Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
November 21, 2024

Leisure

Leisure is the section where we highlight the intriguing, exciting and all-around fun events and activities happening in Baltimore over the weekend.



COURTESY OF EMI GONZALEZ
Gonzalez reviews her favorite pieces from the National Gallery of Art and the National Portrait Gallery, two of the many renowned art museums in Washington, D.C.

Marvel at the jewels of D.C.'s finest art galleries

Over fall break, my friends and I took a quick two-day trip to Washington, D.C. While I’ve seen many aspects of D.C., I had never before been to the two museums that I thought were worth the blisters my Doc Martens gave me on the walk over: the National Gallery of Art and the National Portrait Gallery. 


COURTESY OF GRETA MARAS
Maras outlines three ways to take your average instant mac and cheese to the next level.

College classics: Remix your mac and cheese

I’d be lost without mac and cheese. Back in my old Wolman days when I had nothing but a microwave, an electric burner and a dream, mac and cheese was often the only midnight snack that could ever truly satiate me.


COURTESY OF JOHN D'CRUZ, GRAPHICS EDITOR
Get into the Halloween spirit with these spooky events from our Leisure Editor!

Events this weekend (Oct. 28 – 31)

Happy Halloween, Blue Jays! I hope you’ve got some great costumes planned. I know being back in school after Fall Break can be spooky, but if you check out these awesome events, you can still revel in the Halloween festivities! 


COURTESY OF EMMA ANDERSSON
Andersson recommends Shenandoah National Park for breathtaking views and its comforting country feel.

Shenandoah National Park is the perfect quick getaway

Itching to explore a new place or longing for some time in nature? Venture no farther than Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Here, you’ll encounter picturesque landscapes, trails boasting panoramic views and quaint country towns that will surely charm you.


COURTESY OF TOMMY SONG
Song recounts his exciting day at the Baltimore Running Festival alongside his Running Club teammates.

Dig deep and explore the city at the Baltimore Running Festival

Who would voluntarily wake up at 6 a.m. to run in 40-degree weather? Well, at least 11,000 people in Baltimore. Saturday, Oct. 15, was the 21st annual Baltimore Running Festival, which included the 5K, the 10K, the Half Marathon, the Marathon and the BaltiMORON-a-Thon, which is a 5K and a half marathon back-to-back.


COURTESY OF JOHN D’CRUZ, GRAPHICS EDITOR
To help you enjoy your extra days of break, our Leisure Editor has compiled some great markets, concerts and day trip ideas.

Events this weekend (Oct. 21 – 23)

Happy fall break, Blue Jays! You’re officially halfway done with the semester, and you have earned some well-deserved time to relax. I’ve compiled some really fun events for those of you who are staying in town, so get out and enjoy this free time!


COURTESY OF JOHN D'CRUZ, GRAPHICS EDITOR
Go enjoy many of the fall festivities that Baltimore has to offer this weekend!

Events this weekend (Oct. 14 — 16)

Baltimore in the fall is absolutely unparalleled. As we begin to see the leaves change and the sun backs off, I strongly urge you to relish this beautiful season and take on the city with these events!


COURTESY OF KAYLA RABEY
Rabey reviews her food from the Mexican On The Run and Quinn's Ice food trucks, including the delectable carnitas pork tacos.

Hoptoberfest's showstopping food trucks hit the mark

With heavy rains, cold mornings and overcast skies, fall season has officially begun! Along with these weather changes came the start of Hoptoberfest at Hopkins. The first event of the celebration, the Hoptoberfest Kickoff, involved food trucks, blow-up activities and t-shirts at the Recreation (Rec) Center. 


COURTESY OF ASHWATHA SURESH
Suresh offers tips on how to have the best concert experience possible through preparation and planning.

How to navigate concerts in and around Baltimore

I went to my first concert in Baltimore a couple weeks ago. The experience was life-changing, magical, surreal — everything from the music, the beat and the vibes made it an important memory in my college life. But as magical as the concert was, navigating through a concert was a reality that required a lot of effort and planning.


COURTESY OF GRETA MARAS
Maras reviews Souvlaki, a Greek restaurant in Hampden that professes the beauty of Greek food with ease.

Satiate your soul at Souvlaki

If you’re looking for a way to scratch an itch for this kind of cuisine, you will win on price, location and taste if you opt for Souvlaki. Souvlaki is a small restaurant on 36th Street (colloquially known as the Avenue) in Hampden. Besides its Hampden store, Souvlaki also has locations in Dupont Circle in Washington D.C. and is about to open a new branch in Miami, Florida.


JOHN D'CRUZ / GRAPHICS EDITOR
Our Leisure Editor is back for your weekly dose of awesome Baltimore events! Check out the upcoming festivities.

Events this weekend (Oct. 7 – 9)

I don’t know about you, Blue Jays, but I am more ready than ever to be out and about given all of the rain we’ve just endured. Check out the super fun events in the city as we ring in October!


COURTESY OF KAYLA RABEY
Rabey walks through her recipe for cheesy chive biscuits, a family favorite that brings her joy while she's away.

College classics: cheesy chive biscuits

Many of us even have special dishes and food from home that bring us memories and comfort. Here, I am going to share with you a simple recipe that reminds me of home, freshly-baked homemade foods and mornings spent rushing to high school. These easy-to-make cheesy chive biscuits are great for a quick morning breakfast, on-the-go snack or lunch food! Paired with gravy and mashed potatoes, these can also become a wonderful side dish to any dinner.


JOHN D'CRUZ / GRAPHICS EDITOR
Among the neighborhood festivals and exciting concerts, this weekend promises some great opportunities to have some fun both around and off campus.

Events this weekend (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2)

Happy October, Blue Jays! Can you believe that we are already a month into the school year? Classes might be picking up but so are the happenings in our amazing city. Take some time away from the desk this weekend at these awesome events.


COURTESY OF GRETA MARAS
Maras reviews the third annual Remfest, the local street festival that celebrates the Remington neighborhood, Baltimore-based vendors and the joy of community.

Remington comes alive at Remfest

As the warm weather we all cherish quickly comes to a halt, neighborhoods all around Baltimore are offering one last celebration of their communities. This weekend it was Remington, the lovely little next door neighbor to Charles Village, that was blessed with a perfect sunny sky and a temperate day to host its third annual Remfest.


COURTESY OF HABIN HWANG
Hwang reviews the Insomnia Cookies PJ Party, where Insomnia debuted its new limited edition Sour Patch Kids cookie that stretches the bounds of dessert.

Sour, sweet… wrong? Insomnia Cookies debuts a quirky cookie at its fourth annual PJ Party

We’re already all studying in our pajamas — why not head over to Insomnia Cookies for a free cookie? Set conveniently before midterms, Insomnia invited  sleepless college students across America to its fourth annual PJ party on Tuesday, Sept. 20. With an opportunity to get a free in-store classic cookie, featured Insomnia prizes and a taste of the limited edition Sour Patch Kids cookie series, my friends and I were lucky to be one of the first few in line.


COURTESY OF LAURA WADSTEN
Wadsten reviews the Abell Community Street Fair, a quaint and vibrant celebration of one of north Baltimore's more intimate neighborhoods.

Get to know your neighbors at the Abell Community Street Fair

Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods, each with their own unique character and rich traditions. Tucked between Waverly and the Homewood campus, you’ll find the tight-knit, family-friendly community of Abell. For the past year and a half, I’ve had the privilege of being an Abell resident and participating in several of the neighborhood’s fun traditions, like the summer Porch Prom and the Abell Community Street Fair. 


COURTESY OF JIALU LI
Li goes in for some classic Leisure section investigative work to find the answers to a pivotal question of our time: what do each of the new campus juice bars have to offer?

Which juice bar is right for you?

Fresh juice is a terrific beverage choice for the busy college student; it’s chock-full of nutrients and available in so many different flavors on and around campus. The juice bar in the Recreation (Rec) Center might be the one that most people are familiar with, but now we have a new option on St. Paul Street, Pure Green. Let’s explore each one and see what the merits of each are!


JOHN D’CRUZ / GRAPHICS EDITOR
Hungry? Want to get off campus? Our Leisure Editor has you covered this weekend! Check out the best of Baltimore's festivities.

Events this weekend (Sept. 23 – 25)

Cheers to the weekend, Blue Jays! And by weekend, I specifically mean Saturday. There are festivals happening in many corners of Baltimore, and I guarantee that one of them will intrigue you! 


COURTESY OF VIGGY VANCHINATHAN
Vanchinathan reviews the Let’s Brunch Special and more from Let's Brunch Cafe, just a short walk from campus.

Let's Brunch Cafe in Remington finds its footing

Let’s Brunch Cafe isn’t far from campus. Our destination, a 10 to 15-minute walk according to Google Maps, was extended by a visit to the community library box on Cresmont Avenue. The quickest way to get there is to walk past Mason Hall onto West 31st Street then hang a left on Remington Avenue after two blocks. Walk a little further on Remington, and you’ll bump into FastForwardU or R. House.