Lena and KK pose for a picture in front of their new home, a 1988 Winnebago. They headed out on the open road last week, with no destination.

Johnny Eck memorabilia, on display at The Creative Alliance

***THE SIGNAL AIRS FRIDAYS AT NOON & 7 P.M. ON 88.1 WYPR***

(Click here for mp3’s of some recent stories from the show. And PODCASTERS, click here for a link to subscribe to The Signal’s weekly podcast.)

• Lena and KK Ludwig-Lapper lost their rental apartment when their landlord went into foreclosure. So they found a new place to live: a 1988 Winnebago. The young couple is about to take their new apartment-on-wheels for a spin around the country, and we check in with them on the eve of their adventure.
• We witness the odd intersection of two quintessential Charm City originals: Elaine Eff and Jeff Gordon share the story of legendary side-show performer Johnny Eck and the painted screens of East Baltimore.
• We explore the social appeal – and the economic reality – of buying and selling fair trade merchandise when we visit with local entrepreneurs Eva Korry at Earth Alley, Diane Standeven and Sheila Morrison at Original Souls, and Leslie Dungee at Ten Thousand Villages. We also get a perspective on the trend from WYPR economic analyst Anirban Basu.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Check out Lena and KK’s website and travel diary at: www.nodestination.org

Find out more about Johnny Eck at: www.johnnyeckmuseum.com

Find out more about screen painting at: www.paintedscreens.org

Here’s the site for the Internationl Fair Trade Association: www.ifat.org

Here’s the site for Earth Alley in Hampden: www.earthalley.com

Here’s the site for Original Souls in Ellicott City: www.originalsouls.net

Here’s the site for Ten Thousand Villages in Fells Point: www.tenthousandvillages.com

Close quarters: KK and Lena inside their new apartment-on-wheels

Painted screens, on display at The Creative Alliance

Also on Saturday (05.10.08), Art-with-a-Heart will host its fourth annual fundraiser Art in the City: Com-Mix and Marvel. This comic-themed night of fun will feature a DJ, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a live auction. The event takes place from 7:30 to10:30 at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum at 301 West Camden Street. And the proceeds will help fund Art-with-a-Heart’s visual art programs. For tickets and information, go to www.artwithaheart.net.

Antipodes opens this weekend at Area 405. This show, curated by Baltimore artist Timothy Nohe, offers a rich scope of contemporary performance art and music videos from Australia. “Antipodes” features work by the Shangri-La Collective, Jacky Redgate and other prominent Australian artists. Area 405 is an artist-owned warehouse space at 405 East Oliver Street in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District. Videos will be screened Friday night (05.09.08) at 8pm and again on Sunday afternoon (05.11.08) at 3pm. For more information, go to www.area405.com.

Friday night (05.09.08) The Carriage House Theater presents The 2008 World Almanac! This short play-slash-motivational lecture starring Jackie Milad & Ric Royer kicks off at 8pm. The Carriage House is located at 2225 Hargrove Alley, between St. Paul and Calvert Streets. A canned good gets you in the door.

The Baltimore band Thrushes plays a CD release show Saturday night (05.10.08) at the Metro Gallery along with Blonde Acid Cult and other special guests. The show starts at 9pm and the Metro Gallery is located at 1700 North Charles Street.

UMBC presents the Paul Taylor Dance Company Friday (05.09.08) and Saturday (05.10.08) nights in the UMBC Theater. Over two evenings, the award-winning company will perform 6 works spanning the years 1962 to 2006. More information is at www.umbc.edu/arts.

…a portrait of Holocaust survivor Bluma Shapiro (photo courtesy of photographer Lisa Shifren)

***THE SIGNAL AIRS FRIDAYS AT NOON & 7 P.M. ON 88.1 WYPR***

(Click here for mp3’s of some recent stories from the show. And PODCASTERS, click here for a link to subscribe to The Signal’s weekly podcast.)

• We hear a lot from doctors about the autism spectrum disorder known as Asperger Syndrome, but rarely do we hear from the people who actually struggle with it in their own lives. This week, we meet Matthew, a teenager who’s written an award-winning essay about growing up with Asperger Syndrome.
• Over the weekend, scooterists from across the country will buzz into Baltimore for an annual rally (www.charmcityscoterraly.com), and we drop in for a visit with the hosts of the event, a gang of sharp-dressed gear-heads known as the Charm City Scooter Club
• Essayist Mike Meno ponders the perils of social networking on the internet
• Lindsay Mercer previews this weekend’s other film festival, Videopolis
• And we sit down with Bluma Shapiro for a mesmerizing tale of endurance and personal determination. The grandmother of four was an inmate at the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz during World War II, and she survived to tell the story

If you are still looking for the perfect gift for Mother’s Day, nothing beats the charm of handmade goods. On Saturday (05.02.08), Corradetti Glass Studio is offering mini–workshops in which participants can create hand-blown glass flowers for Mom. The delicate, one-of-a-kind works of art will be cooled and ready for pick up the next day. Classes are at 2,3,4 and 5pm, and space is limited. Information is online at www.corradetti.com

Also on Saturday (05.03.08), Team Atomic presents Rock for the Feast, a benefit for Moveable Feast featuring Secret Crush Society, Dreaded Sunny Day, (a Smith’s cover band) South Carey and Miss Kitty Victorian. Moveable Feast provides meals, counseling and groceries to people living with HIV/AIDS. The show begins at 9:30 pm at Frazier’s on The Avenue in Hampden, and you can find out more on-line at www.mfeast.org