With the myriad of fall events and the weekly American Market concluding in October, the first two weeks of November takes on a sense of relaxation, only to start getting psyched up for the holiday hoopla at the Harbor that will ensue with the opening of ICE (see Gaylord Resort ad in this section for information on everything happening with Christmas on the Potomac) on the 15th. With preparations being made for said hoopla, there are lots of things going on behind the scenes but on the outside it appears quite laid back. If you aren’t crazy about being in a crowd, venture to the harbor early in the month.

The prelude to the holidays finds the number of conventions tapering off at the Gaylord Hotel and Resort as they gear up for the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Old Hickory Steakhouse is an incredible place for that special dinner or just a great way to treat yourself to one of the areas great steaks. For the sports fan, National Past Time is the place to be-there is no sport left uncovered in this place. This year the Gaylord is hosting two Thanksgiving dinner options as well on the 28th. There will be a “Grand” buffet style dinner served on the lower level at Pienza from 12 Noon – 5 pm with all of the traditional offerings on top of their regular menu – reservations are suggested but not required. A Thanksgiving “Feast” will be set atop the hotel’s 18th floor at the Pose Rooftop with spectacular views of the city! Guests will indulge in a menu of traditional Thanksgiving offerings served family style, followed by an incredible dessert buffet – complete with assorted holiday pie. There is limited availability for this dinner and pre-purchase of tickets is recommended. They will be serving from 1 – 4:30 pm with the last seating at 3:30. Tickets and reservations for both are available via GaylordNationalTickets.com or by calling 301-965-4000.

You can also beat the holiday shopping crowds if you want to get an early start. There are new stores opening up every month. It is amazing how much the retail market has grown in the last five years. I have been a huge fan of Stonewall Kitchen’s catalog for years and like me, I am sure many of you have ordered items from them in your lifetime. The products are high in quality and vary in selection. I don’t do a lot of online shopping so I relish (no pun intended since Stonewall sells lots of it) the fact that I can actually shop in a Stonewall Kitchen store. It’s a much more pleasurable shopping experience since you get to sample the wares.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are several great places to dine in the harbor. Some of our favorites are Public House, Harrington’s Pub and Kitchen, McLoone’s Pier House and of course the places in the Gaylord (hey, we aren’t that dense, gotta support our advertisers since they pay the printing bill). Each of these venues offer something different and are worth venturing into on a regular basis. Actually, do yourself a big favor and check out Chef Ron’s fall menu at Public House and treat yourself to the Chicken Pot Pie at Harrington’s! You won’t be disappointed.

~ Written by: Lani Gering