It is still under construction but is tentatively going to open in June.

The former Nutty Pub just south of “The Avenue” (36th St.).  Renovations are under way as this is written, with a late June opening projected.  Plans call for 10-12 drafts and 30 or so bottled beers to be offered (all Belgian imports and not “Belgian-style”) along with “boutique wines & spirits, and a select menu of classic Flemish-French dishes, all served in an Art Nouveau-inspired setting,” Mitchell writes.

The only thing I typically know is that Belgian beer is potent.  Sam Sessa also writes that he had called the place today but no one had answered. Check out the Facebook address Sessa provides on his blog or you can click here.

Stay tuned.

Dive bars and old men seem to go hand in hand.  You know, like gambling and alcohol mentioned in the Preakness post.

I walked into Demitri’s on Falls Road to buy a bottle of rum.  It is somewhat sketchy so I really wanted to make it an in-and-out operation.

The bartender that goes by the name of Bud looked at me in a sideward glance after I bought my supplies.

“We only take cash dude,” Bud said.  Ah, the bars that are still waaaaaaay behind.  Strangely, a comfort comes with that certain antiquity.

That antiquity stops when “Regular Mike” wraps his arm around you with his smelly cigarette breath and pours his heart all over your recently purchased booze.

The sentence began with something like, “You know man…” and ended with “but that’s just my sad life.”  Hollow shells with glasses half empty will talk to anyone that is willing to listen.  Please listen to them even if you’re on a time constraint like I was.  It means a lot to them even if they don’t remember you the next day.  Sorry, I was getting too sentimental there for a second.  Back to Demitri’s.

The best thing about Demitri’s is that although they only accept cash and an antique cigarette dispenser, they have two giant flat-screen televisions.  Perhaps they are making upgrades piece by piece.

Not that I am a huge fan of dive bars all the time, but every now and then they are a good time.  Sam Sessa told me once that he went and reviewed Bar.  Yes a bar name Bar.

“They had two choices of wine, red and white,” Sessa said.  ”It burnt worse than whiskey”

Any great dive bar stories?  Let me know.

Important message from John Steven’s ltd:

Tuesday, May 18, Happy Hour starts at 4 p.m. and a water taxi  leaves around 7 p.m. to watch the Baltimore Orioles vs. the Kansas City Royals.

Thomas Jenkins and Lauren Cimeny, you know you’re friends from the first feature story, are going to be there so you should come because they are really nice people.

Sincerely,

Patrick

Drinking and gambling is a match that has fallen from the heavens and moved in a stealth way into human brains.  The more you drink the more you gamble, the more you gamble (and lose) the more you drink.  They share such reprocity that when you get horses into the mix, that is when all the true degenerate gamblers come out of the trees.

Super Saver is looking for another win to push for the Triple Crown, but you won’t find me servicing any action (gambling for those that are not term savvy).  Actually, you won’t find me at the race.  Work is essential over the weekend so that is why I posted about club Aqua because my current schedule only allows me to be a night hawk.

Those that will be attending, Super Saver’s jockey Calvin Borel has a lot of confidence so you may want to place a bet.

The Associated Press writes, “Calvin Borel boldly predicted he’s going to win the Triple Crown after Super Saver sloshed to a 2 1/2-length victory in the Kentucky Derby.”

I’d like to hear feedback on how the Preakness goes.  Now with the endless cup of beer which will result in an endless line, we’ll see if the Preakness will be able to appease the masses or if they are going to have to resort to going back to BYOB.  Send pics with your comments.

According to my memory, this is going to be the third year Aqua will make another grand reopening this Saturday.  For those that are unfamiliar with this spot, it has a similar theme to the Bay Cafe without the sand.  It tries to get out of the clutches that is Baltimore City and brings a new element in the nightlife scene.  Aqua is only open on Saturdays during the summer.

A big pool is the centerpiece  of the club, unfortunately you cannot go take a dip.  Around the perimeter of the pool are VIP cabanas.  This year I was told the price to have a cabana for the night could be $400-$600.  When you step out into the main area, hoards of cliques just walk to and fro spilling $10 vodka-cranberries, mean-mug other cliques and check out the go-go dancers.

With a $10 cover they try to limit the people that go in, but this place gets packed and around 2 a.m. it is a slop fest.  In the beginning those cliques may have been the best of friends.  Now guys are yelling, girls are crying and someone just slipped  on a spilled drink and can’t get up.  Perhaps some embellishment but it is based on personal experiences.

Once everyone walks out, the sleazy dudes with Ferraris, Lambos and Porsches try their best at picking up some severely inebriated girl.  It may sound like I hate on this club, but I truly don’t.  The spotlights, trance music and rave atmosphere is why I go.  One word of advice is to pre-game before hand or it could be a $200 night.  See you this Saturday.

Bay Cafe is a mock beach-type hideaway that offers some diversity when it just comes to any other bar in Baltimore.  The bar is tucked away between some apartment buildings, but it still gets a crowd even though it seems out-of-the-way.

As you’ll approach the entrance you’ll be greeted by, at least in my experience, two giant bulldogs.  The sand at the entrance follows all the way to an outside bar and outdoor seating by the water.  Many reviews say beware of the sand because all it is made up of is puke and glass.  Gross.

The palm trees are set up in esthetically pleasing layout around the tables and if you get in time for the BOGO anything, you get an inexpensive buzz going.

I did not have any time to try the food, but from reviews it seems like it is expensive and tasteless.  One reviewer, that may have been the biggest hater, does push the shrimp salad sandwich on her readers.

Edward K. from Yelp.com takes the good with the bad when it comes to imitation South Beach bars in Baltimore.

“C’mon, you’re in the middle of Baltimore and you’re in a freakin’ beach!…a nice getaway in the hot humid summer months to forget your troubles for one night,” Edward said.

I’ll have to agree with my Yelp friend.  It does not feel as if you had time traveled to some place exotic or anything but it is a sub-par attempt that does well here in Baltimore.

Other people criticize the “W.T.” crowd and if you’re not acronym savvy, it means “white trash.”  However, when I was in attendance it was a nice, laid back and mixed crowd. 

The biggest criticism about this place is the $5 cover.  Personally, I get extremely annoyed when people cannot muster that money together and pay for a cover.  My irresponsible 9-year-old paperboy could swing that cover.

Since I have only been there once and it was at night, I’ll give the Bay Cafe 3 out of 5 dazzling stars.  I give it this score because it was a pleasant surprised compared what I am use to in the city.

I personally have never been to a Tigerfest.  The main and only reason for that is because of my job.  Not career.  A job that does not allow any Saturdays off.

Oh well, I’m not the only not one going.  Towson University student Ken Jackson is not going either.

“I don’t [expletive] with that [expletive],” Jackson said.

The attitude on campus seems very segregated.  Where some people go head-over-heels for this university function.

According to an inside source, President of WMJF-TV Michael Nanetti wanted to leave Las Vegas early because his flight would make him late for Tigerfest last year.  Anyone else that dedicated?  To me, the bands are so mainstream and poppy that it is excruciating to listen to.  The All-American Rejects, when I was an emo 16-year-old, I thought they were hard to listen to.  Imagine how all the 20-something year olds felt.  I would have been a tree in the beer garden if I had went last year.

Aside from the artists I know that are playing, I don’t know anything else.  That is why I talked to some other students in my office and found out things I did not know existed at Tigerfest.

 Junior Jason Conti goes for the free movie posters.  He did stress to get the posters first, put them in your car and then get a good view of the stage.  Last year, the precipitation damaged all the posters and according to the weather forecast, it could rain like it did last year.

No matter what reason you attend Tigerfest, have fun, be safe and don’t publicly urinate.

City Council President Bernard C. Young ventured over to South Baltimore with some Sun employees just to see if strict laws need to be imposed.  This video, shot by Justin Fenton of the Baltimore Sun answers the question easily–drunks get out of control and need to be ready to face some consequences. 

Such consequences are fines that cost up to 10 times more than the current penalty.  Arrestable offenses include: public intoxication, public urination/defecation, open container in public and disorderly conduct.  Some fines could start at $500 and go up to as much as $1000.

How do companies like Buckler, O’douls and others take out the alcohol but leave that delicious beer taste?

Simply put from Chow.com, “There are two ways to get the booze out that don’t require high heat. The first is a process called vacuum distillation. The beer or wine is put under a vacuum. The change in atmospheric pressure allows the producer to boil the liquids at a lower temperature, or in some cases with no heat at all, and distill off the alcohol.

The second process is called reverse osmosis, and is the same method often used to purify drinking water. It doesn’t require any heating. The wine or beer is passed through a filter with pores so small that only alcohol and water (and a few volatile acids) can pass through. The alcohol is distilled out of the alcohol-water mix using conventional distillation methods, and the water and remaining acids are added back into the syrupy mixture of sugars and flavor compounds left on the other side of the filter. Bingo—a nonalcoholic (or dealcoholized, as winemakers call it) brew.”

Has anyone ever started on nonalcoholic beer and never crossed over to the other side?  That would be interesting.  What point does someone give up the alcoholic beer and switch?  What makes the switch?  Does anyone have any not-so-personal stories that involve this topic?

Fletcher’s was a venue that often featured live music throughout the week.  Now if you drive by it, it is dark with brown paper wrapping over all the windows.  According to Sam Sessa, Fletcher’s had changed owners and planned to reopen, however that has still yet to be scene.

People remember Fletcher’s for their little stage, a dark standing-room only floor, free Genesee beer cans and decent acoustics.  Although it is sad to see that it has not reopened, Bourbon St. features live music at their venue called The Quarter.

98 Rock use to be a very large contributor to Fletcher’s as far as local talent goes. They are backing Bourbon St. exactly the same way. On Monday, Matt Davis from 98 Rock is hosting Noise in the Basement featuring local talent. Tickets are $4.98 with an open bar from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. There will be a guest bartender and an open deck. Hopefully the weather will be nice.

I’ve been to Bourbon St. on their Thursday parties which I made a habit out of for about two weeks. I hope when I go this Monday it will give me a new outlook on the place and make it conducive for another visit. Fingers crossed.