Harford Road, Hon

Hazardous Waste Drop-Off This Weekend

2011-11-01T13:05:00.000-04:00

The city of Baltimore will hold its first Hazardous Waste Drop-Off event at the new containment facility at the Northwest Citizen Convenience Center this weekend. On Friday, November 4th, and Saturday, November 5th, city residents can drop off hazardous materials from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new Center is located at 2840 Sisson Street:

Hazardous household materials that will be collected include:

oil-based paints
pesticides
herbicides
household batteries
drain cleaners
gasoline
pool chemicals

(They remind us that latex paint can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection.)

The site will not be collecting: asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol.You'll need to show proof of city residency, such as a driver's license, telephone bill or tax bill, before you'll be allowed to drop off items.

Oh for art's sake!

2011-10-21T10:19:00.000-04:00

I am shamelessly posting the following information verbatim from the School 33 Art Center Facebook page.

Art galleries, restaurants & pubs will be open for business to help feature some of the local artists in the community. Plan to spend an evening on Harford Road to visit a gallery, enjoy dinner at one of our award winning restaurants (many require reservations), attend a live performance or warm up to a fire while enjoying some outdoor music at 4500 Harford Road!

Gallery Walk
6:00 Wine & Cheese reception at Performance Workshop Theatre 5426 Harford Road, 410-659-7830

6:30 Dance demonstration at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts 5543 Harford Road, 443-438-4525

7:00 Gallery walk begins - visit several art events at:
Studio 55 - 5529 Harford Road - 410-444-0022
Hamilton Gallery - 5502 Harford Road
Hamilton Arts Collective - 5440 Harford Road
Hamilton Bakery - 5414 Harford Road, 410-254-0797
Charmed Life Studio - 4505 Harford Road, 443-962-4634
Live music at 4500 Harford Road

For dinner, please make dinner reservations prior to October 21st :
Koco's Pub, 4301 Harford Road, 410-426-3519
The Chameleon, 4341 Harford Road, 410-254-2376
Clementine, 5402 Harford Road, 410-444-1497

No reservations required at:
Chef Mac and All That Blues, 4709 Harford Road, 410-319-6227
Lauraville House, 4528 Harford Road, 410-444-6664
Zeke's Coffee, 4607 Harford Road, 410-254-0122
Hamilton Tavern, 5517 Harford Road, 410-426-1930
Los Amigos, 5506 Harford Road, 410-444-4220
Lost in the 50's, 5512 Harford Road, 410-254-1639
Big Bad Wolf, House of Barbeque, 5713 Harford Road, 410-444-6422

On the Number 19

2011-10-18T09:25:00.001-04:00

Last evening on the 19 Express. Twigs and a rubber band ball. I think the twigs are from a Sycamore tree. Why? Oh, why not.

Shouldn't they know ...

2011-10-17T09:56:00.002-04:00

... who it is that keeps stealing their letters?

Fire Pit? Did someone say Fire Pit?

2011-10-15T08:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning I was sitting on the #19 bus, waiting at the light at Harford Road and Hamilton Avenue, when I noticed a sign in the window of the Hamilton Gallery that read "Putting the Charm in Charm City." That made me smile, because we really do have a nice little neighborhood here in Northeast.

And one of the really exciting things is that there's such a creative energy here, in all kinds of directions. From art, to food, to music, to crops. And everything in between. Next Friday, October 21, there will be an evening-long event which should have something for just about everyone. The "Art Crawl and Party" is part of Baltimore City's annual citywide event, going on for over 20 years. But this year, the Lauraville-Hamilton neighborhood has the honor of kicking off the whole dang thing. The Hamilton - Lauraville Main Street News has more info, including a schedule of events. Starting at 6 pm, there is a wine and cheese reception at Performance Workshop, followed by a gallery walk (please stop by the Chop Shop to see my friend Mary's artwork!), followed by an "Art Pit Party" at the Connection 4500 Harford Road.

See you there?

Are you ready for your close-up?

2011-10-01T08:52:00.000-04:00

Calling all future homeowners: Here's your chance to get on teevee!

From the press release that landed in my mailbox:

MY FIRST PLACE, HGTV’s hit series, is coming back for an eleventh season and we’re looking for first-time homebuyers (and their agents!) in the Baltimore area RIGHT NOW!

We are looking for fun, high-energypeople who are just starting the home-buying process for their first place andwould like to share their story with HGTV

You've seen the shows, I'm sure. Usually they seem to be set in sunny L.A. But wouldn't it be fun to watch a young naive buyer stumble onto some of the treasures in our neighborhood?! So if you have friends or family who might be interested, please spread the word. All they need to do is contact Lauren Miles at HGTV for an application:

lmiles@highnoontv.com
or call Lauren Miles at (303) 872-874

And if you do apply, please let me know -- we would love to follow your adventure!

Sunny Day in Lauraville!

2011-09-27T20:02:00.000-04:00

Here, this may help

2011-07-18T18:21:00.000-04:00

I tried to remember what this day felt like as I was just out walking the dog. It's kind of hard to remember on this hot July afternoon, but you can almost feel the ice if you close your eyes and imagine real hard ...

Hamilton Street Festival: Musical Lineup Announced!

2011-07-15T13:02:00.002-04:00

Make plans to be at the Hamilton Street Festival on Saturday, July 30th. In addition to ample food, drink, and crafts, there will be two stages with musical performances happening from noon to 6. We have out-of-town guests coming, and I can't wait to show them what Hamilton is all about! The musical lineup, posted over at Hamilton-Lauraville Mainstreet News includes something for everyone:

HAMILTON STAGE:
12-The Fifty Sevens
1-The Sketties
2-Pirates For Sail
3-My Useless Self
4-Monger
5-Puddle
6-Almighty Senators

GIBBONS STAGE:
11:15-The Pakiva Blues Band
12:15-Northernmost
1:15-Garnet Hearts
2:15-Breakfast Club
3:15-Nights Bridge
4:15-Sean K. Preston
5:15-Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band
6:15-The Pescatones

I linked to a web presence where I could find one. If you're in one of these bands and I didn't link to your site, please feel free to add it in the comments!

Did you lose something?

2011-07-05T11:46:00.000-04:00

Um, yeah, we kind of thought those bottle rockets were coming a little close to the house last night. Front doormat is a little close, I'd say. Not my favorite part of 4th of July in Baltimore. The dog's not especially fond of it either.

Hello voters. Are you ready?

2011-06-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

I won't tell you how to vote, but you know I'm gonna tell you to vote! And fortunately, (or unfortunately, depending on how the robocalls go), we've got plenty of time to get to know the candidates for all the upcoming elections. There are several announced candidates for Mayor of Baltimore, all of them worth listening to. (Well, except for that goofball Baltimore City Circuit Court clerk Frank Conaway, "the perennial mayoral candidate," as the Baltimore Sun politely calls him.)

One serious candidate worth listening to is Otis Rolley. He's said some interesting things about promoting neighborhood revitalization and sustainability, and making city government more accountable. BmoreLocal will be hosting a "meet & greet" with Rolley tomorrow, July 1 at Atomic Books in Hampden. I don't like to send people out of the neighborhood on First Friday, but maybe we can sneak to Hampden at 7 pm and make it back for a drink at Hamilton Tavern afterwards?

Now, if only there was a serious candidate running against Councilman Curran, maybe we would actually see those road improvements in Westfield that he always promises at the neighborhood meetings, instead of living in the limboland that exists on Harford Road between the revitalized sidewalks and roadways of Hamilton and Parkville ...

18th Annual Hamilton Street Festival & Car Show Set for July 30

2011-06-24T14:23:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe it's been a year already since the last festival, but the good folks down at the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street are gearing up for another great time. If you're interested in signing up to be a vendor, there are forms to fill out -- you can download them at the Hamilton-Lauraville Festival Forms page.

Last year I got there a little late in the day, but there were still plenty of choices for food and beverage, and lots of great music on stage.

Make plans to attend -- you won't regret it!

UPDATED:
Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street News has the flyer on their website with more details and some, um, "interesting" patrons. Click here to see the flyer.

Hamilton Bakery!

2011-05-02T21:55:00.004-04:00

We went this weekend and it was great! It will re-open on Wednesday. I highly suggest you stop by. Awesome bread.

Hamilton Bakery

Tuesday Market...

2011-04-15T11:47:00.002-04:00

coming soon! There is already a list of vendors up.

Thinking of Spring makes me hungry!

2011-02-10T11:03:00.001-05:00

Sorry about the lack of posting the past month. Between work/school/weather/ and the flu, I haven't felt much inspiration. But fortunately for us, others have, and we can look forward to some exciting new places to appear in Hamilton this Spring.

The first new business is Hamilton Bakery. Go their website and sign up to get on their mailing list for updates and invites to special events. They are currently getting all their permits finalized and finishing up construction, so hopefully we'll be deep in doughnuts soon! (You can also follow them on Facebook by searching under "Hamilton Bakery" to find out the latest updates.) They will be next to Clementine, at 5414 Harford Rd.

Speaking of Clementine, owner Winston Blick is opening a green grocery in Hamilton this Spring as well, to be called Green Onion. Described as a "bona fide food market," and write on their blog:

Soon, amazing local cheeses will appear in two grand cases, and crisp, ripe produce will fill the bins at Green Onion. The folks at Fresh McKenzie are ramping up their egg production to accommodate us. And we’re meeting with our meat purveyor to choose the best-tasting all-natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats for our butcher shop. Forever Endeavor Farm will supply grass-fed organic beef and milk-fed pork, which has a sweetness and fullness that can be explained by science but is better to think of as magic.

I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! Green Onion will be located in the old Hamilton Vacuum store, at the corner of Hamilton and Harford. (Again, you can stay up-to-date on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greenonionmarket.)

image from the greenonion website

Hon -- It's Your Turn to Speak

2011-01-04T11:58:00.008-05:00

You may have noticed that we haven't really commented on the "Hon" story here at Harford Road. It seems the story keeps evolving, with details and facts dribbling out in the press. Does Denise Whiting have a trademark on the word "hon"? Can she have a trademark on the word "hon"? Or is it on "hon" in an oval? So then what about that Outer Banks guy? The best article I've read to date is from the blog Welcome to Baltimore Hon! The author provides a rational and reasoned explanation of whether, why, and how the trademark story is possible. I encourage you to read it.

I've been to Cafe Hon a couple of times in my life, but not in years. My personal boycott has simply been due to food that I found overpriced and nothing special. And I admit that I've also been to HonFest a couple of times, but I always felt a little uncomfortable about whether this was "celebration" or "ridicule" of Baltimore. Not being a native, it seemed to me that a line was often crossed. Or at least approached. Closely enough to be cringe-worthy, in my opinion.

No, I'm not originally from Baltimore, but I have lived here for 13 years. The reason why I thought up the title for this blog is that "hon" seemed to embrace the sense of neighborliness and community that I have felt since I moved to my current home in 2003. It's what drew me here and what keeps me here, despite the break-ins, lack of snowplows, and massive potholes that killed my car.

But what do you think about all this "hon" business? Please tell me in the comments.

Got yer tree, Hon?

2010-12-22T09:05:00.001-05:00

I figured I'd better get a post up here, 'lest you think we're hunkering down over the whole "Hon-troversy" !

We still need to get a Christmas tree and I'm thinking about going to Walther Gardens, because I do like to support the local business folks. We always go there for our spring and summer plants, and I imagine its hard to run a greenhouse in December, so ...

How about you? Do you have a tree? Are you ready for Christmas?

Meanwhile, it sounds like we might get some of that white stuff Sunday night or Monday, so be prepared -- which means more than beer/merlot and bread, right? It means put gas in the car, have fresh batteries on hand, know where your snow shovel is, and have enough food on hand to stay put for a couple of days. One would think we'd all learned our lesson last year, but how quickly we forget!

Hamilton's got the blues! (And that's a good thing!)

2010-12-09T11:32:00.006-05:00

I do tend to stick to my routine (some may call it a "rut"), and therefore I have never eaten anything from "Chef Mac's Louisiana Cuisine". (Because I always think of the place only when I am already on my way in the door to Koco's!). But I will definitely be giving it a try soon, because he's moved further north to the space previously used by The Parkside (and before that by the infamous Cameo!).

And while I will never lose my love for the Koco's cheeseburger and Blue Moon dinner, Chef Mac's might be a nice change of pace, given that he's offering a venue for music. According to Hamilton-Lauraville Mainstreet News, they're serving blues along with the Cajun BBQ sandwiches:

Chef Mac’s & All That Blues
4709 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214

December 10 & 11, 2010
Enjoy a Louisiana style buffet and blues party with

Clarence “Bluesman” Turner

Tickets - $20
Buffet begins 7 PM - BYOB
Show begins 8 PM

Call 410.319.6227 for information

Anyone going?

First Friday events (and more!)

2010-12-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

The First Friday of December is always a busy time here in our neck of the woods. This year is no different. The season of celebration is officially on, with Hanukkah beginning today, Winter Solstice nearing, and Christmas on the horizon. So get ready, there are plenty of events just waiting for you to show up!

Lighting of the Washington Monument

Thursday December 2
5:00 pm
Mount Vernon Place

First Friday in Hamilton

Friday December 3

Hamilton Gallery: First Friday Unbelievably Cool Event!
5:00 pm
5502 Harford Road

Studio 55
open 'til 8 pm
5529 Harford Road

Charmed Life Studio
open 'til 8 pm
4505 Harford Road

And of course, Happy Hour Specials along the way. Stop in at
Hamilton Tavern
Los Amigos
Clementine

For more on the events of the weekend (which includes a visit from a chubby man in a red suit), check out the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street News.

Bicycling in Baltimore: Will it get better?

2010-11-16T09:14:00.002-05:00

I want to be excited by the news that Baltimore leaders are trying to make this a more attractive city to those who might be considering moving here, and I really want to get excited at the prospect of riding my bike around town to do errands and not get run off the road by angry motorists. The rest of the world includes bicycles in their transportation planning, because they have to. Do we have to wait until we are as congested as Vietnam or China, for example, before we decide that maybe bikes deserve to be on the road, too?

But some of the comments at the story in the Baltimore Sun, really have me wondering what is wrong with people. Bicycles should be banned? Cyclists should be Tased, maced, and clotheslined?

Baltimore City Council passes Cyclists' Bill of Rights

The most sensible comment I've heard in a long time is from the person who notes that motorists who complain that bicyclists don't obey the law are simply not aware of the majority of bicyclists who are doing just that. It's only the errant cyclist -- the one cuts you off/ runs a red light/ zooms past pedestrians on the sidewalk, etc., etc. -- that's the one who becomes your idea of a bicyclist. Most bicyclists are very safe because they are well aware of the huge disparity of weight between them and you, barreling down on them in your SUV. (Full disclosure here: I have an SUV as well as a bike.)

If you agree with me that there's too much traffic on the roads, think about how much it would help if some of those cars were replaced by bikes. I think it would make a tremendous impact. Here's what the City Council Resolution calls for:

equal access to city streets
greater involvement in planning by bicyclists
greater awareness of bicyclists' rights in accident cases
improved bike parking and mass transit access for bicycles

I think we can live with that. What do you think?

image: Jean-Marie Hullot

One reason I love where I live

2010-11-11T14:51:00.001-05:00

Hamilton Tavern, and Resurrection Ale on tap.

You know the rules, hon ...

2010-11-02T11:39:00.006-04:00

You can't complain if you don't vote!

Visit the Maryland State Board of Elections web site for info on where, when, and how.

Polling places are open in Maryland from 7 am to 8 pm.

image from yaquina

The vocal local

2010-11-01T13:13:00.002-04:00

Now that Halloween is over, we're running head-on into the holiday season. You can tell because all the big box stores are telling us "Buy! Buy! Buy!" (Even eBay has a ribbon today that says "54 days.")

If you're like me, you're stuck in a position of "Gee, I'd like to help the economy by going shopping" and "Yikes! Did you see the BGE bill? How are we gonna pay that?!"

In other words, we're all watching our pennies these days. But it's important to see where our pennies are going as well as watching them leave our hands. Not to name any one specific big box store that I refuse to shop in (but it has a really creepy smiley face logo), but any time you can go local you help individuals directly -- rather than trying to rationalize that "well, big box store pays employees and perhaps they get a fair wage -- although they can't possibly afford health insurance" -- any time you can go local it's a good thing.

In fact, it helps the neighbors. It helps the neighborhood. It helps you.

Pick 3 local merchants and spend $50. More of that will stay in the neighborhood than if you shop big box. From The 3/50 Project:

For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online, and nothing comes home.

We are so lucky to have vibrant small businesses in our area. Let's help keep them alive this holiday season by shopping local. If you need some ideas of what's in the neighborhood, we've got a short list on the right side bar, but the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street blog has a comprehensive list (on the left hand side).

In fact, the most exciting news of the week for me so far is that we're getting a bakery!

Tricks and treats on the way this weekend

2010-10-29T10:57:00.006-04:00

There's plenty of tricks & treats in store for this weekend, hon. The weather is predicted to be delightful (but perhaps a bit chilly for those more ... ahem ... "revealing" costumes). Some of the events happening up and down Harford Road this weekend include:

The Hall of Horrors
(hosted by the Harford Park Community Association)
Friday October 29, 7- 10 pm
Sunday October 31, 7-10 pm
Harford Park Community Association Building, 2522 Linwood Road
Admission: $5.00 Enter at your own risk

Boo Fest
(presented by Hamilton Lauraville Main Street)
Saturday, October 30 from 3-5 pm
5543 Harford Road (Mid Atlantic Center for Performing Arts)
Free!
Pet Costume Contest, Costume Parade, Trick or treating, and Music and Dancing!

A little further out of the neighborhood are these events:

Great Halloween Lantern Parade
(Patterson Creative Alliance)
3134 Eastern Avenue
Free!
October 30th : 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. (Parade lineup: 7 p.m.)

ZooBOO
(Maryland Zoo in Baltimore)
2600 Madison Ave., Baltimore, MD, 21217-4474
October 29th : 10 a.m. - 4 pm
October 30th : 10 a.m. - 4 pm
October 31st : 10 a.m. - 4 pm
Admission: $10-$16

Do you have an event to list here? Let us know in the comments section and we'll spread the word.

image courtesy of vancouverfilmschool

You gonna eat that?

2010-10-05T14:56:00.005-04:00

Ah, Fall! It seems we were just mowing and mowing and mowing, and now I expect any day to home from work and find the yard full of fallen maple leaves. I tried earlier to harvest some walnuts from the tree out back, but the project got a little interrupted mid-stream. I haven't given up on that project completely, but I hope you aren't expecting any cranberry walnut bread from this, because if I get one loaf's worth, guess who's eating it?

Meanwhile, others in Baltimore are harvesting fruits and writing about it:

Rotting crab-apples? The Baltimore Urban forager thinks that's a dirty shame

(photo by Marta Hanson)

All Creatures Great and Small

2010-09-20T15:26:00.006-04:00

We try to follow the rules of polite conversation around here at Harford Road, Hon, so in general we stay out of politics and religion. But there is the occasional exception, such as when we encourage you to get out and vote in the general election in November, and those kinds of civic duty tings.

And if you have a companion pet and you are so inclined, you should stop by the Blessing of the Animals:

Blessing of the Animals
Episcopal Church of the Messiah
5801 Harford Road

Sunday October 3rd at 3 p.m.

Delivery?

2010-08-23T11:34:00.007-04:00

So we had a less than stellar experience the other night when we ordered delivery from a new (to us) place. It took an hour on a week night, and when we called to inquire about the status of the delivery, the woman who answered simply said "All the deliveries are gone" and hung up on us. Guess she doesn't like repeat customers, and we're happy to oblige.

Surely you have a favorite delivery place on those nights when you're just too beat to cook dinner. If you know of someplace that I didn't include on the poll, please let us know.

image by frankstoen

First Fridays in Hamilton

2010-08-04T18:17:00.005-04:00

(image: The Hamilton Gallery)

It's never too early to start planning for Friday, right? Well, somehow July has already flown by and it's already time for First Friday at the Hamilton Gallery. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have not been in their new space yet -- quit bitchin' and start visitin', right? And if I didn't already have reservations that involve a fishing pole and some wiggly worms, I'd be there this Friday, because I love a good gallery opening!

But for those of you who will be around on Friday, consider stopping by. Here's the info from the Hamilton-Lauraville Mainstreet website:

The Hamilton Gallery Guest Artist Series
Presents Guest Artist Photographer
Tom Snyder

On exhibit until August 31

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, August 6, 2010
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Why? Because it's Hamilton, hon!

2010-08-01T17:29:00.008-04:00

Yes, there were lots of cool craft vendors at the Hamilton Street Festival, such as the one selling the door draft snake eating a Barbie doll. There were also lots of bands like the 4 Footers, below. For a nice collection of photos from the day, check out commenter Trev's Flickr site.

Hamilton Festival 2010 -- it's today, hon!

2010-07-31T09:53:00.010-04:00

The Hamilton Festival may be the worst promoted festival on the planet, but then again, maybe that just goes with the understated attitude of this neighborhood in general -- Lauraville gets all the attention, and Hamiltonians are generally okay with that.

Yet, it would be nice to support this festival and maybe turn the spotlight up Harford Road just a bit to let people know that cool places like Hamilton Tavern and Clementine are actually in Hamilton, not Lauraville. Neighborhood associations up this end of Harford Road seem to move forward in fits and starts -- I've seen lots of progress and just as much backtracking in my mere 7 years here. And one of the reasons we started this blog was to keep our little identity alive by encouraging neighbors here in Westfield to communicate, albeit virtually.

But, I digress. My point is, the Hamilton Festival is TODAY people, and we should all go down to the intersection of Hamilton and Harford between 11 am and 8 pm today. I said it was terribly promoted, and I mean it. I have no idea about specifics, and didn't even remember it was today until I saw a #19 bus going down Glenmore this morning (because Harford Road will be closed off).

(click for slightly larger image)

Art, food, beer, crafts? What more do we need, people? It's a beautiful day, the humidity's low -- I'll be walking down there later this afternoon. Hope to see you there, hon!

Although there doesn't seem to be any one place to find out everything about the festival, the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street site does have some tantalizing bits such as a map and list of the craft vendors, and a stage schedule listing the bands playing. C'mon. it'll be fun!

Snowballs!

2010-07-06T21:27:00.004-04:00

Walked up to Walther Gardens and bought a blood orange with marshmallow. Yum!

Seems like only yesterday ...

2010-07-06T12:56:00.002-04:00

We were trapped underneath 3 feet of snow! Ah the good 'ol days!

What are you doing to cope with the heat these days? Let's share our ideas here!

New Local Meet Up Group

2010-06-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

A new Meet Up group for people in their 20s and 30s in the Hamilton/Lauraville area just started up. Join and tell your friends!

It's Back!

2010-05-26T10:45:00.004-04:00

Crop Circle Sighting in Hamilton

2010-05-24T13:17:00.006-04:00

It's hard to believe we haven't posted anything before about this great local effort happening right along Harford Road, namely, the Hamilton Crop Circle. Their mission:

Provide fresh organic produce to local businesses, and integrate young people into the sustainable practices related to growing organic produce to promote a peaceful lifestyle.

Hard to argue with that, right? But maybe also hard to imagine how they might get it done. Well, these folks are nothing if not creative, and one of the coolest things have done is to start a rooftop garden at the Hamilton Tavern.

Yep, you read that right:

But this is just one of the many cool things they're doing. They're also working with several other Harford Road restaurants to collect food scraps for compost -- Chameleon Cafe, Zeke's Clementine -- and they donate food to Our Daily Bread, the largest food provider for those in need in the state of Maryland. Check out their blog, Hamilton Crop Circle, and consider sending them a buck or two if you can ...

Keep Your Cool and Have Fun Too!

2010-05-04T13:13:00.004-04:00

Did you know that May is "Family Wellness Month"? Me neither! But what a great idea! So here's an item for next month's calendar, but you'd might as well put it down before your summer schedule fills up, right?

Come to Druid Hill Park on Saturday, June 5th from 1-4 p.m. for The Family Tree’s Keep Your Cool Family Fun Fair. Enjoy a fun FREE afternoon with your family - rides, games, food, entertainment, giveaways and information on how to have a safe and healthy summer as a family. For more information, go to our website at www.familytreemd.org and click on events.

Check out the web site. Some pretty good stuff going on over there ....

Bike Bills on May 6!!

2010-05-01T09:32:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, May 6, the Baltimore City Council will hold hearings about bike policy.

In other news, the spill in the Gulf could rival the Exxon-Valdeze spill in environmental devastation. The irony is that the rig was rented by BP, the most environmentally responsible of all oil companies.

Long story short: oil is dangerous; biking is good. Please contact your City Council Representative Robert Curran to encourage his support of any and all bike-friendly measures! It only takes a minute, and I don't know about you, but I'm sick to death of oil.

My 'Hood Rocks and My Bike Rolls!!

2010-04-21T13:16:00.003-04:00

Man oh Man, does my neighborhood ROCK or what????
So, as you know, I’m a bike-commutin’ fiend, but regular readers of Salamander Points know how I took my stove apart and couldn’t put it back together until all the screws finally just disappeared and now I don’t feel like it’s on my to-do list anymore; I’m not mechanically inclined.

Thankfully, Beth’s DIY and NOGLI hosted a Bike Tune-Up event in her back yard! Friendly people from Velocipede were there, and they fixed my bike all up, including changing out my pedals, and all for free! Beth promises she’ll do this event again next spring, and I’m psyched!
If you see a yellow and blue blur ‘round town, it’s me on my newly-tuned bike!

Ma Bell lives

2010-04-10T15:31:00.000-04:00

Right turn on red -- after STOP

2010-04-06T13:18:00.005-04:00

From Investigative Voice:

Right on red tickets net city millions

A word to the wise: I've seen workers doing something to the camera at Christopher and Harford. Not sure what they were up to, but it always pays to follow the law.

According to the story,

Thus one in every three drivers snagged with a $75 fine might be guilty of simply or slightly pausing or nosing out a foot too far, offenses that have netted the city roughly $3 million so far this year.

A fork in the road

2010-04-03T15:28:00.002-04:00

Well? What did you expect?

Census

2010-03-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

I filled out and returned my census form right away. I was disappointed to only receive the short form. Very anticlimactic. Did anyone get the long form?

Yikes!

2010-03-16T15:15:00.009-04:00

People! Please do not do this to your Census form!

I found this half of an envelope in the curb today while I was walking the dog, and it is distressing! The Census counts people. The numbers of people, the ages of people, the needs of people -- these things are decided based on the forms that are returned. Obviously someone in our neighborhood couldn't be bothered, so they simply ripped the envelope in half without even opening it up.

From today's Baltimore Sun:

State and census officials say they want to improve on [the overall state] percentage by focusing on Baltimore, which struggled to get its residents to return the forms. About 53 percent of city residents mailed back the questionnaire, the second-worst rate among similar-size cities in the country. Newark, N.J., had the worst participation rate, at 46 percent.

"We want everyone in Maryland to mail back the questionnaire," said Sylvia T. Ballinger, an officer with the Philadelphia Regional Census Center, which oversees Maryland. "For every 1 percent increase, we save about $85 million."

We can't really complain about lack of city services if we can't get an accurate picture of the city, can we? Data from the Census is used in planning for:

Hospitals
Job training centers
Schools
Senior centers
Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects
Emergency services

So please, send in your form and encourage your neighbors to do so as well. It helps us all, Hon.

2010-03-09T20:14:00.004-05:00

What are you doing this Saturday night--3/13? Hopefully nothing, and hopefully you wanna rock out to some awesome live music and (the best) DJ spinning in Charm City. And hopefully you wanna support a good cause, too!

Come on down to the Open Hearts Ball at 2640 St. Paul Street: There'll be a raffle, food and drink, live music from the Bellevederes and DJ Jason Willet, and it's all to help out Heart's Place Homeless Shelter, which I've blogged on and volunteer at. Although not located in our neck of the woods, they provide services to homeless people all over the city. Unfortunately, Heart's Place didn't recieve an important grant this year, so it's eeking along each week with pennies gathered here and there.

The tickets are $15 at the door, but doing good while you're eating good, drinking good, and listening good is worth way more!!!

I ♥ Zeke's!

2010-02-26T12:47:00.007-05:00

Great news, coffee lovers -- Zeke's Coffee has opened a new retail space, where you will be able to buy your beans and a cup of coffee, too! (That's always seemed cruel and unusual torture in their roastery space -- you can smell the coffee and buy the beans, but not a cup of coffee!)

The news is made even better by the fact that the new store is in the space of the Grindon Cafe, which closed in late 2009. (Wish we could fill up some of the empty retail space up this end of Harford Road with places like Zeke's!)

So head on down to 4607 Harford Road, hon, and grab a cup of joe.

Pitchers & catchers report tomorrow!

2010-02-16T15:04:00.003-05:00

With Spring Training so close you can taste it, can Spring be far behind? Hang in there folks!

A public service announcement on behalf of people who walk

2010-02-09T14:14:00.007-05:00

As Rr Salamander noted in her post yesterday, sidewalks are a real issue in a situation like the one we're in right now. We are due for 12-20 more inches of snow tonight, and here's what Glenmore Ave looks like on Tuesday afternoon:

What's missing from this picture? That's right, sidewalks!

Remember, the storm that dropped 26 inches on us here in Westfield happened on Friday and Saturday. And this is the mess that is still in the road! If you're a dedicated driver, you may not realize it, but Glenmore Ave. is a major pedestrian route for people who are going to catch the bus or to shop on Harford Road (which is in the direction of the picture above) or who are headed toward Belair Road, in the direction below:

Also notice that in this picture is the vehicle of your dedicated mail carrier. Please, please clear the walkway to your house for them. If they can't get to you, they will simply not deliver your mail.

So please shovel your sidewalk -- and if you have neighbors who are unable to shovel, please help them out. I've seen such wonderful community spirit in our neighborhood the past few days, but I've also seen stretches of sidewalk that are clear -- only to stop at one house that is not shoveled. That means people have to walk in the street, and that is dangerous. Shovel, people!

2010-02-08T13:43:00.002-05:00

No plow here, Robert! But I did take time to check on the sidewalks in our 'hood. From what I saw, here’s my rule of thumb: If the business is open, the sidewalks are cleared. If they’re closed, it’s snowville.

Except for 2 exeptions. 2 businesses are open, with their parking lots in spring-like conditions, while their sidewalks groan under feet and feet of untouched snow, completely impassable. Any guesses?

If you guessed McDonald’s and Pep Boys, you’d be right. Those purveyors of the Americanistic symbols, cars and burgers. Yep. And it’s not the first time, neither. These multi-nationals have consistently communicated exactly what they think of our ‘hood: If you’re here to buy, you’re welcome. If you’re here to live, you're on your own.

I've blogged about it this week at Salamander Points: check it out, and stay safe, neighbors!

No more snow! Please!

2010-02-07T16:39:00.009-05:00

So, it's almost 5 pm on Sunday -- have you seen a plow yet?

Westfield? or Switzerland?

Here are a couple of shots from Robert:

If you have photos you'd like to share, send me an email. Thanks Robert!

Snow!

2010-02-06T16:22:00.001-05:00

Obama called it "snowmageddon" and I sort of have to agree! Hope you are all keeping warm!

Update: Snowpocolypse! SNOMG!
I'm jumping in here on Rachel's post with another photo from the neighborhood:

Send me your pictures and I'll post them here! Stay off the roads everyone!

Welcome to our blog world

2010-02-04T12:15:00.004-05:00

One thing I have always loved about Hamilton and surrounding neighborhoods is how friendly everyone is. So I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this friendliness extends to the blogosphere as well. Blogging is such an odd thing, after all. I can be writing to people from all over the globe, or to people across the street (I'm talking to you, Krazy Kat!). The friendliness of our neighborhoods has extended itself to the many emails I've gotten from fellow Hamiltonians. It turns out, we've got some pretty cool people living here.

I've always considered Harford Road Hon as our neighborhood blog, never as "my" blog. (I have one of those elsewhere, if you are interested.) That's why I keep putting out the call for anyone who is interested in contributing here to contact me at pookyshoehorn at gmail dot com, so I can set you up to post the occasional event or photo.

I am thrilled to be able to tell you about the following 2 new blogs that I've learned about this way:

eat harford road
You know how you always pass by certain restaurants on Harford Road and think "Hmmm. I wonder what that place is like?" Well, chrissy is making it her mission to stop at those places and write a review of what she finds. So far, she has stopped by several places I've wondered about (House of Kabob, Pita Pan) and others along the way. Check it out.

Salamander Points Blog
This is a great place to find out about all kinds of events going on in our area, as well as putting forth some great food for thought on ideas such as consumerism, sustainability, and much more (yes, food too -- we are a hungry bunch, aren't we?).

As the tagline says, "Carbon Sexy, Baby!"

TV-Free for Me

2010-02-02T07:54:00.005-05:00

Dang, yo. Is it safe to admit that I don’t know who Taylor Swift is? I mean, I know she’s prolly just another stage name of Dawn Oregon’s or Hannah Montana’s or whatev, but I’m not really sure who that is neither. I hear she won a Grammy, but I got no TV, so I’m not sure.

Biggest question I get on being TV-free: How do I fill up my evenings?

Well, I don’t want to admit to my Buffy dvd collection (borrowed, but still…), so I usually veer away from that. It’s surprisingly easy to not mention vampire slayers if you don’t wanna go there. So instead I talk about lots of things in my 'hood, like the live music on Tuesdays at the Parkside open mic (holla!), or getting drinks with friends at Hamilton Tavern, or the Tuesday Clementine's Margaritas 'n tacos, or the neighborhood meetings....

I blogged about no TV this week at www.salamanderpoints.com--check it out. Meanwhile, stop by tonight to hear the strummings and the hummings (Matt Beale a.k.a. Patient Zero, above) at the Parkside. Tuesday is the new Friday, and if you miss it, you're missing out!

2010-01-15T09:13:00.006-05:00

Fruit @ Tuesday Farmer's Market & carbon-sexy gear.

Hello from your friendly neighborhood blogger at salamanderpoints.com! I'm relishing this chance to wax poetic on the 2 things I love about our ‘hood.

First, Hamilton = Fun
Harford Road is hoppin’, kids! From the farmers’ market to Hamilton Tavern, from our original fave Red Canoe to Tues night open-mic gatherings at the Parkside, stuff is going on, baby! Check out my Top Ten (+2) for 2009 list for more.

Plus also, Hamilton = Carbon-sexy
Urban lifestyles tend to be greener—especially in older cities like Baltimore. Average carbon footprint of city dwellers: 8.21 tons (still three to four times what’s sustainable, but 14% lower than non-city people).

“If you want to take good care of the environment, stay away from it and live in cities.” (Economix)

“Put simply, bigger cities enjoy economies of scale. In this sense, bigger is greener.” (Math and the City)

“The suburbs, for the most part, are toast. They have three possible outcomes in the twenty-first century: as slums, salvage yards, or ruins.” (How Should We Be Thinking About Urbanization?)

Unfortunately, it’s not enough just to inhabit a concrete rainforest. The fact is that we need to adopt a carbon diet, because 30 - 40% of US greenhouse gasses come from individual and household emissions. We also gotta be carbon-sexy by keeping our Salamander Points under 150. It helps to belong to a close-knit urban community (Holla, Hamilton!) where you can buy locally and drive less.

So keep the ‘hood happening, and challenge yourself to adopt carbon-sexy habits. It’s a win-win-win for you, Harford Road & the planet. And everyone loves a winner!

Dixon Resigns

2010-01-07T10:21:00.005-05:00

Is it too much to ask of Councilman Curran that he take his hat off when inside City Hall? Or perhaps even to wear business attire?

The Blizzard of '09

2009-12-22T06:43:00.007-05:00

How have you made out with the big blizzard of 2009? Nice that it happened over the weekend, so we could get some play time in along with the shoveling!

Snow!

2009-12-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

A quick picture of our backyard.

Get busy Hon, show yer local support!

2009-12-03T14:43:00.011-05:00

The blogging is light, but we're still here. I say "we" but I seem to have lost some of my regular contributors over the past year. So let me again put out this invitation to all Harford Road, Hon readers: if you'd like to contribute -- even just occasionally! -- please drop me a line at pookyshoehorn at gmail dot com.

Now on to the good stuff! On December 1 I went to the Westfield Neighborhood Improvement Association holiday party, held at The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits down Harford Road. A lovely time was had by all -- and by "all" I mean the 15 or so people who showed up. If you didn't make it, you missed some great conversation, great food, and great beer.

One thing that really struck me during several conversations was that we really do have a ton of stuff going on in Hamilton these days, and I for one, rarely take advantage of them the way that I should. This weekend promises to be full of opportunities to support local businesses and artists. So let's start reminding each other of what's so great about where we live:

Friday, December 4 – First Friday!

5 – 7 pm Holiday Happy Hour at the Chameleon Café (4341 Harford Road) and Holiday Tree Lighting outside with a sing-along by several local talents.

6 – 9 pm Hamilton Gallery (2927 Hamilton Avenue) featuring work by local artists.

7 pm EggNOGLI at the HAC, (5440 Harford Road, 2nd floor) – enter next to the Hamilton Gallery.

But Wait!! There's More!

Guess who's coming to Hamilton on Saturday, hon?

Saturday, December 5

• 12 noon Santa arrives in a motorcycle side car, strolls on Main Street in Hamilton making his way to The Heart of Hamilton (5523 Harford Road) to pick up letters written to him and take advantage of the 20% shopping discount.

• 1:30 pm Santa then works his way to Lauraville and stops to visit residents at the Harford Gardens Care & Rehab Center at 4700 Harford Road

• 2 pm Join Santa at the Red Canoe Bookstore Café (4337 Harford Road) for some hot spiced cider, discount coupon and to collect more letters for Santa. While you’re there pick up your discount holiday shopping coupon for Studio C Jewelry, on the 2nd Floor of the Red Canoe.

• 2:30 pm Santa will end his day at The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits (4709 Harford Road) for Holiday Photos with Santa. Photos by Soft Touch Photography by Cynthia for a nominal fee.

• 7 pm Top off your off your day with the Donovan Fund classic Christmas musical Meet Me in St. Louis showing at the Little Theater in Lauraville (4321 Harford Road, 2nd floor). All seats must be reserved due to limited seating. Call Chris Muldowney to reserve at 410-366-1980 x271. After the film a discussion is facilitated by Film Professor and Filmmaker, Chris Reed. For information on Donovan Fund and Film series www.fcsmd.org/events/donovan.htm

Many thanks to the wonderful Hamilton Lauraville Baltimore Main Street News for gathering this information!

Almost time to defrost the turkey, hon!

2009-11-17T18:55:00.005-05:00

Sorry I've been light on the posting lately. I hope in the meantime you've visited some of the great blogs listed to the right. One of my regular reads is Coconut & Lime, written by one of our neighbors Rachel Rappaport. She is always cooking up something good in the kitchen, and with Thanksgiving coming up, we have the mother of all meals quickly upon us.

There are lots of great recipes over at Coconut & Lime, but this one caught my eye:

Ginger Lime Spiked Cranberry Sauce

And I am very tempted to try this one out on my family in Northern Virginia:

Thanksgiving Sauerkraut

What do you think?

An alternative to the 2-party system

2009-11-05T10:49:00.003-05:00

Everyone complains about politics, and especially about the restrictions of a 2-party system. Well, it doesn't have to be that way, ya know. For instance, the Green Party is growing from the ground up (if you'll pardon the pun), and with every local win, the party becomes a more viable option for higher-up offices.

Baltimore Greens

Quit yer complainin' and do something ....

Can you guess the costume?

2009-11-02T11:06:00.003-05:00

I dressed up for Halloween. I know, it's subtle.

Tricks or Treats!!! Why Must We Choose?

2009-10-30T08:55:00.007-04:00

Click the image to see a bigger version.

I love my neighborhood

2009-10-21T09:57:00.001-04:00

Walnuts are your friends, hon!

2009-10-12T11:33:00.003-04:00

So many of us have a goldmine out back in our large black walnut trees towering over our homes and cars. Well, one person's goldmine is another's autobody nightmare, but still .... If you have priced black walnuts at the store recently, you understand what I mean about a goldmine.

One of our local residents has written a wonderful article on How to Harvest Black Walnuts, which explains the process very clearly. I think this year I may actually do it -- I sense some baking projects coming along soon ....

Big Brother is Watchin' You Speed, Hon!

2009-10-07T13:11:00.006-04:00

From the always informative blog, Baltimore Crime:

From the Roland Park newsletter. The Sun also has a map, in case you're a visual learner. Throughout October, warnings will be issued to those caught speeding on film. After that, $40 tickets will be issued.

1 — 33rd Street, EB @ The Alameda
2 — The Alameda SB @ 33rd Street
3 — Caton Avenue NB @ Benson Avenue
4 — Caton Avenue SB @ Benson Avenue
5 — Liberty Heights Avenue EB @ Hillsdale Road
6 — Liberty Heights Avenue WB @ Hillsdale Road
7 — Harford Road NB @ The Alameda
8 — Edmondson Avenue EB @ Cooks Lane
9 — Edmondson Avenue EB @ Woodridge Road
10 — Edmondson Avenue WB @ Woodridge Road
11 — Frederick Avenue EB @ Catherine Street
12 — Harford Road NB @ Christopher Avenue
13 — MLK Jr. Boulevard SB @ Pratt Street
14 — Franklin Street WB @ Pulaski
15 — Harford Road NB @ Rosalie Avenue
16 — Walther Avenue NB @ Glenmore Avenue
17 — Wilkens Avenue EB @ Desoto Road
18 — Cold Spring Lane WB @ Hillen Road
19 — Cold Spring Lane WB @ Loch Raven Boulevard
20 — Sinclair Lane WB @ Moravia Road
21 — Sinclair Lane EB @ Shannon Drive
22 — Sinclair Lane WB @ Shannon Drive
23 — Orleans Street EB @ Linwood Street
24 — Eastern Avenue EB @ Kane Street
25 — Hillen Road SB @ Argonne Drive
26 — Liberty Heights Avenue NB @ Dukeland Street
27 — North Avenue WB @ Howard Street
28 — Northern Parkway WB @ Springlake Way
29 — Northern Parkway WB @ Waverly Way
30 — Northern Parkway EB @ Greenspring Avenue
31 — Northern Parkway WB @ Greenspring Avenue
32 — Charles Street SB @ Lake Avenue
33 — Reisterstown Road SB @ Fallstaff Road
34 — Cold Spring Lane EB @ Tamarind Road
35 — Wilkens Avenue EB @ Pine Heights Avenue
36 — Erdman Avenue EB @ Macon Street
37 — Erdman Avenue WB @ Macon Street
38 — Madison Street WB @ Caroline Street
39 — Franklin Street WB @ Cathedral Street
40 — Orleans Street EB @ Gay Street
41 — Park Heights Avenue NB @ Violet Avenue
42 — Patapsco Avenue WB @ 4th Street
43 — Perring Parkway SB @ Belvedere Avenue
44 — Pulaski Highway EB @ Monument Street
45 — Northern Parkway WB @ Park Heights
46 — Park Heights Avenue NB @ Hayward Avenue
47 — Park Heights Avenue SB @ Hayward Avenue
48 — Cold Spring Lane EB @ Roland Avenue
49 — MLK Jr. Boulevard NB @ Washington
50 — Lombard Street WB @ Gay Street
51 — Harford Road SB @ Walther Avenue

Wildlife in the Neighborhood

2009-10-05T11:12:00.002-04:00

Spotted recently in Westfield: a Peregrine Falcon:

Unfortunately, we did not get a picture of ours, this photo is from BirdChannel.com. What wildlife have you seen recently?

Deal of the Week

2009-10-05T11:00:00.003-04:00

At least, according to Elizabeth Large:

The Deal of the Week
Where: Clementine, 5402 Harford Road, Hamilton

The Deal: Taco Night. Three pork or beef tacos, rice and beans for $10

When: Every Tuesday night, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Call: 410-444-1497

I must confess that I have not been to Clementine's yet. With times being tough and all that, the prices scare me off a little bit. And three tacos, rice and beans for $10 does not actually strike me as much of a "deal," but maybe it is cheap enough to finally entice me there ....

A Different Perspective

2009-10-01T09:33:00.005-04:00

Even if you don't register and vote in The Mobbies Awards (but please do!), I encourage you to take a little time to visit some of the many sites listed there. There are other neighborhood blogs, and there are statewide news sites -- all are worth a glance. One that I like to visit often is Investigative Voice. The writers there really do dig below the headlines and write about stories that the mainstream media ignores. And they often write from an angle that is much more thought-provoking than anything else. For example this post:

RAFAEL ALVAREZ: THE ALLEY HOUSE - All that is not given away is lost

This is a story about dancing for nickels.
Of all the be bop, doo wop and hip hop crazes to come along – the Frug, the Freak, and the Flintstone Flop – my favorite is the Median Strip Shuffle.
They’re doing it all over Crabtown, especially during rush hour when traffic stops for the light: on Russell Street just before Ravens Stadium; all along Northern Parkway; at the on-ramps to Interstate 95; up and down York Road and pretty much anywhere there’s enough room to limp past a line cars with a solicitation scrawled on cardboard.

The secret to the shuffle is exaggerating the extent of what may or may not be wrong with you to elicit enough sympathy (empathy is asking too much of people headed to jobs they both loathe and need) for a few sticky coins from the cup holder. For my nickel, the champion of this sad song-and-dance was a homeless heroin addict named Raoul, the namesake of a Puerto Rican barber who gave me my first haircut in Baltimore Highlands in the early 1960s.
Somewhere, my folks have home movies of the event, during which I cried. Raoul Jr. was a smaller version of his old man, with whom he once worked side-by-side barber chairs. Raoul Sr. cemented the loyalty of my father by not charging for haircuts when Dad and the Seafarers International Union were on strike against local tugboat companies in 1966.
The affable barber with the pencil-thin moustache forfeited the friendship a quarter-century later by not paying his respects when my grandfather died. How young Raoul went from cutting hair on Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard to living on the streets downtown, I don’t know. Like many tragic descents, I imagine it was by degrees.
About 15 years ago, I saw him doing a Super Shuffle – a rhythmic, crippled gait ornamented with tics and tremors – near the corner of Charles and Fayette. Though we hadn’t seen each other in decades, and never outside the barbershop, Raoul remembered me. I bought him coffee and didn’t mention that he was now walking as well as anyone else on the street.

Please read the rest of this post here.

'Cause it's a Democracy!

2009-09-30T13:22:00.002-04:00

Yes, that's why you get to vote on stuff all the time in America. And now, you can even vote for your fave neighborhood blog to win one of the prestigious "Mobbie" awards from the Baltimore Sun:

That's right: Vote early, and vote often! (Well, at least once a day.)

Baltimore? Or the Wild Wild West?

2009-09-15T10:41:00.006-04:00

I've lived in Westfield for 6 years, and in and around Baltimore City for the past 11, and I have never been surrounded by so much violent crime as we've had in the past couple of weeks. And before moving here, I lived in Washington, DC, so yes, I know what gunshots sound like, and I know that when lots of people live in close proximity (i.e., in the city), there will be crime, and some of it will be violent.

A couple of weeks ago we arrived home at about 9:30 Sunday night to find our street blocked off while police searched for an armed suspect who had just shot someone at the corner of Old Harford & Harford. (He was caught in the alley behind Royston and Christopher, which is apparently where the confusion about the location of the shooting stems from.)

Well, we all move on with our lives. But the violence continues. Yesterday an off-duty police officer shot an armed robber who had entered his home. I heard Ed Norris this morning gleefully saying "He messed with the wrong guy! Ha ha!" And I understand the satisfaction of a criminal getting immediate repercussion for his crime.

But I find particularly disturbing in this story the report that as the robber was running down the street, from Glenarm to White Ave., the police officer was chasing him and firing his gun. (In fact, Jayne Miller's report had an eyewitness saying the robber had dropped his gun and had his hands raised, saying "I'm sorry, man!" Will this be investigated?) Of course I understand wanting to catch the guy, but at some point isn't the public's safety more important? The report says the suspect was shot "multiple times." Wasn't once or twice enough?

And this morning we have this story:

Hopkins student kills intruder with samurai sword, police say

Which again is being met with comments of "Good for him!" and "One less criminal!"

And again, I think to myself, "What kind of world do I live in?" Have we not evolved from the gunslingers of the old west? There was no law and order, no police force, in those days, and everyone armed themselves for safety. Is that what Baltimore City is gleefully becoming? Are you happy about citizens taking the law into their own hands?

Copters, Copters, Everywhere!

2009-09-14T21:11:00.003-04:00

Does anyone have any idea why a police helicopter was flying over our neighborhood for almost 45 minutes on Sunday, September 13th? 'Cause we called the Northeast District to find out and the officer who answered said "I don't know if there's anything going on -- I'm at the desk."

D'oh!

2009-08-26T08:21:00.004-04:00

We awoke last night -- actually it was about 2:30 am today -- to a load crack, almost like lightening, accompanied by a bright flash of light. Did anyone else hear or see this? If it was lightening, it was very strange because there were no more sounds and no other signs of a storm.

Very strange, indeed ....

Hamilton-Lauraville Tuesday Market: Been there yet?

2009-08-24T11:27:00.006-04:00

I can't believe that I have yet to make it to the Hamilton-Lauraville Tuesday Market, but it's that "Tuesday" part that makes it tough for me. I'm a big fan of the Waverly Market on Saturdays and the one under 83 on Sundays. School nights are not good for going anywhere.

I am hoping this may be the week, though. (Especially after seeing "Julie & Julia"on Sunday!)

Here's a description from the Harbel Calendar:

"Come enjoy the craft, flower, and food vendors at this community based farmers market. Two of the vendors providing fresh local meat, fruits, and vegetables are:

Ferguson Family Farm – located in Baltimore County, MD offering naturally raised Berkshire pork using sustainable agricultural practices, such as rotating pastures and not using growth hormones or antibiotics.

Tuckey’s Mountain Grown Berries, Fruits and Vegetables - from just 15 miles north west of historic Gettysburg, PA, offering a full line of berries, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, jams and jellies and fresh fruit pies."

Have you been there yet? What are your thoughts?

photo from a great blog: Hamilton Crop Circle

Green Post: Farmers' Market at the White House?

2009-08-21T13:12:00.005-04:00

We try to stay out of politics here (most of the time), so please don't pile on this as a political post. This is for all the gardeners out there, and for anyone who is concerned about food -- sustainability, diet, farmers, the whole thing. I think this is great:

Obama wants to set up White House farmers market

President Obama said on Thursday that he and the First Lady are looking into setting up a farmers market just outside the White House, which might sell food from the White House garden or from local farmers. The president said it could give the city of Washington, D.C., “more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Just an FYI

2009-08-14T10:12:00.003-04:00

I don't want to get all "Ah! Crime in the neighborhood" here, but I thought this was worth noting from today's Police Blotter:

Northeastern Baltimore
Robbery A boy, 15, was standing outside a snowball stand at Woodlea Avenue and Walther Boulevard about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck in the face by two other teenage boys who robbed him of his cell phone. The crew of a city police helicopter was over the crime scene moments later and spotted a youth fitting the description of one of the robbers walking about two blocks away. Ground units arrested him. A short time later, police arrested the second suspect nearby. Police said the victim's cell phone was not recovered.

'Cause if it's not safe to buy a snowball at the Walther Boulevard stand anymore, then we're in trouble ....

Surfing around the Baltimore Internets

2009-08-13T10:35:00.005-04:00

Those of you who know me, know that I am about the least "crafty" person around. but that doesn't mean I don't admire those who have a talent for this thing called "craft." So you may be interested in this Baltimore blog that I just stumbled across:

Baltimore etsy street team

And "crafts" often lead to "gifts," which can be found in a new store called "The Heart of Hamilton." You can read more about it and other goings-on in Hamilton:

Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street News

Find a recipe for "some seriously delicious ice cream":

Coconut & Lime

And finally, let's get ready for some football!

Redskins blog
(hey -- what can I say?)

Chickens have come home to roost -- and it's a good thing!

2009-06-28T09:46:00.004-04:00

I stumbled across this video over at the Baltimore Sun website, and thought it was pretty interesting. I'm on a personal quest to think and rethink about where my food comes from and the impacts of my food choices. As you may know, Hamilton used to be truck farming land many years ago. That's why there are still some old original farmhouses mixed in among the cape cods and bungalows in our neighborhoods. So I think it's really interesting that people are not only growing more and more vegetables in their backyards, but even raising chickens:

Fritz the Dog Says ...

2009-06-12T09:24:00.007-04:00

What are you up to this weekend?

One of the reasons posting has been so light here at Harford Road Hon is that we're all so busy with Spring projects (and some Spring play, as well!). On our agenda this weekend: continue the stucco patching on the foundation, weed the vegetable garden, grilling at least one meal, visit at least one farmer's market, a trip somewhere -- will it be the beach or the mountains?

How about you? What's up with you this weekend?

Tuesday Market

2009-05-15T06:44:00.001-04:00

Beginning June 2, Hamilton Lauraville Main Street will host a weekly market at 4500 Harford Road – a formerly abandoned filling station across the street from the Safeway supermarket. Tuesday Market Connection will continue every Tuesday, from 4 -8 p.m. through October, and feature local food vendors, native plants, crafts, live music and more. To promote the market, vendor spaces will cost $5 for the first two weeks. After that, the cost per space will range between $15 and $25.

source

Outdoor Happy Hour!

2009-05-13T14:20:00.000-04:00

At Chameleon Cafe. $2 glasses of wine on the outdoor patio 5-7pm Tues-Sat.

It's Farmers' Market Time!

2009-05-13T13:59:00.006-04:00

Today's Baltimore Sun ran an article called "13 strategies for shopping a farmers market," which has some good -- although generic -- information about how to shop at Farmers' Markets. (I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since the Sun fired half its staff and now relies on wire services for articles like this, rather than having a local author write them ....)

Some of the tips seem a bit obsessive to me, but here are a few I absolutely agree with:

#4 Bring a cloth bag that has plenty of room and can hang over your shoulder. For frozen meat or delicate greens, consider an insulated bag.

#5 Get to the market early if you want the best pick of the market.

#7 If you have time, walk the market once through before you purchase so you can get an overview of the offerings.

#10 Bring cash, "especially ones and $5 bills."

Now, although the Baltimore Sun couldn't be bothered to run a list of local Farmers Markets, we here at your local neighborhood blog are happy to do so:

Here's a link for the State Directory of Farmers' Markets. Scroll down to Baltimore City and you'll see there are plenty in the City and in Baltimore County, too.

The Market in Waverly is open year round, and they have their own website: 32nd Street Farmers Market.

Greater Lauraville Home & Garden Tour

2009-04-04T03:05:00.000-04:00

The Greater Lauraville Home & Garden Tour will be offered on June 13th from 11am to 3pm. There will be 5-7 houses on the tour, and HNI home renovations will be the highlight. However, several houses on the Tour will be offering exceptional gardens as well as creative use of space, family-friendly renovations, and artistic interior design. Tickets will be sold in advance for $7.50 and $10 the day of the event. Call the Greater Lauraville office at 410-444-9188 to purchase them. Posters will be on sale again this year for $5.

Herring Run Park Clean-Up Tomorrow!

2009-04-03T15:11:00.001-04:00

Herring Run Park Clean-Up

Saturday, April 4, 2009
9-12 AM

Four Sites:
Hall Spring(entrance near Harford and Argonne Drive)
Belair Road(between Parkside Drive and Chesterfield)
Mannasota Ave(at Shannon Drive)
Sinclair Lane(at Shannon Drive)

As an added incentive, the American Chemistry Society will be on hand at Hall Spring and will analyze soil samples for free for the first 50 neighbors who are interested in checking out the health of their yard/garden.

Wear old clothes and sturdy shoes.
Gloves, bags & shovels provided.

For more information contact:
Ashley Traut (410) 254-1577
atraut@herringrun.org

Have you planted your lettuce yet?

2009-04-03T12:33:00.008-04:00

Notice that on the blogroll to the right on this page, I've added a new category of links called "Gardener's Corner." At our house, we're busily planning the spring crops and ornamentals, and I've spoken with many other folks in our neighborhood who are either long-time or first-time gardeners -- all drooling over their seed catalogues. Well, even us "old-timers" know that you can always learn a new trick from another gardener, so I thought I'd pass along these links.

Feel free to suggest other blogs or websites that you think would be interesting to your fellow Harford Hon-ers. First off, I'd suggest you click on over to My B'More Backyard Project, which is a new blog by one of our neighbors down the road in Lauraville. If you don't already have plans to start a garden this year, I'll bet you'll be inspired by the descriptions and photos at Mr. Banks' site.

And remember, even though April in Westfield sometimes feels like nothing more than sump pump season, we need need the rain for our plants! mmmmm! Lettuce!

For the love of Chok Chai!

2009-03-30T11:01:00.003-04:00

As if I needed a reminder that independent and local is the way to dine, we recently ate at two chains (PF Chang’s and Bahama Breeze) that confirmed this thought. While neither meal was “bad,” neither one was particularly outstanding, either.

But you know what meal was outstanding? Saturday night’s carry out from Chok Chai! Which is what makes it all the more worrisome to have heard that they are currently struggling for business. You may remember that last year the restaurant moved from its original location on Harford Road just south of Northern Parkway, to about 2 blocks above Northern Parkway. It took a few months to reopen in their new and improved location, and apparently they haven’t recovered all of their customers yet.

I know there are some loyal Harford Road Hon readers who are Chok Chai fans, and I implore you to give them some business and show them some love. The owners/chefs are struggling and losing money each week. The economy, the move, who knows why. Certainly not the food, which is outstanding and a good value, too. I went for comfort food on Saturday, as I slowly watched my NCAA winnings fading away. Pad thai and Tom yum soup – and a heart-shaped carrot giving me love.

If you haven’t tried Chok Chai before, I encourage you to walk – no, run! – there straightaway.

spring in Hamilton

2009-03-26T18:01:00.001-04:00

killer captured?

2009-03-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

It seems they may have caught the person who killed Mr. Dan. Read about it here.

Grind-On Cafe

2009-03-26T12:30:00.002-04:00

Grind-On Cafe (4607 Harford Road) was named by Elizabeth Large of the Sun as one of the top 10 coffee shops in the city! Not bad for a place that has been open less than a year.

Finally!

2009-03-09T17:39:00.002-04:00

Good News from down the Road, Hon!

2009-02-27T12:29:00.004-05:00

From a great local blog, Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street News, comes this story:

Reading Grant Awarded to Red Canoe Bookstore

Red Canoe is pleased to announce the award of a grant from Parks and People. The purpose of the grant is to spend a year reading with a diverse group of middle school age children from the Lauraville and Belair Edison corridors. During the spring, summer and fall participants will meet once a week to read in Herring Run Park.

And there is more! The grant covers the cost of showing in the park the movie made from the book and it covers the cost of the soda and pizza to munch on while watching the movie. With the colder weather, the movies will be shown at the 4321 Harford Road movie house.

The Red Canoe's mission has always been to bring the power of literacy to building community. The award of this grant is fundamental to the goals of partnering children with the good stewardship of the great community resource that Herring Run Park is, as well as developing a genuine love of reading.

For more information, please contact Nicole at:

Red Canoe Bookstore Caf e

Well done, Red Canoe!

Stabbing: A NE Baltimore Trend?

2009-02-24T10:47:00.006-05:00

I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but I do find it interesting that in the last 6 months, there have been 4 murders committed along the Harford Road corridor between Hamilton Avenue and Taylor Avenue, and 3 of them have been stabbings. (Indicated in black on this map.)

The police recently sent out flyers for a "Person of Interest" in the killing of our Westfield member, Daniel Hoeck. Please download the .pdf file by clicking here to vist the WNIA website.

Also, don't forget that the next WNIA meeting will be next Tuesday, March 3rd, at the Holiday House, at 7:30 pm.

This map is from the Baltimore Sun, but you can also look up crimes at SpotCrime.com. You will see that although the entire city is struggling with crime and murder, stabbing deaths are relatively rare. So double check the locks, keep an eye out for your neighbors, and turn the porch light on ....

Glenoak Murder: No Leads?

2009-02-16T12:52:00.006-05:00

Thanks to Harford Road Hon Heather for posting the story over the weekend about the terrible events of this last week. So far, there hasn't been much news coverage, and as time goes on, it will become even less interesting to the media, I'm afraid. There is one mention of this murder in today's Baltimore Sun, but I have a feeling the reporters are ready to move on to the next crime scene:

Neighbors were still reeling from the death of Daniel Lee Hoeck, a recipient of two Purple Hearts and identified by police yesterday as the man found fatally stabbed in his home Thursday afternoon. On his street, he was known as "Mr. Dan," a friendly man who could often be seen taking walks and feeding neighbors' dogs but who in recent years had been less visible as his health declined.

There has been discussion on the Westfield Wire about getting the word out to the neighborhood about the crime, and how to help police solve the crime. Last summer there were several shootings in the Federal Hill neighborhood. You had better believe those residents gave the police an earful and talked to reporters about it. I don't know if those crimes were eventually solved, but they sure had a lot more police officers patrolling the area as a result of the neighborhood involvement.

So have at it -- comments are open ....

troubling story of violent death in our neighborhood

2009-02-14T14:59:00.001-05:00

My boyfriend just discovered this story of a man killed inside his own home in the 6100 block of Glenoak.

RecycleMORE BaltiMORE

2009-01-30T12:57:00.003-05:00

It would be nice if the City would publicize this kind of thing a little more, but eh, whatever. We'll do our civic duty and tell you about some good news for all of us. The acceptable items list for recycling has been expanded, making it even easier to send your trash to be recycled instead of taking up space in the landfill. Most notably:

To be included in your curbside single stream recycling bin—January 2009:

Wide-mouth plastic containers used for margarine, yogurt, cottage cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream.
Empty prescription bottles (lids and caps do not need to be removed)
Plastic drinking cups
Aluminum foil and aluminum pie pans
Clean milk and juice cartons

These can now be included with your usual recycling, which already includes:

Acceptable Recycling Material:

Clean paper - all colors and types. - This includes catalogs, magazines, junk mail, newspapers and non-metallic wrapping paper Cardboard and paperboard boxes (including cereal boxes without liners and frozen food packaging)
Books (including paperbacks, textbooks and hardbacks)
Aerosol Cans (empty)
Glass containers such as jars and bottles
Metal food and beverage containers
Narrow-neck plastic containers (other than for motor oil) which carry codes 1 through 7 on the bottom.

You can find out more at the Baltimore City DPW Recycling website.

I'm ready for Spring ....

2009-01-28T19:13:00.001-05:00

Pedaling down Harford Road?

2009-01-26T18:05:00.004-05:00

There's been a lot of chatter on the WNIA listserv about the newest addition to the world of Hamilton restaurants, "50's Diner." So far the reviews are mostly positive, although there is one suspect upset stomach issue -- which may be a virus after all -- and the open hours seem a little inconsistent. I haven't been there yet, but what impresses me the most about this news is the enthusiasm of the neighborhood to try out yet another new restaurant.

I'm really looking ahead to the spring. The heart of Hamilton seems just a little out of walking distance (especially the uphill trip back home!), but the newly paved street seems perfect for a bicycle. I've lived in other cities where I rode my bike around town, and because I now have an hour long drive each to work, I would love to be able to give my car a break and pedal down to the CVS, the Hamilton Tavern, the bank, the yoga studio, etc., etc.

But bicycles don't seem to be part of the culture here in Northeast Baltimore (except for that guy I pass sometimes in the morning on Walther Blvd at 6:30 am who appears to be riding to work). I'm wondering what you all think about bicycling in our neighborhood. Do you do it? Where do you park your bike? Do drivers respect you? Harass you? See you?

Let me know in the comments section.

We're a democracy here, too

2009-01-22T12:51:00.002-05:00

The voting booth is closed here at Harford Road, Hon, and the results have been tallied. First let me say that I am slightly disappointed that so few readers took the time to vote, because there are many more of you on the site meter. But for whatever reason, only a few of you voted. Well, that's your right, too.

And t certainly makes it easy to count the votes! The results are as follows: 50% Love the new design; 30% Hate it and want the old one back; 20% couldn't care less.

So with apologies to the 30% who hate it, we're going to stay with the new look. I promise to do some tweaking as possible and improve on what we have at the moment as much as I can within the confines of blogger.

Request for Photos

2009-01-15T16:00:00.003-05:00

Hey there Westfieldians -- I know that some of you lurk here, too shy to post or comment. Or perhaps you even think that you don't have anything worth writing about -- that's just silly! Look at the piffle I post -- and yet you still come back, don't you?

So how about some photos? When you take your jog through the neighborhood, or walk the dog to the park, or amble up to the 7-11 for smokes -- take your camera with you. We have lots of photo-worthy sights in our neighborhood, down every alley and up every street.

Then, just email your photos to me at pookyshoehorn@gmail.com and I'll take care of the rest. You can even stay completely anonymous, if you'd like.

C'mon, You know you wanna ....

Legum's New Line

2009-01-14T12:50:00.003-05:00

Passing along a great new blog covering Maryland politics: Legum's New Line. I'm always happy to have new sources of information, and hope you will enjoy this new blog as well.

The Wilds of Westfield: Vulpes vulpes

2009-01-12T18:09:00.008-05:00

It's been a while since we wrote about wildlife in our neighborhood, but Fritz the Dog and I had a wonderful siting the other night. I didn't get a photo, because it was quite unexpected, and rather dark, too. But the fellow (or gal) we saw looked like this:

This little furry friend was was a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), getting a drink from our fishpond out back when we stepped outside for a last trip before heading to bed. Furry friend was as surprised to see us as we were to see him/her. He/she slipped through the picket fence and into the alley before Fritz even realized an intruder was at the edge of the yard.

Much barking ensued!

Then what a beautiful sight it was to see this animal trotting away down the alley behind our house. But there was one last stop and we were given this very look in the photo above. Just too cool for school, was this one!

And before anyone gets worried about a fox in the neighborhood, let me assure you that this creature was doing exactly what it should be doing: out at night (nocturnal), fearful of humans and dogs (not a threat), and please don't forget: these guys eat mice and rats! (Cats are way too much trouble for them, if that's what you are thinking ....)

We have a lot of green space in our neighborhood, and I for one enjoy seeing the diverse wildlife that lives here.

We're One Degree Away from Greatness!

2009-01-08T11:41:00.004-05:00

One of our very own contributors here at Harford Road, Hon has been nominated as a finalist in the 2008 Weblog Awards! Rachel of Coconut & Lime would never brag, but we're proud to let you know that she both blogs here and lives here.

So go show some bloggy love and vote for Coconut & Lime for the Best Food Blog. You can vote once every 24 hours. (Once from each computer, that is. Wink wink. Nudge nudge!)

Congratulations, Rachel!