Towson May 2017

Towson MAY 2017

PREMIERE ISSUE

TowsonLifestyle.com

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INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AREA SUMMER CAMPS LOCAL BAKERY SAVORS SWEET SUCCESS INTERVIEW WITH THE IRON LADY OF TOWSON BUSINESS

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Lifestyle Letter

Welcome to Towson Lifestyle

H

ello, and welcome to the premiere issue of Towson Lifestyle, a publication we hope will help to keep you informed, entertained and up to date on what’s happening throughout the Towson area. We look forward to connecting you to some of the people, places, businesses and events you might not otherwise come into contact with, and inspire you to venture out of your comfort zone each month to try new things.

MAY 2017 PUBLISHER

Glen Cox | Glen.Cox@LifestylePubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Victoria Perry | Tori.Perry@LifestylePubs.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kit Pollard, Sarah Achenbach, Jessica Lewis, Harrison Hart

Whether you live in Roland Park, Stoneleigh, Ruxton or the Greenspring Valley, we hope you will find something in these pages that inspires you to go out and connect more deeply with the community—whether it’s attending an event, exploring a new neighborhood, trying out a new restaurant or striking up a conversation with a perfect stranger. Whatever you do, we’d love to serve as a resource and inspiration.

As we take the time to put these issues together from month to month, you—the readers—will always be in our minds. We strive to bring you the good news of the Towson community—to fill the pages of this magazine with the people and stories you care about—and we can’t wait for you to join us each month.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Harrison Hart

CORPORATE TEAM | Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

With that, we leave you with a challenge: Get inspired by the local creations all around you. Venture down the street, try a new restaurant, stop in a locally owned store and explore everything the Towson area has to offer.

We promise it will be worth it, and we can’t wait to see you around!

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P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 Proverbs 3:5-6 Towson Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Towson’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Towson Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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May 2017

Departments

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Good Times

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Around Town

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Locally Owned

31

Realty Report

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Lifestyle Calendar

38

Parting Thoughts

16 The Story Behind Towson’s Sweet Spot

La Cakerie

20 Towson Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

Nancy Hafford

24 Happy Campers

Camps for the Kids this Summer

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Good Times

Towson Chamber of Commerce

More than 75 area business professionals attended the Towson Chamber of Commerce’s Spring cocktail party at The Palisades of Towson. Guests mingled in the trendy apartment building’s well-appointed ‘The 5 Spot’ Lounge, and were treated to food and drinks provided by local caterers and restaurants.

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Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

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Around Town

AROUND TOWN

TOWSON CIRCLE DEVELOPMENT MAKES ITS MARK Rental Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI) and AvalonBay are partnering to add 371 residential units in Towson Square and the redeveloped Towson Circle. RPAI plans to make the development a retail, shopping, entertainment and dining destination. The area was once a "mini-mall" that, according to Nick Over, vice president of development, needs to be reconfigured to become more friendly for pedestrians and to increase access and visibility by moving the retail from under Joppa Road to street level.

“It is simply not viable, as retail and restaurant tenant’s today want walkable, street-facing retail, in a pedestrian realm format,” Over says.

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Around Town

(CON TI N UED)

GUINNESS AWARDS LOYOLA STUDENTS WITH WORLD RECORD NBC’s “Today” show broadcast live from Loyola University Maryland on March 30, where popular TV weather man, Al Roker, was on-hand to cover the school’s (successful) effort to break the existing world record for crab-walking. More than 4 million people watched live on TV as 500 students scuttled on all fours (bellies facing upward) for two minutes across the university’s quad, en route to victory.

Roker was joined by a representative from Guinness World Records, who officiated the event, and presented a plaque on national television to university president, Rev. Brian Linnane. Roker, who was decked out in a Loyola sweatshirt and baseball cap, declined to participate. Crab-walking, he said, is “a young person’s sport.”

TWO BALTIMORE LENDERS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO MERGE A pair of longtime Baltimore lenders, Rosedale Federal Savings & Loan Association and Midstate Community Bank in Rodgers Forge, are planning to merge. The two firms jointly announced that Midstate, which operates out of one location at York Road and Regester Avenue, will become part of Rosedale Federal. They said the transaction will expand Rosedale Federal’s “footprint” in the community and complement its growth, and that it will offer Midstate’s customers a larger banking network and more banking options.

No branch closings or staff reductions are planned as a result of the merger. In business for more than 109 years, Rosedale Federal currently has eight branches and will make Midstate’s one office its ninth location in the fall of 2017. The lenders say they will retain the same employees who have served customers for years.

Kevin Benson, president and CEO of Rosedale Federal, will serve as president and CEO of the combined bank whose total assets will be just under $1 billion.

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Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

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Locally Owned

The Story Behind Towson’s

ARTICLE KIT POLLARD PHOTOGRAPHY HARRISON HART

Sweet Spot 16

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

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n any given morning, the widest eyes you’ll find in Towson belong to kids lucky enough to be at La Cakerie, “THE

Celebration Bakery!” The second widest eyes? Those of their parents.

Follow their gazes and you’ll see why.

Inside La Cakerie, the walls are pink, the air is coffee-scented and nearly every surface is covered in something sweet from gorgeous wedding cakes and tempting muffins to cupcakes topped with elaborate swirls of icing.

La Cakerie opened in 2012 on West Chesapeake Avenue, then moved to its new, larger Allegheny Avenue space—which once housed Ridgely & Ferrens Market—in 2014. The bakery, which also has locations in Mount Vernon and Bel Air, is the brainchild of Jason Hisley, a Bel Air native with strong baking roots and an impressive resume.

Hisley learned to bake as a child, taught by his grandmother. He grew up in a bake-fromscratch family—no box cakes to be found.

As an adult, he formalized that education, graduating from the highly regarded culinary program at Rhode Island’s Johnson & Wales University with a degree in baking and pastry arts and receiving a pastry certification from the Restaurant School in Vitznau, Switzerland.

After his schooling, Hisley returned to the Baltimore area, which, by then, was in the throes of the food and restaurant industry renaissance that is still going on. Hisley became a household name thanks to his 2011 appearance on the Food Network show Cupcake Wars, where his elaborate creation—a chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate, orange and clove-infused ganache and iced with Chinese-spiced tea buttercream—took home the top prize.

At the time, Hisley was the baker for Flavor Cupcakery, which has locations in Bel Air and Cockeysville. Not long after the episode aired, he branched out on his own.

In the years since his first TV appearance, Hisley has become a frequent guest on numerous Food Network shows including Sweet Genius, Cutthroat Kitchen, Halloween

Baking

Championship, and,

most recently, Cake Wars, which he won in 2016. Hisley appeared on Cake Wars again

this March. This time he did not take home the top prize though fans praised his Power Rangers-themed creation.

CONTINUED >

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

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Locally Owned

(CON TI N U ED)

“

Baking consumes me.

I love what I do

”

For the winning 2016 Cake Wars episode, he created a cake honoring the 45th anniversary of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie about the eccentric candyman. The cake, which Hisley created with the help of an assistant, was 5 feet tall, fun, wild and topped with miniature Oompa Loompas.

“Baking consumes me. I love what I do,” Hisley says.

His nonstop, jampacked days are proof of this. Hisley says he spends most of his time in the bakery, juggling a variety of responsibilities alongside his team. Together they work with customers designing, baking and decorating cakes and cupcakes or weddings and other events, preparing food for the shops—which double as cafés serving savory dishes like soup and sandwiches—hosting tasting events and decorating classes and participating in charitable work, often incorporating La Cakerie’s shocking pink food truck.

Raising money for local causes is a motivator for Hisley.

“Anything with kids and pets, I’m crying,” he says. At home, he and his partner are raising a pair of English bulldogs.

Over the past few years, Hisley and his team have had the opportunity to create cakes that run the design gamut, from a Doctor Who-themed TARDIS cake to a frappucino-shaped birthday cake to a cake modeled after the cap on a bottle of Resurrection Ale from The Brewer’s Art. The bakeries also sell seasonally inspired cupcakes. Springtime flavors include options like creamsicle, lemon burst and margarita.

Fans of the cakes and cupcakes agree that La Cakerie’s brilliance isn’t just in design. Their treats, which are made with real, whole ingredients, also taste terrific.

For Hisley, the opportunity to be front and center, sharing customers’ celebrations from first birthdays to weddings, makes his long days worthwhile.

After all, as he says, “You can’t go to work and make cakes and cupcakes and complain.”

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Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Behind the Scenes with Towson Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

Nancy Hafford

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Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

ARTICLE KIT POLLARD | PHOTOGRAPHY HARRISON HART

F

or well over a decade, Nancy Hafford

Hafford credits her success to growing up in

has been a familiar face in and around

a family that stressed the value of hard work

Towson. As the executive director of the

and integrity. She is also quick to recognize

Towson Chamber of Commerce, she is

the unwavering support she receives from

frequently out and about, popping into restaurants,

those around her - her staff, board members,

hanging out with the crowd at a chamber-spon-

volunteers, the County, and her family. “All

sored outdoor concert or festival, or chatting with

these bright lights around me make me shine,”

vendors at the local farmers’ market.

she says with pride.

Hafford has been the chamber’s executive

Hafford is 60, but has the energy of someone

director for over a decade; before being named

much younger. “I walk everywhere,” she says.

to the top spot, she was involved with the orga-

She also works out for about two hours every

nization for six years, and served one term as

day. “That’s what gives me the ability to do

its president. Under her leadership the chamber

what I do,” she says, laughing that the exercise

has thrived, growing its member ranks, and

keeps her even-keeled enough to deal with all

increasing the number of events it organizes.

sorts of stressful situations on the job.

Monthly meetings that used to attract 25 members now routinely draw over 100.

Hafford lifts weights, swims, cycles and does yoga, but running is her biggest passion. Over

Prior to joining the chamber, she managed a

the years, she has run 20 marathons and three

network of Gold’s Gym locations, with respon-

ultramarathons. In 2016, she ran or walked over

sibility for over 20,000 members. That manage-

1,975 miles. Her goal for this year is 2,017.

ment experience has served Hafford well at

Last fall, Hafford became even more of a

the chamber, where she oversees a small staff,

Towson fixture, when she and her husband

hundreds of volunteers and more than 80 out-

sold their four-bedroom home on 2.5 acres in

door events a year, including farmers’ markets,

the Loch Raven Reservoir area, where they had

holiday celebrations and Friday night concerts.

lived for 30 years, and moved to a condo in

The largest event, the annual Towsontown

The Palisades. The trendy high-rise apartment

Spring Festival, debuted over 50 years ago

building is located just a hop and a skip from

and continues to grow in popularity, attracting

her office and many of the Towson businesses

250,000 people to the downtown area over the

she frequents. She absolutely loves it.

course of a single weekend. (This year’s Spring Festival will be held May 6 & 7.)

The events organized by the chamber take up four or five hours of Hafford’s average day;

“I decluttered my whole life, and it is wonderful,” she says. “I had kids in that house for years— there were four or five people there all the time.

It’s nice. I’m enjoying this next phase.”

much of the rest of her time in—and out—of the

Hafford and her husband have four children,

office she spends interacting with local business

plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

and property owners. She also keeps busy in an

(Her husband has an older daughter from a

advisory capacity, sitting on a variety of boards

previous marriage.) Despite the move, she says

and advisory panels that influence local tourism,

she still has plenty of opportunities to spend

business and governmental decisions. In 2016,

time with her family, most of whom live in the

in recognition of her many contributions to

area and visit once or twice a week.

the community, she was honored as Baltimore

CONTINUED >

County’s “Woman of the Year.”

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

21

NANCY HAFFORD

(CON TI N U ED)

Hosting her family—and others—gives Hafford the chance to spend time in the kitchen cooking; she describes

environment where everyone is welcome. The university has played a big part in that. I just love it.”

the room as her “peaceful spot.” “Nine out of 10 days, I cook

Hafford has no plans of slowing down any time soon.

dinner, even if I’m not at home,” she says. “And the more the

There are businesses to advocate for, dinners to host,

merrier at our dinner table.”

panels to serve on, festivals to organize. And she still

In the years since she took the helm at the chamber, Hafford has watched Towson evolve from a “9-to-5 town” to a 24/7 community where people live, work and play.

“I’m very happy to see we’re becoming more of an urban

has to run over 1,000 more miles before the end of the year. Time’s ticking.

“I’m going to slow down when I’m ready to slow down,” she says. “Age is just a number.”

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campers ARTICLE SARAH ACHENBACH

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Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Finding the perfect mesh of your child’s interests with a summer program requires a little legwork. Before you Google, take an interest inventory. Ask your child which camps in past summers were fun and which weren’t. Ask friends and co-workers about camps their children have and haven’t enjoyed. As a parent, you will have a different set of criteria, but some research before you pay is critical. It can be a long and expensive slog from Monday evening until Friday afternoon if your son discovers that he truly loathes a camp on the first day.

Consider what your child hasn’t been able to explore during the school year. Summer is the perfect time to expand your child’s interests without adding undue stress to what for many families is a packed-tight school year schedule. Animation camp to the rescue if your Pixar-loving daughter has little time for anything beyond school and swimming from September to June. Themed camps also allow kids to deep-dive into a passion, such as coding, horseback riding or dance. Try to find a program that offers unstructured play and outside time within a discipline-focused camp, though. (It’s called “summer vacation” for a reason).

Or try a different slant on an interest. Your sports-obsessed son will love sports broadcasting camp and improve his public speaking skills. Know thy child and what will work best for them, though. If your camper likes to try a lot of different things, consider a multi-week day camp offering themes on various weeks or days.

With camps, just like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

Find out if the specialty camp is taught by experts and teachers or college students. The latter can be great, but how well the topic is presented and how experienced counselors are at working with kids make all the difference in creating a happy experience.

Of course, the tried-and-true—and truly unforgettable—experience of sleepaway camp is just as popular as ever. Enjoying the great outdoors, Photo provided by Ladew

campfire songs, pranks pulled by bunkmates, an unrequited crush on your counselor and empowering forays into independence make memories and shape lives. It can be just as transforming for the parents. For

C

many families, going to the same sleepaway camp as mom or dad did is hances are your childhood summer camp experience went

another way to connect as parent and child. And my friend Kate swears

something like this: a few weeks of sleepaway camp in a

by the life-changing experience of having weeknight date nights—note

pine-scented setting, paddling canoes and roasting marshmallows.

the plural—with her husband when her children are at sleepaway camp.

Or day camp where you captured the flag, crafted with Popsicle

After nearly two decades of choosing camps—I have a son in col-

sticks and played Marco Polo during swim time. With the exception

lege and one in fifth grade—I have seen firsthand how a well-chosen

of sports and the arts, specialized camps were rare—but no longer.

specialty camp can spark an interest. When he was 10, my oldest

Today’s Baltimore-area campers may choose from a mind-bog-

was a lead singer in a School of Rock camp, belting out his original

gling variety of specialty camps. There’s every sport imaginable

anthem about how annoying moms are. He went to Hogwarts at

from water polo at Gilman School to soccer programs just for

Harry Potter camp, built Lego robots and launched bottle rockets,

goalies. And, yes, a camp focused on college athletic recruitment

all before discovering his perfect summer camp: the Young People’s

for your lacrosse-loving high schooler is a thing.

Studios Summer Camp at the Maryland Institute College of Art. (Full

Beyond sports, the camp world explodes. Does your child love hip-hop, hand felting or lead guitar? There are camps for

disclosure, he’s a MICA film student now, and summer camp was where he fell in love with the campus and college.)

that. If Brendan loves the foam swirl on his decaf macchiato at

So far, my younger guy has done camps just for Minecraft, engi-

the coffee shop, enroll him in Barista Camp at Garrison Forest

neering, role-playing video game design and robotics, as well as soc-

School. Or take Josie’s mad skills at running her lemonade stand

cer and multi-themed day camps. This summer, he’s got his eye on

to the next level with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland’s

a cooking camp and a drone camp. Perhaps I should mix in a Shark

summer camp for budding entrepreneurs.

Tank-style business camp so he can create a drone delivery takeout

business before he hits middle school. After all, there’s no telling how far a great summer experience can take you.

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

25

HAPPY CAMPERS (CON TI N U ED)

TEN OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR YOUR EXTRAORDINARY CHILD

1

1. Sail through history in PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II’S YOUNG

PRIVATEERS SUMMER PROGRAM. Participants (ages 12 to 16) chart

a course for adventure aboard a reproduction War of 1812 Baltimore clipper ship, exploring Baltimore Harbor history from the War of 1812 through the present day. Young sailors help sail and maneuver Pride II, guided by a professional crew of 12 sailor-educators. Interactive history lessons, sailing skills and on-foot guided tours of Fort McHenry, historic Fells Point and the Inner Harbor are all part of this maritime

2 3 4 5 6

historic adventure. Pride2.org 2. It’s show time at IMAGINATION 101 SUMMER CAMP by Charm

City Players—the perfect camp to let your performer’s acting, singing and dancing (and teamwork and decision-making skills, creativity, confidence, etc.) shine. Boys and girls ages 5-16 participate in a fullscale musical production at Mercy High School—this year’s shows are Disney’s Jr. versions of Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan—complete with auditions, cast photos, performances, the works! Throughout, campers’ artistic and personal growth is guided by talented performers and arts educators. CharmCityPlayers.com 3. TOWSON UNIVERSITY SUMMER TECH CAMPS give budding

programmers coding know-how and STEM-based learning across lots of platforms including Minecraft, 3-D, mobile apps and more. From coding 101 to virtual reality game design and cybersecurity, the array of camps taught by iD Tech on Towson’s University’s campus is impressive. In fact, more students ages 7 to 17 enroll at an iD Tech camp than any other tech camp on the planet. iDTech.com 4. Young naturalists ages 2-15 blossom at LADEW GARDENS

SUMMER CAMP in age-appropriate programs that take full advantage

of Ladew’s beautiful 250-acre property with formal gardens, butterfly and caterpillar house, forests, meadows, ponds and streams. Taught by naturalists, artists and teachers, programs explore nature and instill a love for the natural world through walks, games, experiments, art and more outdoor fun. LadewGardens.com 5. Join the national maker movement this summer at GARRISON

FOREST’S FABULOUS FABRICATIONS CAMP. Campers in fifth-ninth grades

spend a week in the school’s state-of-the-art makerspace on open-ended projects inspired by their own interests. Your child designs, tinkers, builds and crafts one-of-a-kind creations in cardboard, wood and acrylic using vector-based software, laser cutters and 3-D printers in a camp that showcases the wonders of his or her imagination. GFS.org/Summer 6. In 1982, ESF founded its first-day camp. In 1994, the national

company added Gilman School’s exceptional campus to its roster of locations. Such longevity won’t mean much to your camper. What will is the huge array of camp choices at ESF at Gilman from Mini Camp (preschool), day camp (ages 4-8), senior camp (ages 9-15), sports, specialty major and tech camps and even a Junior Business Academy. And every one of the dozens or fun programs is taught by a talented team of educators. ESFCamps.com/Gilman

26

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Photo provided by Ladew

Photo provided by Ladew

7 8

learning all summer with personalized lessons from publishing original

9 10

stories and playing math games on iPads to three field trips a week:

program. Campers make life-long memories and friends while waterski-

a White House tour for leadership week, Ravens Training Camp for

ing, wakeboarding, sailing, crabbing, ocean kayaking, swamp mucking,

teamwork week, National Zoo for animals week and much more. Two

orienteering, picking berries, gardening and much more—as well as the

campuses: Perry Hall and Timonium. ActiveMindsCamp.com

usual arts and crafts, drama, music, archery, etc. you’d expect at sleep-

7. SUMMER AT FRIENDS is tops at the traditions that make day

camp memorable: great counselors, daily swimming, lots of exciting

9. Give your lax-crazy son or daughter the opportunity of a lifetime to

share that love and help transform lives through The SOUTH AFRICAN

programs for kids 4-15, flexible weeks and working parent pack-

LACROSSE PROJECT, founded in 2007 by two Towson High School

ages. But it’s the twist on tradition that earns it top marks year after

students. Now in its 11th year, the program recruits volunteer lacrosse

year: exceptional creative arts camp, tech programs, teen babysitter courses and an “all-star” week at the end of the session (August 7-11 this year) featuring the best of the camp’s programs with plenty of exciting surprises. And lunch is provided for all full-day camps. That’s the way to make friends with parents! FSCamp.org 8. Research shows that kids can lose up to three months of math and

reading skills over the summer. ACTIVE MINDS LEARNING CAMP for kindergarten through fifth grade offers 11 unique weekly themes anchoring a reading, writing and mathematics enrichment program designed and taught by veteran Baltimore County teachers. Children experience

players ages 16 and up as coaches and mentors for a two-week lacrosse camp for orphans and vulnerable children (up to 150 boys and girls) in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Volunteers also experience safaris, elephant riding, zip lining and hiking. This year’s camp is June 29-July 12; cost is $2,500 plus airfare. SouthAfricanLacrosse.org 10. A wooded bluff sloping to the lapping waters of the Chesapeake

Bay. Sun stretching across a sandy beach. Rustic platform tents dotting the landscape and joyous, bathing-suit clad boys and girls, ages 7-16, enjoying nearly every water sport, outdoor adventure and camp tradition imaginable. ECHO HILL CAMP on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, a sleepaway camp located on a 350-acre farm, offers a flexible, free choice activity

away camp. Pack lots of sunscreen! EchoHillCamp.com

CONTINUED >

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

27

HAPPY CAMPERS (CON TI N U ED)

TOWSON MOMS’ TIPS FOR CREATING HAPPY CAMPERS While making new friends is one of the best reasons to go to camp, it’s often better with a buddy. Beyond the comfort of friends, there may be savings. Karen B. sent her son with seven friends to a basketball camp, and each family was given the group rate.

Count on car pool. “For working parents it can be challenging if camps let out before the end of the work day. Switching off pickup with other parents is a great way to make this work.” –Erin Y. It may be summer, but you still need a morning routine.

“It’s essential to apply sunscreen and bug spray before any day camp. Kids won’t remember, and counselors can’t do this unless they have permission.” —Deb B. Consider the schedule. “Avoid two weeks of sports camp in a row unless your kid is a total sports nut.

Half-day sports camps seem to be enough for the elementary school-age kids. By high school they have stamina for full day.” Kate P. Camps can be pricey. Donna K. swears by CertifiKid.com, “basically a Groupon for kids’ camps,” she says. “Sometimes camps don't sell out, and they have last-minute deals, too.”

Label, label, label. Every headband, lunchbox, T-shirt, whatever (and for sleepaway camp, tube of toothpaste, socks, etc.). Moms swear by MabelsLabels.com. And never send the high-end water bottle/swimsuit, etc.

Even labeled, it’s no guarantee it’s coming home. Kristin J.’s budget trick for sending more than one kid to camp is to order double-duty labels with each kid’s first initial and the last name, i.e. “X. or Y. Smith.”

“If you must pack for a week or more and there will be no laundry facilities, send campers with socks, undies and towels from the dollar store. Most camps require you bring a fitted sheet and a pillow, along with a sleeping bag. Don’t buy new stuff. If you don’t have them, ask neighbors and friends for extra linens cluttering up their closets.” – KJ

28

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Over

experience summer at gar rison for est 2017

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Offerings tO mix & match

Day & Overnight PrOgrams

11

weeks Of fun fOr bOys & girls

2-50

ages Of camPers

camP cOmbOs, befOre & after care & lunch available

#1

Place fOr all yOur summer fun

progr ams run June 12 – august 25, 2017. visit gfs.org / summer for details. space is limited. enroll today!

In the heart of Stoneleigh, one of Baltimore County’s premier neighborhoods, a picturesque 1920’s era home awaits. Homes like this come along once in a lifetime. Well-sited atop a gentle knoll, this unique home blends iconic architecture and solid construction in a Tudor style with modern additions and 21 st century renovations.

Enjoy summer gatherings on the walled bluestone patio complete with built-in gas grill and large stone outdoor fireplace.

Stacked stone walls line the picturesque driveway. Gardens overflow with colorful flowers, perennials, and flowering trees. Live in an oasis.

Inside, marvel at the enormous open gourmet kitchen, family room addition with cathedral ceilings, and living room with original beams and large stone hearth. Upstairs you’ll find five bedrooms and three full baths. The first level also has two powder rooms. $1,195,000

Spotlight on Stoneleigh The Stoneleigh Community was created in the early 1920s, and evolved through the early 1960s to include almost 530 homes, all with access to the community pool and all within walking distance to the local schools: Stoneleigh Elementary, Dumbarton Middle, and Towson High. Most Stoneleigh homes consist of customized colonials and Tudors, with additions and renovations added throughout the years.

Stoneleigh is listed on the National Historic Registry, allowing homeowners to obtain tax credits for certain renovations and improvements. Stoneleigh’s location makes it one of the mostcoveted in Baltimore County for its proximity to downtown Baltimore, Hunt Valley, Towson and other commuter destinations.

Direct 410-868-1474

Office 410-377-2270

Ashley.Richardson@LongandFoster.com

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Lake Roland Office

www.AshleyRichardson.net

6080 Falls Road

Baltimore, MD 21209

www.StoneleighHomes.net

Realty Report

Towson Area Realty Report

NEIGHBORHOOD

LIST PRICE

SOLD PRICE

%SOLD/LIST

*DOM

BDRMS

BATHS

7321 Brightside Rd, RUXTON

$2,595,000

$2,290,000

88%

519

6

5.5

4608 Roland Ave, ROLAND PARK

$1,295,000

$1,250,000

97%

69

6

9.5

112 Tunbridge Rd, HOMELAND

$937,500

$902,500

96%

268

6

4.5

1419 Malvern Ave, RUXTON

$895,000

$865,000

97%

4

5

4.5

5507 SaintAlbans Way, HOMELAND

$875,000

$845,000

96%

60

6

3.5

6 Old Boxwood Ln, BOXWOOD

$765,000

$765,000

100%

0

3

2.5

414 Woodlawn Rd, ROLAND PARK

$799,000

$740,000

93%

186

5

3.5

8519 Westford Rd, MEADOWVALE

$750,000

$730,000

97%

41

4

4.5

5 Erwood Ct, CHARLESBROOK

$750,000

$720,000

96%

41

3

4.5

1206 Somerset Pl, THE CLEARINGS

$699,000

$690,000

99%

176

4

4

2211 Boxmere Rd, WAKEFIELD

$724,900

$680,000

94%

127

3

3.5

1206 Limekiln Rd, HAMPTON VILLAGE

$729,995

$675,000

96%

6

5

3.5

5220 Tilbury Way, HOMELAND

$670,000

$640,000

95%

13

4

3.5

219 Purlington Rd, DULANEY FOREST

$649,500

$632,500

97%

83

4

3.5

3 Murray Hill Cir, MURRAY HILL

$625,000

$600,000

96%

134

4

2.5

109 Woodlawn Rd, ROLAND PARK

$599,000

$567,500

95%

203

6

2.5

801 Huntsman Rd, HAMPTON

$579,500

$563,699

97%

3

4

3.5

1104 High Country Rd, PINELEIGH

$570,000

$550,000

96%

93

3

2

805 Stevenson Ln, STONELEIGH

$595,000

$540,000

91%

45

6

4

207 Purlington Rd, DULANEY FOREST

$535,000

$535,000

100%

3

3

2.5

Sampling of sold properties from Bright MLS, Inc. for February 2017 Properties may have been listed & sold by other companies *DOM=Days on Market

FEATURED LISTINGS

Wiltondale | $539,000

Wiltondale | $589,000

Homeland | $449,000

Listings Courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Ashley Richardson

Direct 410-868-1474

Office 410-377-2270

Ashley.Richardson@LongandFoster.com

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Lake Roland Office

www.AshleyRichardson.net

6080 Falls Road

Baltimore, MD 21209

www.StoneleighHomes.net

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

31

Lifestyle Calendar Co-Ed Day Camps Ages 4-13

May

MAY 1 BLUE VALOR FOUNDATION "SALUTE TO A HERO" GOLF TOURNAMENT HAYFIELDS COUNTRY CLUB The Blue Valor Foundation's annual tournament is held on the first Monday in May and will feature a captain's choice format and shotgun start and include competitions for longest drive and closest to the pin. Prizes for first through fifth place. $800/foursome. The Blue Valor Foundation is a Maryland nonprofit corporation dedicated to assisting the families of fallen law enforcement officers throughout the state of Maryland.

2017

MAY 3-7 MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL STATION NORTH ARTS DISTRICT

THIS IS WHAT SUMM ER FUN LOOKS LIKE!

The 19th Maryland Film Festival will be held from May 3-7 in conjunction with the grand opening of the foundation's new permanent home: the Stavros Nicharos Foundation Parkway. The festival will feature screenings, panel discussions and a pop-up venue with auxiliary events. MdFilmFest.com

MAY 3 JHU BEST DRESSED SPRING SALE THE CARRIAGE HOUSE AT EVERGREEN MUSEUM & LIBRARY The Women's Board of Te Johns Hopkins Hospital will hold its Sum-

NEW!

mer Best Dessed Sale from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 3. Proceeds from

-11 AUGUST 7

the entire family support patient care at The Johns Hopkins Hosptial.

WEEK ALL-STARPS CAM

Choose from more than 20 day camps Affordable Extended Day Packages Lunch & snack included Swimming!

Friends School of Baltimore

410-649-3218 • www.fscamp.org

the sale of new and gently used clothing, jewelry and accessories for WomensBoard.JHMI.edu

MAY 4 TOWSON GARDENS DAY DOWNTOWN TOWSON Get connected to Mother Nature from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 4 by celebrating the 31st Annual Towson Gardens Day sponsored by the Towson Chamber of Commerce. Shop for beautiful CONTINUED >

32

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Lifestyle Calendar (CON TI N UED) flowers, plants, garden décor, unique crafts, jewelry and almost anything you need for your home. Features local food vendors and live music acts and performances. For more information, call Nancy Hafford at 410.825.1144.

MAY 4 GENEALOGY INSTRUCTION AT HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF BALTIMORE COUNTY ALMSHOUSE The Historical Society of Baltimore County holds free monthly genealogy instruction from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Thursday of the month.

Taught by local genealogist Noreen Goodson and professional genealogist Angela Walton-Raji, the class will explore topics including conducting oral history, preserving family history and accessing basic documents to research ancestry. HSOBC.org/Events

MAY 4-13 CABARET TOWSON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS Cabaret tells the story of the infamous Berlin Kit Kat Klub in 1930,

save

$15

where emcee Sally Bowles and a rowdy group of dancers and musicians take the stage nightly to seduce audiences and convince them to leave their troubles outside. Content recommended for mature audiences. Proceeds benefit the Towson University Foundation. Events.Towson.edu

on your apparel & accessories purchase of $30 or more at Charm City Run One time use only. Expires 6/30/2017.

Valid at any Charm City Run or VITA location. Excludes Garmin and footwear. Not valid online. Cannot be combined with any other offer or sale item.

CODE: TOWSONLIFE

FOOTWEAR • APPAREL • ACCESSORIES • TRAINING Charm City Run is a Running & Walking Specialty company that is committed to fitting every customer in the “right” shoe. We have 7 retail store locations around Maryland, including an all-women’s athletic casual wear boutique, VITA, in Belvedere Square. If you are training for your next event or just looking for something comfortable to wear day-to-day stop in and check us out!

FIND US IN TIMONIUM AT 2045 York Road (Next to the Nautilus Diner)

Learn more at

CHARMCITYRUN.COM

MAY 6 - 7 50TH ANNUAL TOWSONTOWN SPRING FESTIVAL TOWSON The Towsontown Festival offers approximately 450 vendors with a wide variety of delicious festival food, gifts for any occasion, several family fun areas, a beer garden and live music. Sponsored by the Towson Chamber of Commerce, it has turned into the largest outdoor festival in Maryland and one of the largest on the East Coast. This year, nearly 250,000 visitors are expected to attend.

TowsontownFestival.com 410.825.1150.

CONTINUED >

34

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Lifestyle Calendar (CON TI N U ED)

MAY 11 TEDXTOWSONU TOWSON UNIVERSITY Towson University will hold its own version of TED talks. “TedxTowsonU" is an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and community members to hear engaging ideas. This year's theme is "Forward.", our theme for TedxTowsonU is “Forward," and will feature topics including "Music for Cats," "3D Printing Magic" and "Mental Health in Minority Communities." 4 p.m.

MAY 26 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2 SUMMER SOUNDS @ THE SQUARE

MAY 7

BELVEDERE SQUARE

CHARM CITY RUN CINCO DE MILER

(Fridays, 6-8 PM)

TERRAPIN NATURE PARK

With a festive outdoor atmosphere featuring live music from the re-

Please join us for a 5-mile trail race to benefit the Midshore River-

gion’s most popular and emerging bands, and special dining options

keeper Conservancy (MRC). The MRC works to improve water qual-

from the restaurants and Market merchants of Belvedere Square,

ity in the midshore area of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Enjoy racing

“Summer Sounds @ the Square” has become the place to be on Fri-

through the trails while supporting a great cause and then celebrate

day nights, May 26 through September 2. The series is free and open

your finish with a complimentary beer. 9 a.m. CincoDeMiler5.com

to the public. BelvedereSquare.com

MAY 10 MODERN ART AT EVERGREEN:

MAY 20

CONTEMPORARY AND COSMOPOLITAN

142ND PREAKNESS STAKES

EVERGREEN MUSEUM & LIBRARY

PIMLICO RACE COURSE

The third and final talk in The House Beautiful lecture series will feature

Held on the third Saturday in May, the Preakness Stakes is the

art historian Bodil Ottesen, lecturer and adjunct faculty member in art

second event in horse racing's Triple Crown. The gates of historic

history at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Johns Hopskins

Pimlico Race Course will open at 8 a.m. Multi-platinum musician

University Oddyssey Program. Ottesen will share insights on art collec-

Sam Hunt will headline the 2017 Preakness Budweiser Infield-

tors and patrons John and Alice Garrett and Evergreen's 20th-century

Fest Concert, a full day music festival that takes place amid the

art collection. 6:30 p.m. Museums.JHU.edu

race. Visit Preakness.com for a list of events and race details.

your Smile is our specialty Dr. Elizabeth B. Spannhake

SPECIALIST IN ORTHODONTICS - BOARD CERTIFIED

• InvisalignTM the clear way to a great smile • Providing patients with beautiful smiles using state of the art technology • Intraoral scanner- no impressions • Zoom Whitening for adult patients

SpannhakeOrthodontics.com 410.321.5004 7801 York Rd. Suite 315

36

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

Family Friendly Dining at Belvedere Square 410-878-0069 starlitebaltimore.com 510 E. Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD

OUTDOOR PATIO DINING

BREAKFAST ALL DAY

Where People Gather When business meetings or travel brings you to Towson, look no further than the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel. Our hotel is located in the heart of the Towson business district and is only 15 minutes away from Baltimore’s inner harbor.

With 283 rooms, 15 flexible meeting spaces and excellent service from our attentive staff, we will help ensure that any group, event, large, intimate, and all sizes in between goes the way you envision.

Find out more at sheratonbaltimorenorth.com

We invite you to take 20% OFF meeting services.* Please call 443-921-2318 for more information. *SOME RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY. DISCOUNT IS TAKEN AFTER TAX AND GRATUITY IS APPLIED.

903 Dulaney Valley Rd. Towson, MD 21204

410-321-7400 SheratonBaltimoreNorth.com

May 2017 | Towson Lifestyle

37

Parting Thoughts

The Benefits of Honey WORDS SIDNEY LEO

Honey has been around for thousands of years and has been used in almost every culture around the world. Many people use it to sweeten food and beverages, but did you know honey is one of the top superfoods used to treat countless health conditions and boost overall health? Honey contains 18 amino acids, and it has antioxidant and antibacterial properties that help fend off harmful pathogens.

It can also be used to treat a wide-range of aliments such as healing wounds and burns, athlete’s foot, sore throats and even a hangover. Local honey taken for two months before allergy season can actually lessen allergies by helping your body grow accustomed to the pollen and immunizing your body against them.

Honey is great for your skin Did you know that raw organic honey is great for your skin too? Honey has natural antibacterial properties, so it is an effective acne treatment option, and it is loaded with antioxidants and enzymes, so it helps boost your skin’s immunity and fights free radicals to help slow down aging.

Honey is also very moisturizing and helps eliminate dead skin cells.

Try a honey mask with yogurt or fresh aloe for additional skin benefits.

38

Towson Lifestyle | May 2017

SAILING CAMP

ADVENTURE CAMP

SPORTS CAMPS

AND MORE!

BALTIMORE’S BEST SUMMER CAMPS!

WWW.COPPERMINEFIELDHOUSE.COM