Spring Fever

While at a tasting event last week, I stopped by the table manned by the Shot Tower Gin folks for some samples. This is the first gin distilled within Baltimore City since prohibition. The taste is not piney, like a London Dry gin, but floral and sweet, with jasmine flower on the nose and citrus on the pallet. Its unique bitters profile really sets the finish apart and rounds out this gin. Personally, I’m not a gin drinker, but this one is markedly different from most others I’ve tried, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it neat. Look for it in its distinctive dark bottle. The evening I sampled it, the bottles were decorated with their bronze medals from the American Distilling Institute. As the founders of Shot Tower like to say, “Gin-avoiders and gin-lovers alike have a friend in our Shot Tower Gin.”

Pier 5 Hotel on the Inner Harbor was recently acquired as part of the Curio Collection by Hilton brand. I stopped by their announcement celebration and encountered these exquisite tall floral arrangements in handsome silver vases in their Harbor Club ballroom. These were done by Flowers & Fancies, who provide flowers to the hotel as well as top events all around town. I’ve always admired their work, and these were particularly stylish and stunning. {Flowers & Fancies, flowersandfancies.com}

The rooftop bar at the Lord Baltimore Hotel is officially open for the season. This unique space high above downtown is one of the best-kept secrets for those looking for a place to hangout late-night. I was up there with a few friends following a gala in the downstairs ballroom, and the terrace was packed with chic, stylish people enjoying the view and some excellent cocktails. If you haven’t been yet, it’s a must, and a great place to take out-of-town guests. {Lord Baltimore Hotel, 19th floor, 20 West Baltimore Street, downtown}

Recently I encountered local finance professional Mo Oveissi, looking sharp. Mo works in capital markets finance at Morgan Stanley, and appreciates fashion and style. For this particular event, his ensemble consisted of a coral blazer from Express, pink dress shirt from Banana Republic, plaid stripe necktie by Tommy Hilfiger, a pink flamingo pocket square from Bar III, pants from Taylorbyrd, and on his jacket lapel, a pink flamingo pin he obtained from an online boutique. Asked about his rationale for putting it all together, he had this to say: “The theme was Little Havana’s 20 year anniversary. I have always been inspired by South Florida pastel colors, Art Deco, and the ‘Miami Vice’ era of fashion. So I used those colors to put together a South Florida theme look.”

In honor of this past week’s Hunt Cup steeplechase race, and the upcoming Kentucky Derby and Preakness races, I took some shots of these familiar characters when we were at Sunday brunch at The Oregon Grille. These stylish, colorful gents have been greeting patrons of this Hunt Valley stalwart for more than two decades. {The Oregon Grille, 1201 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley}