Baltimore What's Good?

CousinLarry

I am coming to town Thursday for the Sharon Jones show. I'll be staying close to the inner harbor. Any good record shops, bars or restaurants I need to check? Travel strut, help me out.

Fatback

I always find good shit at Normals. The Inner Harbor blows.

CousinLarry

So what? Should I go for a walking tour of Wire locations. I got the concert, which is near the inner harbor and am hitting the aquarium on Friday morning. Surely there is somewhere half decent to eat down there.

Is the Baltimore little Italy a joke or do they have any decent places to eat?

Jonny_Paycheck

Normals and My Own Guru for records
Faidleys for crabs (Lexington Market), they serve beer too so grab a Natty Bo with that!

Bars.... not sure. I always find one

meistromoco

Bmore's Little Italy is very little. Not really sure what the good spots are anymore.

it would be a bit a of a trek for you (not walkable) but True Vine records in Hampden is pretty good.

Check out Brewer's Art for good food and beer. They have a restaurant upstairs that is a little pricey, but you can get really good bar food downstairs. And their brews are really good.

For really good Afghan food (and cheap), check out The Helmand

Here's a crab cake guide: http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=15410

If you like house music and will be around on Saturday, check out Deep Sugar @ the Paradox. Shit doesn't really start to get going until after 1 am. Goes real late. And Paradox has one of the best sound systems on the east coast. BYOB.

Fatback

Jonny's right. Do the Lex Market experience. I think you'd dig that.

onetet

Little Italy is alright, I'm vegetarian so I don't know the restaurants as well as others, but the further you walk away from the harbor the more "real" it's likely to get. You do want to avoid most of the "Harborplace" restarants, that area has been taken over by Cheesecake Factory/ESPN Zone etc.

Further east past Little Italy is the big bar neighborhood Fells Point, and one of the best record shops in town is there, El Suprimo. 1709 Aliceanna St. It's like a 5-min drive, 20-min walk from some areas in Inner Harbor. The exterior of the main police HQ from the show Homicide is down there by the water.

Normal's is a solid record/book store and I also recommend True Vine, which used to be on 36th Street in Hampden but just moved around the corner: 3544 Hickory Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211.

Some self-promotion: I'm one of the programmers for Maryland Film Festival, which starts Thursday night but runs all day Friday-Sunday. I've been posting updates in announcements, but we have a full schedule of 40+ new features w/ directors and/or cast hosting, a vintage 3-D film, the silent film Man with a Movie Camera w/ live music by Alloy Orchestra, John Waters presenting the French film Love Songs w/ free wine afterwards, and Ian MacKaye presenting the doc Nina Simone: La Legende.

Even if you're just in town a portion of the day Friday, things get started pretty early, and tickets are $10/ea or 3 different movies for $20 for most screenings (pretty cheap by film-fest standards): http://www.md-filmfest.com/films.cfm

onetet

co-sign on the Helmand as a great food spot and Brewer's Art for microbrews. Dukem has good Ethiopian as well. Both are a drive from Inner Harbor unless the weather's great, but a short drive. Parking can be a bitch on weekends.

Lexington Market is cool and a very Baltimore experience -- the Inner Harbor is like the Disney version of Lexington Market.

DJ_NevilleC

As far as bars go the one thing I really think Baltimore has the edge over DC is in the neighborhood dive bar category. Baltimore has loads. Can't remember any of their names though.

Fatback

co-sign on the Helmand as a great food spot and Brewer's Art for microbrews. Dukem has good Ethiopian as well. Both are a drive from Inner Harbor unless the weather's great, but a short drive. Parking can be a bitch on weekends.

yeah , there are lot's of good 'ethnic' food spots around Mt. Vernon. IF you are around that area, make sure you step into the Peabody Library for a minute just to look the building. Trust me.

Jonny_Paycheck

I had an absolutely top tier meal at Woodberry Kitchen (www.woodberrykitchen.com). It wasn't cheap but the cost was in line - reasonable, even - with the level of food and service.

I can't cosign True Vine anymore. Maybe I caught them on a bad day? The record selection was from hunger; the staff was disinterested. The inventory in the new shop is 1/10th the size of the old one and missing most of the more interesting titles. It was seriously one of the worst record shopping experiences I've had in a long while, and that's saying a lot. I used to come to the shop and buy every time I was in town. At this point I wouldn't go back unless I just happened to be in Hampden. And even then I might just grab a beer or a bite to eat instead.

onetet

I had an absolutely top tier meal at Woodberry Kitchen (www.woodberrykitchen.com). It wasn't cheap but the cost was in line - reasonable, even - with the level of food and service.

I can't cosign True Vine anymore. Maybe I caught them on a bad day? The record selection was from hunger; the staff was disinterested. The inventory in the new shop is 1/10th the size of the old one and missing most of the more interesting titles. It was seriously one of the worst record shopping experiences I've had in a long while, and that's saying a lot. I used to come to the shop and buy every time I was in town. At this point I wouldn't go back unless I just happened to be in Hampden. And even then I might just grab a beer or a bite to eat instead.

Woodberry is cool, great atmosphere and nice menu w/ emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and it's in an interesting part of town. You'd think you were in a Pennsylvania mill area or something, but you're in the direct center of the city. When they first opened I wasn't that impressed relative to cost, but I'm totally sold on them after a few more visits.

As for True Vine... if you went to their new location a few months ago, I'd definitely agree with you. When they reopened it was hard to make a pity purchase, which I still did as one the owners (Jason Willett, sometimes of Half Japanese) is a friend. They've gotten their stock back up a good bit now. It's nowhere near where they were a few years ago, but probably much better than when you had that bad experience.

I'd prioritize El Suprimo and Normal's but go up to True Vine anyway -- that area (36th Street, aka "The Avenue") has Atomic Books and other cool places as well.

CousinLarry

co-sign on the Helmand as a great food spot and Brewer's Art for microbrews. Dukem has good Ethiopian as well. Both are a drive from Inner Harbor unless the weather's great, but a short drive. Parking can be a bitch on weekends.

yeah , there are lot's of good 'ethnic' food spots around Mt. Vernon. IF you are around that area, make sure you step into the Peabody Library for a minute just to look the building. Trust me.

I'm staying at the mt vernon hotel so i'll check that out.

erewhon

Maryland Film Festival is this weekend (Thursday through Sunday). I will be spending most of my time in that part of town. http://www.md-filmfest.com/

There are some bars and clubs in that area that will be aborbing some of the spillover from the festival. There's a Labtekwon show at the Zodiac (current Wham City headquarters) across the street from The Charles Theater on Saturday night.

Forget about Little Italy, period.

I second the recommendations of Brewer's Art and Deep Sugar @ The Paradox, both of which can hang with any "Big City" competition in their respective areas. Helmand is cool, too.

The downtown farmer's market is open for the season as of last weekend, and close to where you're staying. Great spot for breakfast or lunch snacks on Sunday before noon. It's located under the JFX Viaduct on Saratoga Street between Holliday and Gay Streets.

Should be a fun weekend to visit.

Jonny_Paycheck

I had an absolutely top tier meal at Woodberry Kitchen (www.woodberrykitchen.com). It wasn't cheap but the cost was in line - reasonable, even - with the level of food and service.

I can't cosign True Vine anymore. Maybe I caught them on a bad day? The record selection was from hunger; the staff was disinterested. The inventory in the new shop is 1/10th the size of the old one and missing most of the more interesting titles. It was seriously one of the worst record shopping experiences I've had in a long while, and that's saying a lot. I used to come to the shop and buy every time I was in town. At this point I wouldn't go back unless I just happened to be in Hampden. And even then I might just grab a beer or a bite to eat instead.

Woodberry is cool, great atmosphere and nice menu w/ emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and it's in an interesting part of town. You'd think you were in a Pennsylvania mill area or something, but you're in the direct center of the city. When they first opened I wasn't that impressed relative to cost, but I'm totally sold on them after a few more visits.

indeed - even equipped with GPS we had trouble finding the place. We were amazed that it was so close - yet it feels in the middle of nowhere. Wife and I had fun afterwards driving around those abandoned (?) warehouses, smoking a joint and blaring tunes.

The food was top notch and the local wine picks were on point (who knew Maryland had wine? I didn't)

As for True Vine... if you went to their new location a few months ago, I'd definitely agree with you. When they reopened it was hard to make a pity purchase, which I still did as one the owners (Jason Willett, sometimes of Half Japanese) is a friend. They've gotten their stock back up a good bit now. It's nowhere near where they were a few years ago, but probably much better than when you had that bad experience.

I'd prioritize El Suprimo and Normal's but go up to True Vine anyway -- that area (36th Street, aka "The Avenue") has Atomic Books and other cool places as well.

I hear that. I was down in March, I think? Had a wonderful visit otherwise, although I wish there were better hotel options. I ended up staying in some Clarion-owned joint in Mt Vernon. Eh. At least there was that obelisk.

Anyway, I used to find great stuff at True Vine so I do hope that they are back up to speed. Regarding El Suprimo... He certainly gets a lot of records, but I am not a fan of the "everything's unpriced, look it up on ebay while the customer waits" business model.

onetet

Regarding El Suprimo... He certainly gets a lot of records, but I am not a fan of the "everything's unpriced, look it up on ebay while the customer waits" business model.

That's definitely what's up when he's so backed up w/ new records that he hasn't had a chance to price yet, which is almost always these days. But that's good news in a way-- i.e. there's a shit-ton of records crammed into that tiny little spot, and often some nice finds in the dollar bin, not to mention the ample already-priced areas.

Fatback

co-sign on the Helmand as a great food spot and Brewer's Art for microbrews. Dukem has good Ethiopian as well. Both are a drive from Inner Harbor unless the weather's great, but a short drive. Parking can be a bitch on weekends.

yeah , there are lot's of good 'ethnic' food spots around Mt. Vernon. IF you are around that area, make sure you step into the Peabody Library for a minute just to look the building. Trust me.

I'm staying at the mt vernon hotel so i'll check that out.

Oh, OK. Well that's not the inner harbor.

CousinLarry

Oh, OK. Well that's not the inner harbor.

Dude, I said close to the inner harbor.

Jonny_Paycheck

not really close to the inner harbor either

heh heh.

CousinLarry

not really close to the inner harbor either

heh heh.

aw F*ck, ok I map quested that shit and it was a little over a mile.

Jonny_Paycheck

I remember reading some review about the place I stayed in Mount Vernon and some business traveler was all like, "they said it was a short walk to the inner harbor. We had to walk through some VERY SKETCHY neighborhoods to get there!"

eg, downtown baltimore

onetet

venue is Inner Harbor, tho.

onetet

I remember reading some review about the place I stayed in Mount Vernon and some business traveler was all like, "they said it was a short walk to the inner harbor. We had to walk through some VERY SKETCHY neighborhoods to get there!"

eg, downtown baltimore

to be fair, downtown Bmore's Sharper Image is not up to national standards.

CousinLarry

I remember reading some review about the place I stayed in Mount Vernon and some business traveler was all like, "they said it was a short walk to the inner harbor. We had to walk through some VERY SKETCHY neighborhoods to get there!"

eg, downtown baltimore

hahaha, business travelers suck. On the few occasions I have traveled for business I have stayed as far away from those fucktards as possible. People who drink in hotel bars with their $18 Johnny Walker Black's when there are great local bars a block away should get kicked in the nuts.

Jonny_Paycheck

I remember reading some review about the place I stayed in Mount Vernon and some business traveler was all like, "they said it was a short walk to the inner harbor. We had to walk through some VERY SKETCHY neighborhoods to get there!"

eg, downtown baltimore

to be fair, downtown Bmore's Sharper Image is not up to national standards.

lol. my wife said, "I think they meant 'I saw some black people'."

meistromoco

I remember reading some review about the place I stayed in Mount Vernon and some business traveler was all like, "they said it was a short walk to the inner harbor. We had to walk through some VERY SKETCHY neighborhoods to get there!"

eg, downtown baltimore

to be fair, downtown Bmore's Sharper Image is not up to national standards.

lol. my wife said, "I think they meant 'I saw some black people'."

haha.

Also, there's a great soul food restaurant (M&Js Soul Food) at the corner of Saint Paul & 25th. It's counter service and really good.

Not too far from Mt Vernon -- walkable if it is nice.

CousinLarry

thanks for all the tips, Soul Strut is my travel agent.

onetet

so where'd you end up going, and how'd it go?

CousinLarry

We checked out Lexington Market. I got some great records at Normal's (og clean mono copy of Mile's Blue Haze $8). That place is top shelf. Had dinner and several beers at Brewer's Art, they had great beers. The concert was great. Odd mix of inner harbor tourists and hipsters. Sharon Jones is great though. Hit some random Irish pub and drank ourselves retarded after the show. I had passes to the aquarium so we hit that up Friday morning. Didn't have time for the film fest, but maybe I'll swing back through around this time next year. B'more was great. Thanks for all the tips. The inner harbor does blow, with the exception of the aquarium.

onetet

cool. glad you had a good time, and that Normals treated you right.