Spring in Baltimore: Sherwood Gardens for the tulips

 TLDR

Early spring, in the middle of a north Baltimore neighborhood, you will happen upon an amazing garden. Tulips everywhere. You will question if you are still in the city, but you are still in the city. But like cherry blossoms, there is a peak and then they are gone. Late March to early April is your window. 

My Story

The second week of March in Baltimore was in the 60's and 70's. One day it was in the 80's. There is a popular meme about the 12 seasons of Maryland. This warm weather is the Spring of Deception. The cherry blossoms and daffodils think it is time bloom. The flowers have been deceived. The third week of March brought Third Winter. Actual Spring will only last for a few weeks and then jump to summer, but spring is still my favorite season. Watching nature come back to life, even if it is being deceived, breaks me out of my seasonal depression and brings my hope back. One of my signs of spring is Sherwood Gardens.

I first heard of Sherwood Gardens when I would see people post pictures, frolicking in some garden full of tulips like they went to Holland over the weekend. But they didn't go to Holland, they were in Baltimore. Every year I would see these posts and say I was going to check it out and every year, I wouldn't go. Tulips are one of the first flowers to come up in the spring. Once the weather gets warm, blooms will only last a few days. You don't have forever to check out these flowers. And every year I miss it. 

In April of 2019, I was sitting at my desk at work. It was a beautiful day outside. I was working for Live Baltimore, an organization that promoted Baltimore City and its diverse neighborhoods. Our Communication Manager mentioned she could use some pictures for social media and I was out the door, in my car and up the JFX heading to the historic neighborhood of Guilford. The neighborhood of Guilford is full of large homes. I could honestly just go to that neighborhood and look at homes.  

I was really taking a picture of the flowers, not the house.
This is a small Guilford home.

But in the spring, you pass stately manors and then discover flowers.

History

This 6 acre private park was designed by the Olmsteds in 1913 and originally called Stratford Green. Guilford was also Olmsted designed and John Sherwood lived in one of the homes on the park. He loved tulips and had them imported in the 1920's and planted them around his house. Other flowers were planted, like azaleas which he also loved.  Rumor has it that he came home one day and saw uninvited people strolling the gardens and shortly after that, the private park, was open to the public for thousands to explore. Now there are over 50,000 tulips along with some other plants.

Azaleas

The park is open until dusk. If you leave work and the weather is nice, just go to the park. You can also plan a trip and bring a blanket and some food. If anyone reading this is dating, this is a really cheap and impressive date. I know I would never forget it. Ok, now I'm just giving hints for how to date me.

I know I have made it seem urgent to go see these flowers in the early spring, but there are other flowers that pop up during the summer. There is also programming in the park like summer concerts. There is a Bloom Party in early April, but flower lovers go crazy over the annual Tulip Dig in May. Who wouldn't want to plant some of these tulips at their home. Be there at 7am for the opportunity to get the best tulips. This is another event I say I will go to. Maybe this year is the year.

This tulip is worth a 7am rise time.

Spring in Baltimore: The BIG Kite Fest in Patterson Park

TLDR:

In 2019, The Creative Alliance & Friends of Patterson Park held the first BIG Kite Fest. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect to fly a kite with thousands of your neighbors. I added this to my must attend Baltimore events list. Fun fact: my grandmother taught me to fly a kite.

My Story

I remember casually leaving my house to check out the BIG Kite Fest. I have said this before, but The Friends of Patterson Park are always thinking of amazing programming in the park. When they partner with The Creative Alliance, programming is next level. I think all the amazing things I have seen in the park desensitized me for what I was about to see. As I walked towards Observatory Hill, I could see kites flying over the trees. Once I got to the Observatory, I was greeted by a kaleidoscope of colors swirling in the sky. Kites of all shapes and sizes, dotted the horizon. I don't know what I expected but seeing all the people, young and old, flying kites was simply breathtaking. It was like I was transported to a magical world like Narnia. No not Narnia, that always reminds me of The White Witch and she was scary AF. I don't even know what Turkish Delight is but I won't ever eat it. Sorry for that tangent. My heart fills with pride when fantastic things happen in my neighborhood.

A Kaleidoscope of Color

Creativity Takes Flight

You can bring a kite, buy a kite or yes, make a kite. The Creative Alliance has a station where children and adults make their own kites. Flying these kites is a completely different matter. Many kids fly a kite by running. This method is not "flying" a kite and it is the perfect way to get a kite stuck in a tree. Fortunately there are "Kite Doctors" with long polls that can try to rescue a wayward kite. My dad grew up in Baltimore and ran with a kite. My maternal grandmother taught me how to actually fly a kite. When my dad saw this, he was amazed. Now when I think about this, no one can figure out why my grandmother, born in Thomasville, GA in 1912 would know how to fly a kite. I will just be grateful for the gift.

My kite in flight. 

If you leave the hill and walk east towards Linwood Ave. you will see the professional kite flyers. Massive kites are staked in the ground or being flown by the experts. There are also less trees in this area so it is the perfect area to run with a kite.

A Community United:

One of the most beautiful aspects of the BIG Kite Festival is how it brings people together. Families gather for picnics on the grass. There is amazing food for sale. Pro tip, stand in the line because it is worth it. Various bands play music, but don't worry about it being too loud. This is an acoustic event. There are no generators or amplifiers so we can all enjoy the sounds of nature.

This is an event that I fully immerse myself in and because of that I don't have the greatest pictures. I had no idea someday I would blog about it. Please check out this professional recap video and I hope to see you in the park.

Do you know how to fly a kite? Please feel free to take guesses on why my grandmother knew how to fly a kite.

Spring in Baltimore: Cherry Blossoms, Daffodils and Opening Day

TLDR

Early spring in Baltimore can be warm and sunny or snowing from day to day.  Despite the unpredictability, spring is my favorite season. In Baltimore, blooming flowers and Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (OPACY) are my first signs of spring. OPACY was voted the #1 MLB Fan Park and #3 in for food in USA today. You don't have to be a baseball fan, but you should check out an Orioles game at least once for a true Baltimore experience with food and people.

Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Opening Day

The season opener is the most popular game. It is hard to get a ticket, but that is OK. The atmosphere of the city on Opening Day is next level. You can hang out at bars near the stadium and hear the cheers from the stadium. Two very popular spots are Pickles Pub and Pratt Street Ale House. But you can cheer on the orange and black in most Baltimore neighborhoods. You can have almost as much fun outside the stadium as inside. 

Pratt Street Ale House

Some other popular days at OPACY are giveaway days. Some perennial favorites are Hawaiian shirts, reversible bucket hats, soccer shirts, and bobble heads. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a big baseball fan, but I have a ridiculous amount of swag from these giveaways. Once you get in the park after grabbing a giveaway, there are some things you need to know about the game. During the National Anthem, everyone is going to say a very loud "O" after "and the flag was still there" If you are a first timer, you will be confused. As I was typing this I wondered where that come from? I don't think I got a real answer for the actual placement in the Star Spangled Banner, but the origin is said to be from super fan Wild Bill Hagy. I'm mentioning it because I found this video from The Today Show and if you want to see some old school Baltimore footage, enjoy! Another thing that happens at the game is the 7th inning stretch song is "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver. It replaced the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as a more modern song in the 70's and has never gone away. There are nights with discounted seats and in the summertime you may get a concert or fireworks after a game. But don't over think it, just go to a ballgame. 

Giveaways-Bucket hats and Hawaiian shirts

A different type of Friday Night Lights

Oh it seems like I'm leaving stadium talk, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't talk about food. Remember voted #3 for food by USA Today. Lots of concession stands are local places. The first stop is Boog's BBQ. Boog's is a Baltimore famous pit beef and pork sandwiches place. You will see a long line but it moves fast. And fun fact, the rolls are gluten-free. Stuggy's Gourmet Hot Dogs is located in SE Baltimore and now their dogs are available at the ballpark. That is pretty perfect but that crab mac n' cheese dog makes me happy that I can also get it outside of the park. Some local favorites also rotate into the stadium through the season. There will be future blog posts about Ekiben and Attman's Deli, but just for now if you are at the stadium and they are there, get them in your belly. Remember, these are just some food options to get you started. I like to decide what I'm going to eat before I go. If somehow you sneak into a suite on the club level, find yourself a crab ball.

Stuggy's crab mac n cheese hot dog

A little bit of history

Professional baseball in Baltimore was played at Memorial Stadium until 1991. I even worked in the concession stands when I was in high school. After the Baltimore Colts rolled out of town in the middle of the night in a Mayflower truck (still bitter) for a new stadium, the city decided to build a new stadium for the Orioles. What is really unique about our stadium is it is a mixture of old and new. It was built downtown, but instead of completely clearing away everything to make space, the B&O Warehouse was preserved right next to the stadium. The warehouse now houses offices and a private club for the Orioles. There are some really great historic neighborhoods that also surround the park. A new mural honors the Baltimore's Negro League legacy. My dad could talk your ear off about the Baltimore Elite Giants and Negro League Baseball in general. I want to go on too, but this says it better. And it has better pictures too. My parents still worked in the city when they were building the stadium. They thought there was no way the could fit a stadium there. They said the same thing when the Raven's Stadium was built next door. 

Legends Park at OPACY

An extra story just because...

My grandmother loved baseball. She always listened to baseball games on the radio even though she could watch it on TV. She was 81 when OPACY opened. I was in school in Florida at the time, but my mom would talk to me every week (because long distance fees were a thing and we only talked on Sundays after 7-IYKYK) about the best time to go to the game, parking and what kind of food she was going to pack. We picked a date, I bought a plane ticket and flew home. I don't remember what month I flew home, but it definitely shouldn't have been in the 50's. We didn't think we should take my grandmother, but she wasn't having it. We bundled up, ate chicken salad sandwiches and had a wonderful time.

Me and the best MLB mascot

What a view!!!

Let me know what your favorite game day activity is AND please watch the video of Wild Bill Hagy, so old Baltimore.

Ovenbird Bakery is what is created when a bird biologist watches The Great British Bake Off

 TLDR

Keiller Kyle, my Patterson Park neighbor, used to bake bread as hobby. Neighbors and friends said "You should open a bakery" and he did. Go to Ovenbird Bakery and get bread, croissants, scones, cookies, bagels and quiche into your belly. There are two locations: Little Italy (limited seating) and Highlandtown (hang out with your friend, work away from home).

My Story

Social media is definitely problematic. People often show the best things that are going on in their life and it makes you feel like you are doing something wrong in your life. People also feel that they can say anything hiding behind a keyboard. But for me social media has connected me and keeps me connected with people I would have never met. What does this have to do with bread? Let me tell you.

Y'all know how much I love my hood, Patterson Park. My love for it, is detailed in one of my first blog posts. My neighborhood has a Facebook group. There are less posts about lost cats than on Next Door, but many angry posters rant about parking and off-lease dogs. But there are lots of gems. In Oct 2018, Keiller Kyle posted he started baking and was going to host a Bread Tasting Open House.  I have often joked the way to kidnap me is to let me peek in your house. If you offer me food, it is a done deal. Fortunately I wasn't kidnapped, had some great bread, and met some great neighbors (3 blocks away). 

Bread, Bread, Bread

This is what a Bread Open House looks like

Keiller moved the bread making out of his Baltimore rowhome into a brick and mortar in June of 2020. We had no idea we would be on lock down for two years from Covid at the time. But the Ovenbird Bakery in Little Italy was a small corner shop that didn't really have room to sit. It was the perfect get away to take a long walk, pick up some pastries or a sandwich for lunch while working from home and practicing social distancing. On one of these walks, I remember getting the best quiche I have ever had. The cheese, egg, crust ratio was heaven sent. 

Come on quiche!

The food service industry is tough without adding a global pandemic to the business model, but Ovenbird not only made it to the other side, but they opened another location in Highlandtown. Now this one is more than a corner store. Most of the inspiration of the new spot is Turkish from his wife's background. There is plenty of seating in this new spot and it has quickly become a neighborhood hangout. 

This ceiling is for the gram

The larger spot also opens up a broader menu. There is more bread, pastries, sandwiches, drinks including alcohol. 

Go ahead and place an order

On the weekend, people line up to grab sourdough bread for the weekend in hopes that it will last into the week. I always look at the case and think I'm going to get a spinach, goat cheese, bacon, and chive scone. No, I should get an almond or chocolate croissant. Wait, maybe the sausage and jalapeno quiche, never-mind it's always the ham and cheese croissant. I want to describe how it melts in your mouth but I will let you experience it yourself. 

Ham and Cheese Croissant

I love the comfort of a hot drink, but I was interested in the Espresso Tonics. I was unsure, but the barista asked if I liked gin and tonic and I was sold. It was an unexpected, refreshing drink that I think I will see a lot of during the summer. 

Espresso Tonic

I'm not going to describe every bite. I'm just going to share a picture of me and my neighbor who makes bread.

Patterson Park neighbors