Favorite Book

If you're like us, you're itching for Tiki Barge weather. If you're bartender Megan Morstein, it's already started. It's the Columbia native's second season serving drinks on the Barge, and she could not be more excited. "[Tiki Barge] is the only place in Baltimore where it doesn't feel like you're in Baltimore anymore," she said. Now living not far from the Barge in Federal Hill, Morstein is also a Title 1 research teacher and provides Baltimore private school children with extra support in reading or math.

Ashley Boycher has always considered public museums "magic places. " "Growing up with modest means in rural Louisiana sure will make a kid curious about the world," said Boycher. That curiosity never left her, and she now has been at the Walters for 18 months, designing interiors for all temporary exhibitions and touching up permanent displays. Next month, you can see her handiwork in the exhibition "Public Property. " "We will showcase our visitors' voices and choices more than ever before," she said.

Nick Prevas is truly an “artist of all trades.” The 30-year-old Charles Village resident writes and directs films, works on graphic design projects, plays guitar and sings in the band White Lodge. He even handles communications and media for the American Visionary Arts Museum. Originally from Highland, Prevas tells b that there's no place he'd rather be than Baltimore: “There's just an energy to our city like no place else. I lived in L.A. for a few years and couldn't ever get the vibe there like I can in Charm City.

It's a daunting feat to try and cover Bob Dylan, but when Creative Alliance rocks their fourth Night of 1000 Dylans on Friday, Brian Simms will be handling the keyboard and accordion responsibilities. "I began picking out songs from the radio on a Schroeder piano at age 5," Simms said. "My parents [later] thought it a sound investment to purchase a life-size one. " Glenelg native and Catonsville resident Simms has recorded and toured with hometown heroes Disappear Fear in the '90s and currently plays in eight bands, including Junkyard Saints.

No matter how Seth Allen 's college basketball career unfolds, the Fredericksburg (Va.) Christian combo guard will always be the answer to a significant Maryland trivia question: Who was Mark Turgeon 's first recruit as Terps coach? Allen committed to Turgeon less than a week after the former Texas A&M coach accepted Maryland's offer.  Allen, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, suddenly went from little-known regional recruit to ACC-bound player. The next time Allen took the court, he could sense a difference in how the opposition viewed him. “I knew everyone was just going to come at me because I had a target on my back,” Allen said.

When someone mentions that they studied biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, you wouldn't expect them to own a local burger bar. But Houston native Anisha Jagtap does just that, running Hampden hot spot Baltimore Burger Bar. "It all started with my love for food at a very young age, and when all my girlfriends saved money to shop, I saved money to go out and eat," said Jagtap, 27. But I was always in love with math and engineering, mainly...

"My favorite book is 'Arthur's New Puppy.' I liked the book because Arthur's dog Pal hid his leash behind the rose bush. I also like the book because at the end Pal was all trained."-- Molly Merritts,Abingdon Elementary

Will Manning didn't seriously pursue photography until his sophomore year of college. That was just two years ago. The soon-to-be Johns Hopkins University graduate has kept busy since, balancing his studies in writing seminars and German with shooting for clothing label The Good Kin and Virginia-based menswear label Vernato. "Surrounding oneself with creative, inspiring, and motivated people is essential for growth," the Virginia Beach, Va., native said, citing author, filmmaker and Morgan State professor MK Asante as an example.

"My favorite book is 'Amazing Space Facts' by Dinah L. Moche. It shows illustrations of the planets and space. The book also tells you about the stars and the equipment the astronauts and scientists use."-- Lydia SimonChurch Lane Elementary"My favorite book is 'Curious George' by H.A. Rey. The main character, Curious George, wanted to see what would happen if he pulled the string. When he pulled it, the stage curtain closed so he fixed it and the show went on."-- Corey ShillennJoppa View Elementary

"My favorite book is 'Kai: A Mission for Her Village - Africa 1440' by Dawn C. Gill Thomas. This book is about a young girl on a mission with many obstacles. Her mission is to find water. I like this book because I'm a young girl and we all have obstacles to get over and achieve."- Renata AllenDundalk Elementary"My favorite book is 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson III because he's a good author and because I like the pictures. I think you should read this book."- Donald WestonBedford ElementaryPub Date: 12/16/98

If you're like us, you're itching for Tiki Barge weather. If you're bartender Megan Morstein, it's already started. It's the Columbia, MD native's second season serving drinks on the Barge, and she could not be more excited. "[Tiki Barge] is the only place in Baltimore where it doesn't feel like you're in Baltimore anymore. " Now living in nearby Federal Hill, Morstein is also a teacher, but started working at the Barge after spending an entire summer on the opposite side of the bar. When last summer was coming around, she contacted the owner, and management, and the rest, as they say, is history.

If you're like us, you're itching for Tiki Barge weather. If you're bartender Megan Morstein, it's already started. It's the Columbia native's second season serving drinks on the Barge, and she could not be more excited. "[Tiki Barge] is the only place in Baltimore where it doesn't feel like you're in Baltimore anymore," she said. Now living not far from the Barge in Federal Hill, Morstein is also a Title 1 research teacher and provides Baltimore private school children with extra support in reading or math.

Will Manning didn't seriously pursue photography until his sophomore year of college. That was just two years ago. The soon-to-be Johns Hopkins University graduate has kept busy since, balancing his studies in writing seminars and German with shooting for clothing label The Good Kin and Virginia-based menswear label Vernato. "Surrounding oneself with creative, inspiring, and motivated people is essential for growth," the Virginia Beach, Va., native said, citing author, filmmaker and Morgan State professor MK Asante as an example.

When someone mentions that they studied biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, you wouldn't expect them to own a local burger bar. But Houston native Anisha Jagtap does just that, running Hampden hot spot Baltimore Burger Bar. "It all started with my love for food at a very young age, and when all my girlfriends saved money to shop, I saved money to go out and eat," said Jagtap, 27. But I was always in love with math and engineering, mainly...

The attention that comes with five-star status has a way of changing some basketball recruits. Egos get inflated and focus occasionally shifts from team success to individual glory. Malina Howard is not one of those cautionary tales. The Maryland-bound post player - ESPN.com's top-ranked center in the 2012 class - finished a senior season that saw her earn just about every individual award imaginable. But the No. 1 highlight of Howard's final high school campaign was leading Twinsburg High to its second-straight Ohio Division I title.

Megan Turlington has always loved to bake. So it makes sense that she would be a great fit as popular cupcake truck Iced Gems' resident baker and truck driver. The Cockeysville native attended the Baltimore International College, earned a degree in culinary management, and started working at Iced Gems last May. Turlington, 24, took a break from serving Baltimore its favorite cupcakes to chat with us about her dream creation and how coffee at Panera beats any bar drink in Baltimore.