Brian Lawrence Live
July 2011
Even though it’s the middle of the summer, the heat is like a pall and the town seems half-deserted at times, there’s still plenty going on. Here’s a brief re-cap of some of things I’ve been up to, between trips to the beach and the mountains.
• Mari Luna Bistro- This is the latest outpost in the burgeoning Mari Luna chain (their restaurants in Pikesville and Owings Mills are hugely popular). I had a wonderful meal here with a few folks including Todd Yuhanick, Molly White, Matt Slater and Style society blogger Anne Boone-Simanski. Tip: definitely try the house-made guacamole— they do it six different ways! You can’t go wrong with any of them.
• Craberet- Had a really enjoyable evening in the sculpture gardens of the BMA and a great time at the table with Stiles Colwill, Amy Newhall, Pam Malester, Edie Brown and bunch more. Always a great party, and a deserving benefit for the House of Ruth.
• Artscape Kickoff Party- Held on the roof of the symphony parking deck, it’s a great view of the sprawling festival and the evening’s opening fireworks. A fun crowd, too, including the mayor, City Paper‘s Jenn Marsh, the Walters’ Amy Mannarino, CenterStage’s Charisse Nichols, BOPA’s Jim Lucio, Jon Kaplan, IKEA’s Bill Meiswinkel, Dot Fuchs, Sandy Hillman, Bruce Alderman of Chapin Davis, city health commissioner Oxiris Barbot, the Hippodrome’s Terry Romanoli, and Style pets blogger Lisa Shenkle.
• Lebanese Taverna- Great new Sunday brunch offerings here. “The buffet that comes to you” is what they’re calling it, available from 11:30-3pm for $14.95 per person. It’s a continuous offering of their most-loved dishes served table-side with a la carte selections available as well. Everyone who knows me knows that they have my all-time favorite hummus here.
• The Rowhouse- Had a wonderful meal here with a group that included food blogger Dara Bunjon and Cindy & Kerry Plackmeyer. We were welcomed by owner Pat Dahlgren and guided through the meal by the one and only Scooter Holt. Kudos to chef Tess Mosley— truly exceptional food here.
• Vito’s Cafe- Had a fun dinner here with a few foodie pals, and we were fed well by chef Luca Pesci, who treated us to an 8-course Italian extravaganza. Everything from a simple salad to a burrata cheese course to soft-shell crabs to escargot to pasta to quail— all done perfectly. We brought our own wine and had a nice, long evening.
• Copper Kitchen- Stopped by the cocktail reception in the penthouse at Silo Point to see Jenn DeVos and chef Kevin Miller and wish them well on their new catering endeavor. Check out their new storefront on South Charles Street in Federal Hill. Party folks included Celeste Corsaro, CBS Radio’s Ed Norris and Cupcake’s Lisa Schatz.
Who says nothing goes on in Baltimore during the summer?
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