New Grad Student With Questions (Baltimore, Frederick: school, university, restaurants)

[Tom Lennox 70]

I also have another question about the city/region. I know I'll be in school and there's a large campus community but I'm wondering, just curious, beyond that is there a lot of opportunity to meet new ppl cause I'm single right now. I'm under the impression that the Baltimore metro area is one of those regions (like Pittsburgh, Philly or Cleveland) where most people who live there (aside from a small number of transients, mostly students) are from there their whole lives. It is a very cliquish city? Is the region as a whole open to new people? I know its not going to be like a lot of southern or western cities like Charlotte or Phoenix with that type of growth but is the city attracting new peopel from other parts of the country? Does Baltimore (the entire region not just the city) lose a lot of jobs and young people to the Sunbelt?

[rudy_d]

Like any city there may be people who have lived here their whole lives, but there are a lot of people who moved here from elsewhere for various reasons. Just look at the number of posters on this forum who are moving to Baltimore from somewhere else. I'm not from here originally and neither are many of the people I work and hang out with. Why not get out and see the city for yourself with an open mind instead of making sweeping generalizations about regions of the country? People aren't going to be open to new people if you stereotype them based on some geographic line you have drawn. Is Baltimore a northern or southern city? Who cares? It has qualities of both.

I've been to some of the cities in the south that you apparently regard as a wonderland and, honestly, I'd rather live in a unique city with a sense of history and community (despite its problems) than in one where most of the residents are transplants and the landscape is full of chain stores and restaurants that you see could see in any other city.

The population of the city has dropped a lot from where it was prior to World War II, but it's now growing again and is reinventing itself. The population of the metro area has been growing steadily for years.

[jonjj]

Amen Rudy. I couldn't agree with your advice more. I love Rodricks column in the paper this week and thought it appropriate to post it here. From the Baltimore Sun:

Quit thinking small, people of Baltimore -- baltimoresun.com

Quit thinking small, people of Baltimore

Dan Rodricks July 25, 2008 As for the nattering negativists who will surely say this is a dumb idea, that it will never work, that Baltimore will never get this and never get that - well, blah, blah, blah. We've heard it all before.

[kulit494]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help! FYI: I picked ATT for my cell. Still looking into banks. Being from the south I have never heard of M&T. Tom Lennox had a lot of good questions that got me thinking about food

- Are there any good Thai food places in the city? Indian? I visited an Indian buffet in Lexington Market that was pretty good.

- I will being living in Bolton Hill. What are the recommendation for getting to UMB? I was thinking about a combination between biking and train. Also, my girlfriend will be going to JHU, what would be the safest way for her to get to and from campus?

- What company/companies provide the best cable and internet? Or, which has the best value? The only company I came across is Comcast.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

[psychofan]

Good Thai restaurants are "Thai Taste" and "Thai Landing." Both are located on Charles Street, one is more towards the downtown area while the other is slightly before Penn Station.

As for concern about homicide rates, keep in mind that people are not generally random murder victims. Most are already involved in criminal activities that spiraled out, i.e. drug dealings, etc., so be mindful of the area and you'll be fine.

BTW, congrats and best of luck to you guys starting your graduate career at UMB. It's a pretty good school with helpful and friendly faculty members, I should know since I received my PhD from there.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Jonjj, just read the link.

So what you think is the chance of Baltimore getting an NBA team? Also is NASCAR very popular among locals in the city and its suburbs? The closest speedway is Dover Downs in Delaware, right? I know Preakness is a tradition and should be kept but NASCAR is more entertaining and generates much more revenue. I think it would be good for the state of Maryland to build a large speedway here.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Jonjj, just read the link.

So what you think is the chance of Baltimore getting an NBA team? Also is NASCAR very popular among locals in the city and its suburbs? The closest speedway is Dover Downs in Delaware, right? I know Preakness is a tradition and should be kept but NASCAR is more entertaining and generates much more revenue. I think it would be good for the state of Maryland to build a large speedway here.

I just got through listening to NPR and Rodricks debating this idea of another team in Baltimore. Summary: Build it and eventually someone will come. Who knows? With an excellent, state of the art new arena, maybe a DC team would be enticed. The key to the debate was to incorporate retail and residential or commercial into the design so it becomes part of the street fabric. Also in the debate on NPR was the head of Baltimore Developement Corp and local sports writers for the Sun.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Hey sorry, I'm just asking more and more questions as they come up.

I've only been to the campus area and the Inner Harbor/Downtown part of the city and haven't seen too many major stores/malls, and no, I don't consider Harborplace to be a very major mall.

Are there any Targets or Wal-Marts located inside the city in a safe area? Are Towson and White Marsh the closest large malls with stores like Hollister, Abercrombie, American Eagle, etc? Especially as a student I think Wal-Mart is perfect to buy food, supplies, tech equipment, etc all in one trip. Does the Inner Harbor area have a large multiplex? I'm a very suburban person and its how I've spent my entire life so I'm sorry if all this makes me sound "tasteless" or whatever.

How are the prices for fresh fruits, vegs and meat in Lexington Market compared to supermarkets, and how bad exactly is the crime situation in Lexington Market and its surroundings?

[jonjj]

Tom. You really do need to get off the computer and take a walk. Sorry if you think I am being rude but some of your questions can be easily answered just by touring a bit.
1. Harbor East Theatre There are a number of film options in the city besides the link posted. You can also go to the Charles Theater on Charles Street or the Rotunda in Hampden/Roland Park.
2. There is both a Walmart and a Target in the city. Mondawmin has a Target which just opened right on the metro line; very easy to get to from downtown. There is a Walmart past Federal Hill off of Hanover Street.
3. For clothing, I can find anything I need in the city with no need to go out to the malls. Across from Harborplace, there is the Gallery with additional shops.
4. Lexington Market and the area around it are perfectly fine to shop. I do it frequently. However, this time of year, by going to the local farmers markets, local produce is much easier to find and fresher, cheaper also. You have two options: a. On Sunday mornings from 8-noon, there is a local market under the JFX (I-83) downtown. Great finds this time of year: local peaches, corn, lopes, etc. Or b. On Saturday mornings, there is a local market on 33rd near Greenmount in Waverly/Charles Village that also has many options for local produce.
For major mall options, the suburbs are a must. The Metro runs to Owings Mills and the Light Rail runs to Hunt Valley. If you want Towson or White Marsh, a bus is your only option.

[vivo]

well going back some posts sometimes city crime lists are for a certain population. baltimore i think was 2nd on that list for cities over 500,000. other major cities have higher crime rates I believe but have populations below 500k.

check the chowhound forum balt/dc section for food/restaurant info if you are so inclined. make a post even. plenty of info there and of course better info than here.

obrycki's (sp?) and bo brooks for hard crabs I believe are considered tourist traps. well bo brooks at least. bo brooks does have a view though and is in yuppie canton. try bill's terrace inn in essex (balt co; though it can get crowded) or as a 2nd choice costas inn on I think the southern border of the city. good info from other foodies. mmmm Phillips considered a tourist trap as well.

for mainstream movies the landmark theaters (sp?) in harbor east by fells pt should be good. shows artsy movies as well. I believe the 3? other theaters show mainly artsy movies but not sure.

Faidley's in lexington market definitely or crabcakes. I think the broiled jumbo lump is what you want to get. Also get berger cookies from lexington mkt. there's other balt stuff too like rhebb's chocolate.
oh and Jerry's seafood in Lanham is a quick tip for crabcakes in the dc area.