Editor’s Letter

TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO,

What’s Up? Media was launched by Veronica Tovey on a wing and prayer. Well, it was much more than on a whim, but you get the idea. Her notion that an entertainment and lifestyle magazine could thrive in a market already populated by several local publications seemed a bit zany at the time (1997). But by delivering a beefy calendar of local events (now online at whatsupmag.com) rounded out with fun feature articles and touchpoint coverage of home, health, environment, and dining, Tovey and team proved itself to have a winning formula and one that’s stuck. It’s been a fun ride and next May, when we eye our silver anniversary, we’ll reflect more on the magazine, its influence in the community (and vice versa!), our readers, and those who’ve become family and friends.

This May, we celebrate so much more than our anniversary. And I think the feeling is mutual, as all of us continue to emerge from the pandemic’s slumber and begin to socialize safely. It’s been a while. And in many ways, we’re seeing all the hard work of this past year pay off. Though we’re not out of the tunnel entirely, we can certainly see the light. There are events. There are summer past-times. There are vacations on the horizon.

On the 1st of the month, May Day, one of the most beautiful traditions blossoms throughout Annapolis, towns, and communities across the Chesapeake landscape. Bouquets, wreaths, and arrangements of bright, colorful flowers adorn the front doors of our homes—a cheerful reminder that hope springs eternal. A couple weeks later, all eyes will be on “The Run for

editor From the

the Black Eyed Susans”—what we’ve long known and enjoyed as the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred races. The 146th running will have fans in the grandstands. Shortly thereafter, we’ll turn our attention skyward for the return of the Blue Angels, who’ll be soaring above the Chesapeake Bay and Severn River, to celebrate the United States Naval Academy’s Class of 2021 graduation. The following weekend, barbecues will ignite the Memorial Day holiday—a time to reflect on those that gave their lives in battles past so that we can enjoy our freedoms today. All of these traditions near and dear to Marylanders’ hearts—it’s our culture.

And this issue is chock full of local flavor. For the best of our beloved blue crabs, the results are in! Consult the Best of Annapolis Food & Dining results for the bevy of Chesapeake bounty you voted tops in town. Speaking of bounty, we also talk with several local farmers in the Rita Calvert-penned “Thank Goodness!” feature about their operations in the “age of COVID” and how they’ve coped, tweaked, and developed during this challenging time. There’s good news in that one. I also recommend reading about Coastal Conservation Association Maryland and volunteer Mike Wissel to get an idea of how their work is vital toward protecting Chesapeake habitat and fisheries. And to get a feel for the many, many nonprofit organizations in our region working hard to ensure prosperous, safe, equitable, and clean environments and communities, we’ve compiled “Nonprofits You Should Know”—a comprehensive resource list of local orgs.

Like life—and like the many years we’ve been at it, making magazines—this issue has so much more to it than what I’ve touched on herein. As you enjoy James Houck, this spring, and flipping Editorial Director through this issue, I hope you’ll feel inspired, enriched, and maybe even a little zany. We could all use that energy about now.