When the Baltimore Node hackerspace formed in 2009, its handful of members worked out of a small room on North Avenue, usually glued to their individual design or construction projects, but always gathered around a long table with a single power strip in the center. Ten years and four locations later, the Node now occupies a 2,600-square-foot loft in the Station North Arts District filled with tools—including a 3-D printer, bandsaws, and laser cutters—along with a community of technological creatives. And yes, the Node still has that old power strip, although the plugs don’t work anymore.

The idea for the Baltimore Node collective originated from a Twitter thread about creating a local hackerspace, a place where tech-minded makers could share resources and ideas. Two of the people who responded, Mark Huson and Adam Bachman, met for a beer at Hampden’s Golden West Café to iron out a plan for the Node, and through a few subsequent meetings, the two attracted their crew of early members.

Now for a $50 monthly rate, members get 24-hour access to the Node’s collection of high-tech tools and its shared workplace where technology, artistic design, and entrepreneurship come together. Todd Blatt joined the group a few months after its founding because he needed a bandsaw to complete his movie-prop replicas of the chess pieces from the film Inception. He attended one of the Node’s weekly OpenHacks, where anyone in the community can freely use the loft’s assets. “I quickly learned that the biggest resource at the Node was the community—not the machines,” Blatt says. “I could learn from all these other people who know tons of stuff.”

Phil Edwards, vice president of the group, says that hackerspaces offer an alternative to a culture that encourages consumers to throw products away after one use. The Node appeals to people who want to make things from scratch or fix things when they break. “We’ve stayed true to our roots,” Edwards says. “It’s geared towards getting messy and making something cool.”

Even as other local hackerspaces have formed in the past decade, the Node leadership team has stayed true to the group’s founding collectivist principles, meaning that members take responsibility for their own safety, especially when using dangerous machinery, and everyone is expected to keep the space clean and organized. For Edwards, that collectivist flavor makes the Node unique to area hackerspaces. “We’re the hackerspace with the least red tape, and we pride ourselves on that,” Edwards says. “There was an old saying around here—‘don’t make us make a rule is the only rule.’”

This weekend, Baltimore’s largest free arts festival, Artscape, returns to Mount Royal Avenue and Charles Street with the theme Discover inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. In between dancing along at the festival’s live concerts and snapping pictures of the interactive exhibits, venture into neighboring parts of the city for more entertainment.

EAT

July 19: North Avenue Market Pop-Up with Big Softy and Le Monade

North Avenue Market, 30 W. North Ave. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $10.

While there will be tons of great eats at Artscape, we recommend starting the weekend off with a Big Softy special during this pop-up at the newly renovated North Avenue Market. Stop by the latest event in the Night Brunch series to sample an incomparable menu of fried green tomatoes with crab salad, a Parisian sandwich with country ham and soft scrambled eggs with truffles, and soft shells on croissants. Wash down your meal with drinks crafted by Charm City’s beverage boutique, Le Monade, and jam out to DJ Impulse’s picks in honor of his birthday.

DRINK

July 19-21: Wet Cityscape

Wet City, 223 W. Chase St. Times vary. Free.

Since Wet City’s anniversary falls on the same weekend as Artscape, the Mt. Vernon bar is throwing a weekend-long party that celebrates both craft beer and local artists. The festivities begin Friday night, when local rapper DDm will host a mixer in honor of his latest album, Beautiful Gowns. (Of course, he will be in charge of the evening’s soundtrack.) Be one of the first people to try the hazy IPA “He Say She Say”—named after DDm’s catchy single—as well as a new IPA “Like Whoa!” brewed in collaboration with Peabody Heights Brewery.

SEE

July 19: Station North Artscape Art Crawl

Locations vary. 6-9 p.m. Free.

Everyone loves a good ol’ fashioned bar crawl, and this 15-stop tour around the Station North Arts and Entertainment District puts an arts-centric spin on that fan-favorite concept. Whether you start at Baltimore Print Studios, Motor House, or Gallery CA, each participating location will have something fun for visitors to do, see, play, or drink. Spend the evening exploring the wide range of creative organizations and businesses in Station North before heading to Rituals (formerly the Windup Space) for a boozy after-party, hosted by BmoreArt and North Avenue Art Market.

HEAR

July 20: Eze Jackson’ Album Release

Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St. 9 p.m. $8-10.

It seems like every time we blink, Eze Jackson is doing something new. This local MC and longtime staple in the city’s music scene has a full resume as the front man of Soul Cannon, the host of Lineup Room’s Bmore Beat Club, a co-host of Bmore Hip Hop Karaoke, a frequent collaborator with Baltimore Boom Bap Society, and, this Saturday, he’s releasing his third solo album, Fool. Be among the first to hear the hip-hop artist perform songs from the new album during this Artscape after party following sets by Konjure Collective, Aus Taylor, and Illimite World.

DO

July 19-20: Artscape After Hours

1700-1800 block of N. Charles Street. 9-11 p.m. Free.

While some visitors may head home at dusk, the Artscape festivities continue on for hours after the sun sets. Whether you spend Friday and Saturday night dancing the night away to the sounds of techno artist Juana, a.k.a. Discwoman, and DJ Tzeech on the Johns Hopkins University Station North Stage, or laughing until your stomach aches during LOL@Artscape, take advantage of these free events that keep the party going all night long.

Back in December, the Gay Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB) put out a request for locals to send in their ideas for the theme of this year’s Baltimore Pride celebration. Of all the submissions, the one that stood out most to committee members was “United We Shine.”

“It’s representative of everything we stand for,” says LaKesha Davis, Pride coordinator with the GLCCB. “Even though there is still room to grow within the community, as long as we remain united, we will continue to shine.”

The inclusive theme will permeate to every aspect of the celebration—happening June 16-17—which officially moved its annual Saturday-afternoon block party from Mt. Vernon to the Station North Arts District last year.

The parade route has shifted slightly this year. Instead of beginning in Mt. Vernon, it will step off from East 33rd Street in Charles Village at 1 p.m. and head south on Charles Street—descending into the block party on East 23rd Street in Station North. The decision to switch up the route was sparked by concerns of traffic congestion from last year’s parade, which ended on North Avenue.

Davis says that the new route is not only practical, but also symbolic. Revelers will march through Charles Village, where the GLCCB originated in 1977, and descend into Pride’s new home.

“We try to find a way to make things better every year,” Davis explains.

Parade day celebrations will include the annual high-heel races and a new pet parade, as well as live entertainment by Chance The Rapper’s kid brother Taylor Bennett, hip-hop goddess Miami Tip, our own club queen TT The Artist, and The Voice runner-up Davon Fleming.

As in previous years, the fun continues on Sunday at Druid Hill Park with a festival showcasing local vendors, live DJ entertainment, eats and drinks, and a performance by headliner Tish Hyman. The Druid Hill festival is also home to the GLCCB’s Elder Pride and Family Pride programs, which will offer kid-friendly activities led by The Walters Art Museum and the Maryland Zoo this year.

After months of hard work organizing the event, which attracted nearly 30,000 people last summer, Davis says she’s eager to see the community come together.

“I would love to see the whole community stand together and be represented as a whole,” she says, “because that’s how we get things done. We have to remain united in order to make things happen.”

In keeping with this year’s theme, establishments all over town are hosting a number of rainbow-inspired events to celebrate Pride month. Here are a few to mark on your calendar:

6/13: Wine’d Up Wednesday
Kick off Pride Week at this annual fundraiser for the GLCCB, which serves more than 800 individuals per month with its various programs. Gather with other supporters to sip wines, snack on hors d’oeuvres, and bid on silent auction items at Flavor in Mt. Vernon. 15 E. Centre St. 6-10 p.m. $40. 443-569-2279

6/13: Laugh Out Loud

If you’re in need of some mid-week laughs, head to The Motor House for this upbeat comedy show featuring sets by local entertainers Michael Furr, Ruby Darling, Violet Gray, and Jezabelle Von Jane. The evening will be hosted by Baltimore “boylesque” icon Tommy Gunn. The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave. 7-9 p.m. $20. 410-637-8300

6/15: Twilight on the Terrace
For more than a decade, this candlelit fundraiser at Gertrude’s inside the Baltimore Museum of Art has provided an ideal jump-start to Pride weekend with eats, drinks, and dancing under the stars. Enjoy signature gin cocktails and bites by Gertrude’s while rubbing elbows with special guests like The Voice’s Fleming and Mayor Catherine Pugh. 10 Art Museum Drive. 7-11 p.m. $125. 410-889-3399

6/16: Parade Day Party at The Baltimore Eagle
Located in the epicenter of Saturday’s festivities, The Baltimore Eagle in Station North will be a headquarters for revelers on parade day. The bar is throwing a rainbow rager featuring food and drink deals, and live DJs spinning in multiple rooms all day and night. Experience the epic dance parties in style with The Eagle’s VIP package that gets you no-cover access and a free tank top. The Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Covers range from $5-15 throughout the day. 410-200-9858

6/23: Pride Double Feature at the Parkway
The SNF Parkway Theatre’s new family-friendly film series, Generation Parkway, continues with a special Pride installment later this month. The Pride outreach event starts with a showing of Beauty and the Beast at 1:30 p.m., and continues with Howard—a documentary about Baltimore-born theater musician Howard Ashman, who wrote some of Disney’s most iconic scores. 5 W. North Ave., 1:30 p.m. $8-14. 410-752-8083

6/23: Pride Art Exhibit and Drink Deals at Hotel Revival
In the heart of Mt. Vernon, celebrate Pride by taking in a live exhibit by local artist Jasjyot Singh Hans. Hans will be auctioning off three pieces, with 50 percent of the proceeds being donated to Hearts and Ears—a local organization that supports individuals in the LGBTQ community with behavioral health issues and concerns. Be sure to head upstairs to Topside to sip special Pride cocktails, including the $11 “So Fresh, So Green,” made with Absolut Pride, mint-tea syrup, lime shrub, soda, and a mint garnish. The bar will also feature DC Brau’s Pride Pils, and Bells Brewery’s Sparkleberry ale for $5. Hotel Revival, 101 W. Monument St., 5-7 p.m. 410-727-7101.

6/27: LGBT Pride Night at Camden Yards
There will be some rainbow flair mixed in to the usual sea of orange at Camden Yards on Wednesday, June 27. The Orioles are offering a Pride-inspired ticket package for the evening’s game against the Seattle Mariners, including a special O’s Pride cap with rainbow embroidery. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to Moveable Feast, a local charity that provides meals to locals living with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses. 333 W. Camden St., 7:05 p.m. $70.

6/29: Baltimore Bike Party Pride Ride
This monthly bike trek is celebrating accordingly with a rainbow ride throughout the city. Pump up your tires and throw on some colorful garb to pedal around before descending into Highlandtown for an official after party at Old Line Spirits—complete with cocktails and beers from neighboring Monument City Brewing Company. Route details TBD. 6:30-11:30 p.m. Free.

It was love at first bite at Bottega as we swooned over the freshest pea shoots, creamiest farm cheese, ooziest marrow, and sweetest caramel. But, really, the charming BYOB captured our hearts as soon as we walked in the door. The storefront trattoria, along a forlorn slice of the Station North Arts District, impressed us immediately with its appealing cooking aromas from the open kitchen, intimate room (only 25 seats), and a gracious, welcoming host, who opened our wine as soon as he spotted it on our table. The brick walls, romantic candles, and shelves of worn cookbooks made us feel like we were eating dinner at a favorite foodie friend’s house.

The downside at Bottega is snagging a reservation at a typical dinnertime. The tables go quickly, and there is no place to wait if the place is packed. It can take six weeks to score a weekend seat, owner Adrien Aeschliman told us. But if 10 p.m. works for you, you’ll be in luck—or plan ahead.

We managed to reserve a spot on a weeknight but had to be there at 5:30 p.m. and were asked ahead of time if we could leave by 7 because a large party was expected. Normally, we would have been miffed at the time limit, but when we arrived, we realized the constraints of the place. And, honestly, we never felt rushed by our pleasant server during our meal, even when we ordered dessert.

The food is unpretentious and seriously good. Aeschliman wanted to re-create the dishes he grew up with in Tuscany, Italy, where his family lived part-time when they weren’t in residence in Switzerland. The Swiss-American landed in Baltimore four years ago when his wife attended nursing school here. There was nothing else like Bottega in town, says Aeschliman, who has a background in the front and back of restaurants. He opened his cozy eatery in October to immediate praise, placing his friend, Frederick “Sandy” Smith, in the kitchen as the chef.

The menu, written in chalk on a blackboard, changes often, so there’s always a reason to return—though we’re hoping, whining, and praying the marrow bones and oxtail stew with brioche toast and slabs of cheese shows up again. It was one of the best dishes we’ve had in a long time.

The other plates were contenders, too. Beet salads are ubiquitous these days, but Bottega’s is impressive with a mountain of tender pea shoots bolstering boulders of beets and dollops of chèvre. We also became quick fans of the crostini piled with creamy Winnimere cheese from a Vermont farm, sliced apples, and walnuts.

The spinach-and-ricotta malfatti were gnocchi-like morsels set in a seductive, fragrant butter-and-sage sauce and then showered in Grana Padano.

That night, we also opted for a hunk of mouthwatering hanger steak, prepared medium-rare as requested and thickly sliced to show its tawny beauty. It was served with a generous mound of peppery cress.

It’s the type of menu where you also might find beef cheeks, beef-heart tartare, or smoked lamb neck at the chef’s whim. On our visit, other items included chicken with rutabaga mash and duck breast with faro and carrots.

Desserts can range from flavored panna cottas to a pignoli cookie plate. We couldn’t bear to leave Bottega without trying one of the sweets, even if our time was running out. There were only two desserts offered—rice-pudding brûlée and a salted-caramel-and-chocolate pie. Repeat after us: Order the pie. This is one of most luscious interpretations of the salty-sweet flavors you’ll find.

We weren’t surprised that we adored our last bite as much as our first taste of the appetizers. Bottega woos its diners with a deft hand and deceptive simplicity. Be prepared to fall in love.