 Who could pass up an invite to go witness the filming of the show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri and even get a chance to meet him and be on TV? My fun and talented neighbor Marc (he's also an artist/musician) is part owner and operator of the popular Boulevard Diner in Dundalk. It's a super cool retro diner built on the location of Marc's grandfathers' original restaurant, The House of Neptune (sounds like it could be on Sponge Bob, Square Pants). It's the most upscale diner I have ever been in with shiny stainless steel everywhere, upholstered booth seats, and a large
1 Comment An Evening at the Ram's Head Tavern with Drunken Runners, Matthew Sweet and his "Girlfriend" 11/04/2011
 Photo by Faithdesired Last week Tom and I were treated to free tickets to see Matthew Sweet ("Girlfriend", "Evengeline") at the Ram's Head Tavern in Annapolis. My Dad's former band manager, Joe Stella, was managing Sweet's "20th Anniversary Girlfriend" tour in addition to working on the Bangles tour (remember "Manic
 A Surreal Trip to Dietzen & Sons Believe it or not, my Dad, Chris Dreja, in addition to being a world-class photographer, is a founding member of the British rock band The Yardbirds. "The Yardbirds, perhaps more than any other group, brought guitar pyrotechnics to rock & roll in the 1960s. By introducing Clapton, Beck and Page to the world, and giving them plenty of space to create, the band set the template not only for Cream, the Jeff Beck Group and Led Zeppelin, but for virtually every rock group featuring distortion, feedback and in-your-face electric-guitar virtuosity."  Recently, he was on tour in the U.S. and performed at The Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis. He had a couple of days off so we commandeered him and brought him up to Baltimore. He still lives in London and so the only time we really see each other is when he comes over to perform and this was the first time he would see our new house. He knows I like to
 I can't tell you how many times I've visited Annapolis and must have walked right past this gem of an eatery. My British father, a rock musician, performed at the Rams Head Tavern and then had a couple of days off. We picked him up and decided to go to a local "Mom & Pop's" for lunch. Tom did a quick search on Urbanspoon and promptly brought us to Chick & Ruth's Delly -- as seen on The Travel Channel's Man vs. Food.
Inside everything is orange! It's a long thin restaurant with the kitchen and counters running along the left and tiny booths along the right with a few tables next to the front window. Feeling a little out of place, we tried to park ourselves in...  I love walking into The Vu skate shop on Harford Road in Parkville.-- just up the street from the Holiday House, memorialized by John Waters' 2004 film "A Dirty Shame". I look so obviously out of place with my aviator sunglasses and highlighted blonde hair (sans dreadlocks and tattoos), but a friendly smile works wonders. Plus the owner, professional skater Gary Smith, is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and oh so...
 Instead of our usual afternoon cup of Joe at home (Kirkland's Guatemalan), Tom (my personal Barrista) and I decided to venture out. I was content going to the local you know where (St%*#@%*s), but Tom said he wanted to bring me somewhere special. He took me to the fairly new Hamilton Bakery and special it was! I imagined a typical Baltimore bakery but was pleasantly surprised to discover it was more like a........
 I’m embarrassed to admit, after living in Baltimore for 22 years, I never stepped foot inside Patterson Park. Even though I lived in Federal Hill and worked on Gay Street (yes, just around the corner from the infamous “Block”) and had experience fending off drunks and panhandlers on my way home each evening, I was afraid to enter the large park. I had always wanted to visit the fascinating Victorian era Pagoda that looms from the top of Hampstead Hill, so a couple of weeks ago, overcoming this irrational fear, my husband, two sons (13 and 4) and I ventured on a quest through the 137 acre urban retreat. We entered.....
 Photo: Baltimoreeats.com If a restaurant can accommodate any combination of patrons, and make it enjoyable no matter what, then it's a keeper. Tom and I have been to Johnny Rad's Pizzeria and tavern in Canton (voted City Paper's "Best New Bar 2010") 3 times (twice with our offspring) and enjoyed ourselves each time (even with our offspring). Tom read a review on urbanspoon.com which raved about the pizzas and skateboarding influenced decor. On our virgin visit Tom and I sat at the bar to eat lunch while gazing at the resident Yoda, R2-D2 and.......
A Mom's Review of Charm City Skatepark 07/15/2011
 If you're looking for a modern indoor skate park with pristine bathrooms, a cushy waiting lounge and a fancy snack bar...go somewhere else! But If your kid's a serious skater with a strong bladder and not afraid of a bit of grime definitely visit the authentic Charm City Skatepark (located in Canton a few blocks away from the famed Natty Boh Sign). Don't let me scare you away though as this place has a unique charm to it and is pretty exciting. Here's how it works....
 Tom and I finally got a chance to try out the "squeaky green" Canton Car Wash just off I-95 at the corner of Ponca and O'Donnell. It's a premium full-serve, eco-friendly car wash. Truthfully I was more impressed with the funky green decor and the swank coffee bar! Here's how it works....
|  Jackie McTear
Hi! I'm Jackie, AKA "Hon Fun". Tom and I love to enjoy Baltimore to it's fullest and would like to share with you some of our adventures dining and visiting cool places in our quirky yet beloved town!    ArchivesMay 2012 CategoriesAll |
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