 A few weeks ago I nabbed an amazing deal from Restaurant.com via The Today Show. $500 worth of dining certificates for only $30! Wow! We made our maiden voyage to Alexander's Tavern in the historic waterfront area of Baltimore called Fell's Point. Tom checked the tavern's score on UrbanSpoon and it was rated 93% so we figured it was a pretty good bet.
Add Comment  I have a confession. Up until about 6 months ago I had never stepped foot into a barber shop. For years I had brought my two sons to my salon (which is terrific by the way) only to be subjected to pinched cheeks and ladies gossip about J lo's derriere -- you get the point. Now that Thomas is taller than me I thought it time to switch to a more manly environment. Lucky for us Brian Bunce Barbers is in our very own Perry Hall, hon! (Located next to Outback Steakhouse)  Brian's shop is a mixture of modern amenities with plenty of barbershop nostalgia. Inside you'll be welcomed by warm wooden architecture and a shiny tin ceiling. A flat screen TV tuned to a sports station (what else, right?) hangs on the wall above 100 year-old opera chairs. Eamon loves the candy machine. Being a bad mom, I failed to warn him the  red candies were spicy! Truthfully I was just distracted... Bunce welcomes walk-ins, but I recommend making an appointment. Last Halloween I brought my boys and my mom (who is a combination of Martha Stewart and Shirley McLean) in on an extremely busy Saturday. Talk about culture shock! I don't think my Mom had ever been around  so many crew cuts and testosterone in her life and first-come-first-serve was so foreign to her, poor thing. Luckily I'd made an appointment, so Brian took us quickly. He and all his staff were dressed as the oldest barber in the shop with wrinkly face make up and gray wigs. Pretty funny. Next to Brian was a large, creepy sound-activated spider hanging on a web. Every time I went over to talk to him a kid would scream or a cupboard would slam and the insect would drop on me. Of course my family thought it was hilarious!  Brian's always so kind to my kids, tuning the private TV to their favorite stations and patiently helping my little one into his chair. He skillfully cuts their hair exactly how they like it. Thomas, not the most conservative kid, looks so handsome with a cut that's edgy enough for him, but not too Justin Bieberish. Believe me, I'd know if he wasn't happy....  The shop caters to men and women and all kinds of cuts and shaves. A hot lather neck shave is included with every man's haircut. I don't have a beard, but that sounds nice! Legs maybe? :-) Men can get a Straight Razor Shave (head or face) and of course any one can choose the Super Close Clipper.  The prices are so affordable. Seniors and kids get a discount and "Babies First Hair Cut" is absolutely free. The first time we went, Eamon sat in the vintage 50’s era fire-truck for his hair cut - how cool! If your kids have been good, treat them to one of the free lolli-pops (which I'm embarased to say my kids help them selves to  the moment we walk in....). I need to mention, the barber shop is cash only, so come prepared, or in a pinch use the ATM in the waiting area. My boys truly love this place. If they're happy so am I... 3 thumbs up Brian! Brian Bunce Barbers 8911 Belair Rd Perry Hall, MD 21236 410-248-0370 Properties for Sale in the Perry Hall Area  MLS# BC7666060 5050 Strawbridge Terrace, Perry Hall Only $1,450 month* 3 Beds / 2.5 Baths / 3+ Parking $700 less month than rent Saves you $8,400 year $4,520 to get in - not that bad Settle in March, no payments til May * At fixed 4% CDA Financing & 4.65 APR *Assumes $76K - $122K inc and deds Listed by Home Selling Assistance  MLS# BC7693524 11513 Lipscomb Way, White Marsh Only $1,800/month* 4 Beds / 2.5 Baths / Garage + Driveway $700 less/month than rent Saves you $8,400/year $8,800 to get in - not that bad Settle in March, no payments til May * At fixed 4% CDA Financing & 4.65 APR *Assumes $100K - $122K inc and deds Listed by ReMax American Dream  While slogging away at our computers the other day, Tom asked me out of the blue if I wanted to go with him to the BMA for a couple of hours. Sure, I love art and even better, there's no entrance fee! Even the main exhibit, Print by Print: Series from Dürer to Lichtenstein, is free! For those who've never been to this local gem in Charles Village right next to Johns Hopkins University
 Recently while working in Owings Mills, my famished husband, Tom, happened to find the Hummus Corner with the help of what else but his handy dandy App, UrbanSpoon. This little gem in is rated a whopping 95%! Whilst in Hummus heaven, he was texting me, raving about his meal and the lovely Lebanese couple who own the place -- Johnny and Carla Mattar. Carla is amazingly personable and somehow
 Hampden's 34th Street at Christmas time is a stunning masterpiece. Now in it's 64th year, this is the penultimate example of Baltimore kitch and we LOVE it!!! Every single house on the block is lit up to the hilt, lights are strung across the road from house to house and plenty of amazements pay homage to our beloved Baltimore.  A purple Raven's tree (new this year), metallic crabs, Mr. Natty Boh and of course the tree made from old vinyl albums with a pink flamingo on top! I'm sure John Waters loves this street--maybe he secretly lives in one of the houses. One talented resident is artist Jim Pollock, known for the hubcap Christmas tree displayed prominently on his lawn, along with his white snowmen made of bicycle wheels. Gosh, I'd die for one or two of these on my suburban lawn.
 November is such a cold dreary month. Last Thursday seemed extra dreary. Tom and I were out working and decided to grab an afternoon coffee in Charles Village. We contemplated Starbucks for a nano second and decided "nah". Urbanspoon to the rescue! The snappy app suggested Carma's Cafe on 32nd between Charles and St. Paul a couple of blocks from Johns Hopkin's University, tucked along  the side of the large stucco apartment building that also houses Video Americain. I had previously noticed customers sitting outside in the summertime, but this day only a charismatic elderly gentleman, enjoying his afternoon coffee and cigarette (ever so French looking!), was brave enough. Carma's is very tiny, cozy and has a real Parisian vibe. I find it awkward to enter a....
 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
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... |  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!   ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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