This weekend I dropped by one of Federal Hill's newest cocktail bars, The Wurst, which offers a speakeasy-like experience hidden inside a German beer hall. (You enter the bar through a faux walk-in cooler door on the second floor). I ordered the gimlet, a gin-and-lime cocktail topped with a thick, fluffy layer of egg white foam that made the drink taste like a rich slice of key lime pie.
We also visited PALM Baltimore, a relatively new spot on Cross Street that took the place of the former Social Pub. PALM, which stands for Pretty Awesome Live Music, had a great band playing, a friendly bartender and a really good catfish po boy.
Although I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, last week I spoke to one of the co-owners of Goucher's newest spot,
Church Bar
. The cocktail bar has a list of 10 curated drinks, including a large-format martini, served tableside for 4-5 people. Church will also serve small plates from a rotating menu crafted as part of an experimental chef residency program. The goal is to allow culinary professionals a chance to flex their creative muscles, learn new techniques and develop professional and entrepreneurial skills. Click the link above to read more.
Photo credit: Shandi-Chester
Here's what else you need to know to start your week.
- Several new laws took effect in Maryland on Oct. 1, including one that requires drivers to move over a lane or slow down when they pass any disabled or stopped vehicles on the side of the road. Other changes include the legal age a person can get married, which is now 17 instead of 15, a new child interrogation protection act and a law that requires stores that sell guns to have certain security measures. WYPR
- If you're one of the half a million Marylanders who requested to be sent their ballot by mail, keep an eye out for it to arrive soon. If you haven't yet requested a mail-in ballot, you can do so until Nov. 1. Baltimore Banner
- An on-campus protest is expected at
Towson University
today in response to an event organized by a conservative activist group at the school that will host Maryland's Republican Lt. Gov. nominee, Gordana Schifanelli, and Attorney General nominee and former League of the South member, Michael Peroutka. The protest is being planned by Towson's chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America. The Towerlight
- The Harford Road Bridge has allegedly reopened after four years of construction and a more than 30% increase in costs. The new bridge includes dedicated bike lanes, ample lighting, ADA-compliant sidewalks, new traffic signals and a new walkway under it. Baltimore Brew
- In other local transit news, Baltimore County is considering funding a study that would look at how to connect the Jones Falls Trail in the city with the Northern Central Railroad Trail in Baltimore County, ultimately creating a protected hiking and biking route from the Inner Harbor to about 50 miles into Pennsylvania. Baltimore Sun
- Maryland's Hooper Island Lighthouse in Dorchester County has sold after a bidding war for $192,000. WMAR2
- I feel like we keep seeing the same story with the
Baltimore Ravens
this season. They start the game strong, gather a decent lead, and then blow it in the second half. The same story was told again yesterday as Baltimore lost 23-20 to the
Buffalo Bills
at a rainy M&T Bank Stadium. WBAL-TV
- In other not-so-great local sports news, the
Baltimore Orioles
are no longer in the running for a postseason wild-card spot. However, it's not all bad news for the team that seems to have broken its streak of five straight losing seasons. WBAL
