Everyone I've spoken to about it HATES this early daylight savings time!

I thought I was the only one who hated daylight savings time. Glad to hear I have company.

Oh, do I win the Excessive Blogging award? I'm writing this from the train station.

I see nothing excessive in this. EL

This early DST is horrible. I do all my best work in the dark.

This may also be part of the Daylight Savings Time issue you are facing - http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/daylight.asp. An interesting point that you brought up in the Abacrombie review is that the restaurant is located off the beaten path. I remember back in the day when I'd go to Spike & Charlie's and had the place to myself. Is Robert Oliver still open? We stopped there during Artscape. I think this could be another 10 list, like places that have good food but we don't go to them because of their location. There are also places that we're willing to drive a distance to reach, but may have less appealing food.

I want to say thank you for this review. I've been away from the Mt. Vernon area on a daily basis for some time but used to love treating myself to lunch a Abacrombie. Although I'm sadden to see only one vegetarian option on the menu. Thanks EL! I will add it to the list of "must go back".

As for chiming in about Daylight savings... I LOVE it! More light = very good thing in my book!

Oh and trying a new user name for the fun of it.

Visited Abacrombie back in January and found it quite pleasant and tasty. The Duck two ways was quite good, as were the shrimp and the steak I had.

When we arrived, the dining room was full and it must have been just before curtain at the Meyerhoff because within twenty minutes, the place was deserted. Considering it was a Friday night, it was pretty unnerving to be in an, essentially, empty restaurant.

It's a good thing we had a reservation when we did because had I not seen the packed dining room twenty minutes prior, I would have thought they were going down the tubes.

I tried the URL link I sent, but it does not work from the blog. Following is the article: Daylight Exacerbates Warning
You may have noticed that March of this year was particularly hot. As a matter of fact, I understand that it was the hottest March since the beginning of the last century. All of the trees were fully leafed out and legions of bugs and snakes were crawling around during a time in Arkansas when, on a normal year, we might see a snowflake or two. This should come as no surprise to any reasonable person. As you know, Daylight Saving Time started almost a month early this year. You would think that members of Congress would have considered the warming effect that an extra hour of daylight would have on our climate. Or did they ? Perhaps this is another plot by a liberal Congress to make us believe that global warming is a real threat. Perhaps next time there should be serious studies performed before Congress passes laws with such far-reaching effects.
CONNIE M. MESKIMEN / Hot Springs This link should work. http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/187608
Sorry. Could the URL be changed?

It's really hard to use the computer on a moving train.

You're doing a great job of it though. Keep it up. EL

Dave - the problem with the original url was that it picked up your sentence-ending period as part of the address. I removed it and got to the site with no trouble.

I hate losing an hour. And I know that I should feel better in the Fall when we get it back, but the change back is almost as difficult. My best sleep happens between 4:00 and 5:30 am. Now I'm getting up at what still feels like 4:30 and I miss that last 1 1/2 of deep sleep.

My great grandfather invented the toast rack. It was originally called a toast trolley.

So now DST affects global warming?! That's ridiculous. The amount of daylight remains the same, it's the time of day when it's actually light that changes...I'm far from a global warming denier, but that article/theoy is baseless.

Silly me. What I should have said in my original entry was that this is an opportunity for us to talk about Daylight Savings Time and global warming. EL

I think it was a great review, I'm almost certain you've review Abacrombie before when it was Sonny's place, maybe when you do a review for place the 2nd or 3rd time around you could include previous reviews to see the roller coaster effect. You know to see if the place is improving or adapting to trends and times

Darkest Africa?

In Darkest Africa (1890), Henry Morton Stanley's account of his 1887-89 expedition. EL

As for chiming in about Daylight savings... I LOVE it! More light = very good thing in my book!

It's not more light, just light at a different time. I'd rather have the light in the morning rather than the evening. Which is kind of ironic since I'm really a night person, but I'm stuck in a morning person's world and prefer to have the light then.

P.S. It's a lot easier typing from a hotel room than a train. The hotel room doesn't vibrate as much.

With the exception of the theater biz, this is a bad location, though only by just a few blocks (like many places in town).

Virtually no walking traffic, especially at night.

Parking is iffy - and if you can find a space, you might come back to a broken car window and missing GPS at any time of the day.

And crime in Mt. Vernon, especially a few blocks off the beaten path, is relatively bad and random at night.

Add a pricey menu, and it should be no surprise it's hard to do well in the heart of darkness after showtime.

Sort of the same problem Maggie Moore's seemed to have had.

p.s. We hate DST too!

Love your user name, though. I wonder if you're a regular using a nom de plume for your nom de plume. EL

If you leave your GPS in your car in nearly any location, you will find it missing. It's a crime of opportunity.

This is not meant as a suck-up, really. I once read a comment by a music critic saying that part of the purpose of a concert review was to make you really sorry you missed the concert. Restaurant reviews should do much the same (the advantage is that the soloist may not return to town for a couple years whilst the restaurant should be there for a while, anyway.)

All that said, the Abacrombie review makes me really want to go there and eat. I grant all the problems with the location, but the food sounds worth the effort to get there.

TJH raises an interesting point: Can you use the term "darkest Africa" in charm city without it being inherently (though in this instance clearly unintentionally) loaded?

It hadn't occurred to me; but now that it has, I won't use it again. I don't want people to be uncomfortable thinking I might have meant something by it. EL

And crime in Mt. Vernon, especially a few blocks off the beaten path, is relatively bad and random at night.

Relatively bad? Random? What exactly do you mean? I hear this kind of language about my neighborhood (Butchers Hill) sometimes, and it doesn't reflect my personal experience.

Crime happens everywhere. Even in the 'burbs.

Hal Laurent, beloved VoR wrote: Crime happens everywhere. Even in the 'burbs.

Got that one right, as usual, Hal. When I'm not blogging here I send out neighborhood crime alerts in my spare time. Busy busy busy.

HL, VoR - if you know the city well, as you most likely do, each neighborhood has its own flavor of crime. (I can't speak for the 'burbs.)

In some neighborhoods, it seems that it's mostly just businesspeople going after other businesspeople, generally leaving other folk alone, as long as they mind their own business. In other neighborhoods, it's mostly addicts committing property crimes to feed a habit. In yet other neighborhoods, it's crazier addicts and teenage thugs preying not just on property but also on people. If you know these places, and read the police blotter and other sources, it appears Mt. Vernon not only has the property crime, but also the crime on people, by thugs and addicts. I worked in the neighborhood and know it well.

So "relatively bad" means addicts AND thugs, routinely committing both property AND personal crimes. And "random" flows from that, meaning it could be anyone, not just some corner lord's business competitor, or someone's car window, that is likely to be a victim.

That being said, personally I've never had a problem in Mt. Vernon, just as you have never had one in Butchers Hill. Though it doesn't mean I'm keen on parking and walking in deserted areas there at night, and I don't think I'm the only one. Thus, the problem for that space when the show isn't on.

I have to add that with all the restaurants I've been to in all sorts of neighborhoods, the only time I've been mugged was at 6 p.m. on my front porch. At least this neighborhood (around the Meyerhoff) has an attended (if that's the adjective of attendant) parking garage. EL

Crime is widespread in Mount Vernon. When I lived there I had my candle stolen from my jack o lantern. The police have yet to solve this crime.

Now, kidding aside, I do understand the apprehension some people have about neighborhoods like Mount Vernon or Butcher's Hill. I would be naive if I thought the those neighborhoods were the same as the subburbs.

But don't you think it has as much to do with perception as with anything else? Also, it has a lot to do with the times we're in. Things just are not the same as they used to be. Neighbors don't know each other anymore much less take the time to look our for each other.
Where I live, just inside the northern boundary of the city, I used to go out every night after dinner (daylight savings time or not) for a postprandial stroll. Now, I don't even walk the dogs after dark.
Goodness, these dark mornings are depressing.

Rosebud, I agree. The other day a friend who lives in Roland Park was talking about the same issues; she didn't feel safe walking in the evening. I think Abacrombie is isolated, and I would not walk there alone in the evening. Then too, Patterson Park's Salt is off the beaten path. But your comfort level is relative to experience. People tell me all the time that they'd never go into Baltimore at night. I do not have an unreasonable fear of Bmore. I've never had any real problems. Our car was broken into in Canton, but that's about it. Think about it, it may be more dangerous to go to a mall.

Where is this "rampant crime" in Mt. V? I lived there from 1990 to last June and never had a problem at any time of day or night. Granted it helps that I'm a person of some girth and whenever someone menacingly approaches me I start singing show tunes at my loudest volume. I haven't had any problems in Waverly either.

Even though Robert Oliver was brought up in your post, it still appears that no one wants to comment on it. Does anyone have any thoughts? I have been curious about that place for a while but haven't been able to find much info on it.

I hate early DST...just as I'm able to enjoy sunlight in the morning, BANG--we're back to darkness.

And another thing...why are there eight months of Daylight Savings Time and only four months of Standard Time? Shouldn't DST be re-named Standard Time and what we now call Standard Time be re-named to...oh, I dunno..."Dark Time"? Hmpf!

Patterson Park's Salt is off the beaten path.

I live two and a half blocks from there. I guess I should be afraid. :-)

Hal, we're not afraid We go to Salt and are willing to brave the area. Love the food. We might not stop in at that bar, something? and Betty just down from it. That may be too brave.

I think the walking after dark is somewhat a matter of how you handle yourself. If you appear afraid, you are more likely to be a victim.

I live in Pigtown, not one of your more genteel 'hoods. I walk my dog at least three times a day, if not more. First thing in the morning, when i get home from work and before i go to bed. This usually entails a walk up to the park, about a block away.

I have never ever had a problem, or been the slightest bit frightened. Probably because of the dog, but he's a yellow lab, so not particularly scary. It's more that I don't appear to be afraid of the local businessmen.

If I am out in the evenings, I have to park at the end of the street or around the corner and then walk home. Again, I walk with a purpose and greet all of the local businessmen as they go about their trade. I look them in the eye and let them know I can deal with what they're doing.

My parents lived in Roland Park for decades and were broken into three times... it doesn't matter where you are, there are crimes.

And again, if you leave your GPS in full view, then it's going to get stolen. Stupidity is also a crime.

Here's a fun way to learn about Baltimore crime in the comfort and safety of your own home. The site only gives you the most recent two weeks worth of crime; it lags behind a bit--I just checked it and they're only up to March 8 as I recall. It's neighborhood by neighborhood or a certain radius around a specific address. Enjoy.
http://maps.baltimorepolice.org/bpdmaps/police.htm

And again, if you leave your GPS in full view, then it's going to get stolen. Stupidity is also a crime.

Ah, the "lock your car, take your keys, don't help a good boy go bad" argument.

Of course it's common sense in this day and age, but I'm old enough (unfortunately) to remember a time when the front door was always unlocked and the keys were frequently left in the car.

Bad DST.