Buzz

Desk a clutter?

Perhaps the National Association of Professional Organizers can help. The group's 4,200 members met during their annual conference in Baltimore this month and the New York Times interviewed Angela Wallace, president of the California-based organization. 

"The same organizing principles apply to stuff, paper, space and time," she tells the Times. "One basic organizing principle is putting things you use more often closer to you."

Are you writing this down?

Baltimore money manager T. Rowe Price released a study this month asking parents -- and their kids -- about how to save and make money. 

While three-quarters of parents say they talk to kids about money, a majority say they are not always honest with kids about money, writes Forbes.com. 

"Parents just aren’t comfortable talking finances," writes Forbes. "In fact, the survey revealed that they are more comfortable talking about bullying, drugs, and smoking than family finances or investing, and find talking about investing just as difficult as 'the talk' about puberty and coming of age."

You can read the rest of the Forbes write-up here. 

Children's museums are increasingly focusing on social outreach, and not just playful activities, writes the New York Times. 

The newspaper cites several children's museums that are using exhibits to target everything from childhood obesity to homeless students. Port Discovery Children's Museum in Baltimore has adapted exhibits to accommodate kids with special needs, the Times writes. 

You can read the story here. 

The Huffington Post recently checked out the National Aquarium in Baltimore. 

But it didn't see the usual sharks and stingrays at the downtown attraction. Instead, it went behind the scenes at the aquarium's Fells Point facility known as the Warehouse. The spot, which isn't open to the public, houses resources needed to take care of the aquarium's building and its animals. 

You can read the review and slideshow here. 

There was a lot of buzz this month about U.S. News & World Report's ranking Johns Hopkins University ranking No. 2 on its list of top medical schools. 

But another Baltimore school has also made the grade. In its list of top fine arts schools in the nation, U.S. News ranks the Maryland Institute College of Art No. 7. It tied with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. for the No. 7 spot. 

Yale University took the No. 1 spot. You can see the rest of the ranking here. 

It's no secret that Woodberry Kitchen is one of the most popular restaurants in Baltimore. 

But it turns out that the city's original farm-to-table restaurants is a hit among Washingtonians. 

"The third time I was asked whether I had been to Woodberry Kitchen, the Baltimore restaurant where chef-restaurateur Spike Gjerde walks the talk of locally sourced cooking, I took note," David Hagedorn writes. "All this buzz from Washingtonians, a people who launch into lengthy negotiations just to cross the Potomac for dinner, had to mean something."

Baltimore Fishbowl took note of the Washington Post article, decrying the fact that Charm City residents now have to "fight with the Washington crowd for a table at the hip Woodberry eatery."

But at least owners Spike and Amy Gjerde are expanding their culinary empire with a new cafe and fast-casual restaurant. 

Nine Marylanders made the Forbes' list of wealthiest individuals.

With a net worth of $1.1 billion, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank made the cut for the first time. He came in at No. 1075. Steven Bisciotti, Baltimore Ravens Owner and founder of staffing firm Allegis Group, came in at No. 913 with a net worth of $1.4 billion. 

Hoteliers Richard Marriott and Bill Marriott Jr. also made the list. 

You can see the complete list here and a snapshot of the Marylanders on the list here. 

Broadway World has previewed an upcoming play at Pumpkin Theatre titled "Clever Rachel." The play by Towson children's theater company's is based on a children's book by Debby Waldman. 

"Rachel is smart, maybe the smartest child in the entire village, and she loves to solve riddle," Broadway World writes. "But Jacob, the smartest boy in the boys school, shows up to challenge Rachel. Will they fight each other and become enemies or find a way to work together to make their village a better place?"

The play debuts March 24.

You can read the rest of the preview here. 

HBO has released two new trailers of its comedy about a female vice president starring Julia Louis Dreyfus. "Veep" was shot in Maryland and was one of the beneficiaries of the state's expanded film incentive budget. 

"Julia Louis-Dreyfus is returning to TV in HBO's "Veep," writes the Huffington Post. "And she's doing it with style and power as Selina Meyer, the new vice president of the United States."

You can read the rest of the review here. 

HBO aired the movie "Game Change" -- the shot-in-Maryland movie starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson -- and it was a hit for several reviewers, including Variety. 

The movie tells the story behind the 2008 election, focusing on Sarah Palin teaming up with John McCain.

"'Game Change; is a home run: a big, smart, entertaining and extremely promotable showcase for marquee stars, generating tons of attention (flattering and otherwise) from political and media strongholds in D.C. and New York," Variety writes. You can read the rest of the review here. 

Like HBO's "Veep," "Game Change" received tax incentives to shoot in Maryland. 

The American Visionary Art Museum has gotten plenty of national attention for being one of Baltimore's cool, quirky and offbeat attractions. 

But the Washington Post has also declared the Federal Hill site a great museum for kids, citing pieces like a dinosaur made of trash, carved plastic foam cups and a sculpture made of 100,000 toothpicks. 

"The American Visionary Art Museum has a sense of humor," the Post writes. "Kids wouldn’t want to miss some of the non-art elements at the museum, such as the flatulence machine by the restrooms downstairs, the fun-house mirrors upstairs near the restaurant and the wacky and inexpensive gift shop where someone is almost always walking around doing magic tricks."

You can read the rest here. 

Interior decorators are designing a conference in Baltimore.

The Interior Design Educators Council will hold their annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore, March 19-22. The event gets a mention in Dwell.com, which notes that keynote speaker will be Jo Heinz, a managing principle of Staffelbach in Dallas.

You can read more about it here. 

The future of Baltimore's Grand Prix seemed uncertain a little while ago as former organizers are saddled in debts, leaving many creditors unpaid.

But now Baltimore City has selected Downforce Racing, which has a five-year deal with the city.  

Promoter Dale "Dillon, an Indianapolis-based developer and team owner whose company has helped promote events in Toronto and St. Petersburg, Fla., hopes to allay financial concerns while staging another successful race," writes USA Today, sourcing some of its material from the Baltimore Sun. 

You can read the rest of the story here. 

A recent study says that Baltimore has the potential to become an offshore wind power hub, given its port and a steel mill at Sparrows Point, writes the Huffington Post. 

"However, study author Nick Abstoss says attracting companies would require private investment in port facilities and other infrastructure," Huffington Post writes. "The studies released Wednesday come as legislators are considering bills supported by the governor and the MEA to require offshore wind power production in Maryland."

The James Beard Foundation Awards are known as the Oscars of the culinary world.

And this year the foundation has honored three restaurant stars in Maryland. 

The foundation recognized Woodberry Kitchen's Spike Gjerde, Charleston's Cindy Wolf and Volt's Bryan Voltaggio among the best chefs in the mid-Atlantic. Charleston was also honored for its wine program and as an outstanding restaurant. You can see the entire list of nominees here.