| Life in Baltimore, Maryland |
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| This is where I work, the Neighborhood Design Center. It's a converted Pratt library branch and has a great main room. I work in a cubicle in the basement but I think it's pretty cool downstairs. |
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| The closest coffee we have to work is One World in Federal Hill. It's got a good selection of coffee and often, wheat grass, which makes me very happy. Actually coffee makes me very happy too. Federal Hill is a pretty cool part of Baltimore, just south of downtown on its own little peninsula not too far from Fort McHenry. |
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| Memorial Stadium was already closed for demolition when I arrived March 2000. There were various challenges to keep it operating but without the Orioles or the Ravens playing there, its usefulness on 33rd Street was questionable. The front of the stadium will be preserved and worked into a mixed-use housing and business complex. |
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| Sometimes nonprofit work is just plain fun. Here I took part in a Baltimore tradition, Honfest, a chance for the city to poke fun at its John Waters-freaky reputation. Hons are exaggerated city women with big hair, lots of make-up, and a perfect Bawlmer accent. I had the chance to demonstrate our marble step cleaning kits with Janet, Miss Hon 2001. I was honored to have Miss Hon as my able assistant. In addition to big hair, another Baltimore tradition is keeping marble steps white. Rowhouses dominate this little city and it's a point of pride to keep front steps sparkling clean. Hometown Girl, which sells the kits we developed, asked me to demonstrate how to keep marble lookin' good. It was fun to demonstrate at Honfest. |
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| More pictures from Federal Hill, a neighborhood full of two- and three-story rowhouses. As with most rowhouse neighborhoods, there is no front yard and no space between homes. Still, residents add color to the block with containers and flowerboxes and flags. |