Three quick items...

This Saturday is also free comic book day, which coincides, incidentally, with this weekend marking the wide release of Spiderman 3. Be sure to hit your favorite comic book shop on Saturday...mine is Beyond Comics down on the Buckeystown Pike. If you're north of the city, Brainstorm is by the Weis just off the Opposumtown Pike.

Also, if you have a chance, check out photographer David Raimist's work at the Weinberg.

As for me, unfortunately I will once again be missing this weekend's festivities due to a road trip on Saturday. As a member of the Baltimore/DC Eagles Australian Football Club I will be on the road kicking off the season/pre-season in a friendly match (it won't count against the standings) against North Carolina in the Raleigh/Durham area. If you have a chance check out our schedule - we're always looking for players of all skill levels and if enough people join in this area, it would be easy to schedule practices in Frederick.

Have fun this weekend everybody.

It's All Happening at the Zoo

Great weekend outing, if you can stand the cold - little more than an hour from Frederick, the National Zoo in Washington DC is a great place to spend the day if you have kids, and a winter Saturday is perfect. The large predators that like to sleep during the heat of the day in the summer are much more active, the crowds are smaller, and parking is more plentiful.

Some of the animals that were more visible in this weekend's foray than when I have been there during the warmer months include the lions, tigers, red pandas, and the great pandas (which prefer the colder weather anyway).

If going during the winter, a couple of tips - pay attention to the weather report and dress accordingly, I would recommend layering and erring on the side of dressing too warmly. If you go to the Zoo's Web site to look at a map of the facility, utilize the various animal houses (primate, lizard, elephant, etc.) as strategic places to stop, linger and warm yourself. Be prepared to walk. The zoo covers a pretty fair amount of land on the side of a hill. If you don't mind walking uphill after you're halfway through your visit, parking lot A is at the top - if you want to be going downhill at the tail end of your visit, then hit parking lot D. You can also base your visit on where the animals are by visiting the zoo's site.

Admission: Free
Parking: Free for members, all others $4 for the first hour, $12 for two to three hours, and $16 for more than three hours
Hours: 6AM-6PM (Until March 10)
6AM-8PM (March 11-Nov 3)
Buildings open at 10 and close 4:30 PM (until March 10) and close 6PM after March 10.

Things To Do in Frederick When You're Dead, or at least a little wiped from the weekly grind...

The first weekend of every month typically offers a little bit extra in the way of things to do for those seeking recreation around Frederick County. Both the Brunswick Main Streets Program and Frederick's Downtown Partnership (Frederick's Main Streets Program) offer additional things to do as you window shop in those two communities.

Start on Friday evening in Brunswick for the family friendly "First Friday." Shops will have extended hours and will be offering complimentary food and wine. Special activities include a 5:30 showing of Lady and the Tramp and a 7:00 showing of A Summer Place at the Brunswick Railroad Museum while the Ambulance Company Building at 200 West Potomac Street will be hosting a Valentine's Dance for all ages.

Be sure to stop into The Book Crossing at the intersection of Potomac and Maple Ave. They will be offering a fondue fountain, wine and a craft for children. Also checkout Sundance Art & Frame, EBA Sports Apparel & Equipment, and Brunswick Hardware, all regular participants in the First Friday events.

On Saturday, move on to Frederick for the First Saturday Gallery Walk beginning at 5:00 pm. From the Downtown Partnership's Web site, "On Saturday, February 3rd from 5 - 9 PM, Downtown Frederick will turn fire into ice with the Fire in Ice First Saturday Gallery Walk! Join the First Saturday fun with 23 sparkling ice sculptures placed throughout Downtown, a LIVE ice carving demonstration, FREE hot cocoa, and luminary-lined streets!"

Many of the shops in Frederick will participate in the festivities with offerings of their own, however, make it a point to stop into Amber Coast on East Patrick Street (always good for celebratory-type treats), Shab Row and the relatively new Frederick Cellars on East Street, and kitsch-central, CineGraphics Studios where owner Erik Krasner always has something happening.

As for Sunday, if you haven't figured out that I'll be watching the Super Bowl, then you're not familiar with my other blog, or the work I do for bitterfans.com.