Monday, July 18, 2011

BALTIMORE

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Bonaparte Breads – 903 South Ann Street (Fell’s Point); 410-342-4000; bonapartebreads.com; French pastries.
Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar – 902 South Charles Street (Federal Hill); 410-234-0235; metrobalto.com.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
An Die Musik – 409 North Charles Street (Downtown); 410-385-2638; andiemusiklive.com; 80-seat classical and jazz club that occupies Mount Vernon townhouse; has excellent record store.
Brewer’s Art – 1106 North Charles Street (Midtown Belvedere); 410-547-6925; thebrewersart.com; in classic town house; gastropub.
Club Charles – 1724 North Charles Street (Charles North); 410-727-8815; dive; grimy, kitschy joint with great jukebox; Dan Deacon may stop by.
Rye – 807 South Broadway (Fell’s Point); 443-438-3296; ryebaltimore.com; dark and serious cocktail bar.
Joe Squared – 133 West North Avenue (Charles North); 410-545-0444; joesquared.com; art exhibitions, food, and music; extensive Caribbean rum collection.
Joe Squared Power Plant – 30 Market Place (Station North); 410-962-5566; joesquared.com; art exhibitions, food, and music; extensive Caribbean rum collection.
Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar – 902 South Charles Street (Federal Hill); 410-234-0235; metrobalto.com.
Talkinghead Club – 407 East Saratoga Street (Downtown); 410-783-7888; sonarbaltimore.com; place to catch local and emerging acts.
Windup Space – 12 West North Avenue (Station North); 410-244-8855; thewindupspace.com.



HOTELS
Admiral Fell Inn – 888 South Broadway (Fell’s Point); 410-522-7377 or 866-583-4162; harbormagic.com; red brick building cluster in historic waterfront district.
Hotel Brexton – 868 Park Avenue (Midtown Belvedere); 443-478-2100 or 877-380-6708; hotelbrexton.com; Wallis Simpson’s childhood home; comfortable boutique.
Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore – 200 International Drive (Harbor East); 410-576-5800 or 800-819-5053; fourseasons.com/baltimore.
Hilton Baltimore – 401 West Pratt Street (Inner Harbor); 443-573-8700 or 800-445-8667; baltimore.hilton.com.
Hilton Garden Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor – 625 South President Street (Inner Harbor); 410-234-0065 or 800-445-8667; hiltongardeninn.hilton.com; waterfront hotel that houses Maryland Athletic Club.
Inn at Black Olive – 803 South Caroline Street (Fell’s Point); 410-276-7142; theblackolive.com/Inn; small, “green” inn in gentrifying neighborhood; 12 suites (all enormous); slightly cold atmosphere (poured concrete floors, modern decor); enormous bathrooms; good food (because run by local restauranteur family).
Monaco Baltimore – 2 North Charles Street (Inner Harbor); 443-692-6170 or 800-546-7866; monaco-baltimore.com; boutique-style hotel occupying beautifully restored landmark Baltimore & Ohio Railroad headquarters.



RESTAURANTS
Attman’s – 1019 East Lombard Street ; 410-563-2666; attmansdeli.com; deli established in 1915, on “Corned Beef Row.”
b – 1501 Bolton Street (Bolton Hill); 410-383-8600; b-bistro.com; simple bistro opened by Hamid Karzai’s brother.
B&O American Brasserie – 2 North Charles Street (Downtown); 443-692-6172; bandorestaurant.com; everything from steaks to seafood; famous for brick oven pizzas.
Brewer’s Art – 1106 North Charles Street (Midtown Belvedere); 410-547-6925; thebrewersart.com; in classic town house; gastropub.
Carma’s Café – 32nd & St. Paul Streets (Charles Village); 410-243-5200; carmascafe.com; good for lunch; try cherry-almond scones, fried cheesecake, frittatas, and salads; also coffee drinks.
Clementine – 5402 Harford Road (Hamilton); 410-444-1497; bmoreclementine.com; brunch venue.
Corner BYOB – 850 West 36th Street (Hampden); 443-869-5075; cornerbyob.com; eccentrically-run bistro with very good, Belgian-influenced food; as name indicates, no alcohol served so BYOB.
Faidley’s Seafood – 203 North Paca Street (Downtown, at Lexington Square); 410-727-4898; faidleyscrabcakes.com; try jumbo lump crabcakes with mustard and pepper.
Gertrude’s – 10 Art Museum Drive (Johns Hopkins Homewood); 410-889-3399; artbma.org; sit near sculpture garden; great for brunch.
Helmand – 805 North Charles Street (Mount Vernon); 410-752-0311; helmand.com; Afghan specialties, including chopan (half rack of lamb), and kaddo borawni (sweetened pumpkin dish).
Joe Squared – 133 West North Avenue (Charles North); 410-545-0444; joesquared.com; art exhibitions, food, and music; great pizza.
Joe Squared Power Plant – 30 Market Place (Station North); 410-962-5566; joesquared.com; art exhibitions, food, and music; great pizza.
L.P. Steamers – 1100 East Fort Avenue (Riverside); 410-576-9294; lpsteamers.com; purists’ crab house; try to snag table on upper deck to watch sunset.
Lexington Market – 400 Lexington Street (Downtown); 410-685-6169; lexingtonmarket.com; in operation since 1782; good lunch option for soul food and crab cakes.
Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar – 902 South Charles Street (Federal Hill); 410-234-0235; metrobalto.com; eclectic menu with everything from shish kebab to stuffed shrimp.
Milk & Honey – 816 Cathedral Street (Mount Vernon); 410-685-6455; milkandhoneybaltimore.com; locavore, organic café.
Miss Shirley’s – 513 West Cold Spring Lane (Roland Park); 410-889-5272; missshirleys.com; best Baltimore breakfast.
Miss Shirley’s – 750 East Pratt Street (Inner Harbor); 410-528-5373; missshirleys.com; best Baltimore breakfast.
Pete’s Grille – 3130 Greenmount Avenue; 410-467-7698; greasy diner that is perfect for breakfast; Michael Phelps dines here; blueberry pancakes.
Petit Louis – 4800 Roland Avenue (Roland Park); 410-366-9393; petitlouis.com; cozy French bistro in swank residential neighborhood; has social club feel; try eggplant napoleon stuffed with chevre; also, great pommes frites.
Thames Street Oyster House – 1728 Thames Street (Fell’s Point); 443-449-7726; thamesstreetoysterhouse.com; try Lord Baltimore shellfish tower.
Wit & Wisdom – 200 International Drive (Harbor East, at Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore); 410-576-5800; fourseasons.com/baltimore; Michael Mina restaurant.
Woodberry Kitchen – 2010 Clipper Park Road (Woodberry); 410-464-8000; woodberrykitchen.com; stylishly rustic farm-to-table restaurant in rehabilitated foundry; try brick-oven roasted chicken with sweet cider glaze.



SHOPPING
An Die Musik – 409 North Charles Street (Downtown); 410-385-2638; andiemusiklive.com; record store.
Atomic Books – 3620 Falls Road (Hampden); 410-662-4444; atomicbooks.com; obscure, self-published art books and magazines.
Babe – 1716 Aliceanna Street (Fell’s Point); 410-244-5114; babeboutique.com; designer clothing.
Green Onion Market – 5500 Harford Road (Hamilton); 410-444-1718; greenonionmarket.blogspot.com; corner store and deli with farm-to-market leanings.
In Watermelon Sugar – 3555 Chestnut Avenue (Hampden); 410-662-9090; decidedly non-Ikea furniture.
Joe Squared – 133 West North Avenue (Charles North); 410-545-0444; joesquared.com; art exhibitions.
Joe Squared Power Plant – 30 Market Place (Station North); 410-962-5566; joesquared.com; art exhibitions.
Katwalk Boutique – 1709 Aliceanna Street (Fell’s Point); 410-669-0600; cultish clothing boutique.
Metro Gallery – 1700 North Charles Street (Station North); 410-370-7747; themetrogallery.net; high profile art and performance venue; doubles as bar on Thursdays through Saturdays.
Milk & Honey – 816 Cathedral Street (Mount Vernon); 410-685-6455; milkandhoneybaltimore.com; deli and food shop.
Mina’s – 815 West 36th Street (Hampden); 410-732-4258; minasgalleryandboutique.com; Baltimore-based artists, poetry readings, and vintage wear.
Normal’s – 425 East 31st Street (Abell); 410-243-6888; normals.com; used books and records.
Nudashank – 405 West Franklin Street (Seton Hill/Mount Vernon); 443-415-2139; nudashank.com; independent, artist-run space.
Poppy & Stella – 728 South Broadway (Fell’s Point); 410-522-1970; poppyandstella.com; girlie emporium for accessories and shoes.
Sandtown Millworks – 115 North Charles Street (Charles North); 410-656-9777; sandtownmillworks.com; furniture made of salvaged wood.
sophiajacob – 510 West Franklin Street (Seton Hill/Mount Vernon); sophiajacob.com; art gallery.
Windup Space – 12 West North Avenue (Station North); 410-244-8855; thewindupspace.com; “performance art” space.



SERVICES
Charm City Circulator – 417 East Fayette Street, 5th Floor (Poppleton, main offices); 410-350-0456; charmcitycirculator.com; free shuttle that connects Downtown from West to East and North to South.



SIGHTS & SITES
American Visionary Art Museum – 800 Key Highway (Federal Hill); 410-244-1900; avam.org; dedicated to self-taught and outsider artists; collection ranges from 10' mirror-plated sculpture of drag queen Divine to Recovery, moving self-portrait that British mental patient carved into apple tree trunk before he committed suicide in his 30s.
Baltimore Museum of Art – 10 Art Museum Drive (Johns Hopkins Homewood); 443-573-1700; artbma.org; surprisingly large endowment of post-impressionist art; make sure to see “Cone Collection.”
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower – 21 South Eutaw Street (Downtown); 443-874-3596; bromoseltzertower.com; city’s tallest building in 1911 (when built); converted to artists’ studios and open to public one Saturday each month, usually 1st.
Charles Cinema – 1711 North Charles Street (Charles North); 410-727-3464; thecharles.com; 5-screen art cinema.
Creative Alliance at Patterson – 3134 Eastern Avenue (Highlandtown); 410-276-1651; creativealliance.org; strange, off-beat theater; feels like old Vaudeville house; sometimes has burlesque; adjacent art gallery.
Ellicott City – 18th Century CE mill town 25 minutes from downtown Baltimore; lots of antiques.
Fell’s Point – cobblestoned, historic, waterfront area of bars, galleries, and patisseries; also, real, brick row-houses.
Fort McHenry National Monument – 2400 East Fort Avenue (Locust Point Industrial Area); 410-962-4290; nps.gov/fomc; coastal, star-shaped fort best known for War of 1812 role, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from British navy attack in Chesapeake Bay (September 13-14, 1814); during bombardment Francis Scott Key inspired to write Star-Spangled Banner.
Hampden – formerly working class neighborhood now artsy; main drag is 36th Street.
Jones Falls Trail – Penn Station; 410-261-3515; hiking-biking trail in Baltimore City that extends from Druid Hill Park to Penn Station; trail parallels Jones Falls River; passes by number of historic mills; scenic overlook at Round Falls and Baltimore Street Car Museum.
Maryland Institute College of Art – 1300 Mount Royal Avenue (Bolton Hill/Mount Royal); 410-669-9200; mica.edu; showcases young artists work.
Mount Vernon – north of Downtown; leafy blocks of 19th Century row houses; stroll around original Washington Monument, completed in 1829; accessible by Charm City Circulator.
George Peabody Library – 17 East Mount Vernon Place (Mount Vernon); 410-659-8179; guides.library.jhu.edu/rarebooks; grand space; part of Johns Hopkins University; more than 300K volumes; beautiful reading room with high vaulted ceilings & cast-iron balconies (columns, capitals, balconies, railings, and even ceiling all made of iron, decorated with gold flourishes); notable Civil War ephemera collection; insider tip: library only open to readers and visitors from Monday-Friday.
Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum – 203 Amity Street (Poppleton); 410-396-7932; eapoe.org; built around 1830; in late-1832 or early-1833, Maria Clemm moved here with her mother (Elizabeth Cairnes Poe, 73), daughter (Virginia Eliza Clemm, 10), nephew (Edgar Allan Poe, 23), and son (Henry Clemm, 14 - not to be confused with Poe’s brother, also named Henry, who died in 1831); Poe left in 1835, moving to Richmond, VA to edit Southern Literary Messenger; primary item on display is house itself; pieces related to Poe include glassware and china belonging to Poe’s foster father, telescope reputedly used by Poe, Poe’s sextant, lap or traveling desk he presumably used at University of Virginia and full-sized color reproduction of his wife, Virginia’ only known portrait (done at her death in 1847); series of videos and other displays relate to Poe’s life (including several cognac bottles left over years at his grave by mysterious “Poe Toaster” and contemporary reprint of Griswold’s infamous obituary from October 24, 1849 Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper; likely written here: “MS. Found in Bottle” (Baltimore Saturday Visiter, October 26, 1833).
Station North – downtown area; stationnorth.org or openwallsbaltimore.com; inhabited by actors, artists, and students; Project Open Walls has commissioned more than 20 street artists to install murals around neighborhood.
Strand Theater – 1823 North Charles Street (Station North); 443-874-4917; strand-theater.org; female performer platform run by Rain Pryor (Richard Pryor’s daughter).
Walters Art Museum – 600 North Charles Street (Mount Vernon); 410-547-9000; thewalters.org; works ranging from ancient Egypt to 20th Century.
Washington Monument & Museum – 609 Washington Place (Mount Vernon); 410-396-1049; baltimoremuseums.org/visit/museums/washmonument.shtml; when Baltimoreans proposed this tall column in 1809, it was extraordinary - no American city had dreamed of anything like it; so 1st proposed site, Downtown, made residents afraid it might fall on their row houses; built, instead, in remote Howard’s Woods, land given by one of Gen. Washington’s officers (Col. John Eager Howard); rising 178' on hill 100' above sea level; became landmark for ships sailing upriver from Chesapeake Bay and on America’s 1st urban skyline; 1st monument anywhere to honor George Washington; climb 228 steps, spiraling up inside column, for best views in Baltimore.
Westminster Hall & Church Cemetery – 519 West Fayette Street (Poppleton, at Green Street); 410-706-2072; westminsterhall.org; where Edgar Allen Poe is buried.

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