Balmer? "Baltimore," as Virginian Sally Kirby Hartman has it. Those best crab cakes, so meaty, no filler, with perfect spicing? At Luna Del Sea, on Pratt, short walk from the Inner Harbor. The bartender on duty was fun to observe. She teased a businessman tucking into his first cocktail, "You know, hon, what happens in Baltimore stays in Baltimore." A local bigwig spent a few minutes nestling with a couple a few seats down. His signature breakway line, leaking molasses: "Damn, this is fun!" At the conference hotel, they upgraded me to the presidential suite. It was vast. Two bathrooms. Lots of entourage seating. A full kitchen. On the coffee table: Wine Spectator and business magazines. I read the article on "The 7 Deadly Sins of Investing." Committed them all; going to financial hell. I huddled in a corner and tried to feel presidential.