A busy weekend in Reservoir Hill

21 May

IMG_0288Neighbors gather for hot dogs, drinks, and site plan designs at Linden Ave. and Brooks Ln. (5/18/13)

This past weekend in Reservoir Hill was filled with art, hot dogs, vacant lot design sessions, historic neighborhood walking tours, and even a few trash bags. Let’s check out some of the images:

IMG_0298Zero Litter, RHIC, and New Lens teamed up for a Linden Ave. trash mob clean up (5/19/13)

IMG_0295Chelsea from New Lens gathers feedback on bench designs to be built by local youth (5/18/13)

IMG_0292Residents look over possible site plans for the vacant lot at Linden Ave. and Brooks Ln. (5/18/13)

For those interested in next steps for the Linden Ave. vacant lot project, check out the update below from Jonathan Bettle:

On Saturday morning 40 Reservoir Hill residents enjoyed the pleasant weather and conversation with architects from the Neighborhood Design Center. The Linden Lot Working Group received valuable feedback on the initial sketches courtesy of the NDC and the architects will start to narrow the ideas into more developed proposals.

The next opportunity for you to participate will be June 11th when the Lakeside Neighbors Coalition meet @ 6:30 pm in the Riviera apartment building. At that time you will hear proposals regarding the Linden Lot and Jordan Alley rejuvenations.

If you could not come this morning, I ask that you email in reply your availability Mon 5/20 after 6 pm to review in person the designs and give feedback.


Onward in community,

Jonathan Bettle

jdbettle@gmail.com

Linden Lot Working Group

 

 

Linden Lot Design Meeting: Saturday 5/18 10am-12pm

15 May

Neighborhood design 2-1

Last fall, Lakeside Neighbors began the process of creating a new vision for the vacant lot at Linden Ave. and Brooks Ln. Join us this Saturday 5/18 from 10am-12pm to walk the site, talk with neighbors, and gather ideas for what you’d like to see happen next!

Contact: Jonathan Bettle jdbettle@gmail.com

Trash mob clean up this Sunday 5/19 10am on Eutaw Place

14 May

TrashMOB
Hello Reservoir Hill!

Our first Trashmob will target Eutaw Place and Madison Ave in preparation for Homecoming events, including the Baltimore Heritage Walking Tour.

Please help promote this event that will include volunteers from New Lens, Upper Eutaw Madison Neighborhood Association and Zero Litter.

Date: Sunday, May 19
Time: 10am-11am
Location: 2400 Eutaw

Gloves and trash grabbers will be provided by Zero Litter

Email RHtrashmob@gmail.com to sign up for this important event!

2013 Reservoir Hill Garden & Home Tour: 6/8/13 and 6/9/13

9 May

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 Historic Reservoir Hill Garden and Home Tour

Connect with the Garden and Home Tour on Facebook

 The 19th annual Reservoir Hill Garden and Home Tour will take place Saturday June 8th and Sunday June 9th, 2013,11:00am – 4:00pm (gardens and homes open until 5:00 p.m.).  Tickets ($15) available at the information booth at the Intersection of Park Avenue and Reservoir Street on tour days.

Have you noticed flowering trees and lush vines poking over an alley fence and wondered what else is growing on the other side?  Are you curious about what’s behind the brick facade and stately wooden trim of a historic row house?  Follow a self-guided tour through some of the colorful gardens and restored homes of Reservoir Hill to learn about gardening in the city and the fascinating history of this vibrant Baltimore neighborhood.

Historic maps and pictures of the neighborhood will be on display and visitors will have a chance to meet author Kelly Dale Terrill at a book signing for Reservoir Hill, his newly published book on the area.  

 The Garden and Home tour is sponsored by neighborhood associations: Bolton Park Neighbors, 501(c)(3) and the Historic Mt. Royal Terrace Association  501(c)(3) with additional support from Healthy Neighborhoods. For more information: email - HistoricResHillTour@gmail.com, phone - 443-424-2276 or 410-383-8535.

Weekend plans

3 May

IMG_0232Neighbors enjoy Whitelock Community Farm’s season opening potluck dinner (5/1/13)

It’s another beautiful spring weekend in Baltimore. Here are two great events to add to your Saturday plans: in the morning, come by Whitelock Community Farm’s 3rd annual plant sale 10am-1pm at the corner of Whitelock St. and Brookfield Ave; and in the afternoon, check out Community Greening Resource Network’s happy hour fundraiser  4-8pm.

The Farm will have all sorts of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers and okra, all grown in the Farm’s greenhouse! Discounts are also available if you buy in bulk! Support CGRN’s fundraiser because without their assistance, Reservoir Hill wouldn’t have a fantastic tool library to lend out shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, and much more to the community.  See the flyer below for more details:

 

May Happy Hour Fundraiser Moonshine Tavern NON MEMBER flyer

 

 

Imagining a new Jordan alley

2 May

2Volunteers clearing Jordan alley (4/21/13)

One of the great things about Reservoir Hill is that just about everywhere you look, you can ask “What if…this looked different.” In the case of  Jordan alley, neighbors for years had been eyeing the shaded, quiet space surrounded by the porches and backyards of houses bordering Chauncey Ave., Linden Ave., and Eutaw Place.

BeforeJordan alley (winter 2013)

Though quiet and secluded, the space was also largely filled with tree undergrowth, vines, and debris. This April, New Lens has organized volunteers from Lakeside Neighbors Coalition, Beth Am Synagogue, and Johns Hopkins University to start the process of cleaning the site, gathering ideas for community uses for the space, and rallying neighbors. Follow the progress here (thanks to Chelsea and Rebecca for their photos!):

1(4/21/13)

4(4/21/13)

3(4/21/13)

After(4/21/13)

2013 Mayor’s Spring Clean Up photos

24 Apr

IMG_0208Neighbors weeding tree wells on Whitelock St. (4/20/13)

This past Saturday 4/20/13 was a beautiful  morning for neighbors of all ages across Reservoir Hill to clean up gardens, spruce up tree wells, design tree-themed magnets to post on the new Whitelock bulletin board, and, of course, fill up a huge City dumpster with extra debris, trash, and old furniture! Thanks to the more than 40 people who helped make their neighborhood a better place!

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What we’ve been up to

23 Apr

IMG_0150Volunteers shovel compost to deliver to Whitelock tree wells (4/13/13)

It’s been a long winter, but that doesn’t mean things have been quiet around Reservoir Hill! If you were wondering what we’ve been working on, check this out:

Presenting Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Dr. Andres Alonso (CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools) with official “SO ICY–Flip the Power” t-shirts during a press conference at John Eager Howard Elementary announcing new greening grants for schools:

IMG_00262/25/13

Testing our brand new bike trailer, built by Eagle Scout candidate Joshua Adams, to haul produce from Whitelock Community Farm to neighbors throughout the community:

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Restoring the Madison Ave. sculpture garden with some new paint:

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Playing baseball on the new grass lawn at German Park playground:

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Cooking up a storm at John Eager Howard Recreation Center’s healthy cooking class:

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And, last but not least, more weeding and digging on Whitelock St!

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2013 Mayor’s Spring Clean Up in Reservoir Hill– Saturday 4/20 9am-1pm

15 Apr

Reservoir Hill Spring Clean Up

Cooking with student chefs at JEH Recreation Center

25 Feb

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John Eager Howard Rec chefs prepare “torta de espinaca” (January 2013)

Editor’s note: we’re re-printing this terrific post from RHIC’s Schools & Recreation blog, your source for all news about education opportunities for Reservoir Hill’s youth and families.

Starting in January, students at the JEH Rec Center have been learning to cook foods from around the world. At the beginning of each five class session, students pick 4 countries to inspire the recipes they’ll cook. Not only will students learn new culinary skills, but by investigating the ingredients students will begin to think more critically about where their food comes from and how it impacts their health.

Step 1: Read the recipe (included at the end of this post) and investigate the ingredients. Before they even begin cooking, the students answer these three questions about each ingredient:

  1. How far did the ingredient take to get here today?
  2. In which seasons can you grow the ingredient in Maryland?
  3. How does the ingredient help our bodies?

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Step 2: Learn a new skill– safely using a box grater. 

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Step 3: Work as a team to prepare the dish.

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Step 4: Share with friends and family!

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Torta de Espinaca (from Colombia)
Spinach cakes

Ingredients

  • ½ pound spinach
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup mozzarella  cheese
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tomato
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • salt, cumin and pepper
  • olive oil


Preparation

  1. In a saucepan put water to boil and when boiling turn off heat and add spinach to sweat for 2 or 3 minutes.
  2. Then pass them through a colander and drain all the water.
  3. Place in a bowl and cut slightly with a knife.
  4. Dice onion and tomato, then sautee until softened (about 5 minutes)
  5. In another bowl mix the eggs with the flour, salt and pepper
  6. Grate the cheese and add to the spinach.
  7. Add the egg mixture and mix gently.
  8. Add the sauteed onion and tomato mixture
  9. Pour mixture into greased pan, cook for 3 minutes on each side

Keep an eye out for recipes from Egypt, India, and Germany!

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