Baltimore's Inner Harbor

The best time of our afternoon was picking an eatery with outdoor seating, having cool drinks and watching the people go by. Other best things to do would definitely be a visit to the aquarium, and if you call in advance for tickets - a baseball game at one of the most beautiful stadiums in the major leagues.

Quick Tips:

Make sure to take in the fudge show at the Fudgery in Harbor Place (the mall on the inner harbor.) It's fun, and there's free samples. :)Also realize that the place will be packed with people. If you don't like big crowds, you won't like the Inner Harbor. The benefits of the day will likely outweigh the downsides.

Best Way To Get Around:

Parking is a bear, and most anything in the Inner Harbor is within walking distance. A fun little experience is to buy a ticket on a water taxi ( unlimited rides) and jaunt on over to Fort McHenry (where the flag still stood and gave the idea for the Star Spangled Banner).

Despite bad service and food that wasn't so great, it was a good place to rest the old dogs and take in the atmosphere of the inner harbor. You know how good company and good drinks can make any dining experience better than it really is? Well, that's the case here. Our waiter was so nervous he was shaking, we waited forever for napkins and silverware, they ran out of glasses and started bringing drinks in plastic cups, they got our order wrong, etc. etc. But it was all ok, because we were having fun, watching street performers, and enjoying our cold beverages. Mostly, we stuck with appetizers to share, but I was a little hungrier and ordered the burger and fries. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't too good either. More of an atmosphere place than anything else.

So why would a person who is allergic to seafood pick a seafood restaurant on the Inner Harbor in which to have dinner on a Saturday night? Well, my best friend just moved to Maryland and was having a hankering for crab, and Phillips is best known for their crabcakes, so I went with the flow. The good news for me is that they also served steak and chicken -- and I mentioned to our waitress about my allergy, so they took precautions and all was well.

When we arrived at the restaurant, there looked to be a long line, but it moved at a quick pace. We waited maybe 15 minutes tops. We were seated at a table where we could look out on the inner harbor.

There was a piano man at the bar singing some of your standard piano man tunes, and we were close to the bar so it was a bit loud, but fun none the less. He later turned into guitar man after a 20-minute break, and that was a bit less disruptive to conversation.

My friend ordered crab legs -- supposedly pre-split, which was not the case when delivered to our table -- and a beer. I had pink lemonade (I've had better) and a filet mignon. I had requested a baked potato, but they had run out (it was only 7pm). Was there a run on baked potatoes?

I'm always pleased when I can order a filet mignon and they know how to cook it well-done while not having to butterfly it (makes it dry), so the steak was very good. The french-fry substitute for my baked potato was ok, but I'd have preferred the potato. My friend enjoyed her crab legs, or so it looked to me, and was excited that she would now have seafood at her disposal all the time!

The bill came to about $60 (the steak was $26.80), and we didn't have dessert. (There's a Cheesecake Factory within walking distance, so we opted for that instead.) Our server was pleasant, but a bit on the slower side. However, as you probably know, good company (a friend you haven't seen in ages) makes otherwise annoying experiences seem not so bad.

I think Phillips is a nice place for seafood lovers, although a bit gitchy (sea horse-shaped shrubbery and souvenir glasses?) for my taste. However, I'd give it a solid 7 out of 10 for the steak alone.

The Cheesecake Factory is nothing special -- IF YOU DON'T LIKE CHEESECAKE! In my humble opinion, it's not the food that brings you in and keeps you there -- it's the dessert! The dinner menu isn't much to mention - the servings are enough for two to three people each time, but you'd never want to clean your plate. You want to save room for dessert. Plus, in almost every Cheesecake Factory I've ever been in, the wait for a table is horrendous. It's not all that great to make you wait two hours to eat.

Instead, just jump in the 20-minute "to go" line and skip straight to the good stuff. Ok, yes, $7 is a bit much to pay for a slice of cheesecake. But it's more than that, for those with a sweet tooth it's nearly a slice of heaven. Admittedly, I haven't tried all the flavors that they offer because I've got my favorites and I enjoy them so much I don't stray much. I'm partial to the chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake and the brownie sundae cheesecake. I've heard others rave about the chocolate tuxedo cream and the fruit cheesecakes. (It is my opinion, however, that fruit is not a dessert item.)

Be prepared. It's rich cheesecake (I can never finish the whole thing.) It's also a sugar rush. Every time my best friend and I eat it, we get the giggles for about a half hour until we crash from the sugar high.

The Cheesecake Factory can be found in many areas, so what makes the Baltimore one better? Well, the Inner Harbor makes for a good backdrop for almost anything. And in nicer weather, you can cop a squat with your cheesecake and watch the kids play on the pattleboats, street performers entertain, etc.

So the food? Not worth the wait. The service? They could always use more help to make the lines move more quickly. The cheesecake? Mmmmmmmmm. Cheesecake. A must-have.

I'll be the first person to admit that I hate baseball. Any game that requires a "7th inning stretch" is just too long. But I have to say, that this particular game was a quick one, with a 11-1 win by the O's, and who could ask for a better stadium in which to watch the local team kick some butt!

Camden Yards is just a great stadium, with a view of downtown Baltimore in the background. As with all sports stadiums, they charge you a fortune for food and drink, but you know that going in so you don't care so much when you get there. This particular night, there was a fireworks display after the game, and we stayed on to take in the show. We had been unfortunate enough to buy tickets that weren't all together, but when we got inside the stadium, we found some unoccupied seats and laid claim to them, until the real owners showed up. Well, no one ever kicked us out of the seats, so we ended up with better seats than we had bought, all together, despite a sold-out crowd.

I'd say it's a must-see event, even if you're not a fan of the game. It's different in person, especially if you interact with the people in your section, and just really get into the whole experience.

OK, my first tip to you is to ORDER TICKETS IN ADVANCE, and GET THERE EARLY. Tickets actually do sell out - especially if it's a nice day. The earlier you get there, the less you'll have to deal with crowds and waiting. You can order them on the aquarium website, www.aqua.org

When we visited, there was a special exhibit on seahorses. These "fish" just facinate me. I love the fact that the males are the ones that carry the young and "give birth". There are so many sizes and colors!

As I've already mentioned, you just can't stay away from the sharks. They are such graceful, terrifying (to me anyway) creatures.

Don't forget the rainforest exhibit. If you're looking to stay cool, however, this isn't going to help you. It's like walking into a wet, sticky rainforest. But the creatures are worth a look.

We didn't have a whole lot of time, so we didn't see a lot of shows (like the dolphin show, which I hear is a must-see) and games and such. But there's something for everyone here, and plan to spend several hours exploring.

While Harborplace does feature your average department store shopping -- like the Gap, Banana Republic, etc. -- it's the specialty stores that really grab your interest. There are lots of places to purchase that Baltimore t-shirt, or that Orioles pennant before you go to the game. And the specialty food stores can help you add a few pounds if you're not careful. My favorite is The Fudgery. I'm not sure of the schedule, but the workers at the fudgery put on a little show every so often as they work to make the fudge. Then, they'll give opportunities for special deals, like buy 3 get two free. And don't pass up any free samples, though once you taste, you'll want more. There are actually three separate buildings, The Gallery, Pratt Street Pavilion, and Light Street Pavilion. There are tons of restaurants in each building (see entry for Tex Mex Grill) and include a Cheescake Factory (yum), Phillips Seafod Buffet (and if you're a fan of the seafood, you'll have found your heaven), Capitol City Brewing Company, and 50s style Johnny Rockets. There are also your typical mall rat food shops, like Subway, Starbucks, a pizza place, etc. Just know that if it's a nice day, it'll be packed with people.