I’m always excited to fly, but this weekend’s trip to Annapolis, Maryland was extra special since it was my first time flying since February 2020. I took a road trip to Florida to visit my family in April, so this isn’t my first post-Covid travel experience, but Friday night was my first time stepping onto a plane in well over a year. It was a great feeling to take to the skies once again!
Annapolis, Maryland might not be on everyone’s travel bucket list, but several friends have told me how great this small city is, so it seemed like the perfect Memorial Day weekend getaway. Of course, when I envisioned this trip in my mind, it was 80 degrees with sunny, clear blue skies. 50 degrees and pouring rain wasn’t exactly the perfect weekend weather I had hoped for. That being said, it was still a good weekend to be away, even if that weekend involved lounging in my hotel room for hours on end.
If you are looking for a great place to stay, the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel is simply amazing. The bed was super comfortable, and the view from my balcony couldn’t be beat!
I did get out of my room for a while over the weekend. On Saturday, I wandered the streets of historic Annapolis and visited the state house. Sunday was overcast but slightly less rainy and I made the 45 minute drive into D.C. for the day. Being Memorial Day weekend, it seemed a fitting time to visit the monuments and memorials and pay a visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
I managed to eat my share of food this weekend to make up for the lousy weather. Saturday’s breakfast at Iron Rooster provided morning sustenance in the form of French toast. While the menu description sounded amazing (apple and vanilla bean egg batter with spiced maple bourbon butter), the presentation of 4 ho-hum wedges of brioche left me wondering if I had read the menu correctly. Fortunately, the taste made up for the presentation and I very much enjoyed my morning treat.
Saturday night’s dinner was at the Boatyard Bar and Grill in the nearby Eastport neighborhood of Annapolis. The Boatyard’s claim to fame is their “All Killer, No Filler” crab cakes. I’m not normally a big seafood eater, but figured it was worth a try. I wasn’t blown away by my crab cake sandwich, but their homemade tartar sauce was really good. For dessert, I had to try the local favorite, Smith Island Cake. Made with 9 layers of cake and frosting, the weekend’s special of blueberry cake, red velvet, and buttercream frosting was amazing.
Thanks to my enormous dinner the night before, I wasn’t feeling up to my usual indulgent vacation breakfast on Sunday. Instead, I opted for some scrambled eggs with a side of mango lemon biscuits with lemon curd at Miss Shirley’s Cafe. I had planned to eat dinner on Sunday at my favorite Italian restaurant in Alexandria, VA. However, I didn’t really feel like a full Italian meal, so opted to return to Annapolis and headed to Vin 909, also in the Eastport neighborhood. My “Chef Moore” pizza with prosciutto, basil, and lemon juice was a perfectly salty combination and I had no trouble finishing the whole thing!
A repeat visit to Miss Shirley’s was in order for Monday morning. They have an array of creative and regularly changing pancakes, and I knew I had to try some before heading home. The cinnamon Danish pancakes were a filling end to my weekend escape!
Traveling with Laura 