Baltimore
So, another two years has passed, which means that it's time for me to head to Baltimore for a conference.
The parent organization is based in Ellicott City, and despite being the International organization, the World Congress is always in Baltimore. The Aussies occasionally threaten to stage a coup and make everybody come to them, but they seem to have some organizational issues and haven't yet managed this. They are the best guys to hang out and party with, though. At the Eighth World Congress they adopted a homeless dude that was sleeping out near the hotel somewhere. I briefly adopted a drunken Finnish Psychologist, because that's the sort of thing that goes on at conferences.
This is the Tenth World Congress, so, as with anything involving numbers that end in zero, it's a big deal for the organization. I've been attending since the Fourth World Congress, and have been going down since the Second (I used to go to babysit my friend's kids who were too young to be left to their own devices).
Over the years I have stayed in a variety of hotels, from the very plush Renaissance Harborplace (the one attached to the three story mall), to the downright scary Omni (which is located in the Badlands and has a Baltimore City Policeman station in the lobby ... and if you go out the front doors at night, the doorman says things like "Hon, don't you go so far away that I can't see you."
The last two conferences have been at the Marriott Inner Harbor Waterfront, where, because my room was booked by someone who does a lot of business travelling and has Platinum level status in the Marriott loyalty club, I had concierge level access and awesome harborside views.
This year is a year of some firsts.
One of them is that I will be staying at the brand new Hilton Inner Harbor.
The other is that the person that usually goes with me has a family emergency and I am on my own for travel, so instead of driving I'm taking the train. It turns out that I will save at least $50 by doing this over the costs of gas, tolls, and valet parking.
What I need to know ... what's the best way to get from Penn Station to the Hilton, which is supposed to be near the Convention Center? Obviously I can take a cab from Penn Station, but if there's a close enough light rail stop, I might consider that, since it's $1.60, and you don't have to tip the conductor.
I've planned my arrival in Baltimore for early afternoon.
Surely there will be a helpful person in the information kiosk, but I figured someone here might already know.
I'm only 25 minutes outside the city, but when I have gotten into Malty-bore, I have driven. So I'm of no use to you... But if you have a spare evening or half-hour at some point, I'd love to meet up and have a beer. PM me if you're interested.
When I go there, I drive. I've seen light rail though. So I know it's around.
I've only driven thru Baltimore and it wasn't pretty.
Why are there no songs about Baltimore? Hmmm....
Quoth my girlfriend, the Baltimore city native:
"
1. Walk out of the train station and turn left. That is St. Paul St heading downtown. All the way at the street side is a bus stop on the left. You take the #3 bus. It costs something like $1.60. It dumps you just about right next to the Convention Center.
2. Find out which track is the Light Rail. Take the Light Rail to the Convention Center stop. Hard to remember right? You will see the HUGE Hilton beast on your left and Camden Yards baseball stadium off to your right. It is a small stop, you get let off next to a parking lot. If you go one stop further, no worries, you just have a bit more walking to do. The fare is still $1.60.
http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/lightrail/schedule/
Hope that helps. The #3 is fairly reliable for a Baltimore bus, the Light Rail is supposed to run every 15 minutes-ish. The schedule will tell you more. And you’ll want the “southbound” one. "
Thank you!!
That is why I love on-the-ground detail.
Thank you!!
That is why I love on-the-ground detail.
My girlfriend gives the best Baltimore directions. They're vivid and annotated with all sorts of detail.
Glad she could help you out.
Ok so now I've seen the Wire I want to see Baltimore.
What's fascinating to me is that the 'Projects' in the Wire look almost exactly like the housing estates in Salford (my birthtown). And in some ways like the housing estates in the area I represent on council.
Unfortunately things did not work out on this trip to get together with Pie, but other than that I had a good, but very busy time.
My room was on the top floor and the elevator demanded that I enter my keycard to gain access.
View from the Room:
Ok so now I've seen the Wire I want to see Baltimore.
What's fascinating to me is that the 'Projects' in the Wire look almost exactly like the housing estates in Salford (my birthtown). And in some ways like the housing estates in the area I represent on council.
I've got pictures from the nice touristy downtown inner harbor area of Baltimore. Nothing like
the Wire. Since they tore down the old stadium, I haven't had any reason to visit the scary parts of town.
I've stayed in the scary parts of town. I'm glad the organization is out of that phase.
The 'scary' parts of Baltimore are the best parts. Nothing like playing Guy or Gal with the prostitutes on Calvert at midnight.
It is time to go back to Baltimore ... I have nearly finished packing. I have somehow managed to get a week's worth of clothing into a luggage that was sold as a "weekender."
The executive level rooms were significantly more expensive, so I'm assuming I'll be lower down this time.
More pics from this trip, please Wolf.
Ideally menus and toilets :)
I have arrived in Baltimore, the trip was not without it's hitches, not the least of which was my ride to the SEPTA station was MrPlow, and we had snow last night. (My bigger fear was that SEPTA would be crippled by the snow and I'd never make it to 30th Street Station for the AMTRAK. But, about 15 phone calls and texts later, and I managed to get a ride. Everybody I know who doesn't work, or doesn't work Tuesdays was working. Go figure.
The friend who chose to take the train with me lost her Nook in the train station in Philadelphia and spent the ride down in tears, and was unable to reach anyone in 30th Street's lost and found to see if it had been turned in.
AMTRAK's customer service was quite nice in Baltimore, placed the call for her ... and it was turned in, so she'll be returning to the station to pick it up on Sunday.
I'll check back in later for some drunken posting. We're already going out with some Baltimore City firemen.
Firemen to the left of me, firemen to the right of me, oh, what a night. And the brother of the guy who runs the shindig here ... nice guy, retired NYFD.
If you happen to end up in Baltimore, Maryland, near Camden Yard, Pickles Pub is the place to be. Awesome food, nice wait staff. Had some fine beer ... something called Flying Dog ... well named, bit of a citrusy finish, very hoppy. Only non-see through beer was Guiness and the waitress recommended this stuff. Oh, and they do this burger basket called the Chesapeake ... they slap a ton of crab dip between your burger and the cheddar cheese, and sprinkle Old Bay over everything.
Baltimore is all about the Old Bay. Good stuff. And enough of the crab dip oozes out of the burger to swab it up with the fries.
Heaven.
Oh, and my teammate ordered fried pickles. I do not like pickles. I usually point at the pickle that is ubiquitous on the American Diner Plate and tell people that it is menacing me and must be dealt with harshly. Beer Batter Fried Pickles are proof that you can deep fry just about anything and make it taste good.
Beer Batter Fried Pickles are proof that you can deep fry just about anything and make it taste good.
Proof of drunktedness. Pickles never taste good. NEVER.
Pickles never taste good. NEVER.
Just wait until UG reads this. He'll patiently explain that you have just never had a good pickle.
One can easily be had, though, if you just mosey on down to Southern California.
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.
Proof of drunktedness. Pickles never taste good. NEVER.
Absolutely correct. I am heading back for more of the Flying Dog stuff tonight.
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.
Okay, so I didn't do a lot of posting this week. In fact, I only paid for one day of internet ... really didn't have time to use it any way.
Did get to Little Italy (Chippiarelli's), spent a lot of time at Pickles Pub, but mainly was at the conference site, including a big 50s party. Everybody loved my costume, which was a pair of Mickey Mouse Ears. I do have some pictures, but have to wait for our "official photographer" to get her pics off her camera and shared around to everyone.
Absolutely correct. I am heading back for more of the Flying Dog stuff tonight.
respectfully, you're wrong.
drunkeness or no,
these are gooooood.I'm posting in the Baltimore thread, which means another two years has passed since the last time ... Once again, the conference is at the Hilton, I'll be heading there Wednesday. Not sure yet how I'm getting home, probably Amtrak, should have booked my ticket last week, they've already gone up in price, dammit. Actually, as of right now the Acela ticket is around the same as the regular train, may consider that option.
Baltimore. You poor thing. Don't forget to tip your strippers.
My oldest son spent a summer in Baltimore. It was one of the most depressing places I've ever visited. Found an Irish pub that had pretty good food, and that was about it on the positive side of the scale.
As for Flying Dog, I completely agree. Raging Bitch is very hoppy, citrusy finish, very distinctive. Snake Dog is a little less demanding but pleasant. I'd drink either one in preference to most IPAs.
Oh, and pickles ... wolf, you just need to open your mind and taste buds to the complexities, the garlic and the dill ... ;)
I didn't eat pickles until I met my ex; my very wasp family considered them too ethnic except when eaten with a Montreal corned beef sandwich. It may be a genetic thing, though - while I enjoy pickles, I don't go out of my way to eat them; my kids, on the other hand, LOVED them literally from infancy. They would try to eat them before they had teeth. I have some great photos of them knoshing down.
I've only driven thru Baltimore and it wasn't pretty.
Why are there no songs about Baltimore? Hmmm....
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Baltimore is just fine. It produced The Wire, which is epic.
Baltimore is just fine. It produced The Wire, which is epic.
I tried watching the Wire on a cow orker's recommendation, but it never really clicked for me. I am more of a Homicide girl.