Recycling: "Single Stream" may flow better

Although last week's pickup (or lack thereof) was disappointing, I hope things are about to take a turn for the better. Although I haven't seen much in the mainstream press on this story, Baltimore City is launching a new "Single Stream Recycling" initiative on January 8, 2008. I have heard that City residents are supposed to be getting a mailing describing the program, but I haven't gotten anything in the mail, have you? I was able, however, to pull together the following facts:

• All recyclables—paper, cardboard, glass bottles, plastic bottles and jars (with 1 – 7 on the bottom), metal, aluminum, and tin cans—will go into one container, on the same day.
• Plastic bags will no longer be acceptable for recyclables.
• Recycling will no longer be collected on Mondays. Your current paper recycling collection day will become your new single stream recycling collection day.
• Single stream recycling will be collected on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays through Fridays; depending on your recycling zone.
• You have 3 options for setting out single stream recycling: (1) purchase and use a recycling bin; (2) use a container of choice that is clearly marked as recycling material; (3) or use a cardboard box.

As for that last bullet, if you choose to use an official Recycling Bin, the City will be offering them at half price during these "kick-off" events:

December 15, 2007, 10am–2pm
Baltimore Polytechnic,
1400 W. Cold Spring Ln.
Montebello Elem.,
2040 E. 32nd St.

Patterson H.S.,
100 Kane St.

Edmondson-Westside Skill Ctr.,
501 Athol Ave.

December 16, 2007, 10am–2pm
Northwestern High School,
6900 Park Heights Ave.

But remember, you don't have to use this bin, as long as your container "is clearly marked as recycling material." So, a cardboard box and a sharpie, works just fine, too. You can find out more about the Single Stream Recycling initiative at Cleaner Greener Baltimore.

CHOKCHAI

Just in case anyone else hasn't found out yet, Chokchai thai food restaurant is moving and will be closed for the remainder of the year. The new location is north on Harford road. It is in the corner building where the ice cream parlor used to be. Across the street from the Amoco station and near what used to be Kildaires Tavern, which is now something new too. A steak and seafood place now i think. It looks like the new Chokchai will be a little larger, maybe they will have a nicer dining area. I just hope this doesn't mean that the prices will go up alot.

Edelweiss Bakery closed!

This is awful news for the family that owns the bakery and for the neighborhood. Owner and baker Dietrich A. Paul died two weeks ago of Lou Gehrig's disease, and the family cannot keep the Edelweiss Bakery and Cafe going.

From today's Baltimore Sun:

A few plastic bags of sugar cookies remain on the otherwise bare shelves. A thumbed and stained recipe book rests beside cold ovens. Signs taped to the doors and windows say "Closed."

It's been 12 days since 68-year-old Hamilton baker Dietrich A. Paul died of Lou Gehrig's disease and the doors were locked on his Edelweiss Bakery and Cafe. No more German accordion music, Thursday afternoon sour beef and dumplings sessions and those legendary apple fritters, a confection one food writer called "a misshapen bear claw of bliss."

Seated on a wooden chair yesterday in the cafe was Paul's widow, the former Genevieve Miller. She had converted one of the tables into a desk and filled it with business papers.

"I can't run this place by myself," she said. "The place is for sale."

She then told a story of how they met just across the street at the Calvary Tabernacle Church at a time when both had been widowed. They married nine years ago, and soon afterward their pastor suggested that they buy and renovate a nearby building where the 6000 block of Harford Road joins Old Harford Road.

Recycling woes!

What was up with the bottles & cans pickup this week? We had several bags because the last pickup date fell on Veteran's Day -- so no pickup. We called 311, and left the bags out today. I hope they came!

The city clearly needs more resources for this. When I was driving home on Moravia Road last night at 5:30, I had to wait for a backup to clear: a trash truck on one side of the road, and a city-owned pickup truck on the other, all gathering recycling from the curb.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Hello, i would like to take this opportunity as my first posting after being accepted as a member or whatever, to wish everyone and anyone visiting, a very happy and blessed thanksgiving. i went outside this morning and could not believe the weather.
the leaves, the breeze, the birds, everything. this neighborhood can be so beautiful. i took the liberty of adding to the previous posting by sue. i really enjoyed her story and would love to hear some others. so if you have a moment see sue's thanksgiving story and add you own.
love, and peace,
scepter

What's your favorite Thanksgiving memory or story?

As a Charm City transplant, I'm particularly interested in anyone who has a true Baltimore Thanksgiving story to tell. Maybe a tradition that you and your family followed when you were growing up.

Here's one of my favorite memories: When I was student teaching at Dundalk Middle School, I was excited that the school cafeteria served a Thanksgiving lunch the day before Thanksgiving. After all, I was a graduate student and not being paid for my student teaching, so the idea of a "real meal" (that is, anything other than peanut butter and jelly again) was a joyous occasion, indeed!

I stood in the cafeteria line behind a couple of my students, my mouth watering at the smell of turkey and stuffing. So imagine my surprise when I took my plate from Cafeteria Lady and it included a big heapin' pile of ... sauerkraut! I thought it must have been leftover or a mistake, or something. But when I got to the teacher's lunch room, I was educated on the joys of sauerkraut at Thanksgiving.

Open Thread

Okay, Westfield: this is your chance to vent. Any topic is fair game ...... go!

WNIA Holiday Party

Make plans to attend the annual WNIA Holiday Party at the Holiday House.

• Pot Luck (bring a dish to share)
• Bring a gift (unwrapped & new) for Toys for Tots.
• Bring a non-perishable item for the NORTHEAST FOOD PANTRY

Items especially needed are: cereal, rice, pasta, powdered milk, peanut butter, paper towels, canned meats, canned tuna and salmon, canned vegetables and soups, canned fruit and juices, jelly, and toilet tissue. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

DECEMBER 4th - 7:30pm
HOLIDAY HOUSE
6427 Harford Road
(Pinewood Road entrance)

Recycling: Life in Baltimore is about to get a little easier

Soon you won't have to check the calendar every Sunday night, only to find out that there's no bottle/can pickup this week — and then forget to check back on Thursday to see if it's paper week.

From today's Baltimore Sun:

Starting Jan. 8 in city, everything goes to the curb on same day

Starting in January, the city will begin collecting all recyclable material - bottles, cans, paper and cardboard - in a single container, eliminating the complicated schedule in which residents place bottles and cans at the curb on one day, and paper and cardboard on another.

Read the rest of the article here.

For your to-do list

You may not know that we have a nice little gem of arts & entertainment right down Harford Road. The Hamilton Arts Collective (HAC), at the corner of Harford and Hamilton Avenue, is bustling with activity most nights of the week. Who knew?! Well, now you do!

A sampling of their offerings includes:

• Classes and performances by the Baltimore Improv Group, (that's them in the photo, and they are hysterical, by the way)
• All kinds of talent from the hole in the wall cabaret
• CD release parties like the one on November 10 for Davey G and the Keyboard
• Foreign movie night
• Stand up comedy

We're in no way associated with the HAC, but I think it's pretty cool to support this in our own backyard. Most of the events are either free or minimal cover charge. So next time you're looking for something to do , but don't want to deal with the hassles of Fells Point, Canton, or Hampden, check out the calendar at the HAC. You might be surprised!

Calling all lurkers!

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