I know I said I would post more about Rome (and I will!), but last weekend I introduced a friend from out of town to some of the charms of Baltimore, and I was inspired to write about the little gem that is Iggies Pizza. Baltimore may not be New York or Chicago, but it is possible to find delicious pizza if you know where to look. Located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, Iggies is laid back, with an artsy vibe. The walls are a warm yellow, the ceiling and duct work are painted brick red, and fanciful paintings of Italian greyhounds add to the cheerful atmosphere. Diners can sit…
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Roman Holiday
My husband and I decided to buck tradition this holiday season, and instead of racing around the country trying to visit every branch of our family tree we flew to Italy and spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s in Rome. Our trip wasn’t as spur-of-the-moment as it sounds…my husband proposed at the Pantheon, and ever since our wedding in 2002 we’ve been saying we would go back to celebrate our 10th anniversary. With grad school, work, and travel plans already filling up the coming year, we decided it was now or never. It was a great choice–not only did we take advantage of off-season pricing, but we discovered…
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Bookish Baltimore: Charm City Literary Events
The Baltimore Book Festival was a couple of weeks ago and, due to an out-of-town family event, I was only able to attend one day. Torrential rains dampened most of the outdoor activities that afternoon, but it gave me a great excuse to spend some time in the George Peabody Library–the most beautiful library I’ve ever seen. (I also stayed dry exploring the Walters Art Museum, but I’ll save that for a another blog post.) Curious to learn about other local events similar to the book festival, I did some research, and I’m considering this my sort of “literary to-do list”: CityLit Festival This one-day “celebration of literature” is sponsored…
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Hot and Bluesy
Last weekend, I spent most of Saturday at the Hot August Blues & Roots Music Festival at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville. I had no idea such a beautiful venue could be found so close to Baltimore. The rolling hills just south of Hunt Valley horse country set the perfect scene for the musicians on stage, and the weather gods smiled on us, providing a sunny day framed by the weekend’s thunderstorms. I’m pretty sure my days of 12-hour music festivals are behind me, but I devoted a respectable six or seven hours to the event. I didn’t see any of the bands from the B-Side Stage, but on the…
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To Market, To Market
I love the Baltimore Farmers’ Market, especially this time of year. Why? Because it’s TOMATO SEASON! There is absolutely nothing in the world like heirloom tomatoes when they’re in season. I could eat them every day. Dressed with balsamic vinegar, simmered in sauce, roasted…delicious! I have to admit I barely made it home from the market today before I ate one. A trip to the farmers’ market is something I look forward to every weekend (when I’m in town, that is). Located under the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday and Saratoga streets, the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar is open 7:00 a.m. to noon every Sunday from April until mid-December and…
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Buster’s Last Stand
My mom and I took a trip to Worcester, MA last weekend to go wedding dress shopping with my sister, and we had dinner with her future in-laws at The Sole Proprietor. As we pulled into the parking lot, we were greeted by “Buster” the giant crab, affixed to the roof of the restaurant like something out of a 1950s horror flick. Apparently this curiosity can be seen only during crab season (The Sole features a special “Buster’s Favorites” menu of crab dishes–kind of creepy if you think about it) and we were lucky to see him, as it was his last day before retiring for the year. The restaurant…
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Beating the Heat in Baltimore
A friend of mine was in town last weekend, and despite the heat I still wanted to show her a bit of the city. So, what did we do? Friday night we had an early-ish dinner at Pazo, one of my favorite restaurants in Harbor East. We started by sharing a carafe of sangria, which tasted perfectly refreshing after walking through the sweltering haze outside. The restaurant has an extensive menu, and diners can try a variety of dishes by ordering tapas, get a three-course dinner with the prix fixe option, or order starters and main dishes a la carte. I had a summer bruschetta with local zuccini and ricotta,…
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Far, Fargo Away
Last weekend, I made my once-every-three-years trek to Fargo, North Dakota, for a family reunion. Yes, that’s right. Fargo. If you’ve never been there, let me just say that it isn’t the easiest of places to reach. As it turned out, it was more economical to fly to Minneapolis, rent a car, and drive four hours than it would have been to fly directly to Fargo. Fortunately, this roundabout journey had added benefits, as I was able to see some dear friends and family in the Minneapolis area the days we flew in and out of the Twin Cities. The reunion was a fun-filled day of boating, swimming, and visiting…
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Who Doesn’t Love a Parade?
No 4th of July celebration would be complete without a parade, and no parade would be complete without marching bands, fire trucks, and classic cars. The Towson parade today had all these things and more. For two hours, 16 marching bands—from our local Towson University to Bertha, Minnesota to Ontario, Canada—marched through the streets with veterans, politicians, and representatives from area civic organizations. Curiously, several of the bands featured bagpipes. And of course no 4th of July would be complete without the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Happy 4th of July!
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Adventures in Coffee
There’s nothing I love more than a good cup of coffee (well, very few things anyway). I recently took a self-guided tour of the coffee shops in Towson for the local Patch.com news site and discovered what I like best about each. You can read my article here.