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Simple Ways To Make Your Home Cozier

The winter months mean more time spent at home. Cuddling under cozy blankets. The delicious aroma of crockpot meals filling the house. Endless movie nights (or days) on the couch with the ones you love. It is easy to embrace the slow down of life that the colder seasons bring about. Make sure your home is stocked and ready to provide you with all of the comforts you look forward to at the start of a new year. 

Cook All Day

They don’t call it “winter weight” for nothing. Good food and drinks are what make the cold season most enjoyable. Find the perfect ingredients for that next hearty meal at Whole Foods. They boast a wide variety of high-quality products with healthy nutrition in mind. Whether you are looking to cook a stew, bake a pie or throw together a nourishing casserole, Whole Foods will have just what you need to get it done. Be sure to pair that delicious dish with a fine wine or your favorite beverage from Bin201. Or, if you are feeling rather lazy one cold evening, the restaurants on the property have you covered with curbside pick-up. And, based on your location – maybe even delivery!

Home Accents Matter

There is nothing that soothes the soul more than scented candles and plush blankets. Grab a faux fur blanket or chunky knit throw from Arhaus and drape it over a deep sofa or perfectly manicured bed boasting all of the essential throw pillows. It will just scream cuddle time to any passerby. Bring the outside in with some textured pieces from Z Gallerie. Evergreen plants, birchwood, potpourri, and snowflake imagery can serve as the perfect complement to those snowy days outdoors. Looking to truly commit to the cozy theme? Check out Restoration Hardware for inspiration in their Ski House sourcebook. Find unique home pieces like sheepskin sofas, reclaimed rustic oak tables, and wool herringbone drapes.

Game Night

Board games will never get old. Perfect for families of all sizes, a game night during these locked in, chilly months encourages family bonding and a little competitive fun. Bed Bath and Beyond, as well as Target, boast plenty of options to choose from. Start with a crowd favorite like Monopoly, Go Fish or UNO. For those feeling a little nostalgic, you can even find Battleship and Sorry. Or, challenge these young Tik Tok kids to a game more their speed like Wii Just Dance. 

Stay Toasty Outdoors

Warmth and comfort don’t have to only be found inside your home. There are tons of ways to stay warm as you are surrounded by the winter-friendly conditions outside. Add one of the most desirable amenities to your home – a hot tub – with the help of Offenbachers Home Escapes. Their wide assortment of spas boasts a number of standard and deluxe features. Looking for something a little more manageable? Browse the fire tables at Ethan Allen. These durable and stylish pieces update any outdoor space while providing a feeling of warmth to you and your guests. Further, transform your outdoor space by adding an outdoor rug that emphasizes your space and reflects your style. Bassett Furniture uses the best in outdoor fabrics to “live outside yourself”. 

Be sure to follow the Town Center on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates on events, promotions, and happenings. 

 

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Winter DIY Projects With Annapolis Town Center

We all have DIY projects on our to-do list, just waiting for us to catch that spark of creativity. The holiday season is the perfect time to relax, enjoy a night in, and spend time with family – so why not add something crafty to the agenda. And, for those who are less inclined to get artsy – there are plenty of opportunities to update your space or create the perfect at-home cocktails too! The Annapolis Town Center offers a number of retailers that can help you bring your next vision to life.

Paper Source

Greeting cards, place settings, and a host of other unique creations are waiting for you at Paper Source. Let their team help you craft your way through the next few weeks with your own twist. You can even find the perfect gift wrap and accessories to make your gifts stand out under the tree. They have all the tools you need to make whatever you can think of!

Bin201

While going out and gathering may not be an option, you don’t have to give up all the fun. Bin201 can help you become a DIY-mixologist, making all of your favorite drinks from the comfort of your own home. Have fun with it and get together with friends, virtually, for your own socially distanced holiday party. Their knowledgeable staff will make sure you have everything you need to get started. If you’d prefer to just sit back and sip on something, purchase their holiday box, available now!

Offenbachers

Make the holiday staycation of your dreams a reality at Offenbachers. Browse their awesome selection of furniture to upgrade your space and make it more fun for the entire family. Whether it’s a new hot tub or a pool table, pick up some new pieces that will bring the fun right to your own home. Now is the perfect time to transform your backyard into a cozy winter escape, just in time for Christmas.

Restoration Hardware

Interior design projects count as DIY! If home decor is more your style, Restoration Hardware is the place to be. Treat yourself to some home renovation this season. Upgrade any room in your home with the perfect lighting, rugs, window treatments, and much more. Prepare for more gatherings and reasons to celebrate as 2021 nears *fingers crossed*.

We love hearing from our guests! Share your DIY creations with us over on social, just tag us @annapolistowncenter. To stay up to date with the latest Town Center happenings, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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A Date Night at Annapolis Town Center

Whether it’s the first date, a special occasion or a weekly ritual, Annapolis Town Center provides fun, unique options that suit all budgets and interests for Annapolitan couples. The variety of bars, restaurants and shops (plus easy, ample parking) sets the mood and will quickly become your go-to spot for those romantic evenings.

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Start with a Drink

Most of the restaurants offer a large bar area for a pre-dinner beverage, but a couple are definitely worth an early arrival, especially for happy hour. Paladar Rum Bar and Gordon Biersch Bar serve up a diverse selection and sociable vibe that brings people together. Wine tasting at Bin 201 and Cooper’s Hawk Tasting Room are also great starting points for a memorable date night.

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Grab a Bite

Although you can extend your cocktail hour into dinner at Paladar, Gordon Biersch and Cooper’s Hawk, there are several other restaurants that provide different cuisines and ambiance. Enjoy the flavors of the orient at P.F. Chang’s or Ziki Japanese Steak House with mouthwatering dishes such as crispy honey chicken, sushi and hibachi – a date night favorite! For a more casual evening, NeoPizza is convenient, delicious and budget-friendly. Their unique pizza toppings, beer and wine menus easily elevate a simple meal out.

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Roam the Shops

Annapolis Town Center offers several enticing stores to roam around in walking distance to the bars and restaurants pre or post dinner. In addition to the several high-end furniture stores such as Ethan Allen and Restoration Hardware, stroll hand-in-hand through Anthropologie and Lou Lou Boutique to browse and possibly treat your special someone. If your date night is a big success, Smyth Jewelers and Wren Bridal are also readily available!

Netflix and chill has nothing on a night out at Annapolis Town Center! Wine and dine your special someone with flavors from around the world in the comfort of your hometown.

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A Crafty Christmas

No Christmas gift stays closer to the recipient’s heart for years to come than one made by the giver’s hand.  Whether you are a clever or a clumsy crafter, a little help from the shops at Annapolis Towne Centre can enable you to make something memorable for a special friend, colleague, or family member or for the whole clan.  If your creative spirit leans more toward holiday décor or if it’s your child who is the craftsperson, the Towne Centre has that covered too.

Figuring out what to make is the first and biggest step in crafting gifts or décor, and several shops at ATC offer great ideas for projects of all sizes and degrees of complexity. A stroll through the Annapolis Art Alliance’s Pop-up Shop can provide inspiration and more because its clerks are artists whose work is displayed in the shop, and they can give you advice tailored to your skill level on various projects.  The only risk to visiting the Pop-up Shop is that you might also find some excellent gifts for some of the special people on your list (but hopefully that won’t cause you to abandon your own crafty ambitions).

Image courtesy of Annapolis Arts Alliance

Target offers how-to books for a wide variety of crafts and may be the best place in Annapolis for one-stop-shopping to buy the basics to make pretty much anything.  Target has glue guns, scissors, colored paper, felt squares, artificial flowers, ready-to-decorate wreaths, acrylic and watercolor paints, all sorts of sewing items, and picture frames to show off your photography or artwork.  Target’s endless number of kid-focused craft kits can give a do-it-yourself kind of child the opportunity to make personalized gifts (some of these kits are also suitable for use by busy parents).

Image courtesy of Target

The Paper Source offers the very best quality of paper—not just wrapping paper but pretty paper for projects of all kinds and all colors, including making your own Christmas cards.  If you want to go the simple route—something that you can rightfully say you made but has almost zero risks to the assembly—take a look at the shop’s craft kits for all ages that offer projects ranging from flowers and wreaths and holiday décor to soapmaking.  If making your own holiday cards is too much of a stretch, the store has a beautiful selection of ready-made cards, simple or elegant, funny or romantic, to accompany your special gifts.

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In addition to a wide selection of holiday décor, Bed Bath & Beyond has a large assortment of flower vases and containers both for storing craft materials and for displaying your creations. For example, the store’s assortment of Mason jars provides a just-like-grandma-used-to-make touch to your homemade jams, jellies, or dried bean soup mixes.  Need some pinecones for your project?  Bed Bath & Beyond has them!

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Restoration Hardware can provide knobs and pulls for the crafter who enjoys furniture-making or repairing or if you just want to give your furniture or kitchen cabinets a fresh look.  RH also has some beautiful planters for greenery gifts and baskets that can showcase your creation.

Anthropologie offers decorative ceramic hardware for furniture that is especially nice is you want to provide some pop to your home.  Choose from the store’s assortment of pretty vases to highlight arrangements of fresh or dried flowers.

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A selection of teas arrayed in a basket or on a tray with a pretty teapot and a couple of cups and saucers can allow you to express your creativity and show your appreciation of tea-drinking friends or family members.  The Baltimore Coffee & Tea Company has tea (and coffee) selections to suit everyone’s taste, with or without caffeine.  Moreover, the shop has a lunch counter offering a tasty selection of made-to-order sandwiches, soups, and desserts.  Take this opportunity to relax, get off your feet, have a bite to eat, and pat yourself on the back for being such a thoughtful crafter!

Some might say that around the holidays the best craft gift is an edible one, and Whole Foods has the ingredients for just about any type of cookies, candy, pie, cake, quiche, bread, etc., you’d want to make.  The store also has arguably the best assortment of live greenery and fresh-cut flowers in town, ready for you to arrange and put in a vase for your host or hostess or to brighten up your dinner table or kitchen.

Image courtesy of Whole Foods

So head to Annapolis Towne Centre and get ready for hours of holiday fun!

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