After a couple of lovely fun days in Charlottesville, we were back on the road — headed to Gettysburg and an overnight in Pennsylvania. But before we left C-ville, we had to stop by the house where my parents lived when I was born. Just for old time sake. Not… Read More →
We noticed a lot of restaurants in old gas stations in Charlottesville — all over the place, really. The novelty of dining at one was appealing, but not if the food wasn’t tempting, too. At Zinc — yes, in an old gas station — the menu, which we studied it… Read More →
After our tour of UVA and downtown Charlottesville, we were ready for a little pick-me-up. A Cherry Lime Soda and a seat at the soda fountain at Timberlake’s Drugs was, if you’ll excuse the saying, just what the doctor ordered. Related posts: Our Hotel in Charlottesville: The Omni Touring Charlottesville… Read More →
I was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, and I believe this might be the first time I’ve been back since my parents moved away when I was three. There are a number of photos in my mom’s collection that stand in as memories, but other than those, I have very few… Read More →
Greg wins hands down on this one. He went for the BLT with artisan bacon from Nodine’s Smokehouse. I lost. Big time. I went for the biscuit and sausage gravy. On a 90-degree day. What, exactly, was I thinking? It’s not that it was a bad biscuit or gravy —… Read More →
Comfortable, convenient and not too outrageously expensive. Thumbs up. Here’s our room. Our room looked over an atrium lobby with a glass elevator, and the front doors of the hotel open onto Charlottesville’s pedestrian mall. The hotel is also very convenient to the University. We walked, though driving would have… Read More →
The definition of renaissance man: Thomas Jefferson — author of the Declaration of Independence, President of the United States, founder of the University of Virginia. Collector of wines, books and knowledge. A self-taught linguist, architect, inventor and gardener. And as part of the country’s greatest injustice, also a slave owner…. Read More →
A big storm was rolling into Roanoke the night we stayed there, and it made for a beautiful sky. But Roanoke is very pretty to begin with. It was founded in the 1850s, and many buildings have Victorian-era architecture. And there are a surprising number of cultural destinations in Roanoke,… Read More →
We had some rather bad luck at 202 Market, a restaurant in Roanoke, Va. that the local press has deemed worth of 5 stars. I feel bad for Roanokers if this is really the best restaurant in town. While the service was very friendly, and the menu looked good, the… Read More →
After an incredible dinner at Town House and a night’s stay at the wonderful Riverstead, we, we stopped at Shannon’s childhood home to top it off with a lovely visit with her folks, Otis and Lisa. (SCF fans may remember them from such posts as Dinner with the Neighbors at… Read More →
Some of the most revolutionary cooking in the country is going on in a tiny restaurant off Route 81 in rural Virginia. And frankly, it’s hard to imagine it could happen anywhere else. At Town House in Chilhowie, Va., chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields have made the local ingredients… Read More →
After a long day in the car, it was a pleasure to arrive to Riverstead, the welcoming, beautiful home that serves as the guest house for the Town House restaurant in Chilhowie, Va. The view is of pastures and mountains – – and the room is so luxurious and comfortable…. Read More →
Before I get started on this jag of posts from Tennessee and Virginia, a little disclaimer: Y’all realize that I’m about six weeks behind in posting to the blog, right? In other words, please don’t come over to rob the farm because you see we’re away on vacation. Because we’re… Read More →