Mobtown Ballroom is a lindy hop club in Pigtown, Baltimore. They host swing nights every Friday, often with live bands (though this has been somewhat diminished thanks to the pandemic). It was once a grand and solemn old cathedral; now it's host to drinking, dancing, jazz, and even, yes, circus arts. In short, the "holy spirit" of yesteryear has given way to the frenetic energy of lindy-hop, which has a holy spirit of its own.

Tarantula Hill is the home and sometimes venue of legendary experimental music duo Twig Harper and Carly Ptak. Rising from the ashes of a tragic fire in 2006 this beautifully (re)constructed performance space, library, studio, and home has once again become a vital asset in the the ever growing Baltimore music and arts scene.

The Current Gallery is an artist-run gallery and studio space located in downtown Baltimore. Current's a great space for seeing contemporary art from the studios of young Baltimore based artists and likeminded artists from around the world.

Normal's is a great records-and-books store just off of Greenmount Avenue on 31st street. They have an inspiring collection of used books, all very affordable. One gets the impression that each book was deliberately chosen, and personally read through by the storekeepers. The curation of books and records feels very intentional and meaningful. Formed in 1990 by a collective of nine people who wanted to work for themselves on a project that they cared about, Normal's is distinguished by its discernment.

At the top of a hill on Cathedral street downtown, we find the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore's public library system. Always open to the public, even without a library pass, it is like a great and beautiful sanctuary. Some of my best thinking has taken place in the humanities wing reading room. It is, after all, one of the few places in the city devoted exclusively, and uninhibitedly, to thinking.