How does a new Baltimorean learn about all-things-Baltimore? What is so charming about Charm City? Where does the nickname ‘Smalltimore’ come from, for someone who doesn’t know anybody in town? When I moved to Baltimore in January 2017, these questions swirled around in my head. I was a novice Baltimorean but a native Marylander. Here are four things I knew about the culture of Baltimore:
TV shows like The Wire and Homicide were filmed in Baltimore.
Crabs and Old Bay make your clothes smell.
Orioles fans yell ‘O!” during the national anthem.
Natty Boh is a cheap, delicious beer (even for non-beer drinkers, like myself).
Before Baltimore, I lived in Memphis, Tennessee; my inspiration for Charm City Spotlight was born from falling in love with the city of Memphis. After just two short years, with momentum from reputable organizations and popular blogs highlighting city-life in Memphis, I was able to find my footing there and truly enjoy my time in the city. With this blog, I hope to provide the resources and information to do the same for new Baltimoreans.
To hear from the locals about all-things-Bmore, I created Charm City Spotlight to showcase the fascinating people that make up the heartbeat of Baltimore. I have four goals for this project:
Showcase the fascinating people that make up the heartbeat of Baltimore
Make specific-Baltimore experiences (volunteer opportunities, brunch spots, trivia nights, small businesses, fitness clubs, events, etc.) more easily accessible
Build a more transparent network of resources, activities, and connections for new Baltimoreans
Bring awareness, exposure, and support for local people doing cool things by showcasing stories about others’ involvement and leveraging our connections
If you know of a cool person doing a cool thing in Baltimore, especially somebody who is willing to put themselves out there and get connected or be a resource for new people in the city, I would love to meet them. Recommend someone you know or someone who may be a point of contact about a specific-Baltimore experience to be profiled on Charm City Spotlight, and if you nominate somebody, please give them a heads up that I might be in touch!
Questions? Comments? Ideas?
Contact me at charmcityspotlight@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Thanks for your interest in the people of Charm City.
Cheers,
Taylor