Taylor "doc" Walker Archives - Page 4 of 10

So What Are We Doing Now? I thought the topic was police brutality? Where to donate to Support #BlackLives

Let’s talk about how the world is moving after the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmed Arbury.

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We’re now near to a month in with bringing police brutality to the forefront of the media. Almost every day, we’re hearing new stories of someone getting killed or abused by cops. Just this week, former Atlanta Officer was charged with the murder of Rayshard Brook, a black man who was fatally shot in an Atlanta Wendy’s drive-thru after running away with the officer’s taser. We’re also seeing multiple petitions for many other cases involving social injustices being revisited. Mom of Kendrick Johnson, the black Georgia high school student that was found dead in the high school gymnasium in 2013, held a “Justice for Kendrick” rally on Saturday. Even Kim Kardashian shared her sentiments and support for signing a petition to reopen his case. The world looks like it’s making a turn for a change.

There are hundreds of companies and organizations making public stances in support of ending police brutality, supporting police reform, defunding police departments, and so on. The world is looking like it’s making a breakthrough. It really is. As a result of all these changes happening, we as a society look like we don’t know what we should be focusing on because there are lots of organizations making PSAs that aren’t directly focused on police reform but systemic racism in general. I log online and feel like my brain is being pulled from one breakthrough on one side of the country to the next breakthrough on the other.

And like any hot topic, there are so many inquisitive people pondering why we are making so many changes. Questions I’ve seen being asked:

What should be our main focus in the media?
What should we have our attention emotionally, spiritually, and physically?
What’s good for our mind during all of this?
What does this tell me about my frame of character?
Are the changes we’re making moving us in a positive direction?

These are all very good questions to ponder. But I also see people arguing about why we are fighting when they thought racism ended? What are we trying to change? Honestly, I can sense their frustration. If you’re now truly beginning to see how messed up everything is, I’m sure you’re finding out how much more fight we have left to right a wrong system.

Ultimately, all of these questions show us how much we don’t know how structured a systemic racial society has shaped how we live our daily lives. So we’re confused. It’s good news one minute to hear people talking of police officers walking out in Atlanta after the charges were made against the cop accused of murdering Rayshard Brooks. “Because this is what it all started from. Police Brutality is the topic.” It’s labeled off-topic the next minute people celebrate the rebranding of breakfast delicacy Cream of Wheat, which if someone was educated on the history of the image on the package, they’d know the chef name is Rastus – a pejorative term and considerably offensive as it’s associated with a depiction of a stereotypically happy Black Man in a plethora of minstrel culture in the 1920s.

We are capable of focusing on more than one thing at a time. Still, while these are two separate stories, racism is the dark cloud that overcasts each. Systemic Racism needs to be addressed from every angle. We don’t have to erase it. But let’s REVISE our history to include everyone in it. Let’s have our story told with the inclusion of the people it’s about. Let’s hear the dialog of those who find that this is wrong. This is one reason why we diversify the people sitting in the seats at big tables at large corporations…AND actually, listen to their input, then implement it. We include them so we don’t have to say oops.

Change is good. Social evolution is a good thing. If you have a problem like NASCAR’s Truck Series Driver Ray Ciccarelli who quits racing because of the confederate flag ban, and if you don’t see how innovative such change can be for NASCAR to move forward from allowing this in the first place, it is your complacency to racism speaking from within. You’d better check it. Because we must knock out every single angle of this racist ass circus:

Though…I agree, there are some people making stances for change that are a little questionable. I’m seeing how desperate during this political season candidates make statements in hopes they sway voters in their favor. I question how genuine Joe Biden really feels when he makes public his opinions about wanting reparations for blacks as long as it’s expanded to Native Americans, too. Sounds like you itching for my vote buddy. If you mean it, I’m with it.

As I mentioned before in my blog “Is this the Revolution I talked about not being Televised? My #BlackOutTuesday Protest Against Racism in the Wake of the 2020 Minneapolis Riots,” it is time for people of color voices to be heard. Everywhere there are injustices there should be someone trying to address it. Society is evolving with many breakthroughs because people are sharing their stories with white allies who are listening. We have to be ready to receive it.

It still blows my mind people complain about good changes.

Why should corporations and companies change their company stances and political stances in supports of #BLM matter?

Because the “black” dollar has weight.

Black people spend money. Everyone should know black people spend their money. As stated in the Black Detour, “Though Black America makes up a small portion of the US population, Black buying power is approximately $1 trillion with estimates placing it close to $2 trillion by 2020, making us [black people] one of the largest economies in the world according to the World Bank, the 15th largest economy in the world in terms of GDP.” This means black people have an influence on what defines mainstream simply from decisions made from their wallets. This is important to everyone else because this tells us black spending is why you’ll see that item in the isles at the stores, on your television screens, and even down to the place you choose to purchase your crabs in Maryland. It’s crazy how you can find a GoFundMe account created for a Maryland crab shop after it opted to shut down all four of it’s Maryland locations because BLM protests emerged at the Middle River location for the owner and his family’s choices of words and viewpoint in response to 2020 Minneapolis riots and looting.

The weight of the black dollar matters to these corporations. What we see here is our country facing an economic crisis from the coronavirus crisis, too. When the stores open back up, the black dollar matters, right? I’m cautious knowing that my wallet has weight. I’m aware of this power. Companies are changing policies and making public stances also because they know this power, too. Especially in the wake of a pandemic where we’re desperate to not fall into an economic depression. So now I’m choosing to use this power to continue to expand on with conscious shopping, investing in what I feel is worth my money. I’m researching the company and its product. Does this give back to the issues I care about? Hmm…and is it blacked owned, too?

Humans know right from wrong. But our issues are layered and capitalism is corruption. We have to put back into what matters in order to live a better life. So putting money into communities that matter to me is important.

Finding a motive that you’re passionate about. It doesn’t have to be specifically for the BLM organization.

I read everything. I’m not naive to claims of people who opt-out of paying money directly to the BLM organization. Speculation of where the money that’s donated to BLM is always questioned. Speculation for why #BlackLivesMatter protests emerge during the political season, too. Why is it? Who knows? Is it the assumption that it’s a black organization? People could argue. I research where my money is going, too. So often when speaking to someone about supporting black lives, I hear their doubts about donating money to an organization like #BlackLivesMatter.

You can still donate to something else…🙄

The Curators Of Hip-Hop hosted a zoom panel discussion “The Organized Culture” on Facebook live discussing issues in the current climate like what we should be doing next from protesting and what needs to be done to see changes when it comes to injustices. Five community leaders in Baltimore had this open discussion on Facebook live sharing what they do as their contributions to helping support the community around them.

[Watch the Facebook Panel Of The Organized Culture hosted by the Curators of Hip-Hop via their Facebook Channel.]

It’s important that I shared this entire panel because each speaker shared points worth considering when taking on supporting a cause against injustices like #BlackLivesMatter. But there are many more issues that require attention because the injustices are interchangeably relatable to each other when it comes to the challenges that plague an oppressed and disadvantaged culture. As crime is directly linked more to poverty than race or any other factor. We should be looking to support and find ways to better improve these communities and neighborhoods. We can find roadblocks to almost every avenue of social interaction. Causes that could be addressed for inner-city communities are unemployment, poverty, drug, and alcohol addiction, homelessness, it is not only police reform that needs fixing. Because there is a connection to high crime rates in a system that embellishes all of the above, racism is a plague that is weaved within all of it, and a privileged group that rarely experiences it at all needs to know what’s going on.

Will you make a stand to donate to a cause to change systemic racism in its entirety? What are some causes that you know that fight against injustices? List them in the comments below.

Is this the Revolution I talked about not being Televised? My #BlackOutTuesday Protest Against Racism in the Wake of the 2020 Minneapolis Riots

I started writing this blog last week. I revised and deleted it a few times. I’m still weird about publishing this now. But to tell you the truth, I feel the same feeling of word vomit eroding my mouth today as I did 5 years ago when I wrote “#OpinionEssay: The “Real” Revolution Will Not Be Televised. #ILoveBaltimore” during the unrest in Baltimore resulting in the Baltimore Uprising. I don’t care how the blog comes off because it is another protest about what is happening around me. I just asked God to use me as he did before.

On Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a black American man was executed on video by Officer Derek Chavin of the Minneapolis Police Department. The video went viral like a plethora of other police brutality videos that surface online. But this one…this one might just be the video that dropped a major bomb into white people’s reality. Do we actually have white people on alert as to what happens to Black people in America? Because a week later after this horrific image was shared countless times on our feeds, America also has seen protests and riots in cities across the country calling for justice for Floyd.

When I wrote my Opinion Essay about how a revolution and revolt would not be televised, it was to send a message to Black people to come together and educate their families on the realities of being black. I wanted people to talk to their children about Black history. I needed black parents to take the time to teach their kids about a culture and a reality that has led their children to face a different lifestyle than those of other backgrounds. I wanted black people to heal in their black pride by sharing themselves with each other. It wasn’t my intention to tell black people to seek help or compassion from anyone who is white. When black people feel betrayed, that is the last thing they’re thinking of doing. I really believe many black people, like myself, took the time to immerse themselves in their blackness and grew in their pride because I saw so much uplifting and positivity living in the midst of the 2015 Baltimore Uprising. But the revolution was not going to be televised and all the positivity Black Baltimoreans experienced was short-lived.

Today I feel different about this revolution for Black America. I mean, the revolution is definitely on TV lol. There are so many black people who are already strong, having pride for themselves and culture. Black people live in their blackness daily. We don’t need to keep being reminded of why we go through these harsh realities. We’ve even gotten accustomed to healing each other whenever we’re knocked down with each release of a new video or news story. Though so many people yell #AllLivesMatter or Black on Black crime -blah, blah, blah- that is absolutely irrelevant to what attention we want. Black People are faced with injustices that people are deliberately ignoring. The revolution we’re watching for sure needs to be televised but this part of it is not for our spectatorship, it’s for our voice.

This revolution needs our labor at this moment to be a voice in our pure authentic blackness. This revolution needs for us to share our black stories, our black experiences, our black pain, and our black hopes. We need to share these things with our white friends so they can empathize with them. We need them to find some way to feel how we feel so that it can provoke them to fight for their allies because when white people care, they fight. It’s liberating to see more of my white friends, co-workers, and acquaintances speaking up after seeing this video. It’s amazing seeing white people taking the initiative to do the things that I asked of from Black people.

June 2, 2020, is a unique day in history particularly because #BlackOutTuesday will mark a day when industries and companies around the world chose to stop what they were doing to stand in solidarity against systemic racism. It’s the day America is literally acknowledging the bullshit. It might not be the whole country because there are still many doubters. But America today looks like it wants to listen to what we have to say. Black people have been screaming for such acknowledgment since forever ago. I’m a little overwhelmed with America lending an ear to Black folks, but goddammit about time. It’s the first time in all my life that I’m seeing white guilt on such a huge magnitude. I watched a video on Baltimore Fox 45 Facebook Live of hundreds of white people kneeling in solidarity on Northern Parkway and Roland Ave. We’re nowhere near the endpoint of racism but at least I’m seeing white people just as outraged as we are.

Several hundred protestors are kneeling for 9 mins on Northern Pkwy and Roland Ave.
Eddie Kadhim WMAR is on scene (Source: Facebook WBAR-2)

It’s not over. We still need our white allies. But we need this issue to be in their faces constantly. That’s the just reality of it. Once George Floyd’s investigation dies down in the media, will white people stop trying to learn what’s really affecting people of color? When I think of the answer to this question in general, it’s no because it’s a really uncomfortable subject. People do not like facing being uncomfortable. A huge part of me believes that once we stop talking about it, we’ll fall back into this being black people’s reality, and I’m not being a narcissist when I think this because this is my reality. I’m black and there are a lot of wow factors about my daily escapades of being a black woman I often gaze over as just another thing I’m used to.

This is the new challenge that I would like white allies to face now that we’ve got a lot of their attention. I challenge them to continually diversify their mind while learning black culture because many of us have concerns about what’s genuine. All these awesome stances are being made, but will they make an effort to continue to learn about systemic racism and seek ways to help fight it? Will they deliberately seek moments that may make them uncomfortable with the intentions of it helping them grow? The country needs unity and in order to get there, we need collaboration and understanding that will not expire once the next headline takes the lead, I’m just saying.

Credit: **Stephen Maturen/Getty Images**

I’m tired. So are a lot of other black people. Are white people truly tired?

Have you read What You Missed at the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March… (Four Main Points Minister Farrakhan Shouted at Us)?

There’s a Catador in Town. Doc Hosts 1st Ever Tequila Tasting in Baltimore

Wine and beer festivals and tastings scattered all around this country. A person could probably find over 25+ festivals in the DMV alone. When it comes to heavier liquor and spirits tastings, one would need to pay for the excursion on an exclusive vacation to attend one that’s worth experiencing. It’d simply be a waste of time, money, and gas to go to any local liquor store for a tasting. I know this so I decided to throw a tasting many of my friends would enjoy in a safe and comfortable environment.

Few people know that they can find tastings at their local liquor stores. They tend to be lackluster events. A tasting hosted in the average neighborhood spirits store would usually host a 2 hour tasting of a bottle sold in their store. They invite customers to taste small swigs of drinks housed on the shelves of their store as they shop. So most times these tastings aren’t formal or advertise for the public to attend. This could be due to Maryland liquor laws that prohibit many businesses from serving based on the type and class of a business.

Three stores you can visit for weekly tastings in Baltimore, MD:

HoneyGo Wine and Spirits located in Perry Hall, MD, has weekly tastings in their tasting room on Friday’s from 4pm to 7pm.
Quarry Wine and Spirits, located in Baltimore, MD, often hosts wine tastings in their liquor store on Fridays from 3pm to 6pm.
Wine Loft in Pikesville, MD does tastings if their wine collections on Saturdays from 1pm to 6pm.

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These tastings are slim in their pickings of alcohol as they make the choice of beverage for you per the tasting. But if you are someone looking to buy a drink for later, such satisfaction is suitable in attending a tasting as such. But wouldn’t you want to really experience your drink? How will you know you really like it from just a sip? Why wait for later? Honestly the taste isn’t something great in any alcoholic drink, either. A spirits or wine tasting should let the drinker know what they’re getting themselves into.

That’s how it was for me at least. Wine tastings are best when you have them on cruise ships like how I’ve experienced when cruising to Mexico over the summer.

Doc and her dad in the Blue Agave fields in Mexico.

During my vacation cruising to Mexico, I did three tastings of my favorite drink, tequila. All the tastings educated its attendees about how tequilas are made, how many different types there are, and how to tell what brands are authentic tequila brands. I visited a field of Blue Agave Cactuses with my family and enjoyed exploring tequilas distilled into many different delicious flavors such as mango, coffee, and cream.

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This experience was so fun to have I wondered if there were any tasting for Tequila in Maryland. It wasn’t a surprise to find the kind of tasting I would come across is the usual Wine and Spirit Store sample tasting. Really, where are the tequila tastings?! Not in Baltimore. The closest someone might find a tequila tasting is in a restaurant in Washington, DC.

So I threw my own tequila tasting during the holidays and I had a blast!

I spent hours and days prepping to grant my friends and family an experience worth sharing with others. I wanted this tasting to be talked about for weeks, or maybe even months. I wanted people to experience something they’ve never done before. So I studied, studied, and studied long to really educate my guests on what they’d be consuming. I became Catadora, someone who specializes in tasting tequila, for the night pairing my holiday chocolates with a kick of tequila. Bien de salud (in sound health, of course.)

Simply having people taste tiny sips of tequila wasn’t enough. I needed to know that my guests were gaining knowledge from me lecturing them about my favorite drink. So I threw a pop-quiz using a spinning wheel that ultimately turned my tasting into the most exciting Tequila trivia game known to man.

The night was so lit, I slightly beat myself for not preparing to have people in my house until 4 am. But no worries, I enjoyed the company and knowing everyone was safe. They had fun learning about Tequila and I loved being the teacher. I’ll definitely throw more tastings in the future.

What’s your favorite drink? Have you gone to a wine or spirits tasting for your favorite beverage? Share your experience in the comments below.

Get in the Spirit of Halloween: 5 Halloween Costumes by Doc

What better way to bask in my return to blogging for Doc’s Castle than to talk about one of my favorite times of the year to be creative: Halloween.

For the last few years, I have dressed up to participate in the festivities of Halloween off whim because I think it’s exciting to get in the spirit of any holiday. It gives me something to do and its conversation starter with a lot of people who also enjoy doing things around this time of the year. So let’s talk about it!

I’m not an avid cosplayer so I don’t go all out for my costumes. You probably won’t ever see me super decked out dressed like I’m Catwoman or Wonder Woman. But when I catch the spirit of Halloween, my creativity takes over and I let my originality seep through. Because I’m not an avid cosplay, found someone you can ooh and ahh over. You can see previously feature hairstylist Shanae Thomas in all her awesomeness by visiting her Facebook page.

Check out some of these costumes I’ve worn over the decade.

2012 Ratchet Girl

In 2012 there was the invasion of the Ratchet Girl. Not to be confused with the Hot Girl, a term originated by rapper Megan the Stallion generally meaning- in very layman’s terms- women who feel confident in who they are—and having fun and looking good while doing it. Boisterous, or very confident women, would be mislabeled as Ratchet Girl, which is defined on Wikipedia as a loud ghetto, real, gutter, or nasty female. But over time this term has evolved into a more positive connotative meaning due to its use in modern pop culture. Some African-American women have reappropriated the word and embraced the meaning. Which is why I believe society’s hot girl was originally society’s former ratchet girl, but now evolved.

Shoutouts to Megan the Stallion for the name change, though!

2014 Annabelle

It was my first year working on Halloween for Baltimore’s alternative rock station 104.9 HFS Radio for Ballyhoo’s Halloween Party hosted at Soundstage in Downtown Baltimore City. I didn’t have time to prepare for the night with a better costume. But the station provided me with my outfit for the night. We were promoting the release of Annabelle and there were extra masks laying in the company’s promotions bin. With the extra motivation of a $3 Chipotle burrito bowl waiting for me just blocks from the venue, I was quick on my feet to figure out a plan to dress up to eat a discounted meal from one of my favorite restaurants.

*Side note: I never saw Annabelle The Movie.

2015 Tyler The Champion of Courage

Welcome the era of Caitlyn Jenner, winner of the 2015 Champion of Courage Award for her infamous gender change from Olympian star Bruce Jenner. She was labeled “woman of the year” for her courage to do the ultimate change in front of the whole world and it sparked many debates on the inter-web of whether she truly deserved to be honored with the title. I mean, after all, was Caitlyn truly a woman?

I wanted my costume to spark conversation because 2015 was full of lots of controversial topics. Bruce Jenner’s sex change was one of the events being talked about. So much so I felt it was the reason Caitlyn received such endowment. My costume to become Tyler and carrying a Champion of Courage certificate was an idea to poke some fun at the topic. I just wanted to reward myself for the decision to be confident enough to become a man for a day.

2016 Tina Belcher Bob’s Burger

Obsessed with watching Bob’s Burgers, I took more of a cosplay approach to dressing for Halloween this year. In 2016, I started embracing celebrating Halloween with attempting to dress as anything I felt stood out the most about pop culture to me during the year. Bob Burgers was it!

Bob’s Burgers was all around me. Every time I watch TV and saw that Bob’s Burgers was on, I tuned in. If I saw it streaming live on YouTube, streamed it too. I wore socks that replicated Louise’s rabbit ears. I purchase coloring books with all the characters. I became a Bob’s Burgers fan. I still am.

I wouldn’t consider Tina Belcher to be my favorite character. Though I love all Bob’s Burgers characters equally, I shared with Doc’s Castle readers three reasons why Tina Belcher was the perfect fit for a 2016 Halloween Costume.

2018 Squinty Eye Meme Girl

People get recognition for some of the simplest things on the Internet. Memes are no exception to crowning our very next sensation. Literally, anyone can steal our attention with their charm, wit, and even stupidity.

Last year, I chose to highlight a basic meme I saw being shared numerous times throughout 2018. I chose to be this lovely young lady in the picture above. I don’t know her personally but I’ve seen her associated in plenty of hilarious memes across social media. I wanted to be something I knew anyone who’s on social media as much as I would understand. People go it because my photo was shared multiple times with laughs.

My Halloweens are “lit” with a creative desire to just be in the spirit of it. I know I’m not the only person who does it just for this reason. So many others come up with awesome costumes. I loved scrolling my timelines on this day.

Did you see any costumes you enjoyed? Let us know about it in the comments below.

The Lost Kings Series Premiers at Baltimore’s Charles Theater July 24th

Has Baltimore found it’s new Wire series? It’s possible to say after viewing the premiere of the Lost Kings Series this week at the Charles Theater July 24th.

Terrence Smalls, director at 89 Crowns and writer of the independent film, may be onto something with his new series because it’s been a long time coming since Baltimore had such rich production embedded with its culture. In Lost Kings, Smalls shares his perspective of the city trenches, finally giving a glimpse of the inside from an insider of Baltimore City.

Any Baltimorean can tell the world is ready for more insight into how we live our lives whenever our radar flashes anytime tourists compare the lifestyle of the residents in Baltimore City to actors in the phenomenal HBO Series The Wire. Watching the Lost Kings at its premier made me realize it could have the same potential. From people’s accents to the infamous dirt bike riding in Baltimore streets, this fictional story portrays our city life artistically instead of, in recent years, the common factual documentary.

Through Smalls’ enactment of Max, played by Baltimore’s dirt bike Wheelie Queen, we watch her journey to avenge her brother’s death and thrive in an arena full of corrupt men. According to the premiere’s Facebook e-vite, Lost Kings’ purpose is to “bring Baltimore Culture to the forefront, while also highlighting and examining factors that contribute to psychological trauma.”

The film did great in portraying its purpose. Many artists throughout Baltimore’s art scene had a part in the production of the film. So it was easy to pick up on the city’s culture naturally as we watch the native actors. The film also highlighted characters having Post Traumatic Stress in situations highly aggravating and aggressive.

The series premiere is broken into 3 chapters in a total length of 30 minutes. It didn’t feel like 30 minutes at all with its many break in-between scenes acting as identifiers for the audience to refresh their attention on a new direction the story will take lead. We can see Smalls create a signature of his artistry while implementing this playwright style into the first episode. It also sets the series apart from independent “hood films” of its time, labeling a little more cinematic than that of what I can find “googling” indie hood films or come across on YouTube. So let’s say in three chapters Baltimore’s rawness is indeed depicted authentically and successfully in a swift 30 minutes.

I also did my part as I was a production assistant for the film, which is always great. Woo! I enjoyed having met many of the cast a crew since last year in 2017 at the start of shooting. Other participants in the production took to social media to share that they felt the same.

Terrence Smalls shares his appreciation for the turnout of the Lost Kings Premiere:

Last night was amazing: packed out the Charles theater for the Baltimore premiere of @lostkings__ thanks to everyone that made it possible! #baltimore #director #goodvibesonly

A post shared by 89crowns Media (@89crowns) on Jul 25, 2018 at 12:03pm PDT

Justin Moten posts a picture with other cast members.

Hell of a time last night with my cast mates @bmore_lucky_lilman @justcallme_smoove

A post shared by jmo1305 (@jmo1305) on Jul 25, 2018 at 8:48am PDT

Ramona Rideout shares a scene of her character at the premiere:

OMG 😯…..seeing myself on the screen in the #movie #theater for the VERY FIRST TIME!… Was thee #BEST feeling in this whole world !!!! Lol I can’t even type the words on this screen to explain … there’s only one way from here to go…👆🏽UP ….I pray I work and I don’t give up 🙌🏽 #thankgod #alwaysbegrateful This project involves so many AMAZING people but @tonyasays you are the real #MVP and @4th.eye.diaries there’s no other like you… you guys are the epitome of #friends turned #family #lostkings #2018 Annnnd @smallroomzsuck @36seagulls this project is so freaking dope Annnnnnnd I couldn’t have done it without @bmore_lucky_lilman guidance and greatness! And I had awesome scene partners @jmo1305 ! Lol this was just so great !

A post shared by Ramona Rideout (@rideout365_) on Jul 25, 2018 at 10:30am PDT

Does the Lost Kings series look like a series that you’d tune into? Leave your comments below.

If you missed out on the Lost Kings Series first premier, you have the opportunity to check it out really soon. The producers are expecting for the Lost Kings Series second premier to be held this August 2018.

The Summer Solstice Gathering: Food Truck Rally in The Rotunda Baltimore Showcases the Food Truck Festivals are Becoming A New Wave

The Rotunda Baltimore threw a mini block party in front of Cinébistro for food truck lovers at The 2018 Summer Solstice Gathering. Over hundreds came out showing their support for their favorite caterers while many were also there being introduced to new cuisines.

Click here to view the office Facebook E-vite.

It’s not foreign for me to spot a food truck anywhere in Baltimore City during the summer months. I’m always attending entertainment and art festivals because of the nature of my job. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s basically THE season for celebrating festival dishes. So I had to do a special blog dedicated to what I catch myself getting involved in supporting every year.

I’ve eaten from a number of the food trucks present while attending other festivals. But I have never seen such presented as if I was entering a little community full of nothing but mobile eateries. It was like going to a food court at your local mall except it was outside. People could walk straight to the counter at the window, view all the choices on the menu, and order away.

I had a smorgasbord of delicious delicacies of all sorts. If you mesh a bunch cultures together in one space, you’ll run into people of all different backgrounds enjoying tastes from around the world in a small cul-de-sac. Just to name a few of the trucks at the gathering were Deedle’s Mini Donuts, Taco Bar, Bistro Lunch Box, Mexican on the Run, Greek on the Street, and many others.

Even in the rain people came out to get what their taste buds couldn’t resist. The gathering was scheduled to go on through both rain and shine. Tents were set up to fit any occasion. For this day, it was to shield people from getting wet. The turn out remained notable and people continued to show their satisfaction with what was happening.

The food was great! I had Bistro Lunch Box Old Bay fries, which is exactly what it states it is; a basket of french fries smothered in Old Bay seasoning and Vinegar. Also, I ate some delectable Curry Lamb from Bombay Kitchen. My best friend who came along with me to the festival had Shrimp tacos from the Taco Bar and Fruity Pebble Donuts from Deedle’s Mini Donuts.

Overall the food truck festival was great! Since this is a season where independent mobile caterers can thrive, there will be more Food Truck Festivals to come. That includes festivals like the Nextival Food Truck Festival held at the Anne Arundel Fairgrounds July 12th through the 15th and Trifecta Food Truck Festival that will be held at the Maryland State Fairground on July 28.

Support the Food Truck Wave!

Support a young Black Baltimore Artist today with her dreams to open her very own food truck! Chef Kierra is an aspiring local culinary artist seeking donations for her food truck start-up! Help Donate to her Best Mobile Catering Service Campaign “Food Truck In Atlanta” via her GoFundMe.

Chef Kierra has awesome food. I tried a few dishes while attending collaboration events with the Mini Hip-hop Museum. One of her delicious meals I’ve had the pleasure of taste testing was fish nachos. Mmm, mmm good.

Have you ever attended a Food Truck Festival? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!

Remember when I attended Baltimore’s First Ever Fashion Truck Rally? Read “Doc Participates In The Boulevard of Chic’s 2nd Fashion Truck Rally” on Doc’s Castle Media.

Light City Baltimore 2018: A recap of its 3rd year exhibitions (Gallery)

Light City Baltimore came back bigger and better for 2018. I’m so glad to say that I decided to be apart of everything, too.

I volunteered my free time to be a social media volunteer for Light City and it was quite an experience. Instead of spending one night looking at the exhibits, I spent four nights seeing how different people interacted with each crevice and corner of the popular light festival.

My job along with numerous other volunteers was to capture the evenings’ glory moments. Whenever we saw people enjoying the night, we’d snap photos to share on the Light City social media channel to encourage people who weren’t in attendance to come down. I believed it was a strategy that worked because the outcome was phenomenal. Opening night attendance was so overwhelming, there were rumors of physical altercations swarming the Internet before the night was over.

Last year’s Light City was rainy for me so a lot of pictures were hit and misses. But this year, I had enough practice and sunlight to get a little bit of everything going on.

My favorite spot to shoot was Club Light City, which was the designated area for House, EDM, and Hip-hop artist and dancers to perform throughout the night. So many talented people showed up at this stage sporadically and unannounced. The idea of it being majority freestyle acts made me more intrigued by the area. The section was a party. I spent a lot of my time in the area.

Local DJs, like DJ Who and Kariz Marcel, had the party started. I posted via my Instagram a video of Baltimore dancers performing to music producers Kariz Marcel. I also got some great photos of DJ Who jamming to his own mixes.

http://www.instagram.com/p/Bh_v5SeHEZp/?taken-by=docscastle

My favorite exhibit would have to be awarded to As of Now.

I loved the message behind this art piece because it pays its respects to the history of Baltimore’s black urban community and what it’s like being black owning a row home. In As of Now, Elissa Blount Morehead screenplays a three-generation Black Owned household in a sum of 3 acts. We see a black father, a black mother, and a black son live throughout multiple decades and giving us an idea of an average day-to-day living.

Other exhibits at Light City 2018 were eye-catching, but those that can provoke a deep resignation feeling were big in their presentation like Kelley Bell’s The Herd. A community of inflatable floaties in the not so healthy Baltimore Inner Harbor aims to represent the harbor being a no-swim zone because of its toxic state. What’s supposed to bring folks attention is the fact that the floaties are empty. Nobody is swimming in them.

I took photos of other pieces from artists. View the gallery below.

Did you get a chance to visit Light City this year? Share some of your experiences and photos in comments!

Check out the gallery of Light City Baltimore 2017 on Doc’s Castle Media.

Doc Participates in the 2018 Baltimore Black Restaurant Challenge

My way of celebrating Black History Month this February 2018 was through showing my support for those who are creating waves in our city currently as entrepreneurs. I showed my support for local black-owned restaurants by participating in the Baltimore Black Restaurant Challenge.

The Baltimore Black Restaurant Challenge was created and hosted by Chef Casey Jenkins in 2014 after a wave of challenges arose on social media, one in particular which drew direct inspiration was the infamous 2014 ALS Water Bucket Challenge. The Black Restaurant Challenge encourages local foodies when choosing to dine out in the month of February, they should visit at least 2 black own restaurants in Baltimore.

There are a number of participating black restaurants in Baltimore that offer specials during the challenge. People who are eager to try out delicacies from those restaurants can find a list of who’s participating by visiting at the Black Restaurant Challenge official website or any of their social media channels. But for me, I just thought of a few names of restaurants I often hear about and strolled right through their front doors.

The two restaurants I chose was Teavolve and American Fusion Flight Baltimore.

I went with my best friend and boyfriend to each spot and ordered popular dishes.

At Teavolve, I had their signature Carolina Shrimp and Grits with a side of roasted potatoes. The food was so good. I failed to get a picture before my meal was half devoured.

Partially Eaten Shrimp and Grits from Teavolve

The atmosphere of Teavolve was giving me “millennial young black professional” vibes. Everyone present in the restaurant that afternoon felt like they were someone of great importance. I even thought to myself maybe I should talk with my volume a little low. I didn’t want to feel the “ratchetness” of my conversation in the air. Especially since it was also a special guest in the building that afternoon. State Attorney Marilyn Mosby often dines at Teavolve, and she chose the day that my best friend and I was there to eat, too. I still didn’t filter my mouth. Real is real.

Teavolve is the perfect place for young professional to have small business meetings and small intimate events.

Check out some of what’s listed on their drink menu.

My second choice to dine at was Flight American Fusion, also known as Flight Baltimore, with my boyfriend for Valentine’s day. It was my treat to him to celebrate the holiday with one of his favorite foods…fish! There I ordered Salmon Quesadillas for my appetizer and a Vegan Veggie Mojo as an entre.

Flight Baltimore’s atmosphere was laxed. There was only one other couple there that afternoon. I could tell business was slow because of the time. But it was the best afternoon for me because it made my visit a lot more romantic that way. I enjoyed viewing the artwork posted on the walls by local artists while I appreciating good conversations with my man. I’d definitely go on another date there.

Flight Baltimore is a great restaurant for people who aren’t tied to the idea of impressing others. It’s a small quaint neighborhood restaurant. They have the option to order your food as carryout so it gives a feeling that you don’t have the obligation to dine in. Food is affordable for a quick bite, too.

Though I did the bare minimum to complete this challenge by only attending 2 restaurants, next year I hope to visit more because I hope to have more money to cash out. Ya feel me?!

What are some black-owned restaurants you frequently visit in Baltimore? Leave your comments below.

Did you hear about my experience that the American Art Craft Show? Read Doc Attend the 2018 American Art Craft Show at the Baltimore Convention Center on Doc’s Castle Media.

Doc Attends the 2018 American Art Craft Show at the Baltimore Convention Center (Gallery)

Thanks to one of my nine-to-five jobs, I was able to attend the 2018 American Art Craft Show held at the Baltimore Convention the last weekend in February. It was amazing and very inspirational being in the presence of “real” artists.

I work as a promotions assistant at Entercom radio for the 80s, 90s, and today’s pop hits station Today’s 101.9. My job had the pleasure of being press at the craft show on Saturday morning. We did our usual at the show; assist our radio personality Fran Lane with the spinning wheel and gift giveaways. So I didn’t do anything that was out of the norm workwise. But I’m grateful, to say the least, that I was working in surroundings in which capacity I’m not familiar.
When I go to these events with my job, we have only a few moments where the promotion staff can walk away to take a look at what’s happening throughout the show. But this time our press appearance was only for 2 hours. So I didn’t have the time to see what the featured artists had to offer until later in the afternoon when I came back to walk the show off the clock.

The American Art Craft Show is a popular traveling art convention sponsored by Visit Baltimore, where emerging artists from all different crafty backgrounds come to one mutual space to sell their work. Like a traditional merchant’s market or flea market, the American Art Craft Show is a high-class version of original arts and goods show made available for any shopper who’s into scavenging for unique pieces not found anywhere else.

I snuck into the exhibit using the American Art Craft Show press pass given to me earlier for my work shift because I felt it necessary for me to have a deeper look into what was at the show. I needed to know what drew me to what I saw while there. Why did it feel like my spirit was suddenly lit seeing all the unique things? It was like a strong magnetic force between my eyes and the artwork, just something about it that made me fall in love with that moment. I wanted to know what made these artists work so hard and achieve such success to be placed in such a popular arts convention.

The American Art Craft Show is quite a pricey show as the quality of the artifacts in the show exhibits each artist passion through sincere detail in the craftsmanship. I saw sculptures of every medium from stone, metal, glass, and traditional clay. I saw clothing designers use unique and expensive fabrics from basic cotton to rich leathers. The jewelry pieces were to die for as I literally choked off my drink of water when told what the price tag said on a pair of stunning earrings. There were immaculate paintings of mixed media forms utilizing fabric embroidery and infused clay on large canvases. Any observer could tell the artists put their everything into their work, and each piece was argumentatively worth what each price tag listed.

These artists were seasoned with their expertise. I witnessed only techniques I see online when I watch art videos on YouTube for inspiration for my own crafting. The techniques were those that people dig for when yearning to add that extra oomph to their “art baby.” The techniques were ways of the art world that makes the observer ponder how did something turn out a particular way. Ways that I could not resist having mini-interviews with the artists on how they achieved such beautiful masterpieces.

I went into journalists mode interviewing the artists from my favorite booths. One particular artist that I had the pleasure of speaking to, Natalya Aikens, creates architectural structures using fabrics and threaded stitching. She references photographs from her own collections and experiments with replicating her images by following traditional shading and coloring techniques.Her work comes off as abstract because of all the vibrant colors being used that aren’t naturally present in the original photos. Mihira Karra, who’s another artist similar to Aikens utilizes the same technique but instead recreates portraits of celebrities, landscapes, and influential figures.

Mihira_Karra — Artist Cred: Mihira Karra

Artist Kathleen Scranton shares her creativity quite uniquely as her booth was unlike any other during the craft show. She takes her favorite novels and children’s books and turns them into small purses or wallets. Her station was one of the booths that had the most traffic because her idea was the most unique. She ran with the theme “Everyone reads.” The booth had to be the most recognizable because most books she used were classic American literature. The interior walls were draped with Dr. Seus, Star Wars, and The Great Gatsby. What made it even better was the buyer got to take home a copy of the novels, as well, after their purchase.

I met many ambitious artists whose main focus while working on their art was to enjoy it. None of the artists I spoke to envisioned themselves as experts. Most didn’t think they’d be selling their art when they started. I bring this up to talk about my usual theme for Baltimore artists. With examples as those spotted at the American Art Craft Show, artists in this city could visualize true talent with purpose. It’s not about the social climb like mentioned in my blog series Quality vs. Quantity (Part 1). These artists monetize using pure passions where the love or their work comes first and everything that precedes it comes afterward. At showcases and in the work done here, we only see this reflection of that in prestigious art shows. I write about it to awaken the people who want it to more prevalent in Baltimore’s Art culture.

View more photos from the 2018 American Art Craft Show.

The biggest take away from this event was that it made me feel inspired. That’s what an artsy event suppose to do. They spark the creative soul within and changes the atmosphere around you. The American Art Craft Show did just that. It was due for my soul to feel that awakening.

What artist do you think should have attended or exhibited at the 2018 American Art Craft Show? Leave your comments or tag an artist below.
Have you read any of the Quality vs. Quantity Blog Series? Catch up on it on Doc’s Castle Media.

Quality Vs. Quantity (Part 2): The Lack of Distinction In Baltimore’s Underground Media is also Why Baltimore Lacks an Art “Industry”

As we should all know, the media helps shapes the perspectives and minds of many that stay abreast of current events. There are millions and millions of people in the know of what’s happening around them. They take what they read and watch on news outlets as fact. It shapes the way each individual chooses to live their life. Most importantly, it’s extremely influential in molding the opinions of people participating in buying and selling. More recently we’ve found it’s one of the leading factors as to why America is in so much turmoil in politics and policy with our current president. So this is why I cannot overlook critiquing Baltimore Media in my second post of Quality vs. Quantity because, with or without media, it continues to be influential to Baltimore’s art culture.

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Indie Media has the ability to mold the careers of inspiring artists by helping them move from 0 to 100 through merely talking about an artist’s successes and downfalls. From covering an artist’s success when they have a breakthrough project to talking about movements that aren’t too favorable to the progression of an artist’s career, the media has the power to make or break whether an artist will make it to legendary status.

Having this knowledge that the media has this much an impact in shaping an artist’s career should be the leading factor for why artists should be involved with getting to know their local underground media like the bloggers, podcasters, and many other commentators who are fans of the city’s art culture.

Artists and media need to work hand-and-hand in the progression of the industry of Baltimore’s art culture. But somehow the light bulb hasn’t powered on with that idea and there’s is a big gap in linking the two.

Why is Baltimore Indie Media not helping the Baltimore Art Culture Progress into an Industry?

Traditional media is falling by the wayside as more journalists are left without work. There are fewer printed newspapers and more online news sites. But passionate journalists work hard to continue to do what they love; by recording the history of which they currently live through. They do this on more accessible platforms that some of these journalists invest in on their own.

Underground media has little to no funding to push its indie brands. This leads them to depend heavily on instant gratification online. No longer are they going to work for large media companies aiding them with story leads and money to put food on the table. They report where most people spend their time in order to get recognition, which means social media is where the majority of these outlets can be found excelling.

But if they all can be found on the same platforms, it means most media has the same story leads. They all report about the same things. One great example is knowing about Baltimore’s own comedian Monique’s recent battle with Netflix. Everyone knows she’s called out the black community to a boycott. But, I can bet you that no one can remember which news sites reported the Monique story first.

Major outlets, like the Baltimore Sun, 92Q, Fox 45, and Baltimore Magazine are not the only sources for breaking and entertainment news in the city. There are a plethora of small name underground websites, blogs, podcasts, and magazines that flood social media with opinions about current events on a daily basis. If more local artists and media worked together to saturate the internet with UNIQUE stories on smaller platforms instead of focusing on what everyone else is reporting, we wouldn’t have to see recurring topics on our timelines.

How many times are we going to talk about the same stories? How many times will we only talk about Young Moose or Lor Scoota like they were Baltimore’s only rap artists? Or why aren’t local media coming up with new creative ways to highlight an artist on their websites without doing the usual “get-to-know-the-artist” interviews of creatives who nobody knows about on their podcasts or blogs? There’s a lack in the quality of content in the media that’s similar to the lack of quality in the artists. I think it’s time we stop ignoring the lack of distinction in media if we want to work towards the change I spoke about in my previous essay Quality vs Quantity Part 1: The Saturation of Wanna Be Artists In Baltimore Art Scene.

Underground media in Baltimore city are not exempt from the numbers of individuals seeking to be the voice of the culture. Like many artists and entrepreneurs, inspiring journalists seek to be the “it” factor for change in Baltimore, as well. Everyone wants to be a legacy. But each platform shows proof that following the same formula doesn’t help push progression. We have multiple online radio stations in the city that follow a similar strategy for marketing and studio production, which shows there’s little research done to help each radio brand standout amongst larger successful media. We have podcasters whose production comes off parallel to the other, which shows there’s a lack of research for what’s actually working that’s helping successful podcast accelerate. It’s easy to tell who’s taking the necessary steps to push their brands and who’s not. Who’s going to be our leading TMZ of the city- breaking all the details of our industry if these brands can’t differentiate themselves?

Being similar isn’t the only thing that’s keeping Baltimore’s Underground Media from helping progress the art culture…

The rise of social media brings a wave of opinionated perspectives from every crevice and corner of the Internet. People are not afraid of sharing their thoughts online. But there comes an increase of sensitivity to the opinion that has arisen which makes me concerned about the status of Baltimore City’s urban art culture. More people are sensitive to opinions, and it’s one of the reasons Baltimore’s art scene is lacking genuine underground media outlets willing to step up when it comes to critiquing Baltimore artists. This is a problem because constructive criticism is what Baltimore artists need in order to improve their crafts.

There is a downfall of quality in even the highest-rated of underground media. I believe it’s caused by the lack of direction of each company’s branding techniques, and the additional pressure to chase lead stories. What we’re experiencing as readers and followers of pop culture is brands fearing their power being lost because they’re considering readers’ opinions of what they share. Instead, these companies should be focused on pure facts of what’s necessary to share and not what’s going to make them popular.

The integrity of emerging media is at stake alongside the quality of artwork being circulated. Both sides need to take a moment to pause when evaluating their influence in Baltimore’s Art “Industry.” To improve the stance of our industry, the questions that should be asked by both artists and underground media are “what am I doing to help the current art community,” “Am I making a positive or negative impact in this culture,” “Is what I’m doing necessary for this industry’s growth,” and “Are there any other platforms available currently doing what I do that I can collaborate with and add my input?” Once creators can answer these questions with the benefit of the city’s culture in mind and become successful in getting implementing their findings, then maybe we will see a change for the better?

What do you think? Do you believe the underground media outlets in Baltimore have an impact on the stance of Baltimore’s Art Culture? Leave your comments below.

Did you read about the grand opening of Baltimore’s first ever Mini Hip-Hop Museum? Read Why Every Baltimore Artists Should Have Attended the Grand Open of In My Lifetime: MHHM on Doc’s Castle Media.