Often referred to as Parole, Annapolis Towne Centre is the epicenter of modern, spacious shopping in Annapolis. What downtown unfortunately cannot offer–space and ample parking–are major selling features of Annapolis Towne Centre. Aside from the parking, the indoor/outdoor place has it all: upscale shopping, live entertainment venues, restaurants, a gym, and luxury apartment living. This center for living, indulging, and eating is made even more enticing with the deals and specials it offers on these three areas. Peruse the list of events and discounts below and perhaps attend a few while saving some bucks.

Dine

Cooking at home is the alternative approach to dining out, and while it is more labor-intensive, special events at Whole Foods allow you to taste food outside the house with the promise of cooking at home later. Though Whole Foods is a grocery store, it features store-wide events like holiday menu tastings, the chance to connect with area pets up for adoption outside the store, and learn how to cook with the culinary classes at the store. Of course, there are also sales that occur within the store quite often. For news on events, head to http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/annapolis. Events rotate and are offered according to the time of year, like the gingerbread making class that occurred in early December at the store. Check the link provided above frequently for special events Whole Foods puts on in the new year.

BIN 201 Wine Sellers, at 201 Harker Place in Annapolis Towne Centre, specializes in rare wines but isn’t the least bit stingy with those delicious wines. Rather, the store hosts wine tastings quite often. Oftentimes, the wine tastings are themed, meaning the wines available for tasting are from a certain region or share another similar quality. The next wine tasting is January 3, and features wines from The Rhone Valley and Southern France. Other wine tastings teach how to pair wines with food. There are also more serious yet just as entertaining classes on Saturdays for wine enthusiasts. These classes, entitled “Binology Wine Classes,” allow you to taste six BIN 201 wines and learn from wine experts. In addition to these services, BIN 201 Wine Sellers functions as a venue for a private wine tasting celebration. Both tastings and classes cost. To learn more about the events BIN 201 offers, head to http://bin201.com.

At Bonefish Grill, unexpected and flavorful food that’s affordable is always on the menu, but happy hour deals and in-store specials come and go. Happy hour at Bonefish is Sunday through Thursday, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Appetizers and selected cocktails are $5 and other drinks are discounted. On Wednesdays, “Bang Bang Shrimp” costs only $5 at lunch. Other times of the year, Bonefish Grill offers a buy-one-get-one-free brunch menu. For more information, call the store at 410-571-8263.

Cadillac Ranch is a bar and restaurant that serves up traditional American food. Specials include $5 martinis on Friday night to evoke liquid courage and mingling and happy hour deals Monday through Friday. On Monday, kids under twelve eat for free. Tuesday, a surf and turf meal is $14.95. Wednesday, beef medallions cost $15.95. Thursday, the barbeque platter is $13.95 and ladies can try their hand at riding the mechanical bull for free after 10 p.m. Friday, a special fish entree costs $21.95. Saturdays and Sundays feature deals too, like dinner specials on Saturday and brunch specials on Sunday. Take advantage of these deals and the friendly service on your next night out. Cadillac Ranch is located at 1906 Towne Centre Blvd. on the second floor. Visit http://cadillacranchannapolis.com to learn more and keep posted on new specials. The website also informs of the live music calendar at Cadillac Ranch, which begins in mid-February.

At Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, happy hour specials (and plenty of in-house brewed beer) are the cause for celebration. There are two happy hours–one Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and the other Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to closing time. Both happy hours feature $5 and $7 appetizers and $1 off beer, $2 off wine, and $5 cocktails. Find out more information by calling 410-266-5965 or visiting the restaurant at 1906 Towne Centre Blvd. While you’re there, admire the massive brewing system on display in the restaurant–it’s the one used to brew beer there.

P.F. Chang’s focuses on exotic cuisine, but offers traditional deals like happy hour prices. Happy hour lasts from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, in which beer is around $3, most wine is $5, and most cocktails cost $6. Appetizers are served at a discounted rate, ranging from $3 to $7. Scoop up the delicious deals by visiting the restaurant at 307 Sail Place in Annapolis Towne Centre. Call the restaurant at 410-573-2990 to discover additional information.

Play

During the summer, Annapolis Towne Centre hosts live music outside on Friday nights starting around 5 p.m. The music is free and changes genre and performer every week. There will be more information on the Towne Centre’s website as summer approaches. In addition to the website news, you can also discover sales at specific stores, news, and more events by signing up for the email updates. Find the signup feature on the homepage of the link provided above.

In a time of technology and online everything, the creative possibilities with print materials are easily lost. However, with the workshops at Paper Source at 1915 Towne Centre Blvd., you can retain and refresh your creativity. The store offers a variety of workshops–anything from wedding invitations to Valentine’s Day cards to children’s cards. Let the craft masters teach you to create your own letters, cards, invitations, and thank you notes in style. The next workshop is a wedding invitation one scheduled for January 12. The cost is $20 to participate. For more information on these workshops and the potential to host a private party at the shop, contact the store at 410-224-8300.