Pictures are more descriptive than words.

My friend Christine and I went to this place in a seedy part of SoWeBo which used to belong to a gas company that became part of BG&E. In that era, the gas houses were in competition with one another and were designed to instill confidence and imply luxury in the way that banks of that time did. This building sat unused for six years, falling into disrepair, until these fine folks bought it and filled it with magical things. A 19th century 20-foot-high circus banner, an electric perm machine, a wheel of fortune, CPR dummies, an old Austin replica/toy car, film on reels still containing the "Coming soon" 1970's technicolor intro to the trailers, anatomical charts and models, lead type, signage, tons of stained glass, and my favorite, the bright blue completely refurbished 1915 Oriole gas stove & oven unit, ready to be hooked up to gas lines! Old stoves are one of my favorite dreamy things to think of, when I think about having a house one day. Just a beautiful old enameled thing with chrome instead of brushed stainless and speed lines instead of corners, these are the things I dream of. Enjoy! The woman who owns Housewerks even gave she and I a lift back to the light rail (to avoid the drunks & meth addicts who frequent the area, she said.) Did I mention they had a real live fire going when we came in, too? Few greater are the olfactory joys to me. Oh, and that big silver thing? It's a "parlor stove," no idea what that is though.

Oh, Baltimore, cops. Haven't you something better to do?

Eric Vs. Officer Riveri of Baltimore Downtown (read: Inner Harbor) police. Eric Bush and his friends (14-year-olds and thereabouts) get chewed out for skating at the inner harbor (which has, by the way, the best ever smooth pavement and concrete for biking and skating and probably even 'boarding on), and the officer is a big jerk-face and assaults the kid. Then he steals his skateboard. I'm not sayin' the kids was in the right, but I am gonna say that guy has got some serious anger management issues. He also doesn't like conceptual art: here's a video shot of Salvatore last summer getting angry at an art student with an RC car (original source is ABC) Oh, I'm sorry, did you want the link to the February 12th article in the laugh of a paper that is the Baltimore Sun? I'm not the quickest on the wires with this one, but no doubt it will make expat Baltimoreans teary-eyed for their fair biggest little city. For those who don't know Bodymore, Murdaland, I just have to say that for as many awesome people there are in the city it doesn't take a whole lot to make a poor impression. That goes for the cops AND the robbers.