Sizzlin Summer 2009

This summer feels different. We've complained about being broke in the past, but it was like when we say we're starving an hour before dinner--sure, we'd like to eat, but malnutrition is a long way off. At least that's how it seems in retrospect, now that the recession has gotten to the point where nobody can pretend it isn't happening and people talk about having a job rather than job satisfaction.

So, we won't be going on any fancy trips this year, or even running our A/C as much as we'd like. We will, however, have an increased appreciation for summer in our hometown and home state. We'll go to parks and enjoy the free sunshine, take a dip in a swimming hole, watch some outdoor movies, knock a few back at a festival or two, and maybe even take a weekend trip to one of those small, picturesque Eastern Shore towns we always mean to visit.

We've got your back this year with a massive calendar of activities and attractions to make your staycation feel more festive. We also have stories about affordable ways to spend the warm--or in Baltimore's case, sweltering--months. Lee Gardner takes a bite out of pick-your-own farms. Emily Flake shows you how to have summer fun on a budget. Michael Byrne provides a tour of Baltimore's abandoned relics. Bret McCabe takes you on a literary vacation. Edward Ericson Jr., tries to buy a cheap boat and learns there's no such thing. Erin Sullivan figures out ways you can green your urban home on a budget. Henry Hong slurps up some knowledge on sno-balls. And our I-Team returns to tell you where to find the coldest beer in Baltimore.

We've done the hard work and given you all the tools you need to make this a pretty amazing summer despite the economy. All you have to do is get out there.

Cover photo by Frank Hamilton with thanks to Baxter the Wonder Dog. No animals were harmed in the making of this cover. Proof at citypaper.com/go/baxter.

Easy Pickings

Feature: Local pick-your-own farms offer memories as well as fresh produce by Lee Gardner

Broke-Ass Summertime Fun

Feature: Hey you with no money maybe you could use some ideas? by Emily Flake

Dancing in the Ruins

Feature: Exploring the area's not-so-hidden crumbling gems by Michael Byrne

Lost in Place

Feature: If travel isn't a vacation option, try letting a book take you away by Bret McCabe

Break Out Another Thousand

Feature: Cheap boating might be possible, but not, alas, for the ignorant by Edward Ericson Jr.

Factory Girl

Feature: Greetings from York County, Pa., the factory tour capital of the world by Michelle Gienow

Shades of Green

Feature: Small ways you can make your city home more environmentally friendly by Erin Sullivan

Balls Up

Feature: Let's hear it for Baltimore's favorite (but perhaps not homegrown) summer treat by Henry Hong

Stay Frosty

Feature: The City Paper I-Team™ once again searches for the coldest beer in Baltimore

Sizzlin' Summer Calendar

Calendar: Our 2009 guide to great fun in the summer sun

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