The New York Times occasionally “reports” on Baltimore but every two or three years it decides to “do” Baltimore . . . and one of those peppy  “36 hours in Baltimore” weekend travel pieces was in there Saturday.

Compared to the 2007 version, this latest feature is light on the Inner Harbor and heavy on the Hon stuff, which seems to be an enduring marketing motif, even if some locals, like filmmaker John “The Pope of Trash” Waters, consider it “used up” and “condescending.”

A few other observations. . .

* The piece also has a fair amount of North Baltimore (Jones Falls Trail, Woodberry Kitchen, Carma’s Cafe) and they even send readers out to Ellicott City for antiques, since Baltimore’s are “ho-hum.”

* Why, of all places they could have chosen downtown, did they send visitors to a bland convention hotel, the Hilton?

* They rave about how the Hampden home decor store “In Watermelon Sugar” is “decidedly un-Ikea,” but then they link to the global furniture retailer Ikea and not to teeny little In Watermelon Sugar.

* Add yours…..?