Silver Spring is an amazing place to live, and there’s so much to get out of our community. Over the next few weeks, expect to see a few posts presenting The Perfect Saturday in Silver Spring from different Silver Spring Inc contributors. First up is our new contributor, Nate Fisher. Please read it, comment and share! What’s your idea of The Perfect Saturday in Silver Spring?
My girlfriend and I moved to Silver Spring in March. Since then our time has been pretty spoken for between the move, new jobs, growing jobs, old friends, new friends and a wedding in the family. There have been moments as these past weeks have stacked into months that I have caught myself pausing. Whether during an early rise on a Saturday or in the midst of another road trip, I’d catch myself going somewhere far away and imagining a glorious Saturday that was mine. What would that be? How would I make it perfect? I have gotten tastes of this allusive day since my move to Silver Spring. A moment or pit stop along our hectic schedule where I knew- this is it! This is what I would do!
Contrary to how I would feel some Saturdays; on my perfect Saturday I don’t plan to sleep in. I would want the day to last as long as it could. It would start early in the morning with a homemade breakfast and maybe even watching the sun come up from my apartment patio, or a picnic outside if the weather is nice (what am I saying, of course it is). My girlfriend and I would watch the day approach and spend the early morning just lounging and being at peace. Awake but still resting.
Next up would be a trip to Fenton Street Market. Fenton Street Market has quickly become one of my favorite memories of Silver Spring. There is an energy in the air. You feel it as you look around at all of the friendly people and conversations. I could spend hours touring the vendors and doing more than a fair amount of people watching. I’d grab lunch at one of the food vendors and run into a few friends and meet some new artists or creatives.
My girlfriend and I would eventually depart the market and head to Kefa Café for an afternoon coffee. I’d coerce her into a pit stop at Alliance Comics and find a new graphic novel or action figure I’d been hunting for. We’d get our drinks at Kefa and chat a bit with Lene and her warm smile. Drinks in hand, we would find a spot and talk about our great finds from Fenton Street Market or just watch as people go about their day. I love to people watch. In some places I’ve lived if someone caught you looking at them or making eye contact they’d snap with a glare or sour remark. There’s no reason to be offended. It’s not a judgmental thing to watch other people live out their lives. There’s a comradery in it. Something about watching others live their day gives us the strength to live ours. Even better it inspires us. Gives us our best ideas and helps us tap into something buried deep down. I think there’s something about the residents in Silver Spring that understand that. Here when my eyes lock with another’s, I’m not returned a scowl, sometimes I even receive a friendly nod or smile.
The late afternoon and early evening would take place exploring the Sligo Creek Trail. Whether it’s a section that is familiar or taking the car to start off somewhere new, I want to fill the day with memories of being surrounded by trees and the creek.
Evening would come and we would venture downtown once more. Walk around and show off the area to some old friends on our way to dinner. Maybe enjoy the night air as we ate at Pacci’s on their outdoor patio, or the beautiful greens of Mrs. K’s backyard garden. After dinner we’d change the scenery for some late night drinks. Meet up with some new friends. To finish off the evening, if there was anything worth seeing, we’d catch a movie at the Regal or AFI Silver. If not we would stay somewhere and enjoy the evening with friends, a mixture of old and new, but all of us creating new memories.
That would be my perfect Saturday, it does sound marvelous… and exhausting! A Saturday like that would almost definitely require an immediate follow up of the perfect Sunday! i.e. sleep in and recover from my perfect Saturday.
2 COMMENTS
As someone who’s lived in Silver Spring for nearly 20 years, it’s nice to see it through fresh eyes. Thank you!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s been a pleasure to live in Silver Spring so far and I look forward to sharing more of that experience. I’d also love to hear about some of your thoughts as well as a more experienced resident. So gather your ideas and be sure to check back on the site for an opportunity to do just that.