I should go Live in Baltimore!

[eredien]

So, I just finished talking to my dad. He's a well-meaning fellow, but very silly sometimes. You think he'd listen to the person who studies this kind of thing.

Dad: We liked Baltimore very much. The college was great. I got employment ads for you.
Me: Thanks, but I don't think I like Baltimore very much.
Dad: But there were businesses there! And it seemed so vital.
Me: Well, which part of the city did you go to?
Dad: Downtown.
Me: Well, that explains it. You see, all the growth is concentrated around the central harbor area where you were. The rest of the city really isn't like that. On our field trip we walked to the mayor's office through the red-light district.
Dad: People will be people everywhere. I'll be sending you those ads.

For those of you not in the know, or for those of you who haven't heard McDonogh's famous rant:

Baltimore is the city with the website from the morgue. (It's black, and displays crime tracking statistics prominently.)
Baltimore is a city planner's worst nightmare.
Baltimore is the city where Johns Hopkins runs the universe, and everything else can go hang--and does.
Baltimore has two "growing businesses": police stations, and crackhouses.

Comments

[haplessweasel.livejournal.com]

I can't totally agree with you on that. I've lived in the suburbs of Baltimore most of my life, and while I only lived in the city proper until first grade, I have a lot of wonderful memories of the place. It's probably the most culturally diverse place I've ever lived. And it is a very big city. Some of it sucks, granted, but not all of it. There are lots of great places even outside of the more touristy areas. Charles Village, for example. And Roland Park (the first neighborhood in america preplanned so that rich people and poor people could both live in it). There are a lot of wonderful museums. I think I've probably been to the Baltimore Museum of Art 50 times, but I can still happily spend hours there. There are some really amazing theater groups. Just last weekend I saw Uncle Vanya at Spotlighters (little place, have to go down and alley and a set of stairs to find it, but it's been around for 30 years) and it was awesome. Cost me $10. I would have gladly paid three times as much. I love the festivals in Baltimore too. The Book Fair, the Shakespeare Festival. But I'm rambling. And I'm not even sure exactly what you want to be doing there. And I don't really know much about working there. But it is, at least, a decent place to live.

[eredien]

Maybe I just saw the worst parts, which is possible.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

Shimmer is there, so that counts for something.

You know you're a Cities major when...

[rabidfangurl.livejournal.com]

You look at the above post and say 'Oooh, research!'

::slinks off into corner, pondering how to study this urban planning disaster::

[gaudior.livejournal.com]

So would it be out of place to put in a-- "No, dammit, you should go to Boston! Boston! Bosssss-TON! Because you want to and you have a place there already and otherwise I would miss you!" right here? It seems beside the point of the entry, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

--R

[eredien]

Yes, probably 'twould. But appreciated.