FIND iT FREDERiCK - Spring 2024

Amazing experiences and hundreds of exciting new exotic animal friends await you in this 50-acre park!

Catoctin Wildlife Preserve welcomes you with natural ponds, lush landscaping, and wandering Ambass-zoo-dors, eager to indulge inquisitive guests. Get curious about everything from bears to boas, macaws to monkeys, panthers to pythons, and alligators to zebra.

These amazing animals are our extended family and vital ambassadors for their species. Through our personal style of exhibits and education, we know that they will be your extended family too.

Together, we can make sure all the wild animals enjoy the future they deserve.

301-271-4922

13019 Catoctin Furnace Rd.

Thurmont, MD 21788

catoctinwildlifepreserve.com

Follow us on social media for park hours and the latest updates. F d

Josh Turner

Saturday, April 13

Little River Band

Friday, May 3

Jamie Lissow

Saturday, May 18

Elle

Friday, June 21

Friday, April 26

Randy Houser

Friday, May 31

Kathleen

Saturday, June 22

Keb’ Mo’

Saturday, June 1

Skillet

Friday, June 28

Dave Attell

Saturday, May 4

Matt Matthews

Friday, June 7 & Saturday, June 8

Pete Davidson: Prehab Tour

Saturday, June 29

The Steel Woods with Low Water Bridge Band

King

Madigan

SEEK& FIND

BEST MILKSHAKES

RENOVATING THE NEWBERRY 32

MUSINGS

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Happy Spring, Frederick!

Springtime is all about new beginnings, and that theme runs through a story written by Chris Slattery on the heroic efforts of a local couple to renovate and refurbish an historic building in Downtown Brunswick. Read all about how they're helping The Newberry spring to life, with new businesses and new opportunities for the city.

Speaking of new opportunities, spring is the perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy warmer temperatures. Why not pair your adventures with an exploration of the best milkshake makers in the region? Writer Shuan Butcher took on the (admittedly arduous) task of finding the best milkshakes around. Read all about his findings inside this issue.

Thanks for picking up our latest edition of Find iT Frederick. As always, we hope you find something to delight you inside. Feel free to contact us with ideas for people and places to feature on our pages!

We want to know about what you find in Frederick, too!

Molly Fellin Spence, Executive Editor

PUBLISHER

Donna Elbert publisher@pulsepublishing.net

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Molly Fellin Spence molly@pulsepublishing.net

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Gabby Mongeau

gabby@pulsepublishing.net

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Melissa Howes-Vitek melissa@pulsepublishing.net

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Susan O'Connor

susan@pulsepublishing.net

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Ronald Cramer ronald@pulsepublishing.net

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Ana Lazo Eastep

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Shuan Butcher, Chelsea Mongeau, Chris Slattery, Molly Fellin Spence

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gabby Mongeau, Susan O'Connor, Sean Reel, Spence Photographics

ACCOUNTING/BILLING bookkeeper@pulsepublishing.net

DISTRIBUTION distribution@pulsepublishing.net

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Photos courtesy of Prospect Pantry

New Market is one of those charming small towns where the past and the present coexist without issue. Maybe that’s what lured Ashly Wright here from her native San Francisco, where she “grew up in restaurants.

“My grandfather owned a restaurant with Joe DiMaggio,” says Wright, a former food and beverage specialist for Marriott who’s now the proprietor of New Market’s Prospect Pantry. “He was the best man in Joe and Marilyn Monroe’s wedding.”

Which is an event well-documented on the walls of Prospect Pantry, a sun-dappled spot on the main floor of the historic home where Wright and her husband, a fine dining chef-turned-professional firefighter, live with their two young children.

Along with photos of DiMaggio and Monroe, Prospect Pantry’s walls display handmade cutting boards, antique eggbeaters, and watercolor paintings of other historic homes in the neighborhood created by local artists and supplied by Seven Sisters Gallery, nearby.

There’s goat’s milk soap on display, too, from Alphabet Acres, a local farm; wildflower honey from Biding Times Farm in Ijamsville — and if you want to buy, all proceeds go directly to the makers.

Prospect Pantry’s fare is simple, but imaginative and well-executed: fresh açai bowls, chicken and waffles, a BLT on San Francisco-style sourdough, breakfast sandwiches on bagels imported from New York City, even an Elvis-inspired concoction that takes care of business with bacon, bananas, honey and peanut butter on a toasted English muffin. The soups, the salads, the Rachels, the Reubens— there’s even the Patrick, with corned beef and cabbage, hash brown potatoes, and, uh … Mayo. (See what I did there?)

Photos courtesy of Prospect Pantry

Main photo: A cozy comfort food café.

Inset photo above: Prospect Pantry features photos of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe; owner Ashly Wright’s grandfather, restaurateur Reno Barsocchini, made the arrangements for the famous couple’s 1954 wedding at San Francisco City Hall and also served as best man.

The beauty of Prospect Pantry, though, is the way it serves as a spot to sit and enjoy the farm-to-table goodies and cups of cold-brew coffee with family and friends. There’s a faux fireplace with seasonal decorations on the mantel, a fruit-infused water dispenser, even a giant working gumball machine, and couples, friend groups, and families with kids amble through the black double door to this comfy, cozy, open space.

Not that it doesn’t ever shrug off its familyfriendly vibe and get a little adults-only. Prospect Pantry does have a cocktail list, and libation No. 1 harkens back to Ashy Wright’s native city.

“Buena Vista is a place near and dear to my heart,” she says, noting that she grew up in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and namechecking the first American bar to make the Irish whiskey, cream, and coffee drink invented at Ireland’s Shannon Airport. “Irish coffee was first on our really cool cocktail list.”

Also really cool? Prospect Pantry’s open mic nights, when the venue welcomes local musical talent.

“We work with Frederick Acoustic Music Enterprise (FAME), and they are basically the host,” Wright explains. “They come in with all the setup, there’s a sign-up sheet two weeks before, and it works around my husband’s schedule.”

Wright’s husband, co-owner Michael, whose career as a chef shaped the Prospect Pantry menu, is a member of the New Market Town Council as well as a Frederick County first responder based in Urbana (I bet those firehouse meals are, well, fire). He oversees an open mic that showcases harmonica players, guitarists, and aspiring singer songwriters from the local high school who are getting onstage for the very first time.

For Wright, it’s all part of the adventure of being a wife, a mom, a business owner, a restauranteur, and a member of the kind of small-town, farmto-table, support-the-arts entrepreneurship that’s thriving in Frederick County.

“I’m used to chaos,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun.”

by Chris Slattery

Prospect Pantry

1 W. Main St., New Market

240.915.2238

prospectpantry.com

F facebook.com/prospectpantrynewmarket d @prospectpantry

Top: Living above the shop: the Wright family’s historic home is also home to Prospect Pantry.

Bottom: A chalkboard sign outside Prospect Pantry in historic New Market.

Photos courtesy of Prospect Pantry

Meaningful Learning Opportunities

At Creative Children’s Center, we treat children as if they were our own. With quality care through enthusiastic, optimistic, gentle, and respectful teachers and staff, we provide a nurturing, fun and safe learning environment for all to flourish.

We offer the following programs:

• Infants: 6 weeks-18 months

• Toddlers: 18 Months - 24 months

• Young Learners: 2-3

• Early Learning: 2-3 Years old

• Transitional: 3-4 Years old

• Kindergarten Readiness: 4-5 Years old

- School-age before and after school care

- Comprehensive Summer Enrichment program

- Camp Creative: (Kindergarten - 5th Grade)

We offer transportation services daily (during the academic school year) from Myersville, Wolfsville, Brunswick and Valley Elementary Schools.

CREATIVE CHILDREN’S CENTER

www.cccmaryland.com

CCC Myersville: 603 Main Street, Myersville, MD 21773 • 301-293-4373 www.cccmyersville.com

CCC Jefferson: 2538 Jefferson Pike, Jefferson, MD 21755 • 301-834-9007 www.cccjefferson.com

Highlander Grogg

Drinking

Drinking

Ice Cream:

Some of the Best Places to Grab a Milkshake in Frederick County

by Shuan Butcher

Frederick County has no shortage of dairy farms. In fact, the county is the largest dairy producer in Maryland. And more dairy producers means more milk and cheese and and butter and yogurt and, perhaps most importantly, ICE CREAM!

If you’re looking for the sweet treat you’ll find many, many options in the Frederick area. But some of us like to take our ice cream in more of a liquid form, aka a milkshake. So, where are the best places to find a really good milkshake around here? Well, it’s a tough job to research that sort of thing, but somebody had to do it!

North Market Pop Shop

241 N. Market St., Frederick northmarketpopshop.com

The North Market Pop Shop is well known for offering one-of-a-kind beverages that you probably would not be able to find anywhere else in Downtown Frederick.

They’ve always carried a wide assortment of delicious ice cream for eating straight or adding to a float or, you guessed it, a milkshake!

Owner Michelle Schaffer offers the Always Ice Cream Company, based in the Annapolis area.

“It provides us with an opportunity to have a unique offering that is Maryland based, and they have really good flavors,” she said.

The company crafts its ice cream daily in Maryland, and features more than 250 different flavors on rotation, “from pie-infused delights to birthday cake creations, vibrant fruit blends to coffeeinfused treats, and unique cereal-inspired options,” according to the company’s website.

Of those flavors Schaffer always keeps vanilla, chocolate, and something with Oreos in it in the Pop Shop’s cases: “Everything is better with Oreos in it,” she says.

A couple dozen flavors are available at any given time. One favorite is the Cookie Monster, which includes sugar cookies, cookie dough, and, of course, Oreos. The company offers vegan/dairy-free ice cream for those that need or prefer it, and shakes using those flavors can be made with oat milk.

Schaffer is a Cambridge University educated biochemist and says she runs the shop like her own little lab: “We form hypotheses about what could be delicious, test them (over and over) and share our results with the community!”

Maxwell’s Burgers and Shakes

57 E. Patrick St., Frederick eatatmaxwells.com

Maxwell’s Burger and Shakes first opened in Downtown Frederick in Spring 2019 and once the pandemic began they put a real focus on offering up their popular elevated burgers and, as the restaurant’s name suggests, shakes!

Maxwell’s prides itself on making everything in house and sourcing ingredients locally, according to General Manager Rachel Anderson.

“The ice cream, whipped cream, vanilla base, and all the sauces are made in house. Everything except for the toppings,” she said. “If we can do it ourselves, we will.”

You can order a standard milkshake flavor, such as Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry, but the menu also includes Cookies & Cream, Caramel, Caramel Mocha, Snickers, and Peanut Butter Cup

Premium flavors, such as Shamrock, Cheesecake and seasonal offerings also often appear on the menu. Or, build your own shake concoction!

Outside photo courtesy of North Market Pop Shop; Inside photo by Shuan Butcher

“We will do some crazy stuff with our milkshakes. We are always wanting to do something different and new,” Anderson says.

One thing Maxwell’s offers that some others don’t – the option to make your milkshake boozy!

Adults can add bourbon, tequila, Fireball or another libation to take their sweet treat up a notch.

Maxwell’s Milkshake of the Month program offers a new flavored milkshake each month, with 20% of the proceeds benefiting a different nonprofit organization.

For milkshake inspiration, Maxwell’s turns to its staff for suggestions. Anyone, from servers to line cooks can come up with a milkshake idea.

“These folks don’t typically set the menu at most establishments, but here they get to see their creation come to fruition,” Anderson says.

Frederick Fudge & Ice Cream

253 E. Church St., Frederick fredicecream.com

Many people know Frederick Fudge & Ice Cream because of Wally, its friendly, child-size waving teddy bear that stands out front of the shop. Or for its many flavors of delicious fudge.

But the shop, open since 2002 on the corner of Church and East streets, also makes a mean milkshake!

With 24 to 28 flavors of ice cream on hand at any time, it’s easy to let your imagination run wild with flavor combos.

“You can never have enough flavors of ice cream,” manager Mandy Trapaso said, adding that various dietary restrictions can be accommodated so everyone can enjoy a treat, including no dairy, no sugar added, and vegan.

The shop’s most popular milkshake is the Cappuccino Freeze . And if you’ve had one, you know why. The shake has a base of coffee ice cream that is blended with cinnamon and milk, and topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream. A little kick, and a lot of yum.

Owners Mike and Terri Winder keep the shop open seven days a week, year round, with extended hours in the summer, so you have plenty of opportunities to get your milkshake fix.

Inside photo by Shuan Butcher; Outside photos courtesy of Frederick Fudge & Ice Cream

Showroom

882 N. East St., Frederick showroomfrederick.com

With its modern take on American comfort foods, and a menu created by celebrated chef Bryan Voltaggio, Showroom’s delightful list of milkshakes might get overlooked by some. But they definitely shouldn’t be.

Though you may come in for the duck fat fries, be sure to order up a milkshake on the side. You won’t be disappointed, says assistant manager Cheyenne Korrell.

“We play on creamy drink flavors,” with house-made ingredients to make their shakes extra special.

“The whipped cream is made here.”

Whether you go for the traditional Vanilla, or try the Cookies & Cream, or Espresso, you’re in for a taste explosion. Try the Strawberry Marshmallow, made with homemade strawberry jam, cookie crumbs and gooey marshmallow, for a sweet treat with a twist.

“All of them are popular,” Korrell says.

Many folks are excited to see Chocolate Malt milkshakes on the menu, “because they are not available at very many places,” and Showroom also serves up the ever-popular adult milkshakes.

Their Kahlua & Cream starts off with a vanilla ice cream base and adds vodka and Kahlua. The Chocolate Cherry begins with chocolate ice cream and throws in some bourbon and a maraschino cherry. The Strawberry Banana adds banana liqueur to rum, that homemade strawberry jam, and vanilla ice cream.

Ripleigh’s Creamery

302 E. Main St., Emmitsburg ripleighs.com

Back in 2021, when she was only 14 years old, Ripleigh Maring decided she wanted to create an innovative ice cream experience that goes beyond the basics. So, she opened up her first location in Emmitsburg and hasn’t looked back. Now 17, Ripleigh has opened up two other locations, both in Pennsylvania, with two more in the works. Her company makes its own ice cream in a 15,000 square-foot facility in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania.

The Emmitsburg location, a former feed store, is currently under renovation, so ice cream treats are being served from a food truck, with outside seating and a dog-friendly environment.

Believe it or not, Ripleigh’s has some ice cream flavors that have not been seen anywhere else.

They organize their offerings into three flavor zones: Safety Zone (vanilla, chocolate, Oreo cheesecake); We Dare You Zone (cotton candy, coconut, peanut butter caramel brownie chunk), and We Double Dog Dare You Zone (Old Bay kettle corn, mango Sriracha, nacho cheese Doritos).

Oreo Cheesecake is their most popular flavor. Alcohol-infused ice cream flavors are also popular, including the Rebel Red, a collaboration with Adams County Winery , and Coconut Mojito

But let’s get back to shakes!

Ripleigh’s take on shakes is truly unique. They have no patience for a basic milkshake here, instead you can order from a rotating list of six to eight Freak Shakes

What is a Freak Shake? Well, it’s a customcreated flavor explosion topped with unique edibles and decorated and presented to you with creative flair. Let’s just say many of them come with a full-size slice of chocolate cake or cheesecake on top!

Take this recent springtime lineup: the Easter Basket (a chocolate shake topped with edible

Photo courtesy of Showroom

grass, a chocolate Easter bunny, mini Cadbury eggs, and a chocolate drizzle); the Pot O’ Gold (an Oreo mint shake topped with a full-size brownie, a chocolate gold coin, Airheads Xtreme candies and a chocolate drizzle); or the Whoopsie (a white chocolate raspberry shake topped with a full-size red velvet whoopie pie, PEEP candy, and a chocolate drizzle).

Oh, and all Freak Shakes come topped with whipped cream. Because, of course they do.

The Little Red Barn Ice Cream Café

4610 Lander Road, Jefferson littleredbarnicecream.com

The Little Red Barn Ice Cream Café in Jefferson is celebrating its 10th year of offering lunch, ice cream and other sweet treats to the western part of the county.

A decade ago, owner Laura Kaler noticed potential in a 100+ year-old barn that obviously needed some TLC. She turned it into a great little ice cream shop.

“Who doesn’t like ice cream?” she says. “We thought ice cream would be seasonal, so we added other food items to the menu. But it is not as seasonal as I thought.”

The shop is open daily, year-round, with longer hours in summer, shorter in winter.

The red barn is the first thing you see coming into Jefferson and has become a gathering place for locals as well as visitors passing through the area.

“It’s a nice location for anything from intergenerational gatherings to sports teams,” Kaler says.

The barn offers hard ice cream from Hershey’s and from their neighbors South Mountain Creamery, of Middletown, as well as soft-serve.

They have your standard milkshake fare, but you can also order some pretty novel shakes. One not to be missed is the Shake-abunga , basically a banana split in the form of a milkshake. Ingredients include bananas, strawberries and pineapples blended with milk and ice cream, and topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a cherry.

Coffee lovers should try the Screaming Cow , which mixes coffee, milk, ice cream, caramel, and chocolate syrup; or the Raging Bull, which is made with espresso instead of coffee.

Left photo courtesy of Ripleigh's Creamery; right photo courtesy of Little Red Barn Ice Cream Café

Rocky Point Creamery

4323a Tuscarora Road, Tuscarora rockypointcreamery.com

Rocky Point Creamery is the epitome of locally made ice cream.

Chuck Fry has owned and operated the shop, where for a dozen years they’ve been using the family farm’s own milk and cream to create more than 100 flavors of ice cream.

“It is a true cow-to-cone experience,” Fry says. Ten classic flavors — Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Sweet Cream, Cherry Vanilla, Mint Chip, Banana Puddin’, Cookies & Cream, Raspberry, and Chocolate Chip — are essentially always on the menu.

They’re joined by specialty flavors that rotate, depending on the season.

The basic milkshake recipe includes milk and cream, and it’s the level of butterfat that makes it all so creamy. To make a milkshake, it typically takes five scoops of ice cream.

Fry says by visiting Rocky Point you are not just buying a cup of ice cream or a milkshake, you are keeping a farm running.

“We like to say we are preserving agriculture, one scoop at a time,” he says.

Photos courtesy of Rocky Point Creamery

Bullish on

Brunswick:

How one creative couple put down roots on the river and ended up Renovating the Newberry.

by Chris Slattery

Photos by Susan O'Connor

If this story were going to be a Hallmark movie, it would start with a good-looking, well-traveled anthropologist who has – surprise! – mad skills as a handyman/homebuilder, and a beautiful, sensitive yoga instructor in search of a place to call home.

But it’s a renovation project, so let’s forget the plaid shirts and meet cutes and focus on the star of the show: an historic 8,000 square-foot building with three street-facing storefronts, built around 1910, that gets transformed into a modern multifunctional mixed-use space promoting walkability in an urban area that’s on the upswing.

The story of how the anthropologist, Eric Lindland, and the yoga instructor, Machelle Lee, fell in love is only the beginning of this saga of pulling permits, daubing mudding, and undertaking tin ceiling restoration. He was a visiting professor at Indiana’s Notre Dame University; she had a yoga practice in South Bend. They met on the mat in 2006, slowly took it to the next level, got married, and moved east when Eric was recruited by a D.C. think tank in 2010.

And then they fell in love again, with Brunswick, Maryland.

“We were living in Kensington, and we loved the diversity, loved the great restaurants,” recalls Lee. “But we were looking for a little more land, a little more space.”

Friends had recommended neighborhoods in Winchester and Frederick, so the couple drove up to take a look.

“We came across the bridge from Lovettsville and saw this town, built into the side of a mountain, saw the towpath, and we were like: ‘What is this?’”

They spent two hours wandering around Brunswick that day, taking in the history, the architecture, and the views.

“It was gritty, and we were both drawn to its grittiness,” adds Lee. “It hadn’t ‘happened’ for Brunswick yet. And that was, kind of, what we were looking for.”

Settling in Smoketown

Technically, Brunswick “happened” in 1890, the year the sleepy little town on the Potomac changed its name from Berlin to differentiate itself from a similarly sleepy town in Worcester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It had grown from a ferry crossing to a railroad stop when the C&O Canal and the B&O Railroad started pushing west toward Cumberland in 1834. Suddenly the canal locks and farmsteads bloomed into a company town, built up by a railroad boom and nicknamed Smoketown for the clouds the locomotives sent billowing through the streets. Today it’s quaint and quiet, about an hour and 15 minutes to Union Station on the MARC train, which Lindland still takes to his office in D.C.

“I have lived in Brunswick longer than I’ve lived anywhere,” he says, as his wife chimes in, “Me, too!”

Lindland comes from a family of Baptist missionaries; Lee is the daughter of a midwestern single mom with wanderlust.

“We had both had these itinerant, mobile childhoods,” Lindland explains, adding that he lived in East Africa, Norway, and Guatemala before landing in South Bend and ultimately Brunswick, and continues to travel extensively both for his job and with Lee on yoga retreats. “I think we both kind of had a hunger to put down roots somewhere.”

Which is why they named their Potomac Street yoga studio, which they opened in 2015, Roots and River. And why they decided to embark on the great adventure they like to call Renovating the Newberry.

Back when Brunswick was booming, it offered everything from a locomotive roundhouse to an opera house to a five and dime. The J.J. Newberry & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Store at 30 Potomac Street

had fallen into disrepair over the decades, but Lee and Lindland looked at it from their Roots and River yoga studio across the street and saw the future.

A future that is arriving this spring, as the Newberry renovation nears completion. A future that will feature an expanded Roots and River duplex space complete with studios to accommodate massage therapists, talk therapists, reiki practitioners, plus a vintage luxury home goods and design store, a tattoo parlor, and an office for a software development company.

And if you’re looking for a bite to eat, they’ve got you covered there, too. Among the Newberry storefront tenants will be Whistle Punk Farm Deli, a classic deli and artisan market inspired by the wildly popular food truck run by chef and local farmer Alexis Holland.

Old Spots and Juggernauts

“I grew up in Urbana,” Holland says. “I knew how fun it was (living) in the country and having lots of safe places to romp and explore, and I wanted that for my kids.”

So, in 2012 she and her husband bought a 12acre property in Keedysville, named it (after much deliberation) Whistle Punk Farm, and launched into farming right away.

“We started with chickens, the ‘gateway drug’ for farming,” she laughs. “Once you have chickens you start to think, ‘What else could I raise?’”

Goats, she says, were escape artists, and the untraditional meat cuts from the heritage hogs they settled on, Gloucestershire Old Spots, seemed a bit daunting to potential customers at farmer’s markets – until Holland got licensed and started giving cooking demonstrations.

“Sales skyrocketed,” she recalls. “And I decided I really loved preparing food for others.” So, Holland revisited her earlier career in the food industry, starting with a tiny trailer and graduating to a farmto-fork food truck operation after fixing up and fitting out a box truck she bought on Facebook. Facebook is where she found Lee and Lindland a few years later, after the Whistle Punk Farm food truck had grown into a mobile restaurant juggernaut, traveling Frederick, Carroll and Washington counties and serving up sliders, sandwiches, salads, stews, and even crab cakes at breweries, wineries, farms, private events and business venues. Holland had been dreaming of adding a commissary to the Whistle Punk stable for years, and when she saw that the Renovating the Newberry project was looking for tenants she leapt.

“I randomly saw this Facebook post on the Renovating the Newberry page, which I had been following for about a year,” she says. “I love when people rehab old buildings, old farms, and old barns. It makes my heart smile.”

The post she saw was a call for potential businesses to come into the Newberry, and the rest is, or will be, history.

“I walked into Suite 103 and my heart stopped, and my jaw dropped,” Holland recalls. “I thought, ‘This is home. This is where we have to be.’”

Lifelong Dream

The Whistle Punk Farm deli space at the Newberry is already taking a clearly defined shape, with cases in place and stunning pendant lights dipping down from high ceilings. Like all the other Newberry tenants, Holland has added her own design and contributed considerable sweat equity to bring the vision to life.

On the second floor, where vaulted ceilings expose the building’s original wooden beams, Integrum Ops has installed blue walls marking out offices and workspaces, and C&O Tattoo, whose proprietor Amy Lefebvre designed the Roots and River logo, has brought in a moody dark wood ceiling and wall theme for its bespoke decor. Lisa Tumbarello, a designer, has carefully planned out her first-floor retail space, where she’ll soon open Potomac River Interiors.

“It’s been my lifelong dream to open a store,” she says. “I remember when I was 16, writing up shop plans (in school) instead of paying attention to science.”

Tumbarello is also a certified yoga teacher, and she started taking classes at Roots and River when she moved to nearby Sharpsburg in 2017.

“It was about two years ago, after class, Machelle mentioned, ‘Oh, we bought that building across the street — we’re going to fix it up,’” she remembers. “And I knew, in that moment, that I was going to be a part of it.”

For Tumbarello, the stars were aligning: her son would be heading to kindergarten, and the postpandemic pop-up markets she’d been selling at no longer seemed the right solution for her interior design services and her burgeoning business selling “vintage home goods, a lot of art; vessels, vases, pottery, ceramics, brass, lighting, things like that.”

Anything in the store that isn’t vintage, she says, is carefully curated wholesale merchandise from American brands, usually small, female-owned businesses.

“And then there are the artisans,” she adds. “I have relationships with a local jeweler from Alexandria, a potter from Boonsboro, one from Pennsylvania. I’m giving these ladies another platform for their work to be seen.”

And Tumbarello feels seen, too, as she spreads her wings and follows her Potomac River Interiors dream.

“I’m so excited,” she says. “I grew up around Main Street culture in Ellicott City, with its very vibrant downtown. My husband used to ride on his bike to get penny candy as a kid, and I always loved window shopping.”

At this point Tumbarello pauses, choked up by emotion.

“I’m happy to be a little part of this town getting back on its feet,” she says. “And I hope that what I bring into the community will resonate with people.”

Something is already resonating with people in Brunswick, if the construction downtown is any

indicator. The old National Bank building is being renovated, and the Residences at Railroad Square, the 45-unit income-restricted workforce housing development is going up near the river and the railroad tracks. But the Newberry is special. Not a Hallmark movie, exactly, but a labor of love.

Throughout their relationship Lindland and Lee have been renovating their homes, and now Renovating the Newberry is the culmination of their experience, with the help of family, friends and future tenants, plus neighbors and town officials. Even strangers have offered support, following along on social media and sending words of admiration and encouragement.

“Even though it’s not us that’s driving what’s happening downtown, and there are other things at play,” says Lee, “Eric and I did come in and say, ‘We see what could happen here, and we’re going to start helping it happen.’”

“We’re bullish on Brunswick,” says Lindland, and Lee agrees.

“That’s kind of been our motto,” she says. “Anyone who knows us in town will say, ‘Oh, yeah! Eric and Machelle – they’re bullish on Brunswick.”

Follow along:

Renovating the Newberry on Facebook F facebook.com/renovatingthenewberry

Whistle Punk Farm Deli on Facebook F facebook.com/WhistlePunkFoodTruck

C&O Tattoo on Instagram d @fiasco81

Roots & River Yoga rootsandriveryoga.com

Integrum Ops integrumops.com

Potomac River Interiors potomacriverinteriors.com

Photos by Susan O'Connor

It was a happy day in Frederick a few months ago when Tiara Day celebrated its grand reopening on Market Street, about a block or so down the street from its former home.

“The place where girlfriends shop” rose from the ashes, literally, and did it in style.

Back in August 2022, the three-story building where Tiara Day was located for 13 years erupted in flames and water and fire damage to the upstairs apartments flowed down to the shops located below.

One of the businesses was The Record Exchange , Frederick’s celebrated music shop. (We told you all about that store’s triumphant return to slinging records further north on Market Street in our last issue.)

The second business was, of course, Tiara Day, a vintage and antiques boutique owned by Maria Peck, with merchandise like no other place in Frederick. As suggested by its website definition, Tiara Day is “a celebration of the princess, queen, goddess,

the place where

or feminine spirit within,” where customers go to take time “to embellish, pamper and empower” themselves and their friends.

The new Tiara Day opened at its new permanent location last July, and Peck held a grand celebration in November to show off the new space. Though she lost about 75% of her merchandise in the fire, Peck rebuilt and reimagined her store.

And we’re all the better for it!

Welcome back, Tiara Day! We’re so happy to be able to shop in your unique boutique once again. Because every day in Frederick truly is a Tiara Day.

Tiara Day

141 N. Market St., Frederick tiaraday.com

F facebook.com/TiaraDayBoutique d @tiaradayboutique

girlfriends shop

Photos by Susan O'Connor

The City of Frederick

PARKS AND RECREATION

DEPARTMENT

The City of Frederick Parks and Recreation Department has provided citizens in the area with quality and affordable programs for over 80 years. Year-round activities include sports, fitness, and leisure for all ages, challenging and educational children’s activities, the William Talley Fitness Center, and an abundance of unique programming

121 N. Bentz Street, Frederick

www.playfrederick.com

• 301-600-1492/1450

FREDERICK (TJ) OFFICE

87 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 101, Frederick, MD 21702

HOURS: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm Saturday, 9am–noon (by appointment only)

PHONE: 301-694-0606

TEXT MESSAGES ARE PREFERRED TO: 301-205-5112

BALLENGER CREEK OFFICE

6550 Mercantile Drive, Suite 106, Frederick, MD 21703

HOURS: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm

PHONE: 301-668-6347

MOUNT AIRY OFFICE

1311 South Main Street, Suite 304, Mount Airy, MD 21771

HOURS: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm

PHONE: 301-829-6146

URBANA OFFICE

3500 Campus Drive, Suite 101, Urbana, MD 21704

HOURS: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm

PHONE: 301-874-6107

www.FrederickPeds.com

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

That quote, attributed to Aesop, adorns the merch of Frederick’s newest brewery, RAK Brewing Co., located on Sagner Avenue next to mainstay Attaboy Beer and across the creek from Idiom Brewing Co. and Steinhardt Brewing.

Photos by Molly Fellin Spence

RAK is in good company, and knows it, leaning hard on the positive community spirit that emanates throughout Frederick, especially in its gaggle of breweries and distilleries downtown.

But let’s get back to kindness. That’s the main part of this brewery’s new name (as in, Random Acts of …). And it’s difficult not to feel the positive vibes emanating throughout the space when you enter.

This place is a stunner, from its long banquette leather seats to its innovative lighting, it feels like your swanky best friend’s living room, where you can cozy up for a great chat and a tasty beverage.

Speaking of tasty beverages, RAK’s got more than a few on the menu.

They call Kindness Kills their “all-day NEIPA” and we can agree that it’s easy drinking, slightly hoppy and citrusy, and delicious.

We’ve also been enjoying their sour smoothies, like Health Kick , which has distinct berry, lemon and pear flavors and barely feels like you’re drinking a beer.

You’ll find IPAs, stouts, pilsners, red or brown ales, and even hard seltzers on RAK’s rotating menu.

Stop in to try a pour and experience the posivibes of Frederick’s newest brewery, which subscribes to the mantra, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

RAK Brewing

400 Sagner Ave., Frederick rakbrewing.com

F facebook.com/RAKBrewingCo d @rakbrewingco

Photo by Molly Felln Spence

Rustic Elegance & Historic Charm

Perched atop one of the highest ridgelines in Gettysburg, framed by historic wood and stone architecture and stunning views of historic Gettysburg battlefields and Hunter Lake, The Lodges at Gettysburg is a destination unlike any other in the area.

It’s peaceful here with a timeless tranquility and rustic elegance that settle you into a relaxed state of mind. Beautifully maintained grounds and lodging are surrounded by 63 acres of rolling Gettysburg countryside, the perfect backdrop for family vacations, outside-the-box meetings and romantic weddings with a dash of historic charm.

685

www.thelodgesatgettysburg.com

ADog’sDay Around

Isay this at the tail end of everywinter,butthiswinter wasadoozy. Full disclosure, the average temperature could be a balmy70degreeaveragethroughoutthe darkwintermonthsandyou’dstillcatchme sayingthis.Ifoundmyselfatthetailendof Februarytiredofthelackofsunlightand readyforavacation.Infact,Ihadgotten thismantrasodeeplyingrainedinmyhead thatIbegantointerpretmydog’ssideeye glances at me as confirmation: he, too, wasoverwinter,andneedsavacation. Fortunately,adrasticplaneticketpurchase toBaliwasn’tnecessary.Instead,wetook araredayofftoexploreallofhisfavorite placesaroundFrederick..

By Chelsea Mongeau and ChesterFrederick

Inset photo by Gabby Mongeau

First Stop: Gambrill State Park

What better way to kick off a vacation day than with a hike? Chester is an older pup, so I wanted to find a park where we could take a short walk without wearing out his hips. Gambrill State Park boasts a number of beautiful, dogfriendly moderate hikes, including the three-mile Black Locust Trail loop that Chester would have loved in his younger days. Chester and I parked by the High Knob Nature Center and we visited the Middletown Overlook. Once we had our fill of fresh air, we set off for our favorite coffee shop in Frederick to see good friends and get coffee.

Gambrill State Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset April through October. Day-use admission is $3 per vehicle for Maryland residents and $5 per vehicle for non-residents.

Dublin Roasters

1780 N. Market St., Frederick dublinroasterscoffee.com

Chester and I walk in and we’re immediately greeted by our friend, Sandy, working at the register. Before I put in my order, she’s already got a cup of whipped cream topped with a dog treat ready for Chester (it’s clear why Dublin Roasters is Chester’s favorite spot – he’s a celebrity who is given the red carpet treatment every time I bring him in).

Sandy and I talk about dogs and fawn over how well-behaved Chester is when we see the owner of Dublin Roasters, Serina Roy, come by to say hello. No matter how long it has been since I’ve visited, all of the people at Dublin Roasters make this place special.

Dublin Roasters is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Luv Pup

119 E. Patrick St., luvpupdesigns.comFrederick

Our next stop is Luv Pup, a small business known for its assortment of tie-dyed shirts, dog treats, and dog toys. Anyone who visits Luv Pup will immediately be greeted by Brownie the shop dog, a Treeing Tennessee Brindle who has the most calm and gentle demeanor. A few years ago, I visited Luv Pup with Chester and the two became instant friends. Though both dogs are now a little older with a bit more gray around the eyes, they played together like it was only yesterday they met for the first time!

Luv Pup’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m., on Sundays.

The Trail House

17 S. Market St., Frederick trailhouse.com

Chester has been my camping companion all around Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, and I’d like to add a few more states to that list this summer. The Trail House, located on South Market Street in Downtown Frederick, is my go-to camping and hiking equipment store. As an added bonus, their shop dog, Boss, is an incredibly sweet boy.

Trail House’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays and noon to 5pm on Sundays.

Six Wicket Vineyards

10819 Church Hill Road, Myersville

sixwicketvineyards.com

For the last leg of our trip, Chester’s aunt Gabrielle joins us for a trek out to Myersville to visit Six Wicket Vineyards for a wine tasting. Six Wicket graciously allowed us to bring Chester for our wine tour, available by appointment. We are greeted by co-owner Edward O’Laughlin, and he immediately offers to give us a guided tour of the sweeping vineyard grounds. Even on a dull gray March afternoon, the mountain vista is breathtaking. Edward and his wife, Kathy, began their foray into winemaking after his retirement. Just seven years after its inception, Six Wicket already boasts more than 20,000 vines on 15

acres. Edward notes that pruning is perhaps the most important part of the process of winemaking. Each vine must be painstakingly hand-pruned to optimize the amount and quality of grapes harvested that season. After our tour of the vineyard, we venture inside Six Wicket for a wine tasting. As we listen to Edward explain everything from the chemistry of the winemaking process to how casks affect flavor development, Chester takes a nap. After our tasting is over, Edward invites us to return this summer for wine and a game of croquet — the inspiration for the winery’s name.

isotckphoto.com/

Inset photos by Gabby Mongeau

FREDERICK FAVES

BRUNSWICK

brunswickmainstreet.org

Nestled along the Potomac River, Brunswick, Maryland offers a haven for outdoor adventurers! Enjoy scenic water activities like canoeing or kayaking at sunset. With its hiking and biking trails, fishing spots, and camping sites, Brunswick has everything for nature enthusiasts!

CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN PARK

14707 Park Central Rd, Thurmont 301-663-9388

Catoctin Mountain Park

Catoctin Mountain Park, situated in Maryland and home to the Presidential Retreat Camp David, is a picturesque wilderness area renowned for its diverse ecosystems, historic sites, and panoramic vistas, inviting adventurers to explore its rugged beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Top and inset photos courtesy of Town of Brunswick

Bottom and inset photos courtesy of Catoctin Mountain Park

CUNNINGHAM

FALLS

14274 William Houck Dr, Thurmont 301- 271-7574

Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls State Park, nestled in the scenic Catoctin Mountains of Maryland, boasts stunning waterfalls (Highest cascading waterfall in the state of Maryland), serene hiking trails, and abundant wildlife, offering visitors a tranquil escape into nature's embrace.

FREDERICK ARTS COUNCIL

5 E 2nd St, Frederick 301-662-4190

frederickartscouncil.org/programs/communityart-center/

Discover the Frederick Art Council's Creative Lab, a haven for artistic exploration! Ascend to the third floor of the FAC building to find a spacious studio, complete with cozy armchairs, drawing tables, and easels. Dive into their library of artist books, editions, and monographs for added inspiration. It's free and open during FAC business hours.

Top right photo courtesy of Catoctin Falls

Bottom right courtesy of Frederick Arts Council

FREDERICK FAVES

LILYPONS WATER GARDENS

6800 Lily Pons Road, Adamstown 301.874.5133

lilypons.com

The source for water gardening, since 1917! In addition to offering waterlilies, koi and accessories to create a water garden, we are a natural oasis with an abundance of birds and fauna for you to enjoy! Open, 9 to 5 Tuesday to Friday, closed July 4

OLE MINK FARM

12806 Mink Farm Rd, Thurmont 301-271-7012

www.oleminkfarm.com

Ole Mink Farm Recreation Resort is located in the Catoctin Mountains and offers Luxury Log Cabins with the comforts of home, tucked in a beautiful mountain setting. For outdoor enthusiasts, Log Cabinettes and Seasonal Campsites are available. The Irons family invites you to “make lasting memories, one campfire at a time.”

General: www.oleminkfarm.com

Accommodations: www.oleminkfarm. com/1_bedroom_luxury_log_cabin

Log Cabinettes: www.oleminkfarm.com/ pet_friendly_cabinettes

Seasonal Campsites: www.oleminkfarm.com/ seasonal_campsites

Activities: www.oleminkfarm.com/events

Top right photo courtesy of Lilypons inset courtesy of Ole Mink Farm

ORCHID CELLAR MEADERY AND WINERY

8546 Pete Wiles Rd. Middletown 301.473.3568

orchidcellar.com

At Orchid Cellar, Maryland’s first meadery, enjoy sweeping views of our vineyard and the area’s rolling hills from our log cabin tasting room. Handcrafted in the cabin’s cellar, our wide variety of modern sparkling and traditional Polish meads, as well as our small-batch wines, ensures there’s something for everyone.

THURMONT TROLLEY TRAIL

Thurmont Trolley Trail, Thurmont (410) 908-1789

Thurmont Parks and Rec

The Thurmont Trolley Trail is a 2.0 mile trail installed over the former trolley tracks that serviced Thurmont in the 1900’s. The existing trail begins at the historical trolley car and promotes a glimpse at Thurmont’s historical transportation services. Today, the trail is heavily used by residents and visitors for hiking, jogging, biking, and enjoying nature.

Top right photo courtesy of Orchid Cellar Meadery and Winery; bottom right and inset courtesy of Thurmont Trolley Trail

OVER theEDGEWELCOME TO

PLANET WORD

Words and photos by Molly Fellin Spence

ALOHA. KONNICHIWA! GUTEN TAG. ¡HOLA!

As they say on their website, however you say “hello,” Planet Word welcomes you.

Visitors to the “immersive language experience” museum in Washington, D.C. will delight in three floors of voice-activated fun, with exhibits, galleries and unexpected spaces that highlight what language means to all of us.

The museum, which opened in October 2020 in the historic Franklin School building on the corner of 13th and K streets, is an easy day trip from Frederick, and worth a visit (or two or more).

Though some same-day entrance tickets are available, it’s highly recommended to reserve your spot online in advance. When you arrive, just before you enter the museum on K Street you’re greeted by the Speaking Willow Tree. It’s the creation of artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, a Mexican-Canadian electronic artist who works with ideas from architecture, technological theater and performance. The metal sculpture takes the form of a willow tree, but instead of leaves it’s covered in speakers which murmur messages in hundreds of languages as you pass below the branches.

Like the Speaking Willow Tree, much of the rest of the museum is voice-activated and interactive, bringing words and language to life in imaginative and fun ways.

Your tour is self-guided, and the suggestion is to start at the top (third) floor, and wind your way through the exhibits floor by floor until you arrive back in the lobby where you started, at the wellstocked gift shop.

Nearly every space in this unique museum is covered in surprises – even the elevators! As the doors open to take you upstairs, you’ll see the interior walls are covered with recognizable book covers, arranged on what looks like real-life bookshelves. We had fun naming all the favorites we recognized on our short ride upstairs.

Stepping off the elevator, you’ll see the first exhibit, “First Words,” which explores how we first interact with language, as babies:

“At birth, we are able to distinguish over 100 sounds, but soon hear only those in our native language.”

Next you’ll step into a large room with a giant globe in the center surrounded by many small screens mounted on stands. Walk up to one and encounter

“The Spoken World,” experiencing the wide diversity of languages spoken throughout the world. A friendly face cheerfully walks you through how to speak simple phrases in his or her native tongue. We tried out Hawaiian as well as Gaelic (spoken in Ireland) and Wolof (spoken in Senegal), as well as American Sign Language.

Each screen has several people installed, ready to walk you through several different languages. It would have been easy to spend hours listening to and practicing them all.

The museum’s expertly bold use of technology makes all the learning so incredibly fun!

Next, check out the museum’s 22-foot-tall wall of words in the “Where Do Words Come From?” exhibit. Large, block letters cover nearly an entire wall in the room, floor to ceiling. Staring at all the letters, it’s difficult to make sense of it, until strategically choreographed lighting and narration begin, telling you the story of where commonly used words got their origins. It’s something you need to experience in person to truly appreciate.

Heading to the middle floor, you’ll find even more interactive exhibits, inviting you to explore a gallery of humor, unlock music karaoke-style, and even paint with words! But the standout exhibit on this level is “The Library,” which seems like a standard library space, with books on shelves as well as desks and chairs at which to read them. But just wait until you open one of them and set them down! Like magic, the books come to life, in full color, whisking you through highlights of each tale like you’ve never seen before.

When you visit this space, see if you can find the hidden poetry nook. Trust me, it’s worth the search (and surprise) once you find it.

Before you head down to the bottom floor, take a turn in the museum’s (free) photo booth, which takes your picture, with a wordy (nerdy?) twist.

End your visit with an exploration of “I’m Sold,” an exhibit that helps you to understand how advertisers use words to get your attention and use turns of phrase to make their products stand out in the crowd. Then, share how words have

impacted your own life in “Words Matter,” a fully equipped recording booth that asks you to listen to others’ words and share your own.

If you’re hungry during your visit, Immigrant Food+, on the lower level, can satisfy your hunger with brunch, lunch and dinner options. Casual immigrant-inspired fare is offered during museum hours for brunch and lunch, while a higher-end dinner experience is on tap in the evening, with global cocktails, an eclectic wine list, and a menu created by chef Enrique Limardo.

All this, and I didn’t even mention the museum’s special attraction, “Lexicon Lane,” a wordsleuthing adventure similar to an escape room experience. Your team of up to four people is invited to select a puzzle case and search for clues to decipher riddles in 60 minutes or less. This experience costs $30 per team and must be reserved in advance.

Planet Word also hosts special events, such as author talks and book signings. And on the first Wednesday of each month they host an after-

hours hump-day wordplay. All three floors of the museum stay open late, and visitors can enjoy late-night exploration and indulge in retail therapy at the Present Perfect gift shop.

Though entrance to Planet Word is technically free, the museum is a private, non-government space, supported primarily by the generosity of donors. So a donation of $15 per person is suggested when you reserve your tickets. No matter when you visit, Planet Word is dedicated to giving you a museum experience that is: FUN. PLAYFUL. UNEXPECTED. MOTIVATIONAL. MEANINGFUL. and INCLUSIVE.

Photographs that tell your stories

One of the best things that the Frederick community does is give back. And that giving spirit is highlighted at the Frederick Community Fridge , a free source of fresh produce, everyday pantry essentials, toiletries and other necessities.

The Frederick Community Fridge offers free food and resources to anyone who needs them, no questions asked.

Need some food? Head over and grab what you need.

Have extra? Drop it off so others can benefit.

Set up in the alley to the left of The Frederick Center’s building at 322 W. Patrick St., in Downtown Frederick, the Fridge and its pantry shelves are outside and can be accessed at any time. The Frederick Center , whose mission is to support and advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people and their families living in and around Frederick, covers the electrical costs for maintaining the refrigerator and promotes the Fridge around town.

The donation site was moved in 2022 to its current home from its original location next to Glory Doughnuts and Diner, after that shop shuttered. The Frederick Center’s volunteers and dedicated community members have kept the important resource going, despite that setback.

Photos by Molly Fellin Spence

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

While the Fridge’s keepers are quick to say they appreciate any and all donations, there are some parameters.

What is accepted? Fresh fruits and veggies and bread, packaged and labeled shelf-stable food, water, juice or soda.

What cannot be donated? Meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, alcoholic beverages, or homemade items.

Donations from local businesses and caring community members keep the Fridge going.

According to the Fridge’s Facebook page, on average this year, as of mid-March, the group has been able to stock the fridge twice a week for a cost of $150, not including items dropped off by community members.

How can you help? Drop off food or supplies (following the guidelines above) or send funds via Venmo (@FREDERICK-COMMUNITYFRIDGE) or CashApp ($FREDCOMMUNITYFRIDGE).

Frederick Community Fridge

322 W. Patrick St., Frederick https://linktr.ee/frederickcommunityfridge F facebook.com/ frederickcommunityfridge d @frederickcommunityfridge

Photos by Molly Fellin Spence

MARYLAND GOLF at its finest