two meals in Baltimore

So here's the truth:  for the first few days in Baltimore, my dining was decidedly meh or worse.  Sorry.  Conferences don't always afford opportunities to dine well.  Often it's finger foods or what is convenient or group dinners where you have to dine according to the lowest common denominator.  I am a snob, I know.

But I did have a couple of noteworthy meals to blog about.  So let's enjoy them together.

Sunday night found me, with Ed and Andrew,

heading away from the librarians to Woodberry Kitchen. 

My gosh, it's been ages.  A place I've liked every time I've gone.  James Beard Award for the chef as well.  It boded well for a nice dinner.  The place has changed, for sure.  The pandemic saw it downsizing, turning its larger dining room into an event space and turning the bar into the tavern, a smaller dining space.  But it was cozy on a cold night.  And the menu, while perhaps simpler (I can't recall, but it seemed that way), had a lot of great choices.  I ordered a negroni (and then a glass of wine with dinner), and we shared the chef's board. 

Loved the lightly pickled carrots, and the smoked trout rillettes was a delight with the seed crackers.  A good choice to share.  For my meal, the oyster pie (and a side of turnips that were delicious). 

And that was it.  That's what came out on the plate.  It was all that was needed.  Really perfect - a beautiful crust, a terrific filling.  Ed had the mushroom version and liked it.  After all that, Andrew and I shared dessert, and quick negotiations led to a baked Alaska that was flambeed at the table. 

Honestly?  Visually the star of the evening, and it gave the oyster pie a run for the money.  Woodberry may have a menu of simply items, but according to what we had, they were executing those flawlessly.  So happy I made it back there.

And speaking of happy to make it back:  Charleston.  What started out as a dinner for me, Sara, and her husband Peter eventually grew to encompass most of the board, and from three we grew to eleven.  But that's the thing about Charleston.  I love the food, but from the first time I went there to now, the service has always impressed.  I arrived before everyone else, and I talked with the maitre d' (also named Peter) about the arrangements for the evening.  They had things in hand, and I left it to them, and they delivered.  Before the others arrived, I wandered into the bar,

chatted with the bartender, and ordered a Last Word.  Eventually all of us were there, and we had a fine meal.  Artichoke soup for me to start with,

then octopus (ah, that bean puree underneath),

then the duck (give me more of those onions!),

then a passion fruit creme brulee. 

I sat in the middle of the big group and had conversation all about the table.  I hope everyone else enjoyed it, but no matter.  I knew how the restaurant accommodated us on short notice, and they did a marvelous job of it.

I will give an honorable mention to lunch on the Sunday with a couple of colleagues.  The restaurant felt like a bit of a tourist place in the Baltimore inner harbour, but I loved that they had a version of loco moco on the menu. 

Spam!  It's good.  The sauce eventually overwhelmed the dish, but it was tasty enough, and for that I was grateful.

yeah yeah

Back at it.  Ish.  This week's swim.  And a piss-poor effort it was.  Sorry, but true.

But at least this guy came with me!  CUTE!

Ah, may I be back in the pool even more this spring....

a bit of Baltimore

So far as I can recall, when last I was in Baltimore, it was for a conference in 2017.  I'd been at least a handful of times before (and clicking on the tag should bring up those entries), but it's been a while.  My recollections of the city are dim now, alas.  Worse still, the weather wasn't really conducive to exploring on foot.

But I did see a tiny glimpse of the city.  So let me present a few views here from around the area of the hotel, convention center, and inner harbor.  Friends, here is Baltimore as I got to see it this past week or so:

In truth, there is so much more to this historic city.  I don't know when I'll go back - another conference, perhaps.  One day.

fabulosity

In days ahead I will finish reporting on my time in Baltimore.  Yesterday was travel, unpacking, and then a relaxing evening with Van and Olive and Joey, the new Bachelor.  Much needed.

So, until those posts are posted, let me leave you with Evon Dior Michelle and the dose of fabulosity she provided opening the final session at the conference. 

Enjoy!

scene from a pizza party

I have a big suite here at conference.  I'm grateful for it.  The association books a large block of rooms, and typically there are suites that the hotels include for the association officers.  I am fortunate that I am one.  And so I have a suite.  And it deserves use.

I call it a pizza party, but it was an opportunity to bring some EB colleagues together along with a few other members attending the conference to have an informal space to talk.  And wow, was there a lot to talk about.  No, not just association stuff or the conference, but our profession in general.  I recall a particularly robust conversation on one side of the room about AI in libraries, for example.  I'm glad that I got to use the space to harbour such discussion.

But we did have pizza.  Eventually.  Ordering mix up, I take much of the blame.

But most importantly, we had Ernie.  Sara and Peter's dog.  A cutie, and a mini-celebrity.  We certainly didn't mind folks giving him some affection while they talked.

Saturday at conference begins

Isn't that lovely?  If only I hadn't been lying awake for at least a couple of hours before that.  Oh, and a Starbucks run, which was welcome.

Ah well.  A new day at conference.  Bring it on!

it snowed here

Here being Baltimore.  I knew it was coming, and it did.  Not lots of it, but enough to cause difficulties for travelers into the area as well as forcing the conference to shut down an offsite activity that I was supposed to do this morning.  Ah well.  That gave me ample opportunity to catch up with friends, which was very welcome.

I was awake just before 7, which was unkind given my late night from being on Pacific Time.  Ah well.  I could tell that there had been snow, and snow was still falling. 

This continued on late into the morning and early afternoon. 

By now, though, it's stopped, and I can see the city south of me a little more clearly.  I don't think we're due for more snow on this trip, which is good since I want to avoid clomping around in boots if I can.

Wait, hold on, is that a glimpse of blue sky?

back in the air

Boxing Day.  23 days ago.  That was the last time I was on a plane, the last time I was at LAX. 

It won't be as big a year for travel this year, and although I think that is a good thing, part of me really enjoys a busy schedule of travel, I cannot lie.

It's conference time for me this weekend.  I was in the United Club this morning well in time for a bite to eat before my flight.  Once boarded,

we were on our way on time.  Phew!  Time passed, I listened to music and watched some Letterkenny, and Bob's your uncle:  Chicago.

Bloody cold out there, right?

I miss Chicago.

I'm in the United Club in the C concourse at ORD right now.  Boarding in about 35 minutes.  Baltimore by bedtime.  A long day.

And yet, yes, I have missed this, I admit.

road trip to Death Valley, day three

The last part of the road trip saga.  The day we came home, but not without seeing a little more of the park, first.

Late morning, and we checked out

of our delightful hotel. 

It really was a terrific property.  Come on, look at it. 

Glorious.  And that's just part of it.  Did I mention the golf carts?  But even pretty much across the street from the hotel, there were some cool rock formations. 

The park had so much to offer.

We stopped to get a little bite and some coffee (and why oh why did none of the coffee vendors seem to have decaf?  Come on!) and then headed south to Badwater Basin.

The Basin.  The lowest point below sea level in North America. 

See the little sign up there? 

That was sea level.  It was a cloudy Monday, and the crowds were less than we had seen elsewhere the day before.  Equally happily, the clouds meant less glare on the salt flats we all walked out on.

I gather that it is rare to see water in the basin as we did.  A very shallow lake stretched out, reflecting the landscape above it. 

It was so very cool that we got to see that.  We didn't see salt formations like the park guides suggested, but perhaps we didn't wander to the right areas.  It was really something, though to be atop all that salt. 

And at that low point.

We got photos of ourselves,

we got photos of the surrounding area. 

We got in the car, and headed south to eventually exit the park.  The drive was a little desolate in a very wonderful way - it's nice when it feels like you have the whole road and even the valley to yourself.  Ultimately, we made it onto the 15, and, in darkness, onto the 210.  A slog getting home, but we made it in time for me and Conrad to go out for pizza.

That wraps up Death Valley.  I look forward to another national park some time.  And now, to bed.  I have to fly to Baltimore tomorrow....