Chazz Palminteri's new Italian Restaurant in Harbor East

Last night I met some old coworkers of mine from Johns Hopkins out at the new restaurant in Harbor East, Chazz.  It was a soft opening so not all food was available, in fact I can't even find a web site for it yet, but here's an article from the Baltimore Sun.

I was a bit surprised to find out that valet parking was $9 without tip, but it was convenient on a Friday night rush hour with bumper to bumper cars on Aliceanna.  When I walked in, I loved the ambiance. Being Italian myself, I felt right at home. A really cool little place with a cheese and italian meats bar similar to what you see at Cinghiale.

We were told to show up early if we wanted a table for 10 and we did. We were seated and our waitress was very nice. We were brought delectable italian bread, warm and delicious although some were disappointed there was no olive oil or butter, I thought it was fine and didn't need any of that.

It was a bit pricey (my red wine was $12/glass) but here an entire pizza was about the same price....maybe they need to work on the pricing a bit. The only negative I had was the salad. A friend and I split the grilled caesar and asked for no anchovies and dressing on the side.

The salad came with the dressing on the side but huge anchovies on the top. My friends said it started to slip off the plate and the waiter used his bare hand to touch our lettuce and cheese and flick it back on the plate. They took the salad back and brought back what seemed to be the same salad with the anchovies flicked off. You could taste their very strong flavor. The salad was slimy and I just couldn't eat it.

OK now for the pizza. I'm a pizza enthusiast and could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. I thought the crust was delicious and I enjoyed it very much. Some at my table thought it could have used more sauce and cheese. They were probably right. But still very yummy.

Other friends said the fluke was so-so, the shrimp parm delicious, and the panini very good (pics below).

I would go back to this place for a date night, a work dinner, or a quiet night out with friends, but not with the kids I don't think....Bagby pizza and Bop are just blocks away and more kid-friendly. This place was playing mafia movies that Chazz was in during our dinner - probably not the best for having little kiddos there.

I would definitely go back for an adult night out, however, and give it a try once they have had their official grand opening and give them a few more weeks to perfect their service and food. I had the pleasure of eating with some fellow Baltimore Bloggers - check out their blog too! Baltimore is Awesome.

Oh, I almost forgot the desserts. The desserts were a big hit. These tiny doughnuts were amazing. I didn't eat the ice cream because it was coffee flavored and I'm not a fan, but everyone at the table who tasted it said it was delicious!

Fort McHenry.... Baltimore, Maryland

I am very passionate about Fort McHenry....the STAR SPANGLED BANNER is my favorite song of all time, and for those who know me, I love music deeply - love so many types that it is hard to pick a favorite, but with this song, there is no close second. I love the USA, I love Baltimore, Maryland and I love our flag and the story behind the writing of our National Anthem.

There is a brand new visitors' center. The old one, while dated and a bit cheesy, still left me emotional and in tears when I used to visit it. This one doesn't fail to disappoint either.  I won't give the ending away for those of you who haven't been, but needless to say if you have any bit of American in you at all, it's hard NOT to get emotional.

You can bring a picnic lunch and bikes and your dog  - and enjoy the entire day there. There are plenty of trees for shade and the view of the inner harbor is stunning.

I usually arrive by boat, my kids enjoy this and it's a great way to pull up to the Fort by taking the water taxi. The water taxi is $10 for an adult and $5 for a child's all day pass - so it would have cost us $30 just for this round trip ride across the water - whether you use the pass all day or not it is the same price.
We waited in line for the water taxi this past Sunday night - the night before Memorial Day - and Sarah Palin's surprise visit to the Fort.....and were told that the water taxi's stopped running to the Fort at 4 pm....

So plan B, we got in the car and drove. Parking is easy and free. We went on a superb weather day on Memorial Day weekend (such patriots, I know) and parking was plenty.

We only had about an hour to visit since the water taxi incident cut an hour into our time. So we didn't get to see as much of the new visitor's center as I would have liked. But, we did get to see my favorite part, the end of the information video they show. It's a must see people!

On a side note, while on the sea dog boat ride the day prior, they showed us the buoy which is the spot where it is believed that Francis Scott Key wrote our National Anthem....pretty cool - and a lot further away than I had previously thought.

The boys love seeing the old canons, gunpowder, bunkers and sleeping quarters. You could really spend an entire day here if you wanted to - or just an hour. Either way it is well worth the small cost.
People come from all over the country and world to see this site - here it is right in our backyard and we don't visit it enough! Shame on you if you are a Baltimorean and have not been! Go this weekend!
When I studied abroad in Australia and visited Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, I had locals tell me that while they lived a boat ride away from the GBR, they had never seen the reef. I was stunned! But I think we do this kind of thing all the time. Same with our national treasures in DC - people come from all over the world to see the White House and Smithsonian Museums, etc, and we barely ever go see it even though it is less than an hour away. Speaking of the Smithsonian, you can see the Star Spangled Banner there - click here for more information.

As I mentioned, the Star Spangled banner is my favorite song. I get chills every time I hear it, and YES I scream out the Baltimore O when the time is right, and always will. And NO I don't think it is disrespectful. One of my all time favorite versions is Whitney singing the Star Spangled Banner - listen here. Carrie Underwood's version isn't too shabby either. OK and I just found this Kelly Clarkson version that's amazing!  I dare you to watch these and not get PUMPED up or excited in the least. We live in an amazing country, and it isn't until you've left it or lived elsewhere, or fought for it, I think, that you truly 100% appreciate how amazing it is. Speaking of, a special thank you to ALL who have ever served our country. I admire you all!

On this particular visit, we got there during the changing of the Flag. Since my boyfriend has been in the Navy for 23 years, they let him raise the flag. Click here to see:
Very cool! The boys got to help take down the flag and learned to respect it, and NEVER let it touch the ground. They were very serious about it and held their hand over their little hearts during the raising.

On this link here you can see the building of the new center....a pretty big deal if you had seen the old one...

Fees

Entrance Fees

The entrance fee to the historic area of the park is $7.00 for adults 16 years of age and older; children 15 and younger are free.  This fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.  You must keep your entrance receipt to re-enter the park in the 7-day time period.

Annual or Lifetime Passes are alternatives to the above fees.  All passes can be purchased or obtained at the Visitor Center Information Desk.

We chose to buy an annual pass knowing that I would be sure to return within a year to take my college roomie who had wanted to go. It is just $30 - what a bargain! You can spend $60 bucks on a 3D movie for a family of four!

So worth it....

The Incline - Pittsburgh, PA

We visited the incline on the third Sunday in May of 2011.
It was an overcast day, so my photos of the city weren't as clear as I would have liked....but here you can actually see Heinz Field in the background behind my boys on our trip down to the bottom.

There is a lot of history here about transporting coal and the original purpose of the incline. You could spend hours reading all of this, well, unless you are ages 6 and 8. The boys just wanted to get right to it.

I think they thought it would be fast, or a thrill ride, so they weren't overly excited, but it was a great view of the city and a fun way to see the town from a different point of view. While we are from Baltimore and RAVENS fans, their Daddy went to PITT and was a STEELERS fan, so I like to show them the neat things about Pittsburgh too when we are there visiting his family.

The lady at the bottom was a bit of a nazi and nasty with the boys, but the lady at the top made up for it by being very sweet and going out of her way to hand them a flyer they could take in to school to show their class where they had been.

If you are in town, it is a must do.....very neat way to see the city and get a glimpse of the past all in just a few minutes.

We loaded up at the top - you pay at the bottom, but you need exact change. Hours are:

Monday through Saturday:

5:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.

Sundays and Holidays:

7:00 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.

FARES:

Adults (Ages 12-64) $2.25 Each Way or $4.50 Round Trip

Children (Ages 6-11) $1.10 Each Way or $2.20 Round Trip

Children 5 and Under Free

Seniors 65 and Older Free

Poplar Springs Inn and Spa/ Bed and Breakfast - Casanova Virginia

My boyfriend and I were given a gift for two nights mid-week for watching my best friend's twin two year old boys for 3 nights while she and her hubby caught a break in Mexico.

We are so glad she gave us this gift and had the chance to use it in May, 2011.

It is a quick road trip from DC, Baltimore and parts of Virginia. I think we made it there in less than 2 hours, of course NOT during DC rush hour....We went on a Monday and left on a Wednesday.

Since it was midweek, we practically had the place to ourselves.

There is a pool and hot tub for all to enjoy. We also had strawberries and champagne sent to our room which was a nice touch. While there, we utilized the spa at Poplar Springs, and had one of the best massages of my lifetime! I'd highly recommend this spa.

They had little nice touches, like bikes you could use, tennis court and rackets/balls, and the best part of all, a bottomless cookie jar!

While there, we decided to go into the little town of Warrenton, Virginia. The main street was very quaint and takes you back a few decades. We chose to eat at the Iron Bridge Wine Company where we enjoyed an amazing meal, and even more amazing wine. We even picked up a few bottles of the mystery wine of the day that we sampled, an italian table red wine.

This place was just very peaceful and tranquil. We loved having the host knock on our door and bring breakfast literally to our bed each day, with fresh fruit, muffins, oatmeal, a bagel, and hot tea.

It truly is a respite from downtown DC or Baltimore, and I'd recommend it to anyone who needs a little de-stressing and break from a busy life!

                                       Breakfast in Bed

                                       Our room was on the right.

                                       The smallest post office I've ever seen.

                                           Front Entrance

                                          The Spa

                                       Bottomless cookie jar