In Country

Gary Tischler • January 16, 2015

It’s a drive and a time to get to Country Club Kennels and Training in Fauquier County, Virginia, a drive and a time filled—once you get off the interstates and main drags—with stretches of statuesque barns, sheds that are peeling some original paint, crosses and churches, markets, even a Baja Bistro, a tasty deli-style roadside restaurant serving generous portions of taco and enchilada dishes close to where you’re going. You can practically hear fragments of the Bill Danoff-penned, John Denver anthem “Country Roads.”

We’re far removed from Washington, D.C., its bike lanes and hundreds of restaurants and monuments and neighborhoods and eclectic and electric urban scene. We’re in the country—rolling hills, quiet, sky-filled, field-filled country where Carla Nammack lives and works and lives her twin creations, running her closely connected enterprises, the Country Club Kennels and the Chance Foundation which are at the center of her life.

It’s a life filled with dogs—her own dogs, currently a remarkable 13 in number, but also the dogs being boarded at the 44-acre farm and estate, being groomed, watched over, tended to, spoiled and exercised at the Kennels. There are also the rescue dogs getting tender care, training, socialization and medical attention so that they will more likely be adopted through the auspices of her great and loving charity effort, the Chance Foundation. The foundation is a no-kill rescue and adoption facility, nurtured by Nammack with a series of fund raising and charity events, donations from dog lovers who want to help and by a special place in her imagination and emphatic heart for the dogs that find their way to this place.

For Nammack, the line between her business and her foundation is thin. It’s almost a kind of perpetual motion machine that is bridged by nothing but serendipity and by the common denominator of the presence of dogs. The dogs—those coming here to be boarded for a kind of vacation of their own while their owners vacation—and those abandoned, often wounded and suffering dogs left behind and often saved from being euthanized have something in common. Both groups are loved—no other word for it—one by one and together by Nammack and her staff, in a human illustration of the famous unconditional love attributed to canines.

Nammack loves to talk about dogs—particular dogs like Nellie, or her own first dog which she got as a birthday present when she was nine, or dogs in general, and why they’re special. But you don’t know any of that when you turn into the driveway at Wind Haven Farm at 10739 Bristersburg Road in Catlett, Va. You see a long driveway, green fields, a shed, a lengthy area of vegetation and a tree- rich pond, an office, spotted by dog and animal sculptures here and there. “If it’s a dog, or a horse, I tend to buy it,” she tells you later.

We spot her coming accompanied by two dogs, a brown chocolate lab who comes to check us out with nose, sniff and friendly nudging, and another black dog. She walks at a brisk pace, smiles a greeting, accompanied by an outstretched hand, a petite, attractive blonde woman in a black top and white slacks. Nearby is one of her employees’ truck, with a placard that reads, “You would drink too, if you were a dog groomer.” Nearby, behind a large fenced enclosure, several dogs—recognizably big and small, a Beagle here, a Pomeranian, an eager Cocker—are barking out of curiosity and greeting.

After working in marketing for her father John’s business, she moved on to starting up the kennel in 1996, with the help and support of her dad. “How to describe him—a charismatic, hardworking, always supportive dad, a proud dog lover who taught me about the value of hard work, persevering, and reaching for my dreams.” Her mother is Aina Mergaard Nammack, an accomplished artist whose father was from Norway and mother from Spain. “She raised me to be responsible, independent, to care about others and to make wise choices in life. She is my role model,” she said.
It’s hardly quiet in the kennel’s office—dogs—especially Nellie, who’s due for adoption and, while she’s been here, has acquired quiet diva characteristics. “You cannot get by her without petting her,” she said. Nellie, a beautiful, graceful small grayish Miniature Schnauzer came to Nammack as a rescue with the kind of story that seems typical of Chance Foundation rescues: “Nellie was found lying on the side of the road…someone spotted her and took her to the nearest shelter. She was matted, covered in fleas and ticks, filthy, with an infected tumor on her back. …. After l2 days at the shelter, she was scheduled to be put down, but Carla and two of her employees, Jenna Seale and Madison Ross saw her and immediately agreed that she did not deserve to die at a shelter. They brought her to the kennel assuming she would be a hospice situation. After some antibiotics, a good grooming and one day as the office greeter, she made a complete 180-degree turn around.”

Nellie—scheduled for an operation to remove the growth on her back—has since been adopted by two women who had previously adopted two others dogs from the Chance Foundation.

More than a few times, rescued dogs get adopted by Carla herself. She has “13 dogs, at last count, not counting the ones who passed on,” she said.

There are other stories than Nellie’s—including that of Pom Pom, a small, energetic Pomeranian hit by a car with devastating effect. Pom Pom had part of his jaw removed by surgery, which had the salutatory effect of making him appear oddly cuter.

Her own first dog? “I got to pick for myself,” Nammack said. “There was this one dog, they were all puppies, and I just scooped him up right away.” He was a ninth birthday present, “part great dane, part mastiff, part boxer.” He got quite large. His name was Treve. It was the start of a love affair with Great Danes, who “are just big babies”. You can tell—there’s a painting of one of her Great Danes in the house, and he’s on the kennel’s business card. “Sampson,” she said. “Handsome Sampson, he was the most majestic boy on earth. He was my best friend and was perfect in every way.”
If it is true that, as some have claimed, that “all dogs go to heaven,” there are probably quite a few dogs who will think that heaven looks just like the Country Club Kennel grounds, the green, green grass—and pool, and pond and vast exercise yards and runs—of home.

Here’s what you see and get when a dog is brought for boarding here—extra-large kennel runs, exercise and play time six to seven times a day, all play closely supervised and only with the owner’s permission, supervision by a staff of 12 plus volunteers, a pool, a waterfall pool and the ponds. This is a place where dogs forget to think about their owners.

Nammack, an expert trainer herself—you can find her advice on various training and behavior issues on You Tube videos and her website at www.countryclubkennels.com—is straight forward about her love of dogs. “Dogs,” she said, “don’t want that much—food, a little attention, sleep, play—and they’re happy. And that’s the least you can do, because they give so much back.” And it goes without saying, the best, most valuable medium of exchange—when all is said and done—between humans and dogs is love.

Nammack started the Chance Foundation in 2000 after a heart-rending meeting with a dog named Chance whose time left in life could have been measured in minutes or at best hours, but who was rescued and saved by her and in turn inspired her to do more. Dogs up for adoption, their stories and their life and times show up on the Kennel website—their faces, their journeys are both touching and joyful, and for dog lovers, a treat.
Nammack leads us on a journey with her dogs, from her office, where a pug and the Beagle Pringles eye you with hope, to the pool, where the brown lab and the expectant Cocker with the tennis ball always in his mouth leap exuberantly into the pool and time again.

Through the spacious house we go, where sometimes geese fly overhead, and the orange cat comes out for a look, and off they all head to the pond, Nammack moving ahead like a pied piper, the dogs behind, in front and beside her. Pom Pom—who avoided the pool’s depth—leaps into the pond like a breaststroke swimmer, time and time again, then rolls in the grass, showing none of the vanity of a Pomeranian.

It strikes you then watching them all—Nammack, the handlers, young women and the dogs—that this is a happy site and sight. With the dogs leaping in, shaking off water, Nammack’s slacks turning muddy brown (“I knew I shouldn’t have worn white today”) there is no affectation here at all, everything—dogs and human, Carla Nammack and her angels, the dogs—are all in the moment, Kennel and Chance together.

For more information, please visit Carla Nammack’s website at CountryClubKennels.com.
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Dana Farrior •

This New Year’s Eve, Virginia towns near and far offer a variety of festivities perfect for kicking off 2015. From wine pairings and Champagne toasts to New Year’s Day brunch, the possibilities are boundless. Here’s a short guide to help you make the most of the holiday.

Salamander Resort & Spa (500 North Pendleton St., Middleburg) will offer couples’ packages as well as options for individuals. The culinary Masterpiece Dinner will allow you to celebrate the New Year with seven delicious courses and perfectly paired wines. Dinner will be followed by live music, a balloon drop and a Champagne toast. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and tickets cost $200 per person.

If your plans don’t include dinner, but rather brunch, Harrimans at Salamander Resort & Spa is serving up a sweet and savory selection along with a Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar. Brunch runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and costs $59 per adult and $25 per child age 12 and under.

Goodstone Inn & Restaurant (36205 Snake Hill Rd., Middleburg) is providing a four-course meal with wine pairings and a midnight champagne toast, with seating as early as 5:30 p.m. and as late as 9:45 p.m. Tickets cost $145 per person.
Laporta’s Restaurant (1600 Duke St., Alexandria wants you to ring in the New Year with their late night buffet and standing cocktail party, running from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., with live jazz playing between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Early dinner seating will run from 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., with a three-course meal costing $45.99. A later dinner includes four courses and costs $69.99, by reservation only. Before the midnight Champagne toast, Laporta’s is offering two winter cocktails – the Winter Spice Sangria, which includes fresh-cut mixed fruit marinated in wine, brandy and spices served as a spritzer and the Moscow Mule, consisting of Stoli vodka, Canton ginger liqueur and Goslings ginger beer – and one “mocktail,” the non-alcoholic Blood Orange Lychee Water. For reservations or more information, call 703- 683-6313.

Bastille (1201 North Royal St., Alexandria) is the perfect cozy and intimate space to spend the hours leading up to the New Year.
Bastille will fête New Year’s Eve with its “Reveillon de la Saint Sylvestre” dinner. The first seating from 5 to 6:30pm is a three-course prix fixe for $79, exclusive of taxes and gratuities, with wine pairings upon request. After the market surprise amuse bouche, guests will enjoy menu highlights including butternut squash risotto and parmesan broth; braised lobster in a curried coconut emulsion; bacon-wrapped rabbit loin; and coconut cake with caramelized pumpkin butter and curry ice cream. Taking things to the next level with the second seating from 8 to 10 p.m., guests will enjoy a four-course prix fixe for $99, or $139 with wine pairings, exclusive of taxes and gratuities. After the market surprise amuse bouche, guests may choose from notable dishes including steak tartare; seared foie gras; sautéed Wild Turbot filet; and roasted spiced pineapple marmalade almond cake. This meal will certainly set the bar high for a year of health, wealth and merriment.

Alex Schulte • December 5, 2014

Home to some of the most legendary back bowls in the United States, Vail, Colo., is a must-visit for the skiing enthusiasts in your family. While the quiet town does not have quite the grandeur of Aspen, locals brag that it has the best actual skiing of any resort in the country.

Vail is the nation’s single largest resort, with nearly 5,300 acres of skiable terrain, 10,000-plus-foot-tall peaks and the most groomed slopes of any resort in the world. It is no wonder that those who know say, “you haven’t skied until you’ve skied Vail.”

When arriving in Vail, you will notice the distinct Germanic feel embraced by the town. Many of the buildings have a Bavarian, chalet-like feel and embody a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Though, as in Aspen, you will find five-star restaurants, clothing boutiques and over 100,000 square feet of spa services spread across Vail’s Lionshead and Vail Village, you will also encounter a community that truly puts skiing first. Vail is a place where Olympic champions are bred and trained.

Stamped with European sentiment, Vail is the closest you can get to the Alps. But there’s an added bonus: Colorado Champagne Powder. The fluffy goodness will provide an extra cushion as you charge down the mountain through trees, over steep rock faces and into the immense backside. Though it takes some time getting used to, it will surely subdue your fear of careening down icy faces.

Vail’s slopes are comparable in breadth to those at the leading alpine resorts in Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy without being above the tree line. The average snowfall of nearly 350 inches will not be blown away as quickly as on the bald faces of St. Moritz.

In early February 2015, Vail and its sister resort, Beaver Creek, will host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. This will be the third time the two have hosted the celebrated event, and only the fourth time it has been held in the United States. Held every two years, the event only plays second fiddle to the Olympics. Racers will compete in the downhill, alpine combined, giant slalom and slalom. Olympic gold medalists Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn, both Vail’s own, are slated to compete alongside 600 athletes from 70 nations.

If you are looking to take your ski passion to the next level, and rub shoulders with the best in the business, keep Vail in mind. [gallery ids="118373,118364,118379" nav="thumbs"]

Peter Murray • November 19, 2014

Charlottesville, Va., is a natural and cultural small-town treasure that is best enjoyed in the fall. The Charlottesville fall experience begins with the journey, a drive straight down Route 29. As you escape D.C.’s suburbs, 29 opens onto lush meadows, rolling farmland – now framed in fall colors – and, eventually, views of blue mountains.

Be sure to book a hotel near the historic downtown mall. The charming strip features a movie theater, an ice rink, countless trendy bars and restaurants and a large pavilion for free concerts. Maybe you’ll be lucky and cross paths with a big name like Bruce Springsteen, Passion Pit or Phoenix, all of whom have played the pavilion in recent years.

Best of all, Charlottesville’s downtown mall is open to pedestrian traffic only, making it a good destination for simply hanging out and enjoying the passing scene.

When you get to town, head for the University of Virginia. Take a self-guided tour and get lost in a maze of Thomas Jefferson’s wondrous neoclassical architecture, marked by white columns and red Virginia brick. With a Frisbee, you can make the most of the majestic Lawn, bordered by rustic dorm rooms constructed in the early 1800s. The rooms have fireplaces, but no restrooms or showers, so look out for students rushing back from the bathroom in the cold in their towels.

If you’re in Charlottesville on a Saturday this fall, check out the university’s prepsters in their coats and ties and their Lilly Pulitzer sundresses – which come out no matter the temperature – on Scott Stadium’s grass hill. UVA’s team has a so-so record this season, but the game is as much about people-watching as sport.

From there, you can take a quick drive up to Jefferson’s home, Monticello, a beautiful estate that overlooks the entire town, inspiring Charlottesville’s cult of the third president. The property offers lessons in history, mechanics, architecture and more, with a sumptuous mansion, slave quarters and exhibits featuring some of Jefferson’s self-made gadgets.

After learning about one of the country’s founding farmers, visitors can follow the Monticello Wine Trail, a string of vineyards and wineries that leads to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Taste some of the best reds and whites on the east coast with stops at Pippin Hill Farm and Winery, Blenheim Vineyards and even Trump Winery.

If you’re traveling to Charlottesville between Nov. 14 and 23, seek out the Cider Week specials, including cider cocktails at the Petit Pois restaurant, free tastings at the Market Street Wineshop and a workshop on making cider at home at Fifth Season Gardening. More information is available at www.ciderweekva.com.

Get down to Charlottesville before winter’s chill takes hold. For only a two-hour trip, there is much to behold in this charming and historic university town.

Georgetowner • November 6, 2014

The 77th International Gold Cup steeplechase races held October 25th in The Plains, Va. strive to keep the tradition of the hunt alive with a number of family oriented events, such as pony and terrier races before the main event, best hat contests and an abundance of food vendors mixed among new car displays, parachute demonstrations and food-filled tailgates by families and corporations alike. According to the Official Gold Cup website, over 45,000 spectators attend the events. Pictured above is a sampling of the days happenings.

Anders Ohm • October 23, 2014

Oysters are best in the months with an “R” in them, so don’t miss your opportunity to eat them during the fall season. In D.C., oysters used to be cheap and abundant due to the proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. At the turn of the 20th century, Washington had more than 150 oyster bars. The oyster population of Chesapeake Bay had dropped to about one percent of the population in the late 19th century due to overfishing, disease and pollution. But recently, there have been a number of successful efforts taken to restore populations, which has seen the return of oysters’ popularity in Washington. Check out our calendar with the area’s best oyster-themed events this fall and winter.

Oct. 11
Holly Point Art & Seafood Festival
The 11th annual Holly Point Art and Seafood festival has something fun for everyone. The festival will offer oysters, seafood, art and family fun. Visitors will also see restored buy-boats, used for harvesting oysters. The event takes place at the beautiful Holly Point Nature Park and Deltaville Maritime Museum on the waterfront. Admission is free. 287 Jackson Creek Rd, Deltaville, Va., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit
deltavillemuseum.com.

Oct. 18 and 19
St. Mary’s Oyster Festival
Enjoy live music, entertainment and lots of food at the 48th St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival. There will be fun for everyone with activities from shellfish exhibits to carnival rides. People come from all over to compete in the National Oyster Shucking Contest and the National Oyster Cook-off. Admission is $5 for adults; free for children 12 and under. Hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Location: St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. 42455 Fairgrounds Road, Leonardtown, Md. For more information visit usoysterfest.com.

Oct. 25
The Inaugural 1905 Oyster Roast on the Roof
Deck with DC Brau
1905 Bistro & Bar along side DC Brau will be hosting their first oyster roast. Enjoy all-you-can-eat Rappahannock oysters and your choice of two sides prepared by Chef Joel Hatton. DC Brau will be supplying $5 drafts and their first-ever Oktoberfest. The oyster roast will take place on the roof deck of the 1905 Bistro & Bar, 1905 9th St., NW. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advanced; $25 at the door. 1905dc.com/etc

Oct. 25
Bull, Shrimp and Oyster Roast
Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group is hosting their 5th annual Bull, Shrimp and Oyster Roast at Columbus Gardens in Nottingham, Md. The buffet will feature pit beef, pit ham, pit turkey, shrimp, oysters and more. Beer, wine, soda and cocktails will be available. All proceeds from the roast will benefit CDSPG educational programs, family outreach and community advocacy. Visit cdspg.org for more information.

Nov. 7 and 8
Urbanna Oyster Festival
Come by boat or car to the Urbanna Oyster Festival, the largest and longest running oyster festival in the United States. During the festival, the streets of Urbanna, Va., are closed to vehicles and filled with crafts and seafood vendors. Visitors can enjoy music at the concert stage, learn about the history of the area or participate in oyster shucking and wine tasting. The focal point of the festival has become the Saturday Parade which has continued to grow over the years from an event featuring floats and antique cars into a much larger parade with marching bands and more. Visit urbannaoysterfestival.com for additional information.

Nov. 21 and 22
Old Ebbitt Grill’s Oyster Riot
Held each year the Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving, the Oyster Riot is back for the 20th time. Each night, tens of thousands of oysters are devoured by nearly 1000 guests who enjoy live music while they dine. The bivalves will be served with the gold medal winning wines of the International Wines for Oyster Competition, which selects the best wines to go with oysters from over 200 entrees. The Oyster Riot runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. The most recent addition, the Saturday Matinee Oyster Riot, takes place from noon to 3 p.m. Visit Ebbitt.com for tickets and more information.
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Richard Selden •

Two of the 20th century’s greatest photographers were born in 1890 and died in 1976: Man Ray and Paul Strand. Man Ray was a man of the avant-garde. His stone in Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris reads (in English): “unconcerned but not indifferent.”
Paul Strand could never be called unconcerned. He learned photography in his teens from social reformer Lewis Hine, made leftist films during the Depression and—distressed by the country’s feverish anti-Communism—moved permanently to France in 1950.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s new retrospective, curated by Peter Barberie, seeks to place Strand as much in the modernist camp as that mad scientist Man Ray. “Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography,” on view through Jan. 4, deepens our understanding of modernism as it traces Strand’s six-decade career.

Two of Strand’s most famous images—“Wall Street, New York” of 1915, in which shadows stretch from tiny figures passing under the House of Morgan’s pharaonic facade; and “Blind Woman, New York” of 1916, a portrait of a peddler, her right eye half-shut, her left open and aimed farther left, the word BLIND on a sign on her chest—achieve a perfect balance of compositional power and social message.

The image of the blind woman is one of eight striking portraits hung near some of Strand’s photographic experiments with cubism, also from 1916. “Abstraction, Bowls, Twin Lakes, Connecticut,” a composition of four ceramic bowls shot close up in soft focus, is as abstract as Strand’s work ever got.

Photographer Alfred Stieglitz showed Strand’s work at 291, his Fifth Avenue gallery, and published it in his journal, “Camera Work.” Several paintings by other members of the Stieglitz circle—Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, John Marin and Georgia O’Keeffe—are included in the show. (O’Keeffe, who married Stieglitz in 1924, was also a romantic interest of Strand’s. Stieglitz was more than 20 years her senior and Strand was three years her junior.)

In 1922, Strand married Rebecca Salsbury and purchased a hand-cranked Akeley motion picture camera. Perhaps representing the two sides of the photographer’s aesthetic, five tight close-ups of each—woman and camera—are displayed on one wall.
In the early 1930s, having separated from both his wife and his mentor Stieglitz, Strand moved to Mexico for two years, drawn by the socialist government and related artistic activity. He photographed people in town squares, among other subjects then dropped still photography to make films.

One of the exhibition’s two screening rooms presents a nine-minute segment from “Redes,” his 1936 film about a fictional Mexican fishing village, alternating with a segment from “Native Land,” his documentary about union busting, released in 1942.
Several galleries are devoted to Strand’s travels, which resulted in a number of collaborative “portraits of place.” Three that became books receive special attention: “Time in New England”; “Un Paese: Portrait of an Italian Village,” about Luzzara, the hometown of Cesare Zavattini, screenwriter of the Vittorio De Sica film “The Bicycle Thief”; and “Ghana: An African Portrait.”
The three books, none still in print, have been digitized for browsing on computer kiosks.

The last decades of Strand’s life were spent in France. He and his third wife, photographer Hazel Kingsbury, bought a house in Orgeval outside of Paris. The closing section of the exhibition shows photographs of the Strands in their garden and several of the still lifes of plants he grew there.

“Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography” is one of several good reasons for a trip to Philadelphia, also the home of the Barnes Foundation, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Upcoming auctions at Freeman’s, the oldest American auction house, include Modern & Contemporary Works of Art (Nov. 2), Jewelry & Watches (Nov. 3), American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts (Nov. 13) and American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists (Dec. 7).

Among the leading Philadelphia art galleries are Schwarz Gallery, next to Freeman’s on Chestnut Street, specializing in 19th- and early 20th-century paintings; Newman Galleries on Walnut Street, showing paintings by Eakins student Fred Wagner (Nov. 1-Dec. 31, reception Nov. 14); and contemporary gallery Locks Gallery on Washington Square, presenting “Thomas Chimes: The Body in Spirals” (Nov. 7-Dec. 13).
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Paul Simkin •

On October 18 and 19, boaters from around the world gathered in the historic seaport of Annapolis, Maryland for the United States Powerboat Show. Now in its 43rd year, it is the world’s oldest in-water powerboat show. Boaters have the unique opportunity to board and inspect most new models on the market, make side-by-side comparisons, and talk to industry representatives about all aspects of buying and owning a boat. Acres of docks exhibited everything from luxurious multi-million dollar motor and ocean-going yachts and trawlers to high-performance powerboats and offshore fishing machines. On display were boats of every style from 8’ to 90’ including family cruisers, center console fishing boats, inflatables, paddleboards, ski boats, and trailerable powerboats. [gallery ids="101893,136721,136719" nav="thumbs"]

Terrance Gelenter • October 9, 2014

I had the pleasure of meeting Poppy Nicole Salinger at a cocktail party at her Paris apartment several years ago, but it wasn’t until now that I was able to accept her invitation to the Bastide Rose, her boutique hotel in Provence.

Her name may sound familiar to Washingtonians. She is the widow of Pierre Salinger, who served as press secretary to President John Kennedy and who lived in Georgetown. The couple were a superb match. Following her husband’s death in 2004 she created le Musée Pierre Salinger at Le Bastide as a permanent memorial to the man and his times.

We pointed our Fiat towards the village of Le Thor, a scant 17 miles from Avignon, and left the main highway for a narrow country lane bordered by cornfields until we found this most charming of destinations.

We were met by her husband, Aygulf Le Cense, who insisted on toting our bags to the main house. We insisted on mounting the staircase with our luggage to our splendid “Lavender” suite. Decorated with 18th-century provençal furniture, it offered a living-room with a view on the sculpture park and a bedroom with a view on the river, the island and the courtyard.

Once we were settled, it was time for a vintage pastis along the banks of Le Sorgue, where we met a charming couple from Houston and old friends of Poppy who were making their annual visit. (More than a third of her guests are regulars.)

Before dinner we had time to visit the Pierre Salinger Museum that is updated regularly with documents, photographs and memorabilia, including her late husband’s upright piano. The San Francisco-born, francophone Pierre was emblematic of the young blood assembled by JFK to bring vigor and purpose to the New Frontier.

Emmanuel de Menthon, Poppy’s son with her first husband, offers fresh and authentic cuisine for lunch or dinner. His “discovery of the day” often comes from the local farmer’s market and is served on small tables or on a communal table (upon request) on one of the two terraces or in the winter garden. Dining is accompanied by local and national wines: Gigondas, Vacqueyras and, of course, Châteauneuf du Pape, without forgetting the delicious country wines Luberon and Côtes du Ventoux.

We were joined at dinner by Poppy, Aygulf, Charles Pomméry of the Champagne house and his wife Colette for a convivial meal that begin with tomatoes so sweet and fresh that I thought I was back in New Jersey in August where beefsteaks are king. A fresh grilled white fish with seasonal vegetables and plenty of wine were pure pleasure.

This is a place that exudes serenity. I could easily have stayed for a week with a few books, dips in the pool, leisurely walks and conversation with the assortment of international guests in search of the same.

So, come for a few days, taste wines in nearby Chateauneuf du Pape, shop for antiques in Isle Sur La Sorgue and most of all bath in the warm hospitality of Poppy and her family.
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Georgetowner • September 25, 2014

Get your fancy hats, bright sundresses and mint juleps ready for equestrian season in Virginia. Huge, international competitions are coming to our Virginia countryside and everyone who’s anyone will be there to cheer on the horses, flaunt their style and, most importantly, have fun. This year’s festivities include the Fall Race Meet at Foxfield, races at James Madison’s Montpelier and the 77th annual International Gold Cup, Virginia’s largest equestrian event with over 45,000 attendees. Additionally, Middleburg’s prized National Sporting Library & Museum hosts A Sportsman en plein air to celebrate equestrian and other outdoor sports. See our calendar below for more information on these events and other ideas for family fun in the country this fall.