Omg I loved Baltimore. Full set of pics here.
Monday
-mental soundtrack ---> The Walkmen
-talking art with my Jet Blue flight attendant
-talking baseball with my Kenyan car driver
-the very comfortable and super-historical Hotel Brexton, my home for the week
-a Resurrection ale + a complimentary shot of Fireball whisky + city tips from a charming tuba player at The Brewer's Art
Tuesday
-mental soundtrack ---> The Orb
-breakfast at the hotel and then a stroll through the surrounding Mount Vernon district and down to the harbor
-a magical morning at the National Aquarium with its pool of giant rays and a several-hundred-pound turtle, a walk-through rainforest on the roof with free-roaming golden lion tarmarins and sloths, a reef chock full of blacktip sharks, a tank of dancing dolphins, an exhibit of peacefully drifting jellies, and a full-scale recreation of Australia's Umbrawarra Gorge (complete with critters)
-eggplant parmagiana with a side of spaghetti marinara at Amicci's
-unbridled creativity from outsider and self-taught artists at the amazingly inspiring American Visionary Art Museum
-history and beautiful views aplenty at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
-Old Bay-encrusted crabs + a Natty Boh at L.P. Steamers
-funnel cake and good icy fun at the Bruins vs Caps match at the Baltimore Arena
Wednesday
-mental soundtrack ---> Charlotte Gainsbourg
-a cheese omelette, grits, and toast at Pete's Grille
-room upon room of treasures: books, music, zines, art, and more at Normals
-stylish shopping at Babe, Poppy and Stella, and Katwalk in Fell's Point
-an apple/manchego/fig paste sandwich + an iced coffee at Milk & Honey Market
-finding myself secretly grateful the stairs up the Washington Monument were closed and relaxing in a nearby garden with a pair of frolicking dachsunds instead
-poking around the gallery district near the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower including visits to the nudashank and sophiajacob storefronts
-dinner at Corner BYOB: trout on a bed of pommes puree topped with wilted spinach and crab tossed in a tomato-infused Bearnaise + an eclair-inspired bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream on the side
-anonymity versus recognizable identity in the portraits of Erin Fitzpatrick at the Metro Gallery
-a Yuengling, Panda Bear on the jukebox, and good conversation at Club Charles
-harmonious alt-country straight out of Rhode Island courtesy of Deer Tick at the Ottobar
Thursday
-mental soundtrack ---> AM & Shawn Lee
-comparing and contrasting Edgar Allen Poe's house to the blight-afflicted urban environment that has grown up around it
-a fiery yellow curry with seasonal veggies over noodles at Clementine (PS check out Dana M. Chang's gorgeous book about the restaurant!)
-walking out of Green Onion Market with a picnic's worth of local treats for an afternoon snack
-street art everywhere
-dinner at the Blue Hill Tavern: a Southwick's red ale + a mushroom Wellington + a peanut butter shortbread/caramel/peanuts/marshmallow/chocolate ganache "candy bar"
-ambling around the shops of Federal Hill during the Downtown Style Stroll
-a balmy autumn evening + the harvest moon over the harbor + the Domino Sugar sign all lit up
Friday
-mental soundtrack ---> Bot'Ox
-one more turn around the neighborhood before off to the airport
-a toasty Potbelly veggie sandwich in the Boston airport
-The Bling Ring and multiple episodes of The New Girl for the flight home