Rebecca Wald

Friends thought they were crazy, but when Rebecca Wald and her husband, Michael Nutt moved from Columbia to Mt. Vernon to raise their children, but they knew exactly what they were getting into.

"We were ready for something that would have more character," Wald says. "I feel very connected here. There's a great sense of being part of a living community."

The mother of two young children -- Alex, 5 years old and Colin, 4 months old -- Wald knows how easy it is to feel trapped in one's house. Not in Mt. Vernon, though.

"I love that there's so much to do and see," she says. "You leave your house and there are people to talk to and beautiful architecture to look at."

The family lives in the original gatehouse of a mansion that is long gone. That affords them a pretty, little front yard—the envy of their row house neighbors. "We feel a little pressure to make it a good yard," Wald says.

But being a part of the community makes that responsibility much easier to bear.

Little treats for little children

Mt. Vernon is not particularly kid-focused, but it is kid-friendly, Wald says. Don't go looking for restaurants with kid menus and traditional kiddie grub. Aside from the burgers, dogs and fries at Five Guys, most local restaurants simply accommodate requests from their youngest patrons.

For sushi, Wald recommends Aloha on Charles and Biddle, where she can get the Japanese specialty for $1 per piece. "It's a good deal if you like raw fish," she says. And luckily, her daughter, Alex does.

"For a snack or dessert or coffee, we really like City Cafe," she says. "It's also great for brunch."

A children's park at Madison and Calvert features a water play area and sand pit. "The Washington Monument is a great place to play," Wald adds.

The Walters offers free admission and a Family Art Center, where Wald, Nutt and their kids hang out on Saturdays and Sundays.

"Another kid magnet is the public library," Wald says. The Central Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library is located on the corner of Franklin and Cathedral and features an extensive children's collection. "It's a great place to meet other downtown parents."

Eventful outings

Mt. Vernon is also a hot spot for special events in the city. "We love the Book Festival," Wald says, when each fall, the literary minded set up shop in Washington Square.

"The Flower Mart is also very nice," she continues. "And we love having the Pride parade right here. It gives you a warm feeling to see people so happy."

In the hot summer months, Wald sometimes heads to First and Franklin Presbyterian's air conditioned chapel for a free movie.

Other events are evolving. For the last three years, Wald has been thrilled to see organized trick-or-treating on Halloween, something that was completely missing when they moved to Mt. Vernon.

Walking the walk

But the very best part of living in Mt. Washington is being able to walk just about anywhere they need to be.

"We were able to go from being a two-car family to a one car family," Wald says. "We drive very rarely. Michael walks to work, and I take the light rail."

Walking has great benefits, like staying in shape, being green and getting to know other Mt. Vernon residents. "People are so friendly," Wald says. When she's working in her front yard, "neighbors stop to chat, and many of them dropped off gifts for the baby."