The HCSA is pleased to present our monthly "E-News" with  information on news and upcoming events taking place in the Charles Street district. January 2010 HCSA VIP Discount Card Program HCSA has launched a new program to encourage people who live and work in the area to buy locally.  The program is designed to promote members of the HCSA and compel people to utilize your establishment. As an HCSA member, you can offer discounts or specials which will be listed on our website.  In return, VIP discount cards will be issued with the website http://www.charlesstreet.net/vipdiscounts printed on them so holders can view participating businesses and their special offers.  To start, single-use cards have already been issued to fellow members, their employees, tenants and guests. With the help of other organizations like the Downtown Partnership, we are hoping to promote this program to get even more people to eat, shop and be entertained along the Charles Street corridor!  Please contact michele@charlesstreet.net or call 410-332-4144 for more information. Events and Promotions along Charles Street  Winter Restaurant Week starts Friday, January 22 for two weeks city wide.  Baltimore's restaurants offer special three-course menus. At select restaurants throughout the Charles Street area, enjoy a variety of three-course dinners, in just about any cuisine that strikes your fancy, for only $35.10! Or try three-course lunches at select restaurants for just $20.10.  Visit http://www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com/ for more details. For Eyes, 330 N. Charles Street Learn about the Perks for Eyes Vision Benefit Program for employers or groups in our area!  As a participant, you will enjoy discounts on eye exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses and more. There is no charge for participation, and registration is simple.  Just visit http://www.foreyes.com/perks/, or call Bill Cheakalos at 410-727-2027 to get further information.  MV Fitness, 1016 N. Charles Street Starting January 4  various time slots Join our Fit Club - an intense six week weight loss clinic! Groups meet with a Personal Trainer 3 times per week and keep a daily food log.  Nutritional counseling is a big part of the program.  We track weight loss, inches lost and percent body fat lost.  Results guaranteed.  Cost is $350 members, $400 non-members (non-member price includes a six week membership to the club).  For details, please email info@mvfit.com or call the front desk 410.878.2990, or visit  http://www.mvfit.com/ for more information.  The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School January 13 7:30 to 9am The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Leaders+Legends Speaker Series presents Mark Fetting, CEO of Legg Mason. Breakfast served.  $35.  Legg Mason Tower at Harbor East.  Register at http://carey.jhu.edu/landing_pages/leadersandlegends/index.html.  For general information, please visit http://carey.jhu.edu/ The Prime Rib, 1101 N. Calvert Street Sundays  Special "1/2  Price Wine List" every Sunday night. Also, "3 Courses $30/Restaurant Week" menu (see attached) available every night except Saturday by request. So if you dine on Sundays you can take advantage of BOTH! Also- we are the only restaurant featuring a LIVE JAZZ TRIO every Friday night and live piano and/or bass every other night.  For more information, please contact 410-539-1804, prime1101@aol.com, or visit http://www.theprimerib.com/  The Walters Art Museum January 18 10am to 4pm  Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Festival. The Walters teams up with its Baltimore neighbors to celebrate the life and triumphs of one of our greatest American heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Special guests will be tribute through theatrical performances and stories.  Kids of all ages will share their dreams, personal heroes and peaceful testimonies through art projects, videos and collaborative community activities!  All ages.  Free admission.  For more information, please visit http://www.thewalters.org/ The Wedding Library and Cafe, 518 N. Charles Street January 21  6 to 8pm  Open House and Tasting - Immaculate Cuisine is featured caterer.   January 24 3 to 5pm  Event and Wedding Tasting on Sunday that includes cake tasting!  Please contact us at 410-837-2450 or info@theweddinglibraryandcafe.com and visit our website http://www.theweddinglibraryandcafe.com/ for more information. The Women's Industrial Exchange, 333 N. Charles Street January 7 5 to 7pm  First Thursday -  Join us for our Shoppers' Social and enjoy $5 off any purchase of $50 or more. January 9 12 noon to 3pm  Workshop on Building a Handloom!   The majority of this class will be spent building an 18"x24" wooden handloom.  The handloom may be used to weave small tapestries, table runners, etc.  In the remaining time, the instructor will teach various concepts, and demonstrate with different kinds of fibers.  What to wear and bring?  Since we will be doing some light building, please come prepared.  Some hammers will be available, but if you bring your own . . . you won't have to wait!  You should also bring some scrap yarn and fabric to use in your weaving.  The class is FREE, but if you wish to take your loom home, please bring $15 for the cost of hte lumber.  The class will be taught by Milana Duthie, a MICA graduate who conentrated in Fibers.  She also recent taught the bookmaking workshop at The Exchange.  Please reserve your space by contacting us a wiedirector@gmail.com, or calling 410-685-4388.  For general information, please visit http://womansindustrialexchange.org Member News AN DIE MUSIK has announced the formation of MusikNOW, Inc., a new non-profit educational corporation which will bring the musicians who perform at An die Musik Live! into area schools to foster closer relationships between underserved students and the music performance business. An die Musik Live! has presented over 900 concerts in Baltimore over the last five years and was recently mentioned in the New York Times as "a place to visit" when traveling to Baltimore. For more information, please call An die Musik Live! at 410-385-2638 or click on http://www.andiemusiklive.com/ Neighborhood News Restoration of Mount Vernon Place - Home to the first public monument of George Washington The newly formed Mount Vernon Place Conservancy has embarked upon the development of a restoration master plan for Mount Vernon Place, the symbolic center of our city!  Olin Partnership of Philadelphia was selected to undertake the creation of a Master Plan for Mount Vernon Place, which will provide a vision and costs estimates for the full restoration. Following the Plan's completion in March 2010, the Conservancy Board will launch a capital campaign to direct the first comprehensive restoration of Mount Vernon Place in more than 100 years.  This restoration is scheduled to coincide with the bicentennial events celebrating the end of the War of 1812.  In September 1814, Baltimoreans defeated the British in the Battle of Baltimore.  To commemorate this great victory, they dedicated the erection of the Washington Monument on July 4, 1816 in what was then called "Howard's Woods."  July 4, 2015 will mark the bicentennial of the Monument and celebration of Mount Vernon Place's history.  For more information, click http://mvpconservancy.org/,  or call Karen Footner at 410-433-0354. New Business opening this Month! Salamander Books at 519 N. Charles Street is always on the lookout for used books in the arts (photography, sculpture, painting, architecture, etc.), mythology & folklore, martial arts, spirituality, or any other material that feeds the creative spirit. Current store hours are Monday thru Saturday 11-6, Sunday 12-4, Else by chance or by appointment. Tel: 410-366-7171.  For more information, go to http://www.salamanderbookseller.com/.   A Post-Holiday Reminder GPS Theft Prevention  GPS units were under many Christmas trees again, and now in many vehicles.  These devices are now the number one item being stolen from motor vehicles.  Storing it in the glove compartment doesn't help since crooks know that a suction-cup windshield mount usually means a valuable GPS hidden somewhere in the car. Even taking the extra step of removing the windshield mount may not be sufficient, as the tell-tale mark of the suction cup on the windshield glass is enough to tip off would-be robbers. Some tips for avoiding your beloved GPS from being snatched: Consider using a friction mount instead of the suction-cup windshield mount most GPS devices ship with. Friction mounts rest on the dashboard instead being attached to the glass, and can be easily hidden under the seat when the car is parked. Plus, there's no revealing ring on the windshield to tip off thieves. If you do use a windshield mount, remove it when parking the car and wipe off the suction cup smudge. Write down the serial number of your GPS and register it with the manufacturer. That way, if it ever goes missing you can prove the unit was yours. If your GPS includes a lock/password feature, use it. These simple passwords / PIN combinations are sometimes easily cracked within a day or two, but you might as well make things as difficult as possible for the thief! There's nothing worse than the violation of a break-in and having your personal property stolen. The best thing you can do is keep all signs that you own a GPS or other electronic devices out of sight when parking your car.       About HCSA The Historic Charles Street Association (HCSA) is a non-profit organization 501 (c) (3), whose mission is to support and promote the businesses, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail establishments along the Charles Street corridor.  HCSA serves as a problem solving and information resource for its members, as well as provides a forum for networking, communication and collaboration.  Resources  Who to call? Broken Glass on the street or sidewalk: From Pratt Street to Centre Street - contact LaToya Staten at the Downtown Partnership (DPOB) at 410-244-1030, or lstaten@dpob.org. Above Centre Street - contact the Midtown Community Benefits District at 410-528-1512 City Services - 311 is Baltimore's number to call for all city services. All calls to 311 go through a One Call Center, a 75-agent in-bound call and dispatch center manned 24 hours a day every day of the year. Exterior Building Signs or Banners - to begin the approval process for any exterior building sign or banner, a permit application needs to be filed at the permit counter, 417 E. Fayette Street, room 100. For more information call 410-396-3360 Facade Improvement Program - contact LaToya Staten (DPOB) at 410-244-1030 or lstaten@dpob.org Liquor Licenses - for assistance with all liquor license issues contact Bob Dengler (DPOB) at 410-605-0451 Malfunctioning Easy Park Meters - contact Michele Coiron (HCSA) at 410-332-4144 Safety Escorts - anyone wishing to receive an escort while walking to their car or bus, or waiting for a taxi after dark should contact 410-244-8778 during business hours or 410-802.9631 after hours. Downtown Partnerships Public Safety Guides are available within the DMA District from 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM seven days a week. Safety and Security Issues - for non-emergency situations in the Charles Street district, contact Deputy Major Avon Mackel at 410-396-2410 or email avon.mackel@baltimorepolice.org The Homeless - for assistance with all issues regarding the homeless from Pratt Street to Centre Street contact Tom Yeager or Bertina Silver (DPOB) at 410-244-1030. Above Centre Street - contact the Midtown Community Benefits District at 410-528-1512 We wish to acknowledge and thank the following Masquerade on Charles 2009 Sponsors: Platinum Mask Sponsor: Baltimore's Tremonts Historic Venue and All-Suite Hotel Gold Mask Sponsor: Southern Management Corporation Bronze Mask Sponsor: Heath Design Group Please visit http://www.masqueradeoncharles.com/.