M&T Stadium

While there are many different people in Baltimore, whether they are different in personality, where they live, or their age, all Baltimoreans come together every Sunday from opening day to hopefully the Superbowl to watch their favorite sports team play at M& T B
ank. The Baltimore Raven's are a way of life for people who live in the city, with every home game being almost sold out if not completely sold out, it makes you wonder if they may be some of the most dedicated fans in football.

I was fortunate enough to attend a Raven's game vs. the NY Jets. As soon as I entered the parking lot I could tell that the Baltimore Ravens was not so much a team but a way of life for the fans. Between the tailgating in the parking lot and the crowds of people in their purple cameo, it was hard not to be wrapped up in the festivities. M&T stadium was finished in 1988 and cost an estimated $200 million. There is a seating capacity of

71,008 people, a sold out game could feel like the sky is bleeding purple. At the Jets game there were a few brave souls wearing green, however the green was swallowed up by the purple. It made you want to be a fan.

It is said that Ravens fans are some of the most behaved and loyal fans in the league because of their enthusiasm, team support and sportsmanship. I have to say, that since attending a game I noticed all 3 of these things are completely true. As the stadium states on their website, "Our mission is winning, winning football games on the field and winning off the field by serving our fans". Baltimore and their Ravens in M&T Bank are truly an inspiration to football fans everywhere.

The Rainforest in the Inner Harbor

At an outstanding 92,052 square miles, Baltimore is the largest city and cultural center in the state of Maryland. The city is packed with 620,961 residents, while the Baltimore Metropolitan Area has just under 2.4 million. The city had the second largest port that handled immigrants and manufacturing products. Clearly this was the typical city full of vast buildings and yellow cabs around every corner. The only problem seemed to be that your daily dose of mother nature was no where to be found. A decline in manufacturing along the coast of the United States lead the city to move the city into a service-oriented economy. Big construction projects such as the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore Ravens football team and stadium, Baltimore Orioles baseball team and stadium, Harborplace, and the National Aquarium were erected within the Inner Harbor area.

The solution to Baltimore's need for a taste of nature was brought in when the construction of the National Aquarium was finished in 1981. Located at 501 E. Pratt Street, the building is a huge glass enclosed square. Constructed by Peter Chermayeff of Peter Chermayeff LLC, this building is separated into three different buildings: Pier 3 Pavilion, Pier 4 Pavilion, and the Glass Pavilion. It holds an outstanding 16,500 specimens which are scattered throughout the dolphin display, rooftop rainforest, central ray display, and the multi-story shark tank.

Today the aquarium drives the most tourists to visit Baltimore with attracting 1.5 million people a year. In 2006, Coastal Living name the National Aquarium the #1 aquarium in America.

On a personal note, I have been to this amazing collection of ecosystems and would recommend to all that find themselves in Baltimore. At a very reasonable entrance fee, you have an unlimited amount of time to spend with animals seen all across the world. It's something you must experience to truly understand my testimonial.

- John Kenyon

The Finest Establishment Known to York Road

York Road is comprised of a massive strip of pavement that crosses the majority of Maryland. On the weekends past 9 P.M. Loyola students are only concerned with less than a 1/2 mile of the monstrous roadway. This small section is home to Favorites Pub, Murphy's Bar and Grill (Murphdogs), Zen West, Jerry's Tavern, and Swallow at the Hallow. After some bar hopping, I am proud to announce Favorites Pub has proven time and time again to be the best bang for your buck.

In a given night, the average cab ride from Loyola is around $8, but if you master the art of rhetoric you can bring it down to $6. Only if you're lucky though. From there, Favorites Pub charges a $1 cover fee to pay for all the shenanigans the rowdy boys pull throughout the night. After being accepted in you are granted access to a variety of drinks ranging from $3 beers to $4 shots. Mix drinks are a bit more expensive. Enjoy your stay, but don't clear your wallet...you still have to pay for the cab ride back.

On a more serious note, safety is a huge concern for the bar and Loyola Police. It is advised that you never walk home, walk out in the street, or take rides home with unknown individuals. If you find that you're the only one left on York Road, you can call campus police to get a safe ride home.

Don't be fooled by the shady appearance of this small building during the day. When the sun goes down and Loyola students make their way through the doors, this building bumps beats. With an impressive sound system and dimmed lighting, this small bar turns into the perfect weekend rave for everyone to enjoy. On a side note, expect champagne to rain down from the heavens around 1 A.M., so don't wear your expensive dress shirt out. By far the best part of the night...

DISCLAIMER:

21 or older to enter this paradise. Don't waste your time you silly underclassman.

- John Kenyon

Chipotle or Qdoba? That is the question

Chipotle has always been the hot spot for many Loyola, as well as Towson and Johns Hopkins, students to go and get a quick and delicious meal. While waiting in line students struggle with the difficult decision of burrito, taco, or burrito bowl. Your mouth begins to water as you think of all of the options you have to make your meal your own. The cilantro and lime rice give a great base flavor to your meal and the spices on the chicken give it that extra kick. If chicken is not for you don't worry they have steak and pork options as well. Next comes the color and spice and everything nice. Lettuce, cheese, sour cream, corn and guacamole can be added for a cheesy, crunchy, tangy touch. If you are looking for the spice, you have a choice between mild and hot salsa to kick it up a notch. As they wrap your baby of a burrito up filled with all of the flavor, color and taste you finally begin to imagine that first juicy, spicy, tangy bite of heaven. To top off your meal you can buy homemade chips made with a citrus and salty touch.

So you may be asking yourself now, "Why would anyone want to eat anything else!?" The truth of the matter is Qdoba is actually very similar to Chipotle. They have pretty much the same options and toppings, although if I must say, Chipotle's chicken is much better. Where does the difference lye? The money! College students are poor individuals. Chipotle gets more business because they are not only close to campus, but because they accept students meal cards to pay for their meals. Now mom and dad are paying for Chipotle not you!

So if you are looking for a good mexican fix at a semi decent price and you don't want to pay for it....head over to Chipotle on York Rd. near Giant supermarket. Dinner's on mom and dad again!

-Melissa

About the Authors

"Discover Baltimore" is a blog about the many different activities and adventures that can be discovered all over Baltimore. The blog posts are written by four members of the Loyola University Maryland Intro to Communications class. We hope that by reading about our experiences and adventures around Baltimore that you will be inspired to go to some of these places on your own. Some of the places will mention will be very well-known and others will be places that only a true Baltimorean would know about.

So who are these bloggers?

John Kenyon is a junior advertising major at Loyola University Maryland. He is a member of the Men's Swimming team. He enjoys frolicking around town, getting his swell on at the gym, and finding the hottest spots to hang out. You can also find him longboarding around campus in a cut-off T-shirt.

Melissa Addonizo is a senior psychology major at the Loyola University Maryland. She is a member of the Women's Swimming team. In her free time, she likes try out different restaurants and spends time reading poetry with her boyfriend.

Caitling Winkler (aka C Winky) is also a senior psychology major at Loyola University Maryland. Like Melissa, she too is a member of the Women's Swimming team. She is a Harry Potter fanatic and you can most likely find her playing on "Pottermore" in her free time.

Meghan Barry is a senior PR and Advertising Major at Loyola University Maryland. She too is a member of the Women's Swimming Team. When she is not eating or trying to find the best place to get a deal in Baltimore, she is most likely playing Just Dance in the dorm rooms with her friends.

We hope that you enjoy our blog!