Category: DC

Airbnb Journey: The two-story condo in Frederick, MD

The next stop on our airbnb journey was a two-story condo in Frederick, Maryland.

I grew up in southern Maryland, so with Frederick being in the northern part of the state, it always seemed like it was SO far away. And I never really had any occasion to go there. So although it is in my home state, this home was still a part of the state I had never been to, so it felt like a new experience for me.

When this host described the two-story condo in Frederick as “serene”, it felt like exactly what we needed. It fit our price point, and though it only had one review at the time, it just felt like it a good move. I truly love quiet…and “serene” is basically “quiet 2.0”, right?? Plus it had three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, modern fixtures, a workspace…everything about it felt right.

Well…lol…

Let me start by saying, the home was exactly as described from a visual standpoint. The rooms were identical to the pictures, if not better. The community was fairly new and very picturesque. Parking and check-in were both simple. It felt like the perfect place to call home for the next month. We unpacked the car, sat down to catch our breath, and literally the moment we started chillaxing, we heard it.

It was definitely the sound of footsteps and tumbling in the unit above. The way the home was set up was that our unit had the bottom two levels, and then there was another two-story unit stacked on top of ours. So…ok, if the unit is described as serene…aka quiet 2.0…then clearly this was the sound of a visitor’s child, right??? It had to be a total anomaly. Nobody would describe their home as “serene” if there are children ripping and running upstairs….RIGHT!?!?!

Well…1am came along and the running and tumbling was still happening. 2am. 3am. WHAT. ON. EARTH.!?!?!?!?! They definitely must have some family staying with them for the weekend, RIGHT!?!?!?!

Next morning, running.

Evening, running.

Night, running.

Middle of the night, running.

OH. MY. GOD.!!!! What in the actual eff is going on!?!?!? So I sent a note to the host. The host told me that was not the norm, and assured me that he would speak to the homeowner. OK, so that’s that. RIGHT!?!

Only it wasn’t. Next night, running, tumbling, jumping….through the day, and also at night. I remember waking up at 3am and still heard it. For a quiet person with no kids, this was an absolute nightmare. We were on day 3 or our 30-day stay, and I already felt like crying! I don’t have kids and I know I’m not one for parenting advice but…this is ridiculous!!! I’ve lived in townhomes before, I’ve lived in apartments before…this was some next level ish! It felt like I was living below a gymnastics studio that doubled as a bowling alley! WHO LIVES LIKE THIS!?

Well, I’ll spare you the details. It did calm down for a day or so, but ultimately wound up being an every day and every night thing for the duration of the stay. Some days were better than others, but this was an overall theme for the stay in this home. I wound up running into the tenant who told me that their child has some issues (no apologies, no offers to do better…more like just deal with it), and while that is so incredibly unfortunate, it totally impacted my stay.

But let’s move on to the things I did like about my stay, which I tried so hard to use to offset the upstairs chaos.

The Community. The airbnb itself was in a newer suburb. It was well-manicured and well taken care of. The location was fairly convenient to the grocery stores, there wasn’t a ton of fast ridiculous traffic, and everyone that we passed on our near-daily walks was always super duper nice! We were in a really heightened climate as a nation during that time, and personally I had a lot of issues with just feeling physically and mentally safe for many reasons. But I was put at ease when we took our walks around the neighborhood. I loved that people would speak to us, offer a smile, and even maybe make a funny comment about the weather or something… instead of just maneuver as far away from us on the sidewalk as possible when they passed by. So this, I loved.

Frederick is a bedroom community of both DC and Baltimore, so while a lot of people commute to those cities to work, Frederick has culture all its own. It is located where the Catoctin Mountains meet the Piedmont Mountains, so very crisp air and gorgeous mountain views even when you’re just driving to the craft store. And definitely a great escape from the pace of a major city. There were tons of farms and open space, there was suburbia and shopping centers, and then there was also the downtown historic area which was a short drive away and full of entertainment. And one of the best parts of the city is Carrol Creek, which is a mile-long riverwalk area that has restaurants, shops, an art museum, seating, a distillery, ducks…just a really cool spot for hanging in the city on a nice day.

The Wineries. And then there were the vineyards tucked away in the mountains. I have always been a lover of wineries. I typically hate crowded spaces, so with the pandemic, there was even more reason to find activities that were naturally socially distant. Wineries totally fit that bill. On several occasions, we would pick one of the several local wineries and trek out for a day of wine tasting, gorgeous views, and fresh air. There were so many to choose from on the Frederick Wine Trail. We visited four wineries (a couple of them more than once), and each winery was so unique and peaceful. We even had a couple of guests come visit, and we took them to the wineries as well. If you don’t stay in Frederick for any other reason, definitely go for the vineyards!

Decisions, Decisions… The timing of our trip prevented us from doing some things. We were still in the middle stages of the pandemic. We personally were only opting for outside dining. And a lot of places were still grappling with covid protocols and reduced business hours. It was also still cold-ish (it was March at the time) so that also impacted how long we wanted to endure outdoor activities. While we did a lot of walking around and standing outside, there were things we totally passed on because it didn’t line up with our social distance preferences.

Towards the end of our stay, we had a decision to make. Knowing that the world was starting to open up a little more, and realizing that there was more to see and do in Frederick now that temperatures were warming up, we decided to stay another month at this home. It was a hard decision because the rowdy neighbor made being in the home very difficult, but we knew there was more that we wanted to see and do…and aside from the neighbor, we really liked the space, the area, and price point for the home.

Overall. We thoroughly loved the condo in Frederick, and if not for a crappy neighbor, this home would have definitely been an excellent and serene stay. But because of our visit, we have now added Frederick, MD to our list of possible places to settle down once we get called back into the office. I never would have even considered Frederick before staying there but feel like it’s the place to beat at this point!

It’s so unfortunate that we had the issues that we had in this home, because otherwise we truly loved the space. We would definitely airbb again in Frederick, MD and highly recommend the area if you’re considering a trip there for any reason.

Have you been to Frederick, MD? Have you stayed in an airbnb that was a great space with one or two exceptions? If so, how did that impact your overall feeling about the home?

justamarylandgirl2 Comments

Maryland Girl’s Tips for Road Tripping During COVID-19

Summer time without question means traveling.  It’s the time of year that you take a break from your normal routine and hit adventure parks, Caribbean islands and local beaches.  And this year, after months of quarantining, it felt like a summer trip was so needed and so well-deserved. But is it ok?  Is it appropriate?  Is it safe? 

It’s hard to know the right answer.  It’s hard to know what to do.  For the sake of sanity, you have to get away from your day to day and have mental space, but with the laws, policies, and personal beliefs surrounding COVID-19, it’s hard to know exactly  how to get that summer break that our bodies and our lives are so accustomed to.

I honestly cannot tell anyone whether they should or shouldn’t attempt travelling.  It’s really dependent on a ton of factors, and a lot of individual considerations.  But I can tell you the approach I took and let you know what worked and what didn’t work for me.

Before COVID-19 was so much as a flicker of a nightmare in our wildest dreams, I planned a getaway for June of this year.  Around January, I saw a deal for Outer Banks, NC and it’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for a while, so I took advantage of the deal and booked a trip.  Of course, COVID hit around March and strict quarantine measures were put in place across the country.  As the virus was researched more and experiences were brought to light, we learned more and more about its transmission, symptoms and prevention.  I assumed my trip was off, but I decided to wait until the date got closer to figure out what to do.  

As June arrived, quarantines were being lifted around the country.  The hotel where I booked my stay was opened for business and it was up to me to decide what to do.  This is when independent research and personal preference kicked in.  

In addition to COVID-19, the nation was dealing with another virus, which was the aftermath of the George Floyd murder.  My mind was all over the place.  A pandemic and racism…I just didn’t know what to do or what was appropriate.  My emotions and fears were heightened for so many different reasons, and I teetered back and forth more than a kid on a see-saw.  Go.  Don’t go.  Go.  Don’t go.  UGH!

Ultimately, after prayer, research, and feedback from family and friends, I chose to go.  But I gave a lot of thought about how I felt the trip could be taken while being safe.  After returning from the trip, of course, I quarantined for 14 days, and I guess I can count my efforts as a success.  (Note:  I have since taken another road trip and used my same policies mentioned in this post with that trip as well.)  Here is what I did for my COVID-19 road trip.

ACCEPTANCE: I had to accept right at the onset that this trip was not going to be a normal trip.  I had to realize that this trip may literally just amount to a time to be away from the home I’ve been quarantined in for the last several months.  An opportunity to get some sunshine, be in a different environment, and dip my toe in the ocean.  Those were my only objectives for my trip, and everything else that I would have normally done on any other vacation likely had to be scrapped.  Before I even left, I had to have that thought ingrained in my mind, because otherwise I would have felt disappointed for what wasn’t, instead of appreciating the trip for what it was.  Bars, clubs, restaurants, live music, local attractions, shopping, etc….not happening, and just accept it.

DESTINATION: A vacation during COVID-19 is by nature just going to be different.  While you may normally plan international trips, or cool road trips to amazing destinations, that may not be an option this year.  For me, I decided to pick something that was far enough to be away, but close enough to not require multiple pit stops and multiple searches for open places to eat.  Nowdays, more places are open, but at the time of the trip, there were still many places still closed and figuring out their COVID-19 policies.  The further you get away from your home base, the harder it may be to navigate food stops and bathroom breaks while maintaining control of potential exposure.  Outer Banks was about a four-hour road trip from me, and I felt like that was just enough to limit how many times I may need to stop for food, gas, and restrooms.  Ultimately, I only needed a change of scenery, and there are a lot of options close to Maryland that don’t require a lengthy travel time.  For me, four hours is right at the max for a road trip during COVID-19.  

CLEAN & SANITIZE: I’m pretty rigid at home about wiping up my surfaces, sanitizing myself and items I bring into my home, and washing my hands constantly.  So that was no different when I traveled.  I carried my disinfecting wipes, lysol sanitizing spray, and counter sprays with me.  When I arrived at my room, I wiped down the tables, counters, tub, toilet, light switches, door knobs, remote, etc.  I sprayed disinfecting spray on the bed and the carpet.  And I deemed my room off limits at that point from any person outside of my travel party.  I asked the hotel not to provide room service during my stay.  And any time we left the room, we had to wash hands and sanitize clothing when we returned.  The room was considered our home base and our safe space, so we made it priority #1 to keep it sanitized and clean for the duration of our stay.

PACK MEALS & SNACKS: One of the biggest and most important items on my vacation list was where would we eat.  I knew sitting down in a restaurant was out of the question.  At the time of the trip, most places were still only doing curbside pick-ups if they were opened at all.  Now, more jurisdictions have entered into phases of reopening that permit some sort of inside and/or outside dining.  At the time, that wasn’t an option, so we had to think about food.  We decided to pack sandwiches, snacks, wine, alcohol, and water.  For the times we actually went to a restaurant, we called ahead and picked up our order.  We ate at the table in our room, on our patio, or on the beach.  Dining is typically such a big part of vacation, but we knew this time it would not be the case, and we prepared our minds ahead of time.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

  • Call ahead. If there is an amenity that makes or breaks your trip, call ahead, even prior to reserving your stay, to confirm that that amenity is still open/usable.  Websites may not be updated appropriately, or there may be some caviat that may be a deal-breaker for you.  For example, on my recent trip, all I wanted to do was find a place where I could sit by the pool all day.  A lot of hotel websites claimed that their pool was open, but when I called, I found out it actually wasn’t open.  Or the website didn’t mention that time slots had to be reserved, that they fill up quickly, and that they are only for an hour per day.  Those were deal breakers for me, and none of this was mentioned on the websites for hotels that I considered.  And out of the five hotels I called, four had additional limitations that were not mentioned on their website that ruled them out as an option for me.
  • Reviews matter.  Other people have traveled and their review of a location may give additional insight into racial climate, mask protocols, adherence in general to COVID-19 policies, and food availability.  All of those things mattered for me and I took other people’s experiences very seriously.
  • Avoid weekends.  I hate crowds, so this is something I try to do whenever I travel anyways.  But to the extent possible, right now is the time to avoid massive groups of people.  Try to find a time to travel that includes some or all week days.
  • Opt for less populated areas.  This is not the time to go to the hottest beach spot during its most popular week.  Save that for once we have all of this pandemic mess sorted out.  Try to find that town place off the beaten path, or the hotel with few rooms.  The name of the game is limiting potential exposure.  Less people means less chances to expose yourself to the virus.

I hope these tips help.  I do realize these are just my personal standards and preferences.  Yours may be different, and that’s ok.  I just encourage you to give some forethought to safety before you travel, and remember that while this may not be your most ideal trip, you can still have a great time.

Be safe and be kind.  And enjoy!  

Have you traveled during COVID-19?  How has your experience been?  I’d love to hear about it!

justamarylandgirl

My DC Staycation

DC trip 2 (4)I love a local getaway, or as some call it, a staycation.  I’m the queen of renting a hotel room, and acting like I’m on a legit vacation, regardless of whether I caught a plane or took a 20 minute car ride to get there.  Mentally escaping my day-to-day routine does not necessarily require taking leave from work or taking a flight.  So for Valentine’s day, my boyfriend and I decided to do an over-nighter in DC this past weekend.

I worked in DC for over 20 years, but that feels like a million years ago.  I’m no longer working in the nation’s capital, and now that I’m co-habitating, I live over an hour away from the city.  So going back to DC felt like a chance to revisit my old stomping grounds and it was also an opportunity to see what’s new since I was last there.

I don’t like to rip and run on vacation…or staycation.  My requirements for a trip or a staycation to be successful are pretty easily attainable.  I like to find a nice bar and a place to listen to music, I like a few nice photo opps, and maybe a cute store to buy a trinket.  If I can do those things, that’s a staycation well-done, in my world at least.

Staying one night in DC is hardly enough time to explore all of the new areas, such as the Wharf or Center City.  It really didn’t give us time to visit monuments or check out museums.  So what the heck did we do???

So here’s what I did.  I reserved a cute hotel for a rate that I thought was reasonable, packed my bags, and showed up there.  That’s about all the up-front planning that I did.  My thought was…there are bars and restaurants and cool spots throughout the whole city.  Once I get to the hotel, we can walk a few blocks and see what pulls us in.  Did that idea work?  Sorta.  Here’s how the overnighter played out.

Arrived at hotel:  Traffic from Baltimore County into DC made me realize that I don’t miss working in the city.  I chose the Kimpton Hotel Rouge in Dupont.  Kimpton hotels are always nice, and this one had saucy red lacquer and leather decor that felt very Valentine-y.  So I was super excited.  The rate was ok ($128), but there were so many additional fees that it irked me.  $19 taxes, $25 amenity fee, and $4 amenity fee tax…even the fees have their own taxes…what???  I was also concerned about the parking.  The hotel offered valet for $47—UGH! —plus $9 parking tax (are you kidding me!?!).  There were no garages in the near vicinity that proved to be a better deal.  And the only thing worse than DC street parking is DC street parking overnight.  The confusing signage just made my nerves bad.  So we opted for the valet.  This worked well convenience-wise,  but the price was steep and the tax on the steep price was just irritating.  This is definitely one part of being in the city that I do not miss at all.

Found a great restaurant:  After eenie-meenie-miney-moe to figure out which direction to head…we opted to walk towards Dupont Circle in search of a place for lunch.  After reading a few menus, we decided on a place called Magnolia Kitchen & Bar.  Affordable prices, a nice drink menu, and chic decor appealed to all of our senses.  Add an attentive staff, a perfect playlist and great food, and we loved this place.  I even pulled the manager aside and told him as much.

Stumbled into a beer garden:  OK, this was a complete accident.  While walking back to the hotel, I had to use the bathroom super, super bad.  I saw a bouncer and an open door and decided this was a good place to find a restroom.  We hiked a million stairs to the roof and found the PACKED Sauf Haus Bier Hall, where we were pretty certain we were the oldest people in the place.  After standing in line at the bathroom, we actually decided to stay for a drink.  Despite the fact that I HATE packed places and that it felt like I was at a frat house day party, we actually had a blast.  One drink transitioned into a dance…and then another drink and more dancing.  The dj was clearly more our age because I swear every song took me back to either high school or college.

Had free happy hour at the hotel:  We pulled ourselves out of the beer hall and headed back to the hotel for their free happy hour.  The selection wasn’t extensive, but we enjoyed a few glasses of free wine, and that was perfect for us.  They also had a hot cider with bourbon.  What more can you ask for for free??

Went to U Street for live music and dinner:  This is where the decision to wing it fell apart.  My coworker recommended Jojo DC, and raved about the food and live music, so this was one place I knew I would try on our trip.  And this was the one thing that didn’t quite pan out.  It didn’t occur to me to make a reservation, and since we went relatively early in the evening, I figured we’d have no issues with getting a table.  WRONG…so wrong.  It was standing room only at the bar, and none of the smart people who made reservations flaked.  So we never got a table and eventually left.

Had brunch before we left:  We did quite a bit of drinking on Saturday, so naturally the first thing on our minds on Sunday was food.  We decided to go to Commissary DC, which was only a few blocks away.  But I learned from my lesson the previous night, and this time I called to make a brunch reservation.  Good thing, because it was packed when we got there, and there was a long wait without a reservation.  The food was delicious!  The staff worked as a perfect team, and the ambiance was perfect and eclectic.

Even with the things that didn’t pan out, we had a great time.  Lots of laughs and dancing and snuggles…it made for a great V-day date and we’d probably do it the exact same way the next time.

tata for now -m- (2)

justamarylandgirl