Clock Reset

So the clock was at over 1,000 days. From January of 2008 to just about 3 hours ago, our lives in Baltimore has been crime free (aside from someone bending our car's antenna). A few hours ago, a "minor" (a kid) swiped my iPhone while I was walking down the street. Yes, it's my fault for being vulnerable, I admit that. When the "minor" took it, he said thanks and started running. I followed him and started yelling for help. There were a lot of people around and luckily a few helped out. I chased the "minor" a few blocks and lost him around a corner. A couple people saw where he went and pointed out his general direction. I followed those directions and another person said he saw the "minor" go into a home. There were a few children and an older woman at the residence and we asked if they saw the "minor". After describing the "minor", the children said that it was their cousin. Busted...and by his own family. After a few minutes and several times talking with the adults, a lady came out saying that she was his aunt. She gave me her contact info and I gave her mine. She said that she was shocked that he had done what he did and she wanted to find him to get my phone back. She recognized that I had to file a report but she wanted to find the "minor" herself. I returned home and called the police. Shortly after I talked with 911, the aunt called me and said she had the phone. I returned to the alley and the aunt gave me my phone back. The police arrived a little later and asked for details. The officer had planned on paying a visit to the family.

So, in a long rant, that's the story. Probably not the most complete story, but the general gist was that a couple helpful neighbors helped out tracking the "minor", the family came through and did what was right, the Baltimore police was helpful, and I luckily came out fine. Crazy evening to start the week.

Well, the clock is reset and our "crime free" life needs some adjustment. I'm grateful that this was not serious and the outcomes were positive. Many life lessons to take from this.

Stuggy's Old Fashion Hot Dogs & Sausages

Stuggy's

809 S. Broadway

Baltimore, MD 21231

Mon - Wed 11AM - 8PM

Thr - Sat 11AM - 3AM

Sun - 11AM - 5PM

Fell's Point has a new restaurant! Stuggy's is a small walk in hot dog and sausage place with late night hours to catch that bar crowd. It's open till 3AM on the weekends! Stuggy's prides itself with serving local goods and fresh ingredients. We walked down to this place last Saturday and got dinner. There's a small counter inside so we decided to eat in. Otherwise, there's no where to eat and you'd have to take it to go. I wish they had some outside tables to sit on, especially with the nice weather we're having. Mr_BTM ordered the Wild Thing (pictured) speciality dog which consists of a bison sausage, blue cheese and diced raw onions. He enjoyed the dog but thought the bison sausage was a little dry with not enough fat in it. I got the Chi-Town Dog with corn relish, diced raw onions, tomato, grilled peppers, celery salt, pickle spear and yellow mustard. While not a traditional chicago style dog (corn relish?!) it was good, a bit messy, and very filling! We both ordered sides of their fresh cut french fries, which were lovely with a bit of extra salt. They also carry Boylan sodas (natural cane sugar), which is a nice touch! Overall, we were very pleased with our dinner there and would go back again to try different combinations!

Woodberry Kitchen

Woodberry Kitchen

2010 Clipper Park Road, No. 126
Baltimore, MD 21211

410-464-8000

For Mr_BTM's birthday I took him out to dinner at Woodberry Kitchen, located in the restored Clipper Mill near Hampden. Their philosophy is farm to table, getting all of their produce, seafood and meat from local farmers and fisherman. It's not all organic but it's all local. I like that idea. The menu is simple American cuisine featuring cold plates, warm plates, oysters, flat breads and entrees. We both chose our items from the specials menu instead

of the regular house menu. We started with a half dozen oysters on the half shell (2 varieties). Following that was a flatbread with house sausage, which was paired well with the Spanish Rioja we had. The flatbreads are all baked in a wood burning stove, which gives the crust a great smokey flavor and a great crunch. For entrees I went with the bison rigatoni (fresh made) and Mr_BTM went with the Poppy Cod with fava beans and beets in a leek broth. My dish had a nice surprise veggies of fresh peas and a sauce based on the glaze for the bison. It was good, but the bison was a little overpowering of the rest of the dish. Mr's dish was nice and light in flavor and well seasoned. He enjoyed his dish.

For dessert, since it's berry season, Mr_BTM went with the 2 berry cobbler (cherry and blackberry) with a side of vanilla ice cream and I got the poached apricots with blackberries, sesame toast and yogurt panna cotta. Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience at Woodberry Kitchen and would love to go back and try more of their menu!

One Straw Farm

This year we signed up for a share in a Community Supported Agriculture program ("CSA"). The CSA is with One Straw Farm, the largest organic vegetable farm in Maryland. The CSA provides weekly produce (whatever is ripe!) from June through November. Each week you get 8 items that you pick up at a nearby site and you'll have more than enough produce to last you the week. We had our first pick up this week and got a lot of stuff! Below is the list:

1 bunch romaine
1 bunch red leaf lettuce
1 bunch green leaf lettuce
1 bunch kale
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 bunch red chard
1 bunch arugula
1 pint strawberries

Maryland Film Festival

This past weekend was the Maryland Film Festival in the Station North neighborhood. We decided to go this year when we saw there were two Korean films included in the festival. The two films included Daytime Drinking, directed by Noh Young-seok, and Treeless Mountain, directed by So Yong-kim. We decided to see Daytime Drinking since it was the only one we could see (had plans when Treeless Mountain was playing). Daytime Drinking was presented at the Toronto Film Festival last year and a few others since then. It was highly praised as a comedy but we really didn't think it was all that funny. Knowing a bit of the culture really let me see past the slap stick funny stuff and realized that what was going on in the film would not be a laughable moment in Korea. Interesting to have that perspective. Depending on the film listing next year, we may go back, we may not. Lots of film snobs at that event!

Dangerously Delicious Pies

Dangerously Delicious Pies
1036 Light Street, Baltimore, MD - Federal Hill
and
3547 Chestnut Ave., Baltimore, MD - Hampden
410-662-PIES
Closed Mondays

We've had the pleasure of eating at the Hampden location and ordering pies to go from the Fed Hill location. The Hampden spot is located on the first floor of a rowhouse just off The Avenue and has a small bakery in the front and a few tables in the back. The place is really cute and offers coffee and tea in addition to the pies. We shared a generous slice of the mixed berry pie, which they warmed up before serving. It was a great way to end a day of shopping on The Ave!

We've never eaten at the Fed Hill location but have ordered pies from there. For Christmas we ordered a Lemon Chess pie for desert. This pie was really sweet and had a nice lemon flavor. However, we found that we could only eat half a slice at a time due to the sweetness of this pie. So, for our trip to Snowshoe, we decided to try one of the savory pies as well as getting another one of those mixed berry pies! We decided on the steak, mushroom and gruyere savory pie. We had this for lunch at Snowshoe and we warmed it in the oven for a delicious lunch, accompanied by a side salad. The savory pie was so delicious and packed with lots of meat, mushrooms and cheese! Simply delicious! The only downfall I see is that these pies are calorie laden and not very diet friendly. But, for an occasional treat, these pies are worth every penny!

El Trovador

El Trovador
318 S Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-6200

This past Friday for Caitlin's birthday, we had a rather large group that wanted to eat dinner together. After Iggie's didn't work out because of the wait, we decided to head to Fells Point. The Mr & I have been to this restaurant in Fells Point twice now and suggested it to the group since most of us had been to Arcos on Broadway already. The group was seated immediately and we all decided to have the Sangria as our beverage of choice for the evening. The menu here offers a variety of combo platters with both Mexican and Salvadorian options. I got the Jalisco platter with 2 beef enchiladas, one chicken taco and one pork tamale, served with sides of beans and rice ($13.95). I managed to finish only half of this platter as the portion sizes are generous. The Mr got the Plato Tipico Salvadoreno ($12.50) which included a fried plantain, a papusa, a fried corn tamale, skirt steak, rice and beans. He had no trouble finishing his dish, but did confess he ate too much at the end of the meal. The others enjoyed various dishes from the menu and everyone enjoyed their meal. While the Sangria was a little pricey ($20 per pitcher), the overall value here is quite amazing. We all had ample portions for a relatively low cost. The service was friendly and the decor nice. This place is a nice gem on Broadway and we'll be sure to visit again.

The Charles Theater

The Charles Theater
1711 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
410-727-FILM

We've driven by this theater many times and have always said, "We should go see a movie there" but never had the chance to go. After a year of living in Baltimore, we finally made it to The Charles to see a movie. Tickets are only $8.00 during the evenings and the concessions are also reasonably priced. We got a large popcorn and 2 bottles of water for a mere $9.00! Compared to the prices at the Landmark Theater in Harbor East, this place is a deal! However, this place is cash/check only so be sure to bring money with you! The theater is in an old, renovated building that once housed cable cars and street cars. It's got great character on the inside and is a great local business, unlike most of the corporate type movie theaters around town. Our first movie was Milk, starring Sean Penn. The movie was pretty good but we got there late and had to sit in the 2nd row, not all that great. Overall, I really like this theater and hope to go see more movies here soon!

The Brewer's Art

The Brewer's Art

1106 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-547-6925


Mon - Sat 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Sun 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Full Dinner Service at 5:30 PM


In honor of our one year anniversary of living in Baltimore, we dined at The Brewer's Art for the first time! Located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, this restaurant has 3 distinct sections. The lower level is dedicated to a bar while the upstairs houses a lounge and a restaurant. We decided to get our dinner from the restaurant portion and we were not disappointed! We started out with the Duck Liver Mousse on Grilled Bread with Apple Chutney ($7) and the Pumpkin Risotto ($7). Both were good but the risotto was a little undercooked and the portion was a bit large for a starter. Second course was salads for us both, the Brewer's Art Caesar for Mr_BTM ($7) and the Roasted Heirloom Apples with Candied Nuts, Cheddar Cheese Brittle and Apple Cider Vinaigrette ($7). My salad was good but the Cheddar Cheese Brittle had no place on that dish. The cheese flavor didn't blend well with the bitter greens and the sweet apple. The Mr liked his Caesar and had it with extra anchovies. For our main course the Mr went for the Steak Frites with Rosemary Garlic Fries ($26) and I had the Baked Butternut Squash Ravioli served on a bed of winter greens ($18). The Mr's steak was a little tough but was cooked well and my ravioli was good and was delighted with the addition of the winter greens. The meal was good and the service was excellent. And the menu does change from time to time so next time there will be different selections, which I like.

But enough about the food, how was the beer? We both started with a pint of the St. Festivus, a brown ale brewed for the fall. The flavor was good but lacked depth and bite. For the second round I got the Resurrection Ale and Mr_BTM got the guest tap brew, which had a nice smooth taste and a strong aftertaste. It was the best beer we had all night. However, after living in the local brew pub capital of the world (I deem that place Portland, OR) the beer selection wasn't all that great but the few we did have were good enough but not great.

Louisiana Restaurant

1708 Alicanna Street
Neighborhood - Fells Point
http://www.louisianasrestaurant.com/index.html
410.327.2610

We've passed this restaurant a handful of times and always were curious about what it had to offer. The menu looked appetizing but we never got around to going. Louisiana has gotten a few awards, but looking into the place, it never seems busy. Well, finally last night we made the leap of faith. Actually, our first choice had an hour wait, so we decided to check Louisiana out since we figured that the place would be open. As we had suspected, they didn't have a wait and they welcomed us in. We felt a bit out of place because the group in front of us were all dressed fairly nicely and we were just in jeans and a t-shirt. Plus, we were about half the age of the other folks. Anyway, we walked through the narrow hallway into a massive ballroom dining area. There were many tables, all surrounding a large hanging chandelier. On the other side of the room was an elegant staircase leading to upstairs seating area. We were amazed with the size of the dining area and decor. All fitting the southern creole style.

The menu offers three courses with a few classic dishes scattered within it. Mrs. BTM ordered the Crab Bisque and the Catfish while I ordered the Shrimp and Grits for a starter and the Pork Chops as my main course. We also ordered a bottle of one of our favorites, the 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir. The wine came out first and to my surprise, it was corked! Blah! The waitress apologized and brought out another bottle, which tasted delicious. She confirmed that the other bottle was corked and said that was her first time having a corked bottle.

Our starters came out. The Shrimp and Grits were amazing. Nicely seasoned. Probably the best grits that I have had. Mrs. BTM's Bisque was good and savory. I think she liked my dish better than hers. So far so good. Then we waited....and waited...and waited some more. Our waitress said that our food was on its way, but it never showed. After 40 minutes, she came up and apologized. She said that there was something wrong in the kitchen and offered us desserts on the house. *Sigh* After a long wait, our main courses came out. Even with the wait, the dinner did not dissapoint. My pork chops came with an artichoke risotto and apple bourbon demiglace. It was well cooked and the dish was flavorful. The portion was huge and I had left overs. Mrs. BTM's catfish came with collard greens and mashed potatoes. The catfish had a pecan crust and was nicely done. A pretty solid version of this classic. For desserts, I had a chocolate mousse with whip cream and rasberry sauce. It was good, but a bit thick for me. Mrs. BTM had the apple beignets with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wow. It was warm, sweet, fried...all what you could ask for in a dessert.

Overall, the meal was impressive and left us wanting to try more of the menu. Everything was nicely prepared, well seasoned, and exemplified high quality southern comfort foods. The only hiccup was time. Dinner took just over 3 hours. If we we had all four courses and drinks, then the time would have been appropriate and enjoyable, especially in the ambiance of a grand ballroom. This is probably not a place for casual dinners, but we'll definitely be back, most likely with family. We look forward to another tasty meal.

WTMD - Radio For Music People

Moving to a new city involves a lot of things but you usually don't worry about the little things like finding a good radio station. However, I was completely in love with my radio station in Portland, 94.7 FM, and was worried about finding something to replace it. I loved listening to this station! They had a no-talk morning music show (instead of the typical talk show) and played a great mix of old and new alternative music. I know with technology today I can still listen to this radio station live through their website, but it's just not the same as turning on the radio and getting your station!

In Baltimore, Mr_BTM introduced me to WTMD, 89.7 FM. This station is run out of Towson University and is a locally owned radio station. It's also an NPR affiliate as well as the home of Towson University sports radio. I know WTMD doesn't play music all day long, but they play music most of the day. They've also had these great countdowns lately. This week and for the next few weeks, they're doing a countdown of the top 897 albums of all time. You can keep track of the countdown on their blog.

Happy listening!

Buy Local Baltimore

We picked up a "Buy Local Baltimore" guidebook and discount card today for $10. Over 80 merchants in the greater Baltimore region participate, offering various discounts. A full listing of merchants and discounts are at their main website.

The First Post

This is the first post of hopefully many. The purpose of this blog is to document our adventures in a new city. Baltimore City is made up of many small neighborhoods that contain unique character and charm...hence "Charm City". We hope to visit various small stores and restaurants to experience what each neighborhood can offer. This is mainly to remember where we have been, but also to share with everyone the other side of Baltimore that is not talked about. Everyone hears about the crabs, the Inner Harbour, and the crime, but it's rare that you read about the great corner restaurant or market, or even upcoming events in the City.

Happy reading for anyone who stumbles across this blog. My wife and I will try to keep it updated as often as possible. Enjoy!