Music , canoli, salad , beef, porchetta. This is the place to go it's nice seeing old friends and…read morejust hanging out . Great for kids and dogs . You can also see the bocce tournaments . These are usually held behind DaMimmos Restaurant. They also have lots of souvenirs and photos of Italy you can frame .

It's a beautiful neighborhood. I have not been to Italy, but this place looks different to me. From…read moreJuly 27 until August 5, Little Italy has a restaurant week where everyone can try three course menu. Little Italy neighborhood has a street parking as well as valet parking for just $10. It is located in a very convenient and quiet location in the heart of Baltimore. Highly recommend!

Christmas Village in Baltimore - A Chilly, Charming Detour with a Few Caveats…read more The Christmas Village in Baltimore is, quite literally, cool, both in atmosphere and in temperature. On a brisk winter evening, the open-air market delivers exactly what it promises: twinkling lights, the hum of seasonal music, the scent of spiced wine in the air, and a festive energy that makes for an easy, if brief, holiday escape. One of the more curious aspects of the experience is its sponsorship and structure. Chase Bank sponsored a secluded, interior section of the village, an enclosed, tent-like space that requires a $5 per person admission fee. Inside, shoppers find higher-end, European-style goods such as wooden nutcrackers and specialty imports not available in the main village. While one could argue the intent is to manage crowd flow or provide warmth and exclusivity, the execution feels more transactional than magical. I spoke with several families exiting the space, groups that had paid admission for multiple people, only to leave empty-handed. Their consensus was candid: the section is worthwhile if you already know exactly what you're looking for, but therein lies the problem, you can't preview the offerings without paying to enter. For most, including myself, the value proposition didn't quite justify the cost, and I opted to move along. What does deliver unequivocally is the food and drink. The Glühwein is well-executed, warming, and flavorful, served in a souvenir mug (pictured). While carrying it around the rest of the evening is mildly inconvenient, the practical upside is that refills drop to $8, compared to the $14 initial purchase, making it a solid value for those lingering longer. In scale, the village is modest certainly not a full immersion into a European Christmas market, but it succeeds as a curated, bite-sized experience. Numerous small stalls offer enough food and drink options to comfortably sustain a visit, and the area around the Christmas trees provides a particularly pleasant focal point. That's also where I stumbled upon the standout of the evening: a toffee vendor. The Italian cappuccino toffee, in particular, deserves special mention. Rich, balanced, deeply flavorful, and not cloyingly sweet, it was without exaggeration one of the best toffees I've ever had. And that's coming from someone with both a pronounced sweet tooth and a well-earned reputation as a food connoisseur. It alone nearly justifies the visit. Bottom line: The Christmas Village in Baltimore may not fully replicate the charm of its European counterparts, and some elements feel more commercial than festive, but it remains a pleasant seasonal diversion. Come for the atmosphere, stay for the Glühwein, and absolutely do not leave without the cappuccino toffee. All in all, a solid holiday experience with a few memorable highlights.

Charming little Christmas Village along the water in Baltimore. Went on a Saturday evening, it was…read morepredictably packed with people. But the holiday music and the twinkling lights made it feel like I was living Silver Bells. Wandering among the stalls of thw outdoor market, there are a disproportionate number selling jewelry, but there are cool things to be found, like Bigfoot socks, and cool hats. To enter the indoor sale tent, you have to buy a $5 "season ticket," which seems odd. But inside that tent is the large Kathe Wolfhardt store with cute German Christmas decor. I bought ornaments and a blown glass tree. My biggest issue was that the signage for the village food options were not well lit. We went with the intent of eating giant soft pretzels and apparently the entire festival was sold out. I did greatly enjoy my raclette sandwich, hot chocolate with Bailey's in an adorable boot mug, and some grilled sausage. The process of ordering abd paying, them waiting a while to get my food order was frustrating but expected. This was a nice way to be filled with some holiday spirit.

-1 star, No more Balmerese contest…read more One of my favorite things they used to do at the home first and have a Bawlmerese speaking contest. People would write colorful stories which accentuate the Baltimore pronunciation. Get there early for parking Best festival to get a decent crab cake..

For those who aren't from Baltimore or those who live here but haven't heard about the Whiting /…read moreHON debacle (although I can't imagine who that would be!), please DO NOT let this distract you from attending the HONFEST 2012 coming up this weekend - 6/8! This event is on my short list every year and it doesn't disappoint. Here is a link to photos from last year's HONFEST: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1830734730617.2087418.1307832388&type=3&l=c87076d070 HONFEST is a celebration of all things eccentrically Baltimore - the contests, music, food (don't miss the fried potato thingy although I can't remember the name, but you'll know it when you see it!), Hon Salon (yes, you too can be a Hon!) and so much more! It's a showcase for the amazing residents and shops of Hampden to display their services and wares to visitors from all over the state and beyond. Swing by the Hon Café, or not, that's up to you. But don't miss out of one of the premier festivals in our great city! Save you visits to national restaurants and clothing chains that are the same old thing everywhere ... and support our small local businesses that cater to personal service and unique products! There is simply no contest :)

A piece of Baltimore's history. Small but definitely worth a look…read more It's the oldest residence still standing in the city. Built way back in 1765, I think. If I recall, it was very cheap or maybe even free to get a tour. Right at Fell's Point (great location), which is essentially the hotspot for all the cool goings on in Baltimore. Right next to a bar! There's even a boat out back to look at.

Great little stop for some history of the area. We received a tidbit of information from a couple…read moreof volunteers working that day that was a missing piece of info we needed in family history search. The volunteers well versed in local history & very welcoming. Donations accepted for maintaining historic home....worth the time to stop in.

Stopped by the Wine Village yesterday. It was a great day weather wise. This was my first time at…read morethis event. It's an annual event that only lasts about a month. It will be ending June 1st so you have a few weeks. It's kid and pet friendly. It's free admission. Parking is tricky but not impossible. There are seats available - you can bring your own chairs but on weekends it's packed. Get there right at opening time (1 pm on weekends, 3 pm on weekdays). We didn't bother bringing any chairs and really don't need it. We were able to get a table. There's international and local wines and spirits available. They don't really offer tastings. You just have to buy a glass or a bottle. I think it would be beneficial to offer tastings at a small cost that way you can know what you may like and want to purchase. The wines were a bit pricey. One of my favorite local wineries was here, Boordy's! The wine slushies in the pouches were popular. We tried the red wine sangria and agreed it was just ok. We stopped by the kebab spot. I tried the steak kebab in a pita and it was ok. Had to pay separately for the sauces. Way overpriced for what you get honestly. It's a cute event and something that was on my bucket list. I may possibly visit again before it's gone but if I miss it, oh well!

It was just ok. Something to do .... Nothing to go out of ur way for…read more Park the the garage on Lee st for $15 validated parking. Makes it easy to walk directly across the street. The portapottys were out of toilet paper. The two wines I had were amazing . I am a wine drinker and opted for a dry red and a rose. Can't remember the names . I purchased the chicken kabob which was ok didn't get a sauce because I didn't read they were paid for separately ... but the food was good ... I feel like this is over priced for nothing just to have something to do. Kid and family friendly. No drama just people chilling enjoying the beautiful day. Even tho I wasn't impressed I almost want to take my girls so they can peruse the vendors ...

Definitely one of the first places to visit if you're in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore. We…read morestopped by as our first stop when staying in the neighborhood, since the vantage point provides perspectives and ideas of all the other places to visit afterwards. The harbor views are beautiful and vast, and the signage within the observation area talk about all the neighborhoods and give a history of Baltimore. There's even a small section dedicated to honor the memories of Marylanders lost in the 9/11 attack. Pricing is very reasonable at just $8 per person, and the elevator ride to the top is quick.

Would have been nice if on the website or Google they had this listed as "closed". They were…read moreclosed due to asbestos, but no notifications anyways until you got the building. It was a waste of our time to go.

A great museum! You will have to pay for parking, but if you work for Hopkins and have a permit you…read morecan park closer, or if you can find street parking nearby you should be fine! I've been to this museum several times, esp as a Hopkins undergraduate, and I've always enjoyed the plethora of art and exhibits they've had over the years. I will say, sometimes the security inside the museum can be a bit rude and like they are looking over your shoulder all the time, but I would still recommend you go! They are free and some exhibits cost money. If you become a member then the newer exhibits that do cost money are discounted. It's a great way to spend a day and look at art throughout the times.

Located in fells point around nice restaurants to grab a bite to eat. The outside with tall…read morecolumns gives you the feel that you have step back in time. Your are greeted by a friendly staff that is ready to help in any way. It's a community theater, so most of the actors are volunteering their services and honing in their skill. The seats are big enough for comfort and enough leg room (for a small person) to not get a cramp. They do a good job with the space to give a lot of detail to the scenes. I was amazed and felt like I was at top notch theater in New York. Nice place for date night.

A theatre in Fells Point, that notorious haunt of mid-range bars and upper range restaurants?…read moreReally? Why yes, and a good one at that. Around since 1916, the Vagabond Players put on a variety of old standby's in a relatively small, old style, one-room theatre. A date and I went there on Saturday night, following a nice dinner at the excellent Black Olive restaurant around the corner, to see a production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" at 8 pm. A play in three acts, interupted by 2 10-minute breaks, the show let out at around 10:45pm, with plenty of time to make it out of the area before the locals become too drunk. The production itself was excellent. The acting was very good, with only one or two fumbles that were caught and easily remedied without greater notice. The cast enjoyed their craft and the audience enjoyed the play. I will most certainly be back, perhaps for a performance of "Frost/Nixon" to run later on this year.