
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
simulated sex with a potted palm tree." Before The Sun, he was a reporter at the Miami New Times. He's also written for Miami magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the Gainesville Sun. Got tips? Gripes? Pitches? He's reachable at
erik.maza@baltsun.com. Click
here to keep up with the dumb music he's listening to.
Midnight Sun covers Baltimore music, live entertainment, and nightlife news. On the blog, you'll find, among other things, concert announcements, breaking news, bars closings and openings, up-to-date coverage of crime in nightlife, new music, round-the-clock coverage of Virgin Mobile FreeFest, handy guides on bars staying open past 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve and those that carry Natty Boh on draft. Recurring features include seven-day nightlife guides, Concert News, guest reviews of bars and concerts, Wednesday Corkboard, and photo galleries, as well as reader-submitted photos. Thanks for reading.
Comments
Sam
Thanks for the plug. Please stop by and say hello to us. Ask for Luke , Lester, Tammi or Melanie. Would be glad to buy you a Handcrafted Classic Cocktail. You will like the inside changes and the menus as well. By the way, love the WTMD and your show. Have been a fan for 5yrs or so of the station.
Thanks,
Luke Reeder
Posted by: Luke Reeder | July 22, 2008 11:00 PM
I went by last weekend and the place really did clean up. Good beer selection though. Watch out for the Ol' Bastard.
Watch out for their "classic cocktail menu" and only drink if they are buying. I think the cheapest of the classics was $9.
The food looked tasty, but I didn't have a chance to try because I got a classic sidecar and then couldn't afford to eat.
Posted by: T | July 23, 2008 11:05 AM
The renovations at the Gin Mill are nice. Their "handcrafted cocktails" are better than most, but not too handcrafted.
Traditionally, bars serving handcrafted pre-prohibition cocktails must make their own bitters and syrups, as well as use the proper ice, depending on what they are making (yes ice really does make a difference). This combined with fresh fruit equals a handcrafted cocktail.
Fee Brothers bitters and better for baking. If you want your drinks to stand out, you really need better bitters, or make your own. Same goes with simple syrups.
But, the place is pretty sharp.
Posted by: Mark Twain | July 23, 2008 2:47 PM