These are a Few of My Favorite Things about Baltimore

September 20, 2024 Simone Ellin, Associate Editor

Among the places in Baltimore that Simone Ellin missed was Sherwood Gardens in the Guilford neighborhood and the annual blooming of its tulips. (File photo courtesy of the Guilford Association/Sherwood Gardens)

What can I tell you? I couldn’t stay away.

After relocating from Baltimore to New York’s Hudson Valley in December of 2022, I moved last week with my partner, Jordan, into a small Federal Hill apartment overlooking the harbor.

We aren’t planning to be in Charm City full-time; we’ll maintain a home in New York, but we are hoping to spend a significant amount of time in our new digs.

The decision to rent a Baltimore getaway pad arose from a variety of factors. Foremost was our desire to be closer to Jordan’s young adult children who all reside in Baltimore County. We wanted to be able to stop by if they needed us or just because we had a yen to share a meal with them.

We wanted to be able to attend his daughter’s concerts without needing a hotel reservation. We also missed our many dear friends and colleagues, and our access to so many of the places we had come to love.

Honestly, I wasn’t prepared to miss so many aspects of Baltimore life. But here are some of the things I’ve missed most.

Theater

Sure, New York has Broadway, but tickets are incredibly expensive. Add tolls and parking, and it gets insanely pricey. I can’t wait to go back to Everyman, Center Stage, the Gordon Center, Lyric and the Hippodrome!

The Gordon Center for Performing Arts in Owings Mills (File photo)

Restaurants

I know what you’re thinking. How can you miss Baltimore’s restaurant scene when you live in New York? But here’s the thing. We live about an hour from the Upper West Side, so we can’t just walk out our door and find every type of food you can imagine.

We can do that now that we have an apartment in Fed. Hill. Maybe Baltimore’s culinary scene wasn’t comparable to NYC’s when I first moved there 25 years ago, but nowadays it’s awfully close.

Target

I have to drive at least 35 minutes to reach the nearest Target store. Boy, do I miss my weekly Target therapy.

When I lived in Pikesville, it took me five minutes max. On the other hand, being far from my favorite retail store is saving me a great deal of money!

Crusty Crustaceans

I don’t actually miss steamed crabs that much. I never really understood why they’re such a big deal in Baltimore. But Jordan misses them and he tells me so, like, all the time. I figured I’d include them on my list for his sake.

Sherwood Gardens

These last two springs, I’ve been really nostalgic about seeing the tulips at Sherwood Gardens in Guilford. Few sights are as beautiful or hopeful as tulips in early spring, and spring comes earlier in Bmore!

Camden Yards

Anyone who knows me will testify to the fact that I’m not a sports fan. But last week after we moved in, Jordan and I walked – yes, walked — to Camden Yards and watched the O’s get the pants beat off them by the worst team in the American League. We weren’t pleased that the Orioles lost, but we had so much fun shouting “Let’s go O’s” with a Baltimore accent.

General Convenience

My beloved, late mother-in-law always liked to say, “Baltimore is so easy.” She was right. Most locations are easily accessible; parking is readily available and inexpensive, and traffic is usually manageable. It makes life a lot less stressful. Now, if only we could fix Charm City’s public transportation system.

Jewish Community

It’s said that everyone is Jewish in New York, and of course the Big Apple has a large Jewish population. But it’s not a close-knit community like Baltimore. After I left Baltimore, I was surprised by how much I missed and even idealized Jewish Baltimore.

I know that reporting for Jmore will be a whole lot more rewarding now that I’m back in town.