Baltimore

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Perry Winkle

Have you been to "Little Italy" yet?

Vaccaro's can't be missed. The chocolate cannolis are to die for. I was never a fan of Italian cookies until I tried them at this place. They are moist and delicious and tiny, so I don't feel too bad if I eat a pound of them.

I don't know that we'll have time this trip for Little Italy. Our favorite restaurant there is DaMimmos ... a couple of years in a row it was a necessary part of our trip to arrange for their limo to pick us up at the hotel. I loved their Lobster and Crab Ravioli and also experienced the heaven that is the Chicken Piccata. I have never had it quite as good anywhere else, and trust me, I've tried to find better. I do love Cannoli, though.

No in-room fridges here, so leftovers are not an option, which also guides food and restaurant choices.

The conference was held at the Omni for a couple of years, which meant we were pretty much trapped there. It had, however, two fine qualities ... one was Shula's II, where they had a lovely steak soup and outstanding Sweet Potato Fries. The other saving grace was a cigar bar where they didn't mind if you smoked cigarettes. Other than that there wasn't a lot to recommend the place ... dirty rooms, frequent fire alarms, and a location in the badlands, so everytime you stepped outside a doorman was warning, "Hon, don't you go nowhere I can't see you, okay hon?" And there was a Baltimore City Cop stationed in the lobby at all times. The Hilton is closer to the harbor, but not close enough that you could scoot over there, grab lunch, and be back in time for the afternoon session.

Smoking indoors is a plus in and of itself.

Here we don't even get a windbreak, or an area with an ashtray.