Andy Nelson's Barbeque

It just isn't summer until you have had that perfect BBQ sandwich. Whether you prefer the pork, turkey or beef, you can't go wrong with Andy Nelson's.

The side dishes are as good as the sandwiches. The baked beans are delicious but spicy so watch out. The cornbread is a nice sweet way to end a spicy meal and the potato wedges are good too. Don't miss the wide variety of sauces (the yellow one is my favorite) that you can put on your sandwich or buy a whole bottle of.

Andy Nelson is a hometown hero who played for the Baltimore Colts from 1957-1963. For football fans there is some neat memorabilia hanging on the walls. After retiring from football, Andy and his wife started this popular BBQ spot in Cockeysville that has expanded recently to include outside seating.

The also offer catering and family size side dishes if you want to enjoy the food elsewhere.

Summer Snowball

Nothing says summer in Baltimore like a stop to your favorite snowball stand. Our favorite is without a doubt Snoasis. Their location on Padonia Rd is easy to get to (they are apparently no longer located on Falls Rd).

The typical snowball stand has about a dozen flavors and thickly chopped ice. While when it it 90 degrees outside just about any snowball will do it is worth the trip to Timonium to get the best in town. They have about 50 flavors ranging from strawberry colada (my current favorite) to white russian and everything in between. They have traditional flavors but I highly recommend the premium flavors which are what set this stand apart from the rest. Make sure you don't forget the marshmallow when you order, that is what makes it a real Baltimore snowball! They also feature freshly squeezed lemonade and ice cream if you are not in the mood for a snowball.

While snowballs from any roadside stand are a Baltimore tradition, snoasis is the one that we have found that really seems to do it just right. They even have picnic tables with tikki style umbrellas to keep the sun off of you snowball as you are eating.

Down The Ocean, Hon!

For many Baltimoreans Memorial Day weekend is unofficial start to summer and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to the Ocean. The Ocean we are talking about here is Ocean City, Hon!

We have been going to Ocean City, Maryland since we were born. Like many Baltimore families, both of our Grandparents had condos at the beach so this was our annual family vacation. As we got older our parents started taking us on vacations to the Outer Banks, Caribbean and Europe but once a summer we would still take a trip down to Ocean City. Although you can't quite compare Ocean City to some of the world's best beaches that we have travelled to (Saint Tropez, Trunk Bay on St. John, Shoal Bay East in Anguilla, Santorini and the list goes on) but there is something special about Coastal Highway and those 146 streets filled with high rise condos that holds a special place in our hearts!

Emmy and I at our table in the bay!

We have to give credit to Laura, Laura and Alissa for saving this table all day long!

The scene at Seacrets Sunday of Memorial Day!

There are many classic Ocean City activities to do while at the beach, we selected just a few to highlight on this blog. For our family a trip to the beach would not be complete without a visit to Dumser's Dairyland. This old-fashion style ice cream parlor has been serving it's loyal customers since 1939. The tin ceilings, high back booth's and ice cream counter service compliment the delicious ice cream!

Grandmom enjoying her rootbeer float!

If you are looking for a party look no further than 49th Street and the Bay. Seacret's is definitely a place to visit at least once. I think I have about had my fill of the party on the bay, but I am glad I experienced it! In order to get one of the floating rafts or water tables you better get to Seacret's early- by about 11am. The crowd will come in throughout the day and by mid afternoon the bikini contests and DJ's will be in full swing. Hundreds of partiers gather along the bay with drinks such as the "Pain in the Ass" (a mix of frozen margarita and strawberry daiquiri) in hand. Seacret's is the perfect place to watch the big orange sun slowly drift into the bay, but be mistaken, the party at Seacrets does not stop when the sun goes down. With dozens of separate party rooms, stages and dance floors you really will feel like you are in a whole different world.

A trip to the beach would not be complete without at least one visit to Fisher's popcorn. Long before you get to this boardwalk staple you will smell the sweet buttery aroma of their famous popcorn. I usually make a stop to Fishers on my way home- the carmel goodness of this popcorn makes leaving the beach a little bit easier to handle. Another driving home staple- Dolle's saltwater taffy! Some may prefer Candy Kitchen, but to me Dolle's makes the best taffy in Ocean City. Since 1910 Dolle's has been making its salt water taffy on premise. You can find Dolle's both on the boardwalk and on 120th street.

There are a few other OC classic's that we will get to on our next trip to Ocean City, June 18th!

Lacrosse Town

Baltimore is certainly known for Lacrosse and this wekkend our hometown featured the best the country has to offer. M&T Bank stadium in downtown Baltimore hosted the NCAA lacrosse tournament this weekend. Fans turned out to see the Division I semi-finals on Saturday with a double header featuring Duke versus Virginia and Notre Dame versus Cornell. Sunday Featured the Division II finals with C.W. Post winning over Le Moyne and Tufts beating out the local team, Salisbury for the Division III championship.

Monday's game was the big one however. Duke edged out Notre Dame in sudden death overtime to win 6-5.

The whole weekend had the downtown area packed with fans from all over the country trying to stay cool on the summer like Memorial Day weekend.

The championships will be in town again next year, even if you are not a lacrosse fan it is well worth the trip downtown to see the action.

Baltimore Bomb

Last Thursday night we had the nicest evening in Bawlmer. Our plan was to run from Tide Point to Fells Point then hop on the Harbor Connector (similar to the water taxi but a free version for city commuters) back to Tide Point for a picnic on the pier. When we got over to Fells Point we had missed the last Harbor Connector, which we now knows leaves at 6:55 on the dot!

The water taxi that we missed!

Tide Point Pier


Enjoying our picnic

This meant a longer run than we had expected but also meant that with the extra calories burned we could splurge on Baltimore Bomb Pie from Dangerously Delicious Pies! Once we got back to Tide Point we had great picnic with the sun setting over the harbor. Tide Point, home of Baltimore's own Under Armour, is a beautiful place for a picnic any time of day. They even have several groups of Adirondack chairs which make picnicing even more fun.

A gorgeous Bawlmer sunset.

After the sun set Michelle and I headed into Federal Hill for our first ever Baltimore Bomb Pie. This decedent pie is made from Baltimore's favorite cookie, the Berger cookie, which is melted down swirled into sweet vanilla chess filling. The Baltimore Bomb has quickly become Dangerously Delicious Pie's number one selling variety. Dangerously Delicious served both sweet and savory pies and although the steep price tag, $6 a slice, is worth every penny. Be sure to catch Dangerously Delicious owner, Rodney Henry on the June 16th episode of Food Network's Throw Down with Bobby Flay. Bobby will be challenging Rodney to a quiche-throw down with his famous Cowboy Quiche.

Preakness

The third Saturday in May is a big day in Baltimore. Some of us get out our best dresses and biggest hats, others get sunscreen and clothes that can get muddy and we head to Pimlico for the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown: the 135th running of the Preakness.

Preakness has been raced in Baltimore since 1873. And it has been run at Pimlico consistently since 1909. While the popularity of horse racing has waned somewhat in the area in recent years, the Preakness is still a highlight of spring for many of us.

This year featured 12 contenders including the Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. A close race ended with one of the other favorites, Looking At Lucky, crossing the finish line first.

The weather cooperated with sun and perfect temperatures. The ever changing scene at the infield featured bands OAR and the Zac Brown Band which brought a bigger crowd than last year. Although you still are not able to bring your own beer (this tradition was ended with much regret last year) they did offer a "mug club" for $20 all you can drink. The long lines did not deter the infield crowds from "getting their Preak on."

Black-Eyed Susan Day

Everyone knows about the Preakness but how many of you have experienced the day before the big day? Every year, the Friday before Preakness is a big drawl at Pimlico race track. This is the day to shine for the girl horses. The Black-Eyed Susan is like the Preakness but for three year old fillies.

It is a great chance to see Pimlico the way it is without 95,000 people cramed into every possible seat. This year the day was a fund-raiser for the Susan G Komen for the Cure foundation and featured 86 breast cancer survivors in the winners circle after the big race.

Next year, beat the crowd and head out to Preakness a day early for a great experience that will show you what the races are like every other day of the year.