Just in case you missed it … Pan and Praise, aka Examiner staff writers Emily Campbell, right, and Jessica Novak, have it covered ? all things in the Baltimore region that it is. From the Hippodrome to dinner theater, from Rams Head Live to karaoke night at the corner bar, from the swankest restaurants to a neighborhood carryout, Pan and Praise will be there to give Examiner readers straight-shooting reviews and no-nonsense commentary.
They may not always agree ? in fact, they may rarely agree ? but if you want to know what?s a hit and what?s a miss in this area, they are your go-to girls.
So here they are, after serious contemplation ? Pan and Praise?s list of the Baltimore area?s biggest Hits and Misses for the past year.
HITS
1. The 8×10 in Federal Hill. For live music, is there any other choice? 2. Steroid suppliers. Only if they were publicly traded companies.
3. Fallen American soldiers. They should be honored, no matter what race, religion or sexual preference.
4. Mayor Sheila Dixon?s dress and ?do at the inaugural ball. She looked like a million bucks.
5. John Waters? V-Day CD, A Date with John Waters. The tunes are classics; the liner notes should be memorized and repeated often.
6. Stoop Storytelling at Center Stage. Everyone has a story to tell. Just do it in seven minutes or less.
7. Bruce Nelson in the “Santaland Diaries” at Rep Stage. Brilliant.
8. Kyle Boller in Under Armor. Hot, hot, hot.
9. Landmarks Theatre Harbor East. No more sneaking spiked Slurpees into the movies. Landmark provides the suds.
10. Walking. No worries about getting the crap kicked out you on the bus.
11. Charm City Roller Girls. Muscles + brains + beauty + talent = one exciting sporting event.
12. The 24th Annual Maryland Wine Festival in Westminster. About 25,000 wine enthusiasts popped, clinked and swished Maryland?s best vino.
13. Columbia?s 40th anniversary. The planned community was ranked fourth in Money Magazine?s Top 5 “Best Places To Live in America.” Not too shabby.
14. Bengie?s drive-in. The largest drive-in silver screen in the U.S. continues making movies magical.
15. The Burn. Baltimore?s first women team made the phrase ?you throw like a girl? a compliment.
MISSES
1. Whiskey 1803 in Annapolis. Rock shouldn?t be tame. 2. Jay Gibbons. Just say no to ?roids. But say yes to haircuts. Please.
3. Westboro Baptist. Nothing more than a faith of hate.
4. Jill Carter?s campaign poster. Wow! Didn?t glamour shots go out in the 1990s?
5. Britney Spears. Nothing classic, or classy, here.
6. “Two By Pinter” at Rep Stage. So bad, falling asleep was hard to do.
7. Molly Ringwald in “Sweet Charity.” Whatever the opposite of brilliant is.
8. Kyle Boller on the field. Bad, bad, bad.
9. State Budget Director T. Eloise Foster. Call a cab, for crying out loud. DUIs are expensive.
10. Riding the bus. If you must, don?t forget your bulletproof vest.
11. Baltimore?s lack of an NBA team. Which could one day lead to a WNBA team. Strong women rock!
12. Preakness infield. The “running of the urinals” was broadcast on YouTube for the world to see. ?Nuff said.
13. Fight over The Mall in Columbia?s poinsettia tree. Residents protested mall officials? decision to donate the funds used to create the tree to Habitat for Humanity. A Grinch move.
14. Leggings. This 80s trend is good for ballet dancers, bad for the workplace.
15. Baltimore Blackbirds. No financing, no attendance, no fun. No more Blackbirds.
