Archive for the ‘Business’ Category

Congratulations to the 4 Eastern Shore Realtors, including Blue Heron’s own Montaigne Cree, who, for the 2nd year in a row, made Virginia Living Magazine’s list of “Top Realtors in Virginia.” 🏵

Saturday, May 2nd, 2020

For over 27 years, Montaigne has been helping buyers and sellers meet their real estate 🏡goals on the Eastern Shore 🌊 . She prides herself on being a creative problem solver who can cut through issues to assist her clients every step of the way to assure a smooth transaction. An out-of-the-box thinker and creative agent, she goes above and beyond to help her clients get the best 🌟 results. If you’re thinking of buying or selling property on the Eastern Shore, call or text Montaigne at 757-678-6097 or call her office at 800-258-3437. Email her at Montaigne.BlueHeron@gmail.com. She would ❤️ to put her extensive experience to work for you.

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AND THE WINNERS IN THE BLUE HERON LOVE RUN PRIZE DRAWING ARE ……………..

Thursday, May 2nd, 2019

DSC_5070A big thank-you to Susan Russell from Gull Hummock who helped Blue Heron Realty agent Barrett Cree do the honors in our free drawing. We now have 2 lucky winners ! The beautiful miniature blue heron, carved by talented local artist John Harlow, went to Carol Cargill from Northern Virginia. Carol, who was here in Cape Charles on Saturday, not for the LOVE Run, but for the wedding of her nephew-in-law Mitch Steele, said that she was astonished and delighted to win such a lovely piece of art. The second prize $100 gift certificate to the Oyster Farm Eatery went to Phillip Dail of the Cape Charles Candy Company on Mason Avenue who thought it was a sweet reward, pun intended.

These 2 prizes were part of Blue Heron Realty’s celebration of the 1st Annual LOVE Run whose proceeds will help maintain the LOVE Sign, an incredibly popularDSC_5059 landmark for visitors to pose for pictures. Folks truly love standing on the LOVE, sitting on it, laying on it, straddling it, hanging off it, peeking through it, posing their toddlers on top of it and just generally making it a focal point of thousands of photos every year. So much love for the LOVE equals a lot of wear and tear. So, Annual LOVE Run to the rescue ! Congrats to the 3 winners of the inaugural 5K Run, 1st place Matt Boynton, 2nd place Alan Killebrew and 3rd place Christina Corollo. And kudos to Main Street and all the volunteers, you pulled it off in style ! Blue Heron was delighted to be one of the sponsors of that whole inaugural celebration – – early hour, gale force winds ( well, nearly), purple spray and all !!

 

 

 

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NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY THIS CAPE CHARLES COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND OPEN YOUR OWN BUSINESS OR BECOME A LANDLORD IN CAPE CHARLES !!

Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

frontview closerContact Gerry Forbes ( 757-678-3366) for more information and an appointment to see this great building ! Cape Charles was voted last summer as #3 on Coastal Living magazine’s list of the nationwide “10 Happiest Seaside Towns”, and has rightfully been receiving a lot of well-deserved publicity these days. Virginia Living magazine’s current issue features an extensive article on the renaissance of Cape Charles and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. HGTV just completed another Cape Charles show and rumor has it that multiple Cape Charles businesses have won places on the coveted “Best of Virginia” list to be published in May. The “Main Street Cape Charles” folks have been working tirelessly to raise awareness and improve opportunities for businesses in Town. So it makes just makes sense that if you have been thinking of buying a commercial building and opening an Eastern Shore business or becoming a commercial landlord, that now could be a good time and Cape Charles is definitely a terrific place !

This great 900 sq. ft. building, offered at $249,000 by Blue Heron Realty Co., is an exciting opportunity to own your own real estate and open aDSC_0284 business or to become a landlord in the very heart of the Historic Commercial District. Currently in use as an upscale restaurant, most of the restaurant equipment conveys with the sale including walk-in refrigerator, 6 burner gas range with oven and flat top gas grill and 2 drawer refrigerated storage unit. ( A complete list is available upon request. ). However, this building could easily be converted to almost any commercial retail or office use.

If you are ready for the rewards of being a business owner or becoming a Cape Charles landlord, contact listing agent Gerry Forbes at 757-678-3366 for more information or to make an appointment to see this great property for yourself. Or call 757-331-4885 for our Cape Charles office located at 113 Mason Avenue and get a copy of our free catalog and additional information on this property.

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Pick Up Some Holiday Vibe ! Two More Chances To Experience A “Festive Friday” Evening In Cape Charles This Holiday Season !

Monday, December 17th, 2018

DSC_3778If you haven’t been to Cape Charles on a Friday night this holiday season, happily, you still have two more opportunities to enjoy the fun during the 5th Annual Festive Friday evening celebrations in the historic downtown area. Strolling down Mason Avenue will give you a Close Encounter of the Best Kind with Santa and Mrs. Claus. You can find them relaxing in front of their Cape Charles “vacation home” at Strawberry Street Station, a respite from their busy North Pole primary residence at the Toy Factory. Nearby, a ballooning project will be happening, myriad shapes and colors magically fashioned for delighted boys and girls. Last Friday at the Candy store, busy kids gathered around a table of colorful icings to decorate their gingerbread men, a tasty task. Across the way at Lemon Tree Gallery, the Boot Scootin’ Belles were bursting with energy and ready to go, those boots were made for dancing and dance they did ! Out front, a magician made one tiny foam rabbit turn into about 8 tiny rabbits right in my own chilly hand- – amazing, still can’t imagine how he did it !

So many things to see and do for kids and adults alike. Beautiful and cheery shop windows along Mason Avenue and down Strawberry Street, dressed to the nines for the holidays, beckon to smilingly folks strolling past. Lively songs by Christmas carolers, horse drawn carriage rides, clever street performers, candlelight story reading by Mrs. Claus at the Library, free holiday movies – – always something to delight everyone. Many of the shops feature live music to entertain customers who clearly love it all.

Festive Friday is the perfect opportunity to get your holiday spirit on and shop for your Special Someones. Check out the new jewelry at Moonrise, find a unique piece of art at the Lemon Tree or Ellen Moore Gallery, relax over a scrumptious gourmet dinner at Hook Up, warm up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate at the popular Cape Charles Coffee House, indulge in a hot read plus hot coffee at the newly-opened Peach Street Books, explore international gifts at Voiajer, browse the new inventory at Periwinkle’s. Try sampling the wonderful flavors of sweet balsamic vinegars at Drizzles or head down Gull Hummock’s way to select your New Year’s Eve champagne. Take some time to drop in for info on new listings from Blue Heron Realty or browse the gift shop at the gorgeously renovated Northampton Hotel. This and so much more awaits you each Friday night until Christmas !

It’s so, so easy to get into the swing of things and pick up some holiday vibe. On Friday, December 14th or 21st, just grab your whole group and head on out to one of the Eastern Shore’s best holiday events, Festive Friday in historic downtown Cape Charles. Get ready to discover the old-fashioned fun of a small town coastal Christmas . You’ll have a great time, guaranteed !

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WINDOW SHOPPING ON A SERENE CAPE CHARLES SUMMER EVE

Tuesday, October 9th, 2018

DSC_1268I long for more calm summer nights, more peaceful and quiet moments, more serene memories. Does anything feel more gentle or tranquil than a balmy summer’s evening outdoors, touched by soft salty breezes carrying sounds of murmured conversation and light laughter ? On an evening like that I love to window shop in Cape Charles. Everything closed, including late lingerers at the Brown Dog Ice Cream Shop shop, lights already dimmed, just a few folks out on Mason Avenue, strolling leisurely, holding hands, walking dogs or shepherding children. A couple cars driving to Kelly’s Pub, a few heading back to the hotels from The Shanty, a golf cart headed for the beach loop around Bay Avenue, one or two people at the LOVE sign, taking photos in the fading twilight, a murmuring couple sitting side by side in the sand, savoring the last moments of sunset. Otherwise, all quiet on the Western front. And in that peaceful instant, in that tiny sliver of time between the end of a busy day and the hush of nightfall, you’ll find the perfect time to window shop in Cape Charles.

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THE ART AND MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE BARRIER ISLAND CENTER – – AN ANNUAL EASTERN SHORE MEMORIAL DAY TRADITION

Tuesday, May 29th, 2018

DSC_0174The 2018 “Art and Music on the Farm” celebration in Machipongo at the distinctive Barrier Island Center was splendid, as always. Held Saturdays on Memorial Day weekends, this is one of the Virginia Eastern Shore’s most anticipated art events each year and not to be missed if you are looking for a unique gift, large or small, for others …. or, dare I say it, for oneself ! Or if you are a lover of traditional country and folk music, this year’s concerts on the Center’s West lawn were made better by the addition of a large tent to enable listeners to sit and relax in the shade as well as at the numerous umbrella- shaded tables provided. Featuring different music groups each year, interpretations of traditional Appalachian and folk music by the five bands this year were huge hits Saturday.

One of the most exciting aspects of this annual event is the sheer number and diversity of talented Shore artistsDSC_0038 and artisans it brings together in one spot. Sculpture, oil and watercolor painting, jewelry, decoy carving, ceramics, custom stuffed animals, woodworking, floral, pottery of all sorts, papier-mache’ figures, metal work, bronze casting, photography and more, something big or small, for everyone to love. I found an amazing gift for my husband for Father’s Day ( which I shan’t enumerate as he often reads these posts ), a Bethany Simpson painted magnet for my niece, a too-too cute blue and purple stuffed octopus from The Sheep Lady for my little great-grandson as well as some Mama Girl sand dollars for my daughter’s upcoming birthday. ( Thought about a Hogg Island fig tree from Island View Farms but decided to wait until Fall and look for one at the Cape Charles Farmer’s Market so as not have to water it through the summer.)

DSC_0114And what’s a celebration without food ? Nada ! So for all those who got the munchies, plenty of choices on offer. Kitchen Sync was there with lots of goodies including an aromatic jambalaya and luscious fresh strawberries in chantilly cream, the Cape Charles Lion’s Club offered sandwiches and crispy, salty fries, spicy gorditas could be found at the Taco Truck and folks lined up xx sausage tent. Beer, wine and iced coffee/tea/fresh lemonade purveyors offered their sublime chilled liquids of the day. A perfect day and a wonderful time, the weather was lovely, temperate and breezy, blue skies, puffy white clouds, golden sunshine. What more could one ask – – beautiful art, toe-tapping music, good food, cold drink, a stunning venue and a beautiful day, Art on the Farm, 2018 !

 

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The 15th Annual Eastern Shore of Virginia Artisan’s Guild Holiday Tour. A Real Pleasure, Always !

Friday, December 1st, 2017

DSC_6979If an event has been on going for 15 years and counting, it’s a pretty sure bet that its been very successful and is back yearly by popular demand. Such is clearly the case for the traditional Eastern Shore of Virginia Artisan’s Guild Holiday Tour held annually on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year was another delight and a terrific opportunity to shop for unique gifts, large or small, for those special people in your life.

From little items like the adorably cute “mismatched” sox from Ten Good Sheep or a bottle of luscious Chardonnay from Chatham Winery to strikingDSC_7004 handcrafted furniture at Windsor Chair to gorgeous paintings and jewelry at Lemon Tree Gallery, plus lots of creative offerings from artists too numerous to mention at the many other venues, Tour 2017 shone with the multi-talents of our many Eastern Shore artists. ( Including that so-cute and so-silky herd from By The Bay Alpacas who gave their wool that others might purchase hand- woven super- soft scarves and more ! )

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And, even though not on the official Tour and time was short, we took a moment, after a quick lunch at the always- delicious Janet’s Cafe in Onancock, to drop in at the gallery of Danny Doughty. We love to check out his latest work and his always elegantly decorated Christmas tree. Wrapped up our day in Cape Charles at Lemon Tree Gallery which has a most impressive collection, showing variety of work from artists all over the Shore. By then, nearly sunset, can’t help myself, it was down to the beach for yet another shot of the ever- photogenic LOVE sign before heading home. Tour 2017 over – – but there is always next year !

 

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DUCK BREAKFAST A LA CARTE’

Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

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This is a true Eastern Shore duck tale, not a tall Eastern Shore duck tale.  But “breakfasting with friends” took on a whole new meaning for me down at the Bayford crab shacks in Nassawadox, VA recently. I had left home at first light, hoping to shoot a few photos of  some colorful puffy clouds reflecting over the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and the Nassawadox Creek inlet at Bayford.  

But once I got there, what really ended up captivating me was a duck breakfast.  (Very different than breakfast atDSC_0735 Duck Donuts for those in Duck, NC  and Virginia Beach, who are addicted to those fabulous treats).  Dawn was just breaking as I pulled in. As it grew lighter, I noticed 2 ducks paddling steadily up the inlet towards the boat ramp. Arriving, they proceeded to walk directly up the ramp and onto the land, totally ignoring me.  They waddled, quack-quacking,  over to an old pier adjacent to the ramp in what I initially thought was just random meandering. But immediately 2 additional ducks popped up to greet them from a large crevice by the dock pilings, which apparently are a duck version of Air B’nB accommodations, emphasis on the “air”, as in very open air!

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 Then the 4 of them, like the group of old buddies they were, immediately turned back around, waddled down the ramp and straight into the water. These old  friends of a feather swam leisurely over to a nearby dock offering plenty of mud and barnacle-encrusted pilings and began to nibble around them, devouring what I assume was their idea of a delicious meal, probably bristle worm ceviche, served with a mud aioli and finished with chiffonade of eel grass.  Duck Breakfast a’ la carte!   Thereafter the sunrise, with soft pink glows, huge billowy clouds, vivid water reflections, everything I had come to see and photograph. Voila’, full daylight and off to my people breakfast.  Thankfully, no worms, mud or eel grass on that menu!

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Second Season Underway For The Cape Charles, VA Farmer’s Market

Friday, July 7th, 2017

DSC_1671The long awaited second season for the brand-new-last-year Cape Charles Farmer’s Market finally rolled around in May and now the vendors are getting into high gear with loads of summer goodies. ( Hours this year will be from 3-6 pm, rain or shine, from now till October.)  So if it’s Tuesday afternoon, whether you’re a local or a visitor, it’s time for foodies and farm-to-table enthusiasts to break out the walking shoes, a wicker market basket and head out to the spacious, grassy Museum grounds on Stone Road in the little Eastern Shore of Virginia coastal town of Cape Charles to shop for the fine local farm produce… and much more.

 

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I found last year that the best way to tackle the cornucopia of goodies on offer was to take a stroll, making a circuit around the whole Market, to preview all the little vendor tents and the tempting items on offer, then circle back around again to make selections. This proved to be the right strategy again this year. Starting on the north end across from the handsome brick Museum building was Shore Beef and BBQ, where owner Ron was fielding multiple customers drawn by deep smoky aromas and intent on securing some of his delicious beef brisket and vinegar- dressing cole slaw.

 

Mattawoman Creek FarmMoving counter-clockwise, Mattawoman Farms CSA’s counter was heaped high with loads of fresh organic veggies including the most beautiful red and green lettuces, soft yet crisp, just gorgeous. And kohlrabi, which after some indecision I decided I would finally try this year, as well as some tatsoi, a deep green plant similar to bok choi. Mattawoman had tall racks of healthy looking plants, perfect to pop immediately into a home garden. Across the way, the honey guy’s wares were shining golden, the sun glinting off the jars, you could almost savor lush sticky sweetness on the tongue merely by looking at it. At our house, local honey is the go-to sweetener for tea, especially green teas, it just smooths out every cuppa.

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Moving down the line, waving to the Bread Lady from The Bakery at Riverside Farm who had sold out in the first hour. And no wonder, she has fab sour dough breads and at my house we are addicted to her cinnamon raisin bread (which we often buy on Thursdays year-round at the Gull Hummock gourmet shop on Mason Avenue.) Toasted, spread lightly with peanut butter, so divine with morning coffee ! Next door to Bread Lady, a new vendor this year, the cleverly named Kitchen Sync Catering, whose chef, Louise Oliver, is offering a scrumptious menu of prepared foods that can be ordered on-line and picked up at their kitchen at the Eastville Inn on Friday or purchased at the Farmer’s Market on Tuesday. Their samples looked delish, especially the colorful layered salad with a side of cilantro avocado dressing and the chopped broccoli salad with cranberries and almonds with a honey yogurt dressing. Just around the corner, Copper Cricket Farm’s table was piled high with totally gorgeous veggies including crispy fresh spring onions, arugula and Swiss chard.

DSC_1715Further down the line, another new vendor, Lauren Gardner of Parisian Sweets, was offering French style macaroons. Or rather, not offering, since, unfortunately for me, but nice for them, she was also sold out.  But lucky early birds to the Market were able to indulge in her lemon, raspberry cheesecake or mocha flavors. Going to go earlier next week ! Did manage to snag some of Pickett’s Harbor Farm’s just-picked-this-morning peaches though, a favorite of my husband’s, but do peaches compare to lemon or mocha French macaroons ?  A tough decision but one I didn’t have to make since there were no macaroons !  Too many other great vendors to mention here, offering everything from The Flying Pig’s traditionally fermented organic sauerkrauts to organic veggies, local seafood as well as organic eggs and meats from several different local farms. The Cape Charles Farmer’s Market will not disappoint, check it out, 3-6 pm, rain or shine, every Tuesday, May through October

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First Annual Live Auction At Lemon Tree Gallery And Studio

Thursday, June 22nd, 2017

Crowds Looking at Art 2Another exciting  “First Of ” event in Cape Charles,VA  kicked off recently with the “1st Annual Live Art Auction” hosted by the Lemon Tree Gallery and Studio in Cape Charles to benefit Experimental Film Virginia.  At the door, attendees were greeted with a sparkling limoncello prosecco cocktail before moving on to the registration table (manned by Blue Heron’s own Luisa Gazzolo), then flowing into the main gallery to view the tables laid out with the myriad works on auction. Entitled the “Sail On Sale” and sponsored by GEAR ( Global Exchange Arts Roundtable, a 501 (c)3 non-profit led by Renata Sheppard, daughter of Clelia Sheppard ), the Silent Auction and the Live Auction proceeded simultaneously.

 

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Ranada and Pink Art

Well-known names such as David Turner, Christine Harris,  Anne Bois and dozens of other talented local artists donated 100% of auction proceeds from the sale of their work to GEAR. Pieces ranged from embroidered wall hangings, oil paintings, prints and carvings to exquisite blown glass, jewelry and bronze sculpture. Gift baskets, a romantic weekend getaway, etc., even an eye procedure, were donated by local businesses for this event. Item # 4, a cocktail party at Lemon Tree Gallery for 20 guests including live music, beer, wine, mixed drinks plus cheese and antipasto platters resulted in some fast paced bidding action.

 

 

 

 

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Crowd and Stage

Several of the donating artists present were coaxed to take the stage while their works were being sold, including Melinda Blanchard, who paints amazing pet portraits. During her item’s bidding, Rosilina, Clelia’s super-soft, super-cuddly long haired dachshund, whose portrait is featured on Melinda’s brochure, made a surprise appearance on stage to the delight of the audience. Auctioneer William Summs kept the bidding lively throughout and by the end of the evening over $5000 had been raised to support this year’s crop of experimental filmmakers. Concluding with musical entertainment by Bruce Brinkley and Scott Wade, it was definitely a delightful evening. Much fun was had by all — especially by the successful bidders!

 

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P.S. A group of nearly 50 experimental filmmakers who will be accepted by GEAR for its 2017 program will arrive here in July and spend 2 weeks living in Cape Charles, creating unique 3-5 minute films centered on the Shore. And the public will be able to see the results when their films are premiered on July 15th at the Palace Theatre. So save the date on your calendar, it’s going to be an interesting evening.