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Baltimore shuttles

bluelight — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:37:52 -0800

Baltimore filter: What do you know about the free shuttles in Baltimore? I'm temporarily staying in Harbor East for a while and there's a bike co-op up near Penn Station that I'd mainly like to get to from time to time.

So I know about the JHU shuttle, but I'm temporarily staying at Harbor East for the time and unfortunately, that shuttle doesn't reach downtown. The collegetown shuttle that does go downtown seems to have stopped running (end of the semester).

I also know that the Charm City Circulator is on...uh, hiatus, however, I do recall something about a Harbor East shuttle that runs in the early AM and during afternoon rush hour. I'm having trouble finding information on it online however. Does anyone know where I can get more information on this? Or any other shuttles?

Thanks in advance.

CBT in Baltimore

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:06:36 -0800

Please suggest therapists in Baltimore, MD that are familiar with CBT. I have moved to a new city and once again need to find a new therapist to help me cope with depression and anxiety. I am trying to find a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy in Baltimore or Towson, Maryland. (I've made good progress with CBT in the past and would like to find a doctor who can help me continue that.) You can send private messages to cbtreferral@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Maryland DMV

josher71 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:23:21 -0800

Marylanders, I need your help. I haven't had a driver's license since 2004 and now I need one in a shorter time than nine months from now. I haven't had a license in a long time since I was living in NYC and didn't need one. Now, here in Maryland I need to drive again and in order to do that, I have to get a learner's permit. That's fine, except for the fact that you have to have the permit for NINE MONTHS before you can get your license.

This seems excessive to me especially since I've had a license before. Regardless, I pretty much need to get a license as soon as possible to help me get a job here in Baltimore. Is there some way to get around this nine month wait that you know of? Or, are there any suggestions you have for how I would go about trying to get an exception?

Boltbus Refund Question

josher71 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:07:23 -0800

Is it possible to get a refund from Bolt Bus? I made a mistake while booking on the website and instead of booking a ticket for NYC to Baltimore, I booked a ticket for Baltimore to NYC.

Everything I've read seems to point to the fact that getting a refund from Boltbus is impossible.

What are some things I might be able to say to the Bolt Bus customer service people in order to get them to switch my ticket from Baltimore to NYC, to the other way around?

What is being solicited by this hand gesture in the streets of Baltimore?

That takes balls. — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:43:22 -0800

What is being solicited by this hand gesture in the streets of Baltimore? While driving through the urban wilds of Baltimore, I sometimes see sketchy looking women standing on sidewalks or medians, with one arm outstretched toward the street as if hailing a cab. But the hand of the outstretched arm has the index finger and thumb touching (perhaps as if holding a joint) and the hand waves up and down, much like Mr. Roper's hand gesture when talking about Jack.

Does this gesture mean, "Come get your drugs here"? Or "I'm looking for drugs"? Does it refer to pot or any particular drug, or is it something else like prostitution? I've only seen this gesture done in B'more, not other cities like nearby DC.

Bonus Wire reference: I once saw this hand gesture being done in the background scene of a Wire episode.

Welcome in Timonium?

lodie6 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:41:46 -0800

I am one half of a lesbian couple with small children thinking of moving out of Baltimore and out to the suburbs. So far Timonium looks like the best bet. Will we be welcome there? We have located some neighborhoods in Lutherville-Timonium that meet our requirements of nice yards and great public schools, but are unsure about the political climate. We don't need for there to be tons (or even any) other non-traditional families in the immediate area, we just need people to be generally accepting and friendly. I know people in the suburbs tend to be more conservative than in the city, but are they so conservative that they're likely to be hostile to us living next door? Or to not want to babysit? Or to not let their kids come over for dinner? Or to stare rudely as we walk around the block? I'm sure there are some problem individuals anywhere we might go, but we're looking for a decent general climate.

Any insights welcome!

Baltimore Free or Low Cost Clinic

josher71 — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:12:26 -0800

Are there any free or low cost clinics in or around Baltimore MD that are accessible by public transit? This is not STD testing or the like. Need to get some meds prescribed.

What's with people oiling their hair and sticking the bangs to their forehead?

ichthuz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:09:07 -0800

There seems to be a trend among older women, at least in Baltimore (mainly African-American ladies, but I have seen Hispanic and Caucasian women do this as well), of matting down hair with some sort of oil. The goal seems to be to get as much hair as possible as close to the scalp as possible. The bangs are then stuck to the forehead, and it looks like this is purely oil based. As I haven't yet had the kahones to ask one of these lovely ladies what's up with the hair, I was hoping someone knew: A. What sort of product is being applied to get this "just out of the oil bath" look? B. Is this an every morning thing, or do you apply just once a week? Once a month?

Where to eat in Baltimore?

ellenaim — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:45:04 -0800

Where to eat in Baltimore? We're heading to Baltimore for a few days and would like some dining recommendations. Of course, there are constraints:

1. Toddler-friendly. I don't mean a restaurant that specifically caters to kids, but just one where we will be comfortable with a toddler and infant in tow.

2. Not too far (on foot or by car) from the Inner Harbor. Although we're staying in the Inner Harbor, we don't mind driving to get to dinner, but we just don't want to go so far that it turns into a big excursion (see part 1 about young children).

3. Not a chain restaurant. This is why I suspect we have to leave the Inner Harbor.

This previous question has some good leads. Both The Helmand and Ze Mean Bean match our tastes, assuming they're kid-friendly.

What do you recommend?

The mote in Boh's eye

josher71 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:29:49 -0800

Why does Mr. Boh, the face of National Bohemian beer, only have one eye? Does anyone know why he was originally drawn this way?

Musical Fun Has Begun

cloeburner — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:47:35 -0800

Anyone know any good music games/activities for inner city elementary school kids? I am teaching a summer music class in east Baltimore and I would love to hear some suggestions of music crafts and games for kids.

Additionally, I would like to build some instruments with the kids, perhaps a thumb piano, but if anyone has any other simple music projects, I'd love to hear it. I have lots of electronic supplies [I plan on focusing on hip hop and baltimore club production] but I would also like to introduce the musicality of everything to them [bottles, grass, cans, strings, etc.].

What say you, hive?

Need a good weekend bike trip near Baltimore.

SirNovember — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:18:52 -0800

Are there any good overnight/weekend camping/other trips in and around Baltimore for two cyclists staying on the pavement? No car. Trying to make my honey's graduation & birthday a good one. I'm seeing camping or bike trails, but not both. Taking the train to a trail works... I see the Baltimore/Annapolis trail. Is Annapolis & environs charming at all? The Maryland parks department has cabins at some parks, but it looks to me like they're too far out for us.

We're on old 3 speed Raleighs, and we're pretty new cyclists. We don't have a lot of camping gear with us, certainly not bicycle-light stuff. I guess we'll stick to B&Bs?

Traveling the end of July - might have the whole weekend, might just have Saturday and Sunday.

How should I say goodbye to the East Coast?

susoka — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:29:08 -0800

So I'm moving from Baltimore to Atlanta for work - yay, new job! Boo, leaving the East Coast! I've got a month remaining, so in the time between finishing my business here and taking deep breaths, what should I do here that I won't be able to do in the south? I've been here for two years and haven't really explored the area much at all. I'll definitely spend at least one more day in DC and maybe go for a weekend in New York. Any other awesome places I should visit? Are there regional delicacies I won't be able to find in Atlanta? Non-perishable consumer goods? Basically: what should I buy, eat, see, and do? Money's not an issue... just time.

Planning a bachelor party in Baltimore.

backseatpilot — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:44:38 -0800

I need some help with bachelor party plans - for my brother. This will be the first wedding I will be attending as a grownup, and I'll be my brother's best man to boot. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, and I'm stuck on ideas for his bachelor party.

The details:
-He lives, and the wedding will be, within the Baltimore beltway.
-The wedding is next month, on a Saturday. It seems like the best times to do this thing would be (depending on what we do) during the day Friday or after the rehearsal dinner (~10 pm) Friday night.
-I don't know any of his friends. He has taken care of inviting his friends to it. There will be around 10 of us.
-There's the off chance that some of our male relatives will be attending (our father seemed oddly interested). I think our mother knocked some sense into him, but there is that possibility.

I had suggested paintball during the day Friday and he seemed ok with that, but I'd love to hear other suggestions. I would not be against heavy drinking Friday night, but I imagine the rehearsal dinner will be a bawdy affair as it is, and it ends pretty late.

So, I need some help. First, I would like to make this at least a bit more memorable than a typical guys' night out, but I have no idea how. What are things to do either during the day Friday or after the dinner around Baltimore (I know nothing about the city)? Anything I'm blindly missing?

Baltimore Blogs

josher71 — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:35:09 -0800

Since I'm moving to Baltimore in July, I'd like to get a handle on some good blogs by Baltimoreans. Content does not necessarily have to be Baltimore focused, but that would be nice too. What sites should I be reading? Especially looking for food and local news/current events blogs, but will give anything a shot.

Help me avoid Memorial Day weekend eastern seaboard gridlock!

inkyr2 — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:22:32 -0800

Traveling Baltimore to Boston Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Help! Best time to leave Baltimore to avoid gridlock? (I'm flexible) Best or alternate routes?

Deserted beach camping in the DC-area

charmston — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 05:21:38 -0800

I'm looking for extremely primitive beach camping sites (preferably on the Chesapeake) in the DC/MD/VA area. I'm talking about places with no running water, no bathrooms, nothing but nature for miles around. Assateague Island's backcountry camping sites are a perfect example of what I'm looking for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Looking for a little history and a fun roadtrip!

Asherah — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:49:51 -0800

Suggestions for interesting daytrips from Baltimore (other than DC?) Having my first summer free since moving to Baltimore, I'm searching for interesting daytrips or overnights that can be had via car or train, in any direction. I've not experienced anything south of Maryland, but honestly anything with a bit of history, nature or whatever is fine by me. All suggestions welcome, and favorite restaurants, shops, attractions within specific cities as well. Thanks!

rent for Baltimore bartender

myturnplease — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:46:40 -0800

My boyfriend and I are moving to Baltimore in a couple of months. I will be going to grad school and he will look for bartending jobs. How much can we expect him to put toward rent as a working bartender in a more casual/dive bar in the city of Baltimore itself? I will be working off loans, at least in the beginning, so I will pay for my share with that money..we just don't know what kind of rents we should be looking at.

How can I come to grips with my persistent desire to move?

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:28:21 -0800

How can I come to grips with my persistent desire to move? I’ve lived in Baltimore for nearly ten years. I’d like to move to a smaller, warmer city, ideally Durham, NC, where my wife and I attended college and first met. She does not want to move and has an objectively compelling argument for wanting to stay. I cannot seem to set aside my dissatisfaction with living here, and I’d like your advice on how to deal constructively with this urge.

With apologies for the length of the post, here is the situation:

My wife really, really likes living here. She likes the size of the city. She likes her job, which is in a quasi-academic field and has low pay but good benefits and what should be a better-than-average ability to withstand the recession. She likes our neighborhood elementary school, as does our child who currently attends that school. She likes the day care for our younger child. She likes being within 30-60 minutes of her mother and my parents. She likes our church. She likes no longer living in the southern U.S. after having lived there her whole life through college. She even likes the crab cakes.

My dissatisfaction stems from my persistent and growing dislike for Baltimore. Simply put, I’m tired of living here and tired of reading about, and trying to grapple with, with the city’s problems on a daily basis. The drugs, the crime, the poverty, the schools, the bleak winters, the large size of the city (for this guy who grew up in a small town)… the negatives have built to the point that I simply do not want to live here any longer. I can't turn a blind eye to the many problems here, and the intractability of the social issues coupled with my dislike for living in the city itself is wearing heavily on me.

I don’t like to complain without making a good-faith effort to make a difference, and I’ve therefore gotten involved in efforts through my neighborhood association, church and employer to improve matters in the city. Our church is part of a network of churches that support homeless families, for example, and I’ve volunteered to help with that effort. There are also things about living in Baltimore that I do like, particularly the museums and the libraries. Despite my best efforts to stay involved, to volunteer and to do what I can in general to be a good citizen, I find myself depressed by the scope of the city’s problems and increasingly feeling trapped in a place I do not like.

Durham appeals to me for its familiarity, our good friends of long-standing who are in the Triangle area, its better weather, its smaller size, its relatively liberal culture (in the context of the South), the proximity of the large universities in the Triangle, its cultural opportunities, and, last but not least, its cheaper housing. I just feel that life there would be easier than it is here. Our commutes would likely be shorter, our mortgage cheaper, the pace of life slower, and I have every confidence that we could move to a high-quality school district for our kids.

I’d like to think I’m pretty realistic, and I wouldn’t expect to move right away (given the economy), or expect Durham to be perfect. On balance, though, I think I, personally, would be happier there. I suspect it would be a good move for my wife and kids, too, although it’s always tricky to weigh the pros and cons of a decision like this, when we can project into the future much more easily the pros and cons of a place that we know well versus one we don’t know as well. I’m not wedded to Durham, in particular, but it does seem to have much of what I would like.

Housing is another issue - an ancillary issue to larger one, but still a concern. We live in a house in what is considered a very desirable inner-ring suburb, one that is mere blocks from the city line. We bought a now-80-year-old house about eight years ago and a primary consideration was the school district, even though we bought before we had kids.

Our neighborhood may be considered prestigious, but that means little to me. I look at our house and see an attractive house from the exterior, but one that lacks a lot of amenities. We’re planning to remodel the basement and install central air conditioning, and the cost of doing so, while large and nerve-wracking in this current economy, isn’t the main objection for me; it’s the fact that we’ll be spending big bucks to fix up a house I’m not wild about, in a city that I don’t like.

I’m deeply troubled by my inability to discuss this desire to leave Baltimore with my wife in any rational way. Her response tends to be along the lines of, “I really like it here, so why move?” That sort of response trivializes my very real concerns about living here and doesn’t leave much room for a discussion. On the other hand, she's been abundantly clear about her feelings on the matter, and it seems rude and perhaps even disrespectful of me to keep bringing up the subject.

I’m also troubled by what, from my perspective, looks like a perfectly rational desire to move, but which, on the other hand, looks to my wife (and sometimes to me) like an escape into fantasy or a retreat from confronting the realities of daily life. I’m a reasonably competent person. I’ve changed jobs when appropriate, and each new job has suited me better than the one before. I’ve run a marathon, obtained professional certifications, and achieved other things by setting goals and working hard. I try to be active in my community. I've tried pretty hard to make a go of it here. And yet, I have an unrequited desire to leave Baltimore.

Trying to look at this objectively, I have:

- a spouse who adamantly does not want to move;
- nearby parents;
- a house, notwithstanding its shortcomings, in an area that has retained property values and which is in a good school system;
- happy, healthy children;
- a church I like; and
- a job and co-workers that, generally speaking, I like (though not to the same extent as my wife).

There are many times I feel ashamed or selfish to even think of moving and that I should count my blessings and make my peace with living here. While there are times that I can suppress my feelings to some degree, though, my growing dislike for living here always seems to re-surface sooner or later.

If anyone’s made the move I’ve been contemplating, I’d be interested in your specific thoughts. I’m more interested, however, in anyone’s advice regarding how I should proceed from here. Should I suck it up and keep trying to focus on the things I do like about living here? Should I consider therapy, either alone or with my wife? Does this persistent, constant desire to move strike you as normal, or as unhealthy and counterproductive? I’m amenable to any and all evaluations of my situation and suggestions as to how I can deal with this situation. Throwaway e-mail for anyone who’d prefer not to post: stuckinbaltimore@gmail.com.

I'm pretty much fucked without Google Transit.

Asherah — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:20:22 -0800

When will Google Transit reflect the recent updates to the Maryland Transit Administration (Baltimore) schedules? I've been using Google Transit via Maps on my iPhone religiously to get around Baltimore (as a car-less student). Since recent updates have taken place, effective yesterday (as reported by the MTA website), Google Transit cannot provide directions anywhere, however Baltimore/MTA is still listed as a supported transportation service on the list of cities.

Any idea of how long I will be waiting for Google and the MTA to communicate schedules and I will be able to utilize it again?

A Bass Inauguration

jazzkat11 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:26:05 -0800

Obama's Baltimore inaugural stop: Who sang the National Anthem? It was a phenomenal Bass singer; here is a low-quality clip of the event.

A gun by any other name

Oktober — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:06:47 -0800

What were some of the slang terms used for guns on The Wire? From what i remember, bodie and poot (and the other corner kids) had an unusual slang term for the guns they hid in the wheelwells of cars. It wasn't strap, heat, piece, or nine. Any ideas?

Cheap travel from Delaware to NYC?

viewofdelft — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:23:54 -0800

What are the cheapest ways to get from Newark, Delaware, to New York City? I'm a research assistant at the University of Delaware and as part of a long and wonkish I-95 corridor project, we've decided to produce a map or informational pamphlet letting students know the cheapest ways to get from here (Newark, Delaware) to New York City.

A few things to keep in mind:
1. Any mode of transportation is fair game (air, rail, highway, seaports, etc.), as is any type of vehicle (plane, train, automobile, bus, shoes, etc.).
2. Be creative, but within reasonable limits of safety (i.e., no airmailing oneself).
3. It's alright if many of the suggested travel methods begin in Philadelphia (and maybe even Baltimore) if these departure points are more familiar to you.
4. Cost is the most important factor, although I don't want to discourage that outlandish teleportation idea you've been waiting to uncork.

After we've completed the map or pamphlet, I'll contact each of the contributors about mailing them a finished product. Thank you.

Take me out to the ball game, and no Miller Lite, please.

Asherah — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:07:23 -0800

Where in Baltimore can I relax, grab a decent beer and watch the World Series next month? I'm not entirely sure if the city of Baltimore cares about baseball with the abysmal performance of the Orioles this season, but with a visiting baseball-obsessed boyfriend visiting, I'd like a pub/bar/tavern within Baltimore City with a decent vibe to grab a beer and watch a game or two of the series. Any suggestions?