In the Vicinity

By: Cassie Pearce

Seven-year-old Julia Ascolese, a Hampden community resident waited patiently on the corner of 34^th Street and Chestnut Avenue. Twirling the ends of her scarf and giggling with her sister she waited for the neighborhoods’ nightly festivities to begin. “I always know that it is time for Christmas when I can see the colors from the lights in my bedroom window” she exclaimed pointing to her house about a block diagonal from 34^th Street. Over 60 years ago the residents of this block began an annual tradition that became known as Baltimore’s Miracle on 34^th Street.

Read more: Hampden's Miracle on 34th Street

On Friday December 11, 2009, Baltimore's Belvedere Square will be hosting its First Annual Santa Bar Crawl.

Read more: Belvedere Square Santa Crawl

By: Cassie Pearce

For many people, a typical meal consists of grabbing the closest takeout menu and ordering a pizza or Chinese food. The problem is when you eat something too often, you never want to eat it again. So what are you supposed to do to break your mundane eating habits? Just get out there and explore the dozens of diverse, ethnic restaurants guaranteed to keep you on your toes in Baltimore.

Read more: Baltimore Dining

By Mackenzie Degen

While many choose to sleep in on the weekends, a local Roland Park restaurant is at its prime time with business. Miss Shirley’s, a favorite among Loyola University Maryland students and locals in the Roland Park/Baltimore area draws in a crowd from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M. with its array of breakfast foods, drinks, and welcoming atmosphere. “I always get the pancakes,” says Loyola sophomore Alexandra D’Agostino, “and I really don’t mind the wait. It’s totally worth it.”

Read more: Miss Shirley's Cafe

By: Cassie Pearce

With fast food restaurants taking over a large part of the food industry, sticking to a healthy diet and finding quality food on-the-go has become a difficult task in America. Busy schedules and stressful amounts of work limit the time there is for people to cook their own dinners; instead their number one choice is takeout. Luckily, the Evergreen Café on Cold Spring Lane has found a nutritious median. Just a few minutes down the road from Loyola University, the café offers a large variety of salads sandwiches and delicious gelato.

Read more: The Evergreen Option