This is very random, but about 10 years ago, when I worked for an ad agency in Annapolis, Ellis Marsalis was the guy who came in to fix the Macs when they broke (which was, like, every other day).

I always thought it was sort of a strange profession for somebody from his family. But the leap to restaurateur...also strange...

Kit, about 10 years ago is when I noticed that the techies being sent out to correct ("fix" didn't really happen) problems with PCs often seemed to have other directions in their "real" lives, and this by-the-book computer tech stuff was the Day Job. We had several musicians show up and interesting, they spent the first half hour or so doing the same stuff I'd already done before I gave in and spent money calling the service people. Frankly, if I know it, it ain't high tech....

Unfortunately, the Northstar Bistro is in a great building with a lousy location. Nobody in Fells Point walks that far down Thames Street unless they're drunk and can't find their car.

I wish them well but they also have this working against them:

http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/012509emsPROMENADE.html

Sounds like Fredo.

There is a water taxi stop right there. I haven't seen any actual water taxis at the stop (and, as a kayaker, you bet I keep an eye out for kayak-crunching speeding water taxis!), but it looks like they plan to use it sometime.

It sounds great to me. Out of the way, water view, providing training to folks, not expensive...sounds exactly like my idea of the perfect place to take friends from out of town. I look forward to trying it. Even if they don't have kayak parking.

Lissa - You have water taxis there? Then why are we taking the 46 bus to dinner when I visit? Can't we take a water taxi?

Eve, please do not be angry at the hired tech people for doing what you had already done. It is surprising how even the most technically astute people can forget some of the First Principles of Troubleshooting: Last week I had an old printer in my theater go haywire. Every light on the front panel was blinking. I thought it had something to do with the 15-year-old computer (that hadn't been used in ten years) that I had removed. I went through a day of looking for an adapter to replace a two-way switch going to the printer that I thought had failed. While trying to remove the printer from its hole I turned it off so I wouldn't short anything if I dropped it. When I turned it back on it worked perfectly. Remember when they tell you to first turn it off, unplug it, plug it back in, and turn it on? Yep, forgot all about that.

Bucky, the water taxi doesn't go to Micheal's Steak and Lobster.

Bucky, I'd be glad to take you out on the water taxi. I have a friend who insists on a day tooling around the harbour when she visits.

It isn't horribly useful as a regular means of transit, but it is nice to be out on the water if you aren't in a rush. Cheaper than the harbour cruise ships, too.

Eve, RiE is right. I make my living fixing servers (and have for many, many years), and it is embarrassing how often I forget a basic troubleshooting step. It is also amazing how often the admin does something you did that didn't work for you, yet does for him.

Lissa

What Kayak do you ride/paddle?

Hal says the water taxi doesn't go to Micheal's Steak and Lobster.

Hal is still the voice of reason. I just lost my head. I wish I lived by an ocean.

LEC, I belong to the Canton Kayak Club, so whatever is available (they have a variety of fibreglass kayaks). I suck, but who cares? I have a great time.

There is a lot more to see around the harbour than you might think. City looks completely different from the water, too.

Do you paddle?

Bucky, it's a three hour or so drive from here to the ocean. We live on a bay. It's a large bay, though.

Bucky - just adding to Hal's comment that the drive time to the ocean varies depending upon - crazed motorists, seasonal traffic and boats falling off their tow trailers and thus completely closing one side of Rt 50. Once it took us 6 hours to get home because of that very event!

The bay is a little salty, though, so I can understand why Bucky calls it ocean.

Technically, we live on the Patapsco River. The bay doesn't start until the other side of the Key Bridge, no?

Lissa, I can see the Key Bridge from my neighborhood. That's pretty darn close to the bay.

Lissa, back in the day, I considered kayaking. The picture of myself upside down in the water was too chilling.

The Bay is what's known as brackish.

Hal, Joyce & Lissa - is Rt 50 the same as U.S. Highway 50?

U.S. 50 runs right through the little town where I grew up. One of the things I've always thought about doing is flying back there, renting a car and driving across the country on U.S. 50. It ends in San Francisco. Across Nevada it is called "The Lonliest Road in America." They even have signage to that effect. Someday I'll do it.

I understand that Baltimore isn't on an ocean per se. But (even at three hours) it's close enough to be "by an ocean" in my book.

Hal, I bet we're standing about the same place to see it. You get a gorgeous view from the NW corner of Patterson Park.

Eve, I haven't been upside down in the water yet, except once, when I did it on purpose. I have, however, nearly been run over by water taxis and pleasure boats. There is a variation of kayak with no cockpit - you sit on top of the boat, rather than in it.

Bucky, we have a Miami Beach right here in Baltimore County and it is on The Bay.

Bucky, the Rt. 50 mentioned above is indeed US 50. You can take it all the way to Ocean City, MD.

Bucky -- yes, we're talking about U.S. 50. However, it only goes from Ocean City to Sacramento (not to San Francisco), as noted on the mileage signposts at either end, photos of which can be found on the U.S. 50 Wikipedia page.

Laura Lee - is it accessible by water taxi?

Bucky, US Highway 40 runs about 2 blocks north of my house. I've got no idea where 50 is.

I've always wanted to drive US 1 from top to bottom. Considered the fun of doing it by moped, but that would probably be a little difficult.

Eve - doesn't 'brackish' sound yukky? I mean, the word itself, not what it means.

Lissa, I always wanted to drive old Rt 66. I guess because I grew up hearing "get your kicks on rt 66..."

One thing that I've observed about US 1 - it's the same in Miami as it is here - tons of no-tell motels and gentleman's clubs. I wonder if it's like that the entire way top to bottom?

hmpstd destroys my dream and writes it only goes from Ocean City to Sacramento

I hate it when that happens. A whole stretch of highway just disappears.

US 1 has some strip clubs and hourly motels up by Boston, but the Maine part sure doesn't.

You get such a different view of places off the Interstates, but it does take longer.

Joyce, have you gotten a mouthful of the Bay recently? It is yukky!

U.S. 50 between 495 and Bay Bridge is also a secret interstate. It is Interstate Route 595.

My wife just did a review/blog entry for Examiner.com on Northstar bistro. One of these days I'll figure out how to do a link. Anyway, the menu is good, but very limited. I would say it is more of a cafe than a bistro. The view, however, is one of the best in the city.

Bucky, I don't think the water taxi goes past Fort McHenry, certainly not out on the choppy Bay water. Miami Beach is a park easily accessible by car. Unfortunately, it has been closed more often than not lately due to high bacterial counts. Doesn't sound so enticing anymore, does it.

P.S. Bucky, are you finding you're more self-conscious about every single comma you type today? I know I am. It feels like trying not to step on sidewalk cracks.

Laura Lee - I shot myself in the foot, because I admitted, in one post, that I use commas conversationally then, 15 minutes later, the Prof. posted a topic on commas that, fundamentally, said I use way too many commas.

According to no less an authority than Anthony Burgess (in his delightful book on linguistics, aimed at the intelligent layperson), comma usage is one of the things in the English language that has never been standardized, despite many attempts.

None the less, the previous paragraph is a horrible example of a run on sentence. I feel as if I should go back, and work some braces in there, too, somehow.

Miami Beach Park is within walking distance of the Middle River Water Taxi service, which, unfortunately, does not connect to the original (Ed Kane's Inner Harbor-Fells Point-Fort McHenry) Water Taxi service that stops near Northstar Bistro.

Eve - I really try not to think about it (the state of the bay). The oysters are so tasty and if I really start over-analyzing, it'll all be downhill from there! Sort of like not knowing what a disgusting kitchen is in your favorite restaurant...

If you are in the area of Maggitti's Italian Market & Gourmet Bakery in the Fallston area (mentioned in Table Talk) they also have a great Italian cold cut sub and delicious pizzas.

Actually, Landing #17 (seems to be the end of the loop) of Ed Kane's Water Taxi is Fort McHenry. (The website says their closed for 6 weeks while the city builds a new landing. We could all speculate about whose relatives got that contract but I don't have the energy today.)

That should have been they're.

Eve - I call that the You Don't Say Syndrome...being so paranoid that you proofread after you post, too.

U.S. 50 between 495 and Bay Bridge is also a secret interstate. It is Interstate Route 595.

The cops that patrol the portion between the bridge and I-97 (the nation's shortest interstate at about 25 miles total) as Crash Alley.
I drove that stretch every day for three years and while I stayed safe, I saw many a mashup.

Ugh PCB Rob - I can appreciate what you mean about 97. My previous job, I too had to drive several trips daily up and down 97. I saw one too many accidents...In terms of crazy drivers, it is probably slightly worse than 95 (and I do mean slightly!).

Bucky, US 50 runs through my hometown, too. (Parkersburg, WV to be exact.)

Stacy - US 50 ties a lot of us together. Except for people west of Sacramento, apparently. I'm still not over that.