Woman About Town

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events: February 3 – 5, 2012.

Street s’mores. Sparkling ice sculptures. Ice playgrounds. Hot cocoa. Fire. Ice. Awesomeness.

And that’s just THIS First Saturday!

The Fire In Ice First Saturday event has always been one of my favorites and I’m excited to hit the street with you guys again this weekend!

{I’ll be downtown so come find me!}

But, First Saturday isn’t the only thing going on in Frederick this weekend!

See What’s WAT!?

FiND iT: ART

Frederick Artists Market. 25 local-ish artisans will be showing and selling their wares at the Cultural Arts Center. Saturday, 2/4.

FiND iT: FUNSiES

The Cultural Arts Center: Improv with the Stars. Take the talent of local improv superstars and combine it with the different-kind-of-talent of local aldermen, representatives, and what-nots and you get comedic gold. At least that’s what we’re hoping for as they take the stage together to do some funny business in the form of improvisation! Friday, 2/3. $
Downtown Frederick Partnership’s First Saturday: Fire In Ice. Check the site to see the locations of the more than 20 ice sculptures that will be on display and to see when and where the live sculpting demos will be! Saturday, 2/4.
The Comedy Pigs at The MET. Improv awesomeness. Saturday, 2/4.

FiND iT: MUSiC

Café Nola. Live music Friday, 2/3 & Saturday, 2/4. $
Beans in the Belfry. Live music Friday, 2/3, Saturday 2/4, & Sunday, 2/5.
Griff’s Landing. Live music Friday, 2/3, Saturday 2/4, & Sunday, 2/5.
The Cellar Door Restaurant. Live music Friday, 2/3 & Saturday, 2/4
The Silver Maple. Live Jazz Friday night! Friday, 2/3.

FiND iT: THEATER

The MET. End Days. Friday is opening night gala, and Saturday is a meet the cast event! Get in on the festivities or just pop over to enjoy the show. Friday, 2/3 & Saturday 2/4. $
Way Off Broadway: Damn Yankees. Dinner + theater + baseball = awesomeness. Although I have to admit that I never knew the play was actually about the Yankees baseball team! I always thought it was the other kind of Yankees. Someone needs to brush up on her theater history! Guess I better catch this play! Friday 2/3, Saturday, 2/4, & Sunday 2/5. $

Wednesday About Town. Reveal Body Sculpting Results.

Remember a few weeks ago I wrote this post? About the body sculpting center specializing in laser lipo situated right here in Frederick?

After sitting down for an interview with the office manager and learning all about the process I was not convinced.

Or maybe I was entirely convinced?!

Either way, following the December holiday-face-stuffing-until-I’m-ill-from-goodness-and-weigh-a-ton festivities were over, I wondered back over to the center.

To put their claims to the test.

And to hopefully slip out of the fat suit I’d crawled into in 2001 during the holidays.

I started the experience off at a whopping please-I’m-not-telling-you-how-much-I-weigh with more than 45% of my body deemed fat (they make you stand on this evil scale that tells you all sorts of intimate details about your person to make you hate yourself, or for informational purposes).

Yes friends, Woman About Town’s body was half way fat.

And here I thought I was just the not-super-proud owner of big (read heavy) bones!

Not so much.

After visiting the center 3 times a week (about 1hr 20min each visit to go through the entire in office program) for 3 weeks, changing my eating habits, instituting a little more exercise, giving up cupcakes completely, and drinking water like a maniac I am happy to say that I lost a total of 4 inches and 3lbs.

In 3 weeks.

Not bad.

Not exactly good.

But, certainly not bad either.

Especially when you consider that I wasn’t doing the 1200 calories a day thing (I don’t like to starve) or working out to my potential (I started walking Dog About Town again about um, 5 days ago and that totally counts). Add to that the fact that I had to unexpectedly fly to California for a week (causing me to miss out on some treatments) and stuff my face with Del Taco and comfort-funeral-food made by family members, and you should be shocked I lost even one pound.

I know I am!

I’m not claiming laser lipo to be a miracle cure to being chunky; everyone knows diet and exercise are the only ways to truly win the battle of the bulge.

But, I am saying that for me, laser lipo was the support system I used to assist with my weight loss.

It was like a crutch for me. It helped me see success when I otherwise may not have; especially during the hard first weeks of a weight loss program when weaning yourself off of coffee (yeah, I gave that up to), cupcakes, and sitting on the couch to enjoy a bag of Mickey D’s (gone) with a diet coke (gone) and a couple of hours of reality TV (don’t get crazy, I still watch my shows!) makes you want to shoot yourself.

And now, even though I’ve finished my treatment (you can go for much longer, I’m just not) I’m still committed to making healthy choices and exercising, by walking my dog more and not going back to my daily edible indulgences.

I guess, if I were smart, I would have thrown myself into this thing wholeheartedly and used it to lose 20lbs and 20 inches.

Because that could’ve happened too.

But, like everything else in life the program is exactly what you make of it.

For me, a kickstart is what I made of it. And here’s to hoping it sticks!

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events January 27-29, 2012.

Looking for something to do in Frederick this weekend?!

Here are our picks on this week’s edition of What’s WAT!

1. Hit the theater. If you’re a Shakespeare enthusiast you’re specifically in luck as The Maryland Shakespeare Festival is bringing Dead Man’s Mambo to town this weekend! Enjoy the show Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday at The Cultural Arts Center in Frederick.

Deets straight from their site:

Location

Cultural Arts Center

15 West Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 21701

Tickets

Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for students/seniors. BUY HERE.

Dates and Times

Friday, January 20th & 27th at 8 p.m., Saturday, January 21st & 28th at 8 p.m., and Sunday, January 22nd & 29th at 2 p.m.

2. Get toasted, er toasty! With some wine of course! Check out the Wine 101 class at Elk Run Winery to learn about the finer things. And of course, how to enjoy them! Learning while you try is the only way, right?!

Deets straight from their site:

January 29

Wine 101 2-4PM $35.00 Tickets required. BUY HERE

Learn the basics of how to taste, grape varietals, aging

and more served with appetizers

3. Listen to some tunes. In the form of seriously cool bands at Café Nola. Live music Friday and Saturday. Choose both or just the one you know you’ll like!

Deets straight from their site:

Not Waving But Drowning

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012

Time: 09:30 pm

Cost: $3

The Woodshedders

Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012

Time: 09:30 pm

Cost: $3.00

4. Do something with your kids. Something that doesn’t require you to stand in the cold, get wet, muddy, or tired, or spend an insane amount of cash. Like the theater! Okay, so it maybe isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it! You know to ensure a quiet afternoon filled with entertainment and food; exactly what you’ll find if you head to Way Off Broadway’s production of Pinkilicious.

Deets straight from their site:

Pinkilicious- The Musical

“This is the tale, based on the popular book by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, of Pinkalicious, who can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe – a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this pink predicament.”

Saturday Matinee:

Tickets: $17

Arrive for Lunch at 11:30 a.m.

Show Begins at 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday About Town. Winter Edition of FiND iT FREDERiCK

It may not be Around Town yet, but it’s coming!

Check out the latest edition of FiND iT FREDERiCK Magazine right here right now and catch up with some of the awesomeness we’ve uncovered for you!

My faves include the Over the Edge piece about Arts in Montgomery County. Not just because I wrote it, but because I got to enjoy an amazing concert at The Fillmore Silver Spring right before the New Year and it. Was. AWESOME! The band (The Roots!) was spectacular, and the venue was beautiful! And they have sooooo many other fun things coming up this season!

Close second? The Wine Kitchen article written by Liza Hawkins, blogger at (a)Musing Foodie! Such a great piece on a new eatery in Frederick with a prime location and good eats! Hope to get a chance to pop in there soon!

And, just because you know we love you, how about we open up this thing with a giveaway?!

Peruse the mag…

Open publication – Free publishing – More arts

Then, when you’re done enjoying it thoroughly, pop over to the FiND iT FREDERiCK Facebook page and tell us your favorite article of the edition! We’ll be sure to award one luck person with a $10 gift card to Zoe’s Chocolate Co! In honor of the upcoming sweet treat day!

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events. January 6-8, 2012.

First weekend in 2012!

Yep, I’m excited.

Mostly because this weekend’s weather prediction is sitting in the 50 degree area!

And, because I will be hitting up a few fun spots this weekend and I’m hoping to see some of my most happiest Frederick friends!

Here’s What’s WAT!? this weekend in Frederick…

Free Coffee & BYOD Event at the New Market Dunkin’ Donuts. So, I’m in the business of making up my own acronyms (BYOD=Buy Your Own Donuts). I’m also in the business of smiling and greeting people happily at 8 am in the morning. Okay, that second part? Total lie. But, I’m making an exception this Saturday so that I can join the DD peeps for a happy morning of smiling, and greeting, and donuting! We will be giving out ADVANCE COPIES of the Winter edition of FiND iT AND we will also be raffling off a DD gift card or two, because we love ya! So stop by, say hi, and be ready to grub (all NY resolutions know to take a break for two hours this Saturday so you’re good!). Wanna join us for some early morning fun?! RSVP here: Dunkin Donuts Meet-Up!

First Saturday. Which I will be celebrating at Unique Optique! Because, not only do they have some seriously chic glasses, but they will also be celebrating the first Saturday of 2012 with WINE! Probably a number of places will be enjoying the “spirit” as the theme of the month is “Wine Down”, but WAT! needs some new eye wear and so that’s where Imma be! Looking to shop and taste?! Fabulous Finds is hosting a tasting as well!

Hit the slopes. You know, in the event that you’re not down with a warm, early January day and you really just want to get some snow sledding in. Head up to Liberty Mountain Resort and enjoy their Winter Trail day where you can partake in a little snowshoeing on the trails!

Not able to make it to the Dunkin Donuts event?! That’s crazy cool. Watch us on Twitter tomorrow morning @finditfrederick so you can Tweet your way to free donut-y goodness!

Wednesday About Town. LunchBox.

First Wednesday About Town of the year and I’m bringing you a photo of my meal at LunchBox!

Yep, the new downtown, lunchtime eatery that people have been raving about!

Woman About Town FINALLY made it in this week after passing it by many times previously because of the crowds that always seemed to be lingering around the register.

Clearly, it was a happy making place.

But, as someone who is always in a hurry (hmmmmm, maybe we need to revise our NY resolutions?!), I never had time to hem and haw over the menu, stand in line behind the other customers, or wait for a table when another hungry patron vacated it.

I know, I’m crazy, because I was missing out on some seriously affordable deliciousness!

I had the Bibb Lettuce salad and munched haphazardly off of my pal’s Caesar too the Cheese sandwich.

I washed it all down with a glass bottled soda pop to wash it all down.

Tasty.

Darn tasty.

I have got to get out more!

5 Things to Do in Frederick in 2012.

We are sitting here on the brink of 2012.

I’m sure everyone is busy figuring out their party plans for the weekend, rehashing the previous 12 months by watching those hideous but still strangely entertaining VH-1 countdown shows, and look ahead to what we plan to accomplish in 2012.

As it may be our last year on the planet (yep, the apocalyptic theorists have gotten to WAT! too), I’ve decided to help you set your sites high for 2012 with a to-do-before-we-all-vanish-or-blow-up-or-whatever-is-scheduled-to-pop-off-this-year list.

Enjoy, and happy New Year peeps!

Things Every Frederick Resident Should Do in 2012

1. Help a neighbor. Frederick is home to a large number of non profit organizations whose sole purpose is to help the less fortunate members of our community. Maybe you can’t donate money, maybe you don’t even have any old clothes or household items to kick down, but you can also help out by giving your time. One of the most powerful and fulfilling experiences I’ve had volunteering here in Frederick was when I visited the Community Action Agency and helped hand out food to people in need. Supporting community organizations is not just something to do during the holiday season; it’s something that needs doing year round. So find one you feel passionate about and see how you can lend a hand! Here are a few locals we love…

2. Go to a show. For a sorta small, suburban-ish, surrounded by rural stuff city, Frederick has a remarkably vibrant fine arts community. Everything from community theater to internationally touring acts can be found right here in the heart of downtown. So, buy some tickets and go get yourself some culture! Looking for something to see?! Here are some great venues that have upcoming performances you don’t want to miss…

The MET. Home to the Comedy Pigs Improv group and the FUN Company as well!
The Weinberg. The BSO, Howie Mandel, and The Fresh Beat Band are all rolling into the center this season!
Way Off Broadway. Look for Damn Yankees and Pinkilicious on the children’s stage coming in January!

3. Shop local. Wal-Mart is going to survive rather you buy every little thing you own from it or not. Help out the little people. And I’m not just talking about the r

from The Wine Kitchen

etail shops and restaurants. Think about the local farmers too. We’re fortunate to be located in an area where you can pretty much fill your table each day with foods grown right here in Frederick. So give them a try too! They’ll be glad you did, and honestly, in the long run, so will you!

4. Try something new. Like a new class (did you know you can pole dance, cage fight, and take to the skies for aerial yoga all in Frederick County?!), or a new restaurant (have you been to Lunchbox or the Wine Kitchen yet?!), or even a new salon (I’m a newly converted fan of Structures, but there are plenty of places to go for your getting glam needs!).

5. Eat somewhere fun. Frederick has a ton of interesting restaurants boasting tasty menus and fun atmosphere. Whether you are looking for a fun place to hear live music (hello, Café Nola), or a nice spot to grab some sushi (Hinode), you can find pretty much anything you want to grub on right here in Frederick!

What are you planning for 2012?!

Our downtown Frederick gift card giveaway is still open on the FiND iT FREDERiCK Facebook page so go leave us a comment and let us know what’s on your agenda in the new year!

Holiday Cooking with Frederick: FiND iT FREDERiCK Magazine Editor Melissa Howes-Vitek

It’s Friday which is usually the day WAT! tells everyone about all of the fun stuff going on in Frederick.

But, since this weekend is also Christmas there i really only one thing that we are planning to do this weekend anyway drink spiked nog bake cookies!

So, today’s cookie recipe comes courtesy of the best print magazine editor in Frederick County (shut-up, so what if I’m biased!), Melissa Howes-Vitek; creative genius and cookie lover in charge of making magic at FiND iT FREDERiCK.

Enjoy!

I decided to make only one type of cookie this holiday. Anyone that knows me would expect some super-duper, chocolate by death cookie, but I indulge in good chocolate nearly every day, so I wanted something that I rarely get to enjoy. I thought about all my favorites from my childhood and THESE are the winner! They are much prettier when my Mom makes them, but they still taste amazing. They taste like moist, little, apricot danishes. And for someone that pretty much sticks to peanut butter no-bakes and stir-bake-eat brownies, they are SO worth the extra labor.

Apricot Cookies

(Makes about 4 dozen, depending on size)

DOUGH

1 lb. salted butter (soft but NOT melted)

1 lb. small curd cottage cheese

4 C. sifted all purpose flour

dash of salt

*FILLING (2 jars of apricot filling can be used instead)

1 lb. dried apricots

2 C granulated sugar

1.5 C warm water

ADDITION INGREDIENTS

2 egg whites

1-2 C powdered sugar

3/4 C Chopped nuts of your choice (I use walnuts)

Cream together butter and cottage cheese. Slowly add flour. When it gets too difficult to stir, use hands to need into a soft, firm dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.

Roll balls out into about 3 inch rounds on powdered sugar surface. Place 1 tsp filling into each. Fold over and press edges together. Brush tops with egg white and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake on a cool (this is important…or they’ll melt instead of bake) greased cookie sheet @ 375 F for 12-15 min. Let cool for about 15 min. before transferring to cooling racks.

*FILLING RECIPE (If you aren’t using jarred)

Soak dried apricots in 1 1/2 C hot water for several hours. Cook them in the same water over low slow heat until very, very tender. Drain excess water. Puree and add sugar while still hot. Cool completely before using to fill dough rounds.

Holiday Cooking with Frederick: Christine from The Kitchen Studio.

Holidays are in full swing and we are o excited to have Christine from The Kitchen Studio (incidentally, a great idea for Frederick pals you still need a gift for!), sharing a delicious Christmas morning recipe idea.

After seeing the kind of awesome she can create in the kitchen, you will want to hurry over to the Kitchen Studio and sign yourself up for a class, stat!

Also, be sure to check out her informative food blog, Frederick Foodie, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter too!

This is a do-ahead dish that you’ll want to start the day before you plan to serve, so be prepared.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

You’ll need:

6 large croissants
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (whole)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
8 ounces cream cheese

Spray a 9″ x 13″ pan lightly with cooking spray. Tear the croissants into bite-size pieces and place one half into the pan. Pull cream cheese into small pieces and place on top of the bread cubes. Sprinkle the blueberries over the cream cheese, then top with remaining bread. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten, then add milk, maple syrup, and melted butter. Whisk well to combine, then pour over croissant mixture. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator to allow custard mixture to soak into the croissants for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees, with oven rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes until custard is set. Serve immediately, and ENJOY!

Woman About Town

About Town

Archives

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events: February 3 – 5, 2012.

Wednesday About Town. Reveal Body Sculpting Results.

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events January 27-29, 2012.

Wednesday About Town. Winter Edition of FiND iT FREDERiCK

What’s WAT!? Frederick, Maryland Events. January 6-8, 2012.

Wednesday About Town. LunchBox.

5 Things to Do in Frederick in 2012.

Holiday Cooking with Frederick: Christine from The Kitchen Studio.

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