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Category: Travel

College Move-In 2022:  The Apartment Version

College Move-In 2022:  The Apartment Version

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I was away from the writing desk last week, taking the weekend to drive back down south to move my youngest back in for another year of college.  This time, it was a little different, as she was moving into her first apartment – off-campus (her university only guarantees on-campus housing for the freshman class).  As you can imagine, this took a little more planning and research, since her university is about twelve hours away (driving time) from our home….

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Great Ideas:  Summer 2022 Edition

Great Ideas:  Summer 2022 Edition

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Did you ever feel you have a “million dollar” idea?  Not that you’d literally make a million dollars, but an idea you feel just “can’t miss”? My wife and I get these all the time.  For example, years ago, we thought that if a pet food company came out with cans of gravy – just gravy – they’d make a fortune.  We even named our idea – “Auntie Leigh’s Happy Lappin’ Cat Gravy”.  Sure fire winner right there, and apparently…

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Regional Foods – An Adventure Awaits

Regional Foods – An Adventure Awaits

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One of the drawbacks of all this readily available connectivity, communication, and technology in our modern era is the loss of regional food and cuisine.  Go anywhere in America these days and if you’re in a decent sized-town or city, you’ll find a ‘Starbucks’, ‘Chick-fil-A’, or  ‘Olive Garden’ – all serving their dishes to exacting standards, so that your dining experience is the same no matter where you visit in the United States (or in some cases, the world). What…

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Picking Crabs: A Maryland Tradition

Picking Crabs: A Maryland Tradition

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There are some foods that are synonymous with a state’s identity.  Maine has its lobster, Georgia has their peaches, Louisiana has the crawfish; however, in Maryland, one food item reigns supreme. The Maryland blue crab. Nothing beats sitting down at a long, paper-covered table piled high with freshly steamed blue crabs, the air filled with the signature smell of Old Bay seasoning.  Armed with a mallet and a small knife, it’s now each diner’s job to dissect these crustaceans, picking…

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A Little Town Celebrates a Big Milestone

A Little Town Celebrates a Big Milestone

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My small town of Clear Spring, MD (population 479 – salute!) celebrated a big milestone this past weekend. It was the town’s 200th anniversary. Now, it’s not every day you get to live in a town that has been around long enough to celebrate its own bicentennial, but for an “older” gal, I have to say she still looks pretty good. This past weekend was celebrated with home tours, scavenger hunts, and panckake breakfasts.  Lots of folks were popping in…

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Autumn is Officially Here – How I’ve Missed You!

Autumn is Officially Here – How I’ve Missed You!

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I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to September 22, 2021 (precisely at 3:20 PM, to be exact).  For those of you not in the know, that was the date and time of the annual Autumnal Equinox, better known as the first day of fall. Sure, others may have their favorites.  I know folks who can’t get enough of summer.  Some folks love the long cold, winter – while others love the rebirth of spring.  For me,…

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Local Wineries Offer Weekend Diversions

Local Wineries Offer Weekend Diversions

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September is almost upon us, ushering in the last bit of summer and hopefully giving us a glimpse of cooler temperatures and a glorious autumn season.  The kids are back in school, weekend harvest festivals will be in full swing – and what better way to celebrate than to check out some local wines! Luckily, Washington County has plenty of wineries to choose from.  From sweet to dry, there’s certainly a bottle of locally–produced  goodness for everyone to enjoy –…

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Interstate 81: A Daily Commuting Nightmare

Interstate 81: A Daily Commuting Nightmare

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The commuter’s lament – a stretch of highway that is hated, feared, and looked forward to about as much as a roaring case of explosive diarrhea on a coast-to-coast airline flight.  There are plenty of these travel nightmares in the four-state area, the I-270 corridor to Washington D.C. from Frederick, Route 15, I-70 to Baltimore, even the I-95 corridor around the metro Baltimore/Washington areas.  How long will it take to reach the final destination?  30 minutes?  Two hours?  It’s literally…

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Travel Outlook 2021: The Future Looks Brighter

Travel Outlook 2021: The Future Looks Brighter

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While every sector of the economy took a hard hit due to the coronavirus, perhaps no industry took it on the chin harder in 2020 than the travel industry.  Airlines, hotels, theme parks, restaurants, and cruise lines were all hanging on for dear life this past year – some didn’t make it.  Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost and entire geographic areas became ghost towns.  Can you imagine trying to make it in a beach town or in such…

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Travel Deals Abound – NOW Is The Time To Plan One

Travel Deals Abound – NOW Is The Time To Plan One

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The ongoing pandemic has hurt many sectors of our economy, but without a doubt, one of the worst to feel its crippling economic effects is the travel and tourism industry. Beach towns were empty and pristine this past summer season.  Hotel occupancy was at record lows.  Industry giants like Disney lost billions each quarter due to the shuttering of its theme parks and other resort offerings (I can’t even begin to imagine what the local economy is like in Orlando). …

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