This past weekend, two of Scott's friends came in from Boston to visit. Lyndsey met Scott at Towson University, so she's not unfamiliar with Baltimore and had some food pilgrimages she wanted to make. But aside from meals, the weekend was up in the air.

Considering I've spent a large majority of this summer confined to the couch, no one was more surprised than me when I pulled out a very Baltimore weekend on the fly. We visited some of the best spots ALL OVER the city, and I feel like Bmore really showed up this weekend for Lyndsey and her husband Nick.

Brewers Hill: Gunther & Co.

Originally Friday night Scott floated the idea of visiting Sandlot, a new outdoor spot I've been seeing all over the 'gram and have wanted to go to. But alas, Friday brought a slew of storms with it, so we walked across the street from my apartment to Gunther & Co., which has some REALLY good food. Along with seasonal beers and craft cocktails, we sampled a number of small plates, including an oyster taster, fresh-baked flatbread, lemongrass dumplings, Thai steak tartare, and a roasted peach and tomato salad.

Federal Hill: SoBo Cafe

Despite my general distaste for Federal Hill, land of bros and parking tickets, I can't deny there is some solid eating to be done across the harbor. I've been wanting to visit SoBo Cafe for some time now, and it didn't disappoint. Any place that bakes its own biscuits and cinnamon buns is the way to go.

Hampden: Union Craft Brewing

After some brainstorming on how to spend the afternoon, we headed over to Union Craft Brewing, a local brewery that is about to celebrate its fifth anniversary and move into a larger spot nearby in Hampden. Scott and I have been into sours lately, and I highly recommend their seasonal white peach Old Pro Gose. We chilled outside with a deck of cards, then took a short free tour of the brewery (which happens hourly on Saturday afternoons).

Remington: R. House + B.Willow

Since we were nearby, we decided to head over to Remington for more drinks at R. Bar inside R. House (which you know is my favorite place ever). Kudos to the bartender for not missing a beat and whipping me up a delightful kumquat mocktail since I was DD'ing. After that, we walked across the street to B.Willow, an indoor plant shop, where I lusted after all the plants I can't buy since my maniac cats will gnaw on all of them. One day I will be building my own terrarium there though, goddammit.

Fells Point: Woody's Cantina + Papi's Taco Joint

On the way back home, Lyndsey wanted to stop at Bertha's to pick up an "EAT BERTHA'S MUSSELS" bumper sticker for a friend, but they were somehow out. So instead we grabbed drinks at Woody's Cantina, overlooking the Fells Point piers. It was hot but a gorgeous day for sipping Coronas and crushes over the water. After a quick break at home, Scott and I headed back to Fells Point to celebrate my brother's birthday with my family at Papi's Tacos, where I indulged in a sangarita (sangria margarita) and then another watermelon margarita. After that, I stumbled over to...

Harbor Point: The Sandlot

Scott and I met back up with Lyndsey and Nick and another friend of theirs at Sandlot! Finally! It was a perfect night for Sandlot, and I like the concept a LOT. It's like being on a beach in the middle of Baltimore, complete with sand, hammocks, picnic tables, snacks, volleyball, giant Jenga, and more. The only thing is it's not a bar exactly and so it was a little...young...for my taste.

After that, we headed back to Canton in the hopes of getting Lyndsey a crab pretzel. But our waiter at Mama's on the Half Shell claimed they've never served crab pretzels. Baltimore people -- they DEFINITELY used to have crab pretzels, right? Back me up here... or is this a collective false memory?

Port Covington: Nick's Fish House

The next day we had planned to visit the Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar but the crush-heavy day and the late night meant for an even later Sunday morning, and we were not up in time. So Scott made us all French toast, and later in the day once everyone had recovered, we went out for the Baltimore holy grail -- CRABS. We went to Nick's Fish House in Port Covington, where I've never been before, and I was delighted. I truly felt like I was on vacation on the water with live reggae music playing in the background and MORE really good crushes (Scott got a lemon crush...why does no one else do lemon crushes? It was AMAZING). Even better, Lyndsey got her crab pretzel and I daresay it was better than any crab pretzels that I've had in that past that may or may not have come from Mama's.

It was the perfect end to a perfect summer weekend, even though driving Lyndsey and Nick to the airport afterward gave me a raging case of the Sunday scaries.

Here's to Baltimore staycations -- Lyndsey and Nick, when are you coming back?

-Staci

Baltimore: The Ultimate Staycation Weekend