The Park is the Place 
The Uptown Annapolis Venue Offers
Year-round Verve
By Ann Evankovich | July/August 2010
With European architecture reminiscent of the Naval Academy, Park Place anchors uptown Annapolis at Westgate Circle. Comprised of residential and commercial spaces, Park Place creates a unique collaboration of business and pleasure that is changing the way we enjoy Annapolis.
“We have incorporated ourselves into the fabric of our community,” says Michael Vance, Westin Hotel General Manager, of Park Place’s desire to compliment the lifestyle and events of Annapolis.
Bark in the Park
“Almost everyone in Annapolis has a lab – or wishes they had one,” jokes Jeremy Parks, Executive Vice President of Jerome J. Parks Companies about Park Place’s commitment to four-footed Annapolitans. Park Place beckons people to enjoy the Park with their furry best friends. In May, Park Place had a great turn-out for Bark in the Park, an event for dogs and their owners featuring raffles, games, vendors, and animal rescue groups.
Dogs are invited to join their owners for the free summer movie series on Thursday nights in August. “Park Place Annapolis” Facebook fans selected the flicks for the giant inflatable screen on the lawn reserved as the future site for the Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts. Patrons often bring box dinners from Fad?, pizza from Carpaccio, or Subway sandwiches to enjoy in the grassy cinema.
Canine guests can also enjoy the patio outside Bark‘n’Bean with a dog treat and fresh bowl of water while their owners sip cappuccino or lunch on paninis and Bruster’s ice cream.
In addition to being welcomed outside, these pampered pooches can accompany their owners to shop in places such as The Papery, offering paper goods, gifts and on-site printing, and to stay at the Westin Hotel.
“We get quite a few four-footed weekend travelers,” says Gary Gray, Westin Hotel manager. Through Facebook, the Westin hosted a Cutest Dog contest, awarding the winner one of the Heavenly Dog Beds, available upon request in hotel rooms.
Play in the Park
Sitting around the lighted fountain in the stone piazza, patrons sip glasses of Chianti and pints of Guinness. Acoustic guitars mingle with laughter on Thursday and Friday evenings. Jazz serenades the bottomless mimosas of Sunday brunch.
When you enter Fado Irish Pub, you’ll swear you’ve been transported to the Emerald Isle. The interior was designed and manufactured completely in Ireland and then brought to Annapolis for installation. Fadó in Irish means 'long ago'. “At Fadó we are telling the tale of Ireland's rich and celebrated pub culture - a culture of hearty food and drink, good music, warm hospitality and friendly banter,” says Ronan Corbett, General Manager.
During recent years, Ireland has experienced a culinary awakening that has won international accolades. A new generation of chefs with great technique and fresh ideas are dedicated, generous, and passionate about what they are doing. “We try to reflect this awakening in the menu at the pub,” says Corbett. Bartender Robin O’Brien from Dublin recently won the Great Guinness Perfect Pint Pouring Award. “In Ireland,” O’Brien explains in his charming brogue, “we use the term ‘Great Craic’ to refer to a whole lot of fun.” O’Brien assures, “Fado is plenty of Great Craic.” 
Sharing the stone patio with Fado is Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen, serving up brick oven pizza, 18 homemade pastas and a variety of risottos. Their extensive wine list features many Italian selections. Although the fresh bread and succulent Tuscan fare will make it difficult, be sure to save room for the authentic tiramisu.
Instead of a cherry, the Park Place parfait is topped with honey – or it soon will be. The sweet idea of Azure’s executive chef James Barrett, the two beehives on the Westin’s rooftop will soon deliver 60 pounds of honey a year. Barrett has been testing honey-based recipes, finding success with honey-lacquered salmon, honey-cashew brittle and blueberry-honey ice cream.
Azure Lounge is partnering with local watermen for its second annual Soft Shell Crab Festival this summer. Also open for breakfast and lunch, Azure features small plates and sandwiches for dinner. Azure also partners with local Laurie Foster, The Wine Coach for monthly wine dinners, pairing a vintage to highlight the nuances of each course. This summer, Carpaccio is hosting five course wine dinners Italian-style.
Stay in the Park
Designed to encourage relaxation and rejuvenation, the Westin Hotel brings a touch of Zen to the Chesapeake. A subtle green tea scent drifts over sand and sea carpeting. Rippling waves flow through the artwork and lighting, giving harbor to the sail-fabric columns in the lobby.
“We want to create an emotional connection with our guests,” explains Vance. “We want them to have a sense of belonging.” Travelers lodging in one of their 225 rooms enjoy high-definition, flat-screen televisions, wireless internet, and ergonomic desk chairs. Their ten-layer Heavenly Beds, which made Westin hotels famous, are accompanied by Heavenly Baths featuring double shower heads and custom milled soaps.
Its success can be measured in accolades from the hotel’s guests. Not only has the Westin recently been ranked number one in popularity among Annapolis hotels by both Priceline and TripAdvisor, but it was voted One of World’s Best Hotels on the Expedia® Insiders’ Select™ list, and recognized as a Readers Choice 2010 winner for the area’s best wedding site.
A full range of spa and beauty services are available at the tranquil Varuna Aveda SalonSpa, which allows signing services to Westin guests. Varuna was recently named one of America’s Top 200 Salons by Salon Today and was twice selected as Salon-of-the-Month by Beauty Launchpad. Built almost entirely with eco-friendly materials, Varuna matches their award-winning service with green corporate conscience.
Live in the Park
“My wife and I moved to Park Place to enjoy a hassle free lifestyle,” explains resident Scott Glass, now president of the Home Owner’s Association. “We’ve really come to enjoy the security of the building, the common area amenities in the gym and pool, the great restaurants, and the overall fantastic social nature of the community.”
“One thing the residents have in common,” explains Linda Harrison, sales manager of the Residence at Park Place, “is that they love Annapolis. They love the luxury we offer and the proximity of being able to walk everywhere in this historic town. It really is a small town feel with the sophistication you would find in a large city.”
Visit www.UptownAnnapolis.com for details and links to all the restaurants and retailers. Join “Park Place Annapolis” on Facebook for the latest information on upcoming events.
