EAT

Dec. 7: R. House’s Birthday Blowout

R. House, 301 W. 29th St. 6 p.m.-12 a.m. Free

This Friday marks the second anniversary of Remington’s beloved food hall, and we have to admit—we’ve spent the better part of the past two years sipping cocktail creations from R. Bar and eating our way through stalls like Amano Taco, Be.bim, and BRD. Celebrate R. House’s big day with two-for-one food specials, a birthday-themed bar, and fun-filled activities like face painting and a scavenger hunt. The adults-only part of the celebration starts at 9 p.m., so be sure to tuck the kiddos into bed and sneak back over before then.

DRINK

Dec. 7: Baltimore Spirits Company Invades Old Line Spirits

The Ready Room Cocktail Bar, 200 S. Janney St. 7-10 p.m. Free.

Since Old Line Spirits added The Ready Room cocktail bar to their Highlandtown facility this summer, it has become a go-to spot for creative cocktails made with the distillery’s signature rums and whiskeys. But for one night only, Baltimore Spirits Company will take over bar with its crowd-favorite spirits like Shot Tower Gin and Fumus Pumila Smoked Apple Brandy. In between sampling sips of winter warmers, try a barrel-smoked meat sandwich from local newcomers Scalawags Pit Meat.

SEE

Dec. 9: A Charlie Brown Christmas

The Modell Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. 1 & 4 p.m. $25-55.

We all know and love the Peanuts, and this Sunday, see Snoopy and the whole gang come alive on the Lyric stage during this all-new production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Follow along as Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and their merry band of Peanuts characters discover the true meaning of Christmas during this family-favorite musical, featuring classic tunes by original composer Vince Guaraldi.

HEAR

Dec. 8: Version with Trillnatured

The Crown, 1910 N. Charles St. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Free.

Although Trillnatured originally made her mark on Baltimore’s music scene with her R&B and jazz-influenced club mixes, Version—her monthly turnups at The Crown that celebrate this city’s LGBTQ community—have made her a local icon. During the final event of the year, dance until all hours of the morning to sounds by Trillnatured herself and rising local rapper Kotic Couture. Be on the lookout for details about Version’s two-year anniversary party in January.

DO

Dec. 7: Handmade in Hampden

SweetSide Cafe, 3543 Chestnut Ave. 4-8 p.m. Free.

With holiday shopping season well underway, stop into this one-day-only market to find locally made gifts for everyone on your list. From handmade scarves and dolls to Baltimore-inspired trinkets, this pop-up shop at SweetSide Café will feature tons of homemade goods by Hampden-based makers such as MerinoCreation and BeautyCounter. While you’re at it, grab a toasty panini and warm latte to fuel your gift-hunting habits.

Our region has many nicknames. One of them is “A City of Firsts,” which generally refers to Baltimore’s historically innovative spirit. And we are happy to see that it’s alive and well today in the first bar inside a city distillery (that uses another nickname as its moniker).

The owners of Old Line Spirits opened their distillery in February 2017, but the bar debuted in Highlandtown this summer. Old Line was able to piggyback onto a bill in District 46 this past legislative session to allow consumption of mixed drinks on the site where those very spirits are being made.

The result is The Ready Room Cocktail Bar (200 S. Janney St.), a nod to the Naval pilot backgrounds of owners Arch Watkins and Mark McLaughlin. The cocktail menu pays tribute to their military service with categories including “port calls,” “midrat drinks,” and “bravo zulus.” (They even have a handy glossary of terms to educate us civilians.)

Industry vet Steve Lamb—who has poured drinks at Rye and Verde—uses Old Line’s whiskeys and rums to full effect. One showstopper is Liberty Risk, which combines three kinds of rum, grapefruit, lime, cinnamon, and grenadine and is served in a tiki glass with a flaming lime and two wheat straws for sharing. Unlike a lot of tiki drinks, this one isn’t too sweet and is nicely balanced. But, as is the case with many tiki drinks, pace yourself.

A tamer cocktail is the Starboard D, a mix of Old Line’s single malt whiskey, aged Caribbean rum, and house-made root beer with slight molasses notes. The mixer doesn’t mask the flavors of the liquors and is delicious on its own. There is also a curated selection of (local!) beer and wine, but you come to The Ready Room for the cocktails.

When it comes to décor, the bar itself is pretty bare bones, though some thoughtful touches like vintage Baltimore signs and upcycled aircraft items add a touch of élan. But it feels how it should—more like a brewery taproom than a full-blown bar. The idea is for patrons to tour Old Line’s production facility in one room and then try the spirits in various cocktails in the next.

On the night we went, a trivia host was getting started and local food truck Dough Boy Fresh was selling pretzels left and right. This whole bar-in-a-distillery thing really works. Here’s hoping other districts in Maryland soon follow suit. Clearly, we’re ready.

EAT

June 9: Feastival

Sandlot, 1000 Wills St. 12-4 p.m. $65-5,000. 410-628-0795.

All you need to make a difference this weekend is an appetite. On Saturday, head to Sandlot, Harbor Point’s buzzy waterfront oasis, for an all-you-can-taste foodie fundraiser to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Maryland. With your toes in the sand, sample eats from the event’s stellar lineup of local vendors, including Blue Pit BBQ, The Charmery, and Wit & Wisdom, and sip on free-flowing cocktails made by the Baltimore Bartenders Guild.

DRINK

June 9: The Ready Room Grand Opening

Old Line Spirits, 4201 E. Pratt St. 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Free. 443-218-9984.

Since opening its doors last February, Old Line Spirits has become a popular destination for local whiskey and rum connoisseurs. This Friday, founders Mark McLaughlin and Arch Watkins will celebrate the grand opening of the Highlandtown hoochery’s full-service cocktail bar with libations made from their award-winning spirits. Soak up the specialty cocktails, sample bites from chef Nancy Longo of Pierpoint Restaurant, and revel in the city’s first-ever distillery bar.

SEE

June 9: Baltimore Floatilla

Canton Waterfront Park, 3001 Boston St. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. $40. 443-743-3308.

The Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative is making a big impact on our local waterways—we might be able to swim in the Inner Harbor by 2020—but there’s still plenty of work to be done. This Saturday, do your part by paddling as part of a kayak and canoe fleet dressed in Baltimore-inspired costumes as it glides from Canton Waterfront Park to the Inner Harbor to benefit local restoration efforts. Don’t have your own vessel? Show your support from the shoreline with banners and cheer during its annual rally and after party to continue the fight for clean waters.

HEAR

June 9: The Crown Five-Year Anniversary Party

The Crown, 1910 N. Baltimore St. 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Free. 410-625-4848.

It feels like we blinked and five years of killer karaoke and all-night dance parties flew by at this Station North arts staple. To celebrate a half-decade of shows, screenings, events, and the city’s DIY arts scene, The Crown will host a packed lineup including a medley of local musical acts like R&B duo Chiffon, clubby singer-songwriter Hunter Hooligan, electronic pop artist Micah E. Wood, and psychedelic rockers Bubble Wand, plus Detroit’s futuristic noise group The Imaginatron. Just be sure not to miss Brendan Sullivan, the venue’s former manager and Weekends bandmate when he returns from New York for a homecoming set.

DO

June 9-10: Honfest

W. 36th St., Hampden. Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 12-6 p.m. Free.

This weekend, Bawlmer’s pride and joy turns 25 and is only getting better with age, hon! Get gussied up in your wildest feather boas and bejeweled shades for this annual two-day festival that honors the city’s historic working-class women with a can’t-miss block party. On Saturday and Sunday, stroll through the streets of Hampden to hear live music by local acts, like Soul Cannon and J Pope and the HearNow, browse through dozens of eclectic craft vendors, and, of course, cheer on your favorite Hon in the annual “Best Hon” competition.