Gated Living in Annen Woods, Pikesville, Maryland 21208

Gated Living in Annen Woods, Pikesville, Maryland 21208

Enjoy Gated Living in Annen Woods, Pikesville, Maryland 21208 with condos and town homes. You all know how I love the 21208 zip code in Maryland. It has a fascinating history along with wonderful homes available today, like those in the Annen Woods community. It's convenient to I-695, the Baltimore Beltway, and minutes from all that downtown Baltimore has to offer. There are major retailers and restaurants nearby, too.

If you've ever thought about saying "Goodbye" to yard work and living in a condominium, then here's the perfect place for you. And not just any condo, but an all brick, full service building with elevator, doorman, and – best of all - garage parking. If you were in Baltimore during February and struggled through our record-breaking "Snowmageddon," you'll really appreciate living here and enjoying the beauty of the changing seasons without participating in any to the work!

Two of these desirable Annen Woods condos are available now: The bright and spacious penthouse Unit 607 which is quite large... has hardwood floors, two bedrooms plus a den, two full baths and a powder room, luxury master bath, gourmet eat-in kitchen, and much more…including two garage parking spaces.

The third floor condo , unit 303, is in gorgeous move-in condition with two bedrooms and two full baths, many custom built-ins, granite counters, a grand master bedroom, custom built ins and bath with a large whirlpool tub and separate shower! This condo faces the swimming pool and clubhouse.

Gated Living in Annen Woods, Pikesville, Maryland 21208

For both units, the monthly condo fees cover the use of the elegant clubhouse, swimming pool, and tennis court. It's like being on vacation year round. And did I mention that this gated community includes evening security personnel?

But maybe you prefer townhouse living? Annen Woods has that, too. Although 45 Farmhouse Court is under contract, it is typical of the townhouses in this same gated community. There are front and back patios on this all brick end unit, along with gas heat, parking at the front door, and this section allows pets. Of course, the entire complex has the use of the swimming pool, tennis courts, lush landscaping and club house, along with the comfort of the security at the gated entrance.

And for those who like quiet condo living, another section of Annen Woods on Highstepper Court offers high-rise units that are very nice but without the doorman and garage.

Annen Woods is in the Fort Garrison Elementary school system.

It doesn’t get much better than Gated Living in Annen Woods, Pikesville, Maryland 21208.

For High Ceilings -For High Flying- Airplanes and Footballs in Westminster Carroll County, Maryland is the place.

For High Ceilings -for high flying - airplanes and footballs - Westminster in Carroll County, Maryland is the place.

They're flying high in Westminster, MD, with the Carroll County Regional Airport and the Baltimore Ravens. This city that is a suburb of Baltimore is home to both an important regional airport, and the training camp for Baltimore's professional football Ravens.

This could be the perfect home for one of the pilots or one of the Raven's. 3738 Bixler Church Rd, Westminster, Maryland 21158 Cantilevered Contemporary on 28 Acres is minutes from both the Carroll County airport and the Raven's training camp.

For pilots, Westminster's airport, Jack B. Poage field, offers a 5,100 foot long runway – the sixth longest civilian runway in Maryland – and also full FBO (fixed base operator) services with fuel, repairs, and hangar as well as tie-down parking. Everything from small private aircraft up to business and commuter jets can fly into and out of Westminster with ease.

It's quite a change from the time about 50 years ago when the airport was a dirt strip in a cow pasture. Over the years, Carroll County's airport has supported military airlifts during the Korean and Vietnam wars and still supports the Air National Guard and Maryland Civil Air Patrol.

Jack B. Poage was an aerobatic pilot who moved to Carroll County and made the airport his base of operations. In September 1990, he crashed while performing in his red-and-white Pitts S-2B biplane. The Carroll County government and aviation supporters honored this aviation showman and pioneer by renaming the airport to the Carroll County Regional Airport, Jack B. Poage Field.

Once in a while the airport becomes home to visiting history. The Collings Foundation, an organization dedicated to the restoration of vintage and historical aircraft, visits the airport some years with aircraft such as B-17 and B-24 bombers and P-51 Mustangs. When these old birds are in town, visitors can actually fly in the aircraft, and the proceeds go to continue the Collings Foundation's work.

Just a couple of miles from Carroll County Regional Airport you will find aerial displays of another kind. Each summer McDaniel College in Westminster becomes home to the Baltimore Ravens training camp. Fans can visit and watch the passing, punting, and tackling as the Ravens get into shape for another season of professional football at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Admission is free, and this is a rare chance for fans to get close to the players in the special fan zone area. Dreams of the Super Bowl begin right here in Carroll County, Maryland.

For High Ceilings -for high flying - airplanes and footballs - Westminster in Carroll County, Maryland is the place.

Choosing to Live in Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins Hospital…Ranked #1 in the US

Choosing to Live in Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins Hospital…Ranked #1 in the US

For the 19^th year in a row, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD is ranked #1 in the U.S. according to the U.S. News & World Report, "America's Best Hospitals 2009-10." Those of us who live and work in Baltimore know about "The Hop," but sometimes we forget what a remarkable institution it is.

There are four academic and community hospitals, four suburban health care and surgery centers, and 18 primary health care outpatient sites under the Johns Hopkins Medicine umbrella. Best known of these are The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. With more than 30,000 employees, Johns Hopkins is one of Maryland's largest private employers and generates an economic impact on Maryland to the tune of $6.4 billion per year.

Because Johns Hopkins is a research center as well as a top-ranked hospital, scientists here in Baltimore receive many federal research grants, and its School of Medicine boasts 20 Nobel laureates, including Professor Carol Greider, who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

Choosing to Live in Baltimore,Md. Johns Hopkins Hospital…Ranked #1 in the US

All this excellence began with the hospital's opening in 1889. A walk or drive around the hospital's Baltimore City campus will show you how the historic buildings blend with the newer additions. Now that spring is finally here the trees are blooming and give the old brick buildings a new look. The various signs give you a sense of the specialties that Hopkins is famous for. The names carved into marble show how old some of these specialties are - the Phipps Psychiatric Clinic dates back to 1912! Fortunately, Active Rainers have a community that helps keep them out of such places. There are also associated organizations, like the Kennedy Kreiger Institute, which is not part of Hopkins Medicine but is adjacent to the campus and treats children and adolescents with pediatric developmental disabilities.

There have been many “firsts” here. Johns Hopkins was the first major school of medicine in the U.S. to admit women, the first to develop CPR, first to use rubber gloves during surgery, the first to do dialysis, and performed the first “blue baby” operation which led to our modern cardiac surgery. Hopkins is also the birthplace of many medical specialties, including my former specialty, pediatrics.

When you have something as special as Johns Hopkins Hospital and it’s just 15 minutes from your home in Baltimore, how can you not rave about it?

Choosing to Live in Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins Hospital…Ranked #1 in the US

Plum Crazy Diner..and a Home for Sale in Westminster, Maryland 21158

Plum Crazy Diner..and a Home for Sale in Westminster, Md. 21158

Plum Crazy Diner in Westminster, Md. is…colorful and tasty...with a side of Twin Kiss ice cream! I love the name of this neat little place, and the atmosphere is like a 1950's diner with lots of lights and a genuine Wurlitzer juke box up front. Right next door there is Twin Kiss ice cream...so save room for soft serve ice cream. Twin Kiss has been on Route 140 for half a century, and the tradition continues today.

I discovered Plum Crazy Diner, thanks to my new listing 3738 Bixler Church Rd, Westminster, Maryland 21158 Cantilevered Contemporary on 28 Acres in Westminster.

There was a time when Westminster was considered "Western Maryland," but with the completion of I-795 from the Baltimore Beltway out to Reisterstown several years ago, and the convenience of the divided highway Route 140 the rest of the way, Westminster has become a convenient suburb of Baltimore.

In fact, the local private college that was known as Western Maryland College since its founding a hundred and forty some years ago, recently changed its name. This small liberal arts and sciences institution is now McDaniel College but carries on a long tradition in the town of Westminster. I expect the Plum Crazy Diner and the Twin Kiss get quite a few college student visitors, too.

Carroll County, MD, where Westminster is the county seat, is a wonderful combination of modern convenience and comfortable open space. A friend of mine used to live just a couple of miles north of Westminster and loved the gently rolling hills where her view was of woods out back and a corn field out front! There is a lot of agriculture in Carroll County, and the Carroll County Farm Museum is a favorite spot for visitors. (That's right, I'll be telling you more about that and other Carroll County sites in the next couple of weeks!)

On my next drive out to Westminster to show 3738 Bixler Church Rd, Westminster, Maryland 21158 Cantilevered Contemporary on 28 Acres I have a feeling my trip will include another stop at the Plum Crazy Diner or maybe dessert at Twin Kiss on the way home.

Just found out that I have a showing this weekend...want to go along for the ride?

Eye Candy for Artists – Baltimore ACC Craft Show

Eye Candy for Artists – Baltimore ACC Craft Show

So much has happened over the past few weeks that I haven't had a chance to write about the delightful few hours spent at the American Craft Council's Baltimore Craft Show. It's an annual treat for me and my friend/publisher Peg Silloway. We both have spent part of our lives working in crafts, and this one day is a chance to recharge our creative batteries and see what's happening in the world of fine handcrafts.

There are some old favorites we always check in with, like glass artist Josh Simpson. His work is exquisite and Peg is a collector. This time while we were visiting his booth the cameraman from Channel 13 was there, and we had fun taking photos of the photographer as he worked and chatted with the artist.

Then are there are the new discoveries. This year we especially liked the familiar objects like old telephones, sneakers, and even a tricycle, that had been covered with colorful beads and turned into brilliant sculptures by Tom and Kathy Wegman. Never saw that before! And then there was Jeffrey Ohwho made the most ingenious and beautiful coffee table I've ever seen. The wooden end blocks each could move to change position and so change the shape of the table. Each of those end blocks was actually a storage cube, and the top was a seat with a pre-carved body shape " tush impression." And it was comfortable!

I was looking for a clock for the kitchen and spent time in this booth that had the shapes I love – squares – in wood, copper, and steel. Beautiful work by Leonie Lacouette.

Peg is a cat lover, of course, and liked the carved cat granite tile by Amy and Jeff Dallas, but took home a small porcelain jar with a miniature mother cat and kitten carving on the top. These were beautifully crafted by Barbara Sebastian and a good addition to her collection of small boxes and other containers. Peg had an extra copy of The Cat Lover's Book of Days with her and was able to barter with the artist toward the price of the jar. Good idea! Peg also bought a neat card holder from Carole Bowns' Buggy Whip Studio; it has a cat on it, of course.

Hanging around with Peg and Russel Ray on AR sure made me gravitate to all the feline art. Did you check out that potty seat above?

We stopped to watch a pottery demonstration (I was a ceramic artist in a former life) for a few minutes and then found some lunch before checking out more of the show. Even though we didn't get through all of it – it's immense! – it was a great day. And you can bet we'll be back again next February when the Baltimore Civic Center becomes a showplace for the best in American crafts again.

The Chanukah House...A Baltimore Tradition is being Sold 6211 Park Heights Ave 21215

The Chanukah House...A Baltimore Tradition is being Sold

6211 Park Heights Ave 21215

Some houses bring more to their community than just a nice façade, and this is one of them. For many years, one house has brought light to its neighborhood with a seasonal display that gave it the name of the "Chanukah House" at 6211 Park Heights Avenue. The colorful display took a hundred hours to set up and drew throngs of visitors; even the Mayor of Baltimore used to attend the lighting ceremony.

It was no accident that the house was so brightly lit - Ann and Morris Cohen brightened the community with their presence. When Ann died recently, Phil Jacobs, the executive editor of the Jewish Times wrote:

If there was one woman to select who understood this community, who helped build it, it was our dearly beloved friend Ann Cohen.

We may know her as the woman who helped bring light to the dark of winter through the Chanukah House.

The truth is, that was symbolic of what she did out of the spotlight. There are countless little stories that many of us can tell of the kindness she gave to us in a deep, personal, connecting way.

She found good in everyone. She was non-judgmental. She’d do anything for everyone. I don’t believe the word “no” was in her vocabulary.

To paraphrase what Rabbi Herman eulogized, she brought light to the community with the Chanukah House. But when Chanukah was over, her light continues to bring us warmth and clarity.

Originally planned for March 7, but postponed due to the death of Ann Cohen, the Open House was held Sunday, March 21, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. As originally planned, the Open House by invitation only and promoted The Herman & Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai.

Here is a rare opportunity to see this remarkable home that holds four apartments, 10,000 square feet, and a special place in the memory of so many in the community. Please call for your personal invitation.

The Chanukah House...A Baltimore Tradition is being Sold 6211 Park Heights Ave 21215

First Active Rain Open House Gathering – Day Two and Done!

First Active Rain Open House Gathering – Day Two and Done!

My second day of open houses and filming for REALTOR® Magazine's Masters Series started very early with a workout at the gym. Katie and Gabe filmed a bit of my session while John, my trainer, did not go easy on me just because I was in the spotlight. C Tann-Starr came along for the "fun" and Katie and Gabe were able to use the wonderful facilities of Life Bridge to get in much needed workouts. Katie, who is training for a 1/2 marathon, picked up a few pointers from John.

Then it was back home for a few phone calls, some emails, placing my print ads, shower, etc. After that, I head to the Spring Hill Open House for an 11:30 a.m. interview with Katie and filming by Gabe. We finished about 1:00 pm as the AR members started to arrive.

Martha Brown and Margaret Woda ("the other Margaret in Maryland") arrived, as did Ellie McIntyre, Kim Jones, Bridget McGee, Ann Hruby, Helen Dellheim, and my daughter Erica. I managed to snap just a few photos in between showing the house and being filmed and interviewed. Helen and Anne were also interviewed separately. My friend and favorite lender Bob Bennett joined us along with Andrew Lowery from Precise Home Management - everyone needs a butler! C Tann-Starr was there, of course, and I was so glad that Lenn Harley chose this for her first AR Gathering.

Being surrounded by a film crew, best friends, terrific agents all with cameras in hand, and my daughter...well it doesn't get any better. And did I mention the weather was a glorious 50-degree sunny day? Perfect for Gabe's filming my "For Sale" sign.

My seller did a beautiful job of putting the house in show house condition! What a pleasure and a delight to show. When the open house ended, we went for pizza at Upper Crust to sit around and chat, take more photos, and enjoy more bonding for the AR members. We topped it off with a little personal shopping... Anne had brought her daughter's wonderful handcrafted jewelry for all to see.

It has been exciting and challenging. Two days of open houses, ActiveRain friends, a workout, meals and bonding…and then I found out that they will use only five to six minutes from the hours and hours of filming and interviewing!

There are blogs galore about this event – here are a few more since yesterday's post:

AR Gatherings Are Lifes Little Blessings When Done The Rome Way by Martha Brown

Sorry folks, I can't write your offer right now- I'm off to attend Margaret Rome's Active Rain Open House. by Ellie McIntire

Lenn Harley comes to Margaret Rome's first ever Active Rain Open House to see me by Richard Iarossi

Margaret Rome's AR Open House - A Gathering of "Old" Friends by Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh

The ActiveRain Open House Was Awesome by C Tann-Starr

Live From The Hilton At Pikesville: Realtor Magazine Goes To The Gym With Margaret Rome

Thanks to all the Rainers who came to the Sunday night dinner and yesterday's open house. It was great to see everyone, and you made it all better for being part of the First Ever Active Rain Open House Gathering!