Thursday, August 20, 2009

Reasons to love the East Coast/Maryland/Small town, USA

1. Less sales tax. Yes, I have mentioned this before but I had to mention it again. Chi-town has the highest sales tax in the country at 10% while MD has only 6%.





2. Utz!!! Anyone who keeps kosher and has been to the East Coast knows about the best chips/popcorn/cheese curls ever! They are all kosher (they even have ones that are like cheetos) and you can buy them in regular grocery stores. They have every flavor you can think of (crab chip anyone-made with old bay seasoning, it's delicious!) I can't stop raving and every time I am on the east coast I make sure to stock up (that is a reason we drive). Nothing in Chi-town compares!





3. Kosher bread that can be bought anywhere. I think this post is becoming all about food but I can't help it. You can find hot dog buns, sliced bread, dinner rolls and you don't have to go to a bakery to get it. It's just sitting there on the bread shelf waiting to be bought.





4. Another food item I found-store brand kosher yogurt. In my quest for saving money I have always had the complaint that we don't have many yogurt choices. We have to buy certain brands and I only buy them when they are on sale and/or I have a coupon. Here I found an inexpensive store brand that I can buy. The kids eat tons of yogurt so I am impressed. Too bad I can't stock up on that.




5. The swimming pool. My parents have a community swimming pool that we can walk to. The girls looooove it! We spent many hours there this vacation.



6. The mountains!! Illinois is soooo flat. I have mainly gotten used to it but whenever I go back to the East I remember that the mountains are beautiful. Because my parents live in a small town you don't need to drive far at all to see nature. Farms, hills, grassy fields, even mountains are just a stone's throw away (and not a large stone)! I used to hate "small town life" and always considered myself a city girl but the older I get the more I appreciate the small town mentality and laid back living it offers. Okay, okay; maybe not "laid back" but at least calmer!



7. Produce stands on the side of the road. They are mini farmer's markets wherever you go. I saw them on the side of highways and roads. I think if you have a backyard garden you qualify to have a produce stand in MD! Great fruits and veggies for really cheap prices!



8. Smooth roads without potholes! Can you imagine? My husband was actually the one who noticed this since he did all the driving. The roads are paved nicely and there isn't constant construction either. And I am not just talking about small town roads. Major highways (270, 70) are a pleasure to drive on and you are not afraid to lose a hubcap or any other car part for that matter.


There you have it: a comprehensive list why you should at least visit the East Coast south of the Mason-Dixon line. Of course the best reason to visit is my wonderful family, but I'm not giving you mine you have to get your own!!

3 comments:

Shosh said...

uch. i hate going to other cities because i just start to feel jealous of all that we are missing out on. what about having a backyard thats bigger than a closet, and having a driveway with an attached garage? and not paying a million dollars (literally) for it

mom said...

E, now you love Frederick, Walkersville and surrounding areas after being away from small town USA. Of course, everything is relative to whatever is happening in your life at the moment. I keep saying it's ashame Yitzy can't find a job - maybe he could work for Social Security in Baltimore as an IT man and then you could move back to Baltimore. Wishful thinking!!!

Anita said...

Aaron and I do the same thing when we go to Cincy.