Today, my girlfriend and I decided to take a ride down to Hamden to enjoy a leisurely stroll along 36th street, also known as the strip or the avenue to us Baltimoreans. I love the atmosphere in Hamden; it’s eclectic, original, and exciting. You’ll always find something new and unusual in one of the shops. Today, my girlfriend and I came across several funky hats in The Hon Store. Of course, we had to try them all on.

The blonde “Hon” wig was my favorite; although, I’m not quite sure why I’m posing like one of the Bangles in the “Walk like an Egyptian” music video. I suppose I thought it befitting. During our stroll along the strip, we decided to eat at the Golden West Cafe. Boy, did we make a wise choice. The cafe’s atmosphere was funky and colorful, and it smelled of delicious coffee and fried potatoes. Both of us ordered a burrito. And, oh, my was it delicious. I ordered their Aztec burrito. It was filled with black beans, fried plantains, and grilled squash, and the entire burrito was topped with salsa fresco, crema, and a red and green chile sauce. The contrast of the sweet plantains with the spicy chile sauce blew my mind, so much that I ate the entire thing. To top it all off, I enjoyed a spicy bloody Mary with my meal. It was perfect burrito/bloody Mary bliss. Sorry about the half eaten picture of my burrito, but by the time I decided I should take a picture, it was half gone. Apparently, I couldn’t wait to start piling this delicious stuffed dream boat into my mouth.

Love and sweet treats,

The Messy Baker