This summer, Restaurant Week is August 13-22, 2010.

Restaurant Week is always an exciting time with special meals and dining deals — $35.10 for a three course meal at nice restaurants in Baltimore. Lunch menus are only $20.10! The full list of participating eateries is here.

Baltimore’s Winter Restaurant Week 2010 was extended this past February because of our dual blizzards in one week, beginning February 5. Luckily this time, it’s just heat! So, get out of the heat and enjoy some fantastic food at great prices. Be sure to make reservations, because Baltimore Restaurant Week has people coming out to eat!

The company, based in Rockville, had a ribbon cutting ceremony on their 56,000 square foot facility on Lombard Street in Downtown Baltimore on Friday.

Emergent is the maker of the only FDA approved anthrax vaccine. The Washington Post reports that they are hoping that this location near Johns Hopkins Bayview will help them get into more commercial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

This is great for Baltimore residents because there will be more job opportunities opening in the area, which could also help the Baltimore real estate market, especially Canton house values, since it is so close by and right on public transportation routes!

This year marks the 29th anniversary of the festival, and it is expected that over 350,000 people will attend. Why so many people? Artscape is free!

Artscape is located right in the heart of the Arts District in Downtown Baltimore, right near the Lyric Opera House.

Each day begins at noon, Friday & Saturday run until 10 pm, Sunday it ends at 8 pm.

What is Artscape? From the website:

America’s largest free arts festival, Artscape features 150+artists, fashion designers and craftspeople, including DIY/new wave crafters; visual art exhibits on and off site, such as outdoor sculpture, art cars, photography and the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize; incredible live concerts on four outdoor stages; a full schedule of performing arts including dance, opera, theater, fashion, film, experimental music and performances by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; family events such as hands-on projects, demonstrations, jazz vocal and combo competitions, children’s entertainers and multiple street theater locations; and a delicious, international menu of food and beverages available throughout the site.

There is a kids art area for hands on fun, exhibits, live performances, entertainers, exhibits and food.

So this weekend, head to downtown Baltimore to enjoy the free Artscape festival!

Thousands of Baltimore residents are volunteering their time and expertise for the build, which began Friday, July 9th.

Excel Homes is the main builder for the project, and they are building a combination row home and modular home on the space where a building was burned down by a serial arsonist in 2007. The home will be about 11,000 square feet.

Boys Hope Girls Hope has locations across the country.

Boys Hope Girls Hope is a privately funded, non-profit multi-denominational organization that provides at-risk children with a stable home, positive parenting, high quality education, and the support needed to reach their full potential. We use a holistic approach to provide them with necessary education and life skills to be productive members of the community.

Many of our children come from home environments marked by drug abuse, poverty or neglect, while others come from caring families unable to meet the child’s needs. We work to positively impact the community through participation in community service days each month, as well as asking scholars to become involved with a non-profit of their choice.

The main campus is located on Broadway past Fells Point and Canton in Downtown Baltimore.

The chief operating officer, Judy Reitz, states that this does not include openings some of its’ other campuses.

They are also building new patient towers to be opening in January 2012, which could bring as many as 1,000 new jobs to the area.

Johns Hopkins Hospital employs over 6,000 people.

The Baltimore Business Journal reports that the jobs listed as open include:

rehabilitation specialists; administrative assistants; nurse managers; lab technicians; pharmacists; computer programmers; and equipment managers. Reitz said the hospital also is always looking for registered nurses, housekeepers, security guards and cafeteria workers.

This is great news for the Baltimore real estate market, because this could mean people moving into the area and possibly buying houses to take advantage of the incredibly low interest rates and low housing prices.

The Purple Route runs from Penn Station to Federal Hill.

It runs through Mount Vernon, and goes through the Inner Harbor at Light Street. It runs down St. Paul Street, has multiple stops in Federal Hill and turns around at Key Highway, coming back up Charles Street.

The Charm City Circulator Orange Route, which was the first one open in March, 2010, runs an east-west route along Lombard and Pratt Streets. Now the Purple Route adds a North-South connection. The Green Route is due to open soon.

The Charm City Circulator is free bus transportation service provided by the City of Baltimore. It is designed to provide transportation around Downtown Baltimore for residents, workers, and visitors.

Enjoy Greek food while celebrating traditional Greek folk dancing from a number of troops. The schedule of events is jam-packed!

There will be live music, face painting, crafts, and more so it is fun for the whole family!

Hours are until 11 pm all nights except Sunday, which ends at 10 pm.

The Greek Folk Festival is a very popular event in Downtown Baltimore. Join in this year!

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is located at 520 South Ponca Street, Baltimore, MD 21224.

Timothy Dean will be competing for the title in Washington, DC beginning next month, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Fells Point’s Prime Steakhouse has become a popular place in its’ short time in business.

Having national attention from Bravo’s Top Chef could bring even greater things for the Fells Point and Downtown Baltimore areas with visitors coming to try Chef Dean’s food, and getting to experience what our great city has to offer.

Coupled with the “Find Your Happy Place in Baltimore” campaign for the summer, Baltimore’s economy could see a great boost in resolving its’ current deficit.

So visit Prime Steakhouse in Fells Point and judge Chef Dean’s creations yourself!

On May 13, 2010, outside the Maryland Science Center, 261 people gathered in orange and black ponchos to create the big smiley face.

The World Records Academy reported on the new world record, giving Baltimore props for its’ Happy Place campaign.

The goal is to show how happy you can be when you visit Baltimore and to garner more tourism for the great city.

Tom Noonan, the President and CEO of Visit Baltimore stated that:

“Baltimore makes us happy everyday, and we think the world’s largest smiley face is the perfect symbol to kick off our summer travel season,”

“No matter what makes you smile, we encourage travelers from all over the country to come and find their happy place in Baltimore this summer.”

Baltimore is also a wonderful place to live for many of its’ residents.

Contact me to learn more about living in Baltimore.

This is one of the biggest horse races, part of the “triple crown” with the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in New York.

The Preakness is run at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore City.

This race is a big one for the track and for the city, as it brings in visitors from across the US to visit the City of Baltimore and see horse racing at its’ finest, while hopefully also staying to enjoy the food and entertainment our city has to offer.

For the local Baltimore crowd, the Infield is the place to be with the big party-like atmosphere, a concert on the mainstage this year by Zac Brown Band and O.A.R. as well as performances by Mr. Greengenes and Collective Soul on an additional stage.

Leading up to Preakness Saturday includes Black Eyed Susan Day on Friday where the whole course will be covered in pink in recognition of Susan G Komen for the Cure. The Black Eyed Susan race happens Friday as well. This is one of the oldest stake races, and its name comes from the Maryland State Flower.

Friday night at 8:30 pm in the Inner Harbor is the 37th Annual Preakness Parade of Lights. Baltimore Raven Willis McGahee is the Grand Marshall. The parade runs from Market Place to Pratt Street over to First Mariner Arena.

So many fun Preakness events happening in Baltimore this weekend!