increases size of the restaurant and the crowds, Samos ALWAYS serves an excellent, home-made  product.   I know when I go to Samos I’m getting a great meal even if I have to wait.  

If you want to avoid a wait, I’d go between 2 and 5pm any day but Sunday when it is closed.    The only complaint I have about Samos is they don’t take credit cards or reservations.  Oh well, no place is perfect.

Taz and the Blue Moon Cafe

Being the oldest of my generation has its perks.   One of those is having a gang of younger siblings and cousins spread out over Baltimore.   Almost all of my kin are hard working and I’ve been lucky that many have held service industry jobs.   I can thank my cousins for feeding me, clothing me, inebriating me, caffinating me and protecting my dumb ass over the years.  But this past weekend I got some news that has forced me to re-evaluate my life.  My cousin Taz, F.K.A. Tasia, is now working at Blue Moon Café in Fells Point.  

Prior to this news, I had a love/hate relationship with Blue Moon.   It has the best breakfast in all of Baltimore but people wait hours to jam into the tiny spot to get breakfast.  Back in the day, my buddy and I would leave the bars a half an hour early to beat the drunks who would rush the place at 2am.   From what I’m told the weekend bar crowd is just as large and rowdy as back in the day but I gave up 2am monster omelets and Captain Crunch French Toast.  

These days I’m only a morning breakfast guy who refuses to wait with the rest of the ham and eggers for hours on end just to get the greatest breakfast in the city.  I get hangry (angry + hungry) pretty easily so waiting 2 hours for food is impossibility.  There are plenty of good breakfast spots in Fells Point where you don’t have to wait.

But now Taz works at Blue Moon where all I have to do is give her some notice and I will magically avoid the wait.  No longer will I wait for homemade biscuits and jam.  No longer will I wait for Captain Crunch French Toast or the Meaty Omelet. 

I know one day I will be forced back in with the mob.   Hopefully my cousin decides to hold on to that job as long as possible or Blue Moon decides to expand because I have no patience.

Stacie Hate Counter and Apologies

I know it's been a few days since I put up a blog and I'm sure that the 4 of you that read this blog are truly disappointed but the Orthodox Easter holiday and a week long work travel schedule starved my loyal readers.  But have no fear!  My triumphant return will ensue tomorrow with a new blog.

In the meantime, it's come to my attention that my fiancee Stacie has yet to read my blog.  The Hate my Fiancee counter retroactively stands at 17!

You Can Never Go Back - Thursday Nights

In another lifetime, going out on a Thursday night was a foregone conclusion. I preferred Thursdays and Sundays over Friday and Saturdays.  Simple logic: Thursdays were the true beginnings of the weekend and Sunday was, and still is, Sunday Funday.  Now Thursday shenanigans are the exception not the rule.

Last night was a going away party for Mike Marra.  Mike will be taking his talents back to the beaches of North Jersey.  No doubt he will be missed but now I've got a free pad to crash at when I get up that way.   So we went to JD's on Canton Square.  JD's is affectionately known as Just Dudes because it is a solid sports bar with a great beer selection, good food, but always lacking on women.  I didn't really know anyone so I bailed pretty quickly.  Playoff hockey is awesome but not next to a table of 3 Rangers fans who had to make sure their underdog voice was heard at every moment.

I left and made a fatal mistake.  Try to relive the past.  It never works.  Ever.  I decided to meet up with my boys Randy, Dave, and Jim at Red House Tavern on Essex St.  RHT was formerly known as Cardwell's Tavern and Dave's father was the owner.  Thursday nights were done correct back in the day.  Not on this night.  The stars aligned perfectly to combine members of the Kickball League of Baltimore and Karaoke night.  Karaoke is never a good idea unless you are wasted.  Simple truth.  Most members of the Kickball League are gimps and tonight was no exception.  For about an hour I was serenaded by a bunch of slappys who had never been laid or played too many roll playing games to build social skills except with those of their kind.

Unknowingly this was some kind of competition because the grand finale pitted a drunk, hooded,   Eminem-looking dude we will call Corky versus my boy Dave.  Corky fired away first with a loathsome version of Gangsters Paradise by Coolio during which his literacy was obviously being tested.   Dave fired back with a pretty spot on version of Bust A Move by Young MC.  Dave wins with ease and claims his two free Boh pitchers.  Best part is Corky is dumbfounded by the result.  He's legit angry and pouts on the side.   Sorry Corky, your attempt at 8-mile fell 7.9 miles short.

We left a little before midnight and went to Bartenders on Boston Street.   It was the usual but I'm happy to say the pizza has made a major improvement over the last couple of visits.

All in all, this Thursday night fell way short of yesteryear.  I solemnly promise myself I will never go back to Red House Tavern and I will not listen to Karaoke unless I'm blacked out..  I will get back to Bartenders for more pizza. 

Nichiban - Simple Solid Sushi

I've been going to Nichiban on Charles Street in Federal Hill for close to a decade.  As part of my Rotation, I normally go for sushi and the super laid back atmosphere.  That's not to say the rest of his Japanese inspired menu isn't worth trying because the food is really good.  It's just that  I know the fish is fresh and you get the most for your money. 

I'd say 90% of the time I get the Chirashi, a bowl of assorted sashimi over rice.  It comes with a bowl of soup and a salad for $15.  Done.  If you are drinking, have Sue make you a drink.  Woman has a heavy hand for someone who doesn't drink.  Believe me, I've left there crooked because of her pour on several occasions.

If you have room for desert, the owner, Sonny, will bring you out his mom's bread pudding.  Highly recommended.  Now if you've had his mom's cooking, its no surprise.  Woman knows what's up when it comes to bread pudding.

The other things about Nichiban that is unlike the rest of the sushi joints in the city is that you always hear jazz playing over the speakers and it's never completely slammed.   Most of the time it's just a bunch of locals and regulars.  The place is a gem.