I’m taking a job in Baltimore starting June 1. Anybody got any tips on where to live cheaply and safely, nuggets of local color, advice on etiquette and protocol, etc?
NP ninj, what do you wanna know? I’m a native Balti-moron, and I wouldn’t live anywhere else. If you could give me a few more specifics about the kinds of things you are looking for, I’ll be glad to help. Where is your job? House/appt? how much to spend for mortgage/rent? City/subs? As for local color, just walk the downtown streets. Lots of it there, but don’t talk to it!! 
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
Where is your job? House/appt? how much to spend for mortgage/rent? City/subs?
Hey, thanks for the response. What can I tell you …
I’m working at The Sun, 501 N. Calvert. I’m just outta college, single, so an apartment would be ideal. Hoping to be a city boy for a while. Is a fun area, relatively cheap and safe a workable combination? I don’t know how expensive it is to live there; I’m guessing more than Columbia, Missouri. Could maybe swing around $400 a month, maybe? Really, any direction you could provide would be helpful.
Thanks.
$400 a month for an apartment is low. I’m not sure, since I live 30 miles to the south, but I’d guess that $500 to $600 a month would be a better guess.
Ey gaw, y’all gayn dayn th’ ayshun dis summer?
You have to learn Bawlmerese (riddle—why were the three wise men all covered in soot? 'Cause they came from a far!).
I left B’more in 1980 and a LOT of renovation has been done since then (“OK, Eve’s gone, we can start fixin’ the place up now!”).
I’d recommend living in one of the suburbs, like Towson or Cockeysville, and commuting into the city. I recall some VERY bad neighborhood in downtown. Though there is some great “archsitexture,” as the city burned down in, I think, 1904, and was rebuilt in gorgeous Edwardian style.
Find out if the public transportation is any better now than in the '70s . . .
In 18 1/2 years now that I’ve lived in Maryland, I have never heard anyone speak in this supposed Bawlmerese accent.
That’s on account of you being 30 miles south, Wendell. Everyone knows that “the South” starts along a line that runs from Columbia to Annapolis. Cruise on up to Dundalk and you’ll hear it. Heck, it even exists (in lesser form) as far south as Riviera (prounenced Riv-EE-ra, BTW) Beach and Glen Burnie.
When I went off to college, people from New Jersey made fun of me. Made me want to beat them with a tar arn.
Livin’ on Tums, vitamin E and Rogaine
Your own web site http://sunspot.net has an excellent apartment locator.
You can cross reference the results for an apartment in your price range with other parts of the Sun’s local coverage.
Balmer’s like many other cities, nice neighborhoods become quite dangerous when crossing a street. Some areas are gentrifying and see a mixture of yuppies, whores and hoodlums on the same block.
You’ll find that a lot of city residents do not have the Balmer accent at all. Most of the folks who came into the city during and after WWII (African Americans and West Virginians) retain their old speach patterns.
Every so often you still meet some one who says "Hey Ho, Hon!
(Best crabcakes in town - G&M Carryout in Linthicum on Hammonds Ferry Road.)
(Best Spanish restaurant in Baltimore & DC - Tio Pepe, downtown on Franklin.)
See Ya!
Sorry, manhattan, but I’ve roamed the Baltimore/Washington area for years now and I can’t find anyone who speaks with the Bawlmerese accent. In any case, the dividing line between the North and the South is fifty miles south of D.C.
Ninja,
I will have better ideas of price ranges after the sunday paper comes out. ( what ya gonna do there? It really needs some help. The local fish wrap has gone way downhill since the News Americian closed and it’s had no competition.)
Wendell,
Thats just not true. Go to Highlandtown and walk around-you’ll hear it plenty. and the N/S dividing line is Columbia, at the very southernest(southernmost?). 50 miles south of DC? sheesh, being within 50 miles of DC is to close for us Balti-morons in the first place. Montgomery and P.G. Counties and Northern Virginia have nothing in common with the only real city in the Patapsco River basin.
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
Hmm, I misunderstood your post. Sorry, we get cranky when people try to lump us in with the DC crowd. However, If the N/S dividing line is so far south, how come President Lincoln had to jail the leaders of Baltimore and Md. to keep the old line state from secceding?
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
Ninja,
Now that the board’s back up, I’ll try to answer your question tonite or tomorrow
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
O.K. lets see now. I’ll cover areas in th city itself now. If you want info on the subs, just ask. First of all, this link will take you right to city listings.
-
Fells Point. This is where Balto. started. It is also where most of the TV show “Homicide” filmed. Its a nice area, there are lots and lots of bars. I like Ledbetters on Thames st.( this street is pronounced thames- with the th sound. say “tems” and you will get a lot of funny looks) live music, usually folksie stuff on weekends. drawbacks- if you’re too close to the main drag,(Broadway) there can be lots of noise on Fri. and Sat. nites. You should be able to find an apt in $4-500 range here. Canton is right next to Fells Point and much the same, but quieter.
-
Federal Hill. Located just to the west of the Inner Harbor, this neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. There are areas where yuppies have put 1000s of dollars into old rowhouses, and areas where there are just old rowhouses. Its primarily blue collar, except for the yuppies. The Cross Street Market is neat, and neighborhood bars are plentiful. The best carab cake in town is serverd at Tabrizi’s ( sorry NIXON ) which is in Fed. Hill if it’s still open. The hill itself is a nice place to walk dogs, and the view of the harbor from the top is fabulous. Most stuff renting here is renovated, expect $700 or more, tho you might find a bargain.
-
Mt. Royal/Bolton Hill. Lots of artsy types. Near Lyric Opera House and the Myerhoff. UB and the Md. Institute are located here. $400 is posible on the fringes, but in Bolton Hill you will pay much more.
4.Hamden. Blue Collar all the way. Nice little neighborhood. I had the best chinese food I’ve gotten in Balto here, but I can’t remember where. I used to meet a girl who lived here for sex perioticly, but I’m not making any guarantees. $400 should be easily doable here.
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Patterson Park. Like Hamden, but has some rougher parts. Lots of hookers hang out around the park, which is large, and a good place to walk a dog, but not at night. $400 should be easy here, too.
-
Highlandtown. This is where you will hear the Bawlmer accent. Good greek food, lots of families.Crime moderate. Priced in your range, and a little higher.
Well, thats 6 areas. Ask me if you want more, or want info on the subs. Hope it helps!
Dave
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
O.K. lets see now. I’ll cover areas in th city itself now. If you want info on the subs, just ask. First of all, this link will take you right to city listings.
-
Fells Point. This is where Balto. started. It is also where most of the TV show “Homicide” filmed. Its a nice area, there are lots and lots of bars. I like Ledbetters on Thames st.( this street is pronounced thames- with the th sound. say “tems” and you will get a lot of funny looks) live music, usually folksie stuff on weekends. drawbacks- if you’re too close to the main drag,(Broadway) there can be lots of noise on Fri. and Sat. nites. You should be able to find an apt in $4-500 range here. Canton is right next to Fells Point and much the same, but quieter.
-
Federal Hill. Located just to the west of the Inner Harbor, this neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. There are areas where yuppies have put 1000s of dollars into old rowhouses, and areas where there are just old rowhouses. Its primarily blue collar, except for the yuppies. The Cross Street Market is neat, and neighborhood bars are plentiful. The best carab cake in town is serverd at Tabrizi’s ( sorry NIXON ) which is in Fed. Hill if it’s still open. The hill itself is a nice place to walk dogs, and the view of the harbor from the top is fabulous. Most stuff renting here is renovated, expect $700 or more, tho you might find a bargain.
-
Mt. Royal/Bolton Hill. Lots of artsy types. Near Lyric Opera House and the Myerhoff. UB and the Md. Institute are located here. $400 is posible on the fringes, but in Bolton Hill you will pay much more.
4.Hamden. Blue Collar all the way. Nice little neighborhood. I had the best chinese food I’ve gotten in Balto here, but I can’t remember where. I used to meet a girl who lived here for sex perioticly, but I’m not making any guarantees. $400 should be easily doable here.
-
Patterson Park. Like Hamden, but has some rougher parts. Lots of hookers hang out around the park, which is large, and a good place to walk a dog, but not at night. $400 should be easy here, too.
-
Highlandtown. This is where you will hear the Bawlmer accent. Good greek food, lots of families.Crime moderate. Priced in your range, and a little higher.
Well, thats 6 areas. Ask me if you want more, or want info on the subs. Hope it helps!
Dave
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
O.K. lets see now. I’ll cover areas in th city itself now. If you want info on the subs, just ask. First of all, this link will take you right to city listings.
-
Fells Point. This is where Balto. started. It is also where most of the TV show “Homicide” filmed. Its a nice area, there are lots and lots of bars. I like Ledbetters on Thames st.( this street is pronounced thames- with the th sound. say “tems” and you will get a lot of funny looks) live music, usually folksie stuff on weekends. drawbacks- if you’re too close to the main drag,(Broadway) there can be lots of noise on Fri. and Sat. nites. You should be able to find an apt in $4-500 range here. Canton is right next to Fells Point and much the same, but quieter.
-
Federal Hill. Located just to the west of the Inner Harbor, this neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. There are areas where yuppies have put 1000s of dollars into old rowhouses, and areas where there are just old rowhouses. Its primarily blue collar, except for the yuppies. The Cross Street Market is neat, and neighborhood bars are plentiful. The best carab cake in town is serverd at Tabrizi’s ( sorry NIXON ) which is in Fed. Hill if it’s still open. The hill itself is a nice place to walk dogs, and the view of the harbor from the top is fabulous. Most stuff renting here is renovated, expect $700 or more, tho you might find a bargain.
-
Mt. Royal/Bolton Hill. Lots of artsy types. Near Lyric Opera House and the Myerhoff. UB and the Md. Institute are located here. $400 is posible on the fringes, but in Bolton Hill you will pay much more.
4.Hamden. Blue Collar all the way. Nice little neighborhood. I had the best chinese food I’ve gotten in Balto here, but I can’t remember where. I used to meet a girl who lived here for sex perioticly, but I’m not making any guarantees. $400 should be easily doable here.
-
Patterson Park. Like Hamden, but has some rougher parts. Lots of hookers hang out around the park, which is large, and a good place to walk a dog, but not at night. $400 should be easy here, too.
-
Highlandtown. This is where you will hear the Bawlmer accent. Good greek food, lots of families.Crime moderate. Priced in your range, and a little higher.
Well, thats 6 areas. Ask me if you want more, or want info on the subs. Hope it helps!
Dave
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
O.K. lets see now. I’ll cover areas in the city itself now. If you want info on the subs, just ask.
First of all, this link will take you right to city listings.
http://www.apartments.com/search/oasis.dll?p=bsun&Area2=Y&page=SubArea&state=MD
&rgn1=57&partner=bsun&prvpg=3&cont.x=66&cont.y=13
-
Fells Point. This is where Balto. started. It is also where most of the TV show "Homicide"filmed. Its a nice area, there are lots and lots of bars. I like Ledbetters on Thames st.( this street is
pronounced thames- with the th sound. say “tems” and you will get a lot of funny looks) live music, usually folksie stuff on weekends. drawbacks- if you’re too close to the main drag,(Broadway) there can be lots of noise on Fri. and Sat. nites. You should be able to find an apt in $4-500 range here. Canton is right next to Fells Point and much the same, but quieter. -
Federal Hill. Located just to the west of the Inner Harbor, this neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. There are areas where yuppies have put 1000s of dollars into old rowhouses, and areas where there are just old rowhouses. Its primarily blue collar, except for the yuppies. The Cross Street Market is neat, and neighborhood bars are plentiful. The best carab cake in town is serverd at Tabrizi’s ( sorry NIXON ) which is in Fed. Hill if it’s still open. The hill itself is a nice place to walk dogs, and the view of the harbor from the top is fabulous. Most stuff renting here is renovated, expect $700 or more, though you might find a bargain.
-
Mt. Royal/Bolton Hill. Lots of artsy types. Near Lyric Opera House and the Myerhoff. UB and the Md. Institute are located here. $400 is posible on the fringes, but in Bolton Hill you will pay
much more.
4.Hamden. Blue Collar all the way. Nice little neighborhood. I had the best chinese food I’ve gotten in Balto here, but I can’t remember where. I used to meet a girl who lived here for sex occasionaly, but I’m not making any guarantees. $400 should be easily doable here.
-
Patterson Park. Like Hamden, but has some rougher parts. Lots of hookers hang out around the park, which is large, and a good place to walk a dog, but not at night. $400 should be easy here,too.
-
Highlandtown. This is where you will hear the Bawlmer accent. Good greek food, lots of
families.Crime moderate. Priced in your range, and a little higher. -
North Baltimore. This is the area bounded by the city line on the north, and Northern Pkwy to the south, from York Rd. to Bel Air Rd. It’s very similay all the way across. Good quiet neighborhoods for the most part. It will easily fit your budget, but If you don’t have a car, the bus ride downtown to the sun will take a while
Well, thats 7 areas. Ask me if you want more, or want info on the subs. Hope it helps!
Dave
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
Um, FYI, When I posted the above, the board was acting up. it kept returning a page not found when I tried to post. I guess they went into limbo and came back all at once! I C&P’d to a notepad, and edited and posted the final one when the board came back up. So sorry for the Quad (!) post! In the dictionary, under redundent, it says see redundent.
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.