Small Town: Rising Sun (Part 1)

Date of Visit: July 18, 2021
Weather: Sunny then cloudy, with temps in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s
Music: Rick Steves’ Travel Podcast

The town of Rising Sun, MD is in Cecil County, in the northeastern corner of the state, less than 20 miles away from both Delaware and Pennsylvania: about 17 miles away from the University of Delaware, and less than 4 miles from Pennsylvania. The town was settled in 1720, originally as part of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and much of the land, called the Nottingham Lots, was given to the Quaker friends of William Penn in 1702, to the consternation of the Calvert Family [1] (no less than five of whom were the colonial governors of Maryland [2]), members of the Catholic majority in the colony of Maryland. The land dispute over these lots, and where they fell within the borders of Pennsylvania and Maryland, continued until the 1760’s when Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon drew the boundary that separated them once and for all. [3]

Getting to Rising Sun, you can take I-95 North (be prepared for a toll going North, but none going South) and get off on exit 93, or you can make your GPS work for it, and take the back roads until you get to Route 1, then onto Route 273 after you cross over the Susquehanna River on the imposing Conowingo Dam. From where I came from, I took the back-roads, enjoying the lush greenery of the undeveloped woods. There were produce stands every few miles, selling eggs and vegetables from backyard plots on the honor system, gorgeously appointed large homes, and lots of farms. The two-lane road gradually brings you into neighborhoods, and before you know it, you see a sign welcoming you to Rising Sun. Soon enough, you will hit the four-way traffic light, and be smack in the middle of the action, such as it is. I do not say that with any derision whatsoever, please be aware. Rising Sun is lovely, it is small, and it is quiet (quiet enough that at noon, I could hear various church bells all around me tolling the hour), and further on down Route 273, you have a strip mall with chain stores and restaurants, plus a large grocery store, and several apartment developments. I don’t know if I could personally live here because I do like a little more action (a local bookstore would be a welcome addition to the town, and if I did not see one, I would love for an eagle-eyed reader to correct me), but this is a great home for many people who prefer quieter lives.

My first stop, after scoring what I understand is the rare street parking spot (there is a municipal parking lot on Queen Street adjacent to the Rising Sun Pharmacy and Gift Shop), was the Rise ‘N Grind Café. This woman-led café was established in August of 2018, and is bustling in the mornings, especially on weekends. The line was almost out the door when I arrived around 9:30 AM, but it moved quickly enough. The girls behind the counter and in the kitchen operated like an efficient machine and made sure no one waited unduly long to get their morning sugar rush or caffeine fix.

There were a lot of things on the menu I wanted to try, but I opted for a frozen chai latte, an apple cider donut, and a tomato frittata. While I was waiting, I browsed a little bit and saw the items they had on display in their small gift shop, and looked longingly at their ice cream station before I took my breakfast out on the side patio.

Everything was delicious: the frittata was piping hot and fluffy, the apple cider donut was fluffy and flavorful (and I wonder how it would be fresh out of the oven), but the stand out was the frozen chai latte. I forgot that it came in three flavors (original, apple, and pumpkin), and so just had the original. I likened it to “autumn in a cup”: it was spicy and just sweet enough, and every sip took me to my favorite season. I’m looking forward to coming back and getting their hot chai latte…maybe pumpkin spice flavored the next time, and a different pastry to go along with it. The strawberry cream cheese Danishes looked very inviting.

In addition to pastries, hot drinks, and ice cream, the café also offers two cold cases with bottled Wild Bay kombucha, bottled water, and HumanKind bottled tea, which provides 50 gallons of drinking water to those who need it the most. [4] The lunch time crowd can get wraps or sandwiches, and if you just find yourself in need of a bag of coffee beans, there are several next to the register to choose from. Why not grab a bag to go along with your pastry?

Because I was on a time limit due to a family reunion at the Calvert Grange in town, I wasn’t able to see everything I wanted to (that’s what another visit is for, right?). When I went to Rising Sun, it was on National Ice Cream Day, and so it was only natural that I sought out a local creamery to see what they had to offer. Kilby Cream was that place.

Leaving the Main Street area going west (your GPS will help, I am clueless with cardinal directions, I am sad to say), and taking Wilson Avenue which turns into Hopewell Road, you will see Kilby Cream on the left side of the road. At the end of a long gravel path, Strohmaier Lane, large rows of corn on either side of you, you will come find the creamery on your left, with ample parking and, when I was there, a food truck that offered fries! I did not get any fries because I was planning to have lunch at my family reunion, but I don’t see anything wrong with getting a pre-lunch dessert on National Ice Cream Day (or any other day, for that matter).

I left my usual chocolate/vanilla/butter pecan/strawberry comfort zone, and ordered a scoop of black raspberry ice cream in a waffle cone. In addition to ice cream, Kilby sells eggs, meat, cheese, milk, butter and even maple syrup, among other items. I admit I only took a cursory glance at their cold case since I was going to the reunion and would surely be without a refrigerator for several hours to ensure any food I bought didn’t spoil before I took it home.

I took my ice cream outside, eating quickly so it wouldn’t run down my hands, and looked at the small petting zoo in the back which was a hit with the numerous children there with their parents. There is ample seating directly in front of the store, along with picnic tables, and a few scattered seats around, giving you opportunities to sit and enjoy your ice cream with your family and look at the farm. There’s even an area to play the game corn hole if you’re so inclined. The ice cream was delicious and rich, velvety smooth and creamy. It’s another place I’m looking forward to returning to once I am back in Rising Sun, and not on a time limit. Who knows? I might even take the toll road back up this way the next time. Until then, as always, enjoy the journey!

Rise ‘N Grind Café- 8 East Main Street, Rising Sun, MD 21911
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 7 AM-3 PM, Wednesday: 7 AM-7 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8 AM-2 PM
Website: https://risengrindcafe.com/

Kilby Cream- 129 Strohmaier Lane, Rising Sun, MD 21911
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 11 AM-8 PM, Friday-Sunday: 11 AM-9 PM
Website: https://kilbycream.com/about/

[1] “Origins of Rising Sun”, The Town of Rising Sun, 2021, https://www.risingsunmd.org/department/division.php?structureid=55.

[2] “Baron Baltimore”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Baltimore.

[3] “Nottingham Lots”, The Town of Rising Sun, 2021, https://www.risingsunmd.org/department/division.php?structureid=54.

[4] “Rise ‘N Grind- Because We Care”, https://risengrindcafe.com/.

Small Town: Hampstead (Part 1)

Date of Visit: July 11, 2021
Weather: Sunny with temps in the mid-80’s and low 90’s
Music: Britney Spears, Rihanna, Orville Peck

Accessible through two-lane roads that take you on a scenic route past farms, old churches and beautiful homes before you get to the small town itself, Hampstead is a small community in Carroll County. Main Street is the main thoroughfare (not just a clever name) that cuts through town, with most of the commerce and a fair number of residences on each side of the road. It’s very quiet, and quaint, and my husband and I even contemplated buying a house on Main Street back in March 2020 right before the pandemic began.

We arrived in Hampstead for lunch a little after 2 PM, now quite hungry after our visit to Ladew Gardens. Our initial choice for lunch is closed on Sundays, and we did not get a chance to hit up any of the breweries I had found in my research, but we still found a great place, nonetheless: Illiano’s J&P Pizzeria on Main Street. Like many restaurants during these times, they have outdoor seating, and we took advantage of the shade and the breeze that cut through the heat of the day, enjoying our cold drinks and delicious food outside. For a Sunday, Hampstead was somewhat busy, and Main Street/Route 30 in front of us was bustling with other people going to their various destinations, but it was not excessively loud.

Our food took a little longer to get to us than I was used to, but that was not a problem overall, and it was more than worth the wait. We split my friend’s order of French fries (covered with mozzarella cheese and bacon), and each ordered our own burger. Mine, the Deluxe Burger (with provolone and feta cheese, tomatoes, mayo, lettuce, mushrooms, and bacon) was delicious and came with its own order of fries. We both got to-go boxes because we both got a little full on the split order of fries, and wanted to save room for ice cream at our next stop a little further down the road- JJ Hoffman’s Creamery.

The Creamery, which makes its own ice cream on the premises, has a lot of character to it, not the least because of the wall of pet photos that you see when you first come in. They have a large selection of both daily flavors old stand-bys. Some of the daily flavors include Mango, Pistachio, Raspberry, and Dutch Chocolate. My friend ordered a cup with a scoop of Black Cherry, and Butterscotch Ripple, and I treated myself to a Strawberry Cheesecake waffle cone. It was one of the most delicious ice creams I’ve ever had, and I am anxious to go back. It’s no wonder that they have been in business since 1947. They’re a true small town staple, and I’m sure they’ll be around for an even longer time to come.

Stayed tuned for my next excursion into Hampstead to explore more places in the town, as well as an excursion up to Cecil County and the town of Rising Sun. As always, enjoy the journey!

Illiano’s J&P Pizzeria- 903 S Main Street, Hampstead, MD 21074
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11 AM-10 PM, Sunday: 11 AM-9 PM
Website: https://www.illianojandp.com/

JJ Hoffman’s Creamery- 841 S Main Street, Hampstead, MD 21074
Hours: Daily: 12 PM-9PM
Website: https://www.jjhoffmanscreamery.com/

Annapolis Showcase (Part 1)

Date of Visit: July 4, 2021
Weather: Sunny, with pockets of clouds, hot but not humid, temps in the upper 70’s
Music: First Sunday Arts Festival musicians

Annapolis is one of the main tourist attractions and school field trip destinations within the state of Maryland. You would be hard-pressed to find a Maryland resident who hasn’t taken a school field trip to the State House or the Naval Academy, or a tourist who hasn’t seen the City Docks, or the tall ships on the Severn River and strolled along the old historic streets. Visiting Annapolis is almost like stepping back in time: many of the buildings, which now house sushi restaurants, Starbucks, comic shops, or even a spice store, date back to the colonial, Georgian, and Federal periods. Annapolis was founded in 1649 by Puritan settlers, and in 1695 became the colonial capital after it was moved from St. Mary’s City, and named Annapolis in honor of Princess Anne Stuart. [1]

While Annapolis’s population is too large to be considered a small town by the criteria I have set for myself on this blog (39,728 in 2019), I want to showcase it as it does still have a small town charm and vibe that attracts so many people to it, myself included. I fully embrace that I have a bias towards Annapolis in that it is one of my favorite places to visit and it will feature prominently on this blog in between posts about other small towns within the state. Not all the time, of course, but enough. I swear I am not on the tourist committee for the town (yet).

Due to the prior COVID-19 restrictions, large scale festivals and celebrations were put on hold in 2020. 2021 marks a return to some semblance of normalcy we saw pre-pandemic, and the Fourth of July holiday weekend was home to more than a few celebrations: live music, dancing in the streets, Tall Ships at the City Docks, tours of some of the historic mansions, the Fourth of July parade in both Annapolis and the bordering neighborhood of Eastport, and of course, the First Sunday Arts Festival.

The First Sunday Arts Festival takes place on the first Sunday of every month from May through November from 11 AM-5 PM. In December, it changes to the Chocolate Binge Festival, and goes from noon-5 PM. The event began in 2001 and has grown to feature over 100 local vendors/artisan stalls on Calvert and West Streets. Walking through the festival area on the sunny 4^th of July morning, I was excited to see just how many local artists had their items on display: photographers, painters, bonsai artists, jewelry makers, potters, even a fudge stall. The stalls were flanked by numerous restaurants, offering lots of food to eat, and abundant outdoor tables to eat at. Different musicians had set up in different areas, and so at any given time you might hear some rock music or splashy jazz, or anything in between as you took in the Festival.

My friend and I perused through, stopping at stalls that held our attention, and making mental notes to come back to some specific places. We stopped at a stall run by Randalia Farms, selling farm fresh honey, natural body care products, and some other products made from honey, such as soap and lip balm. My friend bought a large jar of honey, and I bought 3 lip balms (3 for $5): coconut, peppermint and mint julip, before we left the Festival area in search of some lunch.

Because COVID is still very much a thing, and despite being fully vaccinated, I wanted to get food to takeaway and eat in a less crowded area. We walked down to the City Docks, and stopped at Pip’s Dock Street Dogs, close to the Docks, as well as the Naval Academy. This place looks a little like a hole in the wall, but they have incredible food, selling burgers, cheesesteaks, and specialty hot dogs, along with different fries, and they have Jones soda on tap. We took our food down to the City Docks and ate there, enjoying the breeze off of the water. After lunch, we walked over to the edge of the City Docks to look at the boats in the marina and see the Tall Ships, which are replica sailing vessels that would have been seen in the 19^th century, one of which is called the Pride of Baltimore II, used to promote historical knowledge of the ships of this era.

Because of the heat, we walked back up the hill to get ice cream from The Red Bean, a specialty ice cream which also offers coffee and tea. I got a waffle cone with vanilla ice cream and Reese’s peanut butter and M&M mix ins, and my friend got an affogato (vanilla ice cream topped with hot espresso in a cup), which we enjoyed on a bench in front of the State House, shaded by old growth trees. Once the treats were done, we walked back to the Festival and stopped by two other stalls we had seen before: I got 3 maps from the stall for Wimsey Cove Maps and Art: a 1560 view of London, a map of the New England states, and a map from at least the 1700’s showing Maryland and Virginia, and my friend got some floursack napkins from a nearby stall for her kitchen. This done, we left the Festival, but there are more than a few places I want to come back and see on another First Sunday weekend.

All in all, Annapolis is a fun place to spend an afternoon or a day, and aside from the places highlighted in this blog post, there are numerous other places I would like to feature on the blog. I think its safe to say that Annapolis will be a recurring place on the blog, in between the posts about other small towns. As always, enjoy the journey!

Pip’s Dock Street Dogs- 118 Dock Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 11 AM-4 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 11 AM-5 PM
Website: http://www.pipsdogs.com

The Red Bean- 220 Main Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Hours: Tuesday- Saturday: 9 AM-10 PM, Sunday: 9 AM-5 PM
Website: https://www.theredbeanannapolis.com

[1] Leonard M. Adkins, An Explorer’s Guide to Maryland (The Countryman Press: Woodstock, Vermont, 2013), 257.