Ann Coleman

Eight years in and Ann Coleman loves Hampden as much as she did the day she moved in. As a member of a military family, Ann says she's lived "all over the place." Baltimore, her father's hometown, was where she came to visit her paternal grandmother and family.

"I definitely chose Baltimore. I looked very hard and tried to move here. I have family on the northside of town and think Maryland has a nice temperate climate. If you've lived in a lot of places like me, Baltimore has a lot of what you're looking for. It's not a big city, but it is a city with a definite quirky small town feel. It just has an energy to it that I enjoy. It's unique," Ann explains.

"Having lived in a lot of small towns and same-look suburban areas. It's nice to live somewhere that's unique," she adds.

When it was time to pick a place to settle, Baltimore was the only place she considered. Originally, she moved to Charles Village, but was put off by that neighborhood's somewhat transient population of university students.

"I really did like Charles Village, but its not the best place to live if you're living by yourself. Hampden is much more welcoming to single people and younger people who aren't willing to live in a house with eight other people. It's more feasible and Hampden is a really great neighborhood. It's very much a neighborhood still, while Charles Village is a little more gentrified and very collegiate. A lot of students, a lot of people moving in and out. It's a little more settled here," Ann says.

Ann hearts Hampden

Hampden has a unique mix of people ranging from the "very old school to the very new school." Although Ann says that relations between the two groups is don't get along perfectly, for the most part they do.

"I go to Frazier's and see people in their 50s sitting at the bar talking to people in their 20s. Another thing that makes Hampden unique is that people still try to make the neighborhood look great. I know that's not the case in every neighborhood in Baltimore, but it's definitely the case here. It's not an uppercrust neighborhood and still has character."

Hanging out in Hampden

Golden West is Ann's hangout spot of choice. "Golden West has a decent amount of entertainment. They have comedy nights and they a lot of music there. It's one of my favorite places to eat, too. Sometimes, I'll leave the neighborhood, but if I'm gonna go out Golden West, Frazier's or Holy Frijoles for drinks."

Although the fancier restaurants in Hampden have gone dark, Ann says she likes to go to Grano and loves Puffs and Pastries. "She makes the most amazing cream puffs I've ever had. She also makes some of the best sandwiches I've ever had. It was a triple grilled cheese with bacon, but it was like blue cheese and brie. It was amazing!"

That is one of the things that makes Hampden so great, Ann notes, that you cannot make assumptions about a shop and have to go into every one because you never know what you might discover.

When it comes to giving gifts Ann tries to shop only in Hampden. "For gifts or anything like that, you're kind of in luck living in Hampden. I get all my makeup at Kiss N Makeup, they have an amazing selection there. And, Red Tree is amazing. I buy almost all my jewelry at Milargo. They have a lot of great things."

Another neighborhood stand out for local fashionistas is Shine Collective. "It's very stylish. And another one of my favorite places is Atomic. They have the coolest stuff in the world there. And Ben and Rachel do so much for the neighborhood."