the frog comes north

[rootofnewt]

My brother is moving up to the Baltimore area. He'll be working near Ft. Meade. He's lived in Florida since graduating from college, so he knows nothing about the area. He's trying to figure out where he wants to live and would like pointers/warnings about any of the following areas. Comments about amenities (restaurants, bars within walking distance of residential areas, nearby shopping, distance to beaches on the bay) would probably be appreciated, along with relative cost of living. Anyone up for suggestions? Here are the areas he'd like information about:

Burbs:

Columbia
Elkridge
Severn
Laurel
Catonsville

City:

Canton
Fells Point
Butchers Hill
Federal Hill
Locust Point

Comments

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Canton is where some of my relatives live. It is solidly blue-collar, an old neighborhood that used to have corner bars and people connecting with their neighbors by sitting outside on the "stoops" and socializing. It has run down quite a bit in recent times.
Federal Hill is an up-and-coming yuppie area. Parts of it can be pretty expensive. He'd be close to the harbor, Cross Street Market - a lot of interesting restaurants and shops are starting to spring up there.
Fells Point is excellent. LOTS of restaurants and bars, a super music store, a superior coffee shop, little trendy stores. It has gone through some bad times but has started to really turn around. There's also a Whole Foods in the area, and you're right on the harbor.

I hear that Locust Point is getting yuppified, but I haven't been there to check it out. I don't know anything about Butcher's Hill.

One thing about B'more - he'll want to really check out the area before taking a place. "Good" and "Bad" areas are layered there, and wandering just one block over can put you in a whole new world, so to speak.