Visit Baltimore : Featured Stories

For those who call Baltimore home the Inner Harbor is easy to take for granted. For some it's even an object of derision, loaded as it is with tourist traps. Individual opinions aside, this much is clear: it's a landmark piece of urban planning and development with broad lessons to teach, both good and bad. We took a look at some of the pros and cons with an eye on what Baltimore can teach the rest of the world.

Do long lines and crowded parking lots at malls and big box stores strike you as a less-than-appealing holiday prospect? Us, too. Good thing you've got options. The "shop local" scene in Baltimore is alive, well, and ready to welcome you with open arms this season.

Whether they're cutting-edge plays from local playwrights or modern updates of tried and true classics, Baltimore's independent theater community is home to serious artists who've turned the term "community theater" upside down. With the 2010-11 theater season just around the corner, we're shining a spotlight on a few of community's innovators.

It may be clich� to say a chef has passion for his craft, but diners can taste the love in Chef Rashad Edwards' meals every time they have lunch or dinner at one of the Kali Group's restaurants. Bmore caught up with this homegrown culinary master for a taste of what keeps this top chef's creative juices flowing.

Now that Artscape has come and gone, it's time to focus your attention on other artistic pursuits. There's Whartscape, of course, but if you'd like to try something with air conditioning step on over to the BSO as the orchestra celebrates two sons of Baltimore -- Frank Zappa and Philip Glass -- while showcasing Baltimore beatboxer, Shodekeh. We've also compiled a list of the areas outdoor movie venues for those who love watching great flicks under the stars.

The name says it all and with the Maryland Institute College of Art just down the street, it's no wonder that Station North was the first neighborhood in the city to receive the state's designation as an arts district. It is one of the most vibrant locations in Baltimore with an ever-growing community of artists helping to fuel the area's cultural and economic revitalization. So, we decided to take a closer look.

Baltimore will take center stage this week, becoming the locus of the nation's arts communities as it hosts the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit. With the spotlight trained on the arts, we got our camera to discover what makes Bmore such a great place for every artists.

Take a walk through Station North, Fells Point or Highlandtown and you'll understand why Baltimore with its thriving independent theater community has started to gain a reputation as a top spot for artists and experimental theater. It may surprise you, however, to know that it was one resident that got the ball rolling in a home theater nearly 100 years ago.