Maria Filardi

For Maria Filardi and her husband Vince when it was time for her to begin her legal career, moving to Downtown Baltimore was a no-brainer. "We were tired of living in the suburbs, and driving up to 45 minutes to go to a restaurant," she says.

Living in Newton, Connecticut at the time, the couple intentionally sought out a livable urban environment. With family and friends in New England choosing a locale that was "a comfortable driving distance from Connecticut" was also important. Baltimore fit the bill.

"We had visited Baltimore once for a wedding and liked that it was a good size, had character, nice weather -- relative to Connecticut! -- and [it] was affordable. I accepted a job with a downtown firm and then we chose a place to live where I would be able to walk to work," Maria explains.

The rest, as they say, is history. Now, 11 years and two children later, it is the unique qualities of living Downtown that have kept her, her husband, 8 year-old Ella, and 6 year-old Peter there.

"The experience of living in a much more diverse population than the one I was raised in," offer her children a richer experience. And of course, living Downtown equals "limited yard work!

The Commute

Having experienced the frustration of driving long distances to do or go anywhere, since Maria and her family moved Downtown "commuting time is essentially a non-factor in our lives."

While her husband Vince works in Timonium it's a "reverse commute" that has him traveling in the opposite direction of most commuters, so for him it's a relatively no-hassle commute.

Living in the city's hub also means there's no or little travel time to get to some of Baltimore's top attractions.

"The Maryland Science Center, Aquarium, Port Discovery, Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, Hippodrome, The Arena, as well as neighborhood restaurants and stores" are just minutes away and within easy walking distance.

What I Love

Maria "get[s] in some exercise by either going to Federal Hill Fitness or jogging to Fort McHenry or around the Inner Harbor loop," she says.

The steadily increasing number of cafes and bars make socializing easy and going for coffee or a drink with friends at Spoons Coffeehouse or Metropolitan. While it may sound kind of old-school, but Maria loves to go to the Enoch Pratt Free Library's main branch downtown.

And though living Downtown keeps the yard work to a minimum, there is plenty of green space Downtown. Maria says she goes to the local parks in Federal Hill, Latrobe and Riverside. The family also attends O's and Raven's games at Camden Yards and M&T Stadium.

"We are also members of the Otterbein pool and visit this frequently in the summer," she says.

Eat, Drink and a Little Shopping

"I shop at Cross Street Market every week, to buy fruit at Mr. Kwon's, get fish or deli meats, or grab a sandwich a Big Jim's Deli," Maria says. Time allowing, she heads to Spoons Coffehouse or Metropolitan in Federal Hill.

When it comes to picking up a gift for herself or other women in her life Zelda Zen's is Maria's go-to place for handbags, wallets, decorative house wares and jewelry. SoBotanicals, a shop specializing in aromatherapy and The Funky Beehive in Federal Hill are other gift buying options.

With two kids Maria says are not "restaurant-friendly" eating out doesn't happen too often, but when they do make it out for a bite to eat, the couple's favs include AnnaMaria's, Regis, Elvis', SoBo Caf�, Mothers and Paza Luna in Locust Point.

"For entertainment we root for the Ravens, the Orioles and go to shows at the Hippodrome. We love the new movie theater in Harbor East. I have [also] been known to cheer on others as they enjoy karaoke at Nevins," she says.

Go Downtown!

The absolute best thing about living Downtown, according to Maria "is the people."

The people who live in the downtown area appreciate that, "although close proximity to neighbors sometimes can be a struggle, it also comes many benefits."

"There is a personal touch to daily interactions that I, despite my native New England reticence, find myself thankful for. I have especially enjoyed getting to know the fellow parents in my neighborhood, and watching their kids and mine grow together," she says.