Long-Time Reader, First-Time Visitor: A Baltimorean’s Guide to ‘First-Time Caller’
I’ll do a lot to romanticize my life. But sometimes I get lucky, and all I have to do is walk a few blocks to immerse myself in a beautiful, relatable love story, such as First-Time Caller, the latest from bestselling author B.K. Borison. In it, Aiden, a jaded romance radio show host, and Lucie, a hopeless romantic eager to fall in love, are unexpectedly thrown together by Lucie’s pre-teen daughter. Maya and the love-starved Baltimore public. At its core, First-Time Caller is a story about making your own magic and accepting that heart-stopping romance can be found in the everyday mundane (both earnestly and reluctantly). It’s a love letter to the author’s home city in which she expertly weaves the fictional with reality, blending the picturesque world expected in the genre with a literary universe you feel like you can be a part of just by walking out your front door. To celebrate the novel’s release, my friends and I took to the setting’s streets to visit some of the highlighted locations, happy to indulge ourselves in Aiden and Lucie’s world. By the end of the day, the only thing we felt like we were missing was a Heartstrings, Baltimore’s Romance Hotline sweatshirt. (Hint. Hint. Book merchandisers)
Fells Point - 800 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
The majority of the story takes place in Fells Point, a harbor-side neighborhood founded by a British shipbuilder in 1726. Over the passing centuries, plenty has grown and changed. But the narrow brick buildings and slices of history that remain dotted around the area make for the perfect attainably unattainable rom-com setting. It’s easy to imagine getting swept off your feet walking down the refurbished cobblestone streets.
Bertha’s Mussels - 734 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
Located in the neighborhood’s central square, the Bertha’s Mussels restaurant does not appear in the novel itself. However, its locally famous merchandise is strewn across the pages. If you’re looking for your own T-shirt or bumper sticker, look no further than this beloved green facade.
Duck Duck Goose - 734 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
A few storefronts down, you’ll find Duck Duck Goose, the location of one of the dates organized by Heartstrings/Aiden on Lucie’s Road to Love. Unfortunately, the restaurant is temporarily closed, so the closest you can get to the Art Deco decor is a glance through the window.
The Admiral’s Cup - 1647 Thames St, Baltimore, MD 21231
From there, look toward the water, and you’ll be able to see The Admiral’s Cup; the bar is not named by B.K. Borison, nor are you able to play Skee-ball among the dark furniture and scuffed floor, but you can order beers, fries and burgers, and if there’s a live band, you might even be able to request ‘Thong Song.’
Captain James Seafood Palace -2127 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21231
Depending on the weather, Captain James Seafood Palace is either a charming walk away or a brief drive. You won’t be able to miss it. The ship-shaped crab shack is a city staple, even for the people who have never eaten there.
If seafood floats your boat, maybe try it out…get it? Boat. Never mind. (Maya would have laughed.)
Patterson Park - 27 S Patterson Park Ave, Baltimore MD, 21231
The next location we visited was Patterson Park, the oldest park in Baltimore and the site of Jackson’s, Heartstring’s weatherman and Aiden’s best friend’s daily runs. While we decided against getting in a bit of exercise, the park also boasts two playgrounds, five basketball courts, ten tennis courts, a swimming pool and a boat-like, among other amenities.
Tagliata - 1012 Fleet St, Baltimore, MD
Once you’ve had your nature fill, hop back in your car and head to Tagliata. The Italian restaurant is another that host’s one of Lucie’s sponsored dates. Like First-Time Caller’s FMC you can order wine, and a “heaping plate of pasta” followed by “tiramisu and a gelato sampler.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital - 1800 Orleans St, Baltimore MD 21287
This next location is one that we didn’t do more than drive by - and neither should you unless you’re in need of medical attention. John’s Hopkins, because of both the university and the hospital, is a name every Baltimorean knows by heart. The over 125-year-old treatment facility is central to Aiden’s backstory, but thankfully, none of the characters spend any present-day page time there.
The Radio Towers - 3800 Hooper Ave, Baltimore MD 21211
Then last, but certainly not least, a fifteen to twenty minute drive will take you out of the city center and into the land of Heartstrings itself. Obviously, Baltimore’s radio towers can be seen from a distance, but if you want to get up close and personal (or maybe have a look at the back parking lot) you can visit the working real-life TV and radio stations that broadcast through the area.
Maybe we’ll be back with a second travel guide for “And Now Back To You,” the second book in the Heartstrings trilogy, but for now, we’re signing off to make our own magic (and find a Heartstrings sweatshirt). In the words of Aiden and Lucie, “Good night, Baltimore.”
<3 <3 Bonus Material <3 <3
For those who wish to delve even deeper into the story, there are a handful of additional real-world locations that are mentioned by the characters, but never serve as a setting in B.K. Borison’s story.
You can hover over the photographs in the slide show below for addresses and fictional context.
