"Gritty Baltimore"

Quick Tips:

The city has a more working-class or suburban feel than its northeastern sisters. If you're looking for high-paced city action as a destination, Baltimore may not be what you're looking for.

That being said, I think it's definitely worth checking out, particularly for those already in the northeast. So few cities in the USA still have a downtown core; Baltimore is an exception.

Best Way To Get Around:

I always seem to smile when I come into this place. The crowd is such a mish-mash; you see gritty blue-collar white Baltimore here, working class East Baltimorean African-Americans (I'm always surprised by how many black men and women here have one or a few gold teeth; I wonder if it's supposed to mean anything) all mixed in with Johns Hopkins doctors, students and faculty. A multi-ethnic mix, but predominantly African-American. Having lived in the south of the US previously, I always notice the contrast in Baltimore, the relatively greater racial harmony and mixing.

Anyhow the market food is nothing to write home about, but there's a lot of local produce, a few Chinese food stalls, a pastry/fruit shake stand (now the fruit shakes ARE good!) called Sticky Buns, one candy store, one semi-Italian stand and a few deli-type places. It's not so much the food as the vibe (and price) of the place that I appreciate. I find it such a refreshing break from the identical, uncreative, brand-name cookie-cutter strip malls we have all over America and in many other places in the world.

The Market is a few blocks east of Johns Hopkins metro station in Baltimore. The market (and Metro) is closed on Sundays and is definitely more lively on weekdays than on Saturday. Lunch time is the time to go.

The building itself is quite beautiful with its roman columns and high ceilings. PERMANENT COLLECTION. I must admit that I was initially disappointed by the somewhat cursory glance at art from the Mesopotamian, Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Medieval periods. Although there are some well-preserved, beautiful sculptures and vases from these periods, these sections certainly are not the museum's main selling point, as other museums in the world have much larger collections.

The area that DID knock my socks off is the goldsmith and porcelain wings of the gallery. Here there are some truly delightful pieces including their Fabergé eggs (ornate, lovingly crafted, priceless works of art), the Tiffany's collection and the Sèvres/Vincennes soft-paste porcelain pieces. Some of the cabinets and snuff boxes in this section also simply delighted me not only with their meticulous attention to detail and beauty but also with their cleverness and humor in their design.

Presently there is an "Orientalism in America" exhibit (I believe it ends after winter season 2000-2001) on the 2nd floor of the gallery. This section is devoted to artwork from the late 1800s and early 1900s of American depictions of life in the Near East and North Africa. While many pieces (mostly paintings) are quite beautiful, the museum also discusses the inaccurate way in which this part of the world is often portrayed (often so as not to offend American sensibilities of the day). During this time period, art depicting the Near East apparently was not only in vogue, but also romanticized and exoticized.

There is also a theater where clips from 3 silent movies (Thief in Bagdad with Douglas Fairbanks, The Shiek with Rudolph Valentino and Salomé) may be seen. These movies are not only amusing at times but take the viewer back to this fantasy mind set of the Near East à la Arabian Nights of that epoch. Overall this section was worth the extra $2.

Located at the center of the Mount Vernon neighborhood, The Walters Art Gallery is about a 10-15 minute walk north of the Inner Harbor and about an equal distance south of Baltimore's Penn Station. Admission to the permanent collection is $5 for adults and the permanent collection plus "Orientalism in America" is $7. There are special rates for seniors, students and children; those who obtain membership can go for free.

A year-and-a-half later, Fells Point has really grown on me. With all too many urban centers in the US becoming big sprawling places that roll up the carpet after the workday's over. There are notable exceptions: the big 4 northeast corridor cities (NYC, Boston, Philly, DC), San Fran, and Chicago come to mind). With the population declines in Baltimore and desolate nature of many neighborhoods on weekends, I was afraid Baltimore was rapidly degenerating that way.

Fells Point gives me hope...this neighborhood seems to be defying the trend of exodus to the suburbs. On the northern edges between Fells Point and Johns Hopkins Hospital is apparently a sizeable Latino community (restaurants, stores, churches with displays only in Spanish) I didn't even know existed in Baltimore. A vibrant area, worn-at-the-edges, but interesting to see.

Fells Point itself, with its seafood and diverse restaurants (sushi, Chinese, Latin, Italian), historical rowhouses (Paddy Whalen, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Billie Holliday all lived here at one time), antique/record stores, seems like THE neighborhood to live in in Baltimore for those of us who like dynamic urban ambience (stores for all needs within easy walking distance). Some of my initial perceptions were correct: true, it IS very earthy with a large working-class element, and it IS moderately touristy (but not overly so); but Fells Point is a diverse, real urban neighborhood that exudes a uniquely Bawlmore charm and now I've learned to appreciate it for THAT.

Incidentally, I had the best calzone (veggie!) I think I've ever eaten at Lucia's in Broadway Market (on Broadway between Thames and Fleet), and got a good coffee in the Market too. Paul Stevens Ltd. on Thames St. one block east of Broadway had decent crab cake sandwiches ($9.95) and simple, charming old-world decor but was a little overpriced in my opinion.

Fells Point is about a $8 taxi ride from Baltimore Penn Station or may be reached by water taxis from the Inner Harbor ($5/day pass). Buses run from downtown/inner harbor (go to MTA Maryland for schedules) but I find the frequency leaves something to be desired on the weekend.

If I could do my time (I'm here on a 2-year contract) in Baltimore all over again, I think I would choose to live in Fells Point.