Holiday Craft Market in Center Plaza

Today and tomorrow Center Plaza will be full of holiday craft and food vendors.  Stop by either day between 11AM-2PM or during the extended hours tomorrow between 4-7:30PM.  Check out the official website for more details.

Baltimore Zip Car Open House Friday

Have you considered giving up your car now that you live in the city?  What's better than the idea of no monthly car payment?  The Zipcar share program might be right for you based on where you live.  Their program allows you to pay based on how much you use the vehicles, and is inclusive of insurance, gas, and normal wear and tear on the car.  For someone who doesn't drive more once or twice a week, this along with public transit can help to save quite a bit.

As luck would have it, they're having an open house this Friday (December 14th).  Not only can you find out about their programs, but you can donate unused toys for the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.  They'll also be offering up some holiday treats.  Stop by 1120 North Charles St. (Suite 110) and click here for more info about the open house from the Downtown Partnership.

Currently Zipcar has locations in the following neighborhoods in Baltimore and the surrounding areas:

• Federal Hill
• Locust Point
• Downtown
• Harbor East
• Fells Point
• Upper Fells
• Canton
• Mount Vernon
• Bolton Hill
• Remington
• Charles Village
• Hampden
• Towson
• UMBC

To see a map of all Zipcar locations where cars are located, click here.

Power Plant Holiday Light Show (Video)

It's a fantastic show (even better than last year), so make sure to get down and see it for yourself.  If you can't make it down though, this video should help to get you in the holiday spirit (though it's hard to fully experience it through a video with effects like snow flurries coming down around you when you're there in person).

And here's the video from last year:

USCGC Taney and the Attack on Pearl Harbor

71 years ago, one of the largest surprise attacks occurred against American forces.  Now today, only a single ship that was involved in the battle of Pearl Harbor remains afloat.  The USCGC Taney, docked in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, serves as a piece of living history and remembrance.  You can board the Taney this weekend for only $1 and get a chance to explore the ship with exhibits throughout to learn about the history and life aboard.  For more information about the Taney, visit her on pier 5 or click here.

What You Need To Know About Tonight's Monument Lighting

It's one of the Baltimore Holidays must do events, so here's the rundown of everything you need to know about the 2012 Washington Mounment Lighting.

2nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Holiday Beer Festival

A fantastic event deserves repetition.  Pratt Street Ale House hosts the second annual Mid-Atlantic Holiday Beer Festival this Saturday, December 8th from 12-4PM.  For $40 you get food and unlimited samples of some amazing local beers.

Beer listed so far:

• Oliver Ales - Merry Ole Ale
• Oliver Ales - William's Winter Warmer
• Brewer's Alley- New Moon Ale
• Brewer's Art- St. Festivus
• Troeg's - Mad Elf and Scratch Series
• Stillwater- Folklore
• Burley Oak- Butternut Squash Beer
• Flying Dog- St. Eadman, Galaxy Single Hop
• Union Craft- Balt Alt with cocoa nibs, cinnamon and nutmeg
• Heavy Seas- Pin Loose Cannon with local hops and 1/6 Bourbon 
• Barrel Below Decks
• DuClaw-Euforia
• Red Brick Station- Rye Pale Ale
• EVO- Secret Spot
• Weyerbacher- Winter
• DOG- Cask "Chocolate Orange" Brown Ale
• Southern Tier- Old Man Winter

You can buy your tickets HERE.

Baltimore Dollar Days 2012

Get into your favorite downtown attractions this weekend (Saturday December 8th and Sunday December 9th) for only $1!  How can you beat that?  Make sure to bring cash as many of these sites won't use credit cards for the $1 admissions.  Here's who is included:

• National Aquarium (normally $29.95)
• MD Science Center (normally $16.95)
• Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum (normally $6)
• Baltimore Museum of Industry (normally $12)
• Carroll Museums (normally $5)
• Evergreen Museum & Library, Homewood Museum  (normally $8)
• Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (normally $10)
• Historic Ships In Baltimore (normally $18 for all 4 ships, $1 each ship and lighthouse is FREE)
• Port Discovery (normally $13.95)
• Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (normally $8)
• Top of the World Observation level (normally $5)

So if you're able to get to all of these this weekend, you'll spend a whopping $14 for $133.85 worth of admissions (saving you $118.85).  And don't forget that both the Walters Art Gallery and the Baltimore Museum of Art are always FREE.

Cross Street Market Survey

Do you, or would you use Cross Street Market?  If so, go HERE and help promote positive by filling out a survey.  The survey will end December 15th.

Bacon Happy Hour at Bad Decisions Tonight

By Tony G

Tonight, Destination America's show United States of Bacon is covering the Bacon Happy Hour at Bad Decisions in Fells Point.

Every month, Bad Decisions has a happy hour centered around bacon based dishes and cocktails.   This month, Destination America, a cable channel owned by Discovery Communications, will be taping at the event for a future episode of their show, United States of Bacon.  The show travels around the country searching for the best bacon and bacon related events.

The event is from 5PM until close at 2AM.  For the menu and additional information, check out the facebook event at www.facebook.com/BadDecisions

HGTV Filming in Cross Street Market on Friday

Stop by Cross Street Market this Friday between 9AM-Noon and you just might end up on HGTV.  Word is that their film crews will be there.  With all the food options the market has, expect a good time even if you don't see the film crew.

Edit:  rumor is that it actually might be the Travel channel.

Historical note:  Did you know that cross street market burned down in 1951?