By Bob Tagert
As our summertime heat has tumbled into fall, the drop in temperatures has been a welcome change but …whoa, not so fast. Let me wear a few long-sleeved shirts before I need to dig into the sweaters and jackets. Maybe my old body has caught up to my adolescent mind. Like my favorite sweatshirt says…” I just want to go sailing, and ignore all of my Old Man problems!” I guess I’m whining…
We celebrate Veteran’s Day on the 11th and Thanksgiving on the 27th and some of our writers incorporated those themes in their columns.
A Bit of History writer, Sarah Becker is back at the keyboard after a couple of months well deserved hiatus with her column highlighting the origins of Veteran’s Day and the impact it has had on us over the years.
Thanksgiving sparked a bit more participation. In Let’s Get Crafty, Tim Long remembers when the family got together and he was the youngest of the clan. He got the couch every time. Tim also reveals why he looks forward to Thanksgiving Eve rather than Thanksgiving Day – it’s in the beer. In Let’s Eat, Charles Oppman shows how to repurpose some of that leftover turkey into some gumbo. We’ve got to try this!
We wanted to cover something that said Thanksgiving and Veteran’s Day for the Dining Out column and the closest we could come in Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant. George and the soldiers are technically Veterans and some of the dishes they serve were maybe served at Thanksgiving back in the day…it’s a stretch but it was a very good experience. I think many locals think of it as a “tourist” trap but that is not the case. I have to admit this was only the 2nd or 3rd time in the 40 years that I’ve lived here that I have dined there. Read all about our experience in these pages. I will be frequenting the Tavern more often for sure.
Our “Health and Wellness” team chimed in with their annual keep up the workout – Nicole Flanagan’s Fitness – and how to cut back on portions – Ryan Unverzagt’s From the Trainer – so we don’t get carried away during this time of year.
Lori Welch Brown waxes poetic about “Growing Her Gratitude Garden” in the spirit of Thanksgiving in her Open Space column while our Caribbean Connection contributors talk about spending some holiday time on an island and why the shoulder season is a good time to head down to the Caribbean. Hopefully, the hurricanes will have settled down by then.
It just might be time for some Holiday Wineing! My longtime buddy and winery owner Doug Fabbioli writes in Exploring VA Wines promoting the idea of gift giving and sharing locally grown and crafted wine with family and friends. This is a very good idea as there are a lot of fine Virginia wines made in the commonwealth. Doug has been a winery owner and farmer for a long time now and has seen many changes. You can also find good buys on wines this time of year. Check out the Pearmund Cellars ad featuring the ‘12 Wines of Christmas’. Also, look for case discounts at your favorite winery.
Turning our attention to the Chesapeake Bay, Makaya Cropper gives us ideas on things to do in Annapolis and Ann Arundel counties in November in From the Bay. Winter racing on the Bay begins on November 5th with the Annapolis Yacht Club’s annual Frostbite series. This is not for the faint of heart and is very competitive.
Miriam Kramer once again does a suburb job on her review of A Higher Loyalty – former FBI Director James Comey’s explosive book which discusses his trajectory in government service up until he unwillingly became a political lightning rod during and after the 2016 presidential election – in Last Word.
Lani Gering turns her attention to one of her favorite destinations…National Harbor. The Harbor kicks off the holiday season first and best in the area. Lots of early activity going on this month including the opening of ICE at the Gaylord. This year the theme is “The Polar Express”! This is the first time for it at this Gaylord location. More to come on this next month.
For our Road Trip this month we stayed close to home and visited our friends in beautiful Solomons, Maryland and spent the night on Solomons Island at “The Art Cottage” in the heart of the Island. A popular destination in the warmer months, Solomons is still a great escape in the cooler months and the big crowds are absent. The town also has a bunch of great folks living there year-round.
The Business Profile, just like last month, is another uplifting profile about a group of people who are giving back to our community and our youth. Barbara Leary fills us in on the Chamber of Commerce 2025 Best in Business “Rising Star” Award recipients – Cornerstone Craftsman. You may have a young person in your life who could benefit from this amazing program teaching foundational skills for a career in the building trades.
I am a proponent of honoring our Veterans every day but let’s give them a special shout out on the 11th! As for Thanksgiving, there are everyday things that I should be more thankful for and I’m going to try to do better but I know I will do my part on the big day when the turkey and dressing hit the table.
Happy Thanksgiving to One and All!
Bob