As I mentioned last week, I had some friends visit this weekend to go out and about in Baltimore and see the Yankees play the Orioles. Let me preface this weekend recap by saying that I rarely go out to bars anymore, and I haven’t been to an Orioles game in two years. Rob and I usually avoid the inner harbor because of the crowds and tourists. However, we wanted to show our visitors some fun parts of the city while they were here.
On Friday we had a couple drinks at our apartment with our friends Williams and Sherrie before heading into Federal Hill to have dinner at one of the bars. Williams requested a crab cake so we knew that Mothers would be a good spot.
On the way there we encountered this grossness on the street- we had to convince the out of towners that Baltimore is not always this disgusting:
After dinner we headed to an outdoor patio of the same bar and hung out there for the rest of the night. We could see the other bars in the area and the drunk people on the street- it was very entertaining. We were out until 1:30am which is by far the latest I have stayed out in years. On our way home we stopped for pizza, and it was pretty hysterical seeing all the drunk people in the pizza place. That was us 10 years ago.
On Saturday morning Rob and I got up early because we can never sleep in, and went running even though we were tired and dehydrated. The hot and humid weather didn’t help. 
When I got back I was so excited to see Rob coming down the street with Gatorades. I never drink that stuff anymore but I was craving it at the time.
We had some more friends, Jaclyn and Falcon, from DC join us Saturday afternoon as well as my sister, Katie. We all went into the inner harbor to get lunch and walk around before the game. It was crowded but we were able to get a table at J Pauls. They had good food (more crab cakes for Williams) and a nice view of the harbor.
By the time we finished there it was time to head over to the stadium. Of course, we went to the bars outside Camden Yards first (Pickles and Sliders-the bar where I met Rob 9 years ago!).
We headed into the game by the second inning. Of course, the beer was way overpriced and got warm really fast because it was so hot out. The Yankees won so 3 out of 7 of us were happy!
By the time the game was over we needed more food so went over to Metropolitan. They have a large selection of craft beers so we got to try some different kinds (a big step up from the warm Camden Yards beers!). Williams tried the Skull Splitter (the strongest beer on the menu).
After dinner we went to a bar called C & R Pub (stands for Cowboys and Rednecks). I had never been there before but some of my friends wanted to hear country music. (It’s not really a “country” bar, just some of the music is country). The guys insisted on doing a shot called Pickleback, which involves whiskey and pickle juice. I stayed far away from that.
It got progressively more crowded as the night went on and we were reminded of our age. Seeing all the 22-24 year olds made us feel so old. I realized I am no longer cut out for that kind of bar scene! (I mean, I knew that already, but that night just confirmed it).
We went home around 12 and had some wine and played the game Celebrity. I was definitely the worst player because I don’t know anything about celebrities, but it was fun and I think we were all happy to have left the bar as it had been turning into a drunkfest.
By going out and about in Baltimore we were reminded that we are almost 10 years out of college it was a great weekend. I think we got to show everyone a decent amount of the city in a pretty short amount of time. I think by living so close to everything we never feel the need to do stuff like that so having visitors was a good way to take advantage for a couple of days.
Thanks, friends, for a marvelous weekend! Now let’s hope that this work week goes by as fast as the weekend did.
- How long have you been out of college? Does being around younger people make you feel old?
- Ever been to Baltimore? If so, what is your favorite thing to do here?
- What was marvelous about your weekend?
Ok, I’m really going to date myself here…I graduated from college in 1998!! I am such an old lady! I feel so incredibly old when I see teenagers all of the time, it makes me sad! I have been to Baltimore several times. I did an internship at Shock Trauma downtown and have been to several Orioles and Ravens games! I have yet to run there though!
Sometimes I get sad about how old I feel, but then I realize there is no way to could survive being in college again!
I graduates in 2004 so I hear you, plus having 3 kids makes me feel older too! Seeing how college kids respond to me makes me feel it even more! I was only in Baltimore once and it was a weekend in college. Many bars were visited and I barely remember it…not unusual for a college weekend 🙂 sounds like you had fun although I can’t believe you did that 8 miles! We are Yankee fans over here!
It seems like college kids look SO young to me now. I’m sure the kid factor definitely makes a difference too.
Your visit to Baltimore sounds like most of my college adventures:)
The 8 miles was tough but I felt better once it was done…I needed it to wake me up and prepare me for the rest of the weekend!
I’m only 1 year out of college, but already there are nights when I feel “too old” for a lot of it. I was out until 1 am on Friday after only having a couple drinks, and I TOTALLY felt it on Saturday, which never would have happened in college. Oh well! Looks like you had a great weekend with some fun friends!
I feel you on that! I started feeling that way partway though my last semester. In a way, I was glad that I seemingly “grew out” of the bar life.
That sounds like my sister! She is 1 year out and is still pretty sad about it, so she will try to still go out all the time but just can’t handle it like she is used to!
I know that I can’t handle it anymore. When I do go out I usually do a happy hour so I can be home nice and early!
I felt the same way at my cousins bachelorette party this weekend! We ended up leaving one club because the techno, strobe lights and drunk/annoying guys were driving us nuts. I never thought I’d say that and we were all laughing about it at the end of the night, but I felt like an old lady!
I can totally relate! A few years ago many of the things going on at the bar on Saturday wouldn’t have bothered me at all, but now I feel like its so much easier to just stay home and have a drink!
Ohhhhh the pickleback. There is a place called Whiskey Town in NYC that specializes in those. I wasn’t 22 even when I was 22. Taylor Swift can suck it. I graduated in 2010 and was old lady status by then, but luckily my friends still associate with me. Or I just haven’t given them the alternative, which could very well be the case.
Haha! I think it was around the time I was in grad school and working all the time that I stopped going out. I could still handle it for awhile, but I think when my husband and I moved in together we realized there was no benefit to going out and we were better off staying home and saving money and going to bed as early as we wanted.
“Who is Tom hanks?”
That’s a really good question.
I learned a lot during the game, you would be proud of me.
This post made me so happy!! I love Pickles (well I always went to the Dugout – less crowded), and I also love the Camden Pub! However my favorite part of Baltimore is probably The Walters museum. I’ve only been out of college for 2 months…but it feels like forever already. I work with a lot of younger kids at my summer job and it makes me feel super old!
I’ve actually never been to the Walters! I think before I move out of the city (whenever that is) I will need to do all the touristy things.
Trust me, the time will go faster and faster the longer you are out of college!:)
I ended up going to a game this weekend too! It was the one last night and then that terrible storm blew through and they called it off. At least we got 5 innings in and could count it as a win. 🙂
I’ve never been to C&R, but I’ve been every place else you mentioned many, many times.
And last night we were all drinking at Dempsey’s and I definitely have a hangover at work today. I am SO not 22 anymore.
Too bad the game got called!
This was my first time at C&R, and I would probably only go back during the early hours of the evening:)
Sorry about your hangover…its been a long time since I had too much to drink on a work night, but I can imagine its no fun!
Looks like tons of fun – glad to see you having a blast ! I totally hear you on not being “that young” anymore … I graduated college in 2007, which doesn’t seem that long ago until I try to go out and stay out late :).
Yes, certain things definitely remind me that I’m not young anymore! I want to still go out and have fun, but I think I do better at happy hours rather that late nights:)
Sounds like a fun weekend-way to hang! I do think Balt has some fun sections of town. My current favorite area is East Harbor but I love Federal Hill as well. And trust me: you are still a spring chicken!
I think I just don’t appreciate Baltimore because I live here, but I know that its actually a pretty fun city!
I graduated in 2000. But seeing college kids doesn’t make me feel old. I know it’s so stupid and cliche and might cause some eye rolling 😉 but I FEEL very young and healthy so it doesn’t make me feel older when I see young whippersnappers around. At the same time though I have ALWAYS been an 80 year old trapped in a younger body in terms of my social inklings (I like to be in bed early, up early) – except for a ~4 year bar-hopping stint in my mid twenties 🙂
I was in Baltimore for two nights on a business trip by myself when I was straight out of college. I stayed at a Marriott and my only recollection is ordering the Bacon Cheeseburger two consecutive evenings from room service. Ha!
Good for you for still feeling young! I think physically I feel young (and everyone tells me I look younger than my age) but its mostly the social aspect and the late nights that I can’t handle anymore.
That must have been a great Cheeseburger if that’s the only thing you remember:)
I completely feel your pain! Last weekend was my sister’s bachelorette party. I realized just how old I am! I was dying! Today’s run definitely wasn’t pretty! I am glad you had fun with your friends, though!
Exactly! Its fun to hang out but sometimes not worth it the next day.
I love this! I have been out of college for 26 years now and remember hanging out with college friends a few years after and it being interesting … of course since I dropped more than 175lbs the year after college, my ability to live that life greatly changed!
But in late April when I went to my fraternity 150th anniversary celebration, I stuck to my normal drink limits and had a fantastic time (and ran a ton, which was great sightseeing), but had friends who tried to drink like they were 21 (most in their 40s or 50s!) It was a sad sight the following morning!
I think for maybe 3-5 years after college I was able to get together with my college friends and hang out the way we used to…but since then its gotten harder! We all want to think we are still 22 but quickly remember we are not!
Your frat celebration sounds like fun- when you are able to hang out but not go overboard/still have fun, it makes for a much better time than feeling sick and tired!