A Delmarvelous weekend – 48 hours of local fun in (and around) Salisbury, Md.

 

I was born on a stretch of land on the Eastern Shore of Maryland called the Delmarva Peninsula, in the small town of Salisbury (population 33,114). Little did I know at the time that I would leave only to move back 3 different times. You see, when you grow up here, it’s easy to take things for granted.  When you are 16 wanting to go to a live concert, or 20 hoping for a bit of “city life”, you definitely won’t find it here. However, now as an adult, having lived a few different places, I fully understand now why people choose to “settle down” here.

 

To get here from anywhere west or south, you have to go over quite a few bridges or even drive into underwater tunnels. Perhaps, if you are a Marylander, you’ve only driven past Salisbury on your way to Ocean City or Assateague because that’s where ALL of the people go- (funny side story: when I first brought my Dominican husband to Ocean City on Memorial Day weekend of 2012 he asked, “are they giving away money or food?”)

Image shown with permission : Zamonin

 

As a local, I do enjoy those other beach hangouts but usually only during off season (when I’m not snuggling up next to a stranger on my beach towel. …”what are you drinking?”). So, this post is all about my hometown- the places that I love to go to on a regular basis- and the places that I think that the locals would brag about. Honestly, it’s very hard to narrow down the list for this post but I’m gonna try to sum them up into one Delmarvelous weekend.

Here goes:

Day one:

1. Start your day off right with a latte and breakfast from Rise Up  – A local favorite! Rise Up has the BEST local coffee. It’s Fair Trade and they have the happiest servers on the planet. Seriously. While you’re there, admire the beautiful window art painted by local artist Dean McNelia.
2. Go to Pemberton Park for a hike on one of its many secluded trails. Make sure to read up on some of the history behind the planation home that was built there in 1741. Bring a book and sit at the picnic table surrounded by water.
3. Roaring Point/Cove Beach – Take a country drive down Nanticoke Road to a pristine secluded beach on the bay (perfect for kids because there are no ocean waves to worry about). Stop by Westside Grocery, Bait & Tackle first to get your picnic lunch supplies. 
4. Red Roost for dinner: crabs, fried chicken and corn on the cob. Two words- OLD BAY (seasoning) – a Maryland staple.
5. Stay at the Whitehaven Hotel and go for an evening kayak or bike ride. (both are provided free of charge to guests.)

Day two:

1. Take the Whitehaven Ferry over to Deal Island beach and search for beach glass. (make sure bring a bucket and to wear flip flops or beach shoes- some of the glass is still raw.) 
2. Drive down to the end of Deal Island Road to Wenona to see the crab shacks and boat slips of the local watermen.
3. head over to Salisbury for lunch at Market Street Inn.
4. take a walk thru the Salisbury City Park & Zoo– located in the heart of Salisbury.

   

   

   

   

5. Visit the Ward Museum
6. Dinner and local brews at Evolution Craft Brewing Co.
7. Go to a Shorebirds Game- if you have kids, make sure bring extra money for the carousel and stay for the fireworks.

Well, there you have it folks. Here a summer fun itinerary for you. Our kids just had their very last day of preschool for the year, so we will be doing lots of exploring this summer. Can’t wait!

Be sure to follow along to read posts from some really fun guest bloggers from all 50 states! Next up: Arizona. We will hear from Alyssa Ryan from @alyssaryanphotography about her recent trip to Page, Arizona.

About the writer: Rachel Alvarez is a watercolor artist living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Her work celebrates life’s simple pleasures. Her custom watercolor paintings and illustrations reflect a love for travel, adventure, memory making and family history. You can see more of her work or commission your own piece of art here: www.rachelalvarezart.com

Follow her on Instagram here: @rachelalvarezart

Want to follow along as we travel to all 50 states? Receive an email newsletter every two weeks and freebies & coupons along the way>here<. Thanks for following along!

Have a beautiful day,

Rachel

 

 

*Please note: none of the content is this post was endorsed in any way.

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Alabama, Arkansaw I do love my ma and pa.

…not the way I do love you.

Those are the song lyrics that played as I was almost ready to walk down the aisle to be married to my sweetheart.

It was a VERY windy day:

There had been a tropical storm warning in effect. It’s ok, because we are the type of people that love a good adventure. In fact, that’s one of the things that hooked me about Frank. He was/is always willing to get in the car and just drive until we find something new.

My new series of paintings is a bit of an homage to that wanderlust lifestyle we love. We live in a beautiful world, and I want to celebrate that.

 

Eat Well, Travel Often

When I was in art school, I remember writing my “artist statement”. I can remember being reprimanded by my painting instructor who said that my chosen statement of “I like to paint pretty things” wasn’t creative enough. So, 15 years later, here is my new statement. Pretty much sums me and my art up in a single phrase.

I am fascinated by color- whether it’s in an awesome cotton candy sunrise, a donut with sprinkles or a lush landscape. My portfolio is as diverse as my interests, but one thing is common: fresh and full of color. 

So, as boring as “i like to paint pretty things” is, I am still doing it years later- with a side of donuts. www.rachelalvarezart.com

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

My life has been a series of major transitions. I was born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but have moved and migrated over 2,000 miles over the years- only to end up right back where I started.

I’ve had some really great life experiences.

~ In college, I moved to upstate NY for a summer to teach photography and didn’t know a soul. Everyone else I worked with had traveled much further than me. They’d come from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa…I met some really great people there and, at the end of the summer, we were all invited to live for a week in Greenwich Village, NYC. September 11, 2001 happened the day after we left.

~ I’ve been to concerts with best friends and had drinks at the bar with the band.

~ I’ve hiked in Georgia O’Keefe’s backyard.

~ Once, I was offered a job in Baltimore, and packed up all of my things and relocated within 2 weeks.

~ Later, I stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon at 5am, eating cold spaghetti and hearing my voice echo across the miles with some of my closest friends.

~ I’ve been to Boston, sat in what prides itself as the “Littlest Bar” all by myself, and ordered a bowl of clam chowder.

~  I packed all of my essential belongings into 2 suitcases, moved to Florida and found paradise and the love of my life.

~ For my birthday one year, I enjoyed beignets in New Orleans.

~ My wedding was on the beach in the middle of a tropical storm.

~ When I was pregnant with our son, I hiked a mountain in Colorado, and enjoyed the view.

~ I traveled to Dominican Republic, and got my teeth cleaned while I was there.

There are still quite a few things on my bucket list, but I am happy with life so far. It has been exciting and fun and challenging.

In the last three years, things have definitely slowed down on the travel front, my social life has plummeted and I don’t seem to have as much energy as I used to. I can’t just pack my bags and fly anywhere I want to anymore.

I am, however, still VERY spontaneous. I need to be. My dreams are still coming true. My heart is full, and my kids are darn cute. There is always something to be thankful for, but tonight I am especially thankful for my little family and all of those awesome adventures that led me to my NOW.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, God, for blessing me.

Works in progress

Today I spent a little over 2 hours painting.  That is about the norm for the last 2 weeks or so. It’s been so nice to get the brushes wet, turn on my Fleet Foxes Pandora station and disappear into the studio for a little bit.  It’s amazing what a couple hours of focused art can do for a person.

For me, since I paint landscapes primarily, it is an opportunity to focus on the beauty that is around me.  Sometimes days, weeks and years seem to fly by.  With painting, however, it is available to capture a single moment in time- and hold it there. It’s kind of like getting the opportunity to breathe in that fresh air again.

In the last 2 weeks I have started 7 new paintings and completed 3.  It’s been a great challenge to stay motivated, focused and energetic.  Here is what I have so far:

NapTime Series

This week I have already completed another 6×6 small work that isn’t pictured here.  It will be fun to see what I can finish in the limited NapTime that I have.