“The Ravens led the Steelers 21-7 and all was well with the world, when my wife, Kristina, and I entered the Glass Grill on Eastern Avenue for the second half of Saturday night’s playoff game.

Of course, as it soon developed, our world and Ravens’ world, would take a sudden, dark turn. A lurking evil had entered the world of men.

Men, dressed in armor, wearing helmets emblazoned with their city’s crest battled for control of ball and field. Evil men dressed in black and gold ripped the ball from our heroes  - and hope from the hearts of Baltimore. By the conclusion of the battle, the hated Steelers of Pittsburgh wrestled control, stealing victory from the jaws of defeat, 31-21. The horror and tragedy!

How did this come about? How did the evil men from Pittsburgh overcome the valor and strength of the Mighty Baltimore Ravens?

It was a tale of two cities and of two halves.

Baltimore’s defense dominated the first half, putting pressure on Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and scoring on an apparent incomplete pass that ended up being a fumble.

Baltimore’s offense was very successful in the first half. Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco led two scoring drives and looked like Joe Cool as he hit a flashing Todd Heap in the end zone to put the Ravens ahead 21-7.

My wife and I enjoyed the first half of the game at Long Beach in Bowleys Quarters, before planing to meet friends at the Glass Grill. The bar was packed to capacity when we got there and we were lucky to find seats with friends.

Kristina took advantage of the $20 all you can drink Ravens’ Special and began ordering margaritas. Being the designated driver, I ordered a water.

The first thing I noticed about the bar was the ornate blown glass chandelier hanging over the dining room. It looked like an orange glass octopus eating several black and blue beach balls.

“We have an artist who blows glass on-site,” said Danielle, the bartender. “We have a studio on-site. Mainly he blows chandeliers, light fixtures, vases and Christmas ornaments. He teaches a class, you can come blow your glass and have a nice dinner.”

The next thing I noticed was the large section of loud Steelers fans. About 10 black and gold jerseys were evident, all clustered together in the front of the dinning room. They cheered their team on as the Steelers outscored the Ravens 24-3 in the second half. Baltimore just couldn’t stop the Roethlisberger led attack.

Although they were loud and obnoxious, they were not entirely rude and the back and forth jibes between the two sets of fans seemed mostly good-natured at heart.

Fortunately, the bar also served a very nice second-half buffet, consisting of chili, nachos and BBQ chicken.

Along with the glass art ware, it made the pain from the devastation on the television, just a little more palatable.

And now that football season is over in Baltimore, a glass blowing glass and dinner afterwards sounds like a good way to spend a Sunday.”

See original article here: DundalkPatch

$55 FOR TWO

SOUP AND SALAD (one of each per person)
Your chose of MD CRAB or HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE
TOSSED or CAESAR

APPETIZERS (one per couple)
FRIED PICKLES, TRADITIONAL SPUDS, QUESO DIP

ENTRÉE (one per person)

ROASTED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN (2 PIECES)
served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables

STUFFED PEPPERS
served over wild rice with bolognese sauce

$75 FOR TWO

SOUP AND SALAD (one of each per person)
Your chose of CREAM OF CRAB, MD CRAB or HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE
TOSSED or CAESAR

APPETIZERS (one per couple)
SEAFOOD SKINS or QUESADILLAS

ENTRÉE (one per person)

CHICKEN MARSALA
served over bowtie noodles with garlic bread

FULL RACK OF RIBS
served with french fries and homemade cole slay

$95 FOR TWO

SOUP AND SALAD (one of each per person)
Your chose of CREAM OF CRAB, MD CRAB, HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE
TOSSED or CAESAR

APPETIZERS (one shared per couple)
CRAB DIP, CRAB PRETZEL, ½ LB STEAM SHRIMP, 1 LB MUSSELS

ENTRÉE (one per person)

STUFFED LOBSTER WITH CRAB IMPERIAL
served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables

FILET MIGNON
original or bleu cheese crusted, served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables

“Food & Drink specials will be available all afternoon/evening while the Reggae pumps. Jerk Chicken, Pit beef/ham/turkey, pulled pork, and sausage available at the “Fire & Ice” pit beef & snowball stand. Cold beers and mixed drinks at the bar.

Between sets McFadden Art Glass will be open for live glassblowing demos and hands-on glass projects ($20-40 per piece). Also visit the gallery to preview gifts for the coming November sale.

Get your tickets ahead of time right here! Simply print your e-mail confirmation and bring it to the door of the show to save $2 on admission.”

“This weekend the ladies of KAT special made our way through the city to McFadden Art Glass. Every other Friday Tim McFadden (owner, artist) opens his studio doors to the public so we can watch as 2000 degree liquid turns into something wonderful.

We brought a few bottles of wine, our conversation and our curiosity and had a great time! It’s a laid back atmosphere that interests all types of people from the cutest babies, to older couples, to twenty somethings. We watched (and chatted) as Tim and friends created an awesome vase, a flower, a pumpkin and an ornament. Onlookers have a chance to create their own work of art for $35, which we skipped this time but agreed that we’d all like to come back at holiday time to create an ornament!

When the temperature rose, which it did… think Bikram yoga… we scooted next door to The Glass Grill which is also owned by McFadden and family. The bar had some good live entertainment and the yummy bar food we were after. It has an eclectic crowd and great decor (glass of course).

There is a gallery on site for those who want to take home a souvenir.

The ladies of KAT special had a blast at the Glass Grill and at the glass studio. One of America’s oldest trades has certainly evolved into something very cool!”

For more info on Date Night and other upcoming events head over to the events page.

Find the original article here.

Watch him in action here.

“Blown glass in Baltimore? It’s an idea that just might work if Fortune Small Business magazine’s assessment of one Salisbury University student’s future plans is any indication.

Senior management and marketing major Tim McFadden recently was named a semi-finalist in the magazine’s third annual Student Showdown business plan competition with a proposal to place a blown glass studio in his hometown of Baltimore.

Some 82 students and teams from 66 schools entered this year’s Fortune Small Business Student Showdown. Semi-finalists joining McFadden in the top 11 spots included those from the Wharton School of Business, Stanford University and the Columbia School of Business, among others.

McFadden entered the contest after winning the 2005 Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence, an annual $5,000 prize awarded to the SU student or team submitting the most viable business plan in the competition hosted by the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business.

McFadden became interested in glass blowing thanks to his brother, Marty, a senior at SU when McFadden was a freshman. Marty was involved in glass blowing classes at SU and interested his brother in the process.

“It’s the best course offered at SU,” said McFadden, who has been hooked on the art since 2003.

Balancing his business major with that artistic interest proved to be his winning combination. According to his business plan, his studio, Blown Away Glass Inc., would house a gallery and gift shop where patrons and tourists could watch unique art being formed, possibly in the city’s trendy Canton section.

Though that business is still several years from taking off—McFadden plans to complete his degree first—he said getting the ideas down on paper was an important first step.”

For more on the studio head over to www.McFaddenArtGlass.com.

You can find the original article here.

“He is a gifted and talented artist and a wonderful teacher as well. First Fridays are date night with glass blowing demos. This particular Friday you could make an ornament or flower.

My sweetie made a gorgeous turquoise colored ball… so fascinating to watch a blob of glass on a rod turn into something so pretty and perfectly shaped too!”

View more pictures and read the rest of the story here.

You can read the full article here.
And, Check out the photo gallery here.

“This year’s journey began right near the county line at the Glass Grill (6804 Eastern Ave., 410-633-2921, theglassgrill.com). Inside, the Glass Grill is decorated with intricate blown glass sculptures made by the neighboring McFadden Art Glass. Two of the hanging sculptures look like psychedelic sea anemones, and funky glass sculptures brighten up the bar back.

A two-man cover band was jamming on a small stage across the room from the long bar, but most of the customers were chilling on the outdoor patio. Bottles of Bud Light cost $2.25 each, which set the bar for cheap suds. Later in the evening, that bar would be lowered considerably. Outside, the Glass Grill’s handful of tables and chairs were all occupied, with a couple folks playing corn hole nearby. It was a nice little nook where you could spend an evening, enjoying the warm weather.”

You can find the rest of the article here.

“Glass Grill is a fine place to go for lunch, but we get the feeling that it’s an absolutely great place to go for happy hour, a place to sidle up to the bar with a few friends and order bar snacks, sandwiches and cold beers.

The Glass Grill is on Eastern Avenue just east of I-95. It is next door to McFadden Art Glass studios, and the two establishments have a symbiotic relationship. Glass Grill patrons can watch glassblowing demonstrations, and on Date Nights can even make a little keepsake of their own.

Diners can see the hand-blown art glass produced at the studio every day. Vases and goblets and figurines—we liked the one-armed snowman, who seems to be the victim of too-vigorous dusting—are lined up above the bar, and the chandeliers are colorful fantasias of blown glass. It is a treat for the eye.

The restaurant offers a full menu of casual fare—bar snacks, salads, sandwiches and wraps. There are also several entrees, again aimed toward a bar crowd. There’s bourbon glazed salmon, a New York Strip steak, grilled chicken grilled shrimp and barbecued ribs.

Prices are moderate, from $14 (chicken) to $19 (steak). The menu also features a market-price crabcake, meatloaf and fish and chips.

Whatever you end up ordering, do not miss the crab dip ($9.99). It is a gooey, cheesy, warm cupful of crabby delight nestled in a bread bowl and surrounded by chips and more bread for dipping. Go directly for the homemade potato chips smothered in Old Bay and dip away. There are tricolor tortilla chips, but you’ve had those before; and the French bread is nicely toasted—but for the best experience, elbow your friends aside and hog all those potato chips.”

You can find the rest of the article here