The Baltimore Bucket List

When I started to apply to grad school again last fall, I realized that I would be leaving Baltimore. So I sat down and made a Baltimore Bucket List. It contained everything that I wanted to do, see, or eat before I moved. I'm proud to say that I got most of them done before I moved. So here is the Baltimore Bucket List in its entirety including the items I was not able to check off before I moved. At least I still live close enough to finish the list!

1. Go to an Orioles game.
In the two years I lived in Baltimore, I only went to one baseball game and it happened to occur the first part of May 2012. I didn't procrastinate at all on that one. And please don't mention that I lived only four blocks away from the ballpark. At least I got to go to a game during the 20th anniversary of the field. I'm impressed with Camden Yards. It's a newer stadium built with an old timey feel like Fenway. I believe they call it the "retro" ballpark. Besides everybody knows that some of the best food is always found at a baseball game!

Camden Yards from the outside.

Camden Yard's old warehouse front on the harbor side.

Me in front of the warehouse front.

My view of the field at the first of the game.

We moved seats about half way through the game. These were much better seats!

We had a great view! And the Orioles actually won the game!

Me and Nella in our new seats.

I'm a little ashamed that I had to borrow an Orioles shirt from Nella to go wear to the game.

2. Get Picture with Babe Ruth Statue
Every baseball fan knows that The Great Bambino was born in Baltimore and was first signed to the Baltimore Orioles in 1914 for his first major league contract. In fact his nickname Babe came from the fact that the manager of the Orioles, Jack Dunn, had to become his guardian because he signed at the age of 19 when the age to be a legal adult was 21. So his teammates called him Jack Dunn's baby which was shortened to Babe. He was known as the Babe for the rest of his baseball career. He actually had a lot of cool nicknames including The Great Bambino and the Sultan of Swat. So to pay homage to his Oriole/Baltimore heritage, there is a statue at Camden Yards of the Babe himself. Being the baseball fan I am, I had to get a picture with it.

The Babe Ruth statue at Camden Yards.

Me and The Great Bambino.

3. Get Picture with Homestar Runner
In Baltimore, it's not uncommon to see contemporary art/sculptures along the streets. My favorite is down by the Baltimore Convention Center. I don't know what its real name is but I have lovingly dubbed it the Homestar Runner statue. It reminds me of the awesome flash cartoon series featuring Strongbad and Homestar Runner. Love them! If you don't know what I'm talking about, google either name and watch a few episodes. I think most of them are hilarious! I finally got a picture with Homestar.

My favorite peace of art in Baltimore!

Me and 'Homestar'

4. Get Picture In Greatest City In America
If you spend any time in the Baltimore YSA Ward or with Emily Clay, you know all about the Greatest City In America. Don't believe me that Baltimore is The Greatest City in America? Go have a good luck at the bus benches in Baltimore. They say it all. So it has become a common thing to get a picture with one of the infamous bus benches. I'm a conformist some days. Don't judge.

5. Finally go see Edgar Allan Poe
 My apartment in Baltimore was located right across the street from where Edgar Allan Poe is buried. I'm ashamed to say that it took me two years to walk across the street and see it. My bad. I have been known to sit on the benches in the courtyard of my apartment complex and watch people who visit the grave site. There is a group of goth girls that come and visit on the third Sunday of every month to put black roses on Poe's grave. I've had several giggling fits when I overhear one or more wishing that Poe was still alive so they could date him. But probably the most fascinating thing I saw was this old man who came periodically to recite some of Poe's stories to the tourists. His rendition of The Telltale Heart was chilling. I hadn't seen him for a while before I moved. I hope he didn't die.

The grave of Edgar Allan Poe.

And photographic evidence that I did indeed walk across the street and through the gate to see it.

6. Eat at Chap's Pit Beef
Anybody who has meet me and my roommates, know that we watch Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Food Network and Man vs. Food on the Travel channel. So you can believe our surprise when we saw a place in Baltimore that made it on both shows. That cemented my desire to eat at Chap's Pit Beef over on Pulaski Highway. What's better than pit beef, right? It was super good and relatively cheap! I actual crave it since we went. Be warned that it is in front of a gentleman's club. Hey, it's Baltimore so it kind of fits.

Chap's Pit Beef

Mmmmm... so good!!!

Guy left his mark.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a huge fan of Guy Fieri?

Every place I've gone that has been endorsed by Guy has been delicious!

I ordered The Raven Sandwich! It is a beautiful combination of pit beef, turkey, and corned beef! Put some tiger sauce (a Baltimore classic) on the sucker with some onions and you have one of the best meals ever! Hard to believe that that sandwich only cost $7, isn't it?

Mmmm... heaven in a sandwich! Notice the sign for the gentleman's club in the background. Nella is very proud that she got the Freaky Friday in the picture.

I added a little Idaho to this wonderful Baltimorean cuisine aka I made fry sauce for the fries.

7. Go to Kooper's at least one more time
When I first moved to Baltimore, I was invited by some folks in the ward to go to Kooper's for their half-priced burgers on Tuesday. I'm pretty sure that it was love at first bite. For a long time, we went every Tuesday but it kind of dropped off when the tourist season hit. So it was only fitting to hold my goodbye party at Kooper's. Thanks everyone who came!

Burgers and Friends. What could be better than that?

All of a sudden I'm craving a burger...

Christian looks a little surprised. I should have warned him about Nella and her camera.

The whole gang who came minus Christian who had to go to work. I miss you guys!

It was sad saying goodbye. I had the best visiting teacher ever in Baltimore! Thanks for the pendant, Meredith!

8. Get picture with the Bromo-Seltzer Tower (aka Little Ben)
The Bromo-Seltzer Tower is one of those fun Baltimore landmarks. It was built by the guy who invented bromo-seltzer to treat headaches. I thought it was cool and I only lived 2-3 blocks away from it.  Nella and some of her nursing student friends call it Little Ben which I find hilarious.

Me and Little Ben

 9. Go to the Aquarium
One of the biggest attractions in Baltimore is the National Aquarium at the Inner Harbor. I finally made it in on dollar museum day this year! It was pretty cool! I loved the jellyfish exhibit and the shark tanks! The huge turtle was cool too!

They were feeding the sting rays while we were there. This one is kinda like a flat puppy wanting his belly rubbed.

The had turtles and crocodiles too!

Hahaha! An appropriate sweatshirt to be wearing while watching the turtles.

This guy was in the shark tank. Brave soul!

Bubbles! Bubbles! My bubbles!

10. Go to the Science Center
Another bonus of dollar museum day was that I was able to go the science center which is an interactive wonderland for kids and nerds alike.

I'm a huge fan of dinosaurs. "They just playing tag. With their teeth." I love that I heard this from one of the little kids that day!

I always thought that laying on a bed of nails would hurt. It actually was oddly relaxing.

I have a big head and little arms! Hahahaha! I just realized that I have several photos of T-rex about to eat me.

11. Go to Paper Moon Diner
The Paper Moon Diner is a Baltimore original. The food is good classic comfort food that is served in one of the most bizarre and slightly creepy establishments I've ever been to. They have pretty cool Pez display. Their menu offers things for vegetarians and carnivores. I've been quite happy with the food every time I've been. It's definitely somewhere you need to go in Baltimore when you visit.

Welcome to the Paper Moon Diner.

I did mention that it's a little creepy, right? It's also awesome too!

This one scared the heck out of me when I was standing by it. I didn't see it at first.

Nella thought that the mannequins were super creepy. I think they're kinda cool.

There is a plethora of action figures in the vicinity.

I wouldn't recommend going here if you have a unhealthy fear of dolls.

Charmaine and the creepy mannequin.

I think Faith chose the one with the most toys on it.

This one may be my favorite. Her hair is made of army men.

There are toys everywhere!

This is only part of the amazing Pez display that they have!

I really want to know how that got so many Pez dispensers in seemingly mint condition.

Paper Moon has the best chicken fingers to be found in Baltimore! It is also one of the few places that serve biscuits and gravy!

And of course we have the items on the list that I was not able to get to before I moved. They should be easy to complete since I only live 30 miles away.
 12. Go see the Peabody Library
The library has some screwy hours for visitors which made it hard to get to.
13. Do the paddle boats in the Harbor
They had barely opened when I moved.
14. Ride the Carousel at the Harbor.
I tried on several different occasions and either the line was huge or it wasn't running.
We had a good time, Baltimore! It was a good run! Thanks for all the memories!