The time has come, dear Baltimore, to cast your votes for City Paper’s 2009 Best of Baltimore list. I went to the ballot party the other night at Max’s on Broadway and the turnout was in the …tens, nevertheless I did my civic duty and tried to come up with a nomination for every category I was capable of filling – sorry, I don’t know the best place to get shoes or who the best drag performer is! Anyway here’s the breakdown of my voting (all links have mouseover text):
Baltimore Living
- (Best) Reason to Live in Baltimore: CHEAP BEER CHEAP LIVING IT’S CHEAP!!
- Reason to Leave Baltimore: Property Taxes (Education, Crime, Corruption…)
- Neighborhood: Brewer’s Hill
- City Service: Single Stream Recycling
- Local Landmark: The giant flag over Fort McHenry – a NATIONAL landmark
- Eyesore: Harbor East. All of it.
- Festival: Dundalk Heritage Festival
- Park: Druid Hill Park
- Place to Take Out of Town Visitors: Patterson Lanes
- Place to Take Kids: Spoons
- Day Trip From Baltimore: St. Michael’s
- Oriole: Markakis
- Raven: Flacco
News and Media
- (Best) Politician: Bill Henry
- Politician in Need of a Slap Upside the Head: James Kraft
- Do Gooder: ….are there any?
- Local Scandal: 10 million indictments
- Local Issue You’re Sick of: Plastic bag ban/tax/surcharge
- Print Journalist: none left.
- Local Publication: none left.
- Local Blog: Investigative Voice
- Baltimore-Related Website: Tossup between 600block.com and localist.com
- Local Radio Personality: Dan Rodricks
- Local TV News Person: local TV news sucks.
- Local Sportscaster: Jim Palmer’s hair
Dining
- (Best) New Restaurant: no clue.
- Fancy Restaurant: I really enjoy The Helmand
- Cheap Restaurant: Bill’s Lighthouse Inn
- Restaurant For Vegetarians: WHO CARES HAHAHAHA
- Cup of Coffee: Metropolitan Coffee House (and Wine Bar)
- Brunch: also Metropolitan Coffee House (and Wine Bar)
- Place to Get Ice Cream: Taharka Brothers
- Pizza: Joe Squared
- Crab House: LP Steamers
- Crab Cake: (i don’t eat them generally)
- Greek: no clue.
- Indian: Kumari
- Italian: I could literally put them all in a hat and pick one, most Italian joints in Baltimore are pretty great (except Chiapparelli’s, sorry!)
- Japanese: Asahi Sushi
- Latin: Arcos
- Middle Eastern: Dukem
- Thai: Thai Restaurant
For the local publication, you should check out the Smile Hon, You’re in Baltimore series. I think you would like it.
Huh, I just checked out their website (http://www.eightstonepress.com/hon/index.htm) and it looks like something I would have checked out back in the Reptilian days. Thanks!