Tuesday, June 26, 2012

a penny outside of the St. Andrew Church


Walking along Lombard St. on a breezy summer day in Baltimore, I stumbled upon a penny outside of St. Andrew church. Built with stones dating as far back as 1858, this Orthodox church has been serving Orthodox Christians since 1940 (the date the church's own website provided). http://oca.org/parishes/oca-wa-balsac

The church's faded brown and red stones fit perfectly in Butcher Hill's historic district. The church features a bell tower over a newer entrance, a pyramidal roof, and off-setting towers to make the historic building very pleasing to the eye.

Interesting fact: the church is supported by a local chapter known as the "O" club. The "O" club was originally founded in 1941 (originally named the Vladicon  "R" club). The "O" club supports the church through bake sales, picnics, festivals, and other fundraising activities.


One of their more interesting events, the "O" club puts on an Annual Crab Feast toward the end of September. The doors usually open around 11:30a and for $30 per person you get all-you-can-eat crabs, Maryland crab soup, fries, etc. Sounds pretty tasty!! I definitely plan on attending that!


Total Change Count: 26 cents 

Monday, June 18, 2012

a quarter at Sliders Bar & Grille -

Sliders Bar & Grille - outside of Camden Yards



Inside the ballpark a beer costs around $8.75, but outside Camden Yards at this bar located a few hundred feet, you can get a 16 oz Natty Boh. And it was here that my blog begins with an epic find; a QUARTER! As I was entering the madness before a Phillies vs. Os games (usually Philly fans infiltrate not only the ballpark, but also the entire city during these games) I glanced down and found a beautiful quarter among the crushed beer cans.

In the picture above, the Natty Boh symbol is clearly visible in the top right hand corner of the building. If you aren't from Baltimore, Natty Boh was our home-brewed beer. It is now the cheapest (and in my opinion most satisfying) beer in town (it can be found for $1.50 on tap in some dives). Natty Boh was brewed in the Baltimore area from 1885 until 2000.

Interesting fact: a long running joke with Natty Boh's symbol can actually be traced back to one of its original competitors. Gunther Beer (an old brewery in Baltimore) was Natty Boh's main competitor and its slogan was "Gunther's Got It". In the 1930s, people in the city were known to asks what Gunther has, and the quirky response was Natty Boh's other eye.

Total Change Found: 25 cents

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Keeping My Eyes to the Ground

I guess it all started with my mother (where most everything usually begins). Growing up with my mom I constantly noticed how she always managed to pick up change wherever she went. A penny here, a nickel there. Occasionally a quarter or even a dollar bill would slip in. Even as I am typing this post my mom texts me that she has found a penny in a parking lot. I love my mom and I look up to her. Her ability to raise two children while becoming a manager at her job are amazing accomplishments, and I am proud to be her son.


When I moved to Baltimore to become a high school teacher, I surrounded myself with work and with friends. Being a teacher provides you with an amazing opportunity to meet people and grow together within the profession and outside of the job as friends. After 4 years of living in one of the friendliest cities in America, I came to realize one of the ways that I am unique. I, like my mother before me, constantly find change on the ground. It may be because I have a trained eye or maybe I am just constantly looking for it, but I am constantly finding change all over this city, this state, this country, and even this world. 

With this blog,  I simply wish to share my experiences through the act of collecting loose change from the ground. Each penny or nickel or dime will be accompanied with a picture, and each picture will come with tidbits about the location. At the end of each blog, I will include a running total of how much I have found thus far. Enjoy!