Need a roofer or a new fence? Looking to join a gym? In search of a chiropractor?
The Best of Anne Arundel County Readers’ Choice Contest can help. More than 9,500 votes were cast in this year’s readers’ poll, culling a list of the 119 top people to know, places to go and things to do.
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online in February and March.
Charter boat: Bay Hunters
Honorable mentions:
Watermark
Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park, Skipjack Wilma Lee
Schooner Woodwind Sailing Cruises
Country Club: Annapolis Yacht Club
Honorable mentions:
Chartwell Golf & Country Club
The Golf Club at South River
The Cannon Club
Dance lessons: Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Arnold
Honorable mentions:
Ballet Theatre of Maryland
The Dance Academy
Dance Center of Severna Park
Day trip: Town of St. Michaels
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
Watermark
Ocean City
Cruises depart from Annapolis City Dock.
Annapolis walking tours begin at various places. 410-268-7601. watermarkjourney.com
It began in 1972 with one man, a boat and a wish to give sightseeing cruises on the Chesapeake Bay. Fifty years later, Watermark is a bustling business, boasting 12 charter vessels ripe for weddings, proms and corporate parties. It’s a surf and turf venture, offering land-based tours of Annapolis as well, from enlightening jaunts through the historic district to spooky ghost walks at night, led by guides (“squires” and “mistresses”) dressed in colonial garb and sharing engrossing tales.
One popular tour, dubbed “Scandalous Annapolis,” offers a lighthearted look at the town’s seamy side and is restricted to those 21-and-over. Other walks, most lasting two hours, tout the town’s African American Heritage, Women of Achievement and ArchiTrex, an architectural glimpse of the town’s older buildings.
“We love it when people leave saying, ‘I had a good time, and I learned something,’ ” said Jake Iversen. With his wife, Laura, Iversen bought Watermark in January. Having grown up nearby, he had taken the boat tours as a kid and captained one of the company’s vessels in the past.
Boats have been chartered for everything from marriage proposals to company crab feasts for 250 guests and catered solely by local establishments.
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis Ghost Tours & Crawls
William Paca House & Garden
Annapolis Eventours
Festival: Maryland Renaissance Festival
Honorable mentions:
Maryland Seafood Festival
Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
Naturalization Ceremony and Fourth of July at William Paca House
Golf course: The Golf Club at South River
Honorable mention:
The Preserve at Eisenhower
Interactive/Entertainment: Ecoadventures LLC (tie) and Mission Escape Rooms (tie)
Honorable mentions:
Maryland Live! Casino
Pasadena Paintball Park
Live music venue: Rams Head On Stage
Honorable mentions:
Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts
Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland
Twain’s Tavern
Museum: Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
Honorable mentions:
USNA Museum
William Paca House & Garden
Museum of Historic Annapolis
Park: Quiet Waters Park
Honorable mentions:
Kinder Farm Park
Downs Park
Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
Special event venue: Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
Honorable mentions:
Quiet Waters Park
William Paca House & Garden
Maryland Hall
Summer camp: Capital SUP
Honorable mentions:
Eco Adventures LLC
Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
Camp Woodlands
Theater company: The Colonial Players
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis Summer Garden Theater
Classic Theatre of Maryland
Annapolis Opera (tie)
Ballet Theatre of Maryland (tie)
Carryout: Bayside Bull
Honorable mentions:
Giolitti Delicatessen
Main & Market
Carlson’s Donuts & Thai Kitchen
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914 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis. 410-626-0388. mainandmarket.com
It hosts parties in stadiums, on yachts and in cornfields; caters events with as many as 1,200 guests and as few as two; and dishes up everything from paella to vegetarian fare.
“We take pride in being flexible,” said Evie Turner, vice-president of Main & Market Catering. “That, and the trust people have in us coming into their homes at special times in their lives.”
A go-to in Annapolis for nearly 30 years, Main & Market catered the 2004 wedding reception of Governor Larry Hogan (then Maryland Secretary of Appointments) and his wife, Yumi, at the William Paca House. It handles 1,500 events annually, from corporate crab feasts to college reunions to first communions.
Popular entrees include a traditional tenderloin and crab cake, salmon Wellington and grilled lime shrimp kabobs. Signature items are the pumpkin muffins and dried cranberry chicken salad. The in-house bakery cranks out a killer chocolate mousse pie and nine types of wedding cakes. The favorite? An almond pound cake with raspberry filling and sweet buttercream icing.
No challenge is too great, Turner said:
“We’ve catered a marriage proposal for two that was held at the end of a very long dock, and we’ve dressed as leprechauns for a St. Patrick’s Day event. Last month we catered a sunrise wedding.”
Honorable mentions:
Bayside Bull
Ken’s Creative Kitchen
Palate Pleasers Inc.
Convenience store: Wawa
Honorable mention:
Highs Dairy Store Car Wash
Farmers market/stand: Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer’s Market
Honorable mentions:
Anne Arundel County Farmers Market
Diehl’s Produce
Grocery store: Graul’s Market
Honorable mentions:
Wegmans
Trader Joe’s
Green Valley Market Place
Liquor store: Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits
Honorable mentions:
Edgewater Liquors
Bella’s Liquors
Fishpaw’s Market Place
Place to buy seafood: Annapolis Seafood Markets
Honorable mentions:
Anne Arundel Seafood
Whole Foods Market
Shoreline Seafood
Chiropractor: Bay Area Wellness
Honorable mentions:
DeMaio Family Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
Annapolis Family Chiropractic
Arnold Chiropractic Center, David M. Sortisio
Cosmetic surgeon: Annapolis Plastic Surgery
Honorable mentions:
The Sandel Duggal Center for Plastic Surgery
Plastic Surgery Specialists
Maryland Plastic Surgery, Dr. Adam Summers
Day spa: Even Keel Wellness Spa
Honorable mentions:
Sadona Salon + Spa
Stacie’s Natural Touch LLC
Adoro Medical Spa
Dental care: McCarl Dental Group at Shipley’s Choice
Honorable mentions:
Oral Surgery Specialists
Dr. John D. Ritter & Dr. James S. Cleary
Patton Smiles
Dispensary: Mana Supply Co.
Honorable mentions:
Gold Leaf
Green Point Wellness
Oceanside Dispensary
Family doctor/general practice: Maryland Primary Care Physicians
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis Internal Medicine
MedStar Health: Primary Care at Annapolis
Amy Ricker, Annapolis Family Medicine
Fitness/health club: Excel Pilates Annapolis Inc.
Honorable mentions:
Evolutions
Pip Moyer Recreation Center (Annapolis Recreation and Parks)
Edgewater Fitness
Gastroenterologist: Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates
Home health care: Response Senior Care
Honorable mentions:
MedStar Health Home Care – Central Maryland
Luminis Health Gilchrist Lifecare Institute
Griswold Home Care of Anne Arundel and Queen Anne’s Counties
Hospital: Anne Arundel Medical Center
Honorable mention:
UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center
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By appointment only at 139 Old Solomons Island Road, Annapolis. Prices range from $65 for a standard pedicure to $215 per toenail for reconstructive work. 443-949-9542. facebook.com/nailsbyjacquiatfeet1st/
Jacqui Shreve quite literally helps her clients put their best feet forward.
Shreve, who is in her mid-40s, specializes in reconstructing and reshaping toenails for customers that have been severely deformed by injury, disease or illness. She uses a flexible, durable composite resin product that restores the appearance of the toenails while allowing the remaining natural nail to grow.
Because many clients have compromised immune systems, she ensures that her office and equipment meet the cleanliness standards set by hospitals and clinics. Many of her tools are used one time and then discarded, while others are sanitized between visits.
“This is a place where people with damaged toenails can get safe pedicures,” Shreve said
“There’s always an emotional moment when my clients see their reconstructed nails for the first time. The number of people who cry after getting one of my pedicures — I never expected that.”
Honorable mentions:
Bella Lifestyle Nail Salon & Spa
Stacie’s Natural Touch LLC
Pearl Nails & Spa
Martial arts: Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
Honorable mentions:
A.J. Bartlinski’s Karate Supercenter
Mission Martial Arts
OB/GYN: Chesapeake Women’s Care
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis OB-GYN Associates PA
Capital Womens Care
Dr. Aditya Parshad (tie)
MedStar Harbor Women’s Care (tie)
Oncologist: Maryland Oncology
Ophthalmologist: Chesapeake Eye Care and Laser Center
Honorable mentions:
The Retina Group of Washington
OMNI Eye Specialists
Optometrist: Chesapeake Eye Care and Laser Center
Honorable mentions:
Brilliant Eyecare
Island Eyecare
Peepers Eyecare Center – Gambrills Eye Doctor
Orthodontist: Labbe Family Orthodontics
Honorable mentions:
Mairead M. O’Reilly, DDS, MS, PA & Associates
Philbin & Reinheimer Orthodontics
Specialists in Orthodontics Maryland (tie)
Wright Orthodontics (tie)
Pediatrician: Annapolis Pediatrics
Honorable mentions:
Bayside Pediatrics
BelliAcres Pediatrics
Davidsonville Pediatric Group
Pharmacy: Arnold Professional Pharmacy
Honorable mentions:
Cape Drugs
Mike’s Pharmacy
Walgreens
Physical therapy: Rehab 2 Perform
Honorable mentions:
MedStar Health Physical Therapy
Annapolis Family Physical Therapy
Sharon Potts Physical Therapist
Podiatrist: Podiatry Group of Annapolis
Honorable mention:
Diane Susan Lebedeff
Therapist/counselor: Congruent Counseling Services
Honorable mentions:
Waypoint Wellness Center LLC
Kathy Miller MA
Anchored Hope Therapy LLC (tie)
Shoreline Counseling Services LLC (tie)
Urgent care: ExpressCare Urgent Care Center
Honorable mentions:
Patient First
PM Pediatrics
MedStar Health: Urgent Care at Annapolis
Urologist: Anne Arundel Urology
Honorable mentions:
Chesapeake Urology
The Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins
Vein center: O’Donnell Vein & Laser
Honorable mentions:
Vein Clinics of America
Center For Vein Restoration, Dr. Khanh Nguyen
Laser Center of Maryland
Veterinary care: Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital
Honorable mentions:
Bay Hills Animal Hospital
Bayside Animal Medical Center
Hoffman Animal Hospital
Yoga: Crofton Yoga
Honorable mentions:
Ridgely Retreat
Yoga Factory Annapolis & Crofton
Yoga Barn
Activist: Elvia Thompson
Honorable mention:
Janice M. Keating
Clergyperson: Patrick Woods, St. Mary’s Parish
Elected official: Gavin Buckley, Mayor of Annapolis
Honorable mention:
Sara Elfreth, State Senator
Personal trainer: Brian Graham, Movement Matters
Honorable mentions:
True Core CrossFit
Kat Ormond, Edgewater Fitness
Mark Fleming, Three-2 Health & Fitness
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200 Windell Ave., Annapolis. 410-222-1615
Under Karen Soneira’s leadership, Germantown Elementary School doesn’t embrace only the 550 pupils enrolled in pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade. It embraces entire families.
More than three-quarters of Germantown Elementary’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and for two-thirds, English is their second language.
During the past eight years, Soneira (who is retiring in June) has established after-school programs for kids, weekend field trips for families and an in-school dental program. Shoes that Fit provides free sneakers through a California organization while Backpack Buddies sends home bags of food including snacks, easy dinner meals and fresh fruit.
All school clubs, from cooking to soccer to dance, are free for pupils, as is transportation. In addition to the standard curriculum of science and math, Germantown students are taught such social skills as expressing empathy.
“Germantown is working to close the gap,” Soneira said, “so all of our kids can grow towards success.”
Honorable mentions:
Kim Jakovics, Monarch Academy
Tara Lambden, Belvedere Elementary
Erin White, Assistant Principal, Chesapeake High School
Appliances: ABC Appliance Sales And Service Inc.
Honorable mentions:
ApplianceLand
Appliance Guys
Architecture firm: Purple Cherry Architects
Honorable mentions:
Spire Architecture
T. Averill Architect LLC
HD Squared Architects LLC
Attorney: Hillman Brown & Darrow
Honorable mentions:
Hartman, Attorneys at Law
Deborah L. Potter, Potter Burnett Law
Scott MacMullan
Auto dealer: Annapolis Subaru
Honorable mentions:
Koons Ford Lincoln of Annapolis
J.B.A. Chevrolet
Bayside Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Annapolis
Bank/credit union: Navy Federal Credit Union
Honorable mentions:
Shore United Bank
Arundel Federal Savings Bank
Sandy Spring Bank
Barbershop: Bourtadakis Barber Shop
Honorable mentions:
Huys Barber Shop
Til Next Time Hair Salon
Del’s Barber & Styling Shop
Car repair: Accurate Auto Service
Honorable mentions:
Cape Auto
Edelen’s Auto Repair & Towing
KG Truck & Auto
Charity/non profit: Light House Bistro
Honorable mentions:
Senior Dog Sanctuary
Friends Of The Light House
SPAN – Serving People Across Neighborhoods
Day care center: Creative Gardens Learning Center
Honorable mentions:
Bright Beginning Children’s Learning Center
Childtime of Hanover
Doggie day care: Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat
Honorable mentions:
Beechnut Kennels
Cozy Canine Camp
Playful Pack
Dry cleaner: ZIPS Dry Cleaners
Electrician: Chesapeake Electric
Honorable mentions:
All In Electric Inc.
Cook Electric Inc.
Brothers Services Co.
Financial advisor: Brian M. Conrad, Edward Jones
Honorable mentions:
CovingtonAlsina
Craig & Treff Financial Services
CenterPoint Wealth Advisors (tie)
Michael G Hilliard, Ameriprise Financial Services LLC (tie)
Funeral home: Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory
Honorable mentions:
Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home & Cremation Care
John M. Taylor Funeral Home
Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services, P.A.
Hair salon: Hudson & Fouquet Salon
Honorable mentions:
Bubbles Salons
Fabu Salon & Spa
The Park Salon And Barber
Home improvement: Clarksville Construction Services Inc.
Honorable mentions:
Fichtner Services
Brothers Services Company
Just-IN-Time Roofing & Renovations
Homebuilder: K. Hovnanian Companies LLC
Honorable mentions:
Maxim Building Group
Timberlake Homes
Housecleaner: Ivania’s Cleaning Service
HVAC: Clarksville Heating and Air LLC
Honorable mentions:
Heidler Inc.
W.L. Staton Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Coastal Heating & Air Conditioning Co. Inc. (tie)
Grove Heating & Cooling (tie)
Insurance company: USAA Financial Center
Honorable mentions:
Huff Insurance
GEICO Insurance Agent
Jack Martin & Associates
Interior design: Anna Graham Interiors
Honorable mention:
Purple Cherry Architects
Landscaping: Homestead Gardens
Honorable mentions:
The Stone Store
Jams Lawn & Gardening Inc
Oasis Landscape Group (tie)
Scapes Inc. (tie)
Mortgage lender: Tara Dean, Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.
Honorable mention:
The Lamborne Lending Team, Powered by First County Mortgage
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1230 Cronson Blvd, Unit A, Crofton. 410-403-0102. mosquito-man.com
It sounds like a Marvel movie hero. Instead, Mosquito-Man is a popular Crofton firm bent on ridding the world — or at least a shore-lined slice of it — of the flying, biting insects that menace backyard barbecues.
Each summer, Mosquito-Man serves nearly 2,000 clients, from homeowners to businesses to private schools, with synthetic or organic sprays to shoo the pests so prevalent in water’s-edge locales. A mom-and-pop enterprise with a staff of five, it thrives on personal service and customers who know their technicians by name.
“We send [techs] on the same routes to spray, so they know which homeowners own dogs, raise bees and have koi ponds,” general manager Cora Sunagoowie said. “People appreciate that.”
Ticks have also been on the hit list since owner John Rivers contracted Lyme disease “and made it part of his mission to try and prevent it in our area,” Sunagoowie said.
On the desk of her office sits a mosquito figurine made of old auto parts, a kitschy Christmas gift from her colleagues.
“It’s very, very unique,” she said. “I guess I’m the Mosquito-Man woman.”
Honorable mentions:
Economy Pest Control Inc.
Bugout Termite & Pest Control Inc.
Pet grooming: U Dirty Dog
Honorable mentions:
Cozy Canine Camp
Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital
Carrie’s K-9 Clips (tie)
Groomingdales (tie)
Plumber: Heidler Inc.
Honorable mentions:
W.L. Staton Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
D K Miller Plumbing Inc.
Castro Home Services LLC
Pool services: Goudy Pools
Honorable mentions:
Paradise Pools Inc.
Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC
Real estate agent: Sofia Jones, Northrop Realty, A Long & Foster Company
Honorable mentions:
Starr Hood with Keller Williams Flagship
Chip Macgill, eXp Realty LLC
Long & Foster Eastport Annapolis
Retirement community: Ginger Cove
Honorable mentions:
Brightview Senior Living
Spring Arbor of Severna Park
Baywoods of Annapolis
Roofing: Fichtner Services
Honorable mentions:
Brothers Services Co.
Just-IN-Time Roofing & Renovations
Nu Look Home Design Inc.(tie)
RoofPRO (tie)
Shoe store: Charm City Run LLC
Honorable mentions:
Fleet Feet Sports Annapolis
Naturalizer
Stone & tile: The Stone Store
Honorable mentions:
In Home Stone
Compass Stone & Tile Studio
Atlas Stone Fabricators Inc.
Tanning salon: Palm Beach Tan
Honorable mention:
Sun Deck Tanning Salon
Travel agency: McCarl Travel
Antiques: Evergreen Antiques and True Vintage
Honorable mentions:
GypsyFaire
Annapolis Antique & Consignment Shop
Natalie Silitch
Apartment/condo: Crosswinds at Annapolis Town Center
Honorable mentions:
Chesapeake Harbour Community
Riverscape at Piney Orchard
Gardens of Annapolis
Art gallery: McBride Gallery
Honorable mention:
Gallery 57 West
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Prices range from $10 to $1,500. 34 Market Space, Annapolis. 410-268-7666. blancaflorsilverjewelry.com
The mother and daughter team of Donna De Garcia, 68, and Sofia Garcia, 32, have created a boutique showcasing fine silver jewelry that is midway between a chain store and an art gallery.
De Garcia established Blanca Flor in 1993 when she was a bride living in Mexico and became enamored of the extraordinary silver pieces created there. Though Blanca Flor still has a heavily south-of-the-border influence, mother and daughter now import sterling silver jewelry worldwide from Poland to Indonesia.
And here’s a news flash for customers with a common skin allergy — Blanca Flor’s creations are nickel-free.
“We work with families of artisans that we have built relationships with,” Garcia said. “Mom worked with the grandparents, and now I’m meeting the grandchildren. It’s important to keep buying from these people so we preserve their designs and pass them down through the generations.”
Honorable mentions:
Ron George Jewelers
Gallery 57 West
Sanders Diamond Jewelers
Bicycle shop: Arnold Bike Doctor
Honorable mentions:
Pedal Pushers Bicycle Shop
Family Bike Shop
SHIFT Mobile Bicycle Repair
Boat dealer: Tri-State Marine
Honorable mention:
Waterfront Marine
Bookstore: Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse
Honorable mentions:
Barnes & Noble
Back Creek Books
Book Nook
Bridal shop: Annapolis Bridal & Tuxedo
Honorable mentions:
Love & Lace Bridal Boutique
Mary’s Designer Bridal Boutique
Consignment/resale: Savvy Consignment
Honorable mentions:
Once Upon a Child
2nd Ave Thrift Superstore
Fence & deck: Fence & Deck Connection Inc.
Honorable mention:
Maryland Decking
Fine jewelry: Zachary’s Jewelers
Honorable mentions:
Smyth Jewelers
Marc Todd Jewelers Inc.
Tilghman Company
Flooring: National Carpet and Flooring
Honorable mention:
LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators)
Florist: WildFlower Stem + Sundry
Honorable mentions:
Let’s Grow
SaraYoung Weddings & Events LLC
Furniture store: Arhaus
Honorable mentions:
Millwood Furniture
Regency Furniture
Annapolis Bay Area Furnishings
Garden center: Homestead Gardens
Honorable mentions:
Bru-Mar Gardens
Gary’s Gardens
Greenstreet Gardens
Handbags: Hobo
Honorable mention:
Enchanted Art & Sole Comfort Footwear
Hardware store: Cape Ace Hardware
Honorable mentions:
K&B True Value
Clement Hardware
Kitchen & bath: Costello’s Ace Hardware of Edgewater
Honorable mentions:
Kitchen Encounters
Annapolis Kitchen and Bath
Stuart Kitchens Inc.
Lower private school: Montessori International Children’s House
Honorable mentions:
Annapolis Area Christian School, Annapolis Lower School Campus
Severn School
Naval Academy Primary School
Marina: Bert Jabin Yacht Yard
Honorable mentions:
Anchor Yacht Basin
Rhode River Marina
Annapolis City Marina (tie)
Tri-State Marine Tackle Shop (tie)
Mattress store: The Mattress Store
Honorable mention:
Mattress Warehouse
Montessori school: Montessori International Children’s House
Honorable mentions:
Chesapeake Montessori School
Guidepost Montessori
Nature store: Homestead Gardens
Honorable mentions:
House Of Tropicals
Evergreen Gene’s Inc. Landscaping & Garden Center
Silver jewelry: Blanca Flor Silver Jewelry
Honorable mentions:
Ron George Jewelers
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Sanders Diamond Jewelers
Tilghman Company
Upper private school: Archbishop Spalding High School
Honorable mentions:
Severn School
Annapolis Area Christian School
The Key School
