Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.
(Because who cares about the Super Bowl.)
EAT
Jan. 26-30: Maketto x Shoo-Fly Takeover
Shoo-Fly Diner, 510 E. Belvedere Ave. 5-10 p.m. 410-464-9222. shooflymd.com
You’ve probably seen it all over your Instagram feed: Chef Erik Bruner-Yang of D.C.’s infamous
Toki Underground has taken over Spike Gjerde’s Shoo-Fly this week for an Asian-infused pop-up. At the Belvedere Square digs, he’s been testing out the new menu for his hotly anticipated follow-up, a restaurant/market on H Street called Maketto. The lines have been long, like they are for everything Bruner-Yang does, but the wait is well worth it, with perfect cold-weather reprieves like bao buns, oyster pancakes, wok-fried fish, and curry noodles. Friday is the last night, so brave the cold and get it while it’s hot.
DRINK
Jan. 31: Rye Rocks at the Walters
The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 7-10 p.m. $75. 410-547-9000. thewalters.org
If you’ve ever had a perfectly poured Manhattan or just-right old-fashioned, you know that crafting a good cocktail is really a work of art. The Walters Art Museum gets that, so this weekend, they’re combining the two and throwing an epic boozy bash. In celebration of the museum’s new exhibit, “From Rye to Raphael,” as well as the all-American spirit, rye whiskey, you can wander the halls and admire the art with your favorite drink in hand. Sample straight-up sips, signature drinks, and get a history lesson from
Esquire magazine’s resident cocktail historian David Wondrich. Don roaring ’20s garb, listen to live jazz, and bridle the booze with a bounty of local eats. Whiskeys will hail from Maryland’s Leopold Bros. and Lyon Distilling Company, plus Virginia’s Catoctin Creek and Copper Fox distilleries—to name a few—but all we know is: they better have Pikesville.
SEE
Jan. 31: Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company
The Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings Mills. 8 p.m. $25-29. 410-356-7469. jcc.org
Amy Poehler. Aziz Ansari. Ellie Kempler. Donald Glover. Sadly, they won’t be in town on Saturday night, but on the bright side, their progeny will. The Upright Citizens Brigade has bred some of the country’s very best comedians, and this weekend, their best from NYC and LA will be presenting an evening of improv and standup. Plus, our very own Baltimore Improv Group will be opening the show, and tickets include one complimentary beer by the other UCB, Union Craft Brewing.
HEAR
Jan. 30: Sun Club
The Crown, 1901 N. Charles St. 9 p.m. $5. 410-625-4848. facebook.com
It’s hard to define Sun Club’s sound. They’re a little punk, a little indie-pop, a little alt-rock-and-roll. Their fast beats and sunny vocals can remind you of Vampire Weekend or the early Kooks. Their anthemic choruses can feel like Arcade Fire. Regardless of their peg, their music is energetic, colorful, and ambitious, with strong vocals and killer guitar. They were hailed by Paste magazine as one of Maryland’s top 10 bands to listen to and on the heels of their latest EP, they’ll be performing in Station North with other local artists, like Sherman Whips, Flag Day, and Malakoi.
DO
Jan. 31: Orioles FanFest
Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $6-12. mlb.com
71 days—that’s all we have left till Opening Day, baby. Just 10 weeks. A little over two months. A mere blink of an eye. For some of us, though, it’s an eternity, but luckily this weekend, you can get all the O’s action you’ve been missing this winter at the team’s annual FanFest. Get an autograph by J.J. Hardy. Take a selfie with Chris Davis. Shoot the breeze with Manny Machado. Let Adam Jones throw a pie in your face. Try and hug big man Buck. There will be plenty of players on deck, gear to buy, and
activities to get ready for our best season yet.