EAT

May 29-30: Mediterranean Prix-Fixe at Noona’s

1203 W Mt Royal Ave. Prices vary.

We’ve all fallen for the Italian-inspired entrees and sourdough pies at Noona’s. But this weekend, chef Cai Lindeman is going off-menu with a full-blown Mediterranean feast perfect for divvying up between your quaran-team. Set the table and pre-order the eight-plate package—which includes homemade flatbread, labeh with dill oil, hummus with marinated chickpeas, whipped garlic toum, za’atar-roasted eggplant, blistered shishito peppers with mint and dukkah, fresh Karma Farm herbs, burnt honey cheesecake, and a choice of proteins like roasted Trumpet mushrooms or Cape May swordfish—online for pick-up or delivery. And don’t forget to add a few to-go cocktails to wash it all down.

DRINK

May 29: Big Softy Pop-Up at Dutch Courage

2229 N Charles St. 3-7 p.m.

Eighty-degree temperatures call for soft shells, shrimp salad, and ice-cold cocktails. This Friday, head to the courtyard at Dutch Courage in Old Goucher to catch Craig Falk of The Lunchbox Lady popping up with his soft-shell concept, Big Softy. He’ll be slinging sandwiches and crab cakes while the Dutch Courage team whips up two special bottled cocktails. Choose from to-go options such as the gin-based “Clover Club” with raspberry, lemon, and dry vermouth, or the “Evita,” which mixes amaro with ginger, lime, and vermouth rouge.

SEE

May 30: Live Baltimore Virtual Trolley Tour

9 a.m.-12 p.m. Free

Be it our houses or our neighborhoods, we’re all getting a little tired of the same scenes every day. This weekend, take a look inside someone else’s home for a change with Live Baltimore’s Virtual Trolley Tour. Explore city neighborhoods, connect with real estate professionals and community organizations, and participate in expert-led discussions. Added perk: If you’re gearing up to move, enter to win $5,000 toward the purchase of your next home-sweet-home in Baltimore City.

HEAR

May 29: Summer Sounds at Home

Facebook Live. 7 p.m. Free.

While we’ll miss the lawn chairs and little ones dancing in the street, thanks to livestreaming, Belvedere Square regulars don’t have to miss out on their favorite warm-weather Friday-night activity. This year, Summer Sounds is coming to you. Grab your favorite BSQ curbside meal, gather with your quarantine crew, and tune in to Facebook Live as local jazz cellist Ed Hrybyk and vocalist Irene Jalenti take the virtual stage. Be sure to mark your calendar each week to hear from a rotating roster of some of the DMV’s most talented musicians.

DO

May 30: Opening Day at the Overlea Farmers Market

6908 Belair Rd. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

This small market in Northeast Baltimore provides its local community with fresh produce and protein throughout the warm-weather months. Grab your tote and wander around on opening day to find the likes of pastured chicken and duck eggs from Ladybrook Farm, jams from Johari Made, baked goods from Mary’s Muffins, and flowers from Celadon Hill.

Additional reporting by Lydia Woolever.

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

EAT

July 27-Aug. 5: Baltimore Restaurant Week

Locations and times vary. Brunch and lunch $12-20, dinner $20-35.

On Friday, Baltimore Restaurant Week returns to showcase the very best of Charm City’s booming culinary scene for both locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re visiting a beloved go-to or a new spot you’ve been dying to try, taste the city’s edible acumen for a fixed-menu price at more than 100 participating restaurants, including rustic Italian stalwart Cinghiale, Middle Eastern sister spot Helmand Kabobi, and French showstopper Chez Hugo. Ditch the kitchen, grab a friend or two, and revel in this 13th annual citywide celebration of Baltimore eats.

DRINK

July 27: The Bmore Creatives Three-Year Anniversary Party

Swim Club, 2760 Lighthouse Point E. 8-11 p.m. Free.

Third year’s a charm for The Bmore Creatives, a local organization dedicated to celebrating and connecting some of Baltimore’s best makers, movers, and shakers. Stop by Canton’s newly-opened Swim Club to ring in three years of creativity and community at this evening soiree, featuring signature cocktails, eats by the club’s companion restaurant Button, and scenic views at the edge of the Baltimore harbor. Luckily, it might not actually rain.

SEE

July 27-Aug. 5: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Water Ballet

Druid Hill Park Pool, 800 Wyman Park Dr. Sat.-Sun. 5-6 p.m., 7-8 p.m. $5-10.

This weekend, head to Druid Hill Park to see two types of suspense: gravity-defying water acrobatics and an homage to the master of thrills himself, Alfred Hitchcock. Performance arts group Fluid Movement will honor the iconic director through a synchronized water ballet that combines elegant strokes with references to Hitchcock’s gripping themes. If you can’t make this weekend’s set of shows, don’t worry—the avant-garde troupe will perform it again at the Patterson Park Pool next weekend.

HEAR

July 28: David Byrne

Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia. 6:30-9 p.m. $60-130.

Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is bringing his experimental techniques and synth-driven sound to Columbia during this weekend’s stop on his nine-month worldwide tour. Hear familiar favorites from his ’80s days (we know we’re all rooting for “This Must Be The Place”) as well as new hits from his revered new solo album, American Utopia. And if you know anything about this energetic performer, you know he and his 12-piece accompanying band will have you dancing in and out of your seats, turning the Merriweather Post Pavilion into its own sort of American utopia.

DO

July 27: Baltimore’s Birthday Bash

The Assembly Room, 316 Guilford Ave. 7-10 p.m. $45-250.

Some things just get better with age, and our beloved 289-year-old city is at the top of that list. On Friday night, celebrate Charm City’s storied history and bright future with an all-out birthday bash, including an open bar with local libations from Union Craft Brewing, Charm City Meadworks, and The Brewer’s Art, as well as themed treats like decadent macarons from Balti’marons, buttery hand pies from Crust by Mack, and fresh goodies from Diablo Donuts. You’ve never looked better, Baltimore.

For more on Baltimore’s “Hidden Gem Neighborhoods,” pick up the April issue of Baltimore magazine, on newsstands now.

When asked to name local neighborhoods, Baltimore Highlands and Coldstream Homestead Montebello may not spring to mind.

But that could change as these ’hoods—and others—harness the power of public art to both brand and beautify. There’s the just-completed 30-foot-tall aluminum “R” sculpture in Remington by artist (and resident) Dominic Terlizzi. Or, in Baltimore Highlands, an East Baltimore neighborhood with a large Latino population, there’s the bus stop shelter with a giant red pushpin sculpture piercing the roof and the Spanish phrase “estamos aquí” (“we are here”) emblazoned across it.

And in Coldstream Homestead Montebello, near Lake Montebello, an installation of whimsical windmills designed by local artists Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn, and fabricated by Michael Hart, is generating excitement.

“It’s a boon to us to be able to reach individuals who may have otherwise just overlooked the community,” says the community organization’s executive director, Mark Washington.

Steven Gondol, executive director of Live Baltimore, a nonprofit that facilitates home buying in the city, agrees, saying such projects are both savvy and inspiring.

“When a neighborhood welcomes you with art, it shows that the community is organized and that residents care about their surroundings,” he notes. “In many ways, that’s the most beautiful part.”