"How to"... Experience Baltimore
BALTIMORE: It's not so much a place as an experience ... Get in on it. Check out the Baltimore Tourism Web site for an overview, and enjoy this unique video look at other city.
WELCOME TO BALTIMORE!!!
Charm City. BMORE. Crabtown. A city of Neighborhoods. BALTIMORE!
No matter what Baltimore comes to represent for you over the upcoming years, there’s no way of getting around it. If you decide to attend Johns Hopkins, Baltimore--or “BMORE” as locals call it—will be your home (away from home) for the next four years. While at first “The City” might be enigmatic, and somewhat overwhelming, after living, breathing, and eating like a true Bal-TI-morean, you’ll realize too that this City is anything but. From the quirky beats of modern-day Baltimore Club music to the vast history strewn across this great City, once you’ve experienced THE CITY, you’ll never be the same! Dare to scratch the surface of BMORE and find out what lies beneath this concrete jungle? Come on…
1. FIND OUT WHERE YOU ARE
Baltimore is comprised of various neighborhoods (“Cities” within the City): Mt. Vernon, Westside, Fell’s Point, Canton, Camden Yards, Federal Hill, Inner Harbor/City Center, Little Italy, Harbor East, Historic Jonestown, Hamden, and our very own Charles Village/Homewood. Each of these areas has its own personality, their own sub-culture, their own style. If you are lucky, and adventurous enough, you’ll be able to experience the many sides of BMORE while at Hopkins. Baltimore’s “official” tourism website has a lot of great information about all of these areas.
2. DISCOVER WHAT'S HAPPENING- EVERYTHING!
As you’ve probably realized, Baltimore is one of the most eclectic city’s you’ll ever come across. There is literally something to do for everyone! Into Art? We got it. Into Music? We got it. Into history? One of Baltimore’s greatest (and often underestimated) assets is its history—history that is strewn all over the City. Undoubtedly, though, what makes Baltimore great is its ART. Here’s a brief list to whet your artistic appetite: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Walters Art Museum, CENTERSTAGE, American Visionary Art Museum. And guess what? As a college student in Baltimore, you can often get in for free! Check out this site for more info on how to brush up on your Mozart, Matisse, your Tanner and your Tchaikovsky.
3. FIND THE GOOD EATS!
Steamed Crabs. Curried crabs. Crab stir fry. Once you live in Baltimore, you’re bound to have crabs. (Tongue-in-Cheek). But seriously, with numerous restaurants offering everything from traditional Ethiopian specialties to a midnight serving of pancakes and eggs, you’ll have no problems gaining those dreaded FRESHMAN 15 you heard about. From Mediterranean delights, to the spiciest Thai you’ve ever had, many of these places are within either walking distance, or on the COLLEGTOWN SHUTTLE’S route. I’d recommend Akbar’s for Indian, Paper Moon Diner for 3:00 pancakes. And, Waverly’s Thai Restaurant. if you still have a craving for crabs, there are plenty of places to get your fix.
4. GET YOUR BEARINGS
Baltimore, as part of the “D.C. Metro Area,” is within close-proximity of the nation’s capitol, Annapolis, Virginia, and Pennsylvania to the North. With all of these opportunities at your fingertips, I’d recommend you learn about the best ways to get around. Want to escape to D.C. for the weekend? Hop on the Marc Train or the AMTRAK for as little as $7.00! The Penn Line will bring you where you need to go: D.C.! (D.C.’s metro system is another story…). There are also Amtrak stops at both Baltimore’s Penn Station and Washinton’s Penn Station. The Amtrak train runs every day of the week, but students only tend to take it on weekends because it is more expensive than the MARC, which only runs on weekdays. If you are taking an outing to Fell’s Point, or any other part of BMORE, you can take the Light Rail, but you’re safest bet is to simply take a cab.
5. SEE THE GAME
Baltimore’s got you. Baseball: Baltimore Orioles. Football: Baltimore Ravens. Plus, the Washington Nationals and Washington Capitals are bound to make you patriotic.
6. ROCK OUT
Like everything else, Baltimore has an eclectic mix! The Ottobar is just south of campus and offers live music (almost) every night of the week. Many don’t know that Baltimore is the cradle for many genres breaking through at the moment. Read this Wikipedia article about BMORE’s very own “BALTIMORE CLUB”. It’s pretty addicting. Bet you didn’t know that D.C. nearby is home to the funky rhythms of GO-GO…You are either a Baltimore Club or GO-GO fan. Point blank…And yes, if you, like my roommate, are into Classical music, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera House are your havens. Needless to say, Baltimore’s music scene is almost schizophrenic in its variety. But, if Baltimore just isn’t cutting it, D.C.’s 9:30 Club will quench your musical thirsts. Fun Fact: Dru Hill—you know, Sisqo…what about the popular hip-hop/R&B group from back in the ‘90s?--hail from DRUid Hill Park, near the Homewood Campus.
7. KNOW THE LOCALS
Hey, Hun! Wanna go Downey Owe Shin? Last, but certainly not least, if you ever hope to make this city your own, you’ll have to get to know TRUE Balmoreans. One of the City’s secrets is its citizens: denizens who are just as quirky and diverse as the many faces of this Charm City. So, once you get in, once you’re within these hallowed halls of Hopkins, try to step out once in a while, look around, and be amazed! (You can start by volunteering…one of the many (unofficial) traditions of Hopkins students).
See More Baltimore Videos at www.visitmybaltimore.com
See More Baltimore Videos at www.visitmybaltimore.com
Dr. Carson is my boss!!! Go Hopkins!
Posted by: JHU_Blake | January 14, 2008 at 04:27 PM