Our brief holiday started at National Aquarium Baltimore, which we enjoyed but were a little perplexed by. Somehow when you say 'National' something and are near DC, innocent tourists equate this with a Smithsonian-quality museum. We didn't think the aquarium quite measured up. It was cool to see sharks and dolphins and fishes galore, but a few times we were kinda stuck with heads to the side going "awwww that's sad for the poor old octopus in that little tank." Very high winds messed up our previous plans for evening revelry and fireworks; in their stead we did some window shopping along Light Street in Federal Hill and then settled in for dinner at Cork's, where we happily ate in the New Year and celebrated with some very excellent wine. There was an elegant simplicity all around - in the food, the place, and even the idea of being at dinner when 2009 arrived - and it seemed to match our mood.