Baltimore: Beloved Sister City or Neglected Step-child?

A few weeks ago, I ventured beyond the beltway to explore that other city not so very far away.

I'm referring, of course, to Baltimore. Charm City, Mob Town, B'more -- whatever you want to call it -- Baltimore is a mere 36 miles away from Washington and makes for the perfect weekend escape.

Being a lifelong Washingtonian, I had my fair share of negative preconceptions when it came to Baltimore. While I've always loved the harbor and the aquarium, the rest of the city left a bit to be desired. I thought the streets were dirty, I was perturbed by its pockets of crime, and for some reason, it always seemed to rain when I visited.

OK, so maybe that last reason isn't very well founded.

At any rate, I paid a visit to friend and Baltimore native, Jon Paley, who was adamant that my reservations about his fair city were hogwash.

His means of persuasion? Music and Jewish deli.

We first went to Ottobar, a hip and happening venue in the Charles Village area. The place attracts a wide range of musical acts, hosting an eclectic mix of punk, metal, indie bands that lure a diverse crowd.

Upstairs, we played pool and downed a few rounds of beer before heading down for a performance by Blitzen Trapper, an experimental folk rock band based in Portland, Oregon.

The venue is small and reminded me a bit of DC's 9:30 Club. The place was packed, but we managed to make our way to the front. We were so close that it felt as though we were sitting on top of the stage. Needless to say, the view was spectacular and the sound quality top notch.

Blitzen Trapper put on an amazing show, and afterward we even chatted with the drummer, Brian Adrian Koch, for about 20 minutes. He was incredibly warm and friendly, and very much appreciative of our obviously excellent taste in music.

The next day, we spent some time outside the city in Pikesville, a nearby suburb. Pikesville is known for its Jewish community (I actually bought my bat mitzvah dress there about 10 years ago), and where there are Jews, there is Jewish deli. And Chinese restaurants, but that's another story.

We patronized Lenny's Deli, though Jon assured me there were several other establishments of better repute. Notably, Edmart Delicatessen, Goldberg's New York Deli and Suburban House. Why so many? There are a lot of Jewish mouths to feed; Pikesville is considered the center of the Baltimore Jewish community and boasts roughly 100,000 members.

However, for the best deli, Jon stressed that I must go to Corned Beef Row, a stretch on the 1100 block of East Lombard Street in downtown Baltimore. The street is a historical landmark renowned for its many Jewish delis and has experienced a resurgence in the last ten years. Of these many restaurants, Attman's is most often noted as the corned beef haven of choice. I plan on stopping in during my next visit.

The final verdict? Baltimore is definitely worth a visit. The city has its own character and feel that set it apart from Washington. The two are most definitely not comparable; each brings something different to the table.

I'm not sure I'd choose to live in Baltimore over DC, but I certainly plan to return for more research. Who knows, maybe there's a Baltimorean in me yet.