Your turkey came out deliciously — juicy meat, crispy skin, perfect seasoning. Your pumpkin pie was neither burned nor watery. And your relatives didn’t argue once at the dinner table (okay, only a little).
Now, it’s time to relax — before diving into some holiday weekend events, at least — and what better way than with some cozy, uplifting, and humorous stories?
Take a breather with this collection of Baltimore Fishbowl articles and columns you may have missed:
“Big Fish: Jonathon Heyward, Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra”: Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie chief conductor Jonathon Heyward was named the next music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in July 2022, and he officially took the reins at the end of summer 2023. Reporter Aliza Worthington spoke with Heyward about his appreciation of Austro-Bohemian composer Gustav Mahler, his love for seafood and Old Bay spice, and the Converse Conductor origin story in this Big Fish interview.
“Cooking with kindness: New York Times names Baltimore’s Little Donna’s one of the 50 best U.S. restaurants”: In September, the New York Times released their 2023 list of the nation’s 50 best restaurants. Among the honorees was Upper Fells Point restaurant Little Donna’s, named after chef-owner Robbie Tutlewski’s 4 1⁄2 foot tall grandmother Donna. Managing editor Marcus Dieterle spoke with Tutlewski about how he found out his restaurant had made the list, some of Little Donna’s menu inspirations, and the “why” behind their work.
“Please, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”: Okay, this one isn’t exactly “cozy” by conventional definition. But columnist Jalynn Harris manages to find the humor in a less-than-great rental situation. From noisy neighbors to a property manager allegedly embezzling rent money, Harris describes the scenes that led her to move out of her Baltimore apartment.
“New children’s book is the cat’s meow: ‘The Great Cat Roundup’ combines felines and the Chesapeake Bay”: If you love cats and the Chesapeake Bay, this children’s book might just be for you. Baltimore author and illustrator team Amy Pelsinsky and Lisa Pupa tell reporter Aliza Worthington about their story in which island residents believe their Chesapeake Bay community has too many cats — before having a change of heart.
“Talking Shoes, Leave Me Be!”: After a friend loans a pair of beautiful, blue, heeled sandals to columnist Marion Winik, the writer is dismayed to report that the shoes were mauled by a little dog named Violet. Winik repents for leaving the shoes within canine reach.
“There is no escaping what ails us, and what nurtures us.”: This week, executive editor David Nitkin reminded us that Baltimore is not alone in its challenges. During a cross-country drive this fall, David and his wife Karen explored 16 states and dozens of cities and towns. Through it all, David compared each place to Baltimore, and found that our city shares the same problems as many others, as well as promising paths to a better future.
“Spanish sausage in Greektown: a fall tradition”: Columnist Rafael Alvarez shares a fall family tradition: making chorizo at his Greektown rowhouse. Meanwhile, friends gather to play bluesy music and enjoy the homemade Spanish sausage.
“‘One for the books’: Black queer Baltimoreans share love of ballroom at Enoch Pratt Central Library”: Category is: renaissance. Black queer community members from Baltimore and beyond celebrated ballroom culture (think shows like “Pose” and “Legendary”) at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Branch this summer. The event capped off Pride Month, as well as photographer SHAN Wallace’s time as the library’s artist-in-residence. Managing editor Marcus Dieterle and freelance photographer Carl Schmidt attended the ball to capture some of the exciting scenes and stories from participants of the first-ever Renaissance Ball.
“John Waters greets cavalcade of fans at Atomic Books, will receive an honorary degree from the University of Baltimore next week”: Fans of John Waters were able to meet the Baltimore filmmaker earlier this year at a signing for his debut novel “Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.” They came with mementos in tow, some traditional, like DVDs, Blue-rays, photos, posters, and clothing; and some a little less conventional, like a pair of owner-described “stripper shoes,” an egg carton, an Odorama card, and more. Read stories from Waters and his fans in this article by freelance writer Ed Gunts.
“Net gains: Pickleball sport scores new players among Baltimore residents, young people”: Pickleball popularity has been ballooning in Baltimore and across the nation, with the fastest-growing age group in the 18-24 year range. Reporter Aliza Worthington explores why the sport is in vogue, and what it means for Baltimore.
“Nature Sacred publishes ‘BenchTalk,’ a book of journal entries written at Sacred Places in Baltimore and across the country”: We first wrote about the nonprofit Nature Sacred in 2021, when they helped Northeast Baltimore’s BLISS Meadows created a Sacred Place for Frankford community members to enjoy nature. Before that project and since, Nature Sacred has collaborated with communities across the country to develop nature spaces. And now, they have released a book of journal entries written at those sacred places. Nature Sacred CEO Alden Stoner tells Managing editor Marcus Dieterle about the process of selecting the entries that appear in “BenchTalk,” and the signficance they hold for writers and readers alike.
