5 Favorite Things About Where I Live

My blogging friend Shelly from growingwithspawn recently wrote a blog post about her favorite things in her hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa. I enjoy reading about another part of the world and seeing the similarities and differences to where I live.

I originally grew up in Salisbury, Maryland. It’s a small town on the east coast of the United States. I always wanted to move somewhere else when I had the chance and so I moved to Baltimore, Maryland when I was 21. I have lived here in the Baltimore area for nearly 19 years now. There are lots of things I like about living here, but here are a few of my favorite things. 🎶😀

1. Delicious Local Food

You know I love me some good ass comfort food! Nothin’ takes me from hangry to happy quite like chowing down on something I have been craving. People around Baltimore know how to put their foot in it! Here are a few of my favorites around here:

• Chicken and waffles from Connie’s Chicken and Waffles
• Warm apple cinnamon or banana nutella crepes from Sofi’s Crepes
• Spinach quiche and pastries from Bonjour bakery
• Cornmeal fried oysters, Asparagus, Softshell crabs, and Pan Seared Sea Scallops from Charleston

Connie’s Chicken and Waffles

2. Nature Stuff

There’s a lot of free or inexpensive attractions around Baltimore. It makes me happy when I am able to get out of the house to visit these places.

• Rawlings Conservatory: they have a Mediterranean room with citrus trees, a tropical room with a koi fish pond and tropical flowers, a cactus room, an orchid room, and a palm tree room. You know how OBSESSED I am with orchids!
• Cylburn Arboretum: there are lots of hiking trails, trees, wide open areas for you to walk or run, and a mansion. My favorite time of year to go here is in the fall to see the leaves changing color. 🍁🍂🌳
• Sherwood Gardens: beautifully landscaped garden in a residential neighborhood where you can walk around or picnic. The highlight is the tulip display each spring.🌷
• Ladew Gardens: there are umpteen different types of gardens (a rose garden, iris garden, white garden, pink garden, yellow garden, Victorian garden, the list goes on.) There’s also a 1 mile nature trail, butterfly house, and mansion. My favorite is the yellow garden. There’s a water fountain and when the sunshine hits that garden with the Japanese maple tree just right, it’s picture perfect and so peaceful.
• Maryland Zoo: There’s lions, and tigers, and bears, Oh my! But there’s also a penguin exhibit, flamingos, zebras, and rhinos. I even got to feed the elephants one day! 🦁🐯🐻🐧🦩🦓🦏🐘

Orchid Room at Rawlings Conservatory

Cactus room at Rawlings Conservatory-Of course the child in me thinks these look like dig ole hairy bicks 🤣🍆

Mansion at Cylburn Arboretum

Leaves changing in the fall at Cylburn Arboretum

Leaves changing in the fall at Cylburn Arboretum

One of the hiking trails at Cylburn Arboretum

Tulips at Sherwood Gardens

Yellow garden at Ladew Gardens

Iris garden at Ladew Gardens

Water lillies in pond at Ladew Gardens

Azaleas in the Garden of Eden at Ladew Gardens

Me feeding an elephant at the Maryland Zoo 😀

3. Funny Port a potty names

Need I say more? How can you not laugh, chuckle, or tee hee at these? 😁🤣

• A flush away
• SOS
• Bobby’s potties
• Don’s Johns
• Gotugo

4. We have 4 seasons

Call me crazy but I love experiencing all four seasons every year. Although many times in Maryland the weather can feel more like disgusting hot and humid or colder than a witch’s nipple without much difference in between. Our spring and fall don’t last long and we tend to get sick and tired of how long winter and summer last. Mother nature has a hard time making up her mind about the weather in Maryland from one day to the next. It can literally be 80 degrees one day in February and then 35 degrees the next. Here’s why I like having all four seasons:

• Spring: Blooming flowers! Azaleas and hydrangeas are my favorites. We have lots of these in our yard! 😊💗
• Summer: Vibrant colors everywhere, ice cream, and pool time
• Fall: Looking at the leaves changing colors and riding around in my 4runner with the sunroof open, the cool breeze blowing in my face and hair while rocking out to music
• Winter: Watching the first snowfall coat the trees and house, drinking hot chocolate out of my cupcake poot mug, and snuggling under warm blankets with kitties on my lap ❄ 🐈🐈‍⬛

Our Azaleas

Our hydrangeas

5. Great access for traveling

I love to travel! Although it’s been a few years since I have been able to travel due to COVID restrictions and my health. But I am REALLY hoping that within the next 6 months to a year G and I will be able to take a vacation. Here’s why I think living in Baltimore is great for traveling:

• Multiple international airports within a 90 minute drive
• Cruising out of Baltimore
• 3 hour drive to the beach
• Accessibility to bus and train stations as well as multiple interstate highways for driving destinations

Well that’s it in a nutshell folks. Where do you live and what are things you like about it? I’d love to hear about your neck of the woods!