Historic Annapolis Antique Show Buy or Admire—the Choice is Yours By Nadja Maril
Antique shows provide one-stop shopping for aficionados of old and unusual items. Where else can you find European medieval illuminated manuscripts, English silver serving pieces from the Victorian era, and early twentieth century Mission style American furniture all under one roof? This month the Historic Annapolis Antiques Show will be returning to Medford National Guard Armory on Hudson Street in Annapolis, Friday January 12 through Sunday January 14. Featuring the wares of more than thirty dealers from eleven states, the show gives attendees an opportunity to view a variety of antique items, all for sale, from prominent dealers with regional and national reputations. The show is sponsored by the Historic Annapolis Foundation (HAF) and produced by Armacost Antiques Shows, Ltd. Proceeds of the show support the education and preservation programs of HAF. The foundation’s mission is to educate the public about the history of Annapolis and advocate for the preservation of its architectural integrity. From oil paintings, oriental carpets, and lamps to jewelry, walking sticks, and children’s books, there’ll be plenty of tempting items to purchase. If you want to get an early look at the antiques on exhibit, call now for gala preview party tickets (410) 267-8146. The party is held on Thursday night, January 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. It includes beverages and fine food from Annapolis-area caterers, as well as a silent auction. Tickets are $65 and include show admission. Regular show hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission tickets are $8. For more information visit HAF’s Web site at www.annapolis.org.
It’s Friday night. The bar scene is old and popping in a DVD for a few hours sounds depressingly antisocial. The solution? Operation Galaxy Bowling. Before you know it, an uneventful Friday night has landed you in some oh-so-stylish bowling shoes surrounded by colored disco lights, popular radio hits—always helpful in making your victory dances look good—and some harmless competition among friends. Although you may associate bowling with a long-ago elementary school birthday party or consider it the last option for a rainy day, bowling is actually one of the most popular sports in the world. Anne Arundel County hosts bowling centers from Annapolis to Severna Park to Pasadena, which offer a variety of programs, leagues, weekly specials, and parties for all ages to keep you busy year-round. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, there’s something for everybody. Here’s what you should know.
The Basics
Bowling a few games can add up fast with the added cost of shoes and a snack. To get the most for your money, go bowling during the day, when prices are the lowest, ranging from $2.50–2.95 per game. It’s an ideal time for families to play without breaking the bank and still have a good time. The later you play, the more you pay. After 6 p.m. on weeknights and weekends, the price jumps to $3.50–4.95 per game. If you don’t provide your own shoes, expect to pay $2.50–4.25 to rent a pair
The Daily Specials
If you can’t bowl during the day, taking advantage of bowling specials is your next best bet. Every bowling center features weekly deals that allow you to pay a flat fee ($12–15) and bowl as many games as you can in a 2- or 3-hour period. Every bowling alley features its own version of late night bowling, which typically falls on Fridays and Saturdays. Depending on which alley you go to, it can incorporate disco lights, a DJ, or radio music, for a flat fee that ranges from $10–19 and can start as early as 9 p.m. and go until 2 a.m. Remember these are the most popular bowling nights, so if you and your friends are looking to throw some strikes, be prepared and call ahead to reserve a lane.
The Parties
Bowling isn’t limited to kids’ birthday parties—it’s for adults, too. Save the restaurant as the location for next year’s office party and instead take advantage of special monthly packages available for your company, book club, or church group at the bowling alley. These packages usually include a limited time to bowl, shoes, food, and soda for a flat fee per person ($12–20), or you can work with the bowling alley to customize a package to meet your group’s needs. Check your local center for these monthly specials.
The Leagues
Perhaps you’re looking to improve your bowling score. Or maybe you’re just looking for other people who enjoy bowling as much as you do, like Betty Jordan, DeAnna Hickey, and Pat Butschky, who meet up with their duckpin bowling league, Greater Severna Park Ladies, at Severna Park Bowl on Ritchie Highway every Wednesday. Named the Moooovers (“Pat likes cows,” says Jordan), the group is made up of bowlers who have been part of the league for 15–25 years. “We’re just here to have a good time,” says Butschky, 66, who has been performing the league’s secretarial duties for 36 years. “We’re not cutthroat.” The “cutthroat” leagues she refers to are the tenpin leagues that can be found playing competitively on weeknights, but that doesn’t mean every league is competitive. “Everyone’s here for different reasons,” says Carol Leonard, manager of Annapolis Bowl. “Some people are here with their friends. Some join because it’s competitive, and for some it’s just totally social. All of the leagues are handicap leagues, which makes it fair playing grounds for everyone.” To get paired up with a league, contact your local bowling alley, which can place you on a team that best suits your motives. The beauty of bowling is its appeal to a melting pot of people, who can make it as friendly or as competitive as they want. Just like any sport, it unites people for an entertaining Friday night, a celebration, or a competitive matchup. It serves not only as a recreational outlet but also as a conduit for friendship, family, and community. So no more lamenting about a dead Friday night; grab some friends and hit the lanes for a guaranteed good time.
Bowling Centers in and around Anne Arundel County
Museums and Galleries: Can’t Miss Exhibits
1/4 The Wailers at Rams Head Live!, Baltimore (410) 244-1131 Aston “Familyman” Barrett has assembled a true-to-form Wailers lineup, consistent with the principles and music of the original (and often rotating) cast of musicians that backed reggae legend Bob Marley throughout his career. Barrett is credited with arranging, producing, and performing many of the Marley albums that have achieved “desert island disc” status in many people’s music collections.
1/5 Sonny Landreth at Rams Head OnStage, Annapolis (410) 268-4545 Landreth, a Louisiana native, is known for his spicy guitar licks and smooth riffs played with rock attitude and a Southern sensibility (think Cajun, country, and blues). He’s a versatile performer who prefers bottleneck slide and unique fingerpicking technique to “Joe average guitar player” strumming. He’s one a kind and bound to light up Rams Head.
1/6 Carl Filipiak at the State Theatre, Falls Church (410) 547-SEAT Local jazz guitarist Carl Filipiak has racked up an impressive resume over his years as a performer and instructor. Having played with some of jazz’s best, as well as writing instructional books and starring in his own video, has allowed Filipiak to pass on the gift of music to others. Hear and see his slick, smooth jazz delivery in action at the wonderful State Theatre.
1/7 Willie Nile at Rams Head OnStage, Annapolis (410) 268-4545 A fixture in the Greenwich Village, New York City, music scene in the ’70s, Willie Nile has carved his niche in the industry as a songwriter’s songwriter who produces acoustic and electric folk rock with appealing melodies. His 2006 release Streets of New York has garnered much airplay on alternative radio stations.
1/11 War at the Avalon Theatre, Easton (410) 547-SEAT Your favorite R&B, rock, Latin, and jazz band is back in the area for a first-ever appearance at the historic Avalon Theatre. History is kind of in the air, so to speak. War served up many hits in the ’70s and ’80s, including “Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” “Low Rider,” and so many more. The rafters will be thumpin’ on the 11th.
1/17-18 the subdudes at The Barns, Wolf Trap, Vienna (877) WOLFTRAP Roots of the subdudes date back to 1987, when four musicians got together at famed Tipitina’s in New Orleans to perform a few acoustic tunes. The band was born shortly thereafter and today three of the original four members (plus two newbies) still perform the New Orleans–influenced rock (guitar, mandolin, accordion, piano, drums, etc.) that is the signature subdudes sound.
1/20 Marcia Ball at the State Theatre, Falls Church (410) 547-SEAT Ball is a dynamo of a piano player steeped in barrelhouse blues and power ballads that soar to infectious heights and energy. When she’s on fire the house is rockin’. She has recorded an extensive body of work since her Capitol Records debut in 1978 and still performs more than 100 shows per year. Seems like a pretty good definition of dynamo to us. (Also performing 1/21 at Rams Head OnStage).
1/24 John McEuen at The Barns, Wolf Trap, Vienna 1 (877) WOLFTRAP John McEuen, legendary founder and “string wizard” of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, is joined by his sons Jonathan and Nathan to perform a fantastic mix of bluegrass, folk, and rock. Have you ever heard a bluegrass version of Prince’s “Kiss”? This promises something unique for even the most well-versed fans of live music.
1/25 Isaac Hayes at the Birchmere, Alexandria (410) 547-SEAT Yes, the Isaac Hayes will be performing at the Birchmere. Hayes was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, and his career so far has been a tour de force in music composition and production (too many soul and R&B credits to list here), movies, television, and radio, among many other endeavors. But it’s his rich, deep, soulful voice and piano playing that will make this night memorable.
1/26 Rod Stewart at the Verizon Center, D.C. (410) 547-SEAT Forever young is about the only way to describe Stewart’s passion for performing his sixty-two hit songs, twenty-four of which went Top 10 and six of which went number one, over his almost 5-decade-long career as a pop-rock crooner. Among the hits, “Maggie May,” “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” and the previously alluded to “Forever Young.”
1/31 Asleep at the Wheel at the Birchmere, Alexandria (410) 547-SEAT Big band Western swing is the calling card of Asleep at the Wheel. For 36 years guitarist, singer, and songwriter Ray Benson has been at the helm of the multiple incarnations of the Wheel, whose home is in Austin, Texas, and whose soul resides in rockabilly.
February’s Hot Tickets: Buy ‘Em Now
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Regional
Washington, D.C.
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Each year brings new experiences, new friends, new places to visit, and new trends to follow (or not). Sometimes trying new things can be challenging yet bring a sense of accomplishment. At the start of 2007, we wanted to know what new experiences may be in store for you this year, so we asked: What’s something new you want to try in 2007?
Quick Six: Sailing Legend Gary Jobson
Local legend Gary Jobson is world renowned as one of the preeminent authorities on the sport of sailing. Winning the America’s Cup in 1977 as tactician with Ted Turner is only one of many accomplishments throughout his competitive career as a sailor. He has traveled the world over, competing in and covering sailing events—since 1985 he has served as ESPN’s sailing commentator. When not on the water, Jobson is constantly engaged in various projects, from making films to writing books. He calls Annapolis home, residing here with his wife and [when they are home from college breaks] three daughters. We are privileged to have him answer our questions.
What’s Up? Annapolis: What does the winter season mean for you as a sailor in terms of your work on and off the water? Do you travel to warmer climes to cover events? Write books? Articles? Is there ever any downtime?
Gary Jobson: My downtime is the month of August and Christmastime. I generally only do cruising in the summer. But I have an annual calendar, which is two-thirds racing and one-third cruising. I always make sure to head south when it is cold in the north and head north when it is hot in the south. I’m always looking for things to do. Currently I average about eight film projects per year, about 100 speaking engagements, about fifteen articles, and a book every other year.
WUA: Is it difficult to balance your work and home roles? How much of your time is spent in and around Annapolis? Are you on the water, sailing much, here?
GJ: It is always a tricky balance handling the home life and work life. For me, I’m on the road 50 percent of the time. I always value my time around Annapolis and when I’m here racing, I race on my Etchells #1238 – Annie with my partner, Gary Gilbert. And, of course, I always like to sail with friends.
WUA: What boats do you own? Do you race them? If so, how often do you participate in events as a competitor? And does the feeling of winning a race today ever compare with the feeling of winning the America's Cup in ’77?
GJ: I own a Sabre 402, which I keep in Maine. I never race it, only cruise. In 2006 I got 1 month of sailing on the boat, all up in Maine.
Winning the America’s Cup with Ted Turner aboard Courageous was a very special event. It is one in a long line of events. Of course, all the ocean racing is special and the variety of classes that I have done over many years. I look back on collegiate sailing as something very special because it was so tight and close and competitive and it helped build my skill levels dramatically. The biggest storm was the Fastnet Race of 1979. But more recently I enjoyed cruising Antarctica, the Arctic, Cape Horn—and also racing this year in the Newport-Bermuda Race and a variety of scow regattas in the Midwest—which was very different—both A scows and E scows.
WUA: Could you discuss a couple of the tough issues facing the sport of sailing and yacht clubs in general? Are there any “red flags” right now that are cause for concern? Your advice, remedies?
GJ: The toughest issue facing the sport of sailing is the available time people have to do the sport. We all live very busy lives and sailing is time intensive. Plus we seem to lose sailors from the collegiate age until their 40s. We need to make sailing more accessible. Yacht clubs have to do this, all 700 in the United States. And the yacht clubs that will thrive are the ones that are going through renovation projects, continually upgrading their long-range plan and making education a cornerstone of their priorities.
WUA: I believe it was last winter when Governor Ehrlich bestowed on you the title Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay, in conjunction with the announcement of the National Sailing Hall of Fame making Annapolis its home. How much of a hand in the planning and progress of the NSHOF do you have and could you offer us a prognosis?
GJ: I am one of seven directors on the National Sailing Hall of Fame board. We are working very hard to put a building on City Dock in Annapolis, which will bring many people to our city. I think it will celebrate our sport in a way that will inspire people of all ages to do more good works. It is a very important thing and I give Governor Ehrlich a lot of credit for making this happen.
WUA: Over the years you have created a large body of work, achievements, and philanthropy. When and how did your passion for sailing develop and did you ever imagine that it would progress into your labor of love?
GJ: I decided to make sailing my long-term career goal by promoting the sport. My basic mission has not changed, whether talking about technique or the enthusiasm for getting people to do better or help out, whether it is on television, through my writing, through my speaking, or just my own projects. I hope that I can encourage other people to promote our sport. At this time, now at the age of 56, I spend 50 percent of my time on philanthropic projects, just working one step at a time to make things better.
—j.s. houck
