…to the name “Pigtown”. I wonder if anyone around here would do this — somehow it would be fitting, if not a little smelly for the neighbors.
No tag for this post.Archive for May, 2007
Someone seems to be trying to get back into my good graces. And what better way to do that than show up on my doorstep, money in hand. Hm. Spending time with the boy. In no rush to leave. Hm. Could it be he’s turning into a halfway decent person? Perhaps he really has nothing to do with The Cheap Trash…wouldn’t that be a nice change.
It’s certainly going to take more than two hours and a check to get back into my good graces — try making up for the last three and a half years. Jeez. Plus, I’m busy these days. I have no time for any foolishness — none from him, and certainly none from The Trash.
Please don’t come around and knock on my door
cos I don’t want to have to pick you up off the floor
when you ask if we can still be lovers
I’ll have to introduce my brothers
Would you believe I just now….at 5:00 PM….got dressed and off the couch? I decided I wasn’t doing anything today. No cookouts, no visiting friends — nothing. I slept on and off all day, and it felt great.
But…I really missed being at work. That’s a good sign, right?
No tag for this post.Two dead and 11 injured in multiple shootings and stabbings, reports WBAL. And that’s just Tuesday in Baltimore.
But…we don’t have a crime problem in Baltimore.
Oh wait — there was a shooting and a mugging within two blocks of me last night. Add that to the tally.
When are our “leaders” going to take their heads out of their asses and start enforcing the laws?
No tag for this post.….yet another reason to never shop at Walmart again, this is it. Yes, there are indeed many reasons to never shop at Walmart, but OMG. Pooping on the floor of the Walmart?
No tag for this post.I’m about up to here with all this talk of “eating locally”. Now, before you get your organic-unbleached-cotton man panties in a bunch, let me explain.
I love the idea of eating seasonally. I really do. Fresh tomatoes in the summer, apples in the fall, berries in the spring — it’s a wonderful thing. But when you’re operating a small cafe, as I do, it’s almost impossible to do — at least here in Baltimore. Unless you happen to have the time and energy to scour every farmer’s market (which, by the way, aren’t always selling farm-fresh produce, unless you consider DelMonte and Dole to be “farmers”) or trek out to the Mill Valley Garden Center for your organic-farm produce deliveries and dairy deliveries. Because, if you calculate the amount of gas I’d use while doing all of this running hither and yon (is that how it goes? yon? hither?), I would bet that it’s no better for the environment, or my customers…since I’d spend all of my time driving from market to market, instead of tending to things at the cafe. And then there’s the problem of living on the east coast, where produce half the year is…not so hot. Unless you’d like a big ol’ root vegetable sandwich for lunch every day from October to April?
So I turned to an organic produce wholesaler. Sounded like a great idea until I saw the minimum order requirement…$500 each order. Sweet Jesus, that’s a lot of produce and dairy.
Don’t get me wrong — I’ll be at the downtown farmer’s market this year — buying produce for the cafe, and for home. I just wish there was a better way to get things streamlined and simplified so I didn’t have to go running around. Ideas?
No tag for this post.So sick of the internet. Really I am. I sometimes wish I was computer illiterate and never bought into the whole “digital communications” bunk. But since I did buy into it, I have now spent a total of 4 hours over two days on the phone with Verizon yet again to discuss my connectivity woes. Sweet Jesus. Who has this kind of free time?? They ended up sending me a new modem/router combo thingy — everything seems to be working again. I think they knew I was this close to saying to hell with them and their service — hence the modem/router thingy that showed up via UPS next-day. We’ll see how well it works over the long haul. I’m skeptical…I can’t help it.
So yours truly was in the Baltimore Sun today. Not sure how I feel about the article, but I know it ticked off some of my neighbors who are concerned about things like “property values” and the way the neighborhood is perceived. Frankly, I couldn’t give less of a you-know-what about how the neighborhood is “perceived” — but whatever. I had another bunch of neighbors stop by the cafe…and come to my house…to say how much they liked the article. It’s about 50/50 — interesting to note — it’s divided by long-time residents and relative newcomers for and against, respectively. It’s time for my walk around the neighborhood — I wonder if anyone will throw stuff at me. Yes, I’m being uber-sarcastic.
Anyway — give the article a read and give me your thoughts.
No tag for this post.A friend of mine recently made the decision to move out of Baltimore for the hinterlands. Okay, Columbia. Same diff. She and her husband have only lived here for just over a year, and they’re done. Sick of the crime, trash, etc. So I thought that I’d offer potential newcomers a short guide to moving to Baltimore — a “Are You Sure You Can Do This?” checklist, so to speak. So if you ended up here by doing a Google search in your quest to find info on our fair city, keep reading. If you already live here — well, you’re here. Grow a set and deal.
Things to know before considering Baltimore as your new Urban Paradise:
1. Baltimore is a large city and our public transportation system is…lacking. Okay, it blows. Better to live like we don’t have one. So if you don’t have a car, learn to like walking (I do!), cabs (you have to call first, no flagging on the corner unless you’re downtown), or make nice-nice with someone who has a car. Don’t forget to sign up with Peapod for grocery delivery.
2. Baltimore is either the second-most or third-most violent city in the United States, depending on who you ask and on which day. The murder rate is through the roof most years, and even when it isn’t astronomically high…it’s still unacceptable. And the rate for other crimes isn’t so hot either. Money Magazine gave Baltimore a “Personal Crime Risk” of 548. 100 is the national average, and the number is supposed to be lower — not almost 6 times the average. Take some comfort, however, in knowing that Baltimore City does have a comprehensive crime abatement plan. It’s not actually being implemented or followed, as far as I can see — but there is a plan. Maybe when the election’s over, our new mayor will come up with another plan. And we can just keep planning until the next election year. And so on and so on.
3. Baltimore has a big problem with drugs. Heroin is the drug of choice for most of our addicts, according to most of the studies I’ve read. People from the ‘burbs like to come to our city (and especially my neighborhood) to buy heroin. It’s annoying. Really. If you’re coming to the city to buy heroin — don’t. You need to keep your nasty self right where you are, and for the love of God, get help already. It’s out there. I read that in the studies, too.
4. Prostitution. Substitute the word “prostitution” for “heroin” in number 3 above, and we’re done with that topic.
So we’ve discussed what’s terribly wrong with Baltimore - and now you’re wondering if there’s anything good about the city. Well of course there is — otherwise I wouldn’t be here. What do you take me for??
Ten Good Things About Baltimore:
1. Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods. Outside of a few places where folks have gotten a little ahead of themselves — people are super-friendly and look out for each other. I won’t mention any neighborhoods by name, but I do want to take this opportunity to say — NOBODY says “Washington Village”. It’s Pigtown. Only unenlightened realtors say “Washington Village” and it’s embarrassing. Quit it. It’s Pigtown. Say it with me now — P-I-G-T-O-W-N. PIGTOWN! Woo! Don’t you feel better? Anyway — back to the neighborhoods. The architecture, the stories of the people who built the neighborhoods, the sense of community — those are important things here. They’re part of what makes this a wonderful city.
2. Baltimore has wonderful museums, shops, and restaurants. One coffeehouse in particular (ahem) in Pigtown (ahem) comes highly recommended by yours truly. Okay, I own it. But you knew that. Stop by Evelyn’s one day if you want to chat about the city. I’ll talk your ear off and tell you what you need to know.
3. Baltimore is changing. Slowly but surely — parts of the city have already transitioned into yuppie enclaves, and some are on the way…some will never change, no matter how much the residents would like to believe otherwise. There always has to be a “bad part of town” or a “sketchy area”. It’s just how things go, in any city. Believe me, there are parts of Manhattan where you’d never catch me in the day, never mind at night. It’s a city.
4. Baltimore has lots of public golf courses. I don’t know why, but I find that to be one of the coolest parts of living here, and I don’t even play golf.
5. The city government, depending on which agency you need, is useless. I’ve had really good luck with some agencies, and others….well, I wonder who’s minding the store. Again — not so different from any other city. No, that’s not a good thing about the city, but I just thought of it and I’m too lazy to add it to the list of bad things. The Health Department, Department of Public Works, and Zoning — they’re easy to navigate and deal with. There. That’s a good thing.
6. Baltimore is close to DC, Philly, and NYC. That’s a double-edged sword, unfortunately. It’s good if you want to shoot to any of those cities via I-95 or the Amtrak for a weekend…but the criminals (particularly the drug mules) are here because of the same close proximity to I-95 and access via Amtrak.
7. Baltimore has a nice zoo, a nice aquarium, and a gorgeous inner harbor. I live within walking distance of the harbor, and I take advantage of it every chance I get. There’s a little mall downtown, too. Great if you need a last-minute pair of shoes, or whatnot.
8. Baltimore has an excellent public library system. I can’t say enough good things about the Enoch Pratt.
9. Baltimore has a thriving arts community – music, visual art, and theater. Our symphony and opera company are fabulous. As an aside, if you like roller derby — you must check out our own Charm City Roller Girls.
10. The Preakness, blue crabs by the bushel, the guy who washes my windows three days a week, Talking Man, John Waters, Druid Hill Park, Carroll Park, the Mt. Clare mansion, the gazillion ethnic festivals every year (OMG the food!!), Berger Cookies, The Book Thing, the universities and colleges, Old Bay, the proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, the farmer’s markets, Camden Yards, my mailman Mike, my son’s teachers, Otterbein Swim Club, our Mainstreets programs, the Pigtown Festival (with live pigs!), and all of the crazy, convoluted things and people that make this city such a special place to live.
Baltimore is sorely in need of committed residents. Folks who are in for the long haul, who want to raise their families here, dig their heels in, and take this city in a different direction.
Are you in?
No tag for this post.The hair is now done. Flame red and the cut is gorgeous. Very short in the back, and it angles sharply towards the front. I love it — it’s exactly what I wanted. The color…is different, that’s for sure. Love love love my hairdresser. She’s a magician!
As an aside, I have to ask — is it really necessary for Baltimore City police officers (particularly ones from my district) to do a stake out in Riverside Park…for the purpose of handing out “off leash” tickets to otherwise law-abiding citizens? Really? Absolutely necessary? We don’t have other issues that are more pressing in this city? No muggings, drug dealing, prostitution, home invasions? Not one damn thing that requires the manpower that showed up in the park the other day? Ah, silly me. What was I thinking?
God this is the most farked city ever. I love Baltimore, but damn. Like a wayward child, this city can be hard to love sometimes.
No tag for this post.Can someone please explain the purpose of sending spam in a foreign language? What’s the expected response to the sudden flood of Russian spam I’m receiving? I can’t read a word of Russian. So…I’m supposed to read the email and suddenly have the urge to send a stranger my social security number and credit card info? Что является всем этим о?
And…I’m getting my hair done on Saturday. Woot. Had to throw that in.
No tag for this post.