Baltimore (another one of those threads)
 

I'm goin to Baltimore in a month for the SMT conference. I have limited time to goof around - where should I go, restaurants, etc? I don't need info about DC because I have friends there that I'm visiting.

All I know about Baltimore is that Tompall Glaser song "Streets of Baltimore" --through Gram Parsons. Is Krastian still around?

The conference is in the blue building. Looks nice.

ahh the blue building. you might check out the brick colored one next door. it looks pretty close.

Practical advice, I must say. But I've already been warned that the brick-colored building is where the early music geeks hang out, and I have a reputation to protect.

I remember Fells Point was a neat place to stay, many pubs, restaurants and music shops (especially one that was absolutely great - called Sound Garden. However I was there in 2002, so I doubt if it's still there). A lot going on generally.

The Inner Harbor is neat too, although a bit too posh and fancy.

Fancy is OK, I like my ketchup fancy. Thanks.

My only knowledge of Baltimore comes from watching lots of Homocide: Life on the Street.

I remember in one episode they were at the top a groovy-looking memorial tower or something. I'd look for that. But then again, I'd be taking photographs of the local buses too and like you say, you have a reputation to protect.

Yeah, Detective Munch!

go right behind those buildings to little italy for plenty of places to eat. check out the monstrous vaccaro where they will serve you gelato the size of a child's head-- that place is grotesque, yet endearing.

a bit north of that there is/was a brewery and it is a building.

fells point is ok, more of a college party place-- if you're looking to get plastered with hopkins & loyola fratboys, that's the place to be.

btw around hopkins there is an all night diner thats pretty awesome-- the blue moon i think its called?

in federal hill -- great little neighborhood- you can go to various restaurants & bars, especially cross street market where you can eat seafood until you explode. federal hill is the singles meat market, i suppose.

oh, and don't miss the ottobar. holy ass, melt banana is playing there nov 14-- i hope you get to go.

there is plenty more but i havent been there in a couple of years. :( :(

if krastian doesnt show up, jennthebenn & pantophobia are marylanders, i'm sure they'll help you.

and perhaps you'll run into this guy:

Avoid Inner City or Inner Ring or how it's called. A terrible ghetto.

He was cool enough.

It may have been this tower: http://www.spearsvotta.com/photos/bromo_seltzer2.html

ps actually i jsut reoriented myself. the big brick building is a huge borders-- go behind that for little italy-- to the right of that picture if you will.

oh and right next to where that photo was taken is the visionary art museum. lots of great kooks. the rest of that inner harbor is a corporate shithole and a tourist trap, so i'd avoid it.

anyway, enjoy, you bastard, im jealous, i love that town.

Thanks guys, this is helpful. Tower looks cool. Unfortunately, I'm not arriving until the 15th, so I'll miss Melt Banana.

worth taking a day off & flying a day earlier. you can prolly crash at someone's. or stay up all night-- even better!

Sound Garden is a great record store. Last time I was there, they had the SY discography.

The Harbor is okay... the Hard Rock Cafe is garbage...

In Federal Hill, the Cross Street Market is cool. There's also some cool music bar that has okay bands sometimes...

Also, Mother's is cool for a bunch of football drunks.

i was just in baltimore this weekend. sound garden is one of the coolest record stores i've been to. i was gonna just pick up a copy of trees outside the acadeny, but they had a copy of something called the first original silence, which features thurston, jim, mats gustafsson and a bunch of other people. when the guy at the register saw what i was getting, he said "i have something for you," and walked off. he came back with a copy of thurston's flipped out bride ep which i'd never really heard of... anyway i asked him where a cool place to hang out and have a drink was, he recommended lulu's off broadway. had a good time.

Hey thanks jake and dash -- you guys rock.

i don't really get over to balto that much, i like the Harbor mostly when i go, the Aquarium is a good one, they have a Five Guys burgers in a little two floor micro-mall like thing

just a quick walk up the block to Davis St. is the Talking Head Club, which i swore closed in last December, they have a great number of bands quite often

hey-- you're welcome, you ungrateful bastard :p

You might want to check also want to check out the Baltimore Museum of Art where they have a really nice modern art collection and I am pretty sure that they are showing a Matisse exhibit right now that I've heard is really nice. Also, you might want to check out the Visonary Arts Museum and the Walters Art Gallery.

Yeah, Fells Point can get pretty lame with frat type guys and one time sluts in the night time, but during the day you should def. hit up the Soundgarden down there and just walk around. They have parking on the side of the building which is great. There are also quite a few Record and Tape Traders (a record store) in Catonsville, Towson, and some other places in the "Baltimore area."

I'm pretty sure !@#$%! was alluding to the Paper Moon Diner which is a really cool place to eat even though I'm pretty sure they've changed their menu......the pesto chicken with pita bread was great!!! The bastards even changed their sweet potato fries which were the best I've ever tasted on this planet.....they are just not the same.


Don't forget to eat some crabs!!!