Month: April 2024

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Baltimore or Bust

This year, as Eileen went off to Spring Break in Pensacola, JR, Alyson, Clara and I made our way from New Orleans directly to Baltimore for Easter. This is the fourth year in a row that we’ve used this weekend to visit a new city and go to a ball game (or two).

We landed in Baltimore in the early evening on Friday night and spent some time tooling around the Inner Harbor area. This is one of the more popular, touristy areas of the city. You’ll definitely pay tourist prices, but there’s a lot to do. We were too early in the season for the majority of the water activities, but it’s still a pretty interesting area.

Where We Ate

Angie’s Seafood: This was a great spot that had reservations available for us on a Friday night in Lent. The entire menu looked great, and while it was pricey, the food was worth it. We were definitely on the prowl for crab cakes, and these were some of the best I have ever had. It’s worth it to keep in mind that the crab cakes in Baltimore differ from those, in say, New Orleans. Back home, it’s basically a fried patty. On the east coast, it was almost like a huge ice cream scoop of crab with very little filler, warmed and browned on a grill top. The meal was quite satisfying.

Underground Pizza CO.: This pizza places specializes in Detroit-style pizza, which basically means sauce on the top and no crust. This, too, was in the Inner Harbor area, so was pricey and touristy, but the food was really good and the people were really friendly.

Miss Shirleys: This is one of the classic breakfasts spots, of which there are several throughout the Baltimore area. We were able to walk from our hotel, and all four of us easily found something we were able to enjoy.

Peabody Heights Brewery: Full disclosure, we didn’t actually eat at this brewery. There was a food truck, but we didn’t actually try anything. The beer was solid, and there were a dozen or so options. Two unique things about this brewery is that first, it’s located at the site of the old Orioles baseball stadium, there’s some cool historical stuff to look at. The second is that the brewery includes an all-you-can-play video arcade for $15. Our kids were allowed to participate, and we spent a solid two hours here.

What We Did

Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum: If you are a baseball lover or a history lover, this is a cool place to visit. While Babe Ruth only lived at this Baltimore site for about a week, they have done a really good job of preserving it. There are some really cool old baseball cards, not just of the Babe, several exhibits about the Babe and the Orioles, and a short, but poignant video about the relationship between big league ball and the national anthem. It’s priced reasonably, and only takes about an hour, and is definitely worthwhile.

Fort McHenry: Speaking of the national anthem, this is National Historic Site was the location of the battle where it was originally penned. At the time we were there, the Fort actually overlooked the collapsed bridge, but in addition to that, it is a well-preserved part of American history. The grounds are beautiful, especially when the trees are flowering, and there’s a great video about Francis Scott Key, the War of 1812 and the development of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Phillies Game: If you’ve come to Baltimore for the love of the game, as did we, it might be worth your time to drive two hours northeast and catch a Phillies game. We did on the Saturday, and watched the Phillies drop one to the Braves. Although I am a fan of neither team, it is always fun to watch the Phillies lose; their fans take it so well.

I believe this was the 12th MLB team at whose stadium I saw a home game, and frankly, I was not impressed. I love visiting Philadelphia, but everything you hear about the Philly-faithful is true. They boo almost all the time, including their owns players. The stadium is relatively lackluster. Worst of all, the fans don’t seem to understand normal, live sports etiquette. They stand up to go to the vendors or bathroom mid-pitch and seem to completely disregard the fact that others a trying to watch the game. In terms of getting to a home game of every club, I am glad that we went, but I don’t have plans to ever go back.

Orioles Game: Camden Yards is a completely different story. This first of the classic, retro stadiums is built right into the heart of the city and does not disappoint. While I am aware that the team itself frequently disappoints, we had a great experience. For me, an Orioles game is the top attraction in Baltimore. Of the stadiums that I have been in, I think I would have to rank it third, behind only Busch and Wrigley.

We had a great trip and great time visiting Baltimore. It is a very diverse city, and it has a lot to offer. I would gladly go back given the opportunity. Next on our list might be another short baseball trip with just JR, Clara and I, or it will be a big one: South Dakota, North Dakota and an RV. Stay tuned…

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Sugar, We’re Going Down (to Jacksonville)

The morning after the Bananas’ game, JR and I woke early and jetted off to Florida to see his favorite band, Fall Out Boy, perform in Jacksonville. Again, this post will be somewhat of a diversion from our normal travel posts, but if you’re spending some time in Jacksonville, or with Patrick Stump or Pete Wentz, this installment is for you.

What We Did:

Fort Caroline: This is a National Park Service site within the city of Jacksonville. To be honest, it is a bit of a disappointment. The ‘fort’ has existed since the 1500s, and it is admitted by the people who run the site that no one really knows what exactly it was or what exactly happened there. It would be a cool place to take your dog for a walk if you lived nearby, but there is not actually a lot to see or do. We got a passport stamp, and that was about it.

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant: This restaurant, right one the water, was awesome. You walk in, order at the counter, and they bring your food within a few minutes. JR and I sat outside, had a great food and enjoyed a perfect atmosphere.

St. Augustine, FL: The oldest town in the United States is less than an hour south of Jacksonville. In retrospect, I wish we’d gone right away, but since the concert didn’t start until 6:30 pm, and FOB wasn’t likely to go on until 9, we had plenty of time. There is a much better National Park site here (Castillo de San Marcos), and while the whole town is a bit touristy, it’s a lot of fun. We found a bar with a balcony overlooking the water, a place called Ben’s that sells pretzels, and all sorts of other things to do. It actually reminded me a lot of the French Quarter, sans the strip clubs and t-shirt shop.s

Fall Out Boy

What an amazing show!!! I couldn’t have asked for more for JR’s first concert. We arrived at about 7:30, but still saw two openers, including Jimmy Eat World, who were pretty good. Fall Out Boy went on at around 9 and played for almost two hours.

The show was amazing. A lot of their music is very interactive, and the audience was great. The band played every song we wanted to hear, plus a few more that we didn’t expect. By the end, the boy was exhausted, and I was happy. I sent the band an FB message thanking them for making his first concert so memorable, and Patrick Stump (the lead singer) actually responded.

We both look forward to the next new album from Fall Out Boy (named for a Simpsons’ character, if you didn’t know) so that the go on another tour.

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A Savannah Banana in Louisiana

This might be a slight diversion from our normal posts, but last Friday night, I took JR to the Savannah Bananas game in Baton Rouge. If you have plans to go (anywhere), here are a few things to keep in mind.

First of all, if you are going for the baseball, don’t go. If you are a baseball purist, you will hate this experience. It is much more akin to a Harlem Globetrotters game than a Yankees game, so just keep that in mind.

Personally, I thought I was going to hate it, and whilst I did not love it, it was better than I expected. The players are all very talented, and it is quite a spectacle. I am not sure if this holds true at every venue, but in Baton Rouge, there was no assigned seating, so it was a made rush to find a place to sit amongst friends, but beyond that, the atmosphere was fun.

When we arrived, there were multiple shops at which merchandise could be purchased, and several players available to sign autographs. You might ask what interest there actually is in the autograph of a Banana, but kids at least up to the age of 12 love it. I bought JR a ball, and he got about half a dozen signatures. Even though the value of those signatures is little, monetarily, it was a great experience for JR, and all of the players were super-friendly.

In terms of the game itself, there are a few rules which are important to note. Most important is that the game stops at 2 hours, which was a huge relief. Additionally, points are only awarded at the end of the full inning to the team who scored the most runs. So if the Bananas, who are always the home team, give up 2 runs in the top of the first and score 5 in the bottom, they are up 1-0.

That leads to my next point of emphasis, they always play the same team, the Party Animals. These guys are basically just as good at baseball as the Bananas, and also try to put on a show.

What I Didn’t Like:

There isn’t a ton of commitment to the quality of the game play. It is clearly not meant to be high end baseball, and that was a detractor for me.

The umpires. They spent a lot of time dancing, more than one would expect in under almost any other circumstance. I felt like it took away from my enjoyment.

The walk rule. After a four ball at bat, the runner sprints to as many bases he can reach until everyone on the other team touches the ball. It sounds interesting, but it just ends up with runners sprinting to first and outfielders sprinting to second.

What I Liked:

As before mentioned, the 2 hour time limit, and the player/audience engagement. At one point, the left fielder player catch prior to the inning with my son and two of his friends, that was pretty cool.

The mid-inning entertainment. Between half innings, there was often a show of sorts. The best one was when two dad, each with two kids were selected from the crowd to stand and home plate. The kids were given a ten second head start and ran into the outfield, after which each dad was responsible for wrangling his youngsters. This was hilarious, and my favorite part of the whole experience.

All-in-all, I am glad that we went, and my son had a great time. I think my 16 year old daughter would have enjoyed it, but it might have been a bit much for the three year old. It was definitely a good experience, but if someone offered us tickets again in the future, I would try to find an excuse not to go.