There is more to a Lakeland Saturday than the Downtown Farmers Market

Born and Bread

When the weekend comes around in Lakeland, Fla. there are multiple ways to how you can spend them. The most favored option is the Downtown Farmers Market, which showcases various small businesses in Lakeland. Having visited many times, my friends and I decided to explore other parts of the city. 

Despite us venturing away from the normal Lakeland weekend activities, our first stop was at Born and Bread, a routine Saturday morning Lakelander bakery. I had eaten Born and Bread pastries before, but never had I been to the location. Upon opening, the bakery is known to be sold out of its items, so it is advised to pre-order the night before or before 6 a.m. the day of. I had forgotten to pre-order, so I waited in line when I arrived. While I waited, I was able to notice the Americana music being played, and I had the chance to appreciate the theme of the bakery as well; early western American decor of faded American flags, brown leather seats, long wooden tables, and accents of southwestern blankets. As I waited, I gazed at their open-spaced kitchen and observed the pastries displayed on a 10-tiered steel rack behind the register’s counter. Unsure about which to indulge in, the sugared, puff,  milk and honey cruffin intrigued me. 

Born and Bread

I was excited to eat it, and rightfully so, it was delicious. The cruffin resembled a croissant texture, but with the additives of it being coated in sugar and with a custard filling. The custard surprised my tastebuds. It was sweet and tasted like milk. Since I had never had a cruffin before, my first time was a bit messy. Sugar was all over my face and the custard fell onto the table. A few days later, I went back to Born and Bread and was advised to unroll the pastry, break it apart and use the custard as a dip.

Milk and Honey Cruffin

Next on the agenda was to walk around Lake Morton. It’s known for the numerous amount of both white and black swans alongside the bank. As we walked, we noticed a nesting Swan that was tucked alongside a brick wall. The ironic part, the swan was behind a city sign of a silhouetted gold swan. Since it was the lake of swans, on every few street corners there were swan statues with painted designs on them. One of the statues had swans painted on it with top hats and umbrellas, to me it resembled the penguins from the “Mary Poppins” movie. 

Lake Morton

Located near Lake Morton is the Polk Museum of Art and since I knew the exhibit, “Rockwell/Wyeth: Icons of Americana” was on display, I suggested we went. The exhibit displayed the artists’s original paintings and illustrated “Saturday Evening Post” magazine covers of the 20th-century imaginations of Americans. While we observed the artwork, we discussed how we wished magazine covers were still as vibrant as Rockwell made them. My favorite cover was of a fence with a deteriorated hole in the middle of it. The captivating part was when you looked through the weathered hole you saw a baseball pitcher and an ongoing game. I appreciated this cover because it reminded me of when I pitched in middle and high school and would strike someone out. 

Polk Museum of Art

After the museum, our exploration of different sites in Lakeland concluded. It was the perfect amount of activities to fulfill an early morning and mid-afternoon adventure. I cannot wait to repeat this newfound Lakeland weekend experience with people who still find themselves just going to the Downtown Farmers Market.