Postcards from Berlin BETA » Berlin MD

Looking down South Main Street

zibpyle — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:49:54 +0000

Looking down south main street, at the intersection of Buckingham St. A quiet morning, no traffic. (As if there is ever traffic on Berlin’s Main St.) Summertime. I used to walk this street all the time and even years later it seems exactly the same.

Fields and Development as seen from West St.

zibpyle — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:49:27 +0000

Berlin is a small enough town that some streets just open right up to fields. From this spot on West street, one can see newer developments across the fields.

At the Berlin Peach Festival, August 2010

zibpyle — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:48:55 +0000

Carriage Rides at the Berlin Peach Festival.

A hot day in August. Lots of peaches, peach tea, peach pie. A pie eating contest, a peach throwing contest, trees to climb a museum to visit. Live music. Fun for everyone.

Berlin includes the St Martin River

Joe Jankowski — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:32:20 +0000

Berlin, Maryland is quite large in area according to the US Post Office and includes our home which is on the St Martin River. The St Martin River is a tidal river connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Isle of Wight Bay and the Ocean City inlet. There are many beautiful sunsets on the St Martin River and this picture shows a typical example of the beauty of nature in our Berlin.

The Origins of Berlin, Maryland’s Name

KS12 — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:31:29 +0000

Mayor Williams of Berlin, Maryland explains how present day Berlin, Maryland got its name from a contraction of the name of a local plantation, the Burley Inn. According to our research, Berlin, Maryland is one of the few American Berlins which has no connection to German historical roots in its name. Maryland was settled primarily by colonists from Great Britain and therefore the Mayor’s story does seem to stand to reason.

Interestingly, according to Wikipedia:

The name Berlin is of unknown origin, but may be related to the Old Polabian stem berl-/birl- “swamp”.

This makes for a nice, however accidental, secondary meaning for Berlin, Maryland, as it is located so close to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem known for its wetland habitat.

The Elusive Vocal Saxophone

KS12 — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:40:50 +0000

I have been a vocal percussionist (otherwise known as a beatboxer) since I was in high school. However, it wasn’t until I studied music in Germany that I was encouraged by Fried Dähn – one of my professors, who would eventually become my band mate – to refine my beatboxing skills enough to endure performing as part of a normal-length live concert. Until then I had kept my beatboxing within the realm of the electronic music studio and my public performances had been limited to short interludes between readings at poetry slams. With Fried’s encouragement I expanded my endurance and my repertoire of sounds, expanding on my snare rim, turntable, and vocal trumpet techniques.

In my years as a beatboxer I have seen Kenny Mohammad (the so-called “human orchestra”) perform twice and I have also watched my fair share of beatbox battles online. In fact, Berlin, Germany is host to international beatbox competitions. So you can imagine my surprise when last week in Berlin, Maryland at the Globe theater I encountered the amazing vocalizations of Douglas Everton, the front man of the Hot Buttered Nuggets.

Mr. Everton’s execution of vocal trumpet was flawless, and his vocal banjo and tuba were highly entertaining. But what really blew me away and literally had my jaw dropping and eyes popping out of my head was his remarkably accurate tenor saxophone. I hope you can appreciate the sheer awe I experienced listening to a man create the sound of a saxophone. Many a time I had pondered which instruments must be impossible to imitate with the human voice, and saxophone was always at the top of my list.

Douglas Everton, I salute you. Your saxophone impression inspired my imagination and expanded what I thought humanly musically possible. This video of the Hot Buttered Nuggets performing “Chinatown” at the Globe in Berlin, Maryland (April 9th, 2010) should hopefully transport some of the magic of his proficient ability.

– Gabriel

Enchanted Tea Room

Haunted — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:29:00 +0000

My mom and I saw the Tea Room last December. It’s a charming shop and looked even more so because it was decorated for the holidays. We decided we wanted to go there and have the High Tea experience so I’m taking my mom there for Mother’s Day. I’ll send you another postcard then!

Mayor Williams with Gabriel & Pati

Michael — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:50:53 +0000

Mayor Williams welcomes Gabriel & Pati to Berlin, Maryland, during the April, 2010, 2nd Friday Art Stroll. Gabriel & Pati were giving a presentation of Postcards From Berlin at the Atlantic Hotel.

Gabriel & Pati Visit Berlin, Maryland

Michael — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:50:02 +0000

Gabriel & Pati visit Berlin, Maryland during the April, 2010, Second Friday Art Stroll.
On a whirl wind trip from Berlin, Germany! Here they are seen being interviewed by Brie Jackson, videojournalist, for WBOC TV, in front of the Atlantic Hotel.

Mrs. Claus goes to school

Nancy — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:53:43 +0000

Mrs. Santa Claus reads to children at the annual Worcester Preparatory School bazaar in December 2009. The private school has a rigorous academic program to prepare students for college.