Best of Baltimore 2022: Fun & Games

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE MORGAN

COMEDIAN

MIKE QUINDLEN

Back in the day, Mike Quindlen worked full time in media sales. Then one day while watching the World Cup in South Africa, he propelled a whipped cream pie into his friend’s face. The stunt, aired live on BBC, had more than 40,000 views. Since coming back to Baltimore to try his hand at standup—and succeeding—Quindlen has become a well-known face at local breweries and clubs, earning props from famed comedian Doug Stanhope, and helping to mentor up-and-coming talent. Whether telling jokes—his routines are endearingly self-deprecating, with a few choice detours into bathroom humor—or helping newbies hone their craft, as Quindlen says, “I just want to be the best dude I can be.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY J.M. GIORDANO

DRAG BRUNCH

THE MANOR

It’s hard to imagine performers in any field—musicians, athletes, actors—taking as much joy in entertaining an audience as the drag queens who shimmy and shake their way through the dining rooms of The Manor in Mount Vernon. When the ticketed masses (we recommend buying a ticket ahead of time online as the performances often sell out) file in, first devouring a breakfast burrito or eggs Benedict along with bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, or rosé, they somehow sense that the best is yet to come. The energy is explosive from the moment the first heel hits the floor. Performers dressed to the nines lipsync while they dance their way around tables filled with birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties, and people of all persuasions just out for a good time. Positive vibes permeate the place, and while those in the crowd often can’t resist shrieking cheers of approval or getting up to dance themselves, it’s clear that no one’s having more fun than the talent.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHILIP MURIEL

BOOK STORE

GREEDY READS

Frankly, Greedy Reads could’ve won this award based just on their two awesome shops—one in Fells Point, the other in Remington. Filled with good books, good people, and good vibes, they’re the kind of bookstores you want to live in. But this year, the store went to a whole new level with its Lost Weekend Festival. From May 13-15, the Remington store threw a bona fide book festival, featuring local book readings and signings, spoken word poetry, drag queen story hour, and even a mini local food and makers’ market. Greedy Reads is a small shop, with a small staff, and the fest had lots of moving parts. But owner Julia Fleischaker and crew pulled it off without a hitch. Bad news for them—we already want another one next year!

WATER WORLD

FLUID MOVEMENT

After a two-year COVID hiatus, Fluid Movement was back this summer with the space spectacular “Yacht Rocket,” another wackily themed but endearing performance. (But will anything ever top 2015’s water ballet about Jeff Goldblum’s existential crisis?) No matter the theme, the thing about Fluid Movement is it’s always a guaranteed good time—great music, crazy costumes, lots of glitter, a (somewhat) discernible plotline, and the best people—both for audiences and performers alike. And those audiences, crowded into city pools over two hot weekends every year, know they’re witnessing a whole lot of hard work and a whole lot of, “What did I just watch?”