Posts about Apartments in Mount Vernon

Absolutely Febulous

Want an excuse to go back to a favorite restaurant? Or, maybe there's another restaurant you've been wanting to try out? With the latest Baltimore Restaurant Week upon us, you'll have your chance with tons of locations near 520 Park and all around the city! As you may recall from last summer, the idea for Baltimore's twice-annual Restaurant Week started back in 1992 in New York City, thought up by successful restauranteur Joe Baum and Tim Zagat of Zagat Survey/Ratings fame. Since that time, however, the concept of Restaurant Week has spread across the country, to cities and states which participate in their own versions, much like Baltimore City and its surrounding counties. While the events vary from place to place, the general concept is that local restaurants partner with local business organizations or chambers of commerce to promote a week of lunch and dinner specials. Restaurants offer reduced prices for a prix fixe menu, the idea being that what they lose in check averages they gain in sales volume and exposure to new customers. Baltimore's latest Restaurant Week is part of a larger campaign called "A bsolutely Febulous ," (a play on February, not a typo) which goes beyond dining to include special deals on attractions, museums, and hotels. It will run until February 28th, featuring prix-fixe, 3-course dinners for $20 or $30 (per person, not including drinks, tax, and tip) and 2-course lunches for $15. And, there are 79 restaurants to choose from! Just a few tips, make reservations to secure your preferred date and time and be aware that promotions and menus vary. When calling for a reservation, confirm the Restaurant Week promotion pricing and details. Click here for a list of participating locations, plus links for menus, reservations, ratings, maps and phone numbers. Now, get out and enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant or explore some new ones. Bon appetit!

Forget the Cold...Ice Skate

With the temperatures dropping and snow in and out of the forecast, it's time to embrace the season by enjoying a classic activity just down the road from 520 Park . Right across from Harborplace at the corner of Light and Pratt Street, you can once again enjoy ice skating at the Inner Harbor. The ice rink, part of a larger campaign by the Waterfront Partnership, is not new to the Inner Harbor though this location may seem new. A rink used to be in place at Rash Field from 1988-1991 and from 1993-2002. Originally, the rink was to remain open only until mid-January, however the date has now been extended until Sunday, February 15th. Public skating hours for the remainder of the season are Thursdays from 12 p.m. - 8 p.m., Fridays from 12 p.m. - 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Admission to the ice rink is $9 for adults and $7 for children, seniors, and military, and skate rentals are $3. We can all hope this begins a new annual tradition at the Inner Harbor, given that this the first of a 5-year grant secured by the Waterfront Partnership for the space. So, instead of dreading the winter, let's skate right through it! McKeldin Plaza 101 Pratt Street, Baltimore MD Baltimore, MD 21202 443-890-6158 [email protected]

Khan Academy

Since you live at 520 Park , you must be incredibly smart, right? Yet, even with all of your obvious intelligence, have you ever wished you had learned more in your school days or perhaps, just retained more of those lessons you did learn? While we may yearn for a greater understanding of the world around us or even just what we've forgotten from our youth, the notion of going back to school can be far too daunting to consider. However, what if you could take your pick of academic topics and have access to award-winning tutorials that move only at your own pace? And, what if these vast resources were free? That is where the Khan Academy comes in. This non-profit educational organization was created in 2006 by educator Salman Khan to provide "a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere." Khan's own academic credentials include three degrees from MIT followed by an MBA from Harvard Business School. The Khan Academy's website features thousands of educational resources, including a personalized learning dashboard, over 100,000 practice problems, and over 6,000 micro lectures via video tutorials stored on YouTube. The subjects (so far) include mathematics, history, healthcare, medicine, finance, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, cosmology, American civics, art history, economics, music, and computer science. All resources are available for free to anyone around the world and by 2013, were used by about 10 million students per month and its micro lectures have been watched over 468 million times! The educational approach differs greatly from the typical classroom environment. Broadly termed "flipping the classroom," the idea is that students will watch lectures and work through problem sets on their own time, at their own pace. Once mastery of a concept is demonstrated, adaptive software can suggest new ones, much like Amazon recommends new books. This enables you, as the prospective student, to choose what you'd like to learn about and to absorb the material based on your schedule and ability, completely unencumbered by grades, availability, or cost - just a pure learning experience providing its own rewards. So now that you know it's out there, what will you learn about first? Khan Academy Website

It s a Wonderful Life Takes Center Stage...via Radio

If you're looking for some great entertainment wrapped up in a holiday classic, there is a great option for you just down the street from 520 Park at Center Stage. In It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, you can revisit Bedford Falls, fall in love again with George and Mary, and discover the magic of an angel named Clarence. Imagine it's Christmas Eve in 1947, and inside a radio studio a live broadcast brings to life Frank Capra's timeless film in all of its feel-good glory. You'll be a part of the live studio audience, and join the cast and crew as they take you on a journey through the most important evening in one man's life in this perfect holiday outing for the entire family. All the characters are portrayed by five actors in this special adaptation, which is presented as the kind of dramatization once routinely aired on radio before television. The original radio play that aired in 1947 featured the movie's stars - James Stewart as George and Donna Reed as Mary. Aside from regular show times, there are also new family matinees (12/13 and 12/20), which include free, pre-show activities including holiday family photos, tasty treats and cocoa, backstage tours, crafts, and an interactive lobby display. The show's running time is approximately 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission and runs through December 21. For tickets, call 410-332-0033, or go to the website for all the details. Center Stage 700 N Calvert St Baltimore, MD 21202

Enoch Pratt Free Library

We know that 520 Park is perfectly located amidst so many great restaurants and attractions, but one that might escape your attention is the Enoch Pratt Free Library - just a few blocks away. The Central Library of Baltimore City's public library system, was designated the State Library Resource Center (SLRC) by the General Assembly in 1971. While it's certainly no surprise that it has wide selections of books, our public libraries offer so much more. Though the library will remain open throughout construction, a major renovation is underway until 2018 that will preserve the past and position the Enoch Pratt Free Library to serve all Marylanders in the future. The library currently serves half a million visitors each year, and the plans for the state-of-the-art renovations to the Central Library will improve the building's infrastructure and increase opportunities for learning, research, creativity and civic engagement. Furthermore, as described by the library website, it will complement the Pratt's significant print collection with the latest technologies, welcoming a vibrant future while preserving a cherished historic landmark. The renovation will yield more public library space than is currently available, along with expanded training/conference facilities and multi-purpose spaces. There will be "Creation Stations" to fuel creative learning for a new Teen and Young Adult wing and expanded children's department. Improvements will restore the majesty of the central hall while modernizing technology with more public computers, audio-visual equipment, and even a job/career center. While all of these developments are on the way, you still have access to all the great facilities and programs offered in the meantime. It has multiple rooms for events including a large auditorium, the Poe Room for more intimate events, and a fantastic Children's Department with rooms for early learning and play. Events include frequent free movie screenings and readings by local and nationally famous authors. Be sure to check out the calendar for all the upcoming programs and events to see what will pique your interest. If the best things in life are free, then given our proximity to the impressive, block-long, central branch, life here is pretty good! Enoch Pratt Free Library - Central branch 400 Cathedral Street Baltimore, MD 21201 prattlibrary.org

Recognize This Face

Recognize this face? Believe it or not, you see this face every day...just not this close. This is actually a close up view of George Washington atop the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon. If you ask most people about the original Washington Monument, they'll start talking about the one in Washington DC. In our neighborhood, though, we know better. Just around the corner from 520 Park stands the first architectural monument planned to honor George Washington, and the oldest surviving one. However, as you've undoubtedly noticed, it stands shrouded in scaffolding as its renovation continues. In 1815, the statue was designed by Robert Mills, who also designed the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., with construction completed in 1829. Its 178-foot Doric column holds a ground-floor museum offering information about Washington as well as the monument's construction (when open). Once the renovation is completed, visitors will once again be able to climb the 228 steps to the top to enjoy an excellent view of the city from our historic neighborhood. [This birds-eye view of the top of the monument was actually taken by a drone plane that was fitted with cameras. Very unique!] The monument is constructed of white marble brought from Cockeysville, just north of the city, and consists of a low, rectangular base containing the museum, a plain, unfluted column, and Washington's standing figure on top. The scaffolding which currently encloses the monument is part of the $5.5 million plan to repair the pillar, remove mildew and moss, install new electrical and lighting systems, and refurbish the cast-iron fence which will be recast and repainted its original dark green. This month, as you may have noticed, the marble head and body of George Washington atop the monument has emerged from the scaffolding and all exterior renovations are expected to wrap up this month - ahead of schedule. While the official re-opening of the monument is planned for its bicentennial on the 4th of July, 2015, wrapping up the exterior renovation should allow for the annual Monument Lighting to occur in December. Though the monument has been closed since 2010 and has been hidden under scaffolding for the better part of a year, this will make its reopening that much more momentous. Better still, we get to see it all happen in real-time in our very own neighborhood!