Frederick, MD: A Walking Tour

This past Sunday was Robby and I's 3-year dating anniversary. With how stressful everything has been between work and school, I asked him to plan the day for us. I had originally chosen two things, and both had fallen through. However, I'm glad it worked out that way because we took in a side of Frederick that neither of us really had seen before.

You may recall my post from February of the Carroll Creek Promenade and visiting the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center. It was much different in the late summer, and much more lively. We walked along the promenade for a bit, but also stopped at a bunch of other incredibly quaint places. Most of our adventures took place on or just off of Market Street.

Our first stop was the Mount Olivet Cemetery, across from the Frederick Keys baseball stadium. Francis Scott Key, the writer of our National Anthem, is buried there with his wife. Thankfully the big event celebrating the 200th anniversary of when it was written was on Saturday, so most of the people had left by the time we got there. With tombstones dating back into the early 1700s and some even in the late 1600s, it's such a cool place to visit. I had no idea there was so much history so close!

We parked in the Church Street garage and walked. We went to Firestone's Market on Market, a cute little market that has organic foods, local beer, and interesting items (olive oil on tap and jelly body butter). Almost right next store was Zoë's Chocolates - it has given chocolate to the Emmys and the Oscars. Robby got me a small box of chocolates. They have a unique selection, but their Fleur de Sel Caramel chocolates were amazing. Next, we walked further down to the North Market Pop Shop. It literally has pop in their old-time glass bottles, and almost any flavor or brand you can think of. Robby settled for a Frostie's Root Beer and I chose a Leninade. It was a refreshing, retro-feel stop that gave us a boost.

Off of Market, we walked up Patrick Street to the corner of Court Street to see, in front of the court house, a statue of the original first President of the United States . . . I'm not entirely sure, as a history major, how I feel about it, but it's a statue of John Hanson. He was technically the first president, but under the Articles of Confederation. We weren't entirely the "United States," but I guess it was close enough. His house is also right in front of the court house, on Patrick Street. So, if you're curious about John Hanson, you can probably tour his house and learn more!

After walking, we ate at Brewer's Alley. It was the first microbrewery in Frederick, so the history continued. Robby was probably more excited about the brewery aspect than I was. The area surrounding the bar is more modern, with rustic wood and brick, but when you get back into the dining area, it looks dated to the 60's or 70's. The food is mildly expensive, but the beer isn't and the menu sounds wonderful. I got a fajita salad, which was alright, but I have a feeling they have some better options that I'll have to try next time.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend celebrating 3 years. Downtown Frederick is full of so many things to do. If you're still interested in what else there is to offer, Trip Advisor is probably your best place to start. OR, Frederick's city and tourism websites. Enjoy the transition from summer to fall, and happy traveling!

Artist Is Working

I'm in the middle of a Tumblr introspection challenge, and today was "Love Yourself Day." I was challenged to drink some tea, listen to good music, and read a book. I only did one thing out of those three, but I made it my own twist. I slept in until 11, took my time getting ready this morning, and then set out on a mini-adventure.

I've been in the mood for art lately. Since I started work at 4 today, I couldn't go to DC. I remembered that Hagerstown has a nice Art Museum in its city park, but it's closed on Mondays. So, I found the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Downtown Frederick. I don't go into Frederick often and when I do, it's never downtown. I don't know the roads very well, but I decided it couldn't be that hard to find the art center, right? I had just watched a Do Lecture about a couple who sold everything they had and decided to bike down the Pacific Coastal Highway, from Washington State to the Mexican border, and one of the running themes that stuck with me was, "If you're not uncomfortable at least once a day, then you're not doing something memorable." Watch it here, and check out the site. There are a lot of cool lectures.

So, with that being in mind, I decided to do something uncomfortable. I listened to some wonderful music on the ride to and from Frederick, and I drank water instead of tea, read artist info instead of books. I got there and basically had the whole gallery to myself. It was filled with photography, watercolors, and acrylic pieces by local artists. It's small, and runs on donations, so if you ever go, don't be afraid to give them your pocket change or a check. Their gift store is amazing, with a lot of prints and hand-crafted jewelry and accessories. Frederick is definitely a cultural city; it has old, historic aspects but also a great contemporary food, art, and music scene. Worth the trip, every time.

Afterward, I walked along the Carroll Creek Promenade, which is always wonderful. The creek was frozen solid, and there weren't a lot of people out because of the cold, understandably. I was able to spend an hour in the area before heading to the Visitor Center, which has only been in its current location for three years. The lady at the front desk gave me a ton of brochures and suggested a 14-min movie that runs on a loop. It's actually really good, so if you go there, plan 14 minutes for it, and pick up maps on the C&O Canal, the Appalachian Trail, and the Civil War landmarks in the VA-MD area.

Lastly, on my way home, I swung by Sweet Frog and got some frozen yogurt. Everyone was nice that I came across today, and I came into work feeling peaceful and rejuvenated. It was definitely a "Love Yourself Day" for sure. So much fun.

Where my car was parked - a cute antique store on Carroll Ave.

Cheesecake fro-yo with strawberries, blueberries and a graham cracker dusting.