Just Announced Commentary - 2011 Edition

[K8teebug]

atomicfront never believes me.  much better conversation than his distance ramblings.  and to say that any restaurant in baltimore is better than sushi taro or cityzen (alone . . . those two restaurants alone, good lord) is crazy talk.  sorry.  and the hirshhorn.  the hirshhorn (alone again, because you have to) is better than the entire city and county of baltimore.  except for "fever."  only traxx could rival fever, and rival did it ever.

I have been to the Hirshorn a ton of times.  It is a great museum but so is the American Visionary Arts Museum.  If you are just using Art museums you could say Madrid is better than DC?    If you are looking to see Matisse you want to go to the BMA.   And the one cuisine I don't like is Sushi.  Though I did like the Icelandic/Shushi fusion restaurant I went to in Reyjkavik. I guess  you have never been to Black Olive?  So you are just talking out your azz.

DC does have the one up on Baltimore when it comes to art museums.  Sorry, but no Ai Wei Wei and Maya Lin exhibits are coming to Baltimore...

I've been to the Black Olive and found it underwhelming.

Never heard of either of those artists.  Baltimore has more real artists. 

If you don't know who Ai Wei Wei is, you're not paying attention to contemporary art.

[i am gay and i like cats]

i have been to black olive but only once, and i have been to about only three other restaurants in baltimore but they were all in the fells points area ithink, like pierpointe and ze meany something or other and pazo (which was the first restaurant in baltimore i went to after meeting my partner) . . . and this weird corner dive looking sushi/korean place in a horrible looking part of town that had a killer buffet on sundays.  so yes, i dont know much about that scene to really say "all restaurants."  that roys hawaiian crazy place looks interesting.  but to me, just me . . . the history i have had with the hirshhorn, and what i have seen there, even back to being a kid; yep, the best.

[i am gay and i like cats]

i did not know who wei wei was . . . until i did.  then i saw art in a different way.  that is how "it" happens.

[K8teebug]

Yeah, you really can't beat the Hirshorn.  I have seen so many amazing exhibits there.

The BMA had a huge Monet exhibit in the 90's.  That's the last big exhibit I remember them having.  I just went there a few weeks ago, having just been to the Hirschorn the week before and it just doesn't compare.

It also doesn't help that 1/2 of the BMA is closed right now.

The Visionary Art Museum can be entertaining, but it just doesn't have the total wow factor...

[K8teebug]

As for comparing restaurant scenes, I don't do that.  There are places I love in Baltimore (Koco's, Hamilton Tavern, Chingale, Squires) and places I love in DC (Rice, that Mussel bar that everyone loves, Blue Duck Tavern)...and that's that. 

[K8teebug]

For sushi, you can't beat Sushi Sono in Columbia.  I'm lucky that's down the street from my house.

[i am gay and i like cats]

yes, blue duck tavern is so nice.  best restaurant in that part of town!  but sorry, save up some money and try sushi taro once.  or find some rich guy paying on the companys dime.  so worth it.  and like wei wei, you will look at sushi differently once you experience.  yes . . . that good.

[atomicfront]

Yeah, you really can't beat the Hirshorn.  I have seen so many amazing exhibits there.

The BMA had a huge Monet exhibit in the 90's.  That's the last big exhibit I remember them having.  I just went there a few weeks ago, having just been to the Hirschorn the week before and it just doesn't compare.

It also doesn't help that 1/2 of the BMA is closed right now.

The Visionary Art Museum can be entertaining, but it just doesn't have the total wow factor...

I like the Visionary Arts Museum better than Hirshorn.  I think it is more interesting.  I don't care for Monet.  I think Monet is art for people who don't like Art.  They had a  big exhibit when they lent out a bunch of their Matisse's.  It had Starry Night and a bunch of other extremely famous paintings.  But that wasn't too long after the Monet exhibit.  They lent out a bunch of Matisse's to get the Monet stuff as well.  BMA has the cone collection and that is what is memorable about it.  And that is mostly made up of Matisse. If you like Matisse it is a musuem you have to go to. If you don't you probably don't need to visit.

Last art museum I went to was The Reina Sofia which has plenty of wow factor.  But that was after seeing the  Prado and Thyssen (Which had a big special exhibit that included a ton of Van Goghs) and seeing all the Greeco's in Toledo in the two previous days.  I think I am all art museumed out.  But I guess I will see the Munch museum when I am in Oslo in September.   My wife went to MICA so I guess I have to see more art than I would like.

[atomicfront]

As for comparing restaurant scenes, I don't do that.  There are places I love in Baltimore (Koco's, Hamilton Tavern, Chingale, Squires) and places I love in DC (Rice, that Mussel bar that everyone loves, Blue Duck Tavern)...and that's that. 

Chingale's is good but I think Sotto Sopra is much better.  Hamilton Tavern isn't that just a burger joint.  I got smashed their on a first date once, off their Brewers Art beers.  Woodberry Kitchen is the highest rated Baltimore restaurant but I think they are just Ok.  Food is too Salty and it is too noisy and tables too close together if you are on the first floor.

[i am gay and i like cats]

Courtney Love
Fillmore
June 22


 

I guess since her last show at the 930 club went over so well she has moved on to bigger venues.  Either that or she has been banned from the club.

what if she learned her lesson . . . and destroys at this show.  what does that mean?  can you tell today is a day off?

[atomicfront]

Other great Baltimore restaurants:  Afghan:  Helmand, Indian: Ambassador Dining Room.  Brewers Art has great food and beer.  If you want to eat echniladas with hipsters and good beer: Golden West Cafe.  If you want to go to a diner: Paper Moon Diner can't be beat.  Tapas are good at Tapas Teatro.  I am sure DC has great restaurants as well but other than the Ethiopian Restaurant in Georgetown and the Indian Restaurant next to the white house I haven't experienced them.  Most places I end up choosing end up being disappointing.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

atomicfront never believes me.  much better conversation than his distance ramblings.  and to say that any restaurant in baltimore is better than sushi taro or cityzen (alone . . . those two restaurants alone, good lord) is crazy talk.  sorry.  and the hirshhorn.  the hirshhorn (alone again, because you have to) is better than the entire city and county of baltimore.  except for "fever."  only traxx could rival fever, and rival did it ever.

I have been to the Hirshorn a ton of times.  It is a great museum but so is the American Visionary Arts Museum.  If you are just using Art museums you could say Madrid is better than DC?    If you are looking to see Matisse you want to go to the BMA.   And the one cuisine I don't like is Sushi.  Though I did like the Icelandic/Shushi fusion restaurant I went to in Reyjkavik. I guess  you have never been to Black Olive?  So you are just talking out your azz.

I'm honestly a little underwhelmed when I go to Hirshhorn for their shows. I always go, but it's just missing something. I think they could use their spaces better. Or something. I can never pinpoint it. Ai Wei Wei was awesome though.

[K8teebug]

I saw Chuck Close there in 99 and it blew me away.  They also had a show about 9 years ago of new acquisitions that was just astounding.

[atomicfront]

The BMA does support local art.  They have baker award winners and b grant winners display their works at the BMA.  Does the Hirshorn show local artists work? 

[sweetcell]

the BMA is a municipal gallery.  their scope is the city, they're supposed to highlight local artists.

the hischorn is a national gallery.  their mission isn't to promote DC area artists.  their scope is global.

so, apples and oranges.