Learn how to research moron!

I read an article about Canton, a section of Baltimore, in the New York Times.  From the article, you would wonder if the writer, Matt Villano, even stepped foot in Charm City.  “Cold Yuengling”?!! Anyone worth their salt knows that Natty Boh is the beer of Baltimore. Maybe it’s not as fancy as Yuengling, but it’s actually trendy now. And for heaven’s sakes, there’s a huge neon sign of the Natty Boh guy right in Canton!!

His opening line, “THEY certainly don’t can anything anymore in Canton,” may seem like some clever attempt of the name. Yes, there is a building call the Can Company in Canton. But Canton was actually named after Canton in China, (this and a history of other area names from the Baltimore City Paper).

I’m sure there are some other issues in this, but I would most markedly point to the fact that these are some major flaws. Frickin’ New Yorkers.

Beantown Roundup: Sunset Grill and Tap and more

I promised an update. And now I deliver. It was a whirlwind week of working my tail off with the occasional stop to grab some sandwiches. So here are the quick details:

No Name Restaurant (Seaport/World Trade Center): At first you think this place is a find. In a stranded-seeming area of the Boston Seaport, you take a quick look at the relatively short menu and think it’s one of those perfect little hole-in-the-walls. Well apparently it has been there too long and is resting on its laurels. I got a fried seafood platter with scrod, oysters, scallops and shrimp. It was terrible. No flavors of the sea. Just fried crumbs. Not even salt. Depressing. Avoid this place.

Pressed (Seaport/World Trade Center): If you’re stuck in Seaport, go to Pressed, the panini shop nearby. It has a pretty decent Cuban, but avoid the sandwiches with prosciutto. They grill them so hot they end up cooking the prosciutto. Maybe ask them to put it on the side for after the press. Also get a bottle of Harpoon Brewery’s root beer, orange cream soda or cream soda.

Greetings from Beantown

Been in Boston for the last week or so. Will update and have much more to say. It is strange being in the land of 7-Eleven or Dunkin Donuts every few blocks. Lots of Harpoon and Allagash. Apparently Harpoon brews root beer and orange cream soda as well.

Another type of emotional eating

Associations with foods and eating. Sounds like synaesthesia to me. Nice article about Hugo Liu in LA Times

Instrumental Analysis First Anniversary Show

It’s 2:30 in the morning, but after going to this show I felt like I needed to get this down. First off, remember when I saw the kids from Le Loup at Andrew Bird. Interestingly enough, Jim told me that they’re going to be opening for Andrew Bird. Which… really… HOLY CRAP. I continue to be more and more amazed by their story. I remember Jim telling me that he had originally bought tickets to the Rosebuds/Bowerbirds show, and then he ended up having to sell his ticket since Le Loup was opening for them. Now, imagine that they’re opening for what I guess is at least a few of the band members’ idol, and definitely mine.

And all with good reason. Le Loup finished off the night, which was already well approaching a very unreasonable hour. Tons of folks stuck around because well… it was AMAZING. How is it possible for a band to get exponentially better?

I wrote about their gig at Unbuckled, which showed amazing improvement over their Black Cat show. Compared to what I would call a logistical nightmare at the Black Cat show, Unbuckled was much stronger. But tonight, I would say I think I get them.