Simply Serendipitous

Now that I’m in my seventh (and last!) semester as a Hopkins undergrad, I’ve gotten much better about exploring Baltimore, or at least having an idea of what’s going on.  My friends joke that I’m practically a local, which is a huge exaggeration, but I do my best to read the local papers, subscribe to various event email lists, etc., so I have some idea of what’s going on where I live.  When you’re at such a beautiful campus and in a fun neighborhood, it’s easy to stay at home/close to home all the time – it’s not like you have to go downtown to find something to do.  But when the semester has really gotten going, I find that I really enjoy getting away from campus some weekends to take a break and recharge.  At the very least, it’s a nice change of pace to keep me from getting into a boring routine with my weekends.

Although the semester has just barely started, I already feel like I’ve been staying home too much (read: being lazy), so I thought I’d share some of my favorite neighborhoods and their cool little places to give you the inside scoop – and give me the motivation to get back out in the city, starting this weekend!

1. Waverly:  This is the area east of campus by about 6-8 blocks.  While I wouldn’t recommend wandering around at night on your own (as I would say about any place in any city), it has a couple of places that are fun for a group of friends.  The Farmers Market runs every Saturday, year round, from 7 am – noon.  It’s small and local, which makes it all the more fun.   I’ve come to know exactly where I can buy which things and I’ve also gotten very spoiled by always having fresh produce to cook with.  Also in Waverly is Pete’s Grille, an outstanding breakfast/lunch restaurant that’s the favorite of one of our hometown heroes, Michael Phelps.  It is diner-style with a long counter, so it’s not ideal for a huge group (as you might have to wait for a bunch of seats in a row), but it’s worth the walk and/or wait.  There’s also Thai Restaurant, which is exactly what it sounds like, and absolutely delicious.
2. Hampden:  To the west of campus is this charming little neighborhood that has the Hairspray vibe.  It has charming rowhouses and a quirky collection of shops and restaurants along The Avenue, or W 36^th Street.  I’m a fan of Holy Frijoles, a Mexican restaurant, and I love browsing the antique/vintage stores.  There’s also Lovelyarns, which is, in fact, a lovely little yarn shop.
3. Inner Harbor:  This is a popular tourist destination and is home to many big chain restaurants, but it’s still a fun place to go even after living here for a while.  Personal favorites include Miss Shirley’s, another breakfast/lunch place with an incredibly unique take on many classic dishes.  There’s also a Cheesecake Factory down there, which is one of my favorite places for an overly indulgent meal.  The Barnes and Noble is really cool to walk around, as it has the old structures of a power plant inside amongst the bookshelves.  Of course the aquarium makes its home down there as well and at super-discounted tickets on Friday nights, I think it’s going to make its way into my upcoming weekend plans.
4. Camden Yards:  As a formerly diehard, now more casual fan of the Orioles, I have to put Camden Yards in its own category.  Even if you’re not a baseball fan, the ballpark is gorgeous and it’s a fun late-summer activity.  Of course the food is delicious (Boog’s barbeque is my personal favorite, along with the funnel cakes), but if you need more incentive, they have $7 tickets for students on Friday nights.  Yes, they’re in the nosebleed section, but you still get a great view of the park and it’s a wonderfully cheap way to spend your evening.
5. Harbor East:  As the name implies, this is the area to the east of the Inner Harbor.  It is within walking distance of the Harbor, which adds plenty of options to a day in that area.  This is less touristy than the harbor, so the restaurants aren’t the huge chains and the shops are more trendy/boutique-y.  There’s a Whole Foods (yes!) and several great sushi restaurants, including Ra, which has half-off many things from 3-7PM during the week.  There’s a great theater down here as well, which shows 3D films and has a full bar for those of age.  They also sell crab-stuffed pretzels at the snack counter (I’ve never tried one).  Harbor East is just south of Little Italy, which is a charming little neighborhood that’s perfect for an Italian meal or all-you-can-eat dessert at Vaccaro’s on Mondays.
6. Fells Point:  Continuing in our eastwardly trend, moving further along the waterfront will bring you to Fells Point.  Often known only for the huge Halloween celebration and its low-key but expansive nightlife, this historic neighborhood has cobblestone roads and tons of antique shops.  On the outskirts of Fells Point are two very fun places, both very different.  Latin Palace is kitschy and a little overwhelming at first, but they have great food and offer cheap salsa dance lessons.  If you love to dance, you’ll fit right in.  If you’re like me, you’ll probably just enjoy watching everyone who is way more coordinated than you are.  Also nearby is Pazo, a beautiful and elegant tapas restaurant.  The food is incredible, but it can be kind of a pricey outing, so I tend to save it for special occasions.

So there you have it – some of my favorite places outside of the Homewood/Charles Village area.  I also love Mt. Vernon (near Peabody Conservatory), but I haven’t been to enough places down there that I can make legitimate recommendations (don’t worry, it’s on my list for this year).

Like I said, Homewood campus and Charles Village are great places to be and it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole city around us full of great restaurants, shops and other attractions.  I’m glad to have the best of both worlds with a gorgeous, residential campus and a fun and exciting city that’s incredibly accessible.