A Marylanders' impression of Cleveland (Georgetown, Baltimore: hotel, home, living)

[Peregrine]

Just dropped off some very good friends at the airport for thier return to Maryland. Spent 5 days with me at my place in Cleveland.

They have lived in the Baltimor-ish area of Maryland (way out in the subrubs) for 3 years. Prior to that they lived in NYC for 8 years. A 3rd friend left Cleveland last year to go to Maryland and help our other friend with a business he is trying to start.
Convo with the guy that has only lived there for a year:
"So how do you like Maryland?"
"Hate it, man. HATE. If it wasn't for Joe's business I would be back here so fast your head would spin. Way to crowded. It takes for ever to get anywhere".

From the other 2 (married) friends, random comments:

Guy on the street walking past us nodded and said "how's it goin?"
Swear to god my friend says to me "OK that's wierd...."
Me: "What"
"That guy. Was that really just meant to be a "hi how ya' doin?...."
Me: Incredulous look. "Um, yea... People do that here...."
"You don't talk to people on the street in Baltimore...."
Kinda' sad that he didn't even understand that concept.
_____________
Eating at the Public House, home of the $6.95 burger.
"OMG this is so cheap!"
"What is?" ... looking at her menu....
"Everything!"
"Really? These are pretty normal prices!"
She starts pointing at items on the menu... "this would be 9.95 at home... this would be 12.95 at home.... this would be....."
and she just went on and on, everything 3-5 dollars more....
People always talk about the cheap cost of living is here and is it really and and and....
....but I never suspected that restaraunt prices would be THAT much higher. I've traveled alot. I have been to Baltimore a few times, San Diego many times. Yes, restarunts were more expensive, but I was in touristy areas. I figured locals know the cheap places to eat. But here's my friend telling me even the 'local places' are still more expensive then ours. This surprised me.
__________

"One thing I really hate about MD is that it takes forever to get anywhere. And it is very much like DC where if you want to go anywhere you simply MUST take a freeway. Y'know, the freeways that have warning signs about "beware of aggressive drivers"??? Yea, seriously...."

[BelieveInCleve]

Good thread.

I noticed that price thing especially at the restaurants at many other places that I've been as well. Namely the NYC area, but many places.

[ritam2001]

Yup I can relate. I moved to DC from Cleveland last year and people seemed more friendly in Cleveland. Maybe its the yuppyness or money factor, but many people (not all) seem snooty out here.

[Beavercreek33]

You know whats weird, since you bring up Baltimore.

Anthony Bourdain's show on the Travel Channel just threw a show of the Rust Belt. He had three of America's "Most Messed up Cities" as he called it. The three cities were Detroit, Buffalo and Baltimore. It was really interesting.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

A couple years ago I stayed at a Marriott in downtown DC (within walking distance of the monuments and close to Georgetown). One night we left our hotel at 5:15pm and drove to Camden Yards for a ballgame.

We arrived at the ballpark at 7:30pm (about 35-40 miles away).

Baltimore and Cleveland are similar sized metros, but the regions are vastly different because of the proximity of DC and Northern Virginia --- so to me it's kind of an apples and oranges comparison.

[Rockmysawks]

Wow. Where are these friendly people in Cleveland? I'd love to run into them!

[ritam2001]

Wow. Where are these friendly people in Cleveland? I'd love to run into them!

Haha. I think the city has a very unique trait in that people who live there (especially downtown) kind of share a common "bond" in that they for whatever reasons, have to live in Cleveland while there are so many more attractive cities out there. Kind of like the people on Survivor -- they almost HAVE to be friends. Dont get me wrong, I love Cleveland and would move back if I had the chance..I also found it hilarious and oddly comforting that simply saying "Cleveland" in a certain way in the elevator was enough to strike up a convo with a random stranger. I dont think that would happen anywhere else except maybe Vegas..

[drb85650]

Our visit last year to Cleveland was marked by 2 attitudes from "Clevelanders" or whatever the moniker is.......
people were friendly, even outgoing.
People were also absolutely astonished when we expressed a longing to move to Cleveland. They all thought we were nuts, especially when they found out we would be leaving Arizona for Ohio.
Hasn't changed our plans a bit. Crazy as ever I suppose, but determined to move.

[Nadilyn]

Originally Posted by drb85650

Our visit last year to Cleveland was marked by 2 attitudes from "Clevelanders" or whatever the moniker is.......
people were friendly, even outgoing.
People were also absolutely astonished when we expressed a longing to move to Cleveland. They all thought we were nuts, especially when they found out we would be leaving Arizona for Ohio.
Hasn't changed our plans a bit. Crazy as ever I suppose, but determined to move.

I would rather live in Cleveland than Arizona. We have 4 seasons (even though summer doesn't seem like summer), a great lake, and a convenient highway system.

[Peregrine]

I spent a week on business in Tuscon and a week in Phoenix.
I was so depressed by all the BROWN everywhere. Everything is SO BROWN.
Couldn't wait to get home to green ol' Cleveland.

(of course it was springtime when I was there... if it would have been January, I would have asked to stay a bit longer..... lol)