So, we had our April photo shoot today for UpFront shopping. Our Objects of Desire is all about the circus. We found so many wonderful items around town—I'm really excited. I went to the grocery store last night looking for Cracker Jacks but instead found Animal Crackers and Circus Peanuts. Remember those? They are a creamsicle orange and smell like banana cream pie (according to my intern.) They look like they should be marshmallowy but are dense like actual Styrofoam peanuts. I tasted one (for research!) and they just kind of taste like paper mache sugar. A little to chewy—if you catch my drift. My favorite is the Circus Peanut Marshmallow Ambrosia recipe on the back. All this to tell you that the April OOD is going to be fantastic. —JED

So, it goes ... the Circle of Retail Life. Shine Collective moves to Clipper Mill (more later this week on that) ... and now there is a buzz about what's heading into the old spot (prime real estate) on the Avenue. Last I heard it's gonna be a men's store—from some local folks with another (hip women's) store already in the area. That would be great for all the fashion starved men in Baltimore—especially now that Whimsy|Reason is now just Whimsy. I spent the weekend shopping and eating with my husband in Brooklyn. (Stay tuned for a travel piece.) So many amazing stores—but one that really stands out is the manly man store Smith & Butler. (between Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens on Smith Street.) We could use something like that here.—JED

Local designer Christy Zuccarini—of For Queen Victoria fame—has revived her popular blog Baltimore By Hand where she writes about the indie craft community in and around Charm City. Look for features about "local artists, crafters and designers, DIY projects, upcoming events, places to shop, and other handmade happenings." Also, in the works (check back mid-February) is an online marketplace Baltimore by Hand: The Shop at Big Cartel. Yesterday, she wrote about the local artists selected for the prestigious American Craft Council Show. We featured Christy in our December 2008 Made in Baltimore story and her jewelry (necklace and bracelet) graced our model (in one of my favorite shots) at this year's...