Vodka Shots and Headshots- A Weekend in Baltimore

I haven't been to Baltimore in years, so I wasn't sure what my aunt and uncle would want to do when I visited last weekend.  When I was little we would go to a lot of museums in the city and I still like to do that, but this time my aunt wanted to go to a Christmas tree festival and my uncle, an avid gun collector (I say collector instead of enthusiast since he loves historical guns so I feel like the hobby for him is more than just "let's shoot stuff") had plans to go to the gun range.  I chose to go to the gun range with him since I had shot a rifle as a kid (back before Columbine when they offered shooting as a camp activity) and was actually pretty decent.  Also, as an avid gamer who prefers shooters, I was ready to get my Max Payne on.  This time we would be shooting my uncle's 9mm and a revolver, which I had no experience with.  The 9mm scared me a bit to be honest, it's a very heavy gun with a harsh kickback and the used bullet shells fly back at your face, I really did not like that.  The revolver I quite enjoyed, it was so 1940's film noir, I kept pretending I was assassinating an ex lover in a red evening dress :P  it was also lightweight and the used bullets stayed in the chamber, nothing flying back at your face.  The range didn't allow photo taking inside so I just took some empty shells for souvenirs as well as my target.  They also had a strict "no headshots" policy which I umm...did not stick to.  Whoops!  In my defense, my uncle said I was a natural and just have built in great aim!

My mom modeling my uncle's WW2 gun

After shooting, my uncle took me on a drive around this awesome abandoned industrial area that he explained used to be booming in the 70's and 80's.  I have a weird fascination for all things abandoned, it just calls to some part of my brain, I'm intrigued at how an area or building can be so in use and then be completely left as if it never existed.

Down the Rabbit Hole...

Saturday night my mom and aunt decide to stay in and relax and my uncle and I went out for drinks.  We went to a small restaurant in Elicott City called The Rumor Mill which makes artisan vodkas in bizarre flavors and offers very unique foods.  I ended up just getting some vodka cranberries bc I can't really do straight vodka, even flavored, and they don't offer regular drinks like margaritas.  For food we got a plate of cilantro beef with cucumber, a plate of Brie with different marmalade toppings like bacon marmalade, peach, pesto, and fig.  I also got a bowl of pumpkin soup with coconut juice which was really nice!  For dessert my uncle and his friend got ice cream and we were given complementary strawberry canolis which I had

 Modular Surrealist glasses= love

Late night in Elicott City

Our final day we went for lunch at a diner near my aunt and uncle's house and on the way I saw this awesome statue looming ahead and of course got excited because of how weird it was 

Getting closer I realized the king statue was actually for the "Enchanted Forest" amusement park (which is now a shopping center) and had a little moment since this amusement park was used in the John Waters film "CryBaby" which is one of my favorite films!  I knew I couldn't leave Baltimore without stumbling upon something John Waters!