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Quietly Captivating
by Teri Short
June 26, 2010
www.MarylandLife.com
My first thought as I drive
off of Route 5 and into the
square in downtown
Leonardtown is, “Whoa, this
is so quaint!”
My military husband and I
move every few years, so I
like to explore each new
area we encounter. In
Leonardtown, the St. Mary’s
County seat, I happily find
an historic gem filled with
old-timey charm. What
surprises me, however, are
all the upscale draws amid
that charm.
From its chic French
restaurant,
Café des Artistes, to
its fine-art offerings at
the North End Gallery,
Leonardtown is ideal for a
tranquil daytrip or a
weekend away from the hustle
and bustle of the workaday
world (the town is only
about 55 miles from
Washington, DC).
And as for you aquatic
types? You’ll love it here,
too.
“A lot of people don’t
realize that Leonardtown is
a waterfront town,” says
Mayor J. Harry “Chip”
Norris. In fact, Leonardtown
was named after
Leonard Calvert,
Maryland’s first governor,
who led the Ark and the Dove
on their ocean voyage from
England to the New World.
What awaits me as I walk
along the downtown’s brick
sidewalks is a tangible
sense of history, which is
brought to life, in part, by
the war memorial in the
center of the square and the
old jail museum, which
displays an original cannon
from the
Ark.
Yet even when paying homage
to big historical events,
the area has a decidedly
small-town feel.
“It’s like a cross between
Mayberry and Annapolis,”
says Joe Orlando, owner of
Fenwick St. Used Books and
Music.
His store—decorated with
Jimi Hendrix posters and a
funky Elvis clock—is a fun
place to shop for books and
vinyl records, especially
during
First Fridays, when the
place thrums with live music
(and when the whole downtown
seems to thrum, as merchants
stay open late, and special
activities abound).
After perusing various first
editions at Orlando’s store,
it’s time for more shopping.
If you’re the kind of person
who treats “antique” as a
verb, swing by the
Maryland Antiques Center
for some serious treasure
hunting. And if one of your
finds happens to be a vase,
head over to David’s Flowers
and fill it with something
stunning.
There, owner David Mattingly
tells me why shopping in
downtown Leonardtown is far
preferable to slogging
through those cookie-cutter
big-box stores.
“It has a boutique charm
that a mall just doesn’t
have,” he says simply.
It also boasts miles of
waterways, which malls
surely don’t have, either.
After a quick trip to
McIntosh Outfitters, I
head to the kayak launch and
am on my way. I’m not new to
paddling, but if you are,
ask for some guidance from
Jim Beasley, an expert guide
and owner of the outfitters.
“Remember,” he warns, “you
are playing in the water, so
you might get wet.”
He and I go tandem in one
kayak, launching from the
beginning of McIntosh Run.
We float beneath a canopy of
trees, see a turtle jump in
the water, and savor the
sound of the gently lapping
waves along the shore.
“If you don’t paddle too
aggressively, you’ll be able
to see a bald eagle perched
in a tree,” Beasley says.
The run spills into the
Breton Bay, where the
waterway opens up and
paddling becomes a challenge
in the face of breezy gusts.
Over at the wharf, a
fabulous photo op awaits: a
sun-dappled shot of the bay.
Back on dry land and hungry
from all that kayaking, I
consider my noshing options.
Should I stop at
Café des Artistes, with
its fine cuisine served by
locally famous chef Loic
Jaffres? How about a
grab-n-go lunch from the
Good
Earth health-food store,
instead? On the other hand,
Irish pub fare or some quick
Mexican might hit the spot.
Decisions, decisions.
One thing I don’t have to
decide, though, is when
would be a good time to make
a return trip to
Leonardtown. It’s obvious:
August 7th.
That’s when the town hosts
its annual Beach Party on
the Square—complete with 30
tons of trucked-in sand—a
testament to the notion that
live music and friendly
locals are as much a part of
life here as blue crabs and
sailboats.
“It’s a nice kickoff to the
weekend,” says event
coordinator Julie Lemmon,
adding that this year’s
shindig coincides with First
Friday.
“We’ll have a live band, a
hula-hoop contest, carnival
games, fireworks at the
wharf, and more.
“It’s very hometown.”
But, then, so is
Leonardtown. And even if
you’re not lucky enough to
call it your hometown,
you’ll feel extremely
fortunate once you come to
visit. |
