The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. — G.K. Chesterton
We had been on the road for nearly two weeks. First we flew up to Boston from Richmond to spend a glorious few days with our friends in Salem. Then we took the train (I love the train) down to Mystic, CT for a week to visit with Tim’s mother, who was summering up in her old neighborhood. Our ultimate goal was to drive her and her cockapoo, Taffy, back down to Virginia at the end of the trip. In between, there’d be lots of time to visit with friends and get acquainted with this year’s crop of scallops and lobster. I confess I did a darn good job of it, too.
By the time we packed up on the last day, having washed and changed the linens and dumped the garbage, and so on, we knew that we would not be making the trip down in one day. It’s normally a 10 – 12 hour drive, with a few necessary stops, and we were getting much too late a start. We’d have to spend the night along the way (on the other side of New York City!) and we’d have to find a place that would take pets. As first Mom, then Tim, drove, I searched the internet — thank God for smart phones — for an interesting place to stay and then for a pet-friendly hotel.
As 5:00 rolled around, we were traveling through rural Maryland, exhausted from driving in and out of rainstorms and then sudden, bright sunshine. It was a strange day on the road. But then I found it: Annapolis. The Loews Hotel in Annapolis. Historic city. Pet-friendly hotel. Reasonable prices. Okay . . . we headed their way.
Sweet Annapolis
We drove into the city and I was immediately charmed by its antique houses and brick downtown, built around two circles: Church Circle and State Circle. Separated, of course. Most known for being the home of the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis is also home to St. John’s College (one of two Great Books Colleges, where students read over 130 great works of world literature during their four year stay — its sister college is in Santa Fe, NM). It’s also a place that I’m going back to, because it looks like there are many, many opportunities to feast and stroll among its wide array of quaint shops and restaurants.
Tim pulled up in front of the Loews and I jumped out to find out if they had a room available for the night. They did. And they were very excited to meet their new four-legged guest. Taffy received his own welcome kit: a Frisbee, a food mat, some treats, a brass bone-shaped collar charm, and lots of rubs. The room was terrific and we were unpacked in no time. Mom wanted to relax a little, have a drink and stay with Taffy. Tim and I were eager to do a little exploring, so we left them, promising to bring Mom something back for dinner. We didn’t get far.
Tim spotted a stately brick detached building virtually next door to the hotel. We went in and could not believe our eyes. Crush Winehouse, at 114 West Street, is the only true wine bar in Annapolis, providing opportunities for its patrons to not only taste, but also buy, fine wines. As the brochure says, “ . . . affordable, premium and uncommon . . . in a way that is fun, social, and unpretentious.” Its enomatic server allows patrons to sample a broad variety of wines by the glass (mostly Italian — I love that about this place!) that are typically only sold by the bottle. So you get a rare “try before you buy” experience.
And as if an array of handcrafted, artiginal wines was not enough, they also offer food to be savored along with the wines in the beautifully appointed lounge area. The menu, created by Chef Jon Rosa of San Francisco’s Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy, is based on fresh and seasonal ingredients. And his selection of handmade Parfection Chocolates, another Maryland enterprise, is out of this world. The menu is small — perhaps 20 items at any given time — but each item is a masterpiece.
We began with Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Truffled Honey, then moved on to an Asparagus and Mozarella Bruschetta. Tim had a Tuna Tartare which he said was out of this world. After sampling the earthy almonds and tangy olives, I had to try the Lavender Crème Brulee. All were highly memorable. We brought Mom back a Crispy Warm Duck Salad on Arugula with White Truffle Vinaigrette, which she ate greedily and determined that it was among the best duck she had ever had.
So although we went out expecting to find a nice pub or local Italian restaurant, we found a bit of nirvana. Crush’s founders, Bob Laggini and his partner, Janet Besanceney, have created something very special — a European Wine Bar in the heart of Annapolis. Intimate, warm, educational and fun. And our server, Sam — himself a student at St. John’s College — was very helpful in guiding us to proper food and wine pairings and giving us the heads-up on what we should not miss that night. We’ll be back — I suggest you go, too.
Buon viaggio!
Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…
