In Country

Georgetowner • November 6, 2012

With the 2nd Annual Chefs Go Fresh event on July 16, here is a closer look at some of the local country farms that will be participating.

England Acres Farm: a Pasture-Fed Welcome Mat

Do you enjoy fresh produce, locally raised animals and home-baked goods? Look no further than the England Acres Farm, in Mt. Airy in Fredrick County, Maryland. The farm, which has been used since the 1870s is owned and operated by Jeff and Judy England.

“We’re friendly,” says Judy England. “We welcome the public to come experience what we have and taste the difference in our products.”

England Acres Farm and Market raises Angus cattle, sheep and Cornish Rock X chickens. The animals are all pasture fed or are fed farm-grown forage. All the meats can be bought individually or in a sampler pack from the market.

The England Acres Farm Market and Bakery is open on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store offers a selection of fresh baked goods, freshly picked seasonal produce, grass fed beef and lamb and pasture raised chickens, hens and eggs. The market also offers some friendly advice on how to cook and prepare the fresh ingredients.

The working farm welcomes people to come and experience what it’s really like on a farm, and it encourages people to buy local products. For more information or to plan your trip, visit www.EnglandAcres.com

Black Ankle
Vineyards: Award Winner in Mt. Airy

“A truly great wine comes only from a truly great vineyard,” according to Black Ankle Vineyards, a winery located in Mt. Airy, Maryland and known for its award-wining wines. With a wide selection of red-and-white wines, including Chardonnay, Terra Dulce II, Passeggiata and Crumbling Rock, it’s a winery not to miss.

“We grow all our grapes on farms and harvest once a year. We’re able to come up with new wines every year,” said Sarah O’Herron, owner and wine maker at Black Ankle Vineyards. Its most popular selection of wine is Crumbling Rock, with a blend of traditional grapes. It won the Maryland Governor’s Cup for two years in a row. “It’s the wine that made us famous,” O’Herron said.

Have an urge to taste some of the selections? The Black Ankle Vineyards Tasting Room is open Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; other days and times are by appointment. A selection of local cheeses is also offered to customers for something to eat alongside the wine. In addition to the sale of wines and food products, Black Ankle Vineyarsds also provides local realtors and restaurants with selections of wine. “We want people who are wine lovers and who are interested in really good wines. We want them to find us,” O’Herron said. Black Ankle Vineyards offers tours every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. For more information, visit www.BlackAnkle.com. ? [gallery ids="100879,127484" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Washington is within reach of a handful of national resort destinations—many of which have garnered international recognition. From the cool and beautiful forests stretching up and down the Appalachian Mountains, to the sun-flecked peppery beaches of the Carolinas, and the historic rivers leading to the Chesapeake Bay, there are endless opportunities for whiling the summer away. These resorts are all within a day’s drive or airplane hop of Washington, but the diversity is astonishing. If you haven’t planned your summer retreats, this will help you get started. Gather the family or significant others around the table and figure out which suit your vacationer’s palette best.

IN THE VIRGINIAS

The Greenbrier

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

In the small community of White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., nestled safely within the Allegheny Mountains, lies one of this country’s most longstanding and luxurious resorts. Since 1778, the Greenbrier has hosted distinguished guests from around the world, setting the standard for luxury accommodations nationwide, while continually reinventing itself. Once known by the Southern elite as the “Queen of the Watering Places,” this sprawling estate in the lush foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets on the East Coast.

With the very best of comfort and accommodations, spa treatments, leisure pursuits and world-class cuisine, the Greenbrier brings together all the luxuries of the world’s finest resorts with the distinct history and character of the region. There is an endless variety of cottages and suites, such as intimate single guest houses and seven-room suites, equipped with wood-burning fireplaces, private porches and patios overlooking the surrounding area. Once you settle in, the Greenbrier offers enough activities to keep guests returning with every season.

The highlight is the resort’s collection of four 18-hole signature golf courses, all of which compliment the surrounding mountainous landscape. The championship courses—the Old White TPC, the Greenbrier, the Meadows and the Snead, a private residents-only course—are designed to challenge and captivate golfers of every skill level. The resort also features a full-service clubhouse, award-winning golf shop and expert instruction by the Greenbrier Golf Academy. The resort’s 40,000-square-foot luxury spa is another signature offering, providing an elegant setting to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Relax in a whirlpool bath or soak up the healing properties of the native sulphur waters. With their wealth of exclusive spa treatments, there are endless reasons to visit this award-winning spa. For more information, visit www.Greenbrier.com

The Tides Inn

Irvington, Virginia

The Chesapeake Bay is to Washingtonians what Long Island is to New Yorkers: a stone’s throw seaside destination to rusticate and rejuvenate away from the urban tumult. Bordered by the Potomac River to the north, the Rappahannock River to the south, and Chesapeake Bay to the east, the Tides Inn provides a luxury resort setting that is quintessentially Delmarvan.

Located in historic Irvington, Va., history buffs will appreciate the opportunity to experience our nation’s heritage first-hand at the Tides. From the struggle for independence to the steamboat era, from 18th-century gardens to 21st-century artisans, the area surrounding the Tides Inn hotel in Virginia is full of historic excitement.

The Tides offers a “Girlfriend Getaway,” for friends to enjoy a variety of activities, such as touring the local wine trail, relaxing at the spa and enjoying the Tides Inn’s cuisine and cocktails.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the resort and spa destination includes the beautiful new Tides Marina, the 18-hole Golden Eagle Golf Course, as well as sailing opportunities, where you can set sail around Carters Creek and the Rappahannock River. The on-site sailing school at the Tides offers a four-day basic keelboat course that leads to sailing certification. There are also shorter sailing classes for various interests, and everyone in the family can find a Chesapeake Bay sailing course created just for them. For more information, visit www.TidesInn.com.

WAY DOWN IN DIXIE

The Sanderling

Outer Banks, North Carolina

For over half a century the Outer Banks in North Carolina have been perhaps the premier Washingtonian beach destination. Within walking distance of the unparalleled sand, surf and tranquil waters of the sound, the Sanderling Resort gives you the best of hospitality and Carolina character. Of course, staying at the Sanderling has other benefits as well, including access to the Pine Island Racquet and Fitness Club and the Currituck Golf Club.

This is a great place to take the family. Among many beachside attractions, the 3,400-acre Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, adjacent to the Sanderling, is a favorite resting spot of countless regional beachside bird families (When summer ends in a few months, dozens of species of migrating geese and ducks descend on Currituck Sound, providing spectacular autumn bird watching). The Sanderling’s Eco-Center offers kayak tours of the preserve, and walking paths through the sanctuary are open to the public year-round. Couple that with beachfront access, great local seafood and the fresh salty air, and you can keep you and your family happy for weeks. For more information, visit www.TheSanderling.com.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Kiawah Island, South Carolina

This is an easy weekend getaway from Washington. Truly one of America’s most luxurious resorts, it is located along the pristine shores of Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

This exquisite hotel is only 30 minutes from downtown Charleston, which captures the spirit, history and charm of southern hospitality and some of the best southern comfort food there is—barbeque shrimp and grits are not to be missed.

With its 255 gracious guestrooms and suites, the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is perhaps the finest oceanfront hotel built on the East Coast in the past 20 years. Each spacious room features luxurious five fixture baths, large marble showers, dual vanities, private water closets, shuttered bathroom windows and ocean view balconies. A private concierge level offers exclusive, personalized services and private elevator access, while the concierge club features unmatched culinary offerings throughout the day. Families and adults can enjoy two oceanfront pools.

Kiawah Island is a golfer’s paradise with five competitively designed master golf courses. In fact, three of Kiawah Island’s golf courses ranked on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s Top 75 Resort Courses,” and Conde Nast Traveler listed the resort among the top “50 Golf Resorts Worldwide.” For more information, visit www.KiawahResort.com.

DUE NORTH

Lake Placid Lodge

Lake Placid, New York

In 1882, a German family built themselves a rustic camp from which they could enjoy the dramatic view of Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. This remained a private residence until 1946, when the property was sold and reopened as a hotel.

Today, the front hall is a classic Adirondack interior, with a welcoming stone fireplace, furniture crafted in the distinctive regional Adirondack style and a stairwell filled by a towering birch tree. There are thirteen rooms and seventeen luxurious cabins at the water’s edge, and the woods, water and sun enfold the Lodge.

The main lodge is full of spaces that are just as cozy and appealing. Artisans, the formal dining room, offer a seasonal New American menu. Wood-paneled Maggie’s Pub, with its fireplace and tables set by the windows, is just the place for a first-rate burger and a pint of the locally brewed Ubu Ale.

Whether you prefer to curl up in front of a fireplace and take on the challenge of a handcrafted Stave puzzle or decide to hike one of the ancient Adirondack trails, the choices are many. And warmer weather brings endless adventures. Take a tour of Lake Placid aboard the 35-foot mahogany Hacker-Craft, go swimming or fishing, kayaking or canoeing or captain your own boat. Lake Placid is one of the cleanest spring-fed lakes in New York. Lake Placid Lodge is an iconic American resort. For more information, visit www.LakePlacidLodge.com.?

Ari Post •

When he planted a vineyard at his home in Monticello some 200 years ago, it was Thomas Jefferson’s dream that vineyards and wines from his native state would one day stand with the great wines of the Old World. Jefferson’s vision remained unfulfilled in his lifetime, but in the 21st century his dream has become reality. Virginia wine country, long developing under the radar of connoisseurs and enthusiasts, is now an international libation destination.

The nation’s fifth largest wine producer and seventh largest producer of wine grapes, Virginia wine sales reached a record high last year with nearly half a million cases sold, an increase of more than 11 percent over the previous year. Wine contributes almost $350 million to the state on an annual basis, with around one
million annual visitors to the state now including local wineries among their travel destinations. Wine Enthusiast magazine even named Virginia as one of the ten best international wine destinations this year, alongside regions in California, New Zealand, Chile, Spain and France.

And while the success might seem like so much glitz, it is really a testament to the decades of sweat, blood and tears that Virginia winemakers have poured into the land. Flying under the radar of the international wine community, these devoted servants of the grape explored varietals best suited to the area—which they could only do through trial and error during the summer growing season (and grape vines take years to mature)—experimenting with almost every available grape, all while developing farming and harvesting patterns to meet with the rigorous needs of the region’s effusive, inconsistent climate.

Fittingly named, the Monticello Viticultural Area (AVA), surrounding Jefferson’s old home, is recognized as the most prominent of Virginia’s winegrowing regions, with over 20 area wineries producing fine wines of international acclaim. It’s impossible to explore them all in one visit, but here’s the scoop on two top Charlottesville wineries, perfect to grease the skids and wet the palettes of viticultural locavores, as well as to showcase the best wines the region has to offer.

Pollak Vineyards

2011 was a tough harvest in the Monticello AVA. It had already been a very hot growing season, which can hurt wines in reaching optimal acidity. Then, just as the first whites were ready to be picked, cloudy weather set in and lingered right into the red wine harvest window, putting the grapes at risk for sour rot, powdery mildew, stunted growth and low sugar levels.

But none of this stopped David and Margo Pollak, owners of Pollak Vineyards, from producing an internationally award-winning vintage. “That’s one of the great things about the Pollaks,” says Nick Dovel, general manager of the vineyard. “They’d rather make a small batch of good quality wine than a lot of mediocre wine. We sorted the grapes last year by individual cluster, de-stemmed them and then sorted each individual berry.”

David and Margo first began making wine in Napa Valley in the 1970s when they founded Bouchaine Vineyards, planting and producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard took off and they sold it in the 80s, but the vintner’s itch soon returned. With their new venture, they wanted to explore a new terrain in the winemaking world. Virginia, they decided, was the Napa of the East Coast.

The couple spent five years combing the state’s farmland, looking for a plot with the right sun exposure and optimal drainage for grape vines. They found their current Charlottesville plot in 2001and started planting fruit in 2003.

“We don’t buy or outsource any fruit for our wine,” says Dovel. “We grow all our own grapes, and even sell to some of our neighbors, which we’re very proud of. It’s rare to find a winery that does all estate grown wines. What you taste in our wines is our true terroir— what Mother Nature has to offer our specific
property.”

Today, Pollak is well known for their Viogniers and Petit Verdots. Their red wines are unfined and unfiltered, with a lot of finesse but a still-present power. “If you put France and California together,” says Dovel, “that’s where we sit: big fruit with great structure—and the character of Virginia’s unique climate makes it awesome.”
Dovel isn’t just talking big; judging by the vineyard’s accolades, he’s just telling it like it is. In 2011, he submitted a selection of wines to the Riverside International Wine Competition. “At first I wasn’t going to submit any because of this sort of East Coast wine stigma the industry tends to have—they tend to think less of us and rate us low. But when I read that competition was a blind tasting, I suddenly really wanted to do it.”
He sent six wines to the competition. All of them medaled.

Their Petit Verdot won unanimous gold medals and received the Chairman’s Choice Award, the highest honor of the competition. “The competition named us the best small winery in the world because of that Petit Verdot,” says Dovel. “They all wanted to know if we bought the fruit from some vineyard in California. They couldn’t believe all the grapes we used were estate grown—everyone was just blown away.”

King Family Vineyards

In the 2010 documentary “Vintage: The Winemaker’s Year,” which explored the rapid growth of Virginia’s wine industry, King Family Vineyards was featured in a segment where a late spring frost was threatening a vineyard full of budded vines. “That was a scary experience,” says Will Rucker, King Family’s tasting room manager. “So what we did last year was light bales of hay on fire surrounding the vineyard, and then had helicopters hover over the vineyard at night to circulate the warm air.”

To Rucker, this annual challenge is the beauty of making wine in Virginia. “With Virginia wine, you’re almost left guessing with each vintage. But that’s why it’s fun—as a producer and as a drinker.

“Honestly, vintage variation is the coolest thing out here,” agrees Dovel over at Pollak. “You can go buy your bottle of California Chardonnay anytime, and it’s the same from year to year. But in Virginia, you make a
Cabernet Franc one year and it will be full-bodied like a Bordeaux, and the next year it might be a light, elegant Loire Valley-type.”

“We have to adjust our farming practices on a day-to-day basis,” says Rucker. Heavy rain, for instance, makes lighter vintages because you end up with more water in the fruit. Matthieu Finot, the winemaker at King Family, has to craft the wines into something elegant each year. “It’s an exciting and dynamic process. A real and serious challenge, but in the best possible way.”
Finot tends toward making Old World European style wines at King Family. “He has experience in Italy, France, South Africa, many of the greatest winemaking regions in the world. And one of the most exciting things
about Virginia for him is how effusive the climate is. With the weather so all over the place, there’s a real humanity—a human element—to the wine he makes, because it forces him to alter his practices so frequently. The wine that comes out has his fingerprints all over it.”

David and Ellen King came to the area from Houston, Texas, in 1996 with the aspiration of becoming a premium fruit grower for the state’s then bourgeoning wine industry. It didn’t take long for them to turn into winemakers themselves. The tasting room and winery was opened in 2002 (a ten-year anniversary is on the horizon), and they have since opened an event space, “To host all those winery weddings that everyone wants to have,” says Rucker with a chuckle.

King Family’s 2010 Meritage, the current vintage of their hallmark wine, is big and chewy and dark, different from previous years, but wildly tasty. Getting into summer, returning customers are looking forward to their seasonal Crosé, a unique rosé made of Merlot grapes. “It’s a big hit when we host polo matches on Sundays,” says Rucker. “A great wine to drink cold, with a Sauvignon Blanc-esque grapefruit nose. I call it the perfect poolside wine—and it’s great when paired with anything off the grill.”

“We’ve got people traveling to this area for the purpose of tasting wine,” Rucker says, “which is enormous headway from this time five years ago. Our vineyards are winning international awards and we’re seeing the attitudes of the international community constantly changing.”

Write it off as a growing pain, but the years of dismissal and neglect are no more for Virginia wines. And as its epicenter, the Monticello AVA is the most significant place for a wine buff to sample and explore the dynamic array that Virginia’s vines has to offer.

For more information on the wines and sites of Pollak Vineyards and King Family Vineyards, visit PollakVineyards.com, or KingFamilyVineyards.com. To read up on the greater Monticello AVA and explore its full family of vineyards, visit MonticelloWineTrail.com. ? [gallery ids="102448,121135" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

When people talk about a luxurious New England summer getaway, there seem to be two categories: Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and everything else. The secluded Massachusetts islands — nestled just south of Cape Cod in the Atlantic — have long been known as intimate havens. You don’t just visit these islands, you become members of their tight-knit communities for the length of your stay. They are attractions without gimmicks, crowds or frills: there are no big malls, no towering music venues, no amusement parks or other kitschy tourist traps. They are simply the most comfortable, well-maintained and genuine areas to rusticate and soak in the deliriously pleasant calm of summer. Nothing much changes, as proponents like to say, but people keep coming back.

This isn’t to say you will have trouble finding something to do on either island. Throughout the summer, both have their share of wine, food and art festivals, boutique shopping, history and culture. But they are also home to some of the region’s most beautiful bike rides, sailing opportunities and sprawling, uncrowded shorelines. This is where you take your family to experience life together, to cook at home or eat at a small world-class restaurant, sip wine as the sun goes down on the west end of the island, and wake up early to see it rise on the east end. And it’s easy to get across the islands: Martha’s Vineyard is about 20 miles long from tip to tip (and 87 square miles in its entirety), and Nantucket is only 14 (less than 50 square miles). Here’s a taste of what each has to offer.

Martha’s Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard is comprised of a few rural towns: Aquinnah, Chilmark, West Tisbury, and the more populous towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. Whether you’re looking for the natural beauties of pristine beaches, clay cliffs and bird watching, historical and cultural attractions, exquisite dining, an array of outdoor activities or the many artists, handcrafts and boutiques, “The Vineyard” has it all.

Festivals and Markets

If shopping for rare finds are your druthers, a great place to start is the Chilmark Flea Market, hosted by the Chilmark Community Church every summer from late June through early September. The oldest outdoor venue on the island, the market has evolved into a quirky shopper’s heaven. Quality hand-made items from antique sellers, artists, glassblowers, and jewelers mingle among imports, fine china and more—and many of the craftsmen are waiting on their folding chairs and in the backs of their trucks to speak with you. In what will be this market’s 45th year, the Flea, as it’s called among locals and returning visitors, holds within its lively stalls everything from vintage clothing and wire statues to mounted animal heads and stained glass windows.

At the Summer Vineyard Artisans Festival, the Historic Grange Hall in West Tisbury opens for a weekly juried art show and fair. You can meet with more than 70 artisans, from weavers, potters and quilters, to jewelers, painters and furniture makers, many of whom hold demonstrations.

The Featherstone Center for the Arts hosts a Flea and Arts Market throughout the summer, offering great selections for those on the island’s south side, along with classes, summer camps for children and events. This summer, camps range from painting and photography to silkscreen and printmaking. Special events include garden tea parties, the Featherstone’s annual gala, the third annual Potter’s Bowl and the Art of Chocolate Festival.

While on the topic of festivals, the OB Harbor Festival at Oaks Bluff on June 16 brings together over local and national 40 vendors for one of the island’s most popular events. Local artists, craftsmen and antique dealers, as well as non-profit organizations offering a tempting array of baked goods, raffles and information about their causes, will be on hand. Live music on the deck at Nancy’s featuring Martha’s Vineyard’s favorite bands, and the Midsummer Faerie Festival will entertain all ages with mystical storytelling and Celtic musicians. As always, an abundance of native seafood and gourmet treats await the festive gathering at this year’s Harbor Festival.

Boating and Beaching

Perhaps you’re more of the seagoing sort. Well, you’re still in luck. Martha’s Vineyard has some of the most intimate and beautiful oceanic activities around. Moonrise Kayak, for instance, shows you Martha’s Vineyard in a whole new light: moonlight. In celebration of the full moons of summer, Moonrise Kayak takes you nighttime tours of the coast. With a guide, you will kayak out as the sun sets and the moon rises, absorbing the wonder and romance of the region.

Kayak Quest lets you enjoy the Vineyard’s Sengekontacket Pond at your own pace on a self-guided tour, taking you on a journey with a series of clues to help you uncover the story of the pond’s people, places and wildlife. Your quest ends after you find the hidden quest box. Good luck!

Boat charters are also a popular island activity. Take a joyride for the afternoon or set sail to explore the New England coast—either way, there is an endless selection of friendly and experienced guides ready to take you out on the waters.

Nantucket

More than just a sister island to Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket is a premier destination in its own right. “The Gray Lady,” one of the island’s nicknames, was once wealthy with the profits from the whaling industry; it is rich again with luxury real estate and outsiders from New York, D.C. and elsewhere. There are more intimate leisure activities than you could think about doing—golfing, tennis, kayaking, bird watching, fishing, historic architecture, museums, art galleries and events—and enough space to get away with doing nothing at all, if that suits you best. First of all, it holds within its small borders a web of gorgeous—and flat—biking paths. As the island is only 14 miles long by 3.5 miles wide, a cyclist can bike around the entire island in a day, while stopping along the way to enjoy the scenery, culture and cuisine.

D.C.’s connection to the two islands is legendary, whether you are mentioning the Laythams, the Rubensteins or many others. During the summer, one just might bump into someone from the D.C. neighborhood. On Nantucket’s east side, Siasconset, the Summer Home with its cottages, houses and Beachside Bistro boasts the best oceanfront weddings. One of its other restaurants is by chef Todd English, Figs at 29 Fair, near Main Street. Locally, we have the likes of Smith Point, Jettie’s and Surfside restaurants from Bo Blair, who named them after spots in Nantucket.

Fishing

Nantucket is a small-time fisherman’s mecca. Its coast is home to the entire array of famous New England seafood delicacies—all of which are also available cooked and ready to eat at any of the first-class restaurants on the island. From striped bass and blue fish, to mussels, scallops, oysters and blue claw crabs, you could catch enough to make an enviable clam chowder, bouillabaisse, or just host an old fashioned clambake for your new neighbors. Just make sure to check with the Nantucket’s Marine and Coastal Resources Department for information on potential fishing restrictions.

Not Your Average Library

While a public library might not seem like the most exciting place to visit on your summer vacation, the Nantucket Atheneum is not your average library. This unique library plays a vital role in the community, providing a wide variety of cultural and educational services and events, as well as a fine picking of books, videos and audiobooks.

Among many events this summer, the Atheneum will be hosting a dance festival (July 24 – 28), featuring stars from the dance world brought together by artistic director Benjamin Millepied, a noted choreographer and former New York City Ballet principal dancer. The festival includes many free outreach events for adults and children and culminates with two evening performances on July 27 and July 28, which feature a dance program of classical and contemporary ballet.
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Ari Post •

The city is known on the whole as a New England summer resort. It integrates the most desirable qualities of any leisure travel destination, with enough options and activities to accommodate any budget. While only a half-day’s drive or aerial puddle jump away from the Washington area, Newport, Rhode Island has a spirit all its own. Founded in 1638, it is enveloped in a rich and much-beloved history—and as our Georgetown House Tour approaches, it might be worth noting that Newport also has one of the highest concentrations of colonial homes in the nation. Further similar to Georgetown, Newport is very much a contemporary urban haven, proud of its history but residing in the cultural here-and-now.

Not too crowded, not too hot, and as friendly as a summer evening is long, Newport, Rhode Island is just the ticket for a Washingtonian weekend getaway or an enriching weeklong stay. On top of the usual, year-round attractions the city has to offer, there is an array of summer events and activities on the horizon, far enough away to plan ahead but close enough to start getting excited.

Newport Mainstays

Sailing and Boating

There are myriad choices when it comes to enjoying the famed waters off Newport. From canoes and kayak rentals, to charters, excursions, harbor tours, and even sailing school for the adventurous at heart, you can enjoy the rippling tide of Narragansett Bay in nearly any capacity.

Kayaking and canoeing offers visitors the opportunity to pursue the waters, coastlines and hidden waterways of Newport intimately and at their own pace. Explore the islands and wildlife of Bluebell Cove, watch ospreys dive for fish along the Westport River, take in the waterfront homes of historic Bristol, or see the yachts of Newport Harbor.

If you want to rent a boat or charter, the horizons open even further. Dozens of destinations are easy cruises in the Bay’s protected waters—only a couple of gallons of fuel if you’re motoring, and gentle breezes if you’re hoisting the main and fore. Want to be where all the urban action is? Stay in Newport Harbor. Itching for a day of fun boutiques? Sail west over to Wickford Village. Need some peace and quiet? Drop anchor for a day or two off Jamestown. Want to visit the America’s Cup Hall of Fame? Tie a bowline to the docks in Bristol Harbor.

International Tennis Hall of Fame

If you revere the racket, this is the place for you. The Tennis Hall of Fame, at the Newport Casino, was founded in 1954 by tennis innovator James Van Alen (among other major contributions to the game, Alen invented the standard tiebreaker system used in regulation tennis matches today). It was host the first U.S. National Championships in 1881. In 1997, the complex and museum were restored to their original splendor with the completion of a five-year, $7.5 million renovation and endowment project.

The Museum’s galleries chronicle the rich history of tennis through interactive exhibits and videos, as well as showcasing popular memorabilia from historic champions and the superstars of today. Dramatically set in the original clubrooms of the Casino, the style, class and good nature of this gentleman’s sport comes vibrantly to life at the museum.

Rosecliff Mansion: the “Great Gatsby” House

There are endless mansion and historic home tours to take on in your visit to Newport. A standout among them, however, is Rosecliff Mansion. Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat at Versailles. After the house was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted extravagant parties in its grand and cavernous hall, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini.

Rosecliff is now preserved through the generosity of its last private owners, who gave the house, its furnishings, and an endowment in 1971 to the Preservation Society of Newport County, who maintains many of the areas tour-friendly historic mansion properties. The house has something of a Hollywood resume, having played the lavish home to Robert Redford’s Jay Gatsby in the 1974 film, as well as “True Lies,” Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad” and most recently “27 Dresses” starring Katherine Heigl.

The mansion is also a host to the annual Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival, where guests can eat and drink like true 1920s flappers. For more information on that, keep reading!

Upcoming Festivals and Events

The Great Chowder Cook-Off
June 2

On Saturday, June 2, 2012, the Great Chowder Cook-Off kicks off summer in New England. Be a part of the original, largest, and longest running chowder championship in America, and try a wide spread from national to regional competitors. Festival-goers will taste-test a myriad of traditional and exotic chowders from kitchens across the country, then vote for the best in three categories: clam, seafood and creative. For more information visit NewportWaterfrontEvents.com.

Newport Antiques Show
July 27 – 29

Celebrating its sixth year, the Newport Antiques Show has become a seminal event for antique lovers across the country. Over forty of the industry’s finest dealers will showcase the best antiques the world has to offer to over 2,500 visitors at the Stephen P. Cabot and Archer Harman Ice Center at St. George’s School in Middletown. The show’s 2012 Loan Exhibit will highlight fine and decorative arts from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The exhibit will include New Bedford art such as scrimshaw and Pairpoint Glass along with work from artists such as William Bradford. For more information visit NewportAntiquesShow.com

Newport Jazz Festival
Aug. 3 – 5

Founded in 1954, the Newport Jazz Festival was the first annual jazz festival in America. It has been host to numerous legendary performances and historic moments since its inception, including performances by Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane Miles Davis, and a career-reviving performance by Duke Ellington in 1958. Referred to as the grandfather of all jazz festivals, the event draws thousands of people from all over the world. Highlight performances this year include Bill Frisell playing the John Lennon songbook, vocalist Diane Reeves, and legendary drummer Jack DeJohnette’s 70th birthday performance. For more information visit NewportJazzFest.net

Newport International Boat Show
Sept. 13 – 16

The 42nd Annual Newport International Boat Show will feature new sailboats and powerboats, and thousands of products and services from exhibitors worldwide, showcasing the latest innovations and trends in seafaring technology. Boating has never been more exciting; whether it’s an evening harbor cruise, a fun-filled day of fishing or an extended cruise on a yacht with all the luxuries you can imagine. Come discover the many new products, programs and opportunities on the oceanic horizon. For more information visit NewportBoatShow.com

Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival
Sept. 21 – 23

This festival, devoted to the joys of gastronomy, has quickly become one of the most anticipated food and wine events in the country. Rosecliff mansion and Marble House will host more than 100 of the world’s finest vintners and more than two dozen of New England’s finest restaurants and caterers for a three-day epicurean adventure. This year, world-renowned French chef Jacques Pépin, along with his daughter, Claudine—who has partnered with him on three of his James Beard Award-winning public television programs—will host a cooking demonstration and book signing. Form more information visit www.NewportMansions.org

Georgetowner • September 21, 2012

The National Sporting Library’s annual Polo Weekend will be held on Sept. 22 and 23. Following Saturday’s Symposium, the Benefit Polo Match and Luncheon will be held at the Virginia International Polo Club in Upperville, Va.

Sunday’s event will begin with the gates opening at 12:30 p.m., followed by lunch at 1 p.m.; the polo match will commence at 2:30 p.m. Other entertainment will include a performance by the Washington Scottish Pipes Band and a presentation of the Piedmont Foxhounds.

For ticket and sponsorship inquiries, contact Holly Johnson at holly@webstergroupinc.com or 202-741-1294.

Founded in 1954, the NSL’s mission is to preserve, share and promote the literature, art and culture of horse and field sports. It does this through programs offered to the public that include exhibits, lectures and special events, most of which are free.

If you cannot attend the weekend, the Sporting Library will be hosting other upcoming events, such as the “Evening at the NSLM,” an open house on Oct. 18, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For a complete list of all events and more information, visit NSL.org.
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Ari Post • August 10, 2012

With summer upon us, many District dwellers will participate in their annual early summer excursions. On long weekends—such as our gone-too-soon Memorial Day—Washington area residents retreat to their preferred fair-weather getaways. Resorts and B&Bs throughout Maryland and Virginia play host to those reveling in the year’s most vibrant and blooming weather.

When making plans, finding less conventional avenues and avoiding throngs of tourists is a recurring trend. The Eastern Shore is less than a two-hour drive from DC and promises some of the season’s best activities. Spending the weekend on the Eastern Shore is an unconventional yet unparalleled experience, one sure to enliven your season.

Talbot County, Maryland is a great escape—a world apart on less than one gas tank’s distance. The setting is rich with history and offers some of the best cuisine, family activities and outdoor activities to be found. What’s more, Talbot County presents visitors with several distinctive towns to choose from, each with a personality all its own. Guests to the area may choose to intimately explore one or town-hop for a taste of the entire area.

Oxford
Founded in 1683, Oxford is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Few towns have endured the marked phases of change that Oxford has. The landscape, once dominated by tobacco plantations and home to famous figures of the Revolution, later gave rise to oyster harvesting and packing industries. Despite the increase in tourism to the area, Oxford retains its small-town feel. It is a town that lets you feel at home almost as soon as you arrive.

Perhaps the biggest draw to Oxford is the world-class cuisine. Those looking to dine in town would do right to give Pope’s Tavern, or else the Robert Morris Inn, a try. Both restaurants provide impeccable service and dining ambiance while affording incredible views of the water.

At the Robert Morris Inn, Chef Proprietor and British Master Chef Mark Salter, brings a modern British sensibility to the kitchen combined with classical feeling. A Bay resident since 1993, Salter has immersed himself in the region’s cooking and seafood bounty. A friend to local farmers, artisan producers and the seasons, Salter turns to sustainability and the richness of Maryland’s local bounty of herbs, fruit and vegetables at every opportunity. His signature dishes go well with the wide array of vintages the inn has stocked. Dine in Salter’s Tap Room & Tavern or one of two 1710 dining rooms, a few feet from Oxford’s ferry dock.

As an after dinner treat, The Scottish Highland Creamery is a choice find, offering premium handmade icecreams—some of the best and freshest you’ll ever taste. The creamery sources local ingredients, fresh milk, cream and flavorings imported from Italy. And with over 600 flavors to choose from, there’s sure to be one that suits everyone’s fancy. The Mexican vanilla, double Belgian chocolate, fresh crushed strawberry and pumpkin pie are all must-haves.

Perhaps no other event captures the spirit of Oxford like the annual Cardboard Boat Races staged each June since 1988. Launched from the shore of the Tred Avon River, the festive and colorful event begins at 11 a.m. and continues until all five races are complete. Boats are intended to be inexpensive and biodegradable, and contestants are strongly encouraged to be creative in their designs.

The Oxford Picket Fence Project is another annual treat. Begun in 2009, the process begins with 18 unpainted red cedar wood picket fence segments. Local artists decorate the posts, reconfiguring and reinventing the fence in the process. Completed fences are then placed on display from Memorial Day to mid-September., scattered throughout town in fun and surprising locations, the locations designed around a town-wide treasure hunt. This is a unique event that showcases local artists, town history, charm and beauty.

St. Michael’s
St. Michaels rests along the “Bay Hundred” stretch that runs to Tilghman Island. In its heyday, St. Michaels was a major shipbuilding center that produced such models as the Baltimore Clipper, which served as privateers during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is one of its premier attractions.

Founded in 1965, the Maritime Museum occupies 35 buildings across 18 waterfront acres and features 10 exhibits that explore the geological, social, and economic history of the Chesapeake Bay. The museum also houses the largest collection of indigenous Chesapeake Bay watercrafts in existence.
Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and The Crab Claw Restaurant are two popular local eateries. Ava’s is complemented by its diverse selection of beer and wine. The Crab Claw has served steamed Maryland blue crabs since 1965. Also worth a look is Bistro St. Michael’s, which rounds out the town’s wide range of restaurants.

Not far off is the Inn at Perry Cabin. An elite escape, the Inn’s waterfront property offers a gorgeous panorama of the Shore at its finest. Though the inn has lost some of its exclusivity with an expansion to 78 rooms, the lavish accommodations and amenities make this less noticeable. In addition, the inn’s convenient location makes it the perfect place to stay if you plan on seeing the sights around “The Town that Fooled the British.”

Easton
The most urban of Eastern Shore towns, Easton just celebrated its 300-year anniversary, adding historic flavor to the vibrant atmosphere. But nestled just outside the town are family-owned farms, such as Chapel’s Country Creamery. Dairy cows graze its sprawling fields, attesting to Easton’s pastoral grandeur. The farm itself sells its all-natural produce on site. Additionally, many of the Shore’s best chefs use local creamers and farmers as their purveyors, strengthening Easton’s communal bonds.

One such chef is Jordan Lloyd, whose Bartlett Pear Inn recently received the second highest Zagat rating in all categories for the East Coast. Lloyd owns the inn with his wife Alice, his fourth grade sweetheart reunited by fate 10 years later. The two embarked on a journey that led from Mason’s, another local favorite, to Michel Richard’s Citronelle here in DC, New York, Atlanta, Miami, and back again. Along the way, Lloyd apprenticed with four-star chefs at five-diamond and five-star enterprises, including DC’s Four Seasons Hotel. The end result is his upscale American bistro, where classic French techniques meet contemporary plate design, in an impressive 220-year-old establishment. You can easily spend a long weekend in the warm embrace of the Bartlett Pear Inn.

Poplar Island
Known as “the island that almost vanished,” Poplar Island amounted to around 1,000 acres in the 1800s. By 1990, erosion had cut the island into three separate chunks of land and squeezed it to less than 10 acres. Today, thanks to a successful restoration effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it has returned to 1,140 acres and may grow by another 570 acres before the project is finished.

For now, it’s a unique destination for eco-tourism, where visitors can charter boats around the premises, viewing wildlife and a burgeoning ecosystem in its infancy. The island is already drawing scads of wildlife—almost too much for biologists to keep track of. Ospreys, egrets, terns, herons, eagles, double-breasted cormorants, black ducks and other wild fowl have already been discovered on the island, unfazed by workers and heavy equipment that move and shape the dredge material that is bulldozed onto the island from barges. Diamondback terrapins are nesting in large numbers on the island, predominantly along the sandy beaches of the southeast.

The Eastern Shore is an often overlooked and underutilized travel alternative. Add to this its breathtaking vistas and insulated townships, and the Shore might just be among the most well-guarded vacation secret in the country—for now. Now is a great chance to see it before it inevitably catapults into the national tourism limelight.

Corrie Dyke • July 18, 2012

The Garden Club of Virginia will continue to nurture Virginia’s deeply rooted history during Garden Week, April 16 – 23, showcasing some of the finest properties the state has to offer. For the 78th year, Virginia’s Historic Garden Week will feature dozens of walking tours, winding through privately owned estates and renowned historic landmarks.

From 17th century plantations to state-of-the-art gardens, the Garden Club presents a vast array of botanical beauty in over 250 homes and gardens, much of which coincide with restoration work that has been ongoing since Garden Week 1929. Proceeds from the tours of “America’s Largest Open House” have financed the restoration of more than 40 grounds and gardens as the Club strives for conservation and preservation of Virginia’s scenic landscapes.

Charlottesville and Albemarle County

The area that Thomas Jefferson once called home will be highlighted in a four-day tour featuring historic estates, including Monticello and Jefferson’s University of Virginia.

The Morven house and garden, a 7,378-acre estate built in 1820, still holds its 19th century ambiance. Oriental rugs, documentary reproductions and elegant wallpapers keep the estate true to its Jeffersonian era.

The grounds are filled with unusual trees including Osage orange, Chinese chestnut, and a dove tree. The gardens boast thousands of tulips, pansies, forget-me-nots, lilacs, wisteria, spireas, deutizia and a rose garden. Owned by the University of Virginia, Morven will be featured on the Historic Garden Tour April 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Travel to the Farmington neighborhood and stroll through the Periwinkle home and garden owned by Donna and Albert Ernest, evident art lovers who have decorated their home with 18th century décor. A number of paintings line the interior of the home designed by Marshall Wells in 1939.

The garden’s two-acre landscape boasts an English-style cottage garden filled with roses and peonies. Eden roses climb up to the dormer windows. An American boxwood garden, formal rose garden and a kitchen garden makes up with a backyard enclosed by apple trees. A small stone chapel, designed by the owners, gives way to a path leading to a secret garden. The Farmington tours take place April 17 and April 18.

The Cielo Rosso estate, comparatively modern for the Farmington neighborhood, was built in 2000. The house, inspired by the owners’ Italian travels, features handmade French tiles on the roof and extensive exterior stonework.

The three-acre garden is filled with atlas cedars, honey locust, blue cypress and mature cryptomeria trees. An herb garden sits outside the kitchen and a Roman swimming pool occupies the backyard not far from a boxwood garden, sitting below a fish-filled fountain with a vanishing edge that cascades downhill. The garden is open April 17 and 18.

Near Farmington is the historic University of Virginia. The University’s Pavilion Gardens, restored by the Garden Club of Virginia, will be featured during Garden Week, along with the University. The Colonial Revival gardens, designed by Colonial Williamsburg landscape architects Alden Hopkins and Donald Parker, are also on the campus. University tours April 19 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pavilion Garden tours 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Jefferson’s lifelong passion for botany can be enjoyed at his Monticello home. The gardens and orchards have been restored to their appearance during Jefferson’s retirement years by the Garden Club of Virginia. Here you can see a vegetable garden that stretches 1,000 feet long, winding flowerbeds, two orchards, two vineyards, and an 18-acre ornamental forest, which resembles the foliage grown by Jefferson himself. Monticello is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with special events April 16- 19.

Alexandria

George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate and gardens feature a distinctive replica of Washington’s 16-sided barn and displays of his farming tactics. The plantation’s bowling green has been restored by the Garden Club of Virginia. Mount Vernon is open 365 days a year.

George Mason’s Gunston Hall Plantation consists of a brick mansion furnished with colonial period décor. The estate was built around 1755 and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Eastern Shore

The Cedar Creek Farm is opening up its three-story home for the first time. The rich wood interior adds warmth to every room throughout the house and beloved hunting dogs lounge on the wide screened porch as Mr. and Mrs. A. Thomas Young welcome visitors to their estate April 16, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

James River Plantations

The Brandon Plantation dates back to the beginnings of English settlement. Its beautiful grounds lead from the grand, historic mansion to the James River. Old boxwood and a series of garden rooms are some of the plantation’s featured attractions. Today, the 4,000-acre property functions as a working farm with 1,600 acres still being cultivated. During Garden Week, self-guided tours are offered April 18-23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Louisa County

Fair Oaks’ recently restored house sits atop a hill at the area’s highest point of elevation. Purchased by Mrs. Nancy Daniel in 1997, the house has undergone two major renovations. Osage orange trees, each 150 years old, stand in front of the house. Woodwork on the stairs and most of the flooring is original heart pine. The house is open for the first time April 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Petersburg

Centre Hill Mansion, built in 1823, is now a museum in the City of Petersburg showcasing aristocratic 19th century Virginia. The house has been updated and restored after a number of ownership changes. During the Second World War, the property was a Red Cross headquarters. The museum’s grounds, restored by the Garden Club of Virginia, will be open April 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Warrenton

The Orlean house, a late 18th century stone and clapboard home, sits on a beautifully landscaped park. The woodland garden, bursting with spring bulbs, faces the swimming pool outlined by a rocky hillside. Mr. John Krumholtz and Mr. Kevin DiLallo own the house, of which several barns and servants’ quarters make up the estate. Open April 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and April 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Gary Tischler • June 29, 2012

This is for people who wake up, head outside, take a deep breath and say, “I love the smell of mulch in the morning.”         

This is for the poetic hearts who get smitten and blown away by the sight of rows upon rows of red and yellow tulips, gardens so beautifully arranged that they marry both art and history. 

This is for the traveler who loves nothing better than to be embraced by the historic, as if every outing were a road map to an American Brigadoon.

In short, you don’t have to be a gardener to love gardens, you don’t have to be a researcher or a historian to want to drop by the  homes of our Founding Fathers. Stop by at Mt. Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier and say hello again to George, Thomas and James and their kin, and yes, visit their gardens.

This is for you, this being the 9th Annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia, April 21 to 28, spread out to all the historic, elegant, spring-kissed, history-touched places, towns, homes, villages, cities and wayward inns and stopping points along old coach routes and battlefields, and forested acres of land for fox hunting and horse raising.

While we’re speaking in historic terms, a little history is in order.  The Historic Garden Week is the offspring of the early members of the Garden Club of Virginia, who in 1929 wrote to their friends and suggested they go on a sort of  “pilgrimage” of historic homes and gardens in Virginia, of which there are multitudes.  The first tour lasted 11 days and produced a guidebook costing the grand sum of two dollars. As such projects sometimes go, the Historic Garden Week flowered, grew like dandelions do, lasted as the sturdiest of all-weather flowers, and was held annually ever since. There was a brief interruption during World War II when the Garden Club of Virginia sent help and money to England where folks were hard pressed to keep up their beloved gardens while under attack and preparing to invade Europe along with a few chaps from America.

This is the sort of thing that is a boon to the tourist industry of any state, because it encourages visitors to visit the whole state.  This is a region and state where people for centuries have named their houses, it’s where homes aren’t just a numbered address but an identity as in the Manor or Oakwood, Edgewood, Poke and Woodlawn Farm, to name four Middleburg attractions on the tours.

To take in the whole of the Garden Week, you will tramp across battlefields from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, visit mansions, plantations, villas, inns, presidential homes, churches and residences dating back to colonial days.  You want history; you’ve got history. 

In the interests of history, the Garden Club of Virginia and its members turn the proceeds from the tours that are part of Historic Garden Week into restoration projects, including Mount Vernon, Monticello and the grounds of the Executive Mansion in Richmond.

Nearby Old Town Alexandria and Arlington provide part of the tours of Historic Garden Week, which also include Albermarle County, Ashland, Chatam, Clark County, Danville, Eastern Shore, Franklin, Fredericksburg, Gloucester-Matthews, Harrisonburg, Lake Gaston-Bracey and Ebony, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Middleburg and Upperville, Middlesex County, the Middle Peninsula, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Northern Neck-Lancaster County, Orange County, Petersburg, Portsmouth, Richmond, the Ampthill/Wilson area, the Boulevard and Three Chops/Westhampton of Richmond, Roanoke, Staunton, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg.

The week will consist of more than 31 separate tours held over eight days, featuring 191 homes and private gardens, an army of 3,400 volunteers, and a reported 15 tons of mulch — in the morning and other times.  All of this will be garnished, emblazoned, trumpeted and made as stunning and beautiful as a good-weather day at Eden by 2,000 floral arrangements and the presence of an estimated 5,730 tulips and other flowers, daffodils among them.

Close to home, Old Town Alexandria will take part in the Historic Garden Week on Saturday, April 21.

Old Town, with its weekly market, waterfront, city hall and Christ Church, cobbled streets, from where you can move right ahead to Mount Vernon,  has history as its daily companion and can have the pace of colonial times.

In Alexandria, two gardens clubs have partnered with six additional properties, including a half-dozen townhouses and gardens dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

On the tour that day will be the following residences and gardens:
– The Capri House and Garden at 117 South Lee Street
– Mrs. Wright’s garden at 212 South Fairfax Street, archived by the Smithsonian
– The Spar’s House and garden at 206 Wolfe Street
– The Boteler’s house and garden at 320 South Lee Street
– Ms. Scarborough’s house and garden at 613 South Royal Street
– The Jankowski’s house and garden at 215 Jefferson Street
– The famous Lee-Fendal House Museum and Garden at 614 Oronoco Street at North Washington Street
– The Carlyle House Historic Park at 121 Fairfax Street
– Mount Vernon, which was also a restoration site of the Garden Club of Virginia
– Woodlawn, 9000 Richmond Highway
– Gunston Hall Plantation at 10709 Gunston Road in Mason Neck

Arlington will hold its portion of the garden week tour on April 24, emphasizing homes built to create neighborhoods that would become one Virginia’s first suburban communities.
 
While Mount Vernon is closer to D.C., it might also be interesting to visit Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where the observance of the garden week will include a two-hour tour of Jefferson’s revolutionary garden April 21 and April 23.

Also of note is the tour at Ashland, April 21, which the Ashland Garden Club redesigned after the August 2011 earthquake in Louisa County damaged its centerpiece property.

For additional information and schedules, visit www.vagardenweek.org or www.gcvirginia.org. [gallery ids="100591,100592" nav="thumbs"]