Holiday Style

Baltimore artist and graphic designer Betty Walke was spotted at Hyatt Place in Harbor East last week is this vintage stunner. She was on hand for the CockTAILS for Canines & Kitties fundraiser (check out who else was at the party on Baltimore SNAP next Tuesday, Jan. 3!). When asked about it, she told us that her mother actually handmade the dress back in the mid-‘70s, out of Quiana polyester fabric, no less! Accented with cowboy boots, it made quite a statement.

In our last installment, I showed you the new, circular Speakeasy Bar at the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Now, here’s what gives the bar its name—an actual vintage speakeasy! This two-level room is entered through a hidden door near the bar. It functioned as a secret speakeasy in the hotel during Prohibition. Long-abandoned, it’s been brought back to life by hotel GM Gene-Michael Addis.

The comfortable room features a fireplace, comfortable sofas for lounging, and a restored tin ceiling. So, feel free to order your cocktails from the adjacent bar, then repair to this cozy room to imbibe.

A friend clued me in recently to a gathering of car collectors and aficionados that occurs each week on Saturday mornings. Dubbed ‘Cars & Coffee,’ it’s an event that takes over the parking lot at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre, and puts hundreds of vintage cars on display from 8am to 10am.

As a car geek myself, I appreciate the design of these classic beauties, as well as the stylish graphics that used to be an integral part of their look.

Put on by Hunt Valley Horsepower, Cars & Coffee occurs every week rain or shine, except in extreme weather conditions.