Mountain View
Baltimore magazine
First-Ever Honey Chile Fest to Celebrate Black Women and Femmes in Film
Nia Hampton, the visionary behind the Baltimore-founded Black Femme Supremacy Film Fest (BFSFilmFest), has ignited a movement aimed at addressing the longstanding void in opportunities for queer, Black, and femme filmmakers. A poignant illustration of this work was on display when Tender, a film by Baltimore native TV writer, producer,...
Maryland Inline Speed Skaters Roll Into Italy’s World Games
Though inline speed skater Kenna Pfeiffer did ride horses as a little girl, there aren’t athletic roots in her family. Her folks actually joke that her skating career resulted from poor parenting. “They used to drop me off at the indoor skating rink all weekend, so it was like...
These Experts Say Buying a Home in Baltimore Isn’t as Brutal as it Seems
Tammy Saul knows what it is like to pursue the American dream of homeownership. She came to the U.S. from Kyiv, Ukraine with her parents when she was three years old and often thinks how different her life would be if they hadn’t made that journey. Grateful for the education and opportunity she’s been afforded, Saul, the founder of Federal Hill Mortgage, is paying it forward by helping others reap the benefits of owning a home.
Open & Shut: Charm City Poke & Mochi; Costiera; Busboys and Poets
Charm City Poke & Mochi: This fall, this new grab-and-go concept will make its debut in the former home of Plantbar inside Harbor Point’s Constellation Building. From Na Yi, owner and operator Blowfish Poke at Cross Street Market, Charm City Poke & Mochi will offer Blowfish’s signature made-to-order poke bowls, plus new menu items like steamed buns, steamed dumplings, ramen, and sushi rolls. As for the mochi, expect Blowfish’s popular mochi donuts made with low-gluten rice flour in flavors like matcha, mango, strawberry, purple ube, and chocolate.
Why These Local Businesses are Offering Their Own Short-Term Rentals
Summer travel is in full swing, and we’ve spotted a fun, related trend: local restaurants and small businesses promoting their own short-term rentals. Along with providing another source of revenue for owners, these properties serve multiple purposes. From conversations we’ve had with a handful of Baltimore-area businesses, the goals range from simply extending their brand’s mission of hospitality to working in tandem with on-site private events. A common objective we clocked: the desire to positively spotlight the area and immerse visitors in an authentic, neighborhood-driven travel experience.
Volo is Launching a Massive Waterfront Sports Venue at Baltimore Peninsula
On any given weeknight, it’s not uncommon to see groups of adults wearing colored Volo Sports T-shirts roaming around certain city neighborhoods after a rec game. The adult sports network initially started as a Bocce league in Federal Hill in 2010, and has since grown to offer more than 15 sports (everything from softball and kickball to cornhole and badminton) in more than 10 cities.
The Charmery Owners Share Top 10 Flavors From Their First 10 Years
A lot has changed since David and Laura Alima peeled back the butcher paper on the windows to unveil their Hampden ice cream shop, The Charmery, at 801 W. 36th St. on July 20, 2013. For starters, the Avenue flagship now has four sister locations: a shop and production facility...
Basement Bars to Help Escape the Summer Heat
Sure, rooftop bars are all the rage once the summer scorchers start to set in. But if there’s one thing we remember from grade school science class, it’s that lesson about how heat rises. If you’re looking for a chill—and likely less crowded—substitute to the sweaty sky-high spots, these basement bars are ideal hideaways.
The Feel-Good: Five Great Things That Happened in Our Area This Month
Puptastic! The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Rehabilitates an Otter Pup. If you haven’t been binge-watching the zoo’s adorable videos of its rescued otter pup, what have you even been doing with your time? The endearing otter has developed a following, whether she’s offering up ASMR chomping snacks and grunting in her play pen or splashing in her baby pool. The otter was believed to be about 40 days old when she was found stranded on the shores of the river in Elk Neck State Park. Park officials waited to see if the mother would turn up, but eventually called in Maryland Zoo officials for help.
Open & Shut: Baja Tap; Drift Bar; Peter Chang Baltimore
Baja Tap: The former Bond Street Social space in Fells Point won’t be empty much longer. If you haven’t noticed its colorful wraps covering the windows yet, Baja Tap is expected to take over the restaurant at 901 S. Bond St. in mid-September. The concept—focusing on tacos, margaritas, and live music—already has a location in Washington, D.C. that opened earlier this year. But partner and chef Greg Lloyd says the Baltimore spot “has always been in the works.” “The space in Adams Morgan worked out, and we thought it’d be a great testing ground,” he adds. “Then we could hit the ground running in Baltimore.”
With Its Junior Scene, Fluid Movement is Forging Intergenerational Connections
It’s a particularly feverish July Tuesday at the Roosevelt Park Pool in Hampden, where tween and teenage girls are squealing, splashing, treading water, and exchanging jokes. By 10 a.m., the Fluid Movement Junior Scene—an iteration of the Fluid Movement water ballet company that features youth performers ages 9-14—is warming...
Dutch Courage’s Kim Vo Heads to National Bartending Competition
To some, slinging cocktails is just something to pay the bills, but for Kim Vo, bartender at Old Goucher’s Dutch Courage, it’s a passion. So it makes sense that, after nearly 10 years spent behind the bar, Vo decided to test her skills by entering Speed Rack—a high-speed competition in which female-identifying industry members from across the country show off their skills in various timed challenges.
Movie Review: Oppenheimer
Just because science can, does that mean it should? That’s the question plaguing us all today as we contemplate the long-term ramifications of things like genetic modification and AI and it is certainly at the heart of Christopher Nolan’s explosive (pardon the pun) Oppenheimer, an absolutely jaw-dropping cinematic achievement about the creation and deployment of the atomic bomb.
After 50 Years at the Helm, BrickHouse Books’ Clarinda Harriss Isn’t Slowing Down
In 1970, then 29-year-old Clarinda Harriss joined late poet Michael Egan to raise money for a new small press called New Poets Series, which was dedicated to publishing writers’ first books. It was a fitting cause for Harriss to champion at the time, as she herself was in the process of releasing her own inaugural work.
Open & Shut: Toki Underground; The Empanada Lady; Sartori; Common Ground
Toki Underground: Yes, temps might have soared over 90 degrees this week, but that shouldn’t stop you from popping into the newly opened Toki Underground—a Washington, D.C. hotspot known for its ramen, dumplings, steamed buns, and artsy-punk aesthetic. The Charm City outpost opened last week at 2731 Greenmount Avenue in the Harwood/Better Waverly area. The debut menu includes a variety of ramen bowls, from the Toki Classic with braised shredded pork, Chinese broccoli, and a soft egg to the Taipei Curry Chicken with fried chicken. (There’s also a top-notch spicy vegan ramen.) Other bites include kimchi, dan dan noodles, pork belly or fried chicken steamed buns, and fried shrimp that comes with a delectable Kewpie mayo for dipping.
Frozen Drinks to Help Cool Off This Summer
We’re not going to deny that 7-Eleven Slurpees hit different in the peak of the summer, so, sure, we see the appeal in grabbing one in honor of the convenience store’s annual Free Slurpee Day on July 11. But in the spirit of supporting the breadth and creativity of our local drink scene, we thought we’d offer an alternative. Bartenders all over town are blending up their own seasonal slushies—both boozy and non-alcoholic—to help patrons cool off this summer. If frozen is your thing, here are a few sips to explore:
Movie review: Wham!
I used to think of Andrew Ridgeley, one half of the pop duo Wham!, as this lucky guy who had hitched his cart to George Michael. Turns out, the real story is far more interesting. Wham!, the new documentary by Chris Smith, now playing on Netflix, shows us the unlikely...
Happy Nappy Day Encourages Black Baltimoreans to Embrace Their Natural Hair
Years ago, Malaika Cooper helped her younger cousin, who was recovering from cancer at the time, get ready for a high school dance. Her hair was growing back in, and she asked Cooper if they could go purchase extensions to accentuate her final look. “I was like, ‘Why do you...
Support for Landis Expandis Continues with Ottobar Benefit This Weekend
William Hicks recalls a memory from years ago, when he saw his friend, Landis Expandis, strolling through Mount Vernon Place with his family. “He and his wife at the time were wearing these matching, purple and white fur-lined outfits—and the baby carriage had the exact same fur around it,” recalls Hicks, who performs as DJ Cheeky Willy and owns Mount Vernon Records. “I’ll never forget that day. Landis has always been an artist. His persona is larger than life.”
Open & Shut: Docks on the Harbor; Icepop; No Way Rosé
Docks on the Harbor: There’s some new blood in the heart of the Inner Harbor near Phillips Seafood and Hard Rock Cafe. Docks on the Harbor will hold a ticketed grand opening celebration tonight, featuring complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from 7-10 p.m. Complete with chandeliers, velvet banquettes, neon signs, and a 17-foot tree in the middle of the dining room, the modern restaurant spotlights comfort dishes like lobster mac and cheese, Wagyu sliders, and an Old Bay fried chicken sandwich. There are also a number of island-inspired entrees like a soy-garlic marinated ribeye and a vegetarian barbecued watermelon steak. Instagram-friendly cocktails (many are served with a floating rubber duckie) are on offer, along with a signature dessert platter that serves sweets like macaroons and chocolate-covered strawberries in a mini Ferris Wheel.
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