Has anyone petitioned the city to have our new tagline be “Baltimore: the city of awesome outdoor public festivals”? Maybe it doesn’t quite have a ring to it, but it’s certainly accurate, and describes one of our favorite features of this town. Not only is there always something to do—it often involves being outside, with great music, local food and artists, and our fellow Baltimoreans out to enjoy all that’s going on. One fabulous upcoming example: Art Outside, a juried arts event that will be held on Sunday, May 19^th, around the Druid Hill Reservoir (aka our absolute favorite spot for a jog, a picnic, or just an incredible view of the city). If you’re newer to town, and ArtScape is your only reference point for outdoor art festivals in Baltimore, take note: from 1953 to 1968, Druid Hill Park was the site of an annual art festival inspired by the outdoor art sales that were being held in New York’s Washington Square. These festivals gave local artists the opportunity to exhibit their work to the public at a time when alternative and small galleries and exhibition spaces weren’t the norm that they are today. With fond memories of those festivals, Barbara Shapiro set out to bring that spirit– or more accurately, the whole thing– back for today’s Baltimore. And how perfect that it coincides with the reservoir’s 150th anniversary? Read More →

“Hey Baltimore, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT??!!!,” one of my Facebook friends wrote yesterday morning. Other folks quickly chimed in about the huge boom and subsequent heavy rumbling that shook the Woodberry/Druid Hill/Hampden region; guesses included a meth lab explosion, a truck that had flipped over and was being dragged down a hill,  or”something huge falling off a cliff.” But rest easy, Baltimore — that explosion was on purpose.

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We’re filing this one under “only in Baltimore…” But also, we want in. Tired of the same old flowers, chocolates, dinner-and-maybe-a-show-or-a-movie thing for Valentine’s Day? Does the human race’s record on stable, committed relationships depress you? Looking to bring back some of the animal passion that you’re sure your relationship had at some point? Or do you just want confirmation that bodies and biology are gross and we’re all just pre-programmed skin-covered bags of hormones? Well, the Maryland Zoo has just the thing for you and that special someone with whom you share these idiosyncrasies. Cancel the flower delivery and make reservations now for “Sex at the Zoo: A Special Adults Only Event.” Read More →

Happy 125th birthday, Rawlings Conservatory. Your full name is a mouthful: The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens of Baltimore! It’s almost as long as your distinguished history.

Far more than 125 panes of glass adorn your Victorian majesty. You are the second oldest “glass palace” in America. You are the last of five that once graced Baltimore’s well-known parks. Quite a distinction. Read More →

Hibernation season is coming. And it’s not just for bears, chipmunks and bats (yes, bats hibernate). Us humans also need to take a few months to slow down, curl up, and spend as much time as possible in fuzzy slippers and fluffy robes. It’s nature’s way. Some of us have no problem embracing our animal selves. We happily chow down on mashed potatoes and thick hot chocolate as stores for the coming winter. We fall asleep earlier and earlier—why not? It’s dark out. But some of us need a little re-education in the animal instinct department. And living in the city, it can be difficult to get your daily dose of animal behavior observation.

The Maryland Zoo understands. That’s why they’ve put together a special event for this Saturday. IT’s Breakfast with the polar bears! The event includes a hot, catered breakfast inside the zoo’s historic Mansion House, photo ops with animal ambassadors, and education stations where you can learn more about the polar bears! After breakfast, venture down to Polar Bear Watch (via tram), where you’ll hear a zookeeper chat.  Finally, you can ask the polar bears questions and watch as the bears receive their morning enrichment—a good study for those who’ve become too good at using forks and chewing with their mouths closed. Tickets are limited, and the event will sell out, so please make reservations early. Be sure to dress warmly. Tickets include zoo admission, so after breakfast you can spend the day touring the rest of zoo—or you just go home and practice what you’ve learned.

Breakfast with Polar Bears takes place at the Maryland Zoo on Saturday, November 10^th from 8:30am-10am. Tickets are: $55/Members, $65/Non-members and FREE for Under 2 years old(*But still require a ticket). For more information, or to reserve tickets, visit www.marylandzoo.org

Apologies to our readers if it seems that Catch of the Day is really pushing the whole, go-outside-and-enjoy-the-fall thing.  If it’s not one pumpkin patch we’re crazy about it’s another. But we can’t help it. Fall is so full of outdoorsy opportunities, and so many of them come with corresponding foods and fashions. What’s not to love? Take for example, The Cylburn Arboretum’s Soup-N-Walk Series.

Each educational walk is led by a Cylburn naturalist. It’s a perfect way to discover the gardens and woodland trails at Cylburn. Following the walk, a lunch of soup and salad will be served in the Cylburn mansion (lunch in a mansion!) prepared by Chef Nona from Atwaters. As though this weren’t enough, Chef Nona will share with the group her soup-making secrets (which we would say are probably worth the price of admission alone), as well as the nutritional benefits of using local ingredients.  The remaining walks are Nature’s Palette—Cylburn Color, Thursday, October 25 and Tree Identification Sunday, November 11. Each walk begins at 11 a.m.  The fee for each walk is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. If you need special accommodations, please call two weeks in advance.

To register for a walk, call the Cylburn Office at 410-367-2217 x 104 to reserve a spot. Payment is due at the time of registration. The event does sell out, so please RSVP early.

On Tuesday morning at 10, six dance walkers met at the northeast side of the Druid Hill reservoir. It was a gray day and chilly. We acted shy at first. But one arm in the air led to another. Guided by roller-derby veteran Jannel Cannady on skates, we walked fast and laughed for a few hundred feet then we stopped laughing and dance-walked. A couple taking a stroll called out to us with big smiles,  “Are you doing aerobics or walking or what?” And we relaxed more. We ran up the grassy hill and danced before the enormous Wallace Monument. Yeah, the scene turned immature and pretty dorky. And it became big fun for 40 minutes, the time it took us to complete one hip-shaking 1.5-mile circuit around the rippling water.

Windy weather and public embarrassment weren’t our only obstacles Tuesday. Technology, too. Steven Tappe, a nurse at the University of Maryland Medical Center, brought his phone that streams a radio app, but the music — everything from slow Steve Winwood to random calypso – came and went. (Tomorrow, at the next official Dance Walk party at 10 a.m. a boom-box is scheduled to attend.) But as we dance-walked on, we all talked some. And the lack of music wasn’t a tragedy.

Baltimore Fishbowl contributor Michael Yockel (below, left), a former music critic, and Steve (below, right) danced for one long stretch of lane as if they heard fast-pumping music.

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Charlotte Hayes Murray, owner of Charlotte Elliott and the Bookstore Next Door in Hampden, caught the “Dance Walk” YouTube video floating around Facebook — in which LXTV NBC reporter Ben Aaron boogies Fifth Avenue to pumping music, mirroring an anonymous disco-dancing man, eventually getting packs of random strangers involved in the dorky/euphoric act — and immediately forwarded the footage to other Hampden-based friends and shop owners.

Hays Murray and her friends challenged more friends to meet at the Druid Park Reservoir and dance one circuit together. The first Dance Walk event in Baltimore’s history happened last rainy Tuesday.

“I sent [the video] to Angela Grube (owner of 9th Life) and showed it to my friend Jannel Cannady, and we were all enthused,” Hays Murray says. “We had been talking about dieting and weight loss and how boring it was to work out. This sounded like something we could totally do and stick to, and Druid Park Reservoir seemed like a perfect place to do it. I am sure there are plenty of groove master dance walkers in Charm City, just like the groove master guru in the video, but to my knowledge this is the first [official] group Dance Walking Team.” Read More →

The author on her bike at ciclovia. Photo by Anne Stuzin.

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Ciclovia, (pronounced: seek-low-VEE-uh) how I do love thee! You are one of the most fun events that take place in Baltimore all year, and you take place just feet from my door.

I do not have to get in car to reach you, ciclovia. In fact, I MUST not get in a car to reach you. Cars are not allowed on your streets, ciclovia.  Feet, bikes, trikes, scooters, skates, unicycles, wagons only are allowed. No motorized vehicles of any sort for you, ciclovia. You are clean and green.

Photo by Sally Foster.

And this spring, ciclovia, you take place on a Saturday, NOT on a Sunday:  Saturday, May 5, from noon to 4 p.m.  What a civilized hour. Read More →