Baltimore has a long brewing tradition and Camden Yards makes a small nod to that by offering "Old Line Microbrew" kiosks offering better beer throughout the ballpark. There are two kiosks of this type on the main concourse and I spotted one way up in the concourse for the cheap seats; they are all basically the same. They offer local brews in the form of Heavy Seas Classic Lager, Falmouth Copper Ale, Flying Dog Old Scratch IPA and the imported Heineken. At some of these kiosks the selection is expanded to include Guinness, Smithwick's and Harp lager.
The prices are steep, $7.50 for a 16oz pour but considering the park is charging $7.25 for 16oz of Bud Light, it's a relative value. There is also a Blue Moon kiosk on the main concourse behind the home plate area, same price and a better option than Miller Lite.
In the luxury box section there are taps for Stella Artois and Samuel Adams Boston Lager at the various bars.
There are a lot of great beers brewed in Baltimore and Maryland in general and it would be great to see more of them represented at the park but there are some quality brews to choose from.
Now, if you are looking for a great beer experience before (or after) the game, just a block from the stadium is the Pratt Street Alehouse, specializing in English-style ales including three varieties on cask. The prices are good, the beer is great and its proximity to the ballpark make it a must stop if you are a lover of fine ale.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The New Way Earmark and Amateur Hour
The Sestak earmark business that involved Media's own Drew Devitt just took an interesting turn. I was working on a column about it all day.
Sestak spokesman Jonathan Dworkin told me this morning that Devitt had "misrepresented" himself in the appropriation request process which led the congressman to agree to put in Devitt's wind-turbine research idea for funding. It was the same thing Sestak other staffers have been saying since the controversy broke in the Allentown Morning Call.
Devitt applied for the a $1 million research and development grant through the Thomas Paine Foundation, which he founded to promote the writings and ideas of the author of Common Sense and The Age of Reason. Only non-profits are eligible for earmark funding. But Devitt planned to have his for profit company, New Way Energy, get most of the money and do the work. The foundation was nothing more than a pass-through vehicle to skirt the funding rule.
Devitt told me he didn't misrepresent himself or mislead anyone. In his application he didn't specifically mention his connection to New Way Energy but said it would do all the work.
Sestak's people have acted like they didn't know Devitt had any connection to New Way but late yesterday Sestak himself admitted that he wrote a letter introducing Devitt to the Department of Energy as the president of New Way Energy.
I talked to Sestak this afternoon and he said he didn't put "two and two" together after the request went in. But it's hard to believe that none of Sestak's people knew about about Devitt's connection to New Way. If they didn't, it's awfully sloppy staff work.
Sestak took the blame saying it was "my error." But really, it's a staff error. And I bet someone or someones are catching hell for it.
UPDATE: My print column about this is up
Sestak spokesman Jonathan Dworkin told me this morning that Devitt had "misrepresented" himself in the appropriation request process which led the congressman to agree to put in Devitt's wind-turbine research idea for funding. It was the same thing Sestak other staffers have been saying since the controversy broke in the Allentown Morning Call.
Devitt applied for the a $1 million research and development grant through the Thomas Paine Foundation, which he founded to promote the writings and ideas of the author of Common Sense and The Age of Reason. Only non-profits are eligible for earmark funding. But Devitt planned to have his for profit company, New Way Energy, get most of the money and do the work. The foundation was nothing more than a pass-through vehicle to skirt the funding rule.
Devitt told me he didn't misrepresent himself or mislead anyone. In his application he didn't specifically mention his connection to New Way Energy but said it would do all the work.
Sestak's people have acted like they didn't know Devitt had any connection to New Way but late yesterday Sestak himself admitted that he wrote a letter introducing Devitt to the Department of Energy as the president of New Way Energy.
I talked to Sestak this afternoon and he said he didn't put "two and two" together after the request went in. But it's hard to believe that none of Sestak's people knew about about Devitt's connection to New Way. If they didn't, it's awfully sloppy staff work.
Sestak took the blame saying it was "my error." But really, it's a staff error. And I bet someone or someones are catching hell for it.
UPDATE: My print column about this is up
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Lela Loves NYC couture wedding dress designer, Samuelle Couture
Lela Loves Samuelle Couture!
From hand dyed silk tulles to gorgeous cascading silk chiffons each design is simply divine.
The design is a collaboration of designer and bride.
Working closely with each individual, a creative collaboration begins between the designer and the bride. Together ideas are developed, and designs are created; a selection of beautiful fabrics and trimmings are hand picked and patterns are individually crafted so to ensure a perfect fit on all levels.
A unique experience for the contemporary bride.
From hand dyed silk tulles to gorgeous cascading silk chiffons each design is simply divine.
The design is a collaboration of designer and bride.
Working closely with each individual, a creative collaboration begins between the designer and the bride. Together ideas are developed, and designs are created; a selection of beautiful fabrics and trimmings are hand picked and patterns are individually crafted so to ensure a perfect fit on all levels.
A unique experience for the contemporary bride.
Mission Accomplished
Charles Hurt on the President's "Mission Accomplished" speech.
He undermined the very campaign that ushered him into the White House and gave
Democrats their huge majorities in Congress.
It was as if, in keeping his promise to end the war in Iraq, Obama had become a convert to it.
He heralded the very success he had predicted could never be attained.
He lauded the defeat of an evil regime "that had terrorized its people" -- a despot he once considered an irrelevant distraction from what he called the "real war" that needed to be won in Afghanistan.
And, speaking to soldiers at Fort Bliss earlier yesterday, he said that because of this fight, "America is more secure."
Obama even talked about the importance of Iraq as a "friend" and a "partner" in the Middle East.
Literally, the address could have been delivered word-for-word by former President George W. Bush, whose steadfastness in Iraq earned him the blind hatred of so many liberals.
Joe's Getting His Earmarks Boxed
Joe Sestak has an earmark problem. It seems the congressman put in for a $350,000 grant for the non-profit Thomas Paine Foundation to study wind-farm technology. The problem is the Thomas Paine Foundation is virtually defunct and has been for 6 years.
So who would get the $350,000. A local guy named Drew Devitt who runs a for-profit company in Aston called New Way Energy applied for the earmark. (That's Drew over there.) The company is all about developing off-shore wind technology. Devitt is the sole officer of the Thomas Paine Foundation, which seems now to only exist as a conduit for asking for taxpayer money from the government.
Not good. Sestak's people are suggesting they were misled by Devitt, Devitt claims otherwise. But at the very least, Sestak's office is left looking incompetent at best. The whole thing reeks of subterfuge and manipulation.
So eager did Sestak want to look like he was supportive of cutting edge green technology and a local "non-profit" supposedly engaged in it, that he didn't do any due diligence when it came to checking out who was requesting the money.
Democrats recently enacted a moratorium on earmarks going to for-profit businesses, as if all non-profits are somehow socially and ethically superior to for-profit companies.
Sestak has been both sanctimonious and hypocritical when it comes to earmarks. He has denounced them and then given them out to supposedly worthy recipients. He has said he wouldn't take campaign money from earmark recipients and then accepted it. His earmark recipients know when they are welcome to donate to his campaign and when they are not. He has set up rules, time frames and windows when he will take their money and when they are supposed to hold off. The Daily News' John Baer is not impressed with Sestak's earmark stance and actions.
This is worse that Job-gate because it makes Sestak look not only like a politician who doesn't worry about shading or hiding the truth, it also makes him and his office look incompetent and hypocritical.
UPDATE: Also suspect and ignorant is Sestak's not checking out the Thomas Paine Foundation and it's connection to the militantly atheistic Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia.
The FSGP was founded in 1993 by a woman named Margaret Downey and is still a going concern. Back then Margaret was comparing the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America to Nazis for not allowing her to be a adult volunteer. She claimed it was because she and her 12 year-old-son were atheists and so were being discriminated against for their religious views. The Boy Scouts however denied the charge and won in court when Ms. Downey sued them. She did however, get the desired publicity for her "cause" and launched herself a career as an oppressed atheist. Most of the "mainstream" media ate it up. Me, not so much.
So who would get the $350,000. A local guy named Drew Devitt who runs a for-profit company in Aston called New Way Energy applied for the earmark. (That's Drew over there.) The company is all about developing off-shore wind technology. Devitt is the sole officer of the Thomas Paine Foundation, which seems now to only exist as a conduit for asking for taxpayer money from the government.
Not good. Sestak's people are suggesting they were misled by Devitt, Devitt claims otherwise. But at the very least, Sestak's office is left looking incompetent at best. The whole thing reeks of subterfuge and manipulation.
So eager did Sestak want to look like he was supportive of cutting edge green technology and a local "non-profit" supposedly engaged in it, that he didn't do any due diligence when it came to checking out who was requesting the money.
Democrats recently enacted a moratorium on earmarks going to for-profit businesses, as if all non-profits are somehow socially and ethically superior to for-profit companies.
Sestak has been both sanctimonious and hypocritical when it comes to earmarks. He has denounced them and then given them out to supposedly worthy recipients. He has said he wouldn't take campaign money from earmark recipients and then accepted it. His earmark recipients know when they are welcome to donate to his campaign and when they are not. He has set up rules, time frames and windows when he will take their money and when they are supposed to hold off. The Daily News' John Baer is not impressed with Sestak's earmark stance and actions.
This is worse that Job-gate because it makes Sestak look not only like a politician who doesn't worry about shading or hiding the truth, it also makes him and his office look incompetent and hypocritical.
UPDATE: Also suspect and ignorant is Sestak's not checking out the Thomas Paine Foundation and it's connection to the militantly atheistic Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia.
The FSGP was founded in 1993 by a woman named Margaret Downey and is still a going concern. Back then Margaret was comparing the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America to Nazis for not allowing her to be a adult volunteer. She claimed it was because she and her 12 year-old-son were atheists and so were being discriminated against for their religious views. The Boy Scouts however denied the charge and won in court when Ms. Downey sued them. She did however, get the desired publicity for her "cause" and launched herself a career as an oppressed atheist. Most of the "mainstream" media ate it up. Me, not so much.
The "Duck" Is Out at Haven
Girls' lacrosse coach extraordinaire Jen Duckenfield is out at Strath Haven High. Was she the victim of a small claque of disgruntled "helicopter" parents and over-protected kids or simply too tough a coach for suburban school sensibilities? My print column is up.
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