Poplar Hill - Baltimore, MD

Poplar Hill has remained one of Baltimore's most prominent neighborhoods with exclusive country clubs and private schools. The Gilman School, The Bryn Mawr School and the Boys' Latin School of Maryland all lie within or adjacent to the area.

The Roland Park Shopping Center, a small row of six shops that opened in 1907, also holds a claim to fame as the "world's first shopping center." Although some larger shopping centers dispute this claim, the shops here continue to serve the residents of the neighborhood.

Since this tiny enclave includes no restaurants or bars inside its own boundaries, residents rely on their proximity to downtown and nearby neighborhoods for their dining and entertainment. Donna's in Cross Keys serves coffee and muffins for commuters, but specializes in upscale dining for lunch and dinner. Regulars swear by the Moroccan Spiced Lamb Meatballs or the Kobe Burger. Just across Falls Road, Chiyo Sushi in Mt. Washington does sushi right, earning a place in the hearts of aficionados. Get the Queen Roll or the Godzilla roll, or for vegetarians the Ivy Roll and Red Pepper Roll come highly recommended.

For your basic Irish pub, try Ryan's Daughter Irish Pub and Restaurant, a great place for fish and chips, Shepherd's Pie and the like, accompanied by draught beer and Scotch or Irish whiskey. Ryan's Daughter also puts on live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening.

As for nightlife, Poplar Hill residents have all of Baltimore City to play around in. Residents more often attend shows at the Lyric Opera House, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall or Charles Theater downtown than go clubbing.

People in Poplar Hill can and do walk the quiet streets to reach nearby destinations, but cars are the transportation of choice. I-83, Falls Road and Charles Street, which lead directly into downtown Baltimore, all pass through or near the neighborhood, giving drivers a choice of routes. The Maryland Transit Administration runs frequent buses here, and taxis and Uber both serve the neighborhood. A light rail train goes from downtown to the northern suburbs, with stations on Falls Road convenient to the area.

Before Roland Park existed, Baltimore constructed a reservoir called Lake Roland, which served the city until 1915. Soon after, Lake Roland Park opened. It encompasses 450 acres of woodland and wetland around Lake Roland and became a favorite spot for hikers, picnickers, canoeists and kayakers. The park, free and open to the public, permits dogs on leashes, but dog owners prefer Paw Point Dog Park to allow their dogs to run free. Paw Point requires a membership.

Also free, and open year round, Cylburn Arboretum began life as the summer mansion and grounds of Jesse Tyson, a wealthy businessman. Today the mansion still stands, and the 207 acres support many species of trees and wildflowers based on Tyson's original plantings, gardens, greenhouses and exhibits of watercolor paintings of Maryland wildflowers. The estate's former carriage house contains a nature museum as well. The Arboretum permits leashed dogs on the grounds, but not in the buildings. Every Halloween, Cylburn plays host to "ArBOOretum", a celebration featuring carriage rides, pumpkin carving and a costume contest.

Residents of Poplar Hill find themselves surrounded by excellent shopping opportunities. For groceries, choose between Whole Foods, Giant or longtime local chain Eddie's of Roland Park, an upscale grocery specializing in gourmet items and catering. The nearest farmer's market, Lexington Market in downtown Baltimore, has to be seen to be believed, with dozens of vendors of meats, seafood, produce and more.

In Mt. Washington, Baltimore Clayworks displays and sells exquisite handmade ceramics from local artisans. See an exhibition, browse the well-stocked shop or sign up and take a class yourself The Ivy Bookshop prides itself on being "Baltimore's literary bookshop" and presents author readings, book clubs and the latest releases, only minutes from the Roland Park area.

Many upscale boutiques make their home in the Village of Cross Keys, and shoppers take advantage of the restaurants and bistros there to make a day of it. Browse artist exhibitions at Merritt Gallery & Renaissance Fine Arts, or shop a trunk show of name designers at the Girl Next Door Boutique. Farther afield, Towson Town Center to the east provides larger department stores and shops in a mall setting.