Downtown Delights: Frederick, MD

Last week I drove an hour to have lunch with my dear friend, Meg. We met in downtown Frederick, MD and had a delicious lunch bursting with fresh, local flavors. After lunch and hours of chit chat, we hit the streets to explore the neat collection of eclectic shops.

Megan and I worked together as high school special education teachers a few years ago. We also completed several courses of our master's degree together, so we've been through many of each others' ups and downs. In a few short weeks, Meg is moving to sunny Florida so we are squeezing in some extra time together before she moves away.

When I told Meg I was in the mood for a good salad, she recommended several cafes offering local fare. We decided to have lunch at Cafe Nola. While I didn't get any gorgeous snapshots of my yummy lunch, I can make your tastebuds water with a description, straight from Nola's menu:

Steak n Cheese

Braised Flank Steak, Spring Greens, Manchego Cheese, Onions, Tomato and Horseradish Aioli served in a Spinach Wrap.

 Yes, I changed my mind - I decided to have the wrap instead of a salad because it sounded so good and came very highly recommended (thanks Meg!).  It was served with sweet potato fries, and the whole meal was heavenly.
Here are some shots of the restaurant:

After lunch, we explored lots of unique shops. I loved the artsy-organic feel of the jewelry and art in this store:

Our next stop was this adorable boutique called The Urban Cottage. I walked into this store and there were beautiful sparkly things everywhere. This store had an array of hillarious cards for every life occasion, as well as soaps, perfumes, scarves, wall hangings, and jewelry. I could've spent all afternoon in this chic little piece of town!

The Urban Cottage from the street:

Your view as you enter the store:

Love this sign, but it was a little bit  (A LOT) out of my price range:

Our next stop was a fair-trade shop with beautiful, unique handmade items from around the world. Meg found a gorgeous rug that will be a great accent for her new space in Florida.

After leaving the fair-trade merchant, we took a little stroll through the town over to Meg's place. It's such a gorgeous city - I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often!

 Our final stop of the day was to another unique boutique called Tiara Day.
Click {{here}} to visit Tiara Day's website!
Tiara Day is another gem tucked away in the downtown life. Walking into this shop felt like walking into a Parisian boutique. Gorgeous vintage hats, hair pieces, jewelry, and dresses adorn this shop. We also found a beautiful collection of vintage knobs, home decor, and more unique greeting cards. Meg and I sorta lost track of time as we explored the vintage items waiting around every corner.

Megan and I had a wonderful day together - good food, good talks, good laughs, good shopping, good weather... just an all-around great day. I can't wait to visit her at her new place in Florida when she's all settled in. She has lived in downtown Frederick, so these shops were nothing new to her. Can you imagine living in a place where there is such a creative buzz in the air? I think I'd love it!

Speaking of creativity... we ran into this artist who was working his magic on the street:

I finally hit the road and headed back to my small-town, quiet corner of the world.
Unfortunately, I ran into awful traffic on the way home... but that's par for the course on a Friday afternoon.

{{No, Mom, I wasn't driving when I took this picture! Traffic was sitting still.}}

Until next time... xoxox