Charm City

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of networking; and one of the frequent topics of conversation has been the City itself, Baltimore. People inevitably want to understand why I left sunny California and adventurous Colorado for what is often perceived as a humdrum, quirky little town on the Chesapeake. And my answer is always the same– “I love Baltimore;” I do.

There is something inexplicably wonderful about this funny little town. It is, admittedly, an acquired taste, one that is subtle and, in some ways, complex very much like blue crab– not everyone gets it or likes it, but those who do are are devoted to the flavor. As a crab lover and a proud Baltimoron (or Baltimorean for the more genteel) I gladly preach the gospel of the City, but am not terribly surprised by those upon whom the cause is lost.

This evening, while catching up on the long thread of blogs I read, I came across a post that included a thoughtful video of David Simon, discussing Baltimore. It is so right on the money, that I had to repost it here. For those who share the love of the City, hopefully you’ll nod your head in agreement with some of his tongue-in-cheek observations. And for those new or still unfamiliar with the City, perhaps it will inspire you to learn more and take a visit to Charm City.

One of my favorite quotes from the video: “If you come from D.C., you sort of have to admit you’re not from a real place.”

Go check it out, the video is eight minutes of thoughtful insight.