On the road: Baltimore

I've been told that Baltimore's new motto is "get in on it". It's old motto was "the city that reads" which just caused people to laugh, and the new one reflects the fact that people who have actually been to Baltimore think more highly of it than people who have not. I'm sure "much better than you think" was suggested, and shot down.

Baltimore is a fun, quirky place. Homicide was shot here. Edgar Allen Poe is buried here. Babe Ruth was born here, as was the wine world's bete noir, Robert Parker. Watch a John Water's movie (from Baltimore, probably shot in Baltimore) and you have a good sense of what the place is like. Pick up a City Paper (for free) and you will know everything that is going on.

The food here is remarkably good, and good value. I recommend Peter's Inn, Obrycki's crabs, Oliver's beer, and there are lots of other good options too. If you are in town, check out the new Smithsonian American Art Museum in DC (just opened) and shlep over to Gaithersburg MD for the beer at the Dogfishhead tavern there. Hey, it's closer than Rehoboth.