Around (Another) Town: Kensington Antiques Row

Recently a kind READER suggested I head down to Kensington, MD and explore their antiques district. Not one to pass up a new antiquing adventure, I decided to check it out during my most recent visit to the DC area. I'm truly grateful for the tip, because I'd never heard of the district before, and had an exquisite time perusing the stores. Though there are several nice stores in the area I most enjoyed Jill & Company and Sally Schaffer Antiques. The two stores are connected and specialize in country americana antiques.

 Beautiful baskets were a noticeable theme throughout. I'm a sucker for vintage baskets, anything with beauty and utility gets a gold star in my book.

There were also several gorgeous quilts. It was like being in an impressive textile museum. It was hard to pick which one I liked the most.

I was also a fan of this pair of chairs.

I thought the rooster lamp and solidly built old porch swing were nice finds too.

Beautiful folk dolls could be found scattered throughout the stores.

 This dining set made me jokingly beg the hubs for a new house so I'd have some place to put it. He suggested I start up a decorating business instead so I could put it in someone else's house. I just may take him up on that suggestion.

Well, that's all! I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week.

Around (Another) Town: Assateague Island, MD

Over the weekend  the hubs and I had the pleasure of visiting ASSATEAGUE ISLAND. The island is home to Maryland's only oceanfront STATE PARK, and is about a 3 hour drive from both Baltimore and DC. One of the main attractions is of course the beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean.  Few things beat listening to the sound of the ocean and feeling the sand between your toes. It makes an incredible backdrop for reading a good book, taking a nap, or fitting in a little yoga.

In addition, to a phenomenal beach they also have wild horses, that you can find trotting along the shore and other park grounds. It's quite the sight to see.

The location makes for both a nice romantic getaway as well as a family friendly excursion. For an entrance fee of $4 per Maryland resident and $6 per non-resident (active military get in FREE) it won't break the bank either. I feel super fortunate to have discovered it, and can't wait to go back soon!

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." ~John Burroughs

Moving from DC to Baltimore

(Home in leafy Baltimore neighborhood)

If you would've asked me 10 years ago would I ever live in Baltimore, I would've told you heck no! It's funny how life throws you curve balls. It's been three years since I moved from DC to Baltimore, and so far Charm City isn't so bad. Due to astronomical housing prices I know many a folk who've considered making the same move up to B'more, so I'm gonna breakdown for you a few reasons why you should do it.

1) Housing prices, duh! It costs too much to live in DC, and as a young person you'd like to be able to foresee yourself owning a home one day, and I mean a real home, none of that $350k for a lackluster condo crap. In B'more you can get a nice 3 bedroom renovated home in a good neighborhood for under $250k, and for $350-400k, my goodness, you can live like the Cosbys.

2) The food. DC food tastes like crap! Sorry Washingtonians, but it's the truth. Your city has many great things to offer, but food ain't one of em'. Baltimore on the other hand, has several finger lickin' good establishments. Just typing this has got me feenin' for some GYPSY QUEEN! (More on Gypsy Queen in a later post, for now just know they make the BEST crabcake known to man.)

3) Diversity in housing stock and neighborhoods. One of the things I like most about B'more is it's architectural diversity. It's got cute little craftsman bungalows, awesome victorian brownstones, fabulous Dutch colonials, and vintage tudors just to name a few. Can you believe all these cuties are in one city?

(Guilford neighborhood)

 (Lake Walker Neighborhood)

(Cedarcroft neighborhood)

(Keswick neighborhood)

(Evergreen neighborhood)

(Tuscany-Canterbury neighborhood)

(Bolton Hill neighborhood)

(Homeland Neighborhood)

4) Baltimore is on the come-up. When many outsiders hear the word Baltimore, the first thing they think of is The Wire. While it's true there are some very impoverished, neglected, and crime ridden parts of the city, that's not the whole face of the town. There has been a newfound appreciation for all the city has to offer as of late, and for the first time in decades Baltimore saw it's population increase. At the same time there's been a crazy number of developer home renovations going on, that have been bringing older Baltimore homes back to their former glory. You better hurry and buy-in while prices are still affordable! 

5) You want to retire one day. The cost of living is so high in DC on more than one occasion I've heard young people say their retirement strategy is death. This is sad people. I know DC is a lovely city, but it's nothing to kill yourself over. Not only are housing prices lower in Baltimore, but so are other big expenses like daycare, which means if you spend your money right you can retire one day with plenty of life left to live.

7) Stunning gardens. Spring time is absolutely beautiful in many parts of Baltimore. Residents in many neighborhoods take their gardening serious, and it shows. When May comes around, scenes around the city are simply breath taking.

8) Close proximity to great cities. Baltimore is close to several great places. You can get to NYC in 3.5 hours, Annapolis in 30 minutes, Philly in 1.5 hours,  St. Michaels in 1.5 hours, and DC in 1 hour when you need to.

(Annapolis waterfront)

So if you're a stressed out Washingtonian wondering how you're gonna financially survive, think about making a move to Baltimore.

"Your city does not impose a cost of living upon you. You get to choose both the city in which you live, and how much you spend once you get there." ~Mr. Money Mustache

Hints of Spring

One of my favorite free pastimes is to take walks around historic neighborhoods, especially during spring. I love watching all of the plants and flowers come back to life, and how the bursts of color juxtapose with brightly painted house. On a recent trip to DC, I took a stroll around the tucked away neighborhood of Takoma Park. It's a beautiful oasis inside of the city that feels like its own small town.

I hope you are enjoying the change in seasons!

"No winter lasts forever, no spring skips a turn." ~Hal Borland