10 Things I'm Going to Miss about Frederick

The past several days have been a whirlwind of moving preparations. Finishing up the house inspections, doing a few repairs, selling furniture, and finalizing our liveaboard boat arrangements. It's a process that is both frustrating, nerve-wracking, and incredibly exciting. I've hardly had any time to stop and think about actually leaving Frederick and Maryland. But today I wanted to celebrate a few things about this wonderful little city that we've called home for the past four years. 

10 Things I'm Going to (Terribly) Miss about Frederick:
Evening walks downtown -- After dinner, Mark and I usually take Solo for a quick walk around downtown. We know the best alley-ways and places to stroll. We've gotten to know the neighbors and at least are on friendly-waving-terms with most of them. It's a simple little ritual that I will miss. 
Lunches on the canal - One of Frederick's main attributes is the number of fantastic restaurants downtown. Several of them are situated on the Carroll Creek Canal. Eating Saturday lunches on the patios, listening to the ducks quack and birds twitter will be greatly missed. One of our favorites is Doner Bistro, a German restaurant with a bit of Greek and Turkish flair. You haven't lived until you've tasted bratwurst in curry sauce. 

Hearing the carillon bells from my patio -- On Sundays, Mark and I like to eat lunch on the patio, if the weather is good. Seated at our tiny bistro set, we can enjoy some warm sunshine and listen to the distant tolling of the Frederick church bells and sometimes, the carillon (bell tower) at Baker Park. Every time, I feel like I've been transported to some other country. 
Trail runs at Gambrill State Park -- Another great thing about Frederick: the mountains are about five minutes away. Gambrill State Park is one of our favorite places for an impromptu camping trip or a quick evening trail run. I'm sure we'll be coming back to go camping in the future! 

Drinks at our local brewpub -- The first restaurant we visited downtown was Brewer's Alley. They have the best food and drinks. Seriously, if you're ever in town, go to Brewer's Alley and order their fish tacos. Or if fish isn't your thing... Aloha pizza. I'm telling you, you won't regret it. 
Watching the ducks at Culler Lake -- Every spring and summer, there are little baby duckies at Culler Lake, one of my favorite spots in the city. I love to take their pictures; Solo loves to bark and chase them. 

All our favorite shops, especially this one -- Frederick has its fair share of adorable boutiques. Our favorite by far is Citizen Frederick, a men's clothing and grooming store where most of the good are handmade or American-made. There's even an old-school barber shop upstairs! It's worth visiting just to smell all the good smells. Sandalwood, cedar, leather-- yum! 
Impromptu milkshake treats from Frederick Fudge and Ice Cream -- Seriously, this place has the BEST peanut butter milkshakes ever. Although this little burger shack came in close second. But Frederick Fudge and Ice Cream is within walking distance of our house-- so it wins the milkshake duel. 

Knowing all the shortcuts and back alleys to avoid traffic -- I've lived here long enough now that if I see a traffic jam up ahead, I know the best alleys and shortcuts to get around it. I'm no longer married to my GPS while driving around town. I actually know my way around. I know I'll learn DC too, but the first months in a new city are always intimidating. 
Our favorite sandwich shop  -- When you drive into the industrial park that houses this sandwich shack, you find yourself thinking "Wait. Is the GPS right?" Or if you're following someone: "Wait... Is this the part where they kill me and hide the body in an abandoned warehouse?" Okay so maybe not that extreme... But AKA Friscos has the best sandwiches, salads, and oh-heaven-why-are-you-so-good-to-us exploded potatoes. I have seriously considered buying some to-go tins of those potatoes just to get me through the first week in DC. 
What are your favorite things about your hometown?

A Walk in the Park on a Not-So-Springy Day

Having a home on the market means finding creative things to do whenever you're banished from your home. Thankfully, since I'm writing a book, I can toss my Chromebook in my purse and take it anywhere-- coffee shop, park, my car if all else fails. A bigger challenge is finding places to go with a pup. There are only so many stores that allow pets and only so many restaurants with patios. Over the past few days, Solo and I have really gotten to know the good people of Home Depot, who always seem to have a stash of dog treats stashed in those orange aprons. 

Monday, we had to leave the house for one hour. Such a small time frame didn't really warrant driving out to a store or setting up shop at our favorite cafe Frederick Coffee Co. So, I hitched Solo's harness, and we pawed our way to nearby Baker Park, one of my absolute favorite spots in the city. It wasn't exactly a nice springy day--49 degrees and rainy-- but we bundled up and enjoyed a stroll around the park's perimeter. Hints of green coaxed me along when the chilly weather felt like too much. 

As we walked along--me, trying to restrain Solo as he eagerly eyeballed the ducks; Solo, trying to pull me into Carroll Creek-- I thought to myself that these forced excursions maybe be a good way to visit some of my favorite spots in Frederick before we move. Spots like this low waterfall beside the weeping willow. I've decided the we need to come have a picnic here when the weather turns nice. Enjoy some sandwiches and cream sodas, watching the busy ducks waddle along the creek banks. 

Here are a few more pictures of our rain-drizzled Monday evening walk. 

What are some of your favorite spots in your hometown?

Surviving Winter Storm Jonas

Thursday, I found myself rushing to the nearest grocery to stock up on dry goods, non-perishables, and extra water. The weather reports were emphatically heralding the imminent arrival of a "historic snow event" for the DC-MD area. One station even felt compelled to begin using the hashtag #TheWinterAwakens, as if some great beast were bearing down upon the Mid-Atlantic. 

On Friday morning, these melodramatic warnings seemed a bit over the top. Mark stayed home since the federal government in D.C. was closing early, along with the Metrorail and buses. By order of the City of Frederick, we moved our cars into the city's parking garages, since our street serves as a Snow Emergency route during winter storms. By Friday night, we only had about two inches on the ground. Wow, I thought, Is this all? 

Saturday morning was an entirely different story. I woke to find our windows half-covered with snow, and something closer to 2 feet on the ground. Our back yard had disappeared beneath mounds of white fluff. Our front door would hardly open for the wall of snow blocking it. Solo stared out the storm door in disbelief, whining sadly. I'm pretty sure I just gaped at the white world outside. Two feet and still coming down! This Georgia girl had never seen anything like it. 

Gusts of wind would burst from the sky, sending billowing clouds of snow-dust skittering across the ground. The icy pellets would sting your cheeks and eyes if you didn't shield yourself in time. The twirling white clouds reminded me of a bride's veil, caught up in the wind. 

It honestly felt like one of those scenes from A Little House on the Prairie (remember those books?) where the family has to tie a rope from the barn to the house so as not to lose their way in the snow. Thankfully, the city went to work quickly clearing the streets-- but the storm kept dumping snow upon us, undoing their work as quickly as they finished it. 

In the afternoon, when the snow slowed slightly, Mark and I ventured into the snow-globe world. The snow came up to my mid-thigh-- almost three feet. We jumped around in the drifts and attempted to make snowballs. Loose and powdery, snow crumbled through our gloved hands. We laughed and panted with the exertion of walking through knee-deep drifts. After all, there's nothing much to do but laugh and make the best of it.

I'm beyond thankful for four solid walls and a roof over head. Thankful too for warm food in my belly, a good book to read, and a husband to snuggle. We certainly appreciate all the city workers and emergency personnel who braved the storm this weekend, so that we could enjoy the beautiful snow! Now to clean up the mess as it melts. 

Wherever you are, stay safe and warm!

Our Little City Does Fall

The sole purpose of today's post is to inundate your blog feed with photos of fall, fall, all things fall. We're talking pumpkins, leaves, berries, boots, big blue skies, and one cute pup.

Is it just me, or does Frederick do fall especially well? My first ever visit to Frederick was in late September, just a few weeks before my and Mar's October wedding. We walked around Baker Park, enjoying the crisp breeze and colorful leaves. Maybe it was the happy glow that being a newly-wed lends to everything, but I totally fell for the trickling creek, softball fields, and rows of maple trees.

Three years later, autumn is still my favorite season in Frederick. Our main street, Market Street, becomes coated with golden maple leaves while pedestrians bundled in coats and scarves scurry in and out of storefronts. Every porch and stoop boasts its fair share of pumpkins and mums, maybe even a token scarecrow or hooked-nosed witch. The blue sky overhead is just inviting enough to merit a came of catch in nearby Baker Park, but the cool breeze reminds you that winter approaches. The crisp weather makes everyone frisky and excited with thoughts of pumpkin carving, trick or treating, apple butter, and upcoming holidays.  I truly just love this time of year, don't you? 

Here's a few photos, so you can have a little taste of fall in Frederick too. 

What's your favorite part of fall? For me: boots, scarves, apple butter, hot cocoa, and pumpkins!

Console Table Makeover

Happy Monday, everyone!

How was your Fourth of July celebration? Did you come through the other side, retaining all your fingers and toes? I hope so! Mark and I kept it simple this year. We stayed in Frederick to enjoy a cookout with friends and fireworks in the Baker Park. Which, by the way, if you're a local Marylander, you should definitely make the trip to Frederick for our Fourth celebration. This little town can put on a lightshow. Complete with a rousing soundtrack of patriotic songs, the firework show dazzles you with light and color before concluding with the national anthem played on the park's belltower. I shared a few images on my Instagram which you can find here.

Of course, holiday weekends always end, and Monday inevitably returns. Today at the Frederick shop, I've been working on a console table makeover. This piece is not vintage, but even newer pieces can benefit from an Annie Sloan chalkpaint makeover.

Originally, the piece was a butternut yellow color. Not bad-- but again, not great. Slightly one-dimensional. Here's a look at what the piece looked like beforehand.

To give the piece a more French Country feel, we decided to paint it in Annie Sloan Chalkpaint Graphite, the closest shade to black that Annie Sloan carries. Graphite is a really lovely color: a dusky chalkboard black. However, painting and waxing with Graphite can be a little more difficult than with other Annie Sloan colors, solely because the dark shade sometimes betrays any lint or dust that becomes trapped in the wax topcoat. Recently, I found myself in a vicious circle of painting, sanding, waxing, buffing on a custom Graphite bedroom set. The seemingly unending task would definitely be my version of Dante's hell. The problem turned out to be the buffing rags: somehow this ragbag had unreasonable amounts of lint that kept ruining the wax topcoat. Ugh!

Anyway, the console table project turned out to be much easier. No lint escapade anyway!

Materials used:
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint in Graphite
-Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax
-brushes
-rags (waxing and buffing)
-paper towels


As with any Annie Sloan project, this was ridiculously simple. We simply painted a few coats of Graphite onto the console table, distressed, and then added a topcoat of Soft Clear Wax. After buffing the topcoat to a nice sheen, we were done!

The end result is a piece that certainly is no longer one-dimensional. The charcoal grey color gives the table a more dramatic flair, while the original pale wood stain still peeks through. It would work well as an entryway table or console table behind a sofa.

If you have any chalkpaint or furniture DIY questions,

please don't hesitate to ask in the comments below!

Repurposed & Refined

217 W Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, nor did I received any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are truly my own. I just really love Annie Sloan chalkpaint and think you should try it out too! 

Around Town // Frederick City Guide

This past week, Mark and I have been working relentlessly on renovating our tiny galley kitchen. While the project has been exciting, the work has unfortunately kept us indoors and away from the beautiful summer sunshine. These perfect summer days of hot blue skies and evening thunderstorms will pass all too quickly; so get out there and enjoy them while they last.

If you're in the Delmarva area, a fun way to pass your next free Saturday would be a day-cation to our little city of Frederick, Maryland. It's a hip little town packed with art, style, and Civil War history at every corner. To give you an idea of what Frederick has to offer, Mark and I put together a list of our favorite downtown Frederick attractions.

Eat

Brewer's Alley
124 N Main Street
This restaurant-and-brewery is hands down our favorite restaurant in downtown Frederick. Located in the heart of downtown in an imposing brick building that once served as Frederick's opera house, Brewer's Alley is the ultimate date-night destination. Periodically, their beer menu changes to reflect the season. Favorite eats: Aloha pizza and Mahi Fish Tacos. Favorite drink: Nut Brown Ale

Pretzel Pizza Creations
210 N Market Street

Mark and I love popping down to this restaurant for a yummy lunch. The bread and pizza dough are made from pretzel dough. Can you say yum?? I highly recommend the turkey-avocado sandwich.

Bushwaller's Pub
209 N Market Street

If you're in the mood for a cozy Irish pub, Bushwaller's is your destination. The food is hearty and, of course, Guinness is on tap. And if you're just looking to hang out, there's always a game of darts available at the back.

JoJo's
16 E Patrick Street

On my first night in Frederick, Mark took me to JoJo's. We were both exhausted from moving my furniture into the apartment and had no food in the fridge yet. So, at nine, we set out to find some supper and found JoJo's. I highly recommend their hot wings.

Rex's Downtown Grill
57 E Patrick Street
A few months ago, I mentioned to Mark that Frederick just needed a basic hamburger grill. A few weeks later, Rex's Grill opened its doors on Patrick Street. We've only been here a few times but were very impressed with the fun atmosphere and yummy burgers.

Cafe Nola
4 E Patrick Street

Famous for its brunch, Cafe Nola is a great place for a girls-date. Their menu boasts several yummy vegetarian options as well as a great coffee bar. I always order the California Turkey sandwich.

Shop

Repurposed and Refined
217 W Patrick Street
Of course, I can't create a downtown Frederick shopping list without including a shout-out to the shop. We're stock full of beautiful vintage furniture and carry a large inventory of Annie Sloan chalkpaint products. So whether you're looking for a vintage treasure or starting your own DIY, we've got you covered.

Silk & Burlap
28 E. Patrick Street
An ultimate ladies' shopping destination, Silk & Burlap carries everything from Vietri stoneware to designer clothing to Alex and Ani jewelry to vintage furnishings. They carry a little bit of everything. Although somewhat pricey for a newlywed girl like me, their store is always a beautiful place to peruse. 

Citizen Frederick
112 E Patrick Street
Mark's favorite Frederick store (along with every other man in the Baltimore-DC area), Citizen Frederick hands-down is the best-smelling store in all of Frederick. The perfect blend of leather, aftershave, and wool envelops you as soon as you step over the threshold. Somehow, the store manages to perfectly combine rustic manliness with urban style. Most of their inventory is American-made with much of it being Maryland-made and all of it being well-made. In addition to the shop, a barber shop resides on the second floor. In short, if you send your man to Citizen Frederick, he's going to walk out looking sharp.
Confession: I personally own one of their hoodies. No joke, it's the cuddliest sweatshirt ever. 

Curious Iguana Bookstore
12 N. Market Street
Frederick's independent bookstore has become my go-to for any book purchases not made on my Kindle. If they don't have the title you're looking for, you can always order it for no additional charge. 

The Trail House
17 S. Market Street
If you're into outdoor sports or camping, you need to stop by the Trail House to stock up on gear. Not only will you get great products, but you'll get friendly advice on the best places to trail run, bike, and hike in Maryland. 

Muse
19 N Market Street
If you need some creative inspiration, stop by the Muse downtown. Its owner Whitney takes care in promoting and beautifully displaying artisan products in her store. The baby section in the back is especially adorable.

Do

Frederick Coffee Co.
Hands down, Frederick Coffee Company is my favorite local spot for a latte. Curl up in one of their booths with a book or for a chat with a good friend over a mug of something hot and sweet. They also regularly host poetry readings, live music, and other fun events. 

Historic Frederick Bike Tour
This bike loop leads you through 10 miles of Frederick's 50 block historic district. You'll pass historic buildings that span from the town's inception in the 1700s to the early 1900s. 

Museum of Civil War Medicine
With so many battlefields just a few miles away, Frederick became a hospital town during the Civil War. In fact, five major battlefields-- Monocacy, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, Antietam (Sharpsburg), and South Mountain--all lie within an easy 30 minute drive of the city. This museum highlights the difficult plight of Civil War camplife and the medical innovations that paved away for modern military medicine. 

Baker Park
A short walk from downtown's center, Baker Park has 40 acres for you to run, play, and sunbathe. On pretty summer days, you'll find people reading in the shade of the trees or playing a pick-up game of ultimate frisbee. My favorite part of the park is the bell tower which occasionally peals out beautiful hymns. Hit up the park this weekend for the Celebrate Frederick July Fourth fireworks show. 

Carroll Creek Canal

Originally designed as a floodwater preventive,  Carroll Creek now runs through downtown Frederick as a beautiful canal speckled with lily pads and teeming with wildlife. Since many shops and eateries line its banks, strolling along the canal is always a pleasant way to spend a summer evening.

Alive @ Five 
Every Thursday night, the amphitheater by the canal transforms into a stage where local bands serenade passerby. Sitting with our legs dangling over the edge of the canal bridge, listening to cover songs, has been one of our favorite middle-of-the-week getaways since moving to Frederick. 

These are just a few of our favorite Frederick attractions. I'm sure I've left many other awesome places out-- but to be honest, Frederick has so many great aspects, its hard to pick just a few places to highlight.

Are you a Frederick local? What are some of your favorite places?

Around Town // Repurposed & Refined Boutique Tour

Hi friends! Today I thought it would be fun to share a shop tour of my workplace: the downtown Frederick boutique of the vintage furniture company Repurposed & Refined. I know you've seen snippets of the warehouse and some of the furniture projects I've worked on, but I thought "Hmm.. I've never shared a tour of the actual shop before." This week, I began writing content for R&R's blog and, after compiling a shop tour for their readers, I decided to share the space here as well. After all, as part of the Frederick shopping scene, it fits well into our Around Town series here at Patina & Purl.

The old building that houses the boutique has seen many purposes over the years, including thrift store and, at one point, auto repair shop. So often, older customers stop by and share a story about the location in one of its original functions. With its beautiful stamped tin ceilings, however, it's hard for me to imagine it with leaky old Chevrolets and Fords sitting around. 

The storefront's tin ceiling and the workshop's original hardwood floors preserve the historic charm of the building, while the huge original windows allow natural sunlight to stream in. Although, I will admit, that the old windows require some serious muscle to open. Such is the nature of old buildings--a lesson our own 116 year old house has taught us!--with the charm comes some quirks. You just have to acknowledge and work around them. If you were over a hundred years old, you might have some leaks and creaks too!

The Frederick boutique consists of two components: the storefront and the workshop. The front displays all the finished pieces and home decor accessories. The back workshop is the space where the company owners, myself, and the other painters work to render salvaged junk into beautiful pieces of furniture. We do offer monthly workshops for people hoping to learn about Annie Sloan chalkpaint and how to undertake their own DIY project. 

In addition to furniture and home decor, the Frederick store carries a variety of paint products including Annie Sloan chalkpaint, Miss Mustard Seed milkpaint, and Artisan Enhancement products. As you can probably assume from my recent posts, I've loved working with the Annie Sloan paint. It's a great product for up-cycling vintage furniture and is so easy to use. 

Annie Sloan also makes brushes, wax, stencils, candles, and even fabric. And the store carries it all. If you're in the Frederick area and are into DIY and crafting, you should definitely check out our products. 

So why buy upcycled vintage when you could go to HomeGoods, Pier One, or Ethan Allen?

It's simple. Vintage items typically have better construction and, often, are even handmade. Our repair and paint jobs are all done by skilled artisans and add a one-of-a-kind flair to the items. Don't get me wrong-- my house has a few bigbox purchases. But, when you do buy vintage, you're buying a piece with history, with a story, a unique item that you are not likely to find in someone else's home. So does this original and vintage design come with a hefty price tag? Not at this store. The shop-owners aim to keep their prices affordable, taking into consideration the salvaged nature of the pieces and keeping our inventory accessible to the average buyer.  If you stop in, you may be pleasantly surprised at the dollar signs on the price tags.

Thanks so much for taking this little tour of the boutique! I love working here. It's a great feeling to take cast-off and outdated furniture and render it into something beautiful that will find a place in someone's home. 

If you're interested in stopping by, I've provided our address and store hours below. Maybe you'll find a vintage treasure of your own!

Repurposed & Refined

217 W Patrick Street

Frederick MD

11am-5pm Monday Wednseday & Friday

11am-5pm Saturday

12pm-4pm Sunday

All opinions in this post are entirely my own. While I am employed at Repurposed & Refined, I am receiving no compensation for this tour post or any opinions expressed in this article.