In darkness, I feel my way from bedroom to kitchen hugging the outside wall like liquid in a centrifuge. The place is strange, gray, and round like a spaceship, alien. As I tap through the living room into the hallway toward the kitchen, an orange laser beam shoots through a window and startles me closer to consciousness.

The radiant sliver widens over the Lego-like apartments at 225 North Calvert between St. Paul Plaza and the Blaustein Building at One North Charles. Then I remember: we are 21 stories above Baltimore, in a circular penthouse with windows open to every direction, and I just traveled from the shaded westside to dawn’s early light in the east.

My wife, two daughters, and I are in Hotel COVID, known prior to this pandemic as the Lord Baltimore.

I put water on to boil for the French press as a Warhol-esque portrait of Marilyn Monroe stares at me between two windows. Empty marinara-stained Styrofoam from Sabatino’s top the garbage can while recyclables spill out of two MICA tote bags—signs of just temporary domesticity.

Half the stuff in the kitchen—utensils, pots, and pans—belongs to the hotel and half is our family’s, which was transported in stages.

Five floors below us, and descending to the fourth floor of the Lord Baltimore Hotel, the rooms are filled with local residents diagnosed with COVID-19, or people who are highly suspected of having the illness. These residents (we do not call them “patients”) are not so symptomatic as to require hospitalization, but have been shuttled here from all over the Baltimore area because they could not safely isolate. They live in, and have come from, congregate settings such as shelters, substance-use recovery houses, multi-generational households, or on the street.

My wife, Marik Moen, is an RN and assistant professor of community and public health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She was invited to serve as the director of nursing here at the Lord Baltimore Hotel Triage Respite and Isolation Center, a collaborative effort of the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services, the city health department, and the University of Maryland Medical System, with support from nonprofits like Healthcare for the Homeless Maryland.

In many cases, Healthcare for the Homeless identifies potential residents who may be well served by the Triage Respite and Isolation Center. The University of Maryland Medical System provides the healthcare, and the city oversees the operation, having entered into an agreement with the Miami-based Rubell family—the owners of the popular, 1928-built French Renaissance hotel—which had been all-but-vacant since March due to the state’s lockdown order.

Two years earlier, we had moved from Baltimore to Fairfaix, Virginia when I took a job at George Mason University and Marik’s work life entered a research phase that required that she commute to Baltimore just a few days a week. Then the pandemic happened.

Characteristic of returned Peace Corps volunteers, Marik, who served in Gabon for three years before we were married, asked herself, “If not now, when? If not me, who?” So she reached out to the team pulling together the Baltimore Convention Center and, after an onboarding training, picked up some shifts.

In the early days of coronavirus, Baltimore enacted a plan similar to other cities that were transforming convention centers into field hospitals for COVID-19 patients who did not require intensive care. Then, in late April, weeks into the lockdown and wrapping up our semesters as professors while overseeing the ever-changing online schooling situation of our children, the phone rang. 

It was Chuck Callahan, vice president of Population Health at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Marik and Chuck knew one another from a shared interest in population health and from the Convention Center project, which Chuck oversaw. I could not hear their full conversation, of course, but I distilled it as Chuck described the Lord Baltimore Hotel project—how the population being served exactly aligned with Marik’s service and research interests. I guessed correctly that he was asking whether she would head up the nursing component

I could tell by Marik’s voice, her hemming and hawing, as well as her energy and enthusiasm, what she was thinking. “If not now, when? If not me, who?”

Throughout the weekend, we must have walked around Lake Royal in Northern Virginia 50 times: back-burnering already back-burnered research goals and tenure-track requirements, discussing home-life and school-life that had suddenly become one life, and weighing the risk of infection and contamination. 

“If not now, when?” “If not me, who?” Simple: Now. You. Us.

Marik departed for Baltimore on May 3. Driving back and forth from Fairfax, the extra steps required to keep the car clean and change her clothes upon first re-entering the house, to reduce the risk of contaminating us, did not make sense, so early on Marik simply stayed in Baltimore. We only occasionally saw her thereafter. During that first month, Marik stayed in a corner room on the 25th floor of the Crowne Plaza at Fayette and Liberty Streets. On weekends, we’d either drive up or she’d return to Fairfax to do laundry, purloin kitchen utensils, and swipe condiments.

On our first visit, before residents arrived at the Lord Baltimore, Marik gave us a tour. Armed guards greeted us just inside the lobby door off of Hanover Street where we rubbed hand sanitizer into our palms and took our temperatures. A hotel employee checked us in; otherwise, the large lobby was empty. 

The ornate ceiling betrayed the hotel’s opulence, with a mauve and sage floral and diamond pattern accentuated with gilded edges. A grand piano sat silent and shadows cloaked the bar. Here roamed the ghosts of Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth, Martin Luther King, Jr., and former Maryland governor Harry Hughes, who used the hotel as his gubernatorial campaign headquarters. In fact, paranormal experts claim the hotel—Baltimore’s tallest building when it was erected just before the Great Depression hit—is truly haunted. Guests have reported seeing the apparition of Molly, dressed in white and playing with a red ball, whose parents were apparently among the hotel’s “leapers.” 

On the grand two-tiered ballroom level, Marik showed us the operation center where representatives from partnering organizations had set up workstations. Bowl-shaped crystal chandeliers still illuminated the space, gold sconces glowed from the columns, and long luxurious curtains graced the windows. But gone were the round tables draped in off-white linen, sparkling glassware, and formal place settings with silver cutlery. In their place were laptops and printers, a few rows of chairs set up for team meetings, cases of bottled water, file folders, and piles of masks.

We returned to the lobby and faced a bank of four elevators. Inside the lifts, duct tape covered select buttons so that no one could inadvertently access a floor where COVID residents stayed. At every third floor, elevator doors opened on donning and doffing stations with industrial-strength plastic sealing doorways. (Staff could access the non-doffing floors only through the service elevators behind sealed hallways inside the “hot zone.” Residents accessed the floors via service elevators that connected with the loading dock area.) 

The process for each TRI Center staffer involved entering an antechamber and donning personal protective equipment (N-95 mask, face shield, gown, gloves, booties), and next making rounds and using a pass-through room from the east side of the U-shaped floor to the west side. Then, at the end of a shift, doffing the PPE at the opposite antechamber. About 25 rooms per floor were in service, including smoking rooms, staff rooms, and pass-through rooms. Stairways were alarmed to prevent residents from using them but still allowing for emergency exits. In addition to PPE, nurses would be equipped with stethoscopes, thermometers, pulse oximeters, and blood pressure cuffs—just enough tools, along with their smarts and experience, to determine when a resident’s respiratory symptoms worsened or complications from a present comorbidity flared.

The first residents were due the Tuesday following our first family visit. We bought oysters and a rockfish from STREETS Market & Cafe and wine from Urban Cellars. We celebrated because it was clear that we wouldn’t be seeing much of each other. Then the kids and I returned to Virginia.

Residents arrived on May 12. Marik reported on challenges on the frontline: civilians working in but not understanding the clinical realm, droopy masks, mental health crises among some residents, others going on walk-abouts. Quarantine and cabin fever. The messiness of real life spilt over into Hotel COVID as problems that existed outside also existed here. Suddenly, a two-week reservation at the Lord Baltimore Hotel in the heart of beautiful downtown Charm City did not sound like a vacation at all.

In addition to navigating new professional relationships and corralling an entourage of mostly unfamiliar nurses, Marik got to know the hotel staff who tended to both their usual tasks and extraordinary new ones with a level of generosity not necessarily anticipated when your historic hotel morphs into a 2020 pandemic refuge. Perhaps most gracious was Onahlea Shimunek, the general manager of the Lord Baltimore, who has nearly 30 years of experience in hospitality.

Onahlea serves on the boards of such organizations as Back on My Feet, which combats homelessness through the power of running, community support, and employment and housing resources, and HealthCare Access Maryland. Naturally, she possesses a proclivity toward initiatives such as those currently occupying her 440-room hotel. Her LinkedIn page says that she “embraces challenges that create opportunities for the LBH team.” What could be more challenging than a triage, respite, and isolation center?

One might say Onahlea put the hospitality in “hospital.” She also knew the stress that working at Hotel COVID placed on Marik and her family, so she arranged for Marik to use one of the Lord Baltimore Hotel’s penthouses that came with an open invitation to us, which is how I have come to waking up several mornings a month feeling my way around the walls to the kitchen. Windows to the south overlooked the LB Skybar on the 19th Floor and the ledge from which Molly’s parents leapt.

On Memorial Day, the same day Marik officially moved into Hotel COVID, a cop in her home state of Minnesota pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, killing him. A few days later, the kids and I packed clothes, laptops, books, and the packets that Fairfax County Public Schools mailed out and joined her. Same ritual each time entering the building: guards armed, hands cleaned, temperatures checked, express elevator to the 21st floor, and a 360-degree view of Baltimore.

On Friday, May 29, the first weekend after George Floyd’s murder and just over five years since the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, I noticed from the bedroom window a few people walking down the middle of Liberty Street at Fayette. (Nothing unusual about Baltimoreans jay-walking.) Then, a few more bodies filtered through, then a cluster of a dozen, more, marching south.

 

Suddenly, a two-week reservation at the Lord Baltimore Hotel in the heart of beautiful downtown Charm City did not sound like a vacation at all.

 

I ran downstairs to join the flow of souls awash with demonstrators converging on downtown traffic along Light Street at Harborplace. A chorus call and response rose up: “I can’t breathe!” followed by “No justice, no peace!” That evening, the thwump, thwump, thwump of industrial HVAC fans on rooftops below the penthouse echoed the beat of helicopters that hovered above the city. The after-protest action on Saturday night was fierier than the previous night, with cars and dirt bikes making laps around blocks and against traffic deep into the early morning.

A few hours later, I feel my way through the suite to brew coffee and catch the solar uprising while humming a Joe Strummer tune (“I’m waiting for the rays of the morning sun. Somebody tell me, has the new world begun?”). 

On Monday, June 1, Marik dressed and descended the elevator to the COVID-crisis below while the kids and I booted up for work and school. I constantly patrol the penthouse windows, around and around like a figurine in a Black Forest house cuckoo clock. Then it struck, at mid-afternoon, a torrent of demonstrators led by peaceful youth protesters cascading down Baltimore Street past the hotel heading toward City Hall. I dragged the girls downstairs, “You can’t miss this! You may not entirely understand it, but you must see it.”

Again, the next Saturday, a march from City Hall west along Fayette turning north on Charles Street toward the Washington Monument. Again, I masked the kids and dragged them out in hopes that the indelible impression would lead to more serious conversations, maybe today, maybe tomorrow as they grow older. We stood in the intersection: “This is important stuff girls, look at it, look at it hard.”  Masked demonstrators filed past us: “Dismantle Racist Police State,” “How Many More Times Does This Shit Have to Happen Until Black Lives Matter?,” “Enough is Enough.” A thousand hand-held placards. Look hard.

Then we returned to the penthouse at the Hotel COVID, where we could rise above it all, an act of privilege that demanded to be acknowledged.

COVID-19 uprooted our lives, as it did for tens of thousands of families, with more dire consequences for far too many. For us, it meant Mom left for the TRI Center at the Lord Baltimore Hotel while I worked remotely, taught ineffectually, and oversaw lamely the final weeks of second and fourth grade for our kids from “home.” Although her time at the TRI Center would conclude at the end of summer, Marik’s public health career would continue to rattle her world and compel her to be on site, whereas my higher ed world would struggle to reimagine its future when its past hinged on bodies physically being on campus. With our lease due for renewal, we rolled the dice and started house hunting in Baltimore.

I told Marik that the unprecedented situation dictated the move. In fact, I was homesick.

On July 17, we closed on a house and moved back home to Baltimore. (I recognized one trustee’s name on the contract, a writer whose husband is a painter whose prints hung on our walls. The other trustee’s name was an estate lawyer and partner of a colleague of mine from when I worked at MICA. And the seller’s niece was a nurse practitioner who worked at the TRI Center with Marik. In other words, the quintessential Smalltimore signs of making a good decision.) 

 

Then we returned to the penthouse at the Hotel COVID, where we could rise above it all, an act of privilege that demanded to be acknowledged.

 

The next weekend, Marik collected things that had accumulated at Hotel COVID and officially checked out. Her time with this project ended in early September. On the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Marik’s phone buzzed the way it did most mornings just after 5:30 a.m. when the day’s staffing needs started to jostle. Nurses were needed at the Lord Baltimore, but Marik had checked out—even though I think a standing reservation is on hold for her.   

As of this fall, the TRI Center had served more than 750 residents, saving lives due to close monitoring and triage to higher levels of care if residents’ conditions worsened. The team prevented countless infections by isolating positive people from the wider population and stemming the chain of transmission. The Lord Baltimore Hotel Triage Respite and Isolation Center will continue to operate through December, or as long as the epidemic still demands a Hotel COVID.

As of this writing, President-Elect Biden’s transition team attempts to coordinate a more unified response to the pandemic while the outgoing administration struggles with the resurgent coronavirus. It’s as bad as March, rates of infection higher than even the summer. And as Marik takes more shifts and the TRI Center team reaches out for support, I’m reminded of the classic Eagle’s song: You can check out of Hotel COVID, but you can never leave.

Gregg Wilhelm is the founder and former executive director of CityLit Project in Baltimore and director of the Creative Writing Program at George Mason University in Fairfax.

COMING SOON

Twisted Teahouse: From sushi and sweets to burgers and bubble tea, the Avenue in Hampden boasts plenty of variety. And now, West 36th Street will welcome a traditional tea room from local baker Angela Vogel. Expected to debut this spring, Twisted Teahouse will offer private tea parties, as well as fair-trade teas, organic coffees, and custom cakes for sale. The menu will also feature light fare including blueberry muffins, classic shortbread, and protein-packed, sous-vide egg bites. The Hampden spot is a food-focused spinoff of the original Twisted Teahouse, a quasi-tea parlor and consignment shop that Vogel previously operated inside the historic Savage Mill complex in Howard County. 813 W. 36th St.

Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria: This New Orleans-based chain focuses on classic burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and chimichangas. And, next year, the fast-casual cantina is expanding up north with a location at The Shops at Kenilworth in Towson inside a freestanding building that is being constructed on the lower level of the mall. Aside from the street-food favorites filled with toppings like tinga chicken, chorizo, carnitas, and grilled shrimp, the restaurant also offers a craft cocktail bar focusing on margaritas made with hand-squeezed Key limes. Though Felipe’s isn’t expected to debut until 2020, The Shops at Kenilworth’s newest tenant Lyfe Cafe will open on January 22. Be on the lookout for açaí bowls, protein pancakes, green detox salads, sugar-free desserts, and more from the health-conscious spot. 800 Kenilworth Drive, Towson

NEWS

Baltimore Spots Named Among Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat: Each year, Yelp combs through thousands of restaurant reviews—taking into account ratings and volume—to generate its Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States. This time around, two Charm City eateries snagged well-deserved spots on the annual list. Fells Point favorite Ekiben came in at No. 89, while Hampden sweet shop Waffie also made the cut at No. 97. Both took to social media to express their gratitude to the communities that have kept them going. “We’ve been on the national stage a couple times now, but to be one of two Baltimore restaurants on [this list] is unreal—like beyond words crazy,” reads a post to Ekiben’s Instagram. “Thanks for all of the love and support, Baltimore. We owe this all to you.” As Waffie summed up: “Hampden, you rock. So, so thankful.”

EPICUREAN EVENTS

1/17: Mera Kitchen Collective x Cajou Cream Pop-Up
The chefs behind Mera Kitchen Collective—a worker-owned co-op spotlighting the culinary heritage of immigrants and refugees—are teaming up with local vegan creamery Cajou Cream to host this special pop-up at LB Tavern inside the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Highlighting the bold flavors of Sudan, Egypt, and the Caribbean, the event will offer Mera’s desserts paired with Cajou’s dairy-free cashew ice cream. Among the sweet treats available for purchase will be a Sudanese-style beignet with dairy-free coconut cardamom ice cream, pistachios, and a balsamic reduction. 20 W. Baltimore St. Free. 5-7 p.m.

SHUT

The Local Fry Federal Hill: Kevin and Elizabeth Irish, the husband-and-wife duo that opened this fan-favorite fry shop in Federal Hill four years ago, have decided to close the flagship in order to focus on their second location at the Rotunda in Hampden. “We want to thank all of our customers who have supported us through the years,” the couple posted to Instagram. “We’ve learned a lot, and we will use the knowledge and experience gained from our time in Federal Hill as we pursue other business projects and expand our brand.” Luckily, South Baltimore regulars can find the same flavorful wings, banh-mi sandwiches, rice bowls, and loaded French fry baskets just a few neighborhoods north in Hampden. If you’re not up for the trek, The Local Fry is also available via meal delivery services including DoorDash and Uber Eats. 711 W. 40th St. Ste. 152. 667-210-2633

Pasta Mista Timonium: Known for its overstuffed subs and pasta-topped pies, this Italian outpost has been feeding the masses in Timonium for a decade. But, last week, Pasta Mista announced that had sold its location in the Timonium Square Shopping Center to another local chain, Pizza Sauce, which will be replacing it in the coming weeks. Though there are talks of a new Pasta Mista venture in the works, for now, regulars can find the signature pizzas, pastas, salads, and stromboli at the shop’s other two locations in Towson and Canton. Multiple locations including 822 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson. 410-321-8855

Typically, New Year’s Eve goes one of two ways. Either you keep it casual and watch the ball drop from the comfort of someone’s living room or you dress to the nines and head out for an extravagant evening on the town. But part of the beauty of being in Baltimore on December 31 is that there are plenty of opportunities to do something that falls somewhere in between.

If you want to go out without getting too fancy, you can hit up a neighborhood bar or head to a concert at an intimate venue. Or, if the goal is to do something outside of the box, there’s even a dog-themed dance party and a Divine-inspired fête.

From dinners and dance parties to open-bar bashes and big she-bangs, here are our picks for the best ways to ring in 2019.

PUB PARTIES

One Star Country Club

This Federal Hill favorite is known to get rowdy after an Orioles or Ravens win, and we can only imagine the energy will be exactly the same when the clock strikes twelve. One Star is inviting revelers to pregame for the big moment with a premium open bar from 9-10 p.m. for $10. Afterwords, enjoy a complimentary champagne toast at midnight and cash bar until 2 a.m. 38 E. Cross St. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $5-15

Sir Duke Bar & Liquor Store

The drinks will be flowing at this artsy Fells Point hangout, which is opening all three bars for a two-floor dance party with DJs spinning all night. Attendees who buy tickets early will be able to roll up and skip the line when they arrive. 701 S. Bond St. 9 p.m.-4 a.m. $10

The Chasseur

Head up to the third-floor skybar at this Canton corner spot to ring in 2019 with friends and neighbors. Admission to The Chassuer’s annual party includes passed hors d’oeuvres, party favors (who doesn’t love a shiny headband?), and plenty of bubbly at midnight. 3328 Foster Ave. 10 p.m.-1 a.m. $40

Hair of the Dog

South Baltimore watering hole Hair of the Dog is pulling an all-nighter with festivities running until 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The main event begins at 9 p.m. with $40 open-bar access that includes live music spun by DJ Eden, and a full-blown buffet by chef Kenya Butler. The spot will open to the public at 1 a.m., and keep the party going until sunrise. 1649 S. Hanover St. 9 p.m.-8 a.m. $40

Alexander’s Tavern

Alexander’s in Fells Point is going all out with bottomless eats and drinks from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Line your stomach with buffet fare like crab dip, soft pretzels, gourmet pizzas, signature tots, and mac and cheese while indulging in open bar access all night. 710 S. Broadway. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. $65

MIDNIGHT MUSIC

Big Vibe NYE 2018 at The Crown
Mr. 14th, D.K. the Punisher, and other surprise guest performers will be providing the soundtrack for this New Year’s Eve rager. Take advantage of the positive energy and start your year on a high note at The Crown, which is offering pay-what-you-want tickets until the night of the event. The Crown. 1910 N. Charles St. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. $5-10 at the door.

New Queer’s Eve at the Windup Space
Say goodbye to 2018 at this all-night show spotlighting bands from the local LGBTQ community. The lineup features favorites like experimental rockers Joseph & The Beasts, Manners Manners, Sybling, and Dreambush. The Windup Space. 12 W. North Ave. 8 p.m.-1 a.m. $10

A Mobtown New Year’s Eve
The annual soiree at Mobtown Ballroom in Pigtown will begin with cocktails and live jazz before guests make their way to the dance floor for Sarah Sullivan and the Honey Guzzlers. Other live entertainment throughout the evening will include burlesque performances and post-midnight DJ music. 861 Washington Blvd. 7 p.m. $50

2 K9 TEEN: BROS New Year’s Eve Bash
A group of Baltimore greats—including Outcalls, DJ Pancakes, and Joe Keyes and the Late Bloomer Band—are set to take the stage at this dog-themed dance party hosted by the Baltimore Rock Opera Society (BROS). In between the tail-wagging sets, BROS members will be performing their best tricks for (human) treats. Ottobar. 2549 N. Howard St. 9 p.m. $20

NYE Soul Train ’69 at the Creative Alliance
It might be 2019 at midnight, but the Creative Alliance is hosting this funk-fueled bash for anyone who wants to travel back in time 50 years. Get down to Motown jams by DJ Landis Expandis, DJ Rob Macy, and The Jonathan Gilmore Experience, who will be covering James Brown, The Supremes, and everything in between. Creative Alliance. 3134 Eastern Ave. 8:30 p.m.-3 a.m. $30-35

Better Off Dead New Year’s Eve Bash

Rock out to familiar Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia anthems with local tribute band Better Off Dead at The 8 x 10. An opening set by progressive funk collective Squaring the Circle will get the party started off right. The 8 x 10. 10 E. Cross St. 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $30

FIREWORKS FESTIVITIES

Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular
Gather around the Inner Harbor Amphitheater for live music and dance performances before the annual fireworks display at midnight. The nearby Pandora Ice Rink will be open until 12:30 a.m. for those hoping to catch the show while practicing their triple axel tricks. Inner Harbor. 9 p.m.- 12:30 a.m. Free

Wit & Wisdom

It’s going to be a bittersweet evening at this seven-year-old staple inside the Four Seasons Baltimore in Harbor East. New Year’s Eve marks the restaurant’s final night of service as it prepares to transition into a new concept, but it’s going out with a bang. Enjoy light bites and a ringside seat to the fireworks show while toasting Wit’s run. 200 International Drive. 8:30 p.m. $250

Minnow
Not only is this Riverside seafood spot offering a Mediterranean-inspired prix-fixe menu on New Year’s Eve, but it’s also hosting a rooftop soiree for guests who have other dinner plans. The party starts with hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine in the bar at 10 p.m., followed by a trip up to the roof just before midnight to watch the fireworks light up the sky. 2 E. Wells St. 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $60

Vida Taco Bar

Vida is celebrating its first-ever New Year’s Eve in Harbor Point accordingly with all-you-can-eat street tacos, oysters, shrimp, ceviche, crudite, and more. There will also be an open bar (with plenty of tequila) and live music by DJ Rolo. The best part? The spot is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows with killer views of the Inner Harbor fireworks. 1401 Point St. 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $100-125

Constellation Deck Party

Climb aboard the Inner Harbor’s USS Constellation for unlimited gourmet eats, picture-perfect views of the fireworks, and, of course, plenty of bubbly to go around at midnight. Pier 1, E. Pratt St. $25-85

BAR-HOPPING BASHES

Barcocina and Bond Street Social
Hop back and forth between these sister spots overlooking the water in Fells Point. A $40 ticket includes admission to both bars, passed bites, noisemakers, and a champagne toast at midnight. 1629 Thames St. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $40

NYE: Charles Street Block Party
South Charles Street neighbors Bandito’s, Wayward, and 101 Baltimore are hosting this joint celebration in Federal Hill. Dance your way into the New Year at all three bars, which will offer three-hour open bar access and plenty of light fare to keep you going well past midnight. “Fast Pass” ticket options are available for those who want to jump the lines. 1117-1118 S. Charles St. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. $79

New Year’s Eve at Tagliata, The Elk Room, and Italian Disco
The cluster of Atlas Restaurant Group concepts on Fleet Street in Harbor East are coming together to throw one massive party. Wander around to enjoy piano music at Tagliata, a full jazz band at The Elk Room, and live DJ entertainment at Italian Disco—which will also air the Times Square ball drop on its big screens. All of the eateries will offer bottomless eats and drinks. 1012 Fleet St. 7 p.m.-3 a.m. $175

NYE: Live 2019
Make your way around 10 different bars inside Power Plant Live to take advantage of all-inclusive eats and drinks with live music at each venue. The downtown nightlife district is also hosting an epic countdown with lasers, confetti, and tons of balloons. 34 Market Place. 9 p.m. $95

FANCY FOOD

A Divine Pretty in Pink New Year’s Eve at Encantada
The whimsical restaurant inside the American Visionary Art Museum is dedicating its New Year’s bash to the legendary Divine with pops of pink, a themed buffet, and open bar access. There will also be a live DJ, photo booth, and Divine impersonator to make it a New Year’s Eve for the books. 800 Key Highway. 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $130

Charleston

Treat yourself to an elegant, prix-fixe meal prepared by chef Cindy Wolf at this waterfront destination in Harbor East. The restaurant is offering two seatings, both including four savory courses and dessert. 1000 Lancaster St. 5:30 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. $149-319

La Cuchara

Chef Ben Lefenfeld is whipping up a four-course, Basque-inspired meal with dishes such as bluefin tuna crudo, duck magret with huckleberry jus, rockfish with heirloom carrots, and banana rum cake with coconut buttercream. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd, Ste. 125. 5 p.m.-12 a.m. $99

Cosima
Before those New Year’s resolutions go into effect, spend your final meal of 2018 eating Italian comfort foods at this Woodberry restaurant. Chef Donna Crivello’s special menu highlights roasted butternut squash bisque with duck confit, stuffed branzino with lobster couscous, porcini-crusted tenderloin, and a chocolate chestnut cake with sweet mascarpone. 3000 Falls Rd. $100-135

Chez Hugo
A seven-course menu of innovative French fare is in store for diners at this downtown bistro. The meal will begin with crab cakes and sunchoke hummus before chef Steve Monnier moves on to serve carrot tartare with radishes and sorrel, halibut in gremolata butter, and duck breast with persimmon jam. 206 E. Redwood St. 5-11 p.m. $85

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen
Chef John Shields’ 20-year-old favorite at the Baltimore Museum of Art is taking on a supper club vibe for the big night, offering two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Both will include vegan and vegetarian options, and live jazz and guitar music. Dishes to look out for include lobster bisque, baked wild oysters, rockfish imperial, seafood linguine, and chocolate toffee crunch pie. 10 Art Museum Drive, 5 p.m.-12 a.m. $49-95

Rye Street Tavern
Foodies will flock to this Port Covington party featuring buffet fare around every corner. Spend the final hours of 2018 indulging in endless passed canapes, fried chicken, carved meats, and raw bar favorites. Rye Street is even devoting an entire room to desserts. Other highlights will include live music and a champagne toast overlooking the water at midnight. 13 Rye St. 7 p.m.-1:30 p.m. $140

BIG BLOWOUTS

New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball at the Sagamore Pendry

Throw on a vintage mask and head to the luxury hotel on Broadway Pier in Fells Point for a Venetian-themed evening. Sip unlimited drinks, snack on light bites, and dance in the historic ballroom before watching the fireworks blast over the water. 1715 Thames St. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $139

New Year’s Eve Party and 90th Birthday Bash at the Lord Baltimore
To celebrate its 90th birthday, the Lord Baltimore Hotel is paying homage to its roots with a live swing band in the historic Calvert Ballroom. The combined birthday and New Year’s Eve celebration will also feature a spread of oysters and hors d’oeuvres, as well as holiday cocktails and French sparkling wine at midnight. A portion of all ticket proceeds will benefit the Baltimore National Heritage Area. 20 W. Baltimore St. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $75

The Bygone Ball
There’s nothing quite like the panoramic views from the 29th floor of the Four Seasons Baltimore. Bygone will be celebrating in style with a black-tie ball offering premium open bar service, and a standing buffet with caviar, raw bar staples, and a meat-carving station. 400 International Drive, 29th floor. 7 p.m.-3 a.m. $375

Charm City Countdown: Midnight in Hollywood
Pose for cameras on the red carpet before entering this massive affair at the Hilton Baltimore in Linthicum. Equipped with 12 different party areas—including its own silent disco—the Los Angeles-inspired blowout will feature unlimited eats and drinks, five regional DJs, and a festive balloon drop at midnight. A portion of proceeds will benefit local charities CityFam and Caring Communities. Hilton Baltimore BWI. 1739 W. Nursery Rd. Linthicum Heights. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $109

Haunted hotel rooms, spirits lurking through ballrooms, and elevators that operate without pressing a button sound like scenes straight out of Ghostbusters, but accounts like these have been documented at the historic Lord Baltimore Hotel. Instead of guests running for the hills or vowing to never book another night, the hotel has seen an influx of guests staying in hopes of experiencing supernatural incidents.

On September 29, the public will have a chance to kick off the Halloween season by participating in the world’s largest ghost hunt at the hotel along with more than 100 other haunted landmarks in 13 countries.

Haunted Journeys, an Ohio-based organization run by husband and wife duo Maria and Bob Schmidt, will be hosting the third annual National Ghost Hunt Day. This year will be the first time that they’ve expanded the event globally.

“We thought what should we do to bring attention to National Ghost Hunting Day,” said Maria, who registered the day on the national calendar in 2016. “It’s a method to increase awareness about historical properties for the purposes of raising funds for preservation.”

The criteria for participation required the property to be historic, of course, but to also have documented accounts of previously investigated paranormal activity. The location must also donate all proceeds to either the historical preservation of the site or, if it’s a lucrative business such as the Lord Baltimore Hotel, donate the proceeds to a charity of their choosing.

The historic high-rise downtown checked off all the boxes and will be donating 100 percent of the funds collected from ticket sales to Back On My Feet, an organization that helps to combat homelessness. The hotel is even offering discounted rates for any participants wanting to stay to experience the full effect.

Built in 1928 in downtown Baltimore, the Lord Baltimore Hotel was one of the tallest structures in Baltimore during the Great Depression, which contributed to more than 20 documented jumps off the top of the building from 1929-1932. Hence, all the ghost sightings throughout the years.

“I have been here for five-and-half years and I have personally never experienced anything,” said Lee Johnson-Lowe, spokesman for Lord Baltimore Hotel. “But I know a lot of the stories and have encountered employees, as well as guests, that indicate that they have experienced such things.”

Johnson-Lowe, who admittedly says he’s not a believer, details one story of a small girl, Molly, who haunts the 19th floor of the hotel with a red ball looking for her parents. He says that she and her parents supposedly all jumped from the top of the hotel decades ago, but her spirit remains. The Schmidts say that stories like these are the reason they’ve become so enthralled with the practice of ghost hunting, also having had similar experiences running their Victorian inn down in Florida.

“It happens more frequently than people think,” Bob said. “When you finally experience the supernatural and metaphysical, you open yourself up to the possibility that connection with the spirits is possible.”

Participants at Lord Baltimore will have the option to learn more about strengthening those intuitions and heightening their consciousness through a workshop with local psychic medium Amanda Jackiewicz of Spirit Flows Studios. She will also be conducting a limited number of individual mediumship sessions before the ghost hunt.

At 8 p.m., the real fun begins, attendees will be split into groups to investigate four known places of paranormal activity in the hotel: the basement, ballroom, 19th floor, and the penthouse. This four-hour long portion of the event will be hosted by Pennsylvania-based R.E.A.P Investigations, a group that researches and educates the public on paranormal activity.

“I will tell you that people who are open to this, when they walk in the doors, they always say that the hotel is very crowded,” Johnson-Lowe said. “There are a lot of spirits here.”

If ghost hunting isn’t your thing, there are ways for you to participate from the safety and comfort of your home. The Lord Baltimore Hotel’s hunt will go live on Facebook at 10 p.m. with more than 100 other locations as each conduct a ghost hunt at the same time.

The ultimate goal for the Schmidts’ event is to encourage unity within the community of ghost hunters while promoting preservation of historical landmarks.

“The Lord Baltimore is an ideal candidate because of its storied history,” Maria said. “The enthusiasm for this event has just been incredible.”

Imagine walking on the same heated bathroom floor that Oprah once stepped on. Or sleeping in same bed as rapper Drake. The Ivy Hotel and the Four Seasons Baltimore are known to house high-profile visitors, but other high-end hotels around the world have secret rooms that most guests don’t even know about. These types of unlisted rooms are starting to get revealed, and Maryland has a few of its own.

After doing a bit of digging (and having many pangs of envy), we’ve found some of the most luxurious hotel suites in Maryland that are exclusive to VIPs with hefty purses and high-class tastes.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco
Located right Downtown and housed in the former B&O Railroad headquarters, this boutique hotel combines contemporary style with historic architecture. Each suite features color schemes of warm golds, vibrant blues, brilliant red lacquer, and touches of royal purple and green with beds dressed in lavish linens. But there is one suite that locals won’t be able to book without knowing who to contact.

For $600 a night, the 1,400-square-foot Majestic Suite is complete with a separate living and dining room and connects to a King Premier room and Monte Carlo Queen room. It boasts 8-foot windows and 12-foot ceilings that showcase sweeping skyline views. It comfortably sleeps eight people and can accommodate a party of up to 20 people.

Lord Baltimore Hotel
This 23-story, 440-room hotel has four penthouses on its top floors. They range from 2,100-square-feet one-bedrooms to 2,600-square-foot two-bedrooms. Each unit features a full kitchen, living room, dining space, and two full baths. Guests who opt to splurge on the two-bedroom penthouse can enjoy specialty room with a Jacuzzi in the suite. Penthouses are available for monthly rental for $3,600 and can be reserved nightly for as low as $750.

Inn at Perry Cabin
If you want to take your stay to the next level, head to St. Michael’s for a “secret room” on a 55-foot Talaria Flybridge yacht. Guests may spend the night in the swanky captain’s quarters, boarding from the inn’s private dock on the Miles River. Cap the evening with sunset cocktails and wake up to a full breakfast on the yacht’s roof deck.

Gaylord National Resort
This luxury resort and conference center is unique in several ways—it features an indoor rainforest, boutiques, and a spa. But guests won’t be able to find the hotel’s Presidential or Concept suites online—unless of course you’re a VIP.

“For travelers looking to stay in a room unlike any other in the world, we have developed eight suites that are themed by color,” said Rachel Dinbowkowitz, communications manager for the hotel. “In addition to the color, each room evokes a unique design style from exotic to elegant to contemporary and nature-inspiring.”

For a 1,700 square-foot Presidential suite, be prepared to spend a minimum of $2,500 per night to enjoy breathtaking views, ornate furnishings, and marble or hardwood-floor foyers.

A visit to The Boathouse Canton provides many options. Maybe you’ll wander indoors to the dining room to slurp oysters. Maybe you’ll grab a seat on the deck overlooking the docked boats bobbing in the harbor. Or, as of this summer, maybe you’ll make a right at the entrance and head into The DockBar, an outdoor space replete with a dedicated food-and-drink menu, games of cornhole, and plenty of crushes to spare.

The DockBar (2809 Boston St., 410-773-9795) is the latest in a trend of breakout bars—a way for drinking establishments to re-brand sections of their spaces, offering exclusive menus, signature events, and, in many cases, the best views of the city.

Such is the case with DockBar, with its dog-friendly patio, pavilion bar, and seating area that’s open from April through October. The outside area features a station for smoking and shucking, and for watching O’s games on TV. We recommend fare such as tasty ahi tuna tacos with pickled red onions and refreshing orange crushes (just $5 during weekday happy hours).

If you want to make a night of it, head uptown (both geographically and in altitude) to experience The Lord Baltimore Hotel’s outpost, the LB Sky Bar (20 W. Baltimore St., 855-539-8400). Located on the 19th floor of the French Renaissance-style hotel, the sky bar offers impeccable views of the downtown skyline, and an up-close look at the art deco NationsBank building. Open Wednesday through Saturday evenings (when weather permits), the rooftop space seats 65 at high-top tables and lounge chairs.

Though the bar offers a selection of sushi, we were intrigued by the “trilogy” menu (three small plates) and opted for the Italian, comprised of Parma ham and dried figs, eggplant caponata, and a Caprese salad. On what was a balmy day, we went with a refreshing Sky Collins (Hendrick’s gin, muddled cucumber and honey, lemon, cranberry, and club soda).

End your bar crawl by meandering a few blocks north to Ware House 518’s Louie Bar (518 N. Charles St., 443-869-3382), which pays homage to the building’s former occupant, Louie’s Bookstore Café. The literary-themed space, which was re-branded last fall, is dedicated to from-scratch craft cocktails and is open Friday and Saturday nights.

Louie Bar’s menu is divided into bookish “chapters.” Among them: Adaptations (twists on classics like a Sazerac), Short Prose (served up in rocks glasses), and Tall Tales (served over ice in Collins glasses). We went the “when in Rome” route and tried The Vernon with Leblon Cachaça, Fernet-Branca, and lavender bitters. The drink was just as a cocktail should be: three ingredients that ideally balance fruit, bitter, and aromatics.

We refused to be deterred by the dismantled lobby obviously going through a makeover. Persevering to the right and heading up a short flight of stairs, we soon entered a two-story-high dining room that left us gasping at its opulence. With its dreamy cornflower-blue walls, gilded trim, chandeliers dripping crystals, tropical palm plumage, and elegant candelabra-topped tables, we felt like we’d stepped into Versailles. The luxe space is decidedly anachronistic amid today’s no-nonsense industrial, brick-walled eating spaces. But the fancy décor works at The French Kitchen at Lord Baltimore Hotel. The dining room is inside the stately hotel, which opened in 1928 and was the largest hotel in Maryland at one time. Myriad years and owners later, the French renaissance landmark is once again reliving its glory days with a massive renovation from top to bottom. The French Kitchen is one of its centerpieces.

It even impressed its executive chef, Jordan Miller, who opened The Chesapeake in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District last year and has cooked at restaurants across the nation. “When I was looking for a new place to land, the dining room was a selling point for me,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to work here.”

The restaurant isn’t just about appearances. The thoughtful menu, with a dozen entrees, reflects the culture of its location with classical and updated French fare. You’ll find bistro staples like a croque-madame sandwich (that’s the one with the fried egg), an omelet, and a quiche of the day, as well as heartier plates like steak frites, duck, and fish (monkfish, the night we visited).

Miller creates deconstructed-style dishes that are layered, shaped, and stacked into artistic wonders. While the boeuf bourguignon may not be Julia Child’s excellent stew-like version, Miller’s showcases a succulent short rib atop a pool of rich burgundy sauce surrounded by colorful root vegetables as pretty as a Cézanne still life.

“I’m taking classic preparations and flavors and then cleaning them up a bit,” Miller says. “We’re also doing old school like coq au vin and pot-au-feu.”
But before we got to our main meals, an aromatic bread basket with house-made baguette slices and boules (there’s a baker and pastry chef in the kitchen) was delivered to our table with condiments like in-house cured olives and a tangy orange marmalade—a welcome rustic offering in the cavernous room dotted with banquettes, bare wood tables, and plush seating.

Even though our waitress was new to the restaurant that very
night—struggling to remember specials and having to go to the kitchen to
talk to the chef—we were well cared for. It undoubtedly helped that we
were the only patrons in the dining room until the end of our dinner
when a few stragglers arrived. Given the deliciousness of our meal, we
hope more people will be attracted to the restaurant’s charms. Hotel
management even offers discounted valet parking to entice guests.

For
starters, we sampled a traditional onion soup that had depth and scored
points for cleverness. The Comté cheese was melted on top of a toasted
baguette slice to avoid the annoying strings of cheese that often make
eating the broth a challenge. We also enjoyed a stunningly beautiful
beet salad featuring several preparations, including roasted, pickled,
puréed, and raw with pecans and fresh cheese.

We really liked
the salmon appetizer, too. The fish was cured with fennel and dressed
with dill, crème fraîche, potatoes, and an everything-bagel tuile, all
assembled in a carefully composed tableau.

There is also
charcuterie and beef tartare to kick off your meal and salads like
roasted vegetable, frisée with bacon, and a niçoise with tuna, olives,
egg, tomato, and beans.

Our lamb entree was another
picture-perfect dish. The medium-rare chops were adorned with carrots,
rutabaga, and greens. And shades of molecular gastronomy. Was that foam
on the plate? Very avant-garde for Baltimore. Our scallops were fat,
glazed spheres dressed with frisée, potatoes, beets, and apples in a
successful combination.

The wines, as you might expect, are
French—from a lovely Domaine de Orgnes Côtes du Rhône to a crisp Mont
Gravet Côtes de Gascogne Blanc—with bottles priced from $20-76 and by
the glass from $7-12.

We wrapped up our meal with
profiteroles and a chocolate mousse. Both were fine, but the one we’re
still talking about is the popcorn ice cream. Its silky, buttery texture
and flavor captured the snack in a wonderfully unexpected way.
For a
less formal setting, Lord Baltimore Hotel also has LB Tavern in the
lobby with LB Bakery opening soon. This venerable property has
transformed itself into a delightful food destination, even if you’re
not staying in one of the 440 rooms.