First Friday Brings Highlandtown to Historic York Inn / Smyser-Bair House

Just off last week's Baltimore Book Fest event at the Inner Harbor Stage (Baltimore Visitor's Center), the Lit and Art Reading Series is at it again!

Next Friday, October 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., join the proprietors of The Historic York Inn / Smyser-Bair House as the popular Lit and Art Reading Series presents an evening of live music, literary readings, original artwork, free snacks, drinks, tours of the mansion, and fun!

Featured talent includes Rafael Alvarez reading from his new book, Basilio Boullosa Stars in the Fountain of Highlandtown (CityLit Press), Bill Hughes, Barbara DeCesare, Eric D. Goodman, and live music by singer-songwriter Roberta Chadderton. 

Berkshire-Hathaway offers tours of the 1830s mansion, The Smyser-Bair House / Historic York Inn. Step back in time for a tour through history, with hand-carved, gilded Pier mirrors, stained glass, etched glass, hand plasterwork, woodwork, and chandeliers that rival those found in museums. Anchored in York’s historic district since the 1830s, and belonging to the Smyser-Bair family until 1979 (when it was left to the York Historical Trust before becoming a private inn) this home is a rich part of York's history, recently featured in front page news and on national television for its historic charm. (And it could be yours.)

It's all part of York's First Friday festivities.

Learn more at www.facebook.com/groups/LitAndArt

or www.downtownyorkpa.com/downtownincevents/2017/10/6/first-friday

Shirley Brewer Shoutout in Baltimore Style

Shirley Brewer, a Baltimore poet to be reckoned with, was recently interviewed in Baltimore Style Magazine about her new book of poetry from Main Rag Press, Bistro in Another Realm.

In the article, Jessica Gregg asked Shirley about the Baltimore lit scene. Shirley gave a shoutout to the Lit and Art Reading series, along side the Baltimore Book Festival, CityLit, and Passegers.

Not bad company.

Shirley can mix us a Manhattan, or a poetry reading, any time.

Read the interview in Baltimore Style.

http://baltimorestyle.com/seen-and-heard/

Lit & Art at Baltimore Book Fest's Inner Harbor Stage This Friday

Join the Lit and Art Reading Series at the Baltimore Book Festival's Inner Harbor Stage, inside the Visitor's Center, presented by Towson University.

Readers include Clarinda Harriss, Fernando Quijano III, and Ron Tanner. Eric D. Goodman will read from Womb: a novel in utero.

Live music courtesy of Goodloe Byron, original art presented by Manzar Rassouli, and emcee Nitin Jagdish is at the helm.

It all takes place in one lit-and-art packed hour from 4:30 to 5:30 on Friday, September 22. After the event, chat with us and ask us to sign a book for you!

Learn more about the event and participants at the official Baltimore Book Festival website:

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/…/Lit-&%20Art%20Readin…!

And join the event on Facebook event here!

Lit and Art Reading Series: The Album Series

Ever wonder what you’ve been missing if you’ve been missing the Lit and Art Reading Series? Some may say that a picture is worth a thousand words—we don’t subscribe to that theory. A thousand pictures don’t capture the feeling of a live literary event, people reading their poetry and prose, fiction and memoir, performing their songs and presenting their art. Not to mention the fulfillment of discussing the arts and everything under the sun during intermission and before and after the performances.

A thousand pictures can’t convey what it means to attend a Lit and Art event. But … since we happen to have a thousand pictures of the past few events—let’s try!

Past events have taken place at The Watermark Gallery, The Ivy Bookshop’s Bird in Hand, The Historic York Inn / Smyser-Bair House, and the Baltimore Book Festival.

Spot anyone you know?  Why not picture yourself at the next event?

Lit and Art at The Ivy’s Bird in Hand

Lit and Art at The Historic York Inn / Smyser-Bair House

A Slower Pace in Silky Suzhou

You may have read my recent travel story, “Shanghai in the Fast Lane,” published on in the British online magazine Hackwriters. Follow that adventure with a more relaxing voyage through Suzhou.

Hackwriters, an online portfolio of good writing, has been digitally archived in the British Library since it began in 1999 and has been affiliated with Falmouth University and University of Portsmouth before becoming independent.

Our exploration of Suzhou, the Venice of the East, takes us along the canals of the old city, through the ancient streets of a farmer’s market, to a silk production factory and silk embroidery workshop, and across a lingering garden.

Read “Silky Suzhou: Venice of the East” in Hackwriters!

-->

http://www.hackwriters.com/SuzhouEDG.htm

Go to Xi’an with GoNomad

Summer may be ending, but it's always a great time to do some traveling.

The award-winning online travel magazine, GoNomad, published my travel story about Xi’an, China. It’s likely that you’ve never even heard of the place, but just as likely that you know about its most popular attraction: the terracotta army, considered by many to be the most important archeological discovery of the 20^th century.

Join Nicole and I as we go beyond the army itself and visit the replica factory using the same methods as 3,000 years ago, and meet one of the farmers who discovered the artifacts back in the 1970s.

We also visit Hanyangling mausoleum and museum, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, experience some close calls in a rickshaw, and top it all off with a dumpling feast and Tang Dynasty show.

Enjoy the adventure in words and pictures. Read “Xian: The Cradle of Unified China” in GoNomad.

-->

www.gonomad.com/69389-xian-cradle-unified-china