In 1982, Baltimore became home to a pocket of rock-and-roll paradise when the South Charles Street dive bar, Hammerjacks, established new roots in Federal Hill.

What had started five years prior in a rowhome as a rough-and-tumble watering hole would soon serve as a revolving door on South Howard Street for headlining acts like Guns N’ Roses, The Ramones, and Iggy Pop. Even before the move, Hammerjacks had become an impromptu destination for music royalty, with former Rockville resident Joan Jett filming her “I Love Rock ’N Roll” music video there in the early days of MTV.

Admittedly, Andy Hotchkiss wasn’t old enough to visit Hammerjacks during its fabled, metal-tinged heyday. But in 2018, the Rockville native, real estate broker, and lifelong music lover (pictured,) joined business partner Mark Dinerstein to bring the concert venue back to life, this time in the former home of another iconic Baltimore club, The Paradox.

The industrial building, housed on the 1300 block of Russell Street, has been in Hotchkiss’ family since the mid-1980s, “So it made a lot of sense,” he says. It’s also just about two-and-a-half blocks from Hammerjacks’ Howard Street location, which closed up shop in 1997 to make room for M&T Bank Stadium.

Much like its original iterations (a third, now-shuttered Hammerjacks also opened in Charles Village in 2000 with a starkly different dance-club vibe), this new space intends to put entertainment at the forefront.

“Hammerjacks is known for good times,” says Dinerstein, a veteran L.A.-based agent, who had heard about the venue through the music industry. “We want to keep the good times going.”

And since opening last year in the pandemic-friendly form of an outdoor venue, the newest brand of Hammerjacks has honored that tradition with prime tailgate space adjacent to sports stadiums, a stage to hold live music, and lawn games (think novelties like oversized beer pong).

Dinerstein recalls that in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, he and Hotchkiss made a choice to “flip the plan” and open Hammerjacks outdoors first, with an indoor space to follow. Still, they wager that the outdoor space will continue on as Hammerjacks expands its programming.

Hotchkiss shares that concerts, movie nights, and cornhole tournaments will fill the venue’s calendar, adding that he’s proud to resurrect a space with so much local history behind it.

“Obviously, [Hammerjacks] is never going to be what it used to be—the world is a vastly different place,” says Hotchkiss. “We hope the city puts their arms around us. People love good music and people love good times, and that’s what we’re hoping to provide.”

After last year’s unprecedented snafu, the Oscars were just hoping for a nice, uncontroversial show last night. They pretty much got it—from the jokes (mostly safe), to the performances (conventional), to the acceptance speeches (occasionally political, but in a polite way). That being said, let’s break it all down, shall we?

The Good

Frances McDormand’s amazing acceptance speech. I always love McDormand because, on top of being a phenomenal actress, she’s the essence of keeping it real. Even when she’s all dressed up, you strongly sense that she’d rather be home in sweats, possibly with a recreational cigarette, and she says what’s on her mind, whether you’re ready to hear it not. Last night, she did this great thing where she had all the female nominees stand—“C’mon Meryl, if you stand, they’ll all follow you”—and made sure they looked around the room and truly took in their collective power. She closed her speech with two words that initially had people scratching their heads: Inclusion rider. (Wait…did she say inclusion WRITER?). Turns out an inclusion rider is a clause an actor or actress can put in their contract, demanding diversity in front of and behind the camera. Inclusion Riders forever, y’all!

The Meh

Jimmy Kimmel’s performance. I love me some Kimmel, but he seemed super determined to play it safe here, so much so that his jokes felt a little bloodless. Of course, he ticked off the expected subjects: Harvey Weinstein, President Trump, the #MeToo movement, but his one-liners elicited little more than polite chuckles. Quick—name a single joke he told? Yeah, I can’t either. (I admit the jet-ski bit was kind of cute, especially with Dame Helen Mirren offering an assist.)

The Oh-So-Awkward

#MeToo was a theme leading up to the ceremony—and all across the country. So it was a bit disconcerting that Ryan Seacrest, recently accused of inappropriate sexual conduct by an E! stylist, was working the red carpet. (The TV station reportedly employed a 30-second delay, lest anyone confront him on it). E! should have put him on the shelf, at least until the allegations were fully vetted. The whole thing just felt really tone deaf. (See also the unfortunately timed wins for Gary Oldman and Kobe Bryant, who both have been accused of violence toward women in the past.)
 

The Good

Sometimes an awkward moment leads to something ah-mazing. Exhibit A: Taraji P. Henson, slyly confronting Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. This was some Grade A shading. The 30-second delay guy didn’t know what hit him.

The Meh

Can we put a moratorium on the bits where big, glamorous stars mingle with the “little people”? They invariably seem patronizing, even if well intended. That being said, I’ve now seen Armie Hammer shoot a hot-dog gun into a crowded theater, so that’s one less item for the Bucket List.

The Oh-So Awkward

Oh, if you all could’ve seen my face when I realized that the moving #HereWeAre spot, featuring poet Denice Frohman imploring women to speak their truth, was an ad for Twitter. Yes, that Twitter—ground zero for female harassment. (Been there, been called the “C” word.) Nice try, Twitter executives. We’re not buying it.

The Good

Some absolutely gorgeous fashion last night. My faves: Jennifer Garner, Gina Rodriguez, pictured, Lupita Nyong’o, and Greta Gerwig.

Honorable mention: Tariji P. Henson and Jane Fonda. (Also, she wasn’t nominated or presenting, but check out the art-deco-inspired dress worn by actress Leslie Bibb, who is also Sam Rockwell’s partner. Wowsa!)

The Meh

I love you, Gael Garcia Bernal, but maybe you shouldn’t sing. (As I said on Twitter: Pitchy, but sexy.)

The Oh-So-Awkward

I stayed up late and watched the E! after party. They managed to score an interview with Guillermo del Toro, the man of the night, but were completely baffled when he mentioned “candy, sandwiches, and hot dog guns” (he participated in the celebrity movie theater raid). “I guess everyone has unusual snacks!” said one of the E! hosts, in a kind of baffled version of happy talk. Note to the after-party gang—watch the damn show!
 

Bonus Goods 

Co-presenters Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph. Get those two ladies their own buddy comedy, stat!
 

Ashely Judd, Salma Hayek, and Annabella Sciorra discussing #MeToo. It was wonderful to see those outspoken heroines together on stage. “Hi, it’s nice to see you all,” said Sciorra, whose career had been derailed by an alleged Harvey Weinstein assault. “It’s been a while.”
 

The Walmart Box: I’ve got to hand it to them, when I think auteurism, I don’t generally think Walmart. But I loved all three of the “Box” mini films, especially Dee Rees’s.  

My picks!: Out of the 12 categories I took a stab at, I got 11 right. Not too shabby!
 

Baltimore’s transportation hub is getting a facelift and we couldn’t be more excited. Penn Station is scheduled for redevelopment with construction set to begin as early as this year.

Penn Station Partners—a Baltimore-based team—will be working with local companies including Beatty Development, Armada Hoffler Properties, and Gensler among others to refresh the more than 100-year-old train station. The new mixed-use development could bring as many as 1.6 million square feet to the area. Some preliminary ideas include a hotel in the station head house, as well as residential and office space connected by an expanded concourse with new retail shops.

“Baltimore Penn Station is the eighth busiest station in our national network,” said Bart Bush, Amtrak’s VP of real estate stations and facilities in a statement. “This important step underscores Amtrak’s continued efforts to significantly enhance the station experience and amenities for all travelers.”

While the designers are drafting up plans, we have a few things to add to the list:

A movie theater
Things happen and trains get delayed. Unless you are totally into people watching, passing the time while waiting is no fun. Cincinnati Union Terminal got it right with their onsite OMNIMAX Theater. Catching the latest flick or feeling nostalgic during a classic is better than staring at the wall or draining your phone battery playing Candy Crush. 

Charging stations
This is self-explanatory. While Penn Station finally got around to updating its Wi-Fi system that was installed in 2010, the connectivity is of no use to us if our phones are dead. The more outlets, or even USB portals, the better.

Enclosed garden patio
Imagine running into the train station during a rainy Baltimore day and sitting in an enclosed room full of beautiful wildflowers and lush greens. In the Madrid Atocha Train Station, lush palms reach toward the sky and turtles swim in the indoor pond. Sounds pretty tranquil, right?

Mini museum
Penn Station is right in the middle of Station North Arts District and the MICA campus with talent bursting at the seams. A museum of local artwork inside the train station would be an awesome opportunity to showcase our up and coming artists. We could take a cue from this train station in Lakewood, Colorado that installed a permanent, colorful installation outside (and seems to be way less controversial than the Man/Woman statue).

Dining & Bars
No, we don’t mean a Cinnabon or Dunkin Donuts—although there’s nothing wrong with either—we’re thinking more like R.House or Mt. Vernon Marketplace. The train station could be a place where visitors can grab a good, quick meal at an affordable price. We were inspired by Union Station in Denver with its beautiful Terminal Bar and bountiful restaurants for brunch, coffee, or ice cream.

Live entertainment
WTMD already has a program where musicians play at BWI baggage claim and BSO musicians play at Penn Station around the holidays. But what about the rest of the year? Union Station in Los Angeles has monthly shows in its terminals to keep travelers in high spirits as they go about their day.  A little smooth jazz or a festive Mardi Gras celebration is sure to elevate your experience.