On returning from vacation I worked, and rested, for a few days and then I scurried off to Baltimore. It seems I go yearly now for a conference. Sometimes the conference is in May, sometimes it is in June, this year it was June 2 through 4.

So what can I say. When I first moved to Virginia, 30 years ago this week, Baltimore was for me a day trip destination. I traveled up there several times with friends to go to concerts, explore the Inner Harbor, see the Fourth of July fireworks, or to, well, visit friends. And I saw several baseball games there before baseball returned to Washington the year of my 33rd birthday. Eventually it waned in importance until for two years I dated a native Baltimorean during what we will call my “early divorcee” period. To a large degree I know Baltimore. And the Inner Harbor isn’t it.

Baltimore has its own hometown brands such as Under Armour, seen above from Fells Point along the water on an early morning run. There’s also a big Domino’s Sugar warehouse with a big light up sign. For years it was a finance capital as well.

All these tall buildings in the center are what was the financial center of Baltimore.

But now this is it – over there across the water.

When I’m in Baltimore I still try to get out a bit. Sometimes in the company of others –

This example, to The Choptank in the historic Broadway Market building in Fells Point.

But sometimes alone, as was the case last year when I escaped for dinner at a rooftop bar by myself. I didn’t find photo evidence of that this time though.

This year the first night I had dinner at Be More Thai the first night with my boss. I thought he wanted to talk about work and long range planning, or perhaps what happens when he decides to go and become a farmer. Instead, he just wanted a quiet meal. As you can see I had the very large rockfish. He had vegetarian fried rice. Now a month later he’s the one who has had a heart attack and not me of course. He’s fine now, don’t worry, none of us thought he was the type that would scare us this way!

My second day in Baltimore this year was LONG. But first, Coffee.

I visited Ceremony Coffee in the historic Cross Street Market. I knew they roasted good beans; they were the coffee served at my coffee shop of choice in my previous job, before Covid and before I became disillusioned and left. After coffee I took a 45 minute stroll along the water front. And then spent 7 hours on the convention floor. And then a series of happy hours.

Our first was at Blackwell & Hitch sponsored by one of our business partners.

This was followed by casino night and old fashioneds. Then when casino night ended, we decided to storm the pirate ship, as I put it. My former company was sponsoring an event on a tall ship. I believe it was the Pride of Baltimore (II, if you’re keeping track), but to be honest I really wasn’t paying attention.

Coincidentally the same ship sailed to New York to take part in today’s Tall Ship Parade for the 250th Anniversary of Independence. Anyway, our group had a good time on the ship. I actually saw my old boss and had a pretty detailed conversation on the benefits of graduate education in business.

Anyway, eventually they kicked us off the ship (threw us into the harbor so to speak), so we left for a pub (if you’re keeping track, we left the conference at 4pm and it was now 10pm). I have photos from the pub but I’m not sharing.

My Oura ring tells me I walked back to the hotel after midnight.

June 4 (Day 3 if you’re keeping track) started bright and early. And I found another coffee shop.

This was cool because it was a barber shop in a cafe.

See the barber pole? Anyway, I won a 10% discount off my next drink there by choosing the correct color.

That was Baltimore for this time around. Again, I’ve spent a fair amount of time there. I’ve run 5k races, 10k races, and I ran from Towson straight down the spine of Charles Street in the Charles Street 12 mile race. I’ve been in a mosh pit in the football stadium as The Offspring were on stage. I’ve been to art museums; I’ve cheered as the Orioles won. And, most importantly, I’ve had someone call me “Hon.”