I received an email from a reader who’s going to be in town next weekend for a trade show at the convention center.  She’s wondering where are some good spots in the city to shop for antiques or flea markets or any other non “new” stuff.  Since I don’t shop much, I can’t really help. But I used to live in Fells Point and know that there’s some antique stores in that area.  Mostly along Broadway or Fleet streets I believe.  A cab ride from the convention center (downtown) to Fells Point will take about 5 minutes.  You could also probably walk it in 25 minutes and hit Harbor East on the way.  Anyone else have some good recommendations?

Baltimore, MD (May 7, 2008) – According to Forbes.com (April 15, 2008), Baltimore ranked among the top 10 worst markets to try to sell a home. In a two-day live event, ABC2 News works to help a Timonium family sell their home.  On Tuesday, May 13^th and Wednesday, May 14^th, the welcome mat will be rolled out for stagers from Bright Idea Interiors to prepare the Cape Cod style home for staging and Long & Foster Real Estate to conduct a brokers open house. ABC2 reporters, Joce Sterman and Christian Schaffer, will give live reports from the home.

After eight years in the quiet Timonium neighborhood, the Fields family plans to move to a bigger home in Baltimore County, but before they go, a team of experts will do some extensive spring cleaning and renovations to the home.  On Tuesday, May 13^th, beginning at 6a.m., Bright Ideas Interiors will stage the home.  Carpets will be ripped out, walls painted, and curtains hung in preparation for placement on the housing market. The entire renovation can be viewed on ABC2 News and on abc2news.com, via a live web broadcast, along with before and after photos.

On Wednesday, May 14^th, from 11a.m.-3p.m., Long & Foster agent Mary Wodka spearheads a brokers open house. ABC2 News cameras will be there as real estate agents as they move through the newly redecorated rooms in hopes of matching the home with prospective buyers.

About WMAR & Scripps

WMAR TV is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company.  The E.W. Scripps Company  (NYSE: SSP) is a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.  The company’s portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks, with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country; daily and community newspapers in 18 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center; 10 broadcast TV stations, Scripps Interactive Media, Shopzilla, uSwitch; and United Media. 

A new men’s and women’s boutique opening soon on Charles St. in Federal Hill will be joining a handful of other recently opened stores in Baltimore from Canton and Fells Point to Federal Hill.  The new store, to be called Whimsy (for Women) and Reason (for Men) will fill the gap for the young professional crowd that are 1. currently under-served by other retailers, 2. who are tired of driving to Towson, and 3. who refuse to go to Wal-Mart or Rainbows (for instance). 

Visit the website: http://whimsyreason.com/

Clothing stores that cater to the young professional and the more upscale are particularly lacking in Baltimore City and result in many gripes by local residents.  Part of the problem is that retailers typically look at the Baltimore Demographic as a whole, so the median income is driven way down by the extreme poverty and unemployment in certain areas of the city.  While some retailers have capitalized on the large pockets of wealth (think Safeway and Whole Foods), clothing retailers and department stores have been behind the curve.  Even though Filene’s is making a foray into the downtown area with their discount Filene’s Basement, and the fact that Harbor East developer H&S is seeking an upscale retailer like Neiman Marcus, it seems that these types of boutiques may be our best hope.  Should they be successful, other small retailers will follow, then maybe some major retailers.  But then again…who’ll need the major retailers if we’ve got all these cool little shops around?

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

The popular Dangerously Delicious Pies, which was born in Canton and now resides on Light Street in Federal Hill, will be opening a second location in Hampden this June.  The new location will be at 3547 Chesnut Ave, just off of the Avenue at Hampden. 

http://www.dangerouspies.com/

Supposedly owner Rodney Henry still has dreams of opening a third location in Fells Point that would carry alcohol and be a venue for live music.

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

The recently enacted Open Skies agreement loosens the restrictions of international air travel, which could be a boon to BWI’s struggling international terminal.  Originally, it was thought that Southwest would start discount trans-Atlantic flights out of BWI using their partner ATA.  However, the demise of ATA airlines means that partner Southwest will not likely start international service any time soon.  However, BWI seems to be courting European discount airliner RyanAir to provide service overseas. 

Click HERE to read the article.

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

This project illustrates a good point… People seem to get in a dither when projects in Baltimore’s inner harbor get delayed or seem like they are not moving forward. Take for instance the two remaining vacant lots on the harbor 414 Light and 300 Pratt….these projects will get built some day…it’s inevitable…the land is too valuable. 

 The 1.6 billion dollar State Center project should come with more fan fare than most of the other developments we hear about in Baltimore, as this project has the potential to transform Baltimore in a way not seen since the development of the Inner Harbor or Charles Center. 

Click HERE to read the Maryland Daily Record Article

Click HERE to read the Baltimore Sun Article

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

Baltimore’s Station North Neighborhood seems to have been getting a lot of attention recently.  It seems as if the area will be getting some more attention very soon.  The Baltimore Examiner reports that the Station North Master Plan will be unveiled at the end of May.  Could this be Baltimore’s next hot area?

Click HERE to read the article

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

One of the things many of us take for granted here in Baltimore is the wonderful arts scene.  With it’s many theatres, world class museums, art galleries, and music venues, Baltimore probably should have garnered more than the #9 ranking recently issued by American Style magazine.  I suppose being in the top ten isn’t anything to snuff at, but for a city the size of Baltimore, the amount of cultural venues is fairly high. 

Just do Baltimore a favor…next time you get the inkling to go to a show or a museum, instead of hopping to New York or Washington, try a trip to your own back yard.  Walters…BMA…CenterStage…Hippodrome…Lyric…just to name the biggies. You might just be surprised.

Click Here to Read the Article in American Style

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

I get all these e-mails from real estate agents all the time. There’s sometimes good deals in them. I actually read some of them and fantasize about buying something besides the house I live in. Who hasn’t fantasized about owning a bar? For $160K you can own a bar right on Patterson Park- the listing says that it’s north of Patterson Park but Google Maps says it’s right on the park. I haven’t been by it yet but I just might check it out. It has a two bedroom apartment upstairs so you could actually live right above your bar, for less than you’d pay for a house in the ‘burbs. I don’t know if you have to get a liquor license- my guess is that at this price you have to get one for it, but I don’t know for sure. But that’s what I like about Baltimore- your very own live-above bar for 160K.

I’m not posting a picture of the outside because if I did you could probably find it on your own- for all I know you could anyway. I am a real estate agent after all and if you want to buy it and you hear about it from me I should get something, shouldn’t I?

http://www.joshuaberlow.com/real.htm

The Baltimore Sun reports that Harris Teeter has signed a lease in McHenry Row, formally known as the Chesapeake Paperboard site in Locust Point. LP will finally be getting its high end grocery store that many of us have been waiting for!

To read more, visit the link below. The article says there will be curbside pick up for pre ordered groceries and will have a “sushi bar, pizza bar, artisan cheese selection and a healthy section of prepared foods.” It is just too bad it won’t open until 2010.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.harris06may06,0,6952574.story