AUGUST NEIGHBORHOOD ITINERARY
Have you been to Curtis Bay? August 7
I think you need to read the Sun or watch the evening news to know of Curtis Bay. If Brooklyn feels detached from the rest of the city, which it is, then Curtis Bay is even more so.
I looked forward to my first ever visit to Curtis Bay, especially since it looked potentially very nice on a map. But if you are hoping to catch a harbor view, you won’t get it in the heart of Curtis Bay. The community is dominated by the CSX coal plant.
Curtis Bay consists of two flat long fast one-way streets and many short steep side streets. A bad running combination.
There are plenty of bars, open and closed, in Curtis Bay but you have to travel miles for fresh food.
You will find occasional tidy row homes but you will also find a number of people actively walking throughout Curtis Bay who are not necessarily going anywhere.
Beethoven lives on Gist Avenue and he’s really nice. August 8
The Pimlico neighborhood can be a hard area and communities like Langston Hughes [yes, the neighborhood is called ‘Langston Hughes’] are tough. Located in Northwest Baltimore, many of these areas have lived tough lives. It’s often reflected in the homes or people who spend time on the streets.
But that wasn’t the case when a little boy, I’d say around 8 years old, called out to me and asked, “Excuse me, are you exercising?” What an interesting question. Something told me to stop and have a conversation.
I told him that I was on his street because I wanted to run in areas I hadn’t run through before. I asked him if he lived nearby and he told me he did. But he pointed to one house and told me he couldn’t go there and eat their food anymore.
He asked if I went by his school and I told him yes, and that it looked like a nice school. It did.
Then he pointed to a young girl, maybe 6, and said that she was his sister. I told him that she seemed nice. She did. So she asks, from a distance, “what’s your name?” I said that it was Michael. He told me that there were many Michaels at his school. He agreed that it was a popular name.
Realizing my poor manners I finally asked him for his name. He said, “Beethoven.” What? Really? That was NOT what I expected. He had heard of the composer.
I wanted to go off about how I’m a musician in the Baltimore Symphony and all, but why? I did say that I play music by Beethoven with violins and trumpets. That’s true. That’s enough.
And as the super intelligent person I am, I told him that rhythm was very important to Beethoven, a steady rhythm. He seemed interested. I told him that if he kept a steady rhythm with a good energy, he could be even better than Beethoven the composer. It seemed like a genius thing to say but I still felt I had a lot more to learn from him than he did from me.
I told him I had to keep running and we exchanged goodbyes. Will I ever see him again? Who knows. I’d like to, but I’ll never forget the real Beethoven. Perhaps his energy safely guided me back to my car. A very special kid.
I’m sorry that I never took his picture. I’m not sure taking photos of an 8 year old is appropriate. Or maybe I was starstruck.
Washington Boulevard. August 10
Everybody has driven down US 1 at one point in their lives but they likely have avoided Washington Boulevard, a segment of US 1, as it cuts through the SW community of Morrell Park. I-95 is the preferred route.
Washington Boulevard in Morrell Park is not terribly long or tough to run but you will find “the walking wounded” there. That includes those dealing with opioids and human trafficking. It’s obvious and heartbreaking. And it’s best to know your surroundings.
You will find relatively tidy homes off of Washington Boulevard but news reports say crime is on the rise. I read that you should avoid the area behind the Dunkin Donuts. That was instinctual for me, thank God.
I do not feel that it is fair to make fun of those in trouble. It’s not funny. But I will share this one photo. After a doing an animated parking lot dance, this one woman blocked me from entering the Royal Farms and used the line, “Don’t I know you?” She was insistent. I don’t believe it was from the Meyerhoff stage but I think she was looking for work. She’s not the only one in Morrell Park looking for something.
On Holiday in Scotland!! August 13-26
Being ‘on holiday’ doesn’t mean you take a break from running (jogging). You just get to run in different places and for a week and a half that meant Scotland; Glasgow, Islay, Oban, Mull, Iona and more.
The trip was somewhat of a lifechanger. I won’t deny that I didn’t miss crossing off streets on my Baltimore road map, but it celebrated 25 years of marriage to my all-around love and best friend Sandy. I can’t imagine life without her. I am so lucky.
I also have one recommendation, if your anniversary is August 21, share your special day and time with Phil and Amy Munds. Our relationship began in Baltimore but we now live across the pond from one another.
Our time together deserves its own blog. It was just such a special trip, one whose memories will stay with me (us) forever. We all made an amazing team.
Back to Baltimore; Back to Business August 28
One of the first stops after my ‘leave of absence’ was West Baltimore. According to my notes, “I have to cross it off my list!” That sounds healthy.
It’s clear that I’m not in Scotland anymore but that’s OK. I like being focused once again on crossing off the roads on my trusty map.
The highlight of the run (jog) was stumbling upon the ruins of the former Acme Markets warehouse off Bentalou Street. Acme is a Philadelphia institution and it pulled out of the Baltimore market in 1982. Acme was my family’s store and seeing that brick ACME chimney rising from the warehouse ruins was an amazing sight.
I always wanted to go to Violetville August 30
Ever since I bought my paper Baltimore road map, I always wanted to go to Violetville. It sounded nice. It even looked nice on the map. And it was located near Rheb’s.
A number of police cars pulled up after I parked the car so I decided to stay away from Wilkins Avenue and start on a side street.
That’s where I ran into Francis X. Gallagher Park. Who is Francis X. Gallagher and why is this park an absolute wreck? I later learned that Gallagher was a prominent attorney and the Archdiocese was his major longtime client. His son, also named Francis X., was a lawyer.
Though the park’s namesake had long passed, Francis Jr. also passed. He struggled from the aftereffects of the abuse he suffered from childhood visits to the Seminary. It’s painful and creepy to see the park also suffer from neglect.
The police cars were still there when I made my way back to Wilkins Avenue, and so was the head of Rheb’s Candies. We stood together and watched a team of officers complete a drug raid at a neighboring home.
However, it made for a perfect opportunity to talk candy. The owner discussed the rebirth of milk chocolate and the demise of the fruit and nut Easter egg. I told her that I missed the Rheb’s stand at Lexington Market and she countered that it was the happiest day of her life when it closed. All of this in front of a drug raid.
As for Violetville, it was nice. Simple. Tight. And as the signs say on all roads leading into SW Baltimore, it lies within a Nuclear Free Zone. That’s nice.
Michael Runs Baltimore 