Winter 2016 Virginia and the Carolinas

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Travel Blog Feb 2 16



We generally like to take a driving vacation during the winter for some warmth and non- snow. Nancy is the planner/navigator, and I am the driver. This time our plan was to head to the Inn at Little Washington. Washington- the Virginia one was laid out by George himself- and was the first Washington.

Picture sheep grazing downtown in this postcard Virginia village at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about an hour west of the real Washington.

We had planned to go on from there to the Greenbrier in West Virginia. We’d been there about34 years ago, but wanted to return to see how our memories matched up to the current day reality. Also, we wanted to see the 120,000 square foot bunker, built to house congress and the president during the cold war, and only acknowledged after our last visit.

On a bright cold day, and were greeted by name at the hotel as we arrived. The only thing I can think of is that the bellman looked at the luggage tags. The hotel has 19 rooms, and is a “bucket list” place. We got a winter deal, at about $375 a night-the rate is normally double that. Our room wasn’t ready, so after the 4 or so hour car ride from Philly, we wanted some exercise, and went out for a walk. Tidy farms, sparkling stream, mountains rising in the background-it reminded me of John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High or Country Road West Virginia songs. Traffic was light to non-existent. Back in town, there were a half a dozen interesting shops open, and a café and non- Inn restaurant.

Returning to the hotel, the staff had checked us in. Every room is named for a famous Chef or food person. Our room, the Daniel Bolud room was lovely, but lacked a bathtub, which I like. They happily tried to oblige, and took us to the James Beard suite, more sumptuous and an upgrade, two floors actually. Nancy didn’t like the Feng Shui for the loft bedroom, and pointed out that if we had to go during the night, (anyone our age who doesn’t?) we’d have to descend down the stairs, so we opted to stay in the first room.

There was a fruit and nut basket waiting in our room, and a handwritten note from the owner, Patrick O’Connell, welcoming us. A TV video furnished his background, and the hotel’s. As a young man he discovered food as a passion, worshiped Julia Childs, spent time in France, and moved back to the US and started to do catering out of a former gas station in this small town. Dinner price on the first menu was $4.95. That is quite a bit different than today’s prices, which are $179. for an 8 course dinner- without drinks. At one point word of O’Connor’s restaurant spread to a Washington Post reviewer who visited. He asked O’Connor- “Are you sure that you want me to do a review of your restaurant? - it may change your world” The review went forward, and that was the first of many stellar reviews, improvements and acquisitions, resulting in a double 5 star restaurant and Inn.

Dinner was well attended, for a Thursday before an expected snowstorm. Our menu was personalized, and we had a choice of three- Classics, Menu of the Moment, and Vegetarian. We took the vegetarian as we didn’t eat the pork and shellfish items on the other menus.

I compare the meal to archaeology- it’s interesting to have a window on people that are far more knowledgeable than you are on some very limited area. Everything was wonderful, but a bit over my head. Here is the description for the Beet Trinity: “Beet Tartare, Golden Beet Carpaccio, and Beet Sorbet with ribbons of Crispy Kale and a Black Truffle Crostini". While each item of the Beet Trinity was flavorful in its own right, I wouldn’t have minded if it was a Beet Duo, or even a single Beet dish. That’s what I mean about a narrow area. But hey, this is a bucket list experience, and we took it all in. By the way, the room came with a welcoming champagne cocktail, afternoon tea and accoutrements, and breakfast included. After dinner we were able to tour the kitchen, all polished brass and copper, with paintings, backlighting and wallpaper. We met owner Patrick O’Connell, gracious in immaculate whites with signature greyhound black and white printed chef’s pants.

The folks at the Greenbrier called us and asked, in view of the snow forecast, whether we still wanted to come ahead. We’d decided that we’d leave that visit for another time, and looked at the weather map to see where we could escape the coming snow. We left at 9 a.m., headed to me 95, and by 11 a.m. the snow had started. Fortunately, with the traffic chewing up snow on the road, even though our pace was slowed, we kept moving. We headed for the closest town on the weather map that showed that the snow stopped and rain began which was Wilmington, North Carolina.

Wilmington is an old port city- we decided after the intense snow/ rain drive the day before to spend two nights there, which would put us back on schedule to arrive in Charleston, South Carolina for our reservations. We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard, well located for walking downtown Wilmington. Dinner was in a local brewpub.

We found enough to do for the one day in town. We toured the Bellamy Mansion, walked past a Moorish styled synagogue, and then headed down to the walking shopping street to visit some small indoor markets. Nancy ended up buying a jacket from a friendly woman who turned out to be originally from NYC (think a Bernie Sanders accent), who recommended a good lunch place, Jester’s, in the New Castle Arts and Antique district. The owner is a 70’s hippie retread, serving abundant reasonable and good food.

That afternoon we decided to check out Wrightsville Beach. This is a very narrow barrier island. Keep in mind that it wasn’t raining, but raw at 35 degrees with high wind. We were surprised to see surfers in wetsuits out. It must be great to catch the waves after a winter storm, but…

We dined that night at a fondue restaurant, The Little Dipper on Front Street in the historic area. When people mention Fondue, I think of Cheese and Chocolate. That was part of it, but the rest of the menu consisted of sliced and cubed vegetables, meat, fish, or chicken, which you cook in a stock broth at your table to your liking. We opted for the vegetables, first because we are not big meat eaters, and secondly, because one doesn’t have to worry about undercooking. The dinner was tasty, and the hot pot on the table warmed us along with a decent bottle of red wine on a cold night.

We were off the next day. One drives through Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on the way to Charleston from Wilmington. We didn’t stop, but I would best describe route 17 in Myrtle Beach as Las Vegas without gambling. Large elaborate mini-golf places, waterparks, and theme restaurants (think knights jousting on horses) rose on each side of the road. The weather warmed into the 50’s with bright sun and headed into the 60’s with no rain for the rest of our trip.

We arrived in Charleston at midday. If you haven’t been, it’s an old city that was not destroyed during the civil war. In the later 19^th and early 20^th century, residents were too poor to tear down the derelict buildings. As a result, today, the wonderful 19^th century southern architecture is still there, for the most part, and is meticulously maintained.

We’ve stayed half a dozen times at the Harborview Inn. The hotel can be had reasonably, depending on season and bookings, and includes afternoon tea, wine and cheese hour in the evenings, cookies and M&M’s at night, and breakfast in the morning delivered to your room.

Charleston is a great walking town. We walked to a new area this time. There was a Jazz Weekend wrapping up, and one of the performances was in the auditorium at the College of Charleston. We’d never explored that area of the city, but found out that the college is one of the oldest in the US, with a particularly charming campus with many of those 19^th century buildings. The shopping and dining street is King Street. What’s happened in the last 10 years is the development has moved further north, so that there are more restaurants, and shops, which is a good thing. One of our favorites is Fig. We had a grand time there sitting at a communal table. In addition to the inspired food, talking with people from other backgrounds is always fun for me.

We always find time to walk the Battery in Charleston. Families of the most social prominences owned mansions near the harbor there. Some of the houses are open to the public. Our favorite is the Calhoun House, currently owned by a Washington lawyer. It’s furnished to the hilt – it’s really not describable but wonderful.

We took a couple of car excursions. We went to Palm Island, which is one of the nearby barrier islands near Charleston. The beach is wide and beautiful. I took off my shoes and walked at least 4 miles. Nancy collected a piece of driftwood that was wood and part rusted metal; perhaps part of a dock separated in storms. She has it wrapped up and drying, and one day will use it as the focus of an art project.

We also visited 3 plantations. Just as the family story woven on Downton Abbey is fascinating, so are the stories of families associated with plantations. At Boone Plantation there was a very good exhibit in former slave cabins that held our interest.

Beaufort was our next stop. Its about 60 miles south of Charleston. It’s a picture perfect antebellum town- sort of a mini-Charleston, and has been background for movies from Forrest Gump to Prince of Tides. Our friends have a house overlooking the river which is tidal. I was absorbed watching a porpoise navigate the flats, and pelicans search for fish. The Penn School is nearby, on St Helena Island, and worth a visit. It was established in 1862 by Philadelphia Quaker abolitionists to teach African Americans how to earn a living after slavery. In the 50’s health and other programs for the poor replaced teaching. There is a museum at the school now again with peoples stories.

There are still a lot of mostly untouched places in our world, and plenty of that in lowland South Carolina. It would be fun to explore more, but this trip had to come to an end. We headed back to Pennsylvania, with a couple of souvenirs but mostly good memories.

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