February 22, 2013

Maryland songbird Francis Scott Key called America “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

But if Mr. Key were alive today, he may have added a line about “opportunity.” Entrepreneurship is alive and well, especially in Baltimore.

In fact, Forbes Magazine recently named Baltimore the number-two city in the country for high-tech jobs—second only to Seattle!

A Short, Sweet History of Baltimore’s Greatest Entrepreneurs

Charles Street has been host to many entrepreneurial minds. George Peabody started a hugely successful investment bank. He traded securities owned by the Eastern Railroad and then spent the rest of his life giving away his enormous wealth. Today, his Peabody Institute, located at 1 East Mount Vernon Place, prepares thousands of students to become professional musicians and dancers.

The George Peabody Library, Courtesy JHU

Enoch Pratt came to Baltimore with just $150 in his pocket. He eventually became one of the country’s richest men, founding the E. Pratt & Brothers Iron Commission Merchants right here on Charles Street. His $1 million gift to Baltimore to create a free library system ensured his lasting fame.

William Thompson Walters and his son, Henry made their fortunes managing railroads in Baltimore. The Walters family moved to Paris at the start of the Civil War and started collecting European Art – 22,000 pieces, to be exact! The Walters Art Museum, located at 600 N. Charles Street, opened its doors “for the benefit of the public” and is known the world over for its beautiful collections.

Today, you can walk down Charles Street and see the results of Mr. Peabody’s, Mr. Pratt’s and the Walters’ success.

But I often wonder about the quiet, everyday struggles these men faced in order to achieve so much. Did they sit at their kitchen tables at night, while their families were in bed, thinking up their next big idea?

There are hundreds of men and women on Charles Street refining and perfecting their business ideas today. I have a feeling these are the businesses that our grandchildren will remember – the ones that will be around 100 years from now.

After all, those entrepreneurs who are tenacious, flexible, and can anticipate trends are the ones who will stay ahead.

Meet Henry Wong.

Photo Brian V. Jones courtesy Baltimorejazz.com

Henry founded the music venue on Charles Street known as An Die Musik Live. Since opening in 2003, he and his staff of Sean Johnson and George “Doc” Manning have hosted over 1,500 performances – some years, nearly one concert every night!

But An Die Musik didn’t start out as a performance venue, and curiously enough, Henry didn’t begin his career as a music patron.

Henry was born in Hong Kong in the 1960s. His father designed oil tankers and his mother sang opera. When he was 15, Henry moved to Minnesota to attend prep school.  You could say he was driven: Henry completed high school in just one year, then enrolled at Penn State to study medicine.

Henry moved to Baltimore in the early 1980s for a medical internship at Johns Hopkins. But a membership to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra changed everything.

”I went to a lot of concerts and developed my knowledge of the music,” he told Baltimore Magazine. “I got encyclopedia books, and I read a lot about it. I also bought a lot of records, and I found that my gravitation toward music was stronger than the pull of medical research.”

So he and George “Doc” Manning decided to open a record store. Back then, Tower Records was king. Henry followed their recipe and stocked all the popular artists on his shelves, but he made a point to showcase jazz and classical music as well.

“Music is part of a healthy lifestyle,” Henry says. “It’s as important as exercise. It cures the mind and the soul – after you listen to a performance, you feel differently. Better. And you don’t have to take a pill, either!”

Henry named the store An Die Musik – a phrase coined by German composer Franz Schubert that means ‘to the music.’

Surprisingly, Henry’s family was supportive of his new venture – they even gave him startup funds. Perhaps they noticed his entrepreneurial spirit.

Henry added innovations to his music store. He set up listening stations for his 25,000 titles. And he reduced waste by recycling the cardboard packaging that came with CDs. Soon, he opened a second location in Ellicott City.

But commercial success would prove fleeting. The mid-1990s witnessed the rise of ‘Big Box’ stores, like Borders and Best Buy. These giant retailers rolled into town, built warehouses for their merchandise and offered steep discounts. Mom-and-Pop music stores –no matter how successful they were– didn’t stand a chance. Within 5 years, An Die Musik’s luck had run out.

In 1996, Henry moved his suburban music store onto Charles Street. He refined his business model and limited his selection to a super-niche audience: jazz and classical music enthusiasts. He also sold music at BSO concerts. “I was always happy selling music the other shops didn’t seem to want,” he says. “And if I didn’t do it, who would?”

But in the early 2000s, CDs became eclipsed by mp3s and digital downloads. And with that, an 800-pound Gorilla had entered the room: iTunes.

“Fifty percent of income [at An die Musik] used to be from CD sales,” Henry told The Baltimore Sun. “Now it’s fifteen percent… Older people don’t buy CDs, and younger people download. I can’t even exchange CDs for shrimp fried rice at my favorite Chinese restaurant.”

Ever the entrepreneur, Henry had a new idea.

“In 2004, I decided not to just sell CDs, but to promote the people who make the CDs,” Henry said. So he converted the second floor of his CD shop into a performance space. He built a stage, bought a piano and began welcoming classical, folk and jazz performers.

Image courtesy Citypaper

An Die Musik Live, Henry’s current incarnation, has lasted for the past eight years.

“A lot can be said for pure survivability!” laughed Henry.

What Henry has done is create a house of music – literally. His venue at 409 N. Charles Street welcomes performers from all around the world. An Die Musik is not commercial or corporate in any sense. “Instead,” Henry says with a twinkle in his eye, “We are a corporation of people. A community.”

On any given night, you can listen to folk music, watch a silent movie, or hear a worldbeat singer. “Just like in school, you study history, math and literature to receive a ‘complete’ education, I try to do the same for our listeners – make them well rounded,” he adds.

All of the proceeds from ticket sales go to support An Die Musik’s programming. But Henry wasn’t satisfied just at that. In 2009, he created a nonprofit called MusikNOW that brings classical musicians into Baltimore schools. He often partners with UB, the Engineers Club, the Basilica and the Peabody for his performances, and has become a beloved fixture in Baltimore’s music scene. An Die Musik has earned top honors as a jazz venue from both Baltimore Magazine and Citypaper.

“I can honestly say that I work with people who love what they’re doing,” Henry says. “Music is not about things that money can buy. It’s IN you. My staff and I host so many performances because we believe in the goodness of doing it. And we want to empower other people to feel the same. Music makes culture and heritage survive. It’s important to a city.”

What’s Happening at An Die Musik This Weekend

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

To celebrate Black History Month, on Friday, February 22, An Die Musik is welcoming back the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – for their ninth annual performance!

The Chicago-based trio use African percussion instruments plus the American genre of jazz to create a truly remarkable listening experience.

Kahil El’Zabar will be on the drums, voice and kalimba; Ernest Khabeer Dawkins, reeds; and Corey Wilkes, trumpet.

Showtimes are 8 pm and 9:30 pm and tickets are just $15. You can purchase them online through InstantSeats or by calling 410-385-2638. An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street. Website: http://andiemusiklive.com

Here’s to another eight years on Charles Street, Henry! Entrepreneurs like you truly are our city’s future.

Fun Things Happening on Charles Street This Weekend

On Friday, February 22 at 8pm, the SONAR New Music Ensemble plays at Old St. Paul’s Church! They’ll feature works inspired by songs and stories throughout history from ancient to slightly more modern times., Free. 233 N. Charles Street. Call  410-685-3404 for more details.

Also on Friday, Free live music is back at Homeslyce Pizza Bar! Check out Adryelle on Friday and Jacob Panic on Saturday. Homeslyce is located at 336 North Charles Street. Website: http://www.slycethebar.com/

Persian Chain Mail at Beadazzled

On Saturday, February 23, check out the African American Family Festival at the Walters Art Museum! Bring the kids and explore the rhythm, harmony and movement of Africa! Travel with us across the continent in search of mystical masks, jangling jewelry and colorful costumes. Create many musical instruments and come together as a community orchestra! 10 am-4 pm. Free. The Walters Art Museum is located at 600 N. Charles Street. Call 410-547-9000 for details. http://thewalters.org

On Sunday, February 24: learn to Make Persian Chain Mail at Beadazzled! From 2 pm-5 pm. This advanced class offers techniques in single-strand chains and one pattern of flat sheet links. Single strand chains lend themselves to charm and bangle bracelets while the flat sheet connections ca be used for boxes, baskets, and bags. The flat sheet looks like no other type of chainmail and can be used for 3-D objects. The class is $35 plus the cost of materials. To register, call 410-837-2323. Beadazzled is located at 501 N. Charles Street. http://www.beadazzled.net

Know someone who’d like to be a Charles Street Insider? Just send them this link:

http://historiccharlesstreet.com/signup   

And they’ll be on our email list! Thank you, now and always, for supporting our Charles Street community.

Until next time,

Every year, The Historic Charles Street Association devotes a special newsletter issue to Black History Month. In 2012, we uncovered evidence of the Underground Railroad in Baltimore. This year, we take a look at Jazz music – its important roots in Baltimore, and some of the country’s best jazz musicians living here, today  

Dear Reader,

You don’t need to drive to New York or Washington, DC to hear good jazz; Charm City has an amazing jazz music scene!

Baltimore is home to several historic firsts in jazz.  You might even say that we had a Jazz Renaissance. But for some reason, Baltimore’s fascinating jazz history has remained largely unsung.

Image Courtesy Ryan

Well, I’m hoping we can change that. This issue highlights the seismic musical shifts that happened within our city limits. It might just inspire you to seek out some ‘living history’ (i.e. a jazz performance) in Baltimore this weekend. So let’s begin!

A ‘Soul-Filled’ Song

To understand jazz’s beginnings, you have to start in church.

That’s because many jazz greats, such as Eubie Blake, Rivers Chambers and Marian Anderson, began their careers in the early 1900s by singing or playing the organ in the church choir.

Not a lot of people know this, but the musical form known as Gospel was attributed to a man from the Eastern Shore. In the sleepy marshes of Berlin, Maryland (just a few miles outside of Ocean City), Charles Albert Tindley was born in 1851.

The son of slaves, Tindley worked by day as a laborer, but at night, he taught himself to read by studying patterns on scraps of paper. After Emancipation, he graduated from a theological correspondence course and became a very popular minister, with parishes in Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy Hymn Time

Tindley was a gifted composer who combined the choruses of work songs sung by slaves with simple lyrics and ‘hopeful melodies.’ His New Songs of Paradise was published in 1916 and included such standards as “Stand By Me”, “The Storm is Passing Over” and “I Shall Overcome Someday” (which, during the Civil Rights Movement, became “We Shall Overcome”).

At the same time Gospel music developed, so did Jazz. In fact, as NPR beautifully illustrates, jazz and gospel go hand in hand: Jazz musicians often improvised on gospel music.

The Afro American newspaper heralded the arrival of jazz in Baltimore in 1917. In 1919, a progressive social group called the Cosmopolitan Choral Society sponsored Marian Anderson’s performance at the Trinity A.M.E. Church. That church still stands at 2140 East Hoffman Street.

Baltimore and the ‘New Sound’

Photo courtesy New York Public Library

Eubie Blake, one of Baltimore’s best jazz legends, taught himself to play the family organ in the 1890s. He was captivated by the lively, syncopated sounds of Scott Joplin’s Ragtime.

Joplin, another African American composer, had sent shockwaves throughout America with his new style of music. He melded the compositional sounds of German, Polish and other European immigrants with the rhythms of African song.

“When my mother would go out and wash white folks’ clothes, I’d play music lessons the way I liked,” Blake said. “And when she came home and heard me, she’d say, `You take that ragtime out of my house. Don’t you be playing no ragtime.’ ”

Courtesy Smithsonian

“Anything that is syncopated is basically ragtime,” Blake said,  “I don’t care whether it’s Liszt’s ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ or Tchaikovsky in his ‘Waltz of the Flowers.’” Blake improvised the right hand and let the left hand wander all over the keyboard, all while keeping the beat. This style would come to be called Stride.

Blake would sneak out of his parent’s house to a nearby bordello called Miss Aggie’s – located at the corner of Gay & Aisquith Streets – and play through the night. The Baltimore Sun says a passerby could tell if Blake was playing by ‘listening to the left hand.’

Blake moved to New York and brought Baltimore’s jazz sounds to Broadway. He wrote the songs for the 1921 musical Shuffle Along, which was a breakthrough for jazz music. Its runaway success led to better hiring practices of African American musicians and actors, and served to integrate theater companies across the country.

But even Eubie Blake wasn’t immune from segregation’s sting. When Shuffle Along came to Ford’s Theater, he was told he couldn’t bring his own mother. (He did anyway, the story goes – by sneaking her in through the back).

Baltimore’s Pennsylvania Avenue

I wish I could tell you about the jazz greats who played on Charles Street; but there were none. In 1930s  segregated Baltimore, jazz theaters were on the West Side. And Pennsylvania Avenue was the place to be. It was known throughout the city as “The Avenue.”

At its hub was the Royal Theatre. “It was a beautiful building, ” Lena Boone told The Baltimore Sun. “The curtains were gorgeous; the carpet was so thick and plush; the ushers were dressed in their uniforms… I remember as a kid, as soon as you would see the marquee, you would start running and get your ticket.”

The Royal was the Baltimore stop on a musician’s circuit from New York to Washington DC. In fact, it was known to have a more critical audience than Harlem’s Apollo Theater.  Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne and Charlie Parker played there, to name just a few.

The theater, both a landmark and a painful reminder of Baltimore’s segregated past, was demolished in 1971, but you can see images of the thriving shops and businesses along Pennsylvania Avenue at The Maryland Historical Society.

“Royal Theatre, Pennsylvania Avenue,” Paul Henderson, 1949, MdHS, HEN.00.B1-001

The Henderson Photograph Collection contains over six thousand negatives and several hundred prints taken by Paul Henderson, a staff photographer for the Afro American. He captured the every day moments of Baltimore’s African American community. But only a small fraction of the subjects in his photographs have been identified. The Historical Society is actively asking the community to help with the rest, so be sure to check them out.

Once More, With Feeling

Courtesy Enoch Pratt Library

Billie Holiday was born in Baltimore in 1915 and suffered a tragically violent childhood. She lived in New York for most of her life, but Baltimore embraces her as our own, for her lasting contribution to music as well as that powerfully emotive voice.

Before Holiday, singers rarely gave the impression they lived what they were singing. She changed that.

In the 1930s, music publishers kept the best songs for white singers and society orchestras, so Holiday and her band were left recording old Tin Pan Alley songs. But that didn’t matter. Her own, powerfully unique sound came through and mesmerized listeners the world over. I like how PBS describes her voice – both quiet and strong.

I also like to think that Baltimore is a city that embraces individuality. We’ve seen that now, in numerous Charles Street Insiders — throughout history, whether we’re standing up to the British in 1812 or refusing to enact Prohibition Laws, our city’s fiercely independent spirit showed through. And that’s why I think we love Holiday. Above all, she was an individual.

Forward Steps

The Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education declared segregation unconstitutional in 1954. But did you know that Baltimore’s musical institutions ended the practice more than a decade before that?

In 1938, Baltimorean Ellis Larkins became the first African American student at the Peabody Conservatory. (He’s most famous for his collaborations with Ella Fitzgerald). Larkin graduated from the piano program and attended New York’s Julliard School of Music. NPR has a nice profile about this soft-spoken man who touched the keys with a ‘rainbow of interwoven musical textures.’

From 1941-1958, the Peabody Conservatory was led by a progressive thinker named Reginald Stewart. He was also the conductor of the Baltimore Symphony. In 1946, Stewartinvited the African American composer A. Jack Thomas to conduct his Etude en Noir with the Symphony.

Jazz Greats in Baltimore Today

Hopkins Club photograph by Wasin Prasertlap

Don’t think Baltimore’s storied jazz history is behind us. There are a number of renowned jazz musicians living in Baltimore today. And the Peabody Institute is making sure they have a venue to perform in.

Last year, the Peabody partnered with Johns Hopkins University to launch a new jazz series called Jazz at the Johns Hopkins Club. It was a great success. Most of the shows sold out and to this day remain one of the hottest tickets in town!

“Through this concert series, the Johns Hopkins Club continues to tie together Baltimore’s rich history of jazz music, the Peabody Institute’s world class jazz program and the appreciation for live music felt across our campus and our city.” says JHU President Ron Daniels, “I look forward to welcoming jazz enthusiasts to the Homewood campus.” (President Daniels is a big jazz fan too.)

Performers and bands of the best caliber have been selected by artistic director Gary Thomas, with substantial financial backing provided by Daniels himself.

This year’s series begins next week! There will be monthly shows through May, culminating with a performance by the luminary pianist Chick Corea.

February’s event, taking place on Saturday, February 16, features Marcus Strickland and his Quartet.

Marcus Strickland photograph by Jati Linday

Since emerging on the scene, Strickland’s influential sound and steady acknowledgement from every credible jazz critic has earned him a rightful spot among the very best.

His latest release is Triumph of the Heavy: Volume 1 & 2, on the Strik Musik label. Jazz Times calls it “Serious play, imbued with the kind of tough-won joyfulness that bespeaks maturity-musical, personal, emotional-along with undiminished delight.”

You can hear the Marcus Strickland Quartet on Saturday, February 16th. Sets begin at 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm and super affordable tickets (we’re talking $25!) can be purchased by visiting this link.

In March, the Jazz at the Peabody series will feature Jason Moran and the Bandwagon. For complete program details – and information about the Chick Corea show, be sure to visit the Jazz at the Hopkins Club Website.

Jazz at the Hopkins Club is located at 3400 N. Charles Street. Free parking is available.

The Peabody’s Student Jazz Ensembles

Tomorrow’s jazz stars are playing today in the Peabody Jazz Orchestra. In fact, performance is the key objective of the Peabody Conservatory’s program.

Led by Director Michael Formanek (who has performed and recorded with Elvis Costello, Chet Baker, Mingus Big Band and more), the Jazz Orchestra will play on Friday, February 15 at 7:30 pm in the Peabody’s club-like East Hall. Tickets are $15 for adults and can be purchased online.

On Thursday, February 28 at 7:30pm in the East Hall, the Peabody Improvisation and Multimedia Ensemble will perform. It is made up of strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion and vocal talent – and the really neat thing is, they often incorporate other forms of creative expression, like dance, visual art and poetry, into their pieces.

Led by the Peabody Jazz Department’s Founder, Gary Thomas, an internationally known tenor saxophonist, flutist and educator, this is sure to be a great show. The box office number is 410-234-4800 (reserving your seat for either performance is a good idea, as they often sell out). The East Hall is located at 1 East Mount Vernon Place.

I hope you enjoyed our jazz discussion; this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our city has been on a remarkable musical journey that continues today. So the next time you hear about the world’s great love of jazz music, you’ll know where many of the very best got their start – Baltimore!

Until next time,

The Restaurant Week Issue – Winter Edition

It’s that time – that magical week when Baltimore’s finest restaurants roll out their red carpets and shine their nicest silverware: It’s the start of Winter Restaurant Week!

Beginning today thru February 3, 2013, participating restaurants are offering three-course prix-fixe dinner menus for $30.13.

Some restaurants even have two-course lunch menus for $15.13.

Lucky for us, many of these excellent restaurants are located right here on Charles Street. So I had to bring you the juicy details – just in time for lunch!

Let’s begin:

Brewer’s Art

Chef Dave Newman has quite a culinary range. From his Korean-style boneless short ribs to his French Ratatouille, I know when I head to Brewer’s Art, any cuisine I’m in the mood for will taste just perfect.

For Restaurant Week, Chef Newman has created a menu of warm Winter favorites, like parsnip bisque and duck prosciutto.

Pictured above is his Ozzy Brined Fried Chicken with Pickled Wax Beans, which will be served with German Style potato salad (not the potato salad shown), and ghost pepper honey.

Pair it with his Spinach Salad – made with pickled red onions, crispy mushrooms, cured egg yolk, and warm bacon vinaigrette, and you can call that dinner! Mmmm.

You can see Brewers Art’s full Restaurant Week menu here.

The Brewer’s Art is located at 1106 N. Charles Street and open Monday-Saturday from 4 pm and Sunday from 5 pm. (Dinner starts at 5:30). Call 410-547-6925 for reservations. Website: http://www.thebrewersart.com

Cazbar

The dish above is Cazbar’s signature entrée, called Doner Iskender. It’s made with spicy lamb that’s grilled on a skewer and served on toasted garlic bread.

The yogurt garlic butter you see dribbling across the photo is a mouth-watering finish.

“I’m constantly challenging my chefs,” says owner Haluk Kantar. “We serve Turkish food with a twist. I have a vision in my head – that sets us apart from the rest – and am always striving to reach it.”

Haluk created the lamb dish above by playing off another famous Turkish lamb dish made with cubed meat.

“Cazbar is my eighth restaurant…. I came to this building (at 316 N. Charles Street) with my Dad,” he continued. “I wasn’t planning on buying it, but I immediately fell in love with the space. I mean, what’s better than Charles Street in Baltimore?!”

For Restaurant Week, Cazbar is whipping up specialties like broccoli, squash, potatoes and eggplant baked in a bechamel sauce with homemade ziti pasta.

You can see the full list of Cazbar’s Restaurant Week specialties here.

Cazbar is located at 316 N Charles Street and is open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for dinner only. Call 410-518-1222 for reservations. Website: http://www.cazbar.pro

Creme Restaurant and Lounge

Creme Restaurant (also known as CR Lounge) is a special place. They cook up southern soul food (think shrimp & grits and banana pudding), but they do it in a sleek & contemporary, urban space.

Their food has also been compared to a work of art, according to The Baltimore Sun.

And their Restaurant Week menu is no exception. You can enjoy their pan-roasted chicken breast with jasmine rice and a vegetable medley (pictured above), and a wild mushroom dish that’s sauteed in an earthy truffle oil and topped with a manchego cheese. Full Restaurant Week details can be found right here.

Creme is located at 518 N. Charles St. They’re open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday and closed on Monday and Tuesday. Call 443-869-3381 for reservations. Website: http://crloungebalt.com.

Helmand

“Have you ever had cardamom ice cream?” I asked my seatmates. Shaking their heads no, I generously gave them a bite. They immediately placed an order. It’s hard to describe – a delicate warmth plus chilled, smooth & creamy confection. The dried figs and mango bits add a nice touch. Wow.

You can see The Helmand’s entire Restaurant Week menu here. The Helmand is open nightly for dinner and is located at 806 N. Charles St. Call 410-752-0311 for reservations. Website: http://www.helmand.com/

Sascha’s 527

Sascha calls this Baltimore’s Best Carrot Cake. Believe her. I was presented with a tower of moist carrot-y, raisin goodness, drizzled with caramel and served with fresh whipped cream. I’m looking forward to leftovers for the next few days. You can see their Restaurant Week menu here. Sascha’s is open Monday-Friday for lunch and Monday-Saturday for dinner. 527 N. Charles Street. Call 410-539-8880 for reservations. Website: http://www.saschas.com/restaurant.html

The Prime Rib

Okay, so I’ve So I’ve waxed poetic about The Prime Rib’s succulent steaks on more than one occasion.

Well, don’t blame this girl for being a carnivore – The Prime Rib is known for some of the best meat on the East Coast. They were even named as serving one of the top 20 Steaks in America by Esquire Magazine!

But did you know The Prime Rib also serves delicious seafood?

That’s right, and on their Restaurant Week menu, you can try their Crab Imperial (pictured above), served with huge chunks of lump crab meat, prepared with butter, a little salt, black pepper and that’s it – when the crab’s that fresh, you don’t need anything more!

The Prime Rib is located at 1101 N. Calvert St. They’re open nightly for dinner. Call 410-539-1804 for reservations. Website: http://www.theprimerib.com/bal/index.html

Enjoy Restaurant Week!

Fun Things Happening the Rest of This Week

The Hotel Monaco’s lobby

This just in – Our friends at the Hotel Monaco are extending their 25% discount on hotel stays through February!

They’re calling it the “401″ promotion. Click here for a calendar of rates – you can enjoy a ‘staycation’ for as little as $130 per night. Come see why Baltimore’s Hotel Monaco has been named as one of the top 200 hotels in America by Conde Nast Traveler.

The Hotel Monaco is located at 2 North Charles Street.  Call 888-752-2636 for reservations.

Website: http://www.monaco-baltimore.com/baltimore-luxury-hotel/index.html

Beginning in March (the 2nd of the month to be exact), The Walters Art Museum will present an exhibition on Jewish communities in the Islamic World. Entitled “Threshold to the Sacred: The Ark Door of Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue” this exhibit will feature a decorated and inscribed medieval wood door from a Holy Ark—a special cabinet that holds the Torah scrolls, the sacred Jewish scripture. You won’t want to miss it! The Walters is located at 600 N. Charles Street. General museum information: 410-547-9000 or www.thewalters.org.

Mr. Warren

Tonight (Friday, January 25) at 8pm: beat the Winter blues with hot music at An Die Musik!

The jazz sounds of Butch Warren, Freddie Redd with Matt Wilson and Brad Linde will be on hand. Butch Warren’s first professional job was playing in his father Edward Warren’s group at age 14. Early on, the bassist worked locally in the Washington, D.C., area, most notably with Stuff Smith. In 1958, he moved to New York to play with Kenny Dorham at the Five Spot and stayed in town throughout most of his career. During the next six years, Warren was in great demand for club work and appeared on many recordings, particularly dates for the Blue Note label led by Joe Henderson, Jackie McLean, Stanley Turrentine, Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Clark, and Dorham. He was a member of Thelonious Monk’s quartet from 1963-1964 and then moved back to Washington, D.C., where he worked on a television show from 1965-1966. You can still find Butch playing at many local DC jazz venues.

Fredie Redd is a hard bop pianist and composer. Since the 1950s, he has worked extensively with highly regarded musicians and recorded several albums as leader.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online or by calling 410-385-2638. An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street.

On Sunday, January 27 – celebrate the conversion of St. Paul at Old Saint Paul’s Church! There will be a free harp concert performed by Fullbright scholar Jasmine Hogan at 5:30pm, followed by a festive Choral Evensong at 6:00, led by the choirs of Old St. Paul’s.

Old Saint Paul’s is located at the corner of Charles and Saratoga Streets. See their website for more information.

On Monday, January 28 – give our Baltimore Ravens football team the proper sendoff at 11:30 at the Inner Harbor Ampitheatre! Members of the Ravens’ 2000 Super Bowl XXXV team will also be in attendance, while current Ravens players and coaches – including head coach John Harbaugh and LB Ray Lewis – are scheduled to arrive at the rally at 12:15 pm. See you there!

It tries to hide, but we can see it

Finally, on Wednesday, January 30, at 6:30pm – our friends at Downtown Partnership of Baltimore invite all business owners, property owners and residents in the 300 block of Charles Street to attend a meeting to hear the Partnership’s plans to install light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures on the Charles Street façade of the Verizon building (323 North Charles Street)!

The LED lights will project multi-color light on the façade of the building during the evening hours. The Partnership’s intent is to give the Verizon building a lively nighttime appearance that greets pedestrians with an interesting light display. These light fixtures have red, green, and blue LEDs, allowing nearly any light color to be displayed during the evening or for special occasions – purple for the Ravens, red for Valentine’s Day, pink for breast cancer awareness or red, white and blue for Flag Day – which will create a new way of looking at the building.

Downtown Partnership’s offices are located at 217 North Charles Street.

The meeting will start with a brief presentation and then a light demonstration at the Verizon building. For questions about the meeting contact David Carrodine at dcarrodine@dpob.org and/or call 410.244.1030.

Trivia Time!

This week, in lieu of a question – I want you to check out the Restaurant Week website.

You can enter to win a $75 gift card at B&O Brasserie AND tickets to the new performance of August: Osage County at the new Everyman Theatre!

http://mix1065fm.cbslocal.com/baltimore-restaurant-week/

Good luck, and Good Eats!

Laura Rodini

 

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

The next time you have lunch at City Cafe, take a moment to peer into the window of the building next door at 1013 Cathedral Street – it just might take your breath away.

McClain Wiesand’s Showroom

Wait a moment and let your eyes adjust to the light. The 2-story, blueberry hued showroom is crammed with odds and ends that, somehow, pair perfectly together.

A bust of Marcus Aurelius watches over a Baltimore Chair that sits next to a heavy oak table displaying hand-colored drawings.

It’s the main showroom for McClain Wiesand, a custom furniture company and Baltimore institution for more than 25 years.

“In the late 80s and early 90s, I owned an antique shop on Howard Street,” David Wiesand told me, “I loved it. I ran the business by day, but at night, I built my own, custom designs.”

David graduated from MICA with a Master’s in Painting – he was the one who painted the beautiful murals that were part of the Tremont Grand’s restoration.

Eventually, he realized that his true passion was furniture design.

David particularly enjoyed a style known as Biedermeier, which catered to the German Middle Class of the early 19th Century. This style emphasized clean lines and minimal ornamentation, with a nod to the past. “The 19th Century Germans were looking at the French, who were an ornate team of architects looking back at classical Rome,” David explained.

“You can see the Classical influence in the scrollwork in their pieces, and the ‘X’ braces that support their chairs.”

Notice the ‘X’ beams

David also studied the work of Baltimore’s best craftsmen from the 19th Century: a pair of brothers named John and Hugh Finlay. Their work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like David, the brothers Finlay followed the Biedermeier style and created high-style painted furniture masterpieces with classical motifs.

David revived the Finlay brothers’ most successful piece, which is affectionately known as the Baltimore Chair.

But for some, this very elegant design proved to be a precarious perch. Benjamin Latrobe, who worked with the Finlay Brothers, once complained that “three of the chairs have been broken by one man weighing a lot who has attempted at different times to lean back in them.”

David’s chairs, on the other hand, account for sitters of all sizes. In fact, his furniture business grew out of commissions from local designers to fabricate the Baltimore Chairs. “It was really my opportunity to talk them into something I wanted to make,” he said.

A Workshop, A Home

David Wiesand with a holiday creation

In 1999, David moved his antiques business into the old Reliable Tire building at 1013 Cathedral Street.

“The upstairs rooms were used to store tires – I could see the measurements written in pencil on the walls,” David said. He researched the building’s history at The Maryland Historical Society and then began a decade-long renovation. All of his artistic skills were called upon. With the help of friends, he raised the ceiling a few feet, moved the roof joists, built an enormous floor-to-ceiling column for the showroom and painted murals and stonework along the walls.

These days, his home is a spectacular work of art that has been featured in The Baltimore Sun and was even a stop along the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage and Holly Tour. There are different themed rooms; one parlor, a throwback to the 1850s, is filled with historically accurate furniture David made by hand. Another is a ‘Moroccan Room,’ complete with hookahs and the exact tile motif found in the Tremont Grand’s Oriental Room. “I love to call it a giant confection,” David said.

A mind-bending array of possibilities

But for me, the most fascinating part of David’s old curiosity shop is the workshop itself.

David converted the Reliable Tire’s garage into his fabrication shop – it’s a treasure trove of new and reclaimed materials from places like Second Chance, Baltimore’s architectural salvage depot.*

In one corner sits a massive walnut cabinet that David & team are building for a customer in New York; David is currently perfecting the cremone latching system that allows the cabinet doors to effortlessly open and shut. In another corner, a man-sized sheet of rubber molds will become part of the design of a dining table for a customer up North. In still another corner, there is a mirror frame with a thousand different metal slots – into these, David’s craftsmen will carefully insert shards of colored glass.

Alexandra Wiesand with a chandelier ‘in progress’

McClain Wiesand has become a family business; David’s two daughters, Alexandra and Katie, both help their Dad out with his wildly creative projects. Here Alexandra works on of one of the company’s most popular items, called the Carousel Chandelier.

The gold circles dangling to the right of Alexandra may look familiar. Ever notice the large mirrors placed high on the wall in the back of clothing or grocery stores? The ones meant to catch shoplifters? Well, David figured out a way to elevate this everyday object into fine art. He removes the plastic surrounding the mirror, and then flecks the lens with acid, which eats through the mirror’s silver finish. Then he adds a top-secret recipe of finishes and voila!

Check out what the finished product looks like:

Stunning

David’s showrooms include the prestigious John Rosselli & Associates showroom in New York, Design Center of the Americas in Florida, Hinc and Company in San Francisco and Michael Smith’s Jasper showroom in Los Angeles, to name just a few.

New Inspiration

The Wiesand family has deep roots in Baltimore, and our city proves to be a source of constant inspiration for David. In fact, a trip David made to The Walters Art Museum a few years ago inspired him anew. “I remember standing in the Armor Room and seeing the displays of beautiful chain mail. I thought, ‘here’s one thing. Now if I put lots and lots of these things together, I can create a new thing.’”

Thus, his Tab table was born.

“I’m moving away from antique reproductions now,” David continued. “I’m focusing more on new, interesting art: on texture, on surfaces, and on form. I like to call it ‘Neo Baroque.’ The Baroque movement was grandiose and big, with gilt decoration. I like to think of our furniture as fashion, which is constantly changing. We want to give our clients something new to be excited about.”

I can’t help but think, that, by honoring the past – especially Baltimore’s craftsmen and the objects from days gone by – David’s own voice has emerged.

We are profoundly impressed, David! And so happy to have the McClain Wiesand workshop in our neighborhood. Your creativity adds something special to Charles Street. Here’s to reclaiming pieces of Baltimore’s past, and representing our city on the world stage of furniture design!

McClain Wiesand’s showroom is open Monday-Friday from 9 am-5 pm. It’s located at 1013 Cathedral Street. You can also call ahead to make an appointment; 410-539-4440. Website: http://www.mclainwiesand.com/

*Editor’s Note: Second Chance recently moved, but it’s still open and operating in Baltimore! Its new location is 1700 Ridgely Street.

Fun Things Happening the Rest of This Week

Michael Dale

Tonight, January 18 at 8pm, listen to the harmonies of East & West featuring G.I. Gudjieff at An Die Musik!

Gurdjieff, a seminal spiritual figure of the last century, introduced to the West an ancient yet unknown esoteric teaching of development and awakening, one that teaches how to creatively use the diverse impressions of ordinary life to come to real life.

In the 1920s Mr. Gurdjieff created a body of music that is the esoteric expression of the sacred. He was assisted by the Russian composer and pianist, Thomas de Hartmann, who said of Gurdjieff’s music “it helps to concentrate oneself, to bring oneself to an inner state when we can assume the greatest possible emanations.”

The works will be performed by Michael Dale, a composer-improviser and multi-instrumentalist residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. He performs regularly with many jazz and classical groups including New Keys and Death of Cool. Recently, he is featured on the recordings Sacred Music of the Eternal Present: Hymns and Prayers of G.I. Gurdjieff, and Perserverance, by the free-jazz group Sound Immersion. He is also a composer for film, having scored the award-winning short Milo’s Wheels. He maintains a full studio of private students in the East Bay. He is a student of William Patrick Patterson, a leading exponent and teacher of Gurdjieff”s Fourth Way.

There will be a wine reception following the performance. Tickets are $10; order yours online or by calling 410-385-2638. An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street.  Website: http://andiemusiklive.com

Courtesy BOPA

Due to the Inaugural Festivities, the Mayor’s Office decided this year to hold our 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade on Saturday instead of Monday.

So, the parade will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2013 beginning at 12:00 noon, rain or shine.

“The parade is to remind us Dr. King’s message of equality,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

And this year’s grand marshal is Baltimore native and former Harlem Globetrotter, Charles “Choo” Smith.

The parade route starts at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, and proceeds south along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to Baltimore Street. Click here for a complete list of road closures. For all the details on the parade, click this link from the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.

Brian Ganz

On Saturday night, join Peabody Institute Faculty member Brian Ganz as he continues his quest to perform every work by Chopin, on Saturday, January 19 at 8pm at Strathmore!

Brian will be performing with the National Philharmonic. He will be exploring the theme of “Small Worlds.”

His program will include Frédéric Chopin’s 5 Mazurkas, Op. 7; Trois Ecossaises, Op. 72, No. 3; Lento con Gran Espressione in C-sharp minor; Presto con Leggerezza in A-flat major; Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23; Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47; and the 24 Préludes, Op. 28.

The first of the Ballades holds a place of honor in Brian’s heart, as he considers it the piece that inspired him to become a pianist. “It is no exaggeration to say that Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 changed my life,” he says. “I like to say that Chopin ‘wounded’ me with the mysterious, inexplicable beauty of that piece.”

Brian is Artist-in-Residence at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and on the piano faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Tickets are expected to sell out – get yours now! http://nationalphilharmonic.org/

Know someone who’d like to be a Charles Street Insider? Just send them this link:

http://historiccharlesstreet.com/signup And they’ll be on our email list! Thank you, now and always, for supporting our Charles Street community.

Trivia Time!

Alright, Ravens fans! This week, I want you to test your knowledge of our team with this online trivia quiz (I thought it was hard!)

http://football.about.com/library/weekly/bl_triviaravens.htm

Best of luck to our boys in purple this weekend, and talk to you soon!

Laura Rodini

 

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

I want to thank you for making our Historic Charles Street community even more vital and vibrant in 2012.

We sure had a lot of fun this year.

Let’s Eat Charles Street

We organized two massive street festivals:

•Let’s Eat Charles Street, in May, which brought out over a thousand people and 40 restaurants and retailers!

Live music was sponsored by WTMD Radio – and even the Oriole Bird made an appearance.

•Then, in the fall, right before Halloween, we partnered with Station North Arts & Entertainment District to put on our Charles Street Fall Festival.

We couldn’t have picked a more amazing location, right in front of Penn Station (right).

This time our food and clothing vendors were lined up around the Man/Woman statue.  And as the sun set, musicians from The Baltimore Folk Festival put on a fantastic show.

Both Amtrak and the Mayor’s office were happy with the event – in fact, they’re applying for a grant to convert that area into a more usable public space.

Charles Street Fall Festival

It feels great to help make Baltimore an even better place!

Other Going’s On

•But we’re not just about parties; we also introduced our popular Charles Street Insider newsletters.

These weekly email newsletters (or eletters) cover all that’s happening on Charles Street, from the secrets of the Owl Bar to the secret recipe behind Shiraz’s chicken pomegranate lunch special.

Our readership doubled in 2012!

•We also served as an advocate on behalf of our member businesses on issues such as parking & loading and the Authentic Baltimore retail designation.

•We built a new website – http://www.historiccharlesstreet.com - and used online marketing techniques to triple page views. Check it out – all 44 Charles Street Insider issues (the complete archive) are now available for your viewing pleasure!

•We brought Charles Street into the 21st Century through Social Media – we now have over 600 Facebook friends, for instance…

•And I’m especially proud to say that we’ve gained the largest amount of support within the Baltimore business community in many years. We are now 85 members strong!

…But we couldn’t have achieved ANY of our successes this year, without

YOU!

Our friends at Southern Management were a big part of all of our events

So I want to thank you, for coming out & taking part in our events.

As Pete Seeger so artfully put it, “Participation is the only thing that’s gonna save the human race”

And I want to thank you, for opening your doors to us.

Frank Dittenhafer

Frank Dittenhafer, owner of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, was just one of the many businesses that were featured in the pages of our Charles Street Insider. They lost their business in the 2010 fire at 800 N Charles Street, but prevailed – by relocating their entire staff across the street and continuing their great architectural preservation work here in Downtown Baltimore.

And I want to thank you, for sharing your very personal, and very courageous stories.

Gina and Jonathan Davis

You might think someone who owns a flower shop might be as delicate as her arrangements, but it’s just the opposite with Gina Davis.

Gina owns one of the most successful flower shops in the city, but the story behind it is actually one of survival, faith and perseverance – through some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

I can’t walk past Gina’s cheerful window display without thinking about her incredible story, and that’s why I wanted to share it with you.

And I want to thank you, for sharing really cool facts we never knew about the businesses on Charles Street.

Marketing Director Roswell Encina demonstrates how you can check out art at the Enoch Pratt Library

Did you know, for example, that stacks of books are literally supporting the foundation of the Enoch Pratt Library?

Or that a group of neighborhood investors saved the MacGillivray’s building from becoming a parking lot?

Or that the late, and enormously talented rapper, Tupac Shakur, was said to have ‘found this voice’ in Mount Vernon?

Cazbar’s Haluk Kantar, Dogan Salis and Officer Rocks

And I want to thank you, for getting up for work each and every day on Charles Street, for opening wonderful new shops and restaurants, and for making our street safe.

I want to thank you for being around ‘since 1993’ and then some – and for working so hard to make Mount Vernon the best part of Baltimore!

We didn’t just build a business association this year; we created a community.
Until next week,

Laura Rodini
Executive Director, The Historic Charles Street Association

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

G. Krug & Sons

One block away from the crowds and vendors of Lexington Market, you’ll hear a sound that not a lot of people know about today – it’s the sound of history in motion.

Each day, Peter Krug and his team of blacksmiths take turns in front of a timeworn anvil. Using 200-year-honed techniques (and a 2,500 degree forge), they create wrought iron masterpieces – one hammer swing at a time.

G. Krug and Son’s wrought iron workshop is the oldest continuously operating blacksmithing business in North America. It began in 1810 under the auspices of Augustus Scwanka. In 1848, Gustavo (or ‘G’) Krug joined the business, and by 1871 he had purchased it as his own. It was a thriving operation that at its height employed over 100 people.

“At one point, [they]… could proudly boast that virtually every building in Baltimore contained something made in the shop, even if that something was only a nail,” writes Eli Pousson of Baltimore Heritage.

Many of the iron fences and balustrades you see throughout the city are examples of Krug’s craftsmanship. In fact, their signature “Otterbein Style” has become synonymous with Baltimore history and can be seen on buildings as far away as West Virginia.

This intricate scroll belongs on top of the iron bars that support the logs in your fireplace. All of it was done by hand – not a single piece was welded, and Krug doesn’t rely on modern-day technology, either. Their pride in their beautiful craftsmanship is evident, and they closely follow the patterns that their ancestors created centuries ago.

But despite their insistence on tradition, the modern world still encroaches. “In the mid-1970s, they were going to tear down our building to make a parking lot,” Peter Krug told me. (In the photo at the beginning of this article, the garage appears to just about swallow up the historic building).

“But,” he added, “We always prevail.”

Today, Peter and his brother, Stephen Krug, run the business. Their children – Stephen’s daughter Alexandra, and Peter’s son David – are the 6th generation of Krugs to be skilled in the family trade.

Krug’s operations are two-fold: 1) They perform restoration work – on the fence around the Washington Monument, for example, as well as fences around the Old Naval Hospital in Capitol Hill, and one in front of the Home of the Commander of the Marine Corps. known as “Quarters Six.”

2) They create new pieces, such as elaborate fences, structural wall anchors, boot scrapers, and custom wine racks – the piece below was made by Alexandra Krug. Talk about a uniquely Baltimore gift!

Peter and Stephen are also entrepreneurs – in addition to their successful business, they realize they have a national treasure on their hands. That’s why, in celebration of G. Krug & Sons’ 212th birthday, they decided to convert part of the shop into a museum that the general public can experience.

Starting in January, they will feature regular tours of 5 exhibition rooms highlighting different aspects of their trade.  The tours will take place on the first and third Friday of the month, between 12 and 3 PM.

I was lucky enough to get a ‘sneak peek’ before the Museum officially opened in November. There was a mind-boggling display of items to see, such as original drawings and blueprints of 19th Century designs.

The best part was the blacksmithing demonstration.

This machine, from the early 1900′s, cuts patterns out of sheet metal

“The anvils, machinery, and forges that we own have been keeping the G. Krug & Son tradition alive for over 200 years,” says Museum Coordinator Patrick Cutter.

Call 410-752-3166 or send an e-mail to museum@gkrugandson.com to schedule your tour. G. Krug & Son is located at 415 West Saratoga Street. Website:http://www.gkrugandson.com/

Here’s to another 200 years in Baltimore, Krug & Sons (and daughters)!

More Charles Street News

The Hotel Monaco’s lobby

Our friends at the Hotel Monaco have gotten into the holiday spirit – they are extending their 25% discount on hotel stays through January! They’re calling it the “401″ promotion. Click here for a calendar of rates – you can enjoy a ‘staycation’ for as little as $130 per night. The Hotel Monaco is located at 2 North Charles Street.  Call 888-752-2636 for reservations. Website: http://www.monaco-baltimore.com/baltimore-luxury-hotel/index.html

Looking for a lasting holiday gift? Historically Delicious Founder and Artist Marcus Dagan is offering all Charles Street Insider readers a 10% discount on his work! Simply visit http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/marcus+dagan/all  and enter in coupon code GJYDCD to get your special rate (valid until January 1). Marcus has over 400 photographs in his collection – many of them taken right here on Charles Street! Nice work, Marcus.

And, let’s give a big round of applause to our friends Marc and Brad Quint, owners of The Beef Brothers – they are opening another new store, and this time, they’ll be serving  up hot, delicious pizza!

They’re calling it Purple Pizza, in honor of our football team, and it will be located in the front of the food court at 222 N. Charles St.

“‘Purple Fridays’ will never be the same!” Marc tells me. In addition to pizza, they will feature subs, Italian fare and more. Look for the shop to open in January. By the way, The Beef Brothers Deli and Beach Shack was voted one of “Baltimore’s Best” by both Baltimore Sun & City Paper readers. You can find them in Eats Food Court at 222 N. Charles Street. Call (443)857-6328 to place your order. Website: http://www.thebeefbrothers.com/

Ever been to a Winter Solstice Celebration? Our friends at The First Unitarian Church are hosting this annual ritual next Friday, December 21 at 7 pm, at the corner of Charles and Franklin Streets.

They’ll have songs, poetry, drama, and a symbolic extinguishing of the old year’s fire. Then, there will be a lighting of the new, turning the Wheel of the Year. Wow. Come give thanks for seasonal blessings, cherish the Halcyon Days, bless the newborn babes, and taste some seasonal sweets! For additional information, contact solstice@firstunitarian.net or give Pat Montley at call at 410-252-6074. See you there!

Trivia Time!

Congrats to everyone who took the Baltimore Sun‘s Holiday Trivia Quiz last week! It was harder than it seemed, now wasn’t it?

Ready for this week’s question?

This beautiful decorative clock is another example of G. Krug & Son‘s fine craftsmanship.

Tell me where in Maryland you can find it (Street address or place name), and you, too could win a prize!

Until next week,

Laura Rodini
Executive Director, The Historic Charles Street Association

 

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

I’ve been waiting all year to bring you this issue… the best time to be in Charm City has got to be early December, when we break out our favorite traditions and simply go overboard with holiday spirit!

Last weekend Fells Point reminded us that ’tis the season for cheesy holiday movies, eggnog, and mistletoe.

They hosted the Old Tyme Christmas market and Holiday Boat Show.

There’s just something about seeing Santa arrive on a tugboat…

As the sun went down, the decorated boats sailed to the Inner Harbor, lighting the sky with holiday cheer.

Courtesy National Geographic

Up in Hampden, the lights on 34th Street are already aglow – the residents on that 2-block stretch go all out in making their homes festive.

They put up lights, robotic decorations, inflatable Grinches…

Then there’s the infamous Hub Cap tree, which, truth be told, is the greatest ode to recycling ever. The shiny tree is topped with an angel made from a Natty Boh can.

Across the way, the Chanukah House has been welcoming visitors from around the world since 1981.

It’s located at 6721 Greenspring Avenue and is scheduled to be open throughout December, free of charge.

The Nutcracker comes to the Meyerhoff later this month, with special performances by the dancers of the Baltimore School for the Arts.

So what’s Baltimore’s best holiday tradition?

Now, I’m not just saying this because it’s on Charles Street – and all of the other traditions are lovely – but Baltimore’s greatest, time-honored holiday tradition is hands-down the lighting of our very own Washington Monument!

Courtesy Baltimore Sun

This Thursday, December 6, the 41st Annual Monument Lighting takes place from 5:30 pm-8 pm.

It’s the official kick-off to the holiday season in Baltimore, and we have extra reason to party this year. Engineers have been checking out every nook and cranny of our famous monument in preparation for its restoration this coming spring. 

And soon, the monument – which has been closed since 2010 – will once again be open to visitors.

So we have a lot to celebrate! The Lighting Ceremony begins at 5:30 and will cap off with a laser light and fireworks show at 7:45.

The celebrity lighter helping Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake set off the finale is none other than Ravens stand out Lardarius Webb.

Our friends at Downtown Partnership are hosting this spectacular event, and they’re also featuring a ‘Shop and Stroll’ on Charles Street before and after the Lighting. You’ll be able to enjoy discounts and special extended shopping hours. Check their website for the complete list of participating retailers.

For a bird-eye’s view of the Monument Lighting, stop by the beautiful Windows Gallery at the very top floor of the Peabody Court Hotel. For $35, you can enjoy a hors d’oeuvres reception including beer, wine and soda, and a post-lighting dessert finale (which sounds delicious). A portion of the proceeds benefit the Baltimore City Ronald McDonald House. Check out their flyer for complete details.

And just as every year, Mount Vernon celebrates the illumination of the Washington Monument in festive lights, our friends at The Maryland Historical Society decorate their lobby with festive ornaments and feature hot chocolate, cookies, carolers, a harpist, and even a visit from a historical Santa Claus! Their free holiday open house runs from 5pm-8pm.

And if you don’t have a chance to see the event in person, WBAL-TV 11 will broadcast the Monument Lighting live from 7- 8pm.

Seasons Greetings, Charles Street!

A Charity Event – From Our Friends at Midtown BBQ

Like the Dave Matthews Band?

Want two tickets to see them, plus VIP access?

Well, our friends at Midtown BBQ & Brew have a treat for you. Simply enter your bid at their charity auction on eBay, and you could win drinks and dinner at Midtown BBQ, a limo ride over to the concert, VIP passes and merchandise!

Proceeds will support Native American LifeLines, supporting the American Indian community through a comprehensive continuum of care that is patient centered, culturally sensitive and optimal for personal growth.

Be sure to enter soon – bidding ends on December 10.

Great work, Midtown!

Fun Things Happening Rest of the Week

Tonight (Wednesday, December 5), hear 2012 Peabody Distinguished Alumni Award Ann Schein perform works by Beethoven and Chopin at the Peabody Institute’s Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall. Showtime is 7:30pm and tickets are free! Call 410-234-4800 for details. The Peabody is located at 1 E. Mt. Vernon Place.

Courtesy National Gallery UK

On Thursday, December 6, in addition to the Monument Lighting and related festivities, there will be a fascinating lecture about “The Black Egyptian at Christ’s Hand” at The Walters Art Museum.

The Supper at Emmaus (Venetian, ca. 1540) is a little-known painting in the Walters’ collection which is part of the Revealing the African Presence in Renaissance Europe exhibit.

Dr. Joaneath Spicer, Curator of Renaissance and Baroque Art will discuss what the apparently unprecedented inclusion tells us about contemporary society, the Biblical story, and the development of Venetian painting.  12 pm. Free. The Walters Art Museum is located at 600 N. Charles Street. See website for details.

On Saturday, December 8: Stumped for holiday gift ideas? Create your own beaded masterpiece at Beadazzled! Their Intro to Wire Cages class, from 2-4pm will give you the skills to wrap secure and decorative cages around any bead or organic shape.  The technique is very versatile and can be applied to all kinds of beads, stones, and other forms. Registration is $30 plus cost of materials. Call 410-837-2323 to register. Beadazzled is located at 501 N. Charles Street. http://www.beadazzled.net/

On Sunday December, 9 at 5pm: hear The Canticle Singers perform at Old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church! The women’s chamber chorus, with director Wendy Wickham and pianist Jane Donnelly, present the concert “A Classical Christmas: Then and Now,” featuring music by Victoria, Monteverdi and Holst as well as popular carols. Dessert reception after the concert. Tickets are $15. Old St. Pauls is located at 233 N. Charles St. Call 410-685-3404 for details.

Savannah Valentino

Also on Sunday, at 5pm, hear rising star Savannah Valentino as she performs at An Die Musik! Savannah may be only 19 but she has already impressed many figures in the Americana field.

Eric Taylor, whose songs have been recorded by Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, is producing Valentino’s debut album in Texas because, he says, “I’ve done several shows with Savannah over the past few years, and she keeps growing with talent and composure. A beautiful voice with a writer’s edge, and she’s not afraid of the guitar. There is something about her focus that has an appeal rarely seen in someone so young.” Valentino has also opened shows for Jim Lauderdale, Elizabeth Cook and John Fullbright and impressed them with her personal stories and understated, breathy voice.

Savannah will perform as part of An Die Musik’s Roots Cafe Singer-Songwriter Series and will be joined by jazz-pop singer-songwriter and another local favorite, Sandy Asirvatham. Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door. Call 410-385-2638 for tickets, or visit their website. An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street, 2nd floor.

Know someone who’d like to be a Charles Street Insider? Just send them this link:
http://historiccharlesstreet.com/signup

And they’ll be on our email list! Thank you, now and always, for supporting our Charles Street community.

Trivia Time!

Congrats to everyone who correctly answered our last question! Muddy Creek Falls in Garrett County, is the state’s highest free-falling waterfall. The Falls range in height between 54 and 63 feet.

This week – getting into the holiday spirit of things – I want you to take the Baltimore Sun Holiday Trivia Quiz!

Tell me what your favorite holiday tradition in Baltimore is, and Season’s Greetings! 

Until next week,

Laura Rodini
Executive Director, The Historic Charles Street Association

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

The Woman’s Industrial Exchange

One of the biggest success stories on Charles Street has been quietly doing business here for more than a century.

It’s a mecca for artists to sell handmade textiles, clothing and jewelry – but it offers so much more than that.

This place is known as the Woman’s Industrial Exchange, although it features art from men as well as women.

And it’s been on Charles Street since 1880.

A ‘Discreet’ Way to Earn a Living

After the Civil War, women used to bring their handwork to the home of a prominent Baltimore resident named Mrs. G. Harmon Brown. She would sell these items to other residents and promoted the service as a way for women who were poor or who had lost their husbands in the war to ‘discreetly earn a living.’

It was a huge success.

In 1882, the Maryland State Legislature incorporated the Exchange “for the purpose of endeavoring by sympathy and practical aid to encourage and help needy women to help themselves by procuring for them and establishing a sales room for the sale of Women’s Work.” Shortly after, it moved to its present location at 333 N. Charles Street.

Today, the Exchange is carrying on a Baltimore tradition of selling handcrafted goods, such as jewelry, scarves, hand-painted note cards, soaps and homemade potholders. You may have seen their sock monkeys on the David Letterman show.

There are currently 148 consignors featured at the Exchange – both women and men – who receive 70% of each sale.

Dynamic, New Life

The shop is managed by Treena Moore, a dynamic saleswoman who really goes the extra mile for her customers. In the past year, Treena’s efforts have tripled sales.

“I ask our customers, ‘have you been in here before?’ And if they haven’t, I tell them our history,” Treena says. “We really try to engage each and every person who walks through our door.”

Treena’s efforts have been noticed by WBAL TV, and they now feature the Exchange each month on a Sunday morning special. Click here to see their 130th Anniversary episode.

Treena Moore

She stays in touch with her customers by remembering their names and sending handwritten postcards after each visit. “We try to make everyone in here feel special,” Treena adds.

In addition to the shop, the Exchange houses Jack & Zack Food and The Woman’s Industrial Kitchen Restaurant – I’ve written about their delicious chicken salad lunch specials before, and they were recently designated as having the city’s best cake by Baltimore Magazine. (In case you’re curious, it’s Miss Willi’s yellow cake with chocolate icing – click here for the mouth-watering details.)

Important Business Resources for Artists

But what impresses me the most about The Exchange isn’t just their tasty food or colorful products; it’s the way they serve our community by teaching business skills to the artists they represent.

“Our goal is to help people succeed,” Treena says. “As consignors, we want to get their products out to as many different Exchanges as possible.”

Cheerful handmade potholders

And they do that by showing artists how to become entrepreneurs through small business classes on how to create UPC codes, or marketing 101, to name a few. “I call our artists when people buy their items,” Treena continues. She also lists their items on the Exchange’s website, and shows them how to use Facebook and Twitter to promote their art.

“When I realize that an item is hot, I’ll call our New York store and tell them, so they can sell it too,” Treena adds.

A Handmade Holiday

While you’re contemplating your holiday shopping lists, keep The Exchange in mind – they have extended store hours through December, and are open Tuesday-Friday from 11 am-6 pm, and Saturday-Monday from 11 am-4 pm.

In addition, Saturday, November 24 is Small Business Day from American Express. Stop by The Exchange, and you’ll receive an extra 10% off ALL red and green items for sale!

The Woman’s Industrial Exchange is located at 333 N. Charles Street and can be reached by phone at (410) 685-4388  or email: manager@womansindustrialexchange.org. Here’s to another 130 years right here on Charles Street, Woman’s Industrial Exchange! We’re very proud of you.

Small Business Saturday

As I mentioned, tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. And while I believe it’s a good idea to devote a Holiday shopping day to patronizing small businesses – American Express even gives cardholders rebates for doing so – I can’t help but think that EVERY DAY should be Small Business day.

After all, our merchants and restaurants are open the other 364 days of the year, too!

So when you’re thinking of shopping for that special gift, or even deciding what to have for dinner, make a point to leave the malls behind and come on down to Charles Street!

Fun Times at Our Member’s Networking Breakfast

The Corinthian Ballroom was completely filled with our friends and members!

I want to thank all 80+ early birds who came down to the Tremont Grand last week for our Networking Breakfast.

The spread couldn’t have been more delicious – our friends at the Tremont sure know how to host a beautiful party. And we heard fantastic details about the new developments at The Mechanic Center from Kirby Fowler, the President of Downtown Partnership, and plans to turn 301 North Charles into apartments by Steven Bloom of PMC Properties.

But don’t take my word for it – click here to see some of the photos on Facebook! We’re looking forward to doing this again.

Fun Things Happening The Rest of the Week

On Saturday, November 24, Beadazzled is hosting an Intro to Beading class from 11-1. You’ll create an 18″ necklace on cable wire and learn how to finish with crimps. These techniques will launch you confidently into the world of beading and design in just two hours. $30. Click here for details and registration information. Beadazzled is located at 501 N. Charles Street. http://www.beadazzled.net/

Benny Russell

Also on Saturday, at 8 pm and 9:30pm, come hear the Benny Russell Quartet at An Die Musik! Russell started clarinet lessons at age 7; by the time he was 15, he was sitting in with the Morgan State bands, As an undergraduate student at Morgan State, he started gigging for the Manhattans, the Four Tops, and Richard “Groove” Holmes in addition to several other artists who toured the area.

Besides arranging and performing for off-Broadway shows like Beehive, he’s worked with Otis Rush, Harry Belafonte, Mino Cinelu, Craig Harris, Jimmy Owens, Junior Cook, Mor Thium and a host of others. Russell can also be heard on The Cosby Show and A Different World.

In February, 2002, Russell presented his work Langston Hughes: The Soul of His Words to a large audience at the Museum of Natural History in New York. The three-movement piece written for 19 piece Jazz orchestra and three actors was received with a standing ovation and a citation from the Borough President Marty Markowitz of Brooklyn, New York. In June 2004, Russell was hired to chair the Jazz department at the Maryland Conservatory of Music. Already he has produced a successful Count Basie 100th Birthday Celebration that featured the legendary Frank Foster and Grammy award winners Antonio Hart and Mark Gross. Presently, he is signed to Arabesque Records. His second release entitled Miracles features James Spaulding, Cecil Bridgewater and many other luminaries. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased on the website or by calling 410-385-2638. An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street.

And on Sunday, November 25 at 11am, go ‘beyond the feasts’ with an hour of meditation and music at the First Unitarian Church! Finally, we can take a breath after a very full fall! Beyond electoral campaigns, beyond the celebrations of our volunteers and our history, beyond the rush to family feasts, let’s find a time… to breathe. This event is free and open to the public. See their website for more information. The First Unitarian Church is located at 12 W. Franklin Street.

Know someone who would like to receive our Charles Street Insiders? Send them this link: http://historiccharlesstreet.com/signup

And thank you for supporting our Charles Street community.

Trivia Time!

This, my friends, is Maryland’s highest waterfall:

Tell me where it is (obvious hint: it isn’t within city limits), and how tall it is. You too just might win a prize…

Until next week,

Laura Rodini
Executive Director, The Historic Charles Street Association

 

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

Come On Down!

In just a few short hours, Charles Street will be filled with the sights, the sounds (and the delicious smells) of our Final Friday at Penn Station: The Charles Street Fall Festival!

Our favorite local businesses are pulling out all the stops – just for you, from 3pm ’til 7 pm.

Hungry?

Cazbar and Homeslyce are joining forces to bring you the most delicious Mediterranean style pizzas this side of Italy. We’re talking pizza ‘boats’ – personal pan pizzas – made with a subtly sweet tomato sauce, spicy sausage, bacon and veggie toppings, on a piping hot, thin crust.

Lumbini will be serving succulent chicken tikka masala and bottled hot sauces from their brand-new Annapurna Grocery and Gift Shop!

“Right now you’d have to go to the West Side, or all the way down Route 40 to find these items,” owner Ryan Thapa says.

Oysters on the half shell – wow!

And if that isn’t enough, Mick O’Sheas is taking things up another notch – dialing up to ’11′ on your sensory palate, if you will – by whipping up Oysters on the Half Shell and Maryland Crab soup.

What can we say? We like you!

Artful Treasures will be displaying lovely ready-to-wear silver bracelets, faux snakeskin tote bags embossed with Silent Film stars, handmade picture frames and other crafty gems.

You can stock up on spicy pumpkin-scented flameless candles from Scentsy Candles or browse their dizzying array of body lotions and shower gels.

And be sure to hop aboard one of the coolest mobile shopping destinations in the city - Gogo’s Retread Threads. Owner Stacey and her delightful pooch, Lil Frida, were deemed as having the “Coolest Vintage” in Citypaper‘s Best of Baltimore Issue, doubtless leaving hundreds of brick and mortar Baltimore stores jealous!

Even The Bird Shops at Gogo’s!

Nickalaus Draws - a talented entrepreneur and MICA alum – will be making caricatures. And Marcus Dagan will have his Historically Delicious line of photographs for sale – you know, the ones you keep asking me about.

M&T Bank,Southern Management and Zipcar are all giving away great prizes.

Swan Consulting Permanent Cosmetics will be on hand to show you how to save at least 30 minutes of ‘prep time’ off each morning.

Do you live in Baltimore, or are you thinking about moving to Charm City? Our friends at the Greater Homewood Community Corp. will be bringing you some very affordable housing options.

And did I mention we’ll all be wearing costumes?

In addition, Flying Dog has generously supplied the beer: Underdog, Snake and Raging Bitch by the can or the glass (hey! we’re classy).

Good Guise

And from 4-7pm, you can sit back and enjoy the groovy mellow sounds from The Baltimore Folk Festival. Here’s the lineup:

At 4pm: Good Guise. Led by Adam Fisher, you’ll immediately be drawn to his loose yet masterful finger picking. Along with his playful songwriting, they really are a joy to watch & listen to.

At 5pm: House & Home. Formed in the harsh winter of 2009-2010, House & Home play indie rock with a touch of Folk/Ambient/Americana. Once being called; “one of the most passionate and infectious bands in Baltimore right now”, they love performing and try to make fellow music lovers feel right at home.

Mr. Moccasin

And at 6pm: Mr. Moccasin - Baltimore’s Mr. Moccasin is led by Hanna Badalova, born in Baku, Azerbaijan. A poet, she sings sometimes in English and sometimes in Russian as moods change in the music. With her band, they fly through a cloud of folk, indie and punk.

We want to thank our friends at the Folk Festival for donating their time tonight. You will also have to check them out in their full performances later at the Windup Space. If you purchase pre-sale tickets here:
http://baltimorefolkfest.brownpapertickets.com/, you’ll also receive a digital download compilation of some of the artists playing.

The last time we threw a block party, all of Baltimore, it seemed, showed up:

So come out down and enjoy this last day of (relative) sunshine before Frankenstorm hits!

Special, super thanks to our friends at Station North Arts and Entertainment District for co-producing our Festival.

This event is part of Free Fall Baltimore programming sponsored by The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts. We deeply appreciate the support of our donors and media sponsors who make Free Fall Baltimore possible. Special thanks goes to Susquehanna Bank, The Abell Foundation, Joseph & Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional support provided by American Trading and Production Corporation and the Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation.

Our media partners are The Baltimore Sun, The Urbanite, The Jewish Times, Style Magazine, City Paper, The Afro-American Newspaper, The Daily Record, Peabody Magazine, Maryland Public Television, WBAL, WJZ, Fox 45, CW Baltimore, WMAR, My 24, 92Q, Magic 95.9, Spirit 1400, WOLB, WEAA, WYPR, WWMX, and Citypeek.

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.

I’ve written to you before about the glorious restoration of the Peabody Institute’s buildings, but this week, let’s take a look inside the institution that dates back to 1857 and adds so much to our Baltimore musical heritage.

Did you know The Peabody Institute was the first academy of music in the United States?

George Peabody

It was founded by George Peabody, a London-based investment banker, whose career first blossomed in Baltimore. Deeply affected by the plight of the homeless and destitute in Dickensian London, he vowed to do something worthwhile with his incredible fortune.

Over the course of his lifetime, Peabody donated more than $8 million to create institutions in London, New England and Baltimore. His greatest achievement was the Peabody Education Fund, which was specifically set up to “encourage the intellectual, moral, and industrial education of the destitute children of the Southern States.”

Peabody is considered to be the country’s first philanthropist. In fact, Peabody had tremendous influence on other Baltimore figures – helping to inspire Johns Hopkins to establish his eponymous university and hospital, the Walters’ family to found their world-famous art museum, and Enoch Pratt to underwrite America’s first public library, all right here in Mount Vernon.

Today, the Peabody Conservatory – the degree-granting part of the Institute – is considered one of the world’s leading conservatories of music. Over 700 students are enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in performance, composition, and music education programs, to name just a few. The Peabody Preparatory, a division of the Institute, trains over 2,000 young people from ages 4-18 in every genre of music and dance.

A Life of Performance

Marilyn Horne with Margaret Finnegan (MM ’10, Voice)

The Peabody’s mission is to prepare students for professional music careers. Along with piano, its voice/opera program is the school’s largest. Students experience a positive learning environment, world-class instructors, and a performance-centered curriculum.

For example, students don’t simply receive technical training, language studies and musical history instruction: They must also pass a year-long, team-taught seminar that prepares them for the realities of a singing career.

Denyce Graves Courtesy WHYY

“Our work is really about the chase of perfection,” says Denyce Graves, a world-renowned mezzo soprano and new faculty member. “We’re taught to analyze every single solitary note that leaves the mouth.”

Graves reached international acclaim in 1995 as the lead role with the Metropolitan Opera’s Carmen. She was asked by President George W. Bush to sing at the National Cathedral after 9/11. She doesn’t just teach students flawless technique; she also helps show them how to perform through the pressures of everyday life.

“Denyce Graves grew up in Washington, D.C., and attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts,” said Richard Selden, director of marketing and communications, “She and her husband just moved to Baltimore, and she’s really giving back to the area.”

Last year, Peabody’s voice program began a new partnership with the new Lyric Opera Baltimore Company.

That’s right. Fans of opera will rejoice – where once the outlook for opera in Baltimore seemed grim, as the Baltimore Opera Company was forced to close its doors and then liquidate in 2009. Now, there’s a new opera company in the city.

And it’s teaming up with the Peabody to give its students the performance opportunity of a lifetime.

A Beautiful Newly Renovated Center for Opera in Baltimore

The New Lyric

The philanthropic spirit of Mr. Peabody is alive in Baltimore today.

Does the name ‘Modell’ ring any bells? Aside from owning the Cleveland Browns, moving them to Baltimore and then founding the Ravens football team, Art and Patricia Modell were celebrated philanthropists. They gave millions to charities and were big supporters of the arts, including a $13 million donation to renovate the aging Lyric Opera House in 2009.

Improvements included adding 20 feet of ceiling height, which better accommodates larger sets, cuts down on changing scene times, and adds to the venue’s bottom line.

The Lyric had used an outdated system of sandbag counterweights to raise and lower scenery – that’s gone, too. The venue was renamed the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric in light of this generous gift.

And a new opera company, called Lyric Opera Baltimore, was formed in 2009. They perform three operas a year and hired back 90% of the staff that was cut when the Baltimore Opera Company folded.

Lyric Opera Baltimore’s partnership with the Peabody gives their students the chance to be a part of their season. That means, every year, the Peabody’s opera department gets to put on one production – such as Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, in 2011, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni to be performed this November.

Peabody’s voice students, who are used to singing to crowds of up to 700 people at the Miriam A. Friedberg concert hall, are able to perform on a much bigger stage. The Modell Center can accommodate 2,500 people – that’s more than a theater on Broadway!

“It’s exciting for our students to be on that historic stage,” Selden said.

Next month’s performances of Don Giovanni, on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, November 18 at 3:00 pm, promise to be thrilling. It’s one of Mozart’s most famous operas. The opera students will sing in Italian, and English supertitles will be projected on a screen above them. Tickets are $25 and $35 and can be purchased by visiting lyricoperahouse.com or by calling 410-900-1150. Click here for more information. The Modell Center at the Lyric is located at 140 W Mount Royal Avenue.

A Special Opera Lollapalooza!

Seasoned cynic Don Alfonso (Benjamin Moore, center) chides Fiordiligi (Katherine Woodward, left) and Dorabella (Marisa del Campo, right) about their insistence on fidelity in Peabody’s production of Cosi fan tutte, Nov. 19-22, 2009. Photo: Edward S. Davis

And for those of us just whetting our appetite for opera, Peabody has a real treat.

On Tuesday, November 27 at 7:30 pm in the Miriam Friedberg Concert Hall, the opera department will host a “Peabody Opera Potpourri: An Operatic Lollapalooza.” This is an evening of free performances of opera scenes, sung by the Peabody’s young, and very appealing, singers. Scenes from Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Handel’s Orlando, Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict, Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, Puccini’s La Rondine and Tosca, and Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed.

“They have sensational voices,” Selden tells me. “And they’re having fun with their roles. You don’t have to dress up to attend – and best of all, it’s free!”

I’m definitely going. Visit the Peabody’s Box Office for tickets. The Friedberg Concert Hall is located at 17 E Mt Vernon Place. See their calendar for full details.

And for a list of all of the Peabody’s wonderful student performances, sign up to receive their weekly emails, right here: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/events/eventsemail.html

Calling All You Party People!

We just put the final touches on the poster for our Final Friday at Penn Station: The Charles Street Fall Festival event.

This is a keepsake piece you can print out and display on your office wall (several readers tell me they did this with our Let’s Eat Spring Festival poster).

Simply visit our website, and you can print it out on either 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 paper.

We are really getting excited to for our Halloween-themed festival. Why? For the first time EVER, the city of Baltimore is allowing the space in front of Penn Station to be used for a public event!

The Festival will be held around the Man/Woman statue on Friday, October 26.

Twenty fantastic vendors – including Mick O’Sheas, Station North Arts Café, Cazbar, Lumbini, Simmer Rock Farm, Scentsy Candles, and Gogo’s Retread Threads - will be selling everything from pumpkins to oysters to jewelry, hot coffee, vintage clothing, collectible photos of Baltimore, and more.

In addition, Flying Dog will be serving beer, and there will be live music sponsored by the Baltimore Folk Festival.

“It’s really important – especially in today’s uncertain economy – to foster community among the businesses and residents on Charles Street,” says Ben Stone, Executive Director of Station North Arts & Entertainment District. We’ve teamed up with Station North to bring you this event, and we couldn’t be happier.

So help us spread the word, check out our website for full details, and make sure you stop by next Friday afternoon from 3-7pm at Penn Station!

Reminder: Breakfast Deadline

Courtesy Wisegeek.com

Why do you tempt me? You ask. Because I want to be sure you know that the deadline to buy tickets for our November 14 Member’s Networking Breakfast is coming ’round the corner.

I will need your checks (or your Paypal orders) no later than November 1. Seats are filling up fast, so don’t want until the last minute to buy yours.

This year we are featuring three fantastic speakers who will discuss important new construction projects happening on Charles Street in the coming year. We’ll have a lovely breakfast provided by our friends at The Tremont Grand, and we’ll feature plenty of time for networking.

Just sign up here online, or send your $30 check to our office:

The Historic Charles Street Association
c/o Laura Rodini, Executive Director
312 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

And we’ll secure your spot!

Fun Things Happening the Rest of This Week

All this weekend, An Die Musik is celebrating “Lieder Weekend” as part of their Free Fall Baltimore programming!

This art song genre contains some of classical music’s greatest treasures, yet it is also in many ways the genre least understood.

This year, the theme is cabaret. There will be concerts throughout from Friday, October 19 – Sunday, October 21.

On Saturday, October 20 at 4pm there will be a keynote speaker, Prof. Peter Jelavich, author of “Berlin Cabaret” (Harvard University Press).

The significance of the Baltimore Lieder Weekend has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal and on New Yorker music critic Alex Ross’s blog, The Rest is Noise.  An Die Musik’s 2011 edition was a “Critic’s Pic” in Baltimore City Paper and received praiseworthy advance coverage from Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun.

See their special http://www.baltimoreliederweekend.com/ website for complete details.  An Die Musik is located at 409 N. Charles Street, Second Floor. Phone 410.385.2638. Website.

Also on Saturday, October 20, our friends at Beadazzled are donating 15% of that day’s sales to the Baltimore Humane Society!

October is ‘Adopt a Shelter Dog Month,’ and the kindhearted owners of Beadazzled want to help!

So be sure to stop by and get a head start on your holiday shopping. The Baltimore Humane Society is known as one of the city’s most effective animal protection organizations. Beadazzled is located at 501 N. Charles Street. Phone 410-837-2323. Website.

And be sure to check out Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s music series, happening every Wednesday throughout the Fall. “A Joyful Noise: Free Music. Free Food. Free Fun” will take place Wednesdays at noon thru December 19th.
Here is the schedule of performances through the end of the month:
October 24th – Bhakti Tree Kirtan performs sacred music in service of love
October 31st – Jared Denhard, classical music for ukelele

Emmanuel Episcopal Church is located at the corner of Cathedral and Read Streets. Their website is emmanueldowntown.org

Courtesy Halloweenclipart.com

And in other news, on Friday, October 26th our friends at the Friends of the Mount Vernon Conservancy are seeking Volunteers to help with their Halloween Spook-Tacular! Come help decorate the East Park for Halloween.

The upper portion of the park will be family friendly and the lower portion will be spooky and creepy for the big kids and grown-ups!

Simply email Cathy Rosenbaum about how you would like to help and what time slots are best for you!  Cathy.Rosenbaum@me.com

I love how Mount Vernon really gets into the holiday spirit!

For a complete listing of Charles Street’s events, be sure you’re following us on Facebook – we have a Friend Page and a Fan Page; we’re also on Twitter, and even on LinkedIn!

Trivia Time!

Lady Baltimore, the famous, and slightly smaller marble statue that stands one street away from our Washington Monument, is stepping down from her lofty perch.

Where is she headed, and to which Battle is her monument a tribute?   

Email me the correct answer,, and you, too could win a prize…

Until next week,

Laura Rodini
Executive Director, The Historic Charles Street Association

The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3),whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor. HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.