There's no denying that we live in a busy world, especially here at 520 Park surrounded by booming Baltimore City. We're constantly on the move, whether it's for work, our family, or some other obligation. Because we're always on the go, we rarely take any time for ourselves. Unfortunately, by putting our own well-being on the back burner, we're doing a disservice to ourselves in the long run. Psychologists say we need to get some "me" time in throughout our busy lives in order to maintain our physical, mental, and emotional health. When we spend time doing what we want to do, we rest our brains and bodies, and help prepare them for the following day. Approaching a day of work being well-rested allows for increased focus and productivity. In turn, we don't end up burning ourselves out by 2:00 every day of our lives. We need to take time for ourselves, even if it means getting away from our families and friends once in a while to recharge. Of course, we want to spend our free time with our loved ones, but we should also set aside a little "me" time. Being as busy as we usually are, when we do get some free time we sometimes just want to veg out in front of the TV. This is definitely a waste of our precious time. Even if it takes a bit of effort, we should find ways to engage ourselves in a hobby or other productive activity that will ultimately benefit us in the long run. You'll find that doing something you enjoy is actually just as restful as sitting and staring into space for a while.
If you're looking for some fun this weekend near 520 Park , you can find America's largest free arts festival just up the road. Yes, Artscape is upon us again, an event attracting 400,000+ attendees over three days. The massive event will include 150+ fine artists, fashion designers and craftspeople; visual art exhibits on and off-site, including exhibitions, outdoor sculpture, art cars, photography and the Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize; incredible live concerts on outdoor stages; a full schedule of performing arts including dance, opera, theater, film, experimental music and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; family events such as hands-on projects, demonstrations, competitions, children's entertainers and street theater; and a delicious, international menu of food and beverages that is available throughout the festival site. Artscape will run from July 17 th to July 19 th , 11am-9pm on Friday and Saturday, 11am-8pm on Sunday. Spread over a rather large section of town, attractions can be found in the areas bound by Mount Royal Avenue & Cathedral Street, Charles Street, Bolton Hill, and Station North Arts & Entertainment District neighborhoods. Admission is free and open to the public. Artscape is held outdoors in tents, and inside the neighborhood's premier exhibition spaces and performing arts venues. To make navigation easier, there is even a free Artscape app! Users will be able to read about events, create a custom schedule and set reminders for specific programs, or simply find the next upcoming event. To find out more about the many events and attractions, planning your visit, and to download the app, be sure to check out the Artscape website . Let's hope for good weather and we'll see you there!
As you're already aware, 520 offers an array of entertainment right below you on the first level. You've probably even wondered over to the Pool Table and attempted a couple bank shots. But have you ever stopped and thought about how Billiards came to be? Every sport has its history. Today you'll find the infamous green table and pool sticks in bars, clubrooms or arcades, but the History of billiards is very long and rich, dating back to the 1500's. Most of our information about early billiards comes from accounts of playing by royalty and other nobles in Europe. But in 1600, the game was familiar enough to the public that Shakespeare mentioned it in Antony and Cleopatra. It evolved from a lawn game similar to the croquet played outdoors, but in the late 1500's play moved indoors to a wooden table with green cloth to simulate grass and a simple border was placed around the edges. The balls were shoved, rather than struck, with wooden sticks called "maces". Tables originally had flat walls for rails and their only function was to keep the balls from falling off. They resembled river banks, and even used to be called "banks". Players discovered that balls could bounce off the rails and began deliberately aiming at them. Thus a "bank shot" is one in which a ball is made to rebound from a cushion as part of the shot. Billiard equipment improved rapidly in England after 1800. Chalk was used to increase friction between the ball and the cue stick even before cues had tips. By 1850, the billiard table had essentially evolved into its current form. Eventually the game made it's way across the Pacific to New England in the late 1800's. The dominant American billiard game was American Four-Ball Billiards. With many balls, there were many different ways of scoring and it was possible to make up to 13 points on a single shot. American Four-Ball produced two offspring, both of which surpassed it in popularity by the 1870's. One, simple plays with three balls on a pocketless table, is something known as "Straight rail".The other popular game was American Fifteen-Ball Pool, the predecessor of modern pocket billiards. The word "pool" means a collective bet, or ante. Many non-billiard games, such as poker, involve a pool, but it was pocket billiards that the name became attached to. The term "poolroom" now means a place where pool is played, but in the 19th century, a poolroom was a betting parlor for horse racing. Pool tables were installed so patrons could pass time between races. The two became connected in the public mind, but the unsavory connotation of "poolroom" came from the betting that took place there, not from billiards. In the 1920's, the poolroom was an environment in which men gathered to loiter, smoke, fight, bet, and play. And by many standards, some could say not much has changed. Billiards saw a popular uproar with two specific events: the first was the release of the film "The Hustler" in 1961 starring Paul Newman in the title role. Poolrooms threw open their doors across America for the remainder of the 60's, but they fell short again as social concern for outdoor coeducational activities launched. In 1986, "The Color of Money" was released as a sequel to "The Hustler" starring Paul Newman once again and the revival was stirred, still long lasting among today's youth. Now that you know the history of Billiards, learn how to play the game like a pro and impress everyone with your skills and whit.
These days, in our world of instant gratification, it's more important than ever to be able to stay focused on saving money any way you can. So to help you monitor your spending habits and cut expenses, here are 20 easy ways you can save every day, starting right now. How's that for instant gratification? 1. Make a weekly "money date." Commit to sitting down with your money once a week for a money date. Then update your budget, review your accounts and track your progress against your financial goals. Like any relationship, if you want your financial life to improve, you must spend time with your money. 2. Plan out your meals for the week. Taking a few hours every weekend to grocery shop and meal plan for the week will definitely save you money, as dining out is the No. 1 expense for most households. By eating at home, you save money that would otherwise be spent on tax and tip, and you usually save calories, too. 3. Cut out cable. Gasp! Cut out TV?! Never! But with services like Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime, you can now watch your favorite TV shows and movies for a fraction of the cost of cable TV. 4. Switch to an exercise pass program. If you love working out, an exercise pass program such as Class Pass is the way to go. By paying a membership fee of $99 per month, you are welcome at many of the best studios in your area. And classes like cycling, yoga, Pilates, barre, strength training, boot camp, dance and more are unlimited. This beats having to pay for each studio's monthly membership or individual class fee, which can add up to hundreds of dollars a month. 5. Host a potluck. The more friends you have, the more money you spend on lunch dates, birthday parties and gifts. Switch it up and, instead of meeting over a fancy dinner, host a potluck and have everyone bring his or her favorite dish. 6. Leverage lodging rental websites. Finding a place to stay while traveling is so convenient when you use a lodging rental website such as Airbnb, Travelmob or Housetrip. You can often find a place that has a kitchen (so you can cook meals at home to save money) at a rate that's comparable to hotels. You can even rent out your own place on sites such as Airbnb while you travel to make some extra cash to pay for your own travel expenses. It's a win-win scenario. 7. Make coffee at home. This one's not my favorite, as I absolutely love going to coffee shops and drinking delicious organic coffee. However, spending $4 to $5 on coffee every day definitely adds up. So try my approach and allow yourself a few days a week to buy coffee at cafes, and make it at home the rest of the time. 8. Work more. When you're working a lot, there's not much time left to shop and spend money. So stay busy and pursue a career you love. 9. Wait 48 hours before you click "buy." Since we can have anything we want these days with just the click of a button (there's that instant gratification again), you need to find a system to help buffer your impulse purchases. By waiting, you'll usually find that the item in question is more of a "want" than a "need." 10. Use blogs and Pinterest to learn DIY beauty treatments. Self-care is important, but going to spas and getting pedicures, massages, etc., can really add up. Allow yourself a certain amount to spend on these things; then use blogs and apps like Pinterest to find at-home beauty treatments to help you save money. Often you can find a DIY organic option using common household or kitchen products. 11. Outsource online. Time is a commodity, and your time is precious and valuable. And these days, there are so many tasks you can outsource that will save you time and money. But how do you figure out if outsourcing something is worth the expense? A great thing to do is to actually calculate the cost of your time, which will help you figure out if you can pay someone to do something for less than your hourly rate. Here's an example: A monthly net income of $3,000 divided by a total of 160 hours worked equals an hourly rate of $16.75. Now that you know the value of your time, you can strategically outsource it using a service like Fiverr or Task Rabbit for a fraction of your own hourly rate. 12. Get creative with gifts. Find creative ways to express your love to friends and family members with free, lower-cost or handmade birthday and holiday gifts. After all, a handwritten note explaining why you love someone can be more sentimental than some expensive gift he or she may never even use. Most people will appreciate the thought behind your gifts more than anything, so don't be afraid to save money and find free ways to celebrate birthdays and holidays. 13. Choose quality over quantity. This can apply to food, clothes, electronics and much more. Although it's tempting to choose the more budget-friendly version of an item, sometimes choosing quality over quantity will save you more in the long run. Save up your money and get the best-quality product you can afford, and leverage the cost-per-wear philosophy with more expensive clothing and shoes. 14. Deal with your emotions. Excessive spending is often a way to avoid feeling certain emotions. If you check in with yourself before you go on a major spending spree, you may be able to identify if you're feeling bored, lonely or stressed and are therefore spending money as a means to avoid the underlying emotion. Check in with yourself before you buy, and be mindful with your spending. 15. Stop trying to keep up with the Kardashians. It's hard to keep your blinders on and not compare your financial life to that of others, especially celebrities. However, it is really important to be clear about what matters most to you and make sure you build a financial plan that supports that vision. This will keep you moving toward your financial goals and stop you from spending money on things you don't need, to impress people you don't like. 16. Read a personal finance book. When you learn about personal finance, you'll learn even more strategies to help you save money for your goals in life. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more you can save. 17. Balance your "FOMO/YOLO" mind-set. With social media controlling our lives like never before, people often fall victim to the "fear of missing out" phenomenon and instead go overboard with a "you only live once" mentality. While it is important to live in the present and soak up each precious moment of life, make sure you balance that out by saving for your financial future, too. Without checks and balances in place, you can find yourself saying yes to everything and spending more money than you have, all due to the fear of missing out. 18. Map out your financial goals. Be very specific with your financial goals. For example, saying, "I want to save for a home down payment" is not enough. You need to map out how much you need, by when and what you need to save every month in order to reach the goal. When you know what your targets are, you're more likely to stay the course and continue saving for them for the long term. 19. Keep your eye on the prize. Staying focused on your goals takes discipline and determination. Saving can be easy and exciting at first, but after a while you may lose that initial motivation and start to find other things you can spend that money on. To avoid veering off course, check in with your goals regularly and keep your eye on the prize. 20. Track your progress. Americans save only 5.5 percent of their money compared to the 20 percent that personal finance indicates you should put away. But instead of feeling ashamed about your lack of savings, just start by saving something. Even 1 percent is better than nothing. Track your progress and continue to increase the number year after year. Step by step, day by day, you can get to that 20 percent savings level. The truth is, there are many ways to save money. Find the ways that work for you, and slowly start incorporating the strategies into your life.
It's no surprise that the town will be abuzz this weekend for the Fourth of July, but did you know there is even more of a reason to celebrate, just around the corner from 520 Park ? The "Monumental Bicentennial" and reopening of America's first Washington Monument takes place on July 4 th , too! With its cornerstone laid on July 4, 1815, Mount Vernon's Washington Monument became the first public monument to honor George Washington and the ideals of American Democracy he represented. Baltimore is celebrating this iconic time in American history with the Monumental Bicentennial, a one-day celebration. After being closed since 2010, the restored Washington Monument reopens with an official rededication ceremony and ribbon cutting at 10:45am. The ceremony includes live performances from the Maryland Defense Force Band and Fort McHenry Guard Fife & Drum Band. An old-fashioned country fair follows at 11:30with entertainment, children's activities, baking contests, delicious food and beverages and more. The event will be centered on the 600 block of N. Charles Street with festivities taking place throughout the four surrounding park squares and admission is free. The "Colonial Kids" area features family-friendly activities like hands-on crafts, colonial period demonstrations and games, a pixelated photo booth, blacksmith, live entertainment, story-telling and more. In addition to the centralized festivities in the park squares, many area institutions and businesses will offer activities such as a neighborhood scavenger hunt, organ performances and tours at the Engineers Club, and a Walters Art Museum art activity. This Fourth of July gives us an opportunity to celebrate our national as well as our local history with fun from morning and into the night. See you there!
While there is always a lot to do near 520 Park , you'll want to head over to the harbor and surrounding areas for the "Wonderful Waterfront Weekend." Events run from June 19th - 21st, offering tons of free, family-friendly fun. Check out some of the highlights within the schedule below and click on the links for details: June 19th: Summer Social at West Shore Park Bring a blanket and enjoy a fun, family-friendly evening at West Shore Park, featuring live music, kids' play area, food trucks, beer, wine and mixed drinks, and the interactive fountain. June 19th: Friday Night Live at Power Plant Live! The Friday Night Live Series features Kanye Twitty with a free show at 8 PM and a food truck event from 5 PM - 9PM. June 19th - 21st: Visiting Tall Ship L'Hermione Come see an exact replica of General Lafayette's 18th-century ship called the Hermione - the largest and most authentically built Tall Ship in the last 150 years. Visitors can enjoy free tours, craft demonstrations, a traveling exhibit, and live music. June 19th - 21st: Pride of Baltimore II Pride will be docked at the Inner Harbor and will be open for deck tours. In addition, Pride will offer 2-hour public day sails from 2-4pm each day, but tickets are extremely limited. June 20th: Harbor East FIT+ Festival Experience the latest in exercise, health, and lifestyle at the 3rd annual FIT+ Festival at Harbor East with complimentary fitness classes, healthy food offerings & demos, music, a Superhero kids' zone, a photo booth, and more. June 20th - 21st: African American Festival The African American Festival is an annual celebration of life, music, and culture. It includes stellar performances, empowerment seminars, and non-stop fun for the entire family. June 20th - 21st: Waterfront Wellness West Shore Park offers its free fitness classes taught by local professional instructors. Classes are suitable for all fitness levels and will include bootcamp, dance, yoga, kayaking, and parkour. June 20th - 21st: WPB Waterfront Play Join Waterfront Partnership for free interactive children's programming at West Shore Park. Play your favorite recess games. Splash in the Walter Sondheim Fountain. Imagine your own playground. Be sure to come back and let us know your favorite events!
