The simple pleasure of a cold Natty Boh is undeniable.  However, it is important to mix things up every now and again for the sake of keeping an open mind and exposing yourself to new things.  In a pinch, you could grab something that looks exciting at The Wine Source, or maybe try something seasonal from Brewer’s.  But how is one supposed to truly learn about good beer versus bad beer, quality craft versus generic, watery, low-calorie beer-like substances?  You need both exposure, and someone to lead you down the path to Beer Enlightenment.
Read More →

If you asked me to name the most blatantly lawless group on the roadways in Waverly and Station North, I’d say it was the scooter and four-wheeler riding, wheeling popping “go-gangs,” speeding through red lights in groups sometimes forty riders deep.

But apparently, in the restaurant-ridden neighborhoods of Fells Point and Little Italy the vehicular scourge is valet parking. While some valet services are well-insured and rent offstreet parking lots, others in the neighborhoods forego insurance and park on the street (some even setting up rogue orange cones) to lower overhead. And in the process, they’ve made enemies out of the resident-motorists who, you know, actually live there.

The city council is considering legislation to regulate valet services, requiring them, for example, to park off street, carry insurance. Their drivers would also have eligibility requirements (like having a valid driver’s license).

The bill will likely pass. Only one city council member is not a full-on co-sponsor of the bill, and even she says she’s “favorably inclined” toward it.

I invite our Fells Point and Little Italy readers (and whomever else, I guess) to weigh in. Is on-street valet parking a thorn in your side?