This month's newsletter is dedicated to the memory of two amazing individuals we had the privledge of having in our lives, a monumental loss for our Annapolis Community.

HUGE thank you Annapolis for voting us once again for Best of in What's Up? Annapolis. We took home the prize this year for:

-best of- Pilates Class

Without your support, vote and love it wouldn't have happened. We cannot thank you enough!!

All winners will be announced in their June edition, be on the lookout :)

Click here to reserve your spot with Shannon

Stumped over what to get Mom for Mother's Day this year? How about the gift of wellness? One. has gift certificates available for massage, acupuncture, or a group exercise class!

Click here for purchase

Are you having Hot Flashes?

Vasomotor symptoms (aka hot flashes) occur due to the constriction or dilation of blood vessels which is a result from a reduced production of estradiol (estrogen produced in the ovaries).

84.2% of women experience menopause symptoms which commonly begin in women between the ages of 40 to 50 years of age but most often start at the age of 51. These symptoms are often combined with chills, anxiety, and heart palpitations but not all hot flashes are related to menopause and even men can experience similar heat sensations (for example from excessive alcohol consumption).

No matter the cause, hot flashes can be very uncomfortable and make you feel miserable. The good news is Chinese medicine and acupuncture have been known to reduce and even stop hot flashes all together. From a Chinese medicine standpoint there are different types of hot flashes and therefore different herbal formulas and acupuncture treatments for them.

Schedule an appointment with Jeff today to learn more!

Click here to reserve your spot with Jeff

Greenscape 2024

Thanks to everyone that came out this year to help with cleanup and planting for the SOFO citywide Greenscape Event!



Be sure to check out the entrance at Robinwood AND all the pretty flowers in the Bay Ridge triangle coming your way soon :)

Special shout out to Garden Girls, we were able to clear out the space next to McDonald's and Subway with their hard work, and the city installed a trash can for us!

For those who fear driving over bridges, their nightmares became a reality.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge leads to a spike in anxiety for fearful travelers

Washington Post | Andrea Sachs | March 29, 2024

While the country was transfixed on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, psychiatrist Elias Aboujaoude heard from two of his clients in California who each suffer from acrophobia, the fear of heights. They told the Stanford Medicine clinical professor they were trying to find out whether they had crossed the bridge on previous trips to the East Coast.

“It’s exacerbating their anxiety because it’s proving to them that their fear of bridges and their fear of heights is not unreasonable — that … this could have happened to them when they were on this bridge,” Aboujaoude said.

The horrifying scene of an out-of-control cargo ship taking down an 185-foot-tall bridge has triggered anxiety in people who struggle with several fears, including claustrophobia, amaxophobia (driving) and gephyrophobia (crossing bridges). It’s not a far leap to watch video of the collapse and picture yourself falling into the Patapsco River. For some, it feels like a bad dream came true.

Retired sales executive Dave Scarangella, 67, wrote on X on Tuesday that the Key Bridge collapse was his “recurring nightmare in real life.” He gets panic attacks on high bridges, he wrote — and more than a dozen people replied to share their own fears.

Taking lengths to avoid bridges

Bridges are a part of daily life for many. They factor into our holidays and vacations. People like Scarangella, of Ashburn, Va., may plot an elaborate course to circumvent an anxiety-inducing crossing.

Aboujaoude said one patient’s commute is three hours instead of the 30 minutes it would take to use a bridge. Scarangella said he has delegated bridge driving to colleagues and family members for years. He has avoided the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the Bay Bridge in Maryland. Family getaways are carefully planned.

“Wherever we choose to vacation won’t have a high bridge there,” he said. “And if we were to come across one by accident, we would look at a map and drive around it.”

At several bridges around the country, nervous drivers can hand their car keys over to a professional driver. The escort programs are run by a mix of bridge operators and private transportation companies.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia has been assisting nervous drivers since at least the 1990s. In 2006, the authorities formalized the free program, which is available year-round.

“We get just as many calls in the middle of the night as we do in the middle of the day,” said Corporal Spencer Parks.

The 440-foot-high Delaware Memorial Bridge, which spans the Delaware River, offers a similar program. Travelers, who should call 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time, will receive directions to a safe pull-off where they can wait for an officer. Dispatcher Dionna Glasglow said they typically receive a bump in calls over the holidays and on days with extreme weather — excessively windy or rainy or spectacularly sunny.

“Summer is a huge peak time for us,” she said. The service is free, but the car owner must pay the $5 toll.

Antony, who wrote a book about overcoming fears, said the most effective and evidence-based therapy involves exposure. He takes his clients to bridges, where the patient or a friend of the individual will repeatedly drive across the structure. The idea is to exorcise the fear by normalizing the experience.

“We will go back and forth long enough for the people to learn that whatever they are predicting isn’t going to happen,” he said. “Their fear comes down over time, usually.”

“The only treatment is to do it,” DuPont said. “You’ve got to get on the bridge and do it often. … The peace lies on the other side of the fear.”

Click here to read full article

Breathing to Reduce Anxiety

Cyclic sighing appeared to be particularly effective among different breathing exercises. Participants in this group reported even greater positive mood improvements compared with participants who practiced mindfulness meditation.

(slowly inhale through the nose to expand the lungs, and inhale again to maximally fill the lungs, then slowly and fully exhale the breath through the mouth)

A study in Cell Reports Medicine showed that just five minutes of breathwork each day for about a month could improve mood and reduce anxiety — and these benefits may be larger than from mindfulness meditation for the same amount of time.

Chemicals Stored in Your Garage Could Raise Odds for ALS

By HealthDay

April 15, 2024, at 7:04 a.m.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

HEALTHDAY

MONDAY, April 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Volatile and toxic chemicals commonly stored in garages can increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Gasoline or kerosene, gas-powered equipment and lawn care chemicals represented the top three risk factors for ALS found in garages, researchers report.

Exposures to each of these increased ALS risk around 15%, results show.

Other chemicals found in garages that significantly increase ALS risk include pesticides, paint and woodworking supplies, researchers said.

These risks were more prominent in homes with attached garages. The flow of air from attached garages into the living space is likely behind this, researchers said.

Click here to read full article

Have you heard of Poop Sweats? Yup, it's a real phenominon

The Real Reason the Poop Sweats Take You From 0 to Emergency in, Like, 10 Seconds

Kells McPhillips

Amelia McBride

Updated October 23, 2023

What are poop sweats?

Poop sweats are uncontrollable bouts of sudden sweating that occur when you’re about to have, are currently having, or have just had a bowel movement. These spells of sudden sweating are sometimes accompanied by nausea, chills, dizziness, lightheadedness, or digestive discomfort.

As far as why these bouts of poop-related sweating occur, gastroenterologist Avanish Aggarwal, MD, says you can blame your vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system that oversees digestion, and, among other things, it's responsible for those emergency bathroom trips. The vagus nerve runs from your brain to your abdomen and is part of the gut's nervous system (called the "enteric nervous system"), and it has a lot of power over the urgency of your bathroom trips. That's because it governs peristalsis: an involuntary constriction and relaxation of the intestinal muscles that creates the poop sweats and makes you need to go—like, now.

Vasovagal reflex symptoms

Sometimes, the stimulation of the vagus nerve can lead to vasovagal syncope. Vasovagal syncope occurs when our bodies fail to autoregulate after being exposed to certain triggers, resulting in a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate. This interrupts the blood flow to the brain, causing us to feel dizzy and even faint.

However, frequent bouts of poop-related sweating and rapid bowel urgency could be indicative of more serious bowel issues like irritable bowel syndrome, vasovagal syncope, or bowel incontinence. If you frequently experience excessive sweating while pooping or deal with digestive discomfort on the daily, it may be time to schedule a visit with a gastroenterologist, functional nutritionist, or a pelvic floor PT.

 Incorporate more fiber into your diet

Another cause of poop sweats is constipation. Ironically enough, constipation can also lead to emergency bathroom trips. After sitting in your GI tract for a long period of time, a sudden change in anxiety or stress can cause fecal urgency.

(Jennifer's note, try psyllium husk powder daily to improve regularity)

Click here to read full article

With Allergy season in full force and the seasons getting more intense and lasting longer, these come HIGHLY recommended as an alternative to helping reduce your reaction to pollen in a more hollistic way. (always check with your physician before taking supplements)

Click here to order

Photo credit-Jennifer's front door May 2024 (do you spy the little eyes behind the door?;)

May Day is one of the most beautiful days in Annapolis. On May 1st the doors of homes and businesses in our centuries-old City of Annapolis are adorned with baskets full of fresh-cut flowers and colorful ribbons. If you haven't yet treated yourself to a stroll along the streets of Annapolis' Historic District on this day of days, this is the year to indulge. 

​

Be sure to take plenty of photos of the colorful baskets and post them to social media using the hashtags #maydayannapolis2024 and #69thannapolismayday.

What began as a Garden Club of Old Annapolis Towne beautification project in 1956 has grown into a tradition in which residents and business owners compete for winning ribbons and an invitation to the Garden Club's Annual Tea. 

​

The 68th annual May basket competition, sponsored by the Garden Club of Old Annapolis Towne, will be held Wednesday, May 1 in celebration of May Day. Residents and merchants in the Historic District, and parts of Murray Hill, are encouraged to arrange baskets of fresh-cut flowers to display outside their homes and businesses. Residential arrangements must be in baskets and include a card indicating the name of the participant; merchants can use a container that reflects an element of their business. All displays must be out by 10:00 a.m. on May 1 for judging by garden club members.  

Click here for May Day details

Annapolis Town Center

Summer Concerts are back

May 3, 2024 - September 20, 2024

Join us every 1st and 3rd Friday, May – September, from 6pm-8pm for family friendly live music at the Boathouse Pavilion in the East Village (located next to P.F. Chang’s).

May 3: Fantasm: Funk and Soul

May 17: The Michael Henry Tribe: Rock, Blues, and Soul

June 7: Got Yacht?: Yacht Rock

June 21: Original Moonlighters: Motown Hits

July 5: Weird Science: 80’s Pop Hits

July 19: Justin Taylor Band:  Folk, Rock, and Blues

August 2: Moran Tripp Band:  Rock, Funk, and Blues

August 16: JPARIS Band: Jazz and R&B

September 6: Dan Heely Band:  Rock, Country, and Blues

September 20: Lower Case Blues: Blues, Rock, and Funk

Anne Arundel County Host a Food Drive

(Or to make it more convenient for our friends to donate food online, you can purchase the most needed food through Target or Amazon, and the food is delivered directly to the AACFB.)

Click here for info

First Sunday Arts Festival Returns this Sunday!

The First Sunday Arts events will resume on Sunday, May 5th starting its second decade on the first block of West Street from 11 am to 5 pm. The event will feature 50 artisans selling paintings, photography, jewelry, woodturning, glass art, home décor, and more.

Click here for details

Dinner Under the Stars Is Back

Wednesdays and Saturdays

6-10pm

May 18 thru September 28

Click here for details

Blue Angels Return!

Blue Angels 2024

The Blue Angels are back in Annapolis for the Naval Academy Commissioning week.

We are expecting extremely heavy boat traffic so please be sure to pay attention to markers and listen to the officials that are enforcing the restricted zones.

Practice Day: May 21st, 2024

Around 10:30 am: The restricted zone in the Severn River is closed to all unauthorized traffic.

Around 2:00 pm: Practice air show begins.

Around 4:00 pm: Once the all-clear is given, the Severn River will be open to all vessel traffic.

Show Day: May 22nd, 2024

Around 1:30 pm: The restricted zone in the Severn River is closed to all unauthorized traffic.

Around 2:00 pm: Air show begins.

Around 4:00 pm: Once the all-clear is given, the Severn River will be open to all vessel traffic.

There will be a temporary channel in place marked with red and green buoys. This channel MUST be kept clear of anchored boats throughout the duration of the shows. You will be moved if you are anchored in this zone.

Click here for details

Free Annapolis Parking info from

Jared Littmann, Candidate for Mayor of Annapolis

The City of Annapolis offers City residents COMPLIMENTARY PARKING VALIDATIONS for up to two hours per day at one of our four parking garages in downtown Annapolis: Hillman Garage, Knighton Garage, Gott’s Court Garage and Park Place Garage.

To apply for Hillman Garage validations, City residents may visit this link: https://tinyurl.com/2ycxcf5r

For other garages, please visit the Annapolis Parking office, located at 60 West Street, Suite 106. Residents must show a valid driver’s license with a current Annapolis address. This information will be cross-checked with the current registration list.

WILLIAM PACA GARDEN PLANT SALE

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024

Location: William Paca Garden; Enter at 1 Martin Street

Time: 10:00 am (EDT) - 4:00 pm (EDT)



An Annapolis tradition for 50 years, the William Paca Garden Plant Sale provides the opportunity to take home a piece of history. HA volunteers personally raise over 8,000 plants – perennials, annuals, trees, vines, and vegetable starts – that represent the best of the old and the new.

Staff and volunteers are on hand to answer your gardening questions. Proceeds of this beloved annual tradition support the mission and programs of Historic Annapolis and the William Paca ​Garden.

Registration not required. The Plant Sale is held rain or shine. Pets are not permitted at the event. 

Cost: Free

The Plant Sale will also be open on Sunday, May 12 from 12 pm – 4 pm.

Click here for details

🚨🐾 SPCA Walk for the Animals 2024 🐾🚨

🚨🐾 Sunday, May 19th, 8am-12pm 🐾 Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis 🐾🚨

Walk, wag and run for a cause at our annual Walk for the Animals! This year will be bigger and better than ever!

Click here for details

More Happenings

Annapolis Irish Festival

• Anne Arundel County Fairground

May 4, 2024

Price:

$25 Online ($30 at the door) Kids under 12 free Tickets are non-refundable. NO PETS ALLOWED!

Time:

From: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM

details

MARYLAND FIESTA LATINA

Sunday, May 5th, 2024

11am – 7pm

Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds

details

The 36th Annual Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition

Annapolis Opera

• Maryland Hall

May 5, 2024

Price:

FREE

Time:

3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

details

The 0.05k Bridge Run

• Start: Long & Foster Parking Lot, 320 Sixth Street

Dates:

May 11, 2023

Time:

Starting at the Crack O' Noon!

details

Naptown Music Feast

• Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds

May 11, 2024

Price:

$25

Time:

From: 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM

details

5 pm Tuesday, May 14th at the Graduate Annapolis hotel

Dream Interpretation

Advance tickets: $13.50

Profs and Pints Annapolis presents: “Dream Interpretation,” with Richard Bargdill, associate professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, teacher of courses on dream interpretation and the psychology of creativity, and author of the newly released book A Dreamer's Thought Book: Intriguing Ideas about the Dreaming Process.

details

The Herndon Climb, a USNA Commisioning Week Tradition

U.S. Naval Academy

May 15, 2024

Price: Free

details

Annapolis Blues vs Maryland Bobcats - Community Shield

Annapolis Blues soccer

• Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadiu

May 15, 2024

Price:

$12 for Adults, $10 for Youth

Time:

7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

details

Bike to Work Day

Friday, May 17, 2024

6:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Location:

Susan Campbell Park

details

Did You Know?