Two Mount Vernon Landmarks

Over the past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of two friends. This is a special event in any circumstance, but it was made even more enjoyable by being in my neighborhood. That's right - both the ceremony and the reception were in Mount Vernon, and therefore I was able to dispense with vehicular transportation and enjoy walking.

The ceremony took place at the Baltimore Basilica. www.baltimorebasilica.org This stunning Henry Benjamin Latrobe building was closed a few years ago for extensive renovations, and if you haven't been back in to take a peek, do so! The Basilica re-opened in 2006, just in time to celebrate its 200th anniversary. It is very much a "working church" with weddings (obviously!), baptisms, and regular worship services. However, the Basilica also has a lecture and concert series, daily tours of the building, a museum and a gift shop. It is a cornerstone of Baltimore's architectural, spiritual, and historical life.

After a beautiful wedding, the guests perambulated up Charles St. to the Belvedere. www.belvederebaltimore.com Opened in 1903 as the Hotel Belvedere, this building was the premier hotel in Baltimore for half a century. While it was converted to condominiums in the 80's, the marble floors, soaring ceilings, and gorgeous chandeliers remain. The reception was held in one of the ballrooms, which was beautifully restored/maintained. (In addition to the ballrooms, which are usually engaged in private events, there is a club on the 13th floor with spectacular views of the city, and a bar/restaurant on the main floor which used to be a speak-easy.)

I was lucky enough to be in these Baltimore landmarks because of a joyous celebration, but you can be just as lucky without my friends' wedding! Both the Basilica and the Belvedere encourage visitors, whether you're from another part of town, you're from another country, or you're a neighbor who simply hasn't yet experienced some of the gems in their own corner of the world.

Midtown Baltimore and the Mayor

If you own property in Mount Vernon, Bolton Hill, Madison Park, and Charles North, you may be familiar with the Midtown Community Benefits District. You might be familiar with it because you pay the organization money every year, around the same time you pay your taxes. You should be familiar with it because of what it does for you. The organization was created in 1996 to make these four communities "stronger, better places to live and work." It is a citizen run group that is there to advocate and improve conditions in our neighborhoods. How do these citizens implement their plans? They use the property tax surcharge that we give them in a variety of ways. Would you like to know on what they spend the money? Check it out! Currently, a draft of 2011 budget is available at www.midtowncommunity.org/2011 A presentation of the proposed 2011 Midtown Budget will be given on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 7pm. The location is Payne Memorial Church, 1714 Madison Ave. (Corner of Laurens.) This is part of the regularly scheduled spring Town Hall Meeting, and the keynote speaker is Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake. I certainly intend to the be there, and encourage all other property owners and neighbors to attend.

Mount Vernon Gardening in Baltimore

After a week of weather that has caused most of us to consider building an ark, the sun is finally shining again in Baltimore. I had the pleasure of showing a number of rental properties to an incoming Johns Hopkins student today, which made me especially happy. Why, you ask? Because she was looking exclusively in Mount Vernon, and therefore I was able to spend two hours walking around my neighborhood, giving a tour to a potential new resident, and enjoying the fabulous housing options available to her. She and her family were particularly impressed with Mount Vernon Park, so I was happy to tell them about the Friends of Mount Vernon Place (www.friendsofmountvernonplace.org), and all of the good things they do to keep the neighborhood beautiful. If you'd like to volunteer for this organization and our corner of the world, FMVP are having a spring clean up this coming Saturday, March 20, from 9am-1pm in the West Park. Please bring gardening gloves, a shovel, and a hat! Refreshments will be available. Please RSVP to Cathy@ccrrar.com (The rain date is Sunday, March 21 at 11am.) Hope to see you there!