Ridgely's Afternoon Delight

Have you seen one of these anywhere?

So, last night at Pier 6, there was a concert. I know, it’s a concert venue–albeit a pretty small one.  But guess who was there? Backstreet Boys and Hanson! I am SO Totally not lying to you. It’s like the early 90’s are all up in the hizzous. Holla!

So, I didn’t really care about either one. I’m not a fan of the BSB’s, although my friends little sister was apparently all up in that. I was more of a NKOTB fan (8th grade sucked but having the Joey McIntire plastered walls of my room helped tremendously).

And Hanson? Well, I didn’t own any of their CD’s, but who didn’t catch themselves humming along with MMM-Bop every so often? I mean, they played the damn song like 100x a day on the radio! It was inescapable.

Right now, I’m desperately trying to win tickets to see Cheap Trick and Blondie, though. That’s more my style. I’ve seen Cheap Trick before–and they totally rocked, so I would love to repeat the experience. I’m such a sucker for the 80’s.

Oh, and if anyone knows where I can get an old school poster of Justin Timberlake, can you clue me in? I’m looking for one fromwhen he was still rockin’ the jew-fro when was considered a musician instead of an actor. It’s for a friend as a gag-gift–and I don’t want to pay tons of money for it. Personally, I don’t like JT as a singer–but I do respect him for his comedic acting (can anyone say SNL “d1ck in a box”? I. Die.)

The Birds are finally out of town for a short respite, and the Raven’s will be back on Saturday for another pre-season game. Just a heads up.

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Try it!

The Brain and I are not traditional city dwellers. We have both lived in other cities, towns, and suburbs, and as such, have been spoiled by the plethora of shopping venues afforded to us. Would we do well somewhere like NYC, where shopping is done in small bodegas, and not in mega-plexes? Probably not.

We have a car, and we like the freedom to go where we want to shop, which usually ends up being the price club (Sams) and Shoppers. Occasionally, we foray into a Walmart (for household and health/beauty) and Weis (for Martin’s BBQ chips and Shirataki noodles), but we’re pretty set in our ways.

Last weekend, we added Trader Joes to our shopping rounds. What a great place! I don’t imagine that I’ll be doing ALL of my shopping here–as it is a little higher in price–but for finding specialty items, and healthier versions of other things that we purchase, I’m willing to share some of the shopping love.

On our first foray, I picked up kalamata olive tappenade, feta cheese, whole grain bread, pita crackers, gnocchi, and dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar. Less than $20. I don’t think it’s bad for what we got, and it seems very friendly (both eco- and employee).

First impression–much much smaller than I expected. For some reason, I thought it would be a health food mega-0polis–but it’s rather tiny. Good thing, though–otherwise, I would have probably spent the entire grocery budget in one trip! But at least I feel somewhat healthier with some of the choices I made, and am already planning my next trip back.

If you have the chance to hit up a Trader Joe’s, I totally recommend it.

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talk about a let down.

According to todays issue of The B, I just found out that Baltimore has their OWN COMIC CON! No wayzers!

Following shortly on the heels of Otakon, Baltimore Comic Con will be invading the convention center on August 28-29. Can I get a what? what? up in here?

Okay, okay–now you guys will figure out that I’m a poser geek. For shame, right? I would never actually GO to a comic con–even though I had hinted at such in a previous post. I’m a white girl. I don’t read comic books. I don’t like Twilight. I could give a crap about most of this stuff…but I give mad props to those of you who have passions and follow them and be who you are. I am who I am, I just don’t need a costume to declare that to the world.

Anywhoos, I digress.  The coolest part about the Comic Con that would *almost* make me break my world-nerdliness? Todd McFarlane will be there. Holla! Wait, what? Oh, that’s NOT the guy that does Family Guy? Really? But…ohhhh, thats SETH McFarlane..Okay, never mind then.

Well, this was a waste of a post.

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let the shenanigans ensue!

So, over the weekend, we find out that there’s a (technically) sold out Baltimore Ravens preseason game on Thursday, August 12. I say technically sold out, because there are no tickets available.  Of course, pre-season tickets are issued to season ticket holders as part of their packages–so even though it’s pretty much sold out, it doesn’t mean that there will be 78,000 fans descending on the city–though, I like to be a pessimist and believe that they will.

Combined with the intermittent closing of Pratt and other Grand Prix streets in the downtown stadium area, Thursday will surely be a fun and exciting day. I mean!

Apparently, it’s going to take 9 months to pave the Grand Prix streets. Nine months. There are so many things I can do in nine months, and none of them involve having a kid.

Of course, on a given day, it could take approximately nine months to go from MLK to Green Street, just to get back into the ‘hood. Okay–THAT was an exaggeration–it really is only taking an average of 10-15 minutes–but still–it’s a freakin’ long ass time to wait to go down the block.

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No, I can’t…and I’m not your brother.  And this ain’t no episode of 227 either.

Do you know the last time I went outside and sat on my stoop? Care to take any guesses? C’mon…guess…well, how about NEVER?!?

For reals. I have never been able to go out and sit on my stoop. I want to sit on my stoop. I grew up in a house where porch-sitting was a finely honed art. My ass was made for sitting, and watching the world go by.  And here? I don’t do that.  Why, you may ask?

Well, let me indulge you in the plethora of reasons as to why white girls shouldn’t sit on stoops in the City of Baltimore:

1. The homeless/meth addicts/random strangers will come up and ask you for money/food/cigarettes, etc.

2.  I’m too pretty to sit outside on a city street. I heard that one of our residents in the ‘hood was sitting one her stoop one night, and was robbed at gunpoint for her car. Yeah–scary.

3. The homeless already like to plant themselves on our stoop during the day.  I don’t have anything against the homeless–but don’t set up residence on my steps.

4. It’s too damn hot outside. And there are flies EVERYWHERE. And honestly? The ‘hood STINKS like…well, I don’t know exactly what it smells like–but the water running down alleys is green with some kind of something–and with people pissing and puking and pooping in random spots all over the neighborhood–it really just smells bad. Blech.

5.  The non-residents who like to park in our ‘hood on a daily basis on their way to jobs at UMd and such can be very violent and confrontational. No thank you.

6.  My sitting on my stoop might detract from the UMd employees sitting there for their smoke breaks. Thanks, guys. As a non-smoker, I really appreciate coming home to a house that stinks of your cancer sticks. It’s super!

So, the Brain and I have a brilliant solution for keeping people off our stoops–but we need an investor to get the ball rolling.  So until we can patent our stoop spike kit to keep you off our steps, you best be keeping your trifling ass rolling down the street to one of our lesser liked neighbors.

Oh yeah, and don’t think we won’t call the cops on you. Sitting on stoops that don’t belong to you might be fun and stuff, but it’s still trespassing and loitering.

Word!

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I guess our hood is just a bunch of chickens

According to Mike, the intrepid manager at PotBelly, someone pulled the fire alarm at the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday–resulting in 27K some Otakon attendees to flood the streets. AWESOME! I wish I was there to witness THAT event! Obvs, there was no fire and noone was hurt–just mass chaos in costume would have rocked.

Also, got my edition of the Ridgely’s Record.  Did you know we have a softball team? And that it plays like, neighborhood rivalry games? And that they are playing the Pigtown Pigs on Saturday, August 7? You didn’t? Me either! I mean! Well, technically, it would be Pigtown East v. Pigtown West.

As avid co-ed rec players and team captians from years past in our previous city, the Brain and I were just talking about how much we missed playing softball since our move to Baltimore. We successfully ran a team for a few years through the local county rec department. Unfortunately, we are going to be out of town this weekend (darn) and will be unable to come and jeer…I mean, cheer on the Ridgelys Raiders. Whatev’s. It’s not like we was gonna offer to play.

Oh yeah–if you’ve noticed, there’s been alot of new residents moving into the ‘hood over the past week or so. If you notice a new resident, be a good neighbor and make sure they know the garbage and recycling pickup schedules. And the subsequent rules re: open cans and garbage, etc. It might not make that much of a difference (since the current residents don’t adhere to the rules) but if they know, they might be able to start off on the right (lawful) foot.

Later, b1tches. I gots me some actual work to do.

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So, it’s Friday. We finally have a bit of a cool(er) front in store for the weekend. Should be GORGEOUS if this morning is any indication of what’s to come.

Craziness in all forms will be descending on downtown this weekend.

First up–we have OTAKON at the Baltimore Convention Center.  Essentially, from what I gather, Otakon is a huge anime festival. And it’s not for poor people either. $75 just to walk through the doors! Craziness.  I mean, Brain and I have gone to some geekfests–but we tend to gravitate to the ones that are *cheap* and/or *free*. However, the bestest part of having Otakon in town? Seeing the freaks out walking around in their costumes. I think it’s almost as cool as being at Comic-con…sorta.

The Brain and I will not be going to Otakon.  We have this thing against Plushies. Ick. They freak us the hell out (It involves an experience we had at another con we attended once, and a guy with a blue tail).

On Saturday, there’s an International Friendly Soccer Match at M&T Bank Stadium. The game will feature Manchester City and Inter Milan in what will surely be a fun day. Of course, last summer, the International match sold over 70k tickets.  So far, this year, it’s not even half that amount. Either way, once I park my car tonight after work, I am not moving it again until I leave for work on Monday.

I’m torn, though, on what this means.  Baltimore is making a valiant bid to play host to the World Cup in like 2018.  Attendance at international friendlys is a good indicator of whether we, as a city, have the interest and support to play host to an event of this caliber.  I would love for Baltimore to get the fame and notoriety of hosting this on a world stage (especially since it’s so far in the future that the Brain and I will probably no longer BE living in Baltimore by the time it rolls around).  I wish I could say the same about the Baltimore Gran Prix.

Have a good weekend, b1tches!

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No? Me either. I think they’re all gone for the summer.  Besides, it’s not like they actually did anything anyways besides NOT interpret residential parking signs, NOT write tickets to parking violaters, etc.

Oh wait–they DO write tickets–but to residents.  I was ticketed twice within a week of each other back in January/February. 

Know why I was ticketed? Because I couldn’t find a parking spot and I parked in a meter spot.  I didn’t know the meter spots had to b e paid for until 6pm. So when I parked at 5:30, I didn’t know that at 5:35, I was going to be ticketed for a parking meter violation. 

Do you know what makes me angry? The only reason I parked in a meter spot was because I spent 35 minutes circling the neighborhood looking for a legal parking spot of any kind, and was unable to locate one. So I took a meter spot. If parking had been enforced (0r if we had zero-hour parking in Ridgelys like they do in Otterbien) this might not have happened.

Know what really irritates me more? The fact that I have to pay $46 to the city of Baltimore for two tickets when repeat offenders who have over $1800 in outstanding tickets are allowed to sign up for ‘payment plans’, continue to violate residential parking, continue to accrue tickets, and are NEVER PENALIZED for it.

Yeah, Baltimore City parking enforcers–Climb out of your little city issued Chevy Cobalts. Waddle your fat asses down the streets that you need to be enforcing parking on, and actually take the time to write the tickets.

Also, it might be helpful if you actually are educated as to what the current year parking pass looks like.  If a car is displaying a pass that is ANY OTHER COLOR THAN MAGENTA it’s not valid. Simple as that.

Don’t know what color magenta is? Google it. And do your damn jobs.

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I was speaking to a neighbor the other morning, and it came to light that crime in the neighborhood has been crazy in the past few months. Robberies (at supossed gun-point), house break-ins, car break-ins, car jackings…and I’m sure the list continues.

And yet–noone is informing us, the residents, of crimes that occur only doors away from our own. Personally, I think that we should all be told when there has been a major crime, such as a robbery. I’d like to know that. I’d especially like to know this information if I were considering moving to Ridgely’s as a new resident. This would be important to me.

The Baltimore Guide was a great delivery tool for this, as it would post the police blotters for the previous week–which, if you took the time to read, would let you know when and where crimes were occuring.  Sadly, the B’more Guide has not made an appearance in our neighborhood in quite some time.

The Brain and I also made the decision to cancel the subscription to the Balt Sun because it was being repeatedly stolen from our doorstep–and we aren’t paying for someone else to be reading our news.  Needless to say, we are out of the news crime loop.

The Ridgely’s Record rarely reports any crimes–besides, it’s a one piece of white copy paper monthly rag–printed in size 12 or larger Times New Roman–with alot of formatting and a few advertisements to fill the empty spaces. The only purpose of the Record is to announce the monthly neighborhood association meeting (drunk-fest 1) and the monthly bar night (drunk-fest 2). Ironically enough, the paper usually isn’t delivered until the week after the meeting have already occured. Great job there, guys.

There is a crime update that you can subscribe to online via SpotCrime–and you will get daily updates. It’s a start, I guess.

What I think that we, the residents, would really like to see is a weekly crime bulletin outlining the crimes that occur and impact the neighborhood, our neighbors, our selves.

C’mon Ridgelys Delight Neighborhood Association. I know that if you can find people to volunteer to serve on all the assorted other committees that serve no purpose, then you can surely find a few dedicated individuals who will commit the time to keeping us informed of crime in our backyard.

If you do, you might actually gain an iota of respect from yours truely.

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Hey Ridgely’s Record–are you reading this? Don’t forget to put it in the next issue!

All around the city, there was rejoicing. Last night on the news (WJZ-13, holla!) it was announced that bulk-trash removal would resume on August 2.

This is great and joyous news. Let’s go get some Rita’s and celebrate!

No, Rita’s does NOT pay me to continuously plug their awesomness.  However, if you are a representative of Rita’s, and would like to pay me, either in money or ice, I’m listening. Hit me up–I’m sure I can work out a deal. Maybe a large cotton candy ice every time I mention Rita’s?

Rita’s, Rita’s, Rita’s, Rita’s, Rita’s….I can go on, and on, and on. Seriously…let’s talk!

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