On Nov. 1, 2018 — just over two short months ago — I moved to Annapolis. Eastport, to be more specific. My fiancé and I had been living on the coast of Delaware for about a year-and-a-half post-college graduation when he found a steady contract job in the Annapolis area, and I, naturally, made the leap with him.

I grew up in Crofton, but I never did too much exploring in Annapolis proper other than weekend trips to the mall and the very occasional venture to City Dock and the shops downtown. And I was so, so excited to move to here. I love Ocean City — that’s where I work, and still do work, remotely and with a commute down to the beach once every week or two (no complaints here) — but across the state line in the very First State of Delaware where I was living, I was bored. I do see the draw of living in Coastal DE, I really do: It’s peaceful in the winter and bustling with families and endless beach activity in the summer, plus there’s hardly every any rush hour traffic, which is something I did not miss when I lived east of the Chesapeake. Maybe I’ll retire there someday? I just like my wintertime serenity with just a little bit of a downtown atmosphere, not to mention having neighbors, which is something I really did miss out in the sticks.

Winter walks in Eastport.

Long story short, one of my resolutions in 2019 is to fully explore my new home base and document the journey along the way. I blog here and on Maryland.com, where I share stories from daytrips I take outside of Annapolis, and occasionally post photos on Facebook and Instagram. Drop me a line whenever and tell me where to go next! Maybe we can meet for coffee sometime; I’ve been spending a lot of time in Eastport’s Ahh, Coffee! these days. Also, don’t hesitate to tell me where to go for a beer. Davis’ Pub has been packed every time I’ve walked down and attempted to order a pint. 

The real point of this post was to say hello, because while I’ve been keeping Annapolis.com updated for upwards of a year, I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself yet! So, hello. And the real real point of this post was to form a little list, similar to the ones I do for OceanCity.com, of what’s happening in town this month and how we can make the most of this too cold/too dark month of January. 

Things to Do in Annapolis this January

Learn something new at the Winter Lecture Series

Every Thursday evening this January and February, the Annapolis Maritime Museum is hosting its annual Winter Lecture Series, where “you will be challenged to question and to learn by engaging speakers on eight diverse topics including maritime history, local history, science and maritime art.” Topics range from “Sharks and Rays of Chesapeake Bay: Proving ‘Common Knowledge’ Wrong” (that’s the lecture on Jan. 10 by Dr. John F. Morrissey) and “‘Maritime Annapolis: A History of Watermen, Sails & Midshipmen’: Local lore about the birth of the grittier side of Annapolis” (Feb. 21 with Rosemary Williams).

Tickets are $10 for non-members and free for First Mate and above members. Lectures start at 7 p.m.

See unique films about grassroots environmental activism

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival returns to Annapolis on Jan. 24, partnering with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to present environmental documentaries, shorts, and adventure films that raise awareness of local and global environmental issues. See this year’s selection of films and get tickets here.

Take the Plunge

If you’re brave enough to #bearthecold, the frigid waters of the Chesapeake are waiting for you to dip your toes in, and maybe the rest of your body, too. It’s for a good cause, of course: The Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park benefits the Maryland Special Olympics. Pledge $75 or more and support 7,782 athletes around the state. 

Get in touch with your artistic side

The First Sunday Arts Festival is off until May, but there’s still plenty of arts and culture to explore this time of year. Bundle up and peruse the outdoor street art around town, peruse one of Annapolis’ many art galleries, see a show at Rams Head On Stage, and at the very beginning of February, drop by the Annapolis Shakespeare Company to see their newest play: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, A Modern Tragicomedy. 

Go out to the opera (with kids)

On Jan. 26, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in partnership with Towson University’s Opera in a Can will present The Three Little Pigs: A Children’s Opera. It’s an operatic version of The Three Little Pigs based on scenes from operas by W. A. Mozart — not a bad way to keep small children entertained while introducing them to classical music and culture.