We’ll always have Wilmington

So there I was, at my desk at work, drowning in burnout, when I get an email from my good friend whom I met in grad school. She wanted to know if I wanted to take a trip to Wilmington, Delaware to see a one-man play both written and performed by the TheBlackTraveler’s very own Travel Contributor, Cornelius “Life” Jones. I swear, somewhere in the background I heard hymnal music. It took me a record 3 seconds to plan my route of escape before I clicked “reply” and told her that I definitely would be able to make it. I know a lifeline when I see it.
Now, I don’t see my friend often enough, especially since she moved to the New York City area this past spring, and it would be wonderful to hook up again to catch up. I took 95 up, she took Amtrak south, and we met at Sheraton Suites, our hotel for the night, in downtown Wilmington.

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A Book Addicts Fix

It is said that the first step of seeking help for an addiction is admitting that you have a problem. Here’s mine. I admit I have an addiction with books. Reading, collecting, spending precious free time anywhere books are found, I am guilty. And I love it. If you are like me, though, you can’t see paying your hard earned gas money on a book you could get for free, am I right? And by free, I mean yours to keep–not having to return it to the library a few weeks later (and incur $3.25 in overdue fees in the process). Here’s my go-to spot for such gems: The Book Thing of Baltimore. This place is a haven for people like me. Shelves and shelves filled with all types of books, on any topic: fiction, non-fiction, magazines, children’s books, and even encyclopedias. Romance your thing? Got it. Traveling to Istanbul? Look no further. Want the newest best-seller? It’s there. All they ask is to sign a roster with what you’ve taken and to be greedy. Seriously. They also accept donations, so you can get rid of the books that have been cluttering your life for years. I always find something to add to my overflowing bookcases. I guess there are worse things to be addicted to.
The Book Thing of Baltimore, Inc.
3001 Vineyard Lane
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 622-5631
Open Sat-Sun, 12pm – 6pm

Arts Festival in my Backyard

It’s Artscape weekend!!  The largest free arts festival in the country is literally in my backyard (and around the corner and up the street), and I had my apartment to clean.  What would you have done?  Exactly.  My dishes can wait. 

 I walked to the festival and found myself immersed in Baltimore’s arts culture.  Thousands of people of all ages and colors strolled through wide streets as if some tropical market.  At Artscape, hundreds of vendors from various places sell all types of wares, from jewelry, original t-shirts and paintings, to clocks made out of Cuban cigar boxes and magnificent, colorful (amazingly unharmed) framed insects, ready to mount on a wall.   Performances both stage and musical are feasts for the eyes, and are free to enjoy.  Even though it was exhilarating to be among all the people and the arts, I came specifically for Baltimore’s own Mario/Dru Hill free concert.  I got to the old Mt. Royal Station just in time to hear Mario sing his hits off of his most current album.  I parked myself on the side of a very steep hill among throngs of people and let my inner teenager come through.  I sang along to song after song bopping to the beat.  About an hour after Mario left the stage, Dru Hill commanded the attention of hundreds in the audience.  They belted out their classic songs to their Baltimore hometown family.  I left right when they were wrapping up and walked the few blocks back to my messy place.  That’s the joy about living in the heart of B’more: everything out of the ordinary is a few steps or a short drive away.  If that means another day of dirty dishes in my sink, so be it.

Artscape is usually the second to last week in July. Learn more at www.artscape.org