Top Ten restaurant gift certificates to slip into City Hall in blank envelopes
I wear a couple of hats here at The Sun these days. I write a weekly column about politicians and other local oddities. And, for the time being, I write this blog. When I started on the blog last week, Dining@Large reader Federal Hal wrote:
“To test your crossover skills ... If you were going to deliver a restaurant gift certificate in an unmarked envelope to City Hall, which restaurant would you choose?”
The short answer: Depends on the mayor. The long answer: Below.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: The Capital Grille. It’s near City Hall. And the service is formal. Wait staff’s not gonna call her “Stephanie.”
Sheila Dixon: Nordstrom Cafe at Towson Town Center. Convenient to shopping.
Martin O’Malley: Mick O’Shea’s. Those three little words: Guinness on tap.
Kurt Schmoke: The Johns Hopkins Club. It’s where Baltimore’s eggheads meet and eat.
Thomas D'Alesandro III: Werner’s. The classic lunch-counter look seems not to have changed since 80-year-old “Young Tommy” really was young.
William Donald Schaefer: McDonald’s. Mayor Annoyed loves fast food, so long as the counter staff speaks English.
OK, I’m out of live mayors. On to other elected officials.
Bob Ehrlich: Soup’s On. His Government House chef once told me he likes soup. And there are lots of varieties, so the once-and-maybe future Guv can keep the counter staff guessing about his plans.
Jim Smith: Kali’s Court. The outgoing Baltimore County exec is a judge, after all. Bonus: Kali’s “buy one entree, get the next capital project for free” deal.
Ken Ulman: Chuck E. Cheese. Howard County’s whippersnapper exec will enjoy the youthful ambiance. Let's hope it’s a Healthy Howard-certified eatery.
John Leopold: Chipotle at Westfield Annapolis Mall. The Anne Arundel County Exec can take his barbacoa out to his county car and have a spicy time in the parking lot.
(Photo by Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)
Comments
this is going back, but if I remember correctly, Willie Don had a fondness for one of the restaurants in LI. I think it was Sabs, but not sure.
Posted by: Joyce W. | February 23, 2010 6:07 AM
ZING!
Posted by: matt hudock | February 23, 2010 6:22 AM
And she scores!
Posted by: Dahlink | February 23, 2010 6:33 AM
This is just the kind of nastiness I feared that Vozzella would bring to this once-purposed blog! Ms. Vozzella is common and always, always looks for the lowest common denominator - please go away!
C'mon, g! They're politicians. They can take it. You'll notice I didn't have anything bad to say about the restaurants. LV
Posted by: g | February 23, 2010 7:45 AM
Brought your own fan club with you, Ms. Vozzella? I for one, am going to enjoy your insights on the political scene.
Posted by: Laura Lee | February 23, 2010 7:57 AM
Hizzoner Willie Don also used to frequent Rallo's on Fort Avenue.
Posted by: PCB Rob | February 23, 2010 9:00 AM
LOVED this! :-)
Posted by: Summer | February 23, 2010 9:04 AM
Please keep it in your column. This is not the place.
Posted by: erin | February 23, 2010 9:34 AM
Bam! Good Stuff!
Posted by: b5 | February 23, 2010 9:34 AM
Willie Don also ate at Connelly"s when there was no Inner Harbor.
Posted by: Eleanor Fried | February 23, 2010 9:48 AM
Willie Don even has his own table at Jimmy's in Fells Point.
Oh, and welcome to the Sandbox LV!
Posted by: kimmer | February 23, 2010 9:54 AM
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Posted by: HowChow Blog | February 23, 2010 11:21 AM
Actually, I'd like to get the new mayor a Rita's gift certificate.
That way, she can see what a pile of snow looks like. You know, like the ones that are still blocking travel lanes of major roads in Baltimore two weeks after the storm!
Well, OK, THOSE piles are looking pretty grungy by now...
Posted by: Zevonista | February 23, 2010 11:24 AM
I'm afraid I agree with g and erin. Bummer...
Posted by: Bubbles | February 23, 2010 11:26 AM
Not funny
Posted by: Mary Roby | February 23, 2010 11:33 AM
I was pretty tickled by this as well. I didn't find it particularly mean-spirited, etc. Mean-spirited would have been something like:
Sheila Dixon: Dog House. Close to the Baltimore City Detention Center. Plus, the name.
Ya know, that kinda thing.
Posted by: sean | February 23, 2010 11:34 AM
...and remember, folks, it was a reader who asked the question to begin with. LV just came up with the clever answers.
As we saw with EL, there will always be detractors. I recommend, again, that folks who don't find this blog, the new tone, the regulars, etc to their liking just move on to something else.
By the way, I haven't commented yet on the New Management. So far, great job!
Posted by: sean | February 23, 2010 11:38 AM
Thanks for making me laugh... Have a good day.
Posted by: operadovi | February 23, 2010 11:40 AM
Laura, this is very funny. I like pairing politics and food.
Posted by: Leeann | February 23, 2010 11:40 AM
Clever.
Posted by: Oat | February 23, 2010 11:59 AM
LV, people are offended not by politics per se, but politics on the 'wrong' side. So...what d'ya gonna do?
Posted by: Dan D | February 23, 2010 12:04 PM
Good job, Laura. I nearly flipped my wig! Huzzah!
Posted by: Bobby Erhlich's Hair Club | February 23, 2010 12:52 PM
Smart and funny. Nice to see some sharp wit and POV here. As for the crybabies, well, that's who hangs out in a box of sand. You haven't really made it until you have hecklers. Good job.
Posted by: Owl Meat Giggle | February 23, 2010 12:58 PM
I have to differ with Erin. This is exactly the right place.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 23, 2010 2:50 PM
Zing! More thought provoking stuff please.
Posted by: VoodooPork ■|:o) | February 23, 2010 3:05 PM
Clever. And not mean-spirited, just sharp. Thanks for the laughs, LaVozz.
Posted by: Bacon Girl | February 23, 2010 5:30 PM
Funny, very funny!
Posted by: Jack Ziegler | February 23, 2010 9:27 PM
LaVoz hath spoke. You can't say she's phoning it in. A woman with a sharp wit is a threat to a man with baggy trousers.
Posted by: Lord Marmalade | February 23, 2010 9:44 PM
A woman with a sharp wit is a threat to a man with baggy trousers.
What about a man who wears mom jeans?
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | February 23, 2010 10:09 PM
Mr, Keys, your colonial humour eludes me.
Posted by: Lord Marmalade | February 23, 2010 10:31 PM
Lord M., perhaps dear Lady Marmalade can explain. And that is a compound name: "Cross Keys," not just "Keys," thankyouverymuch.
Can't resist this Captcha: seat unbuckle. Is it going to be a Bette Davis kind of day?
Posted by: Dahlink | February 24, 2010 6:30 AM
hilarious - and you're right - politicians can take this - it's fun ribbing - certainly not mean
Posted by: APA | February 24, 2010 11:04 AM
Special Breaking News Update for Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:
A gift certificate for some good, decaf coffee.
Posted by: sean | March 5, 2010 2:14 PM