Spring in Baltimore: Sherwood Gardens for the tulips

 TLDR

Early spring, in the middle of a north Baltimore neighborhood, you will happen upon an amazing garden. Tulips everywhere. You will question if you are still in the city, but you are still in the city. But like cherry blossoms, there is a peak and then they are gone. Late March to early April is your window. 

My Story

The second week of March in Baltimore was in the 60's and 70's. One day it was in the 80's. There is a popular meme about the 12 seasons of Maryland. This warm weather is the Spring of Deception. The cherry blossoms and daffodils think it is time bloom. The flowers have been deceived. The third week of March brought Third Winter. Actual Spring will only last for a few weeks and then jump to summer, but spring is still my favorite season. Watching nature come back to life, even if it is being deceived, breaks me out of my seasonal depression and brings my hope back. One of my signs of spring is Sherwood Gardens.

I first heard of Sherwood Gardens when I would see people post pictures, frolicking in some garden full of tulips like they went to Holland over the weekend. But they didn't go to Holland, they were in Baltimore. Every year I would see these posts and say I was going to check it out and every year, I wouldn't go. Tulips are one of the first flowers to come up in the spring. Once the weather gets warm, blooms will only last a few days. You don't have forever to check out these flowers. And every year I miss it. 

In April of 2019, I was sitting at my desk at work. It was a beautiful day outside. I was working for Live Baltimore, an organization that promoted Baltimore City and its diverse neighborhoods. Our Communication Manager mentioned she could use some pictures for social media and I was out the door, in my car and up the JFX heading to the historic neighborhood of Guilford. The neighborhood of Guilford is full of large homes. I could honestly just go to that neighborhood and look at homes.  

I was really taking a picture of the flowers, not the house.
This is a small Guilford home.

But in the spring, you pass stately manors and then discover flowers.

History

This 6 acre private park was designed by the Olmsteds in 1913 and originally called Stratford Green. Guilford was also Olmsted designed and John Sherwood lived in one of the homes on the park. He loved tulips and had them imported in the 1920's and planted them around his house. Other flowers were planted, like azaleas which he also loved.  Rumor has it that he came home one day and saw uninvited people strolling the gardens and shortly after that, the private park, was open to the public for thousands to explore. Now there are over 50,000 tulips along with some other plants.

Azaleas

The park is open until dusk. If you leave work and the weather is nice, just go to the park. You can also plan a trip and bring a blanket and some food. If anyone reading this is dating, this is a really cheap and impressive date. I know I would never forget it. Ok, now I'm just giving hints for how to date me.

I know I have made it seem urgent to go see these flowers in the early spring, but there are other flowers that pop up during the summer. There is also programming in the park like summer concerts. There is a Bloom Party in early April, but flower lovers go crazy over the annual Tulip Dig in May. Who wouldn't want to plant some of these tulips at their home. Be there at 7am for the opportunity to get the best tulips. This is another event I say I will go to. Maybe this year is the year.

This tulip is worth a 7am rise time.

Spring in Baltimore: The BIG Kite Fest in Patterson Park

TLDR:

In 2019, The Creative Alliance & Friends of Patterson Park held the first BIG Kite Fest. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect to fly a kite with thousands of your neighbors. I added this to my must attend Baltimore events list. Fun fact: my grandmother taught me to fly a kite.

My Story

I remember casually leaving my house to check out the BIG Kite Fest. I have said this before, but The Friends of Patterson Park are always thinking of amazing programming in the park. When they partner with The Creative Alliance, programming is next level. I think all the amazing things I have seen in the park desensitized me for what I was about to see. As I walked towards Observatory Hill, I could see kites flying over the trees. Once I got to the Observatory, I was greeted by a kaleidoscope of colors swirling in the sky. Kites of all shapes and sizes, dotted the horizon. I don't know what I expected but seeing all the people, young and old, flying kites was simply breathtaking. It was like I was transported to a magical world like Narnia. No not Narnia, that always reminds me of The White Witch and she was scary AF. I don't even know what Turkish Delight is but I won't ever eat it. Sorry for that tangent. My heart fills with pride when fantastic things happen in my neighborhood.

A Kaleidoscope of Color

Creativity Takes Flight

You can bring a kite, buy a kite or yes, make a kite. The Creative Alliance has a station where children and adults make their own kites. Flying these kites is a completely different matter. Many kids fly a kite by running. This method is not "flying" a kite and it is the perfect way to get a kite stuck in a tree. Fortunately there are "Kite Doctors" with long polls that can try to rescue a wayward kite. My dad grew up in Baltimore and ran with a kite. My maternal grandmother taught me how to actually fly a kite. When my dad saw this, he was amazed. Now when I think about this, no one can figure out why my grandmother, born in Thomasville, GA in 1912 would know how to fly a kite. I will just be grateful for the gift.

My kite in flight. 

If you leave the hill and walk east towards Linwood Ave. you will see the professional kite flyers. Massive kites are staked in the ground or being flown by the experts. There are also less trees in this area so it is the perfect area to run with a kite.

A Community United:

One of the most beautiful aspects of the BIG Kite Festival is how it brings people together. Families gather for picnics on the grass. There is amazing food for sale. Pro tip, stand in the line because it is worth it. Various bands play music, but don't worry about it being too loud. This is an acoustic event. There are no generators or amplifiers so we can all enjoy the sounds of nature.

This is an event that I fully immerse myself in and because of that I don't have the greatest pictures. I had no idea someday I would blog about it. Please check out this professional recap video and I hope to see you in the park.

Do you know how to fly a kite? Please feel free to take guesses on why my grandmother knew how to fly a kite.

Spring in Baltimore: Cherry Blossoms, Daffodils and Opening Day

TLDR

Early spring in Baltimore can be warm and sunny or snowing from day to day.  Despite the unpredictability, spring is my favorite season. In Baltimore, blooming flowers and Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (OPACY) are my first signs of spring. OPACY was voted the #1 MLB Fan Park and #3 in for food in USA today. You don't have to be a baseball fan, but you should check out an Orioles game at least once for a true Baltimore experience with food and people.

Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Opening Day

The season opener is the most popular game. It is hard to get a ticket, but that is OK. The atmosphere of the city on Opening Day is next level. You can hang out at bars near the stadium and hear the cheers from the stadium. Two very popular spots are Pickles Pub and Pratt Street Ale House. But you can cheer on the orange and black in most Baltimore neighborhoods. You can have almost as much fun outside the stadium as inside. 

Pratt Street Ale House

Some other popular days at OPACY are giveaway days. Some perennial favorites are Hawaiian shirts, reversible bucket hats, soccer shirts, and bobble heads. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a big baseball fan, but I have a ridiculous amount of swag from these giveaways. Once you get in the park after grabbing a giveaway, there are some things you need to know about the game. During the National Anthem, everyone is going to say a very loud "O" after "and the flag was still there" If you are a first timer, you will be confused. As I was typing this I wondered where that come from? I don't think I got a real answer for the actual placement in the Star Spangled Banner, but the origin is said to be from super fan Wild Bill Hagy. I'm mentioning it because I found this video from The Today Show and if you want to see some old school Baltimore footage, enjoy! Another thing that happens at the game is the 7th inning stretch song is "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver. It replaced the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as a more modern song in the 70's and has never gone away. There are nights with discounted seats and in the summertime you may get a concert or fireworks after a game. But don't over think it, just go to a ballgame. 

Giveaways-Bucket hats and Hawaiian shirts

A different type of Friday Night Lights

Oh it seems like I'm leaving stadium talk, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't talk about food. Remember voted #3 for food by USA Today. Lots of concession stands are local places. The first stop is Boog's BBQ. Boog's is a Baltimore famous pit beef and pork sandwiches place. You will see a long line but it moves fast. And fun fact, the rolls are gluten-free. Stuggy's Gourmet Hot Dogs is located in SE Baltimore and now their dogs are available at the ballpark. That is pretty perfect but that crab mac n' cheese dog makes me happy that I can also get it outside of the park. Some local favorites also rotate into the stadium through the season. There will be future blog posts about Ekiben and Attman's Deli, but just for now if you are at the stadium and they are there, get them in your belly. Remember, these are just some food options to get you started. I like to decide what I'm going to eat before I go. If somehow you sneak into a suite on the club level, find yourself a crab ball.

Stuggy's crab mac n cheese hot dog

A little bit of history

Professional baseball in Baltimore was played at Memorial Stadium until 1991. I even worked in the concession stands when I was in high school. After the Baltimore Colts rolled out of town in the middle of the night in a Mayflower truck (still bitter) for a new stadium, the city decided to build a new stadium for the Orioles. What is really unique about our stadium is it is a mixture of old and new. It was built downtown, but instead of completely clearing away everything to make space, the B&O Warehouse was preserved right next to the stadium. The warehouse now houses offices and a private club for the Orioles. There are some really great historic neighborhoods that also surround the park. A new mural honors the Baltimore's Negro League legacy. My dad could talk your ear off about the Baltimore Elite Giants and Negro League Baseball in general. I want to go on too, but this says it better. And it has better pictures too. My parents still worked in the city when they were building the stadium. They thought there was no way the could fit a stadium there. They said the same thing when the Raven's Stadium was built next door. 

Legends Park at OPACY

An extra story just because...

My grandmother loved baseball. She always listened to baseball games on the radio even though she could watch it on TV. She was 81 when OPACY opened. I was in school in Florida at the time, but my mom would talk to me every week (because long distance fees were a thing and we only talked on Sundays after 7-IYKYK) about the best time to go to the game, parking and what kind of food she was going to pack. We picked a date, I bought a plane ticket and flew home. I don't remember what month I flew home, but it definitely shouldn't have been in the 50's. We didn't think we should take my grandmother, but she wasn't having it. We bundled up, ate chicken salad sandwiches and had a wonderful time.

Me and the best MLB mascot

What a view!!!

Let me know what your favorite game day activity is AND please watch the video of Wild Bill Hagy, so old Baltimore.

Ovenbird Bakery is what is created when a bird biologist watches The Great British Bake Off

 TLDR

Keiller Kyle, my Patterson Park neighbor, used to bake bread as hobby. Neighbors and friends said "You should open a bakery" and he did. Go to Ovenbird Bakery and get bread, croissants, scones, cookies, bagels and quiche into your belly. There are two locations: Little Italy (limited seating) and Highlandtown (hang out with your friend, work away from home).

My Story

Social media is definitely problematic. People often show the best things that are going on in their life and it makes you feel like you are doing something wrong in your life. People also feel that they can say anything hiding behind a keyboard. But for me social media has connected me and keeps me connected with people I would have never met. What does this have to do with bread? Let me tell you.

Y'all know how much I love my hood, Patterson Park. My love for it, is detailed in one of my first blog posts. My neighborhood has a Facebook group. There are less posts about lost cats than on Next Door, but many angry posters rant about parking and off-lease dogs. But there are lots of gems. In Oct 2018, Keiller Kyle posted he started baking and was going to host a Bread Tasting Open House.  I have often joked the way to kidnap me is to let me peek in your house. If you offer me food, it is a done deal. Fortunately I wasn't kidnapped, had some great bread, and met some great neighbors (3 blocks away). 

Bread, Bread, Bread

This is what a Bread Open House looks like

Keiller moved the bread making out of his Baltimore rowhome into a brick and mortar in June of 2020. We had no idea we would be on lock down for two years from Covid at the time. But the Ovenbird Bakery in Little Italy was a small corner shop that didn't really have room to sit. It was the perfect get away to take a long walk, pick up some pastries or a sandwich for lunch while working from home and practicing social distancing. On one of these walks, I remember getting the best quiche I have ever had. The cheese, egg, crust ratio was heaven sent. 

Come on quiche!

The food service industry is tough without adding a global pandemic to the business model, but Ovenbird not only made it to the other side, but they opened another location in Highlandtown. Now this one is more than a corner store. Most of the inspiration of the new spot is Turkish from his wife's background. There is plenty of seating in this new spot and it has quickly become a neighborhood hangout. 

This ceiling is for the gram

The larger spot also opens up a broader menu. There is more bread, pastries, sandwiches, drinks including alcohol. 

Go ahead and place an order

On the weekend, people line up to grab sourdough bread for the weekend in hopes that it will last into the week. I always look at the case and think I'm going to get a spinach, goat cheese, bacon, and chive scone. No, I should get an almond or chocolate croissant. Wait, maybe the sausage and jalapeno quiche, never-mind it's always the ham and cheese croissant. I want to describe how it melts in your mouth but I will let you experience it yourself. 

Ham and Cheese Croissant

I love the comfort of a hot drink, but I was interested in the Espresso Tonics. I was unsure, but the barista asked if I liked gin and tonic and I was sold. It was an unexpected, refreshing drink that I think I will see a lot of during the summer. 

Espresso Tonic

I'm not going to describe every bite. I'm just going to share a picture of me and my neighbor who makes bread.

Patterson Park neighbors

The Black and White Party, The Pratt Contemporaries and The Enoch Pratt Free Library

TLDR:

The Pratt Contemporaries started as a junior board of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in 2007. Its signature event is the Black and White Party held on the last Saturday in January at the Central Branch (add that to your calendar). Who doesn't love to dress up like a literary character to support reading.

What was this theme?

My Story:
My first knowledge of the Black and White Party was in 2017 as a coworker (now dear friend) was receiving very interesting items at the office from Amazon. She told me it was for the Pratt Contemporaries, Black and White Party. This group hosts a fundraiser at the Central Library every year. In 2017 the theme was Alice and Wonderland. And then when I saw the pictures I knew I had to go. In 2018, the Central Library was undergoing a major renovation. Check out the amazing renovation here.

Look at that ceiling!!!

The party moved to another location. As I do, I had completely forgotten about this event. What I didn't know was the event sells out almost immediately. Most people become members of the Pratt Contemporaries to guarantee they get a ticket. The theme was Havana Nights. My coworker (now dear friend), gets very upset when the theme is not a book. More on that later. I will be honest, I don't remember any pictures from that theme.

In 2019, I forgot again. I hadn't become a member of the Pratt Contemporaries. The tickets sold out. The Central Library was still undergoing renovations and the theme was Studio 54 (not a book). But at the last minute, I was able to buy a ticket from someone who couldn't go.

Missing in this picture are the Elton John like glasses I wore most of the night.

The Pratt Contemporaries:

I'm going to leave my story and talk a little bit about The Pratt Contemporaries. This group was started in 2007 to attract young donors to the library. An initial group of twelve people now boast a membership of hundreds and have raised over a million dollars for the library. When you join The Pratt Contemporaries, you attend events for free or discounted and you get access to the member pre-sale for the Black and White Party. There are multiple levels of membership and some give you a free ticket. And of course, the most important thing is you support programing at the library.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library System:

In 1882, Baltimore businessman, Enoch Pratt offered a central library, four branch libraries and over a million dollar endowment to the city of Baltimore. The former Executive Director of the Pratt shared that the Enoch Pratt Libraries are on ground level because everyone should have access to knowledge. Picture the New York Library. It is built that you have to ascend to knowledge and not that knowledge is for all.

“My library shall be for all, rich and poor without distinction of race or color, who, when properly accredited, can take out the books if they will handle them carefully and return them.” Enoch Pratt

Now back to the party:

After my Studio 54 experience, I made sure to become a member. I also really wanted to experience the Black and White Party at the Central Library. I enjoyed some great events with the Contemporaries, including the reveal of the 2020 theme. The theme was the Wizard of Oz. Finally back to books and a book you can do so much with. Sadly, I had just enjoyed that theme at another party. I wore a poppy dress so that doesn't go with the black and white theme. Etsy has been my friend for theme outfits and I think I did pretty good. 

As we followed the yellow-brick road, we had no idea that somewhere over the rainbow was Covid-19. It would be three years before we were back in the library. The 2023 theme was Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. Yes a book. 

In the stacks again

In 2024, the theme was New Orleans, Mon Amour. Now it is time to talk about the non-book theme. I had a conversation about the themes and I was told that when the events were not in the library, they weren't a book. I was fine with this until this New Orleans theme. There are so many books in existence. So.Many.Books!!! If next year is not a book, I'm going to have to join this board and ensure book themes forever!!

I had this mask and resisted with all my might to not buy a white one.

Please comment and let me know what book should be a theme for the next Black and White Party?

Water for Chocolate- Sexy Comfort Food

TLDR

This small neighborhood restaurant hidden in Upper Fells Point has been important to me and my family. You should come and enjoy some of the best food you will ever have. BBQ Shrimp and Grits, Jalapeno Cornbread, and Duck Confit oh my. 

My Story

House hunting is hard work. I decided it would be better to eat first. I was still trying to get my bearings in the area. I was looking to live in the Patterson Park neighborhood, but there were many distinct neighborhoods that surround the park. One of the neighborhoods in Butchers Hill to the west of the park. Many Baltimore restaurants are converted rowhomes, so they can be very small and sometimes you don’t even know it is a restaurant. I found a small one on the corner of Wolfe and Lombard called Water for Chocolate. I ordered shrimp salad and a brownie for carryout and headed to the park. 

I didn’t take any pictures because I didn’t know how good the food would be and it was 2008 and I didn’t let the camera eat first like I do now. At first I thought the shrimp salad was going to be too creamy but the seasoning and the soft croissant balanced it all out. Now the brownie is still to this day one of my favorite brownies. It is thick, chocolaty and has a hint of cinnamon. 

Water for Chocolate has become an important neighborhood spot. One of the things that I love about Baltimore is the concept of Smaltimore. If there are six degrees of separation in the world, there are at most three in Baltimore. Everyone is very interconnected. I have gotten to know the owner of Water for Chocolate, Chef Sean Guy. I have watched his children, who often work with him in the restaurant or festivals, grow up. In 2015 there was a fire that closed the restaurant. The neighborhood rallied around Water for Chocolate with fundraisers and it eventually reopened and expanded to the building next door. 

Me and Chef Sean Guy in the new bathroom. If you ever went to the old one you understand why this is picture worthy. IYKYK

Water for Chocolate also got a beer and wine license and created a sangria he calls Dope Juice. I also make sangria and I gave a great hint early on that makes Dope Juice a winner in my opinion. It is one of the few places I will order sangria. What is this hint? Don't leave your citrus rinds in the sangria because it will become bitter.

Dope Juice. The rosemary wasn't my idea, but like I said, this drink is a winner.

In addition to seeing Water for Chocolate grow, it has been a spot of milestones for my family. We would often go there for birthdays because my parents love to support a black owned business and the food is so good. I was having lunch with my family when I found out I got my job at Live Baltimore. My brother went on a first date and later proposed to his now wife at Water for Chocolate. Places like this is one of the reasons I love Baltimore.

The happy couple and it all started at Water for Chocolate

Now let me talk about the food. Sean Guy calls it sexy comfort food and when you see it and taste it, you know what he means. One of his signature dishes is BBQ Shrimp and Grits. I didn’t think it would be my jam because it is not what I’m used to with shrimp and grits, but I was wrong. The sauce is not Memphis, KC or Carolina, it is Chef Guy’s own creation and just the right amount. Alongside a big piece of jalapeno cornbread, you will have to go back to sleep after this brunch.

BBQ Shrimp and Grits

One of my go to brunch items is the Hangover Special. I’m just going to say there is goat cheese mac under that bacon!!!

Hangover Special

Some other brunch items are jerk duck confit over a cornbread waffle and don’t worry about all the meat. The Sweet Potato Polenta has all the veggies.

Jerk Duck Confit over a Cornbread Waffle

Sweet Potato Polenta

Brunch is my favorite meal, but I don’t want to leave out the dinner at Water for Chocolate. You can sign up for the Chef’s Table for an exclusive multi-course meal. Last time I stopped by for dinner, I enjoyed the night's Blue Plate Special-Lobster, shrimp, scallops, and salmon belly in lemongrass coconut curry. It was even better than it sounds if that is possible. The Blue Plate Special changes so I'm sorry if this one is not available, but whatever it is, it will be good.

Blue Plate Special

What are you going to get when you go? Please let me know in the comments.

Amicci's Pane Rotundo is Little Italy’s best appetizer

 TLDR

This restaurant has a special place in my heart and belly with a creamy shrimp appetizer. It is located in a historically ethnic neighborhood that still has plenty of good food and fun events for me to blog about in the future.

My Story

I have since explored many of the restaurants in Little Italy, but Amicci’s was the first one I visited while I was searching for a home in Baltimore. I had a day of house hunting. I was looking for a rowhome with a parking pad and an open floor plan. That didn’t sound like a lot. But listings that said “parking pad” was really concrete in the back of a home that had no turn radius to actually accommodate a car. I would have to drop my car from the sky to get onto the parking pad. 

I was starving and really needed some comfort food and Italian food fit the bill. My brother, who had lived in the city for a few years, suggested Amicci’s. He was born when I was six and it seemed very unnecessary to me, but he has shown his value now that we are adults.

The Wiggins kids. I'm glad we kept him.

Amicci’s looked simple from the outside so I had no idea what awaited me on the inside. I sat at the bar so I could get some advice from the bartender on what I should try. The bartender said I had to have the Pane Rotundo, their signature appetizer. She had me at shrimp and cream sauce. The fact that it is served in a toasted sourdough bread bowl was an added bonus. The combination of the crusty sourdough and the succulent shrimp, bathed in a creamy sauce, made me forget about nonexistent parking pads. It was so good, I don’t remember what else I got that day. 

Pane Rotundo at Amicci's

I have gone back to Amicci’s several times since that first day. I have never had a bad meal. I love the tortellini peas and ham, but I’m a fool for stuffed pasta. There is an awesome daily carryout special. I find Amicci’s to be one of the more affordable places in Little Italy. Don’t let the price fool you. The food is quality. Amicci’s is a cozy spot perfect for a family meal or a romantic date. Now they even have a smaller version of the Pane Rotundo called the Panino in case you feel some kind of way about eating a whole sourdough bowl. I’m fine with it.

History

Amicci’s is a family owned restaurant established in 1991 in Baltimore’s Little Italy neighborhood. In the mid to late 1800’s, Italians migrated to Baltimore. A main entry point was President Street Station on the Baltimore waterfront. Immigrants from many different European countries settled in the area. By the early 1900’s, most of the residents were Italian and many family owned businesses were established in the neighborhood. Today the population is different, but there are still many places to eat (they will be in future posts). There are several regular events in Little Italy like the Italian Heritage Day and the Madonnari Arts Festival (more future posts)

Tastiest Week of the Year

TLDR

Winter Baltimore Restaurant Week is from January 26-February 4. It is one of the best opportunities to try a variety of Baltimore restaurants. I couldn't talk about all the restaurants I love that are on the list, because there are so many. You just have to get out there. Try some new food or go back to a spot that you haven't been to in a while. Feel free to invite me to join.

My Story

Winter is a slow time for restaurants. Now sponsored by Visit Baltimore and Downtown Baltimore Partnership, Restaurant Week was first offered in 2006 and gives diners 10 days (I know that isn't a “week”) of dining deals. Participation restaurants offer specially curated prix-fixe lunch, brunch and dinner menus, allowing patrons to savor multi-course meals at affordable prices. There is usually a Summer Restaurant Week that happens in July.

In the past, I have taken off the whole week from work. I like to call it a staycation. One time I was able to fit in 13 different restaurants. It is the perfect foodie vacation to really checkout Baltimore's truly exceptional dining scene. And I don't have to pay for lodging. I have a newish job and I haven't accumulated enough time off yet. Hopefully next year I can resume my staycation.

One of the standout features of Baltimore Restaurant Week is the diverse range of dining options. From upscale fine dining establishments to cozy neighborhood eateries, the participating restaurants span the culinary spectrum. This inclusivity ensures that there's something for every taste and preference. It really is the perfect opportunity for both seasoned foodies and casual diners to explore new culinary experiences.

Baltimore Restaurant Week is also a chance for diners to enjoy popular restaurants at a fraction of the regular cost. The prix-fixe menus offer a fantastic value, allowing diners to relish high-quality dishes without breaking the bank. It's an opportunity to treat oneself to a culinary adventure without the guilt of overspending.

Porchetta at Cosima

Discovering Hidden Gems

For those who are eager to explore Baltimore's culinary scene, Restaurant Week serves as a treasure trove of hidden gems. With many establishments participating for the first time or featuring exclusive dishes, diners can unearth new favorites and support local businesses in the process. It's a chance to step outside one's culinary comfort zone and embrace the unexpected.

Bolognese at new comer, Zander's

Tips for Maximizing the Experience

Plan Ahead: With a multitude of participating restaurants, it's wise to plan your dining itinerary in advance. Check out the official Baltimore Restaurant Week website for the list of participating establishments and their menus. Some of the menus aren't up yet, but that shouldn't stop you from deciding to go. Some menus may be on the restaurant's website, so be sure to check that out too.

Take advantage of lunch and brunch options. Some of them really have great value. I'm going to have to have a lunch meeting at Zander's. Not only is the location in the old Alexander Brown building stunning, $25 for a meal there is unbelievable. The Empanada Lady looks like a good value for brunch. It is definitely on my list.

The Alexander Brown building

Try Something New: Use this opportunity to try cuisines and dishes you might not have considered before. Baltimore's food scene is diverse, and Restaurant Week is the perfect time to expand your culinary horizons. Try some Mediterranean food at Ammoora a new restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Residences. Also Nepenthe Brewing Co. has the best kitchen of all the breweries in the city. They also have cocktails if you are not a beer drinker. Dang, now I need to add them to my list.

Ashta Bil Asal at Ammoora

Reservations Recommended: Some places are popular like Petit Louis Bistro and Tio Pepe, Baltimore institutions. Some are small like Sobo Cafe and Forged (2023 James Beard Semi-Finalist) and can fill up quickly during this event, so making reservations is highly recommended. Ensure you secure your spot at your chosen dining destination.

Tio Pepe is famous for their sangria.

Share the Experience: Dining is often a social affair, so why not make it a group outing? Gather friends or family and share the joy of discovering new flavors together. Who is going out with me? Remember, the camera gets to eat first.

Al fresco in and alley at Sobo Market. So Baltimore.

I know I said each thing would have its own post when I started the blog. But I feel like Restaurant Week is like Baltimore is the restaurant. It's also my blog so I can change the rules. I'm also going to calm down soon and not post every other day. But thank you for joining me so far. Please continue to share.