weekend adventures: st. michaels

(Before.)

During last week's unseasonably cold (and completely uncalled for) weather, I got the idea that our farewell-to-summer weekend activity should be a trip to the Eastern Shore to sit by the Bay and stuff our faces with seafood...namely Maryland Blue Crab. 

Larry's always wary of crossing the Bay Bridge, especially since two years ago I had a similar plan and of course it was the day that there was a horrible motorcycle accident that caused the bridge to close in both directions. To avoid sitting in a six hour traffic jam, we pulled a complete dick move that involved backing down the shoulder to reach the last exit before the bridge - and our escape. So when I suggested we cross the bridge this weekend in search of some seafood, I was surprised to get Larry's wholehearted endorsement. (And fortunately, there was no traffic this time!)

On Sunday morning, our friend Bryan joined us and we headed to the picturesque town of St. Michaels, Maryland. The sunny 78 degrees promised by the weatherman was a complete lie, but it was a great day anyway. I actually enjoy an overcast sky over the water - very moody.

We wandered the town (it's adorable!) and walked along the water admiring the boats, checking out the jellyfish, and falling in love with St. Michaels. In fact, we loved it so much that we're already planning to make this trip a summer tradition, and Larry is making plans to gather our group of friends to rent a house and a boat for a week next year. (He also thinks we should get married there!)

Hey look, a photo of me wearing something other than hiking clothes!

Then we went to The Crab Claw for an afternoon of smashing dead crustaceans with wooden mallets which we washed down with pitchers of beer (the crabs, not the mallets). Correction: The boys smashed the crabs like barbarians. I, the ever civilized lady that I am, had crab cakes. Really, I don't like to have to work that hard for my food. Crab cakes are SO much easier and the process of eating them is so much less disgusting. (I don't like to have to rip the guts out of anything I'm eating. Just the thought of the crab "mustard" makes me gag.)

Oh and another thing: Crab cakes don't have eyes!

It was a shellfish feast, as the crabs weren't the only sea critters to be ripped apart by the boys. Shrimp and oysters also went down the hatch. I'm realizing that as much as I love seafood, I don't like all the dirty work involved. I like my crab in cake form, I like my shrimp de-headed, de-shelled, and de-legged, and I like my oysters...cooked. With the texture of snot and the flavor of seawater, as far as I'm concerned, raw oysters have nothing going for them.

Larry ready for some crabs.

I call this one "Larry with pile o' crab guts."

Did you know that the underside of a mature crab should resemble old horses' teeth? If the crab's underside is white and shiny, it is called a Whitey and it isn't worth eating as it doesn't contain much meat.

Larry demonstrates what happens if you eat too many crabs...

After the feast, we made a large spontaneous purchase from a local art shop (more on that later) and then enjoyed a few more beers on the deck at Foxy's while watching people play Bimini Ring Toss. 

Most relaxing weekend we've had a in while - can't wait to go back. Next time we're planning to take a sail on the Selina II and sample the ice cream at Justine's.

I wonder where I get this from...

All in all, a great day for everyone, except the crabs...

(After.)