I'm finishing up my sophmore year here in Boston, and then transferring to Towson U outside B'More.  Anyone live in that area, should I keep a loaded mag to be ready to grab and go?  I really miss bethesda...

Towson is actually a decent area. Its extremely liberal and yuppie so you may want to carry a barf bag with you everywhere and use it as necessary.

If you go a little south of Towson its pretty bad though.
I have a few friends at TU, what will you study?
Let me know when you get in the area. We will all get together.

I'm going in as an organ performance major.  After living in both Boston and Bethesda, I can't imagine a more liberal place, except for Tacoma Park, so I think I'm pretty well prepared.  I hope the apartment my cousin is setting up for us isn't too close to Baltimore, as that would worry me a bit.  Thank you for the invitation, I'll be sure to drop a line here, and I hear there are some good gun clubs in the Baltimore area.

Quoted: I'm going in as an organ performance major.  After living in both Boston and Bethesda, I can't imagine a more liberal place, except for Tacoma Park, so I think I'm pretty well prepared.  I hope the apartment my cousin is setting up for us isn't too close to Baltimore, as that would worry me a bit.  Thank you for the invitation, I'll be sure to drop a line here, and I hear there are some good gun clubs in the Baltimore area.

No kidding.

One of my buddies is also a music major. Hell you will probably meet him. He also studies piano there too.

I'll IM you my contact info.

Its not bad at all...kinda yuppified/prissy college area.  I work in Towson at a surveying/engineering company.  When you get down here you'll have to come to one of our dinners....if we ever have one again * ahem* .

The areas that aren't so good are to the west of the beltway; Woodlawn, Security (ironically named), even Randalstown and Owings Mills aren't that good or are going south quickly.  You don't want to go to Owings Mills mall or Security Square mall.

Got a new Hooters there.  

It's not too bad an area.

Quoted: Its not bad at all...kinda yuppified/prissy college area.  I work in Towson at a surveying/engineering company.  When you get down here you'll have to come to one of our dinners....if we ever have one again * ahem* .

HEY!!!

You were the guy who said the new Hooters in Towson was open, we get ther it the damn thing isnt even fully built yet!
LOL  

Ok, I can get the hint to get another meet in the works.

Towson is a nice, clean area.  I used to love coming down to the Towson Commons.

The major roads around there can be tricky if you miss your trun.
I once had to make a lonnnng detour because I couldn't turn around for several miles.

Quoted: Quoted: Its not bad at all...kinda yuppified/prissy college area.  I work in Towson at a surveying/engineering company.  When you get down here you'll have to come to one of our dinners....if we ever have one again * ahem* . HEY!!! You were the guy who said the new Hooters in Towson was open, we get ther it the damn thing isnt even fully built yet! LOL   Ok, I can get the hint to get another meet in the works.

Really?!?!  Sorry 'bout that.  I haven't been by there lately but the sign said open March 8th.  Damn!  I guess they totally missed that, huh?

I work right around the corner/down the hill on Cromwell Bridge Road.

I have to ask where you folks live? In a box? It seems like every other post I see bashes Baltimore and some of the surrounding areas.  I have lived in this area  my entire life.  Granted, it has it's issues just like every other major metro area with 5 million people, but over all it aint a bad place to live (sans the libs). Most of the people that bash it and are afraid of it don't live here, they live in the sticks. I have family that lives in Western MD and are so afraid, they won't even go to the harbor.  Just to prove a point, I took them to REAL bad areas of town. like west baltimore.

You want to see bad, go to DC, NYC, Philly, Chicago, or  any other large  city.

For your info, Randallstown and Owings Mills have a lower crime rate per capita and a higher income than Towson. This according to an article in Baltimore mag several months ago. Towson has already gone down hill. It was really nice when I was growing up there.

I don't mean to piss anyone off, but I am getting sick of all these posts where everyone feels they need to carry if they come in MD..

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Its not bad at all...kinda yuppified/prissy college area.  I work in Towson at a surveying/engineering company.  When you get down here you'll have to come to one of our dinners....if we ever have one again * ahem* . HEY!!! You were the guy who said the new Hooters in Towson was open, we get ther it the damn thing isnt even fully built yet! LOL   Ok, I can get the hint to get another meet in the works. Really?!?!  Sorry 'bout that.  I haven't been by there lately but the sign said open March 8th.  Damn!  I guess they totally missed that, huh? I work right around the corner/down the hill on Cromwell Bridge Road.

Pic of the not yet finished Hooters in Towson....



I was supposed to post this days ago....but I'm a lazy bum.

Steve,
Who's the Organ faculty at Towson?  My room mate when I was in NYC was an organist who studied with John Gillock.  I played for him for a bunch of Easter services.  I'm now finishing my DMA at Maryland (College Park).  When you get to Towson, stop by Fader's on Allegheny Ave (provided you like fine cigars/pipes/etc).  I work there part time.

Sun,
The "bad rep" is warranted.  I lived in NYC for 7 years and felt way safer there than I do in most parts of B'More.  No the crime rate isn't as high, but when you consider the per capita rates, it's terrible.  I mean, it's a city of less than one million, yet has the highest per capita rates of violent crime, VD etc.  5 years ago they did a study and determined that the city has over 60,000 heorin junkies.  For a city of under a mil, that's a hell of a lot.  Hell, last year B'more lost more police than NY.  If I could carry, I would.
The crime in Towson is getting a little problematic, especially the on campus stuff you never hear about (rape etc).  But then again, it is a very liberal College in a fairly affluent (not Owings Mills affluent, but not SW B'More either) region bordering a "Not so great" (there are worse, but there are better too)part of the city.  Classic case of the "haves" and "have nots" living in close proximity.

Later
Rich

Hey Sundazes,
I would have to agree with Trumpet!!! I lived in Baltimore for a few years, and work as a cop in Baltimore. I grew up in Montgomery co, and being close to D.C. I have a lot of friends who became cops in Wash D.C., I have family in NYPD (A cousin) Many of my Police friends have ridden with me in Baltimore, and have said that they have never seen anything like it!!! I know you are proud of where you live, but Baltimore and it's outskirts are out of control. Look at the clientele that are moving into Owings Mills, Randallstown and Reisterstown area!!! Follow them to work someday, and you will see that they have TURF!!!! Not all but more than you would think! I lived in the city for about two years when I first came on the job, nothing was safe. My house was broken into my car was vandalized, all in a "Safe" neighborhood! Yes there are some very nice secure areas surrounding the city, but there is quite a bit of trouble as well. Hey where do you think all of the drug dealers spend their hard earned cash? Owings Mills mall, and Arundel Mills...Stay safe,
Sean
Oops,
Steverequiem,
Towson is very similar to Bethesda, Lots of college bars and the like. You should have no problems...on campus

Hey Sean,
What precinct you with?  I used to work at the Fader's downtown (when it had the good owner, not the current one) and we had a bunch of "boys in blue" as great everyday customers.....



Rich

Hey Trumpet,
Been in Faders quite a few times!!!
I work all over the city! I am a Detective assigned to the Narcotics Division

Quoted: Hey Trumpet, Been in Faders quite a few times!!! I work all over the city! I am a Detective assigned to the Narcotics Division

I think we need to talk about a few things.

Uh Oh....Faders is a Cigar shop!

Yeah man,
Hell, Norris used to come in quite often (especially when going through his "approval" trials....gotta love Sheila Dixon ) to chill for a couple hours....that is before all the current crap.  Before the current jack-ass who owns the downtown store was there, we used to give a hdfty discount to PD and FD.  Apparently he stopped that, BUT the stores in Towson, Catonsville and Reisterstown (the good ones )all do.  The owner is a retired D.C. Detective.

M4,
No worries, Fader's is a cigar shop.  Not an inner-city/college-town "smoke shop", but a real-deal-honest-to-God, full-service, "lounge-equipped" Tobacconist.  Not many left anymore.  Hell, most of our regular customers are either cops, lawyers or judges.  Pretty cool place to work!

Later
Rich

Trumpet,
The organ professor at Towson is Henry Lowe, who's organist at Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore.  I also studied improvisation with Monte Maxwell at the Navy Academy Chapel.  Thank you for the cigar offers, I'll be sure to take you up on that.