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The First Annual Great Bay Run in Cape Charles, VA

Friday, June 7th, 2013

The Great Bay Run

This summer an exciting new event is coming to the Eastern Shore of Virginia ! On Saturday, June 15, 2013, in conjunction with the Tall Ships at Cape Charles Festival, the town will be the site of the First Annual Great Bay Run.

Organized by race directors Eric Hack, a teacher and coach at the Eastern Shore’s Broadwater Academy and Eva Noonan, an agent at our own Blue Heron Realty Co., this is a first for both of them. Eva also works with Eric as volunteer assistant cross country and track coach at Broadwater. This is expected to be a premier event, kicking off the debut of what they hope will be an exciting annual runner’s challenge.

Cape Charles beach with Victorian homes in background

5k Run will pass along Bay Ave.in Cape Charles, VA

The Great Bay Run in Cape Charles will offer both a 5k race and a 1.25 mile fun run/walk. Both events start at 8:30 AM on Saturday, June 15th, near the Blue Heron Realty office at 113 Mason Avenue. The route will take runners along Bay Avenue, with its grand dame’ Victorian- era homes overlooking beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay and the sparkling sand dunes along the Town’s soft sand beach, weave through the Historic District, then out past the Coast Guard Station and finally into the Cape Charles Harbor of Refuge. By concluding at the Cape Charles Harbor, participants will be able to enjoy all the events at this state of the art marina which will be be filled for the Festival with sailboats of all sizes and descriptions, including three Tall Sailing Ships and a US Navy patrol ship, all of which will be visiting for the entire week-end. The three Tall Ships berthed there will also be offering deck tours and 2 hour day sails all weekend long so it’s a great opportunity to experience maritime history. Additionally, the winners will be presented with their trophies down at the Harbor right after the race.

Eric and Eva look forward to putting on a competitive and fun race experience that the hundreds of athletes of all abilities already signed up will enjoy. Eva has recently started a local women’s running group which has inspired many locals to join the June 15th race as well. And it’s really exciting that runners have signed up to participate from as far away as Ohio and Pennsylvania. For additional information about the race, visit its Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/greatbayruncapecharles. Anyone interested in registering for the race can still sign up, registration will be active until 7:30 am on the morning of the race.

Online registration is available on Active.com at this link: http://www.active.com/5k-race/cape-charles-va/the-great-bay-run-in-cape-charles-2013. So, whether you’re interested in being a spectator or a participant, come on down, we think it’s going to be lots of fun.

The Great Bay Run would like to thank it’s sponsors: Blue Heron Realty Co., QS LLC, Eastern Shore Custom Carts, Eastern Shore Signs, Hook U Up Gourmet, Rayfield’s Pharmacy, and Kelly’s Gingernut Pub. The proceeds of the race will be split equally and donated to benefit two causes: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as well as the Broadwater Academy cross country and track & field teams.

Tags: Cape Charles Harbor, Cape Charles Tall Ships Festival, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Great Bay Run, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Tall Ships Cape Charles Festival
Posted in At the Beach, Boating, Entertainment, Events In Cape Charles, Just Having Fun, Odds and Ends, Our Little Towns, Sailing | No Comments »

Living Life On The Water On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

In my efforts to let folks who are considering buying property on the Eastern Shore of Virginia know what living here would be like, I sometimes think I write too much about the many “Happenings” and the wide variety in the myriad of things to do here and not enough about the simple pleasures of daily life at home here on the Shore. We are very lucky to live on a beautiful waterfront parcel near the town of Nassawadox, VA, named for one of the Shore’s Native American tribes, long since vanished. And one of my cherished treats on beautiful days when I won’t be going into the office is to have my morning coffee out on our screened porch or the adjacent back deck, both overlooking the clear blue waters of a wide, pristine saltwater inlet from the Chesapeake Bay. ( On days when I’m going into the office I don’t even try to relax outside, instead I start getting geared up for another long day of everything but the kitchen sink.)

Our Bird Sheltering, Shade Producing Bradford Pear Tree Standing Proudly Between The House And The Woods

This morning, sitting on the porch very early, coffee mug in hand, the sun coming up over the tops of the trees in the orchard and just beginning to illuminate the now huge Bradford Pears in the backyard, the thought occurred to me that it probably is hard to truly understand how relaxing and peaceful it really is to live on the water, to be able to just sit and gaze at the ripples along the channel, listening to the sounds of Nature, watching the birds get a start on the day. ( We have a number of bird feeders in both the back yard where we can enjoy them from the porch and also in the front yard, hanging from a magnolia tree, easily viewed from what I lovingly call ” the library” but which is a very large south-facing room with an entire wall of windows overlooking the expanse of front yard lawn and flower beds. Over-stuffed with not only two walls of book shelves, crammed with a lifetime collection of books, but also two desks with adjustable office chairs, two comfy Lazy Boy loungers, a stereo system plus a billion and counting compilation of cd’s & dvd’s. It’s a veritable paradise for two, filled with things we love.) As I look out now into the backyard, a pair of cardinals and a couple of fat doves are pecking at seeds on the ground which have dropped out of the feeder, two tiny yellow finches are flitting between the feeder and the pear tree, trying to eat and keep safe too, and a pesky squirrel is trying to decide what to do, munch off what’s fallen on the ground from the feeder or attempt to shinny up the pole to get to the serious goodies ! Out on the inlet, an early morning waterman checking his crab pots has startled a large blue heron which gives a loud squawk-squawk-squawk as it skims over the water, searching for a more promising breakfast venue further down the shoreline.

Views Of The Water From Our Deck

When we first bought this house, there were two small Bradford Pear trees that the original owner had planted about 150 feet apart in the middle of the large expanse of lawn between the house and the woodline along the water. It seemed to me that the trees marred the view of the water from the porch and deck and I wanted to have them cut down but my husband loved them and convinced me to wait a year to see if I still wanted to have them removed. Well, that was quite a few years ago and the Bradfords are still there, bigger and taller now than most Bradfords ever normally grow. But what I came to realize over the course of that very first year was that those trees don’t interfer with the view, they are a part of the view. Miss Charlotte, our first Newfie, loved to sit under the one to the left of the porch, relaxing in the shade of its branches, scanning the woods along the water for signs of rabbits or squirrels, maybe even a deer, ready to instantly jump up and futilely chase. Now she is resting forever in the shade of that tree, her big floppy stuffed bunny buried with her for company. Songbirds adore that tree because the large bird feeder hanging from a metal staff just outside the dripline is so easy to reach from the safety of its leafy branches, they establish a sort of rhythm, eat for a few seconds, fly into the tree and look around, then back to the feeder, a careful ritual, repeated over and over by all sorts of sweet, tiny birds, singing songs we love. And although I know hawks have to eat too, when I see a soaring redtail land in a high branch of a big oak or a tall pine in the woods, I love knowing that the sweet little birds who come to our feeders are safely hidden among those Bradford leaves, the trees being too close to the house for hawks to comfortably venture near. I often think how much we would have missed had those trees been removed. Thanks Hubby, you were so absolutely right.

Cozy & Comfy– From A Cup Of Early Morning Coffee To A Glass Of Wine At Sunset, Our Screened Porch Is About My Favorite Place To Be

As I finish this post, after a coffee refill, the breeze is picking up, gently moving the kitetails of the two wind chimes positioned on opposite ends of the deck, creating gentle music. I love wind chimes and since being on the water offers breezes all season long, our deck is ideal chime territory. It’s also home to a myriad of flower pots filled with bloomers of all kinds, this year mostly in shades of lavender and pinks, including a gorgeous deep pink mandevilla, although the big pot of red geraniums may be the most eye-catching. Since we’ll be here all day today, I’ll serve lunch out on the screened porch, on our little glass-topped rattan table for four. I’m thinking cold roast chicken from last night, sliced thinly for sandwiches, bread and butter pickles, maybe a glass of well chilled Riesling, a tiny piece of Kate’s Kupboard coconut pound cake, just a sliver to satisfy the sweet tooth. After lunch, maybe an hour or two with Dan Brown’s new book, Inferno, read stretched out in a big, comfy porch chair, totally relaxed, totally into Home Sweet Home on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the house, the water, the birds, the butterflies, the Newfies and squirrels still carefully eyeing each other, for today life is good.

( Posted by Marlene Cree, a licensed agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo,VA.)

Tags: Chesapeake Bay real estate, Eastern Shore of Virginia, gardening on the Eastern Shore, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Nature, Real Estate, waterfront homes on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, waterfront living on the Eastern Shore
Posted in Birding, Climate and Weather, Entertainment, Gardening, Just Having Fun, Odds and Ends | No Comments »

Garden Week 2013 On Eastern Shore Virginia– The 80th Annual Event Sponsored By The Garden Club of Virginia

Monday, May 20th, 2013

The Beautiful Southern Tip of the Eastern Shore of Virginia

April, 2013 marked the celebration of the 80th Annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia, presented statewide by the Garden Club of Virginia each Spring since 1929. This year’s official Garden Week book indicated that 178 homeowners all over Virginia, assisted by over 3000 volunteers from the 47 member clubs, opened their homes and grounds to public tours last week. Proceeds from the Tours help preserve the grounds of historic landmarks all over the state as well as to fund scholarships in landscape architecture. The Eastern Shore of Virginia has so many beautiful historic homes that have been preserved and restored that going to the Garden Week open houses here is always a delight. The homes that are selected are always great and the last week of April is a perfect time to show gardens in full bloom here on the Shore. This year six waterfront homes in Northampton County’s beautiful southern tip were opened for Garden Tours and we devoted our Saturday afternoon to visiting three of them, two historic and one quite contemporary home. Each was gorgeous in its own particular way. I only wish that interior photos were allowed because the architectural detail is often remarkable in these homes, as is the decor, including some outstanding collections.

Old Castle’s Elegant Approach

Our first stop was at Old Castle, home of Northampton County Supervisor Rick Hubbard and his wife, Kate. It’s a lovely traditional style home located on the Cherrystone Creek inlet from the Chesapeake Bay near the historic little town of Eastville,VA, seat of Northampton County, well known as the oldest repository of continuous court records in the nation. The house itself is of a telescoping design, a favored architectural style on the Eastern Shore in the 1700 and 1800’s, with a gambrel roof . The approach to the front door is through a double row of ancient boxwoods, taller than I am, and pressing close in, don’t think that someone the size of Pavarotti could have made it through without a bit of a push, not that I am the size of Pavarotti. Once inside the spacious foyer, which features a striking custom floor covering by well-known local artist, Mariam Riggs, it quickly became clear that a lot of love and work went into the restoration of this lovely home. My favorite interior architectural details were the two identical fireplace mantels in the parlor and the dining room. I’ve not seen any quite like them, multiple layers of thin carved wood in descending size, sort of like thin steps in descending order, apparently created from a single solid piece of wood, creating a remarkable effect, especially given the tools of that day. As part of the Garden theme, each room in a Garden Tour Home has a floral arrangement custom created to compliment the colors and feel of the particular room in which it will be placed. Lots of lovely floral pieces throughout this home, clearly a great deal of thought and effort went into these arrangements. Interesting collections abounded, especially Kate Hubbard’s amazing collection of salt cellars — an entire room is devoted to display shelves featuring nothing but salt cellars. All shapes and all kinds, crystal, silver, porcelain, from countries all over the world– who knew that the Chinese even used salt cellars or that German salt cellers were generally so ornate ? But the real showplace was the backyard where Mother Nature took over the limelight, including one of the most beautiful crape myrtle trees I’ve ever seen as a focal point. Fronting on the Cherrystone Creek inlet, Old Castle’s fabulous views spread right out to the Chesapeake Bay, totally awe-inspiring, I’m sure that sunsets are absolutely spectacular.

Pleasant Prospect Farm Front View of House

Pleasant Prospect Farm on Cherrystone Creek Inlet

Off next to nearby Pleasant Prospect Farm, a 170 acre working farm, home to retired 4 star Admiral William J. Flannagan, Jr., whose distinguished naval career included the very serious responsibility of being the Norfolk, VA based Commandant of the entire US Navy’s Atlantic Fleet. True to its name, Pleasant Prospect Farm is indeed quite pleasant, with a quiet approach through fertile waterfront farm fields , sun glinting off the glistening blue waters all the way down the driveway. Passing several outbuildings, including a two story garage with a castle-like appendage, we arrived at the main house, a very attractive Dutch colonial style with two huge pin oaks heralding the front entrance. The original section of the home can be dated back to the 1750’s. During restoration, support beams were found in their original, unfinished state, revealing a numbering system directing the order in which they were to be installed, a rare historic construction detail. The original wainscoting is also still in place which I believe is fairly unusual. A new kitchen has been added, large, luminous, with a lightly stained hardwood ceiling adding warmth and texture, a dream kitchen really,with every detail and convenience one could wish for right there, ready to take on anything from a simple omelet to a large dinner party. My favorite floral arrangement of the day was here, the long dining room table the display surface for a striking composition consisting of 5 small, dark green watermelons (or maybe they were citrons ), about 6 inches in diameter, handsomely striped, arranged in a zigzag pattern among fancy curled Lucky Bamboo stalks which had been arranged in delicate vases of a variety of sizes and shapes, but all in various hues of pale green, a pleasing contrast to the deep green of the melons. Absolutely stunning, kudos to the ladies who created it. Once outside in the backyard, we took a few minutes to peek into several of the numerous outbuildings, my favorite being an elegant little building, light-filled, housing a built-in marble jacuzzi, waters steaming and swirling, neck muscles could unwind just by looking at it. From there, Mother Nature took over the limelight again. If possible, even broader views of Cherrystone inlet and the Chesapeake Bay were on display here, simply inspiring, no other words for it.

Simple Yet Elegant Describes This Pickett’s Harbor Beachfront Home

Then, as they would say on Monty Python, now for something completely different. Leaving the Eastville area, we headed to the Eastern Shore’s very southern tip, past Cape Charles, nearly to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, to the Pickett’s Harbor area and a new beach house nestled into the rolling sand dunes of this unique topography. Unlike most homes on the Eastern Shore, this home is very contemporary, a single story home, almost a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie style home, appearing as if it had just grown out of the ground, looking as natural here as any of the numerous trees and shrubs which surround it. Cedar sided, it blends quietly into the wooded setting right at the edge of the dune line. Yet immediately as you enter the house you realize that instead of just simply being in a beautiful woods you are actually on the edge of an amazing beach, that although the house is nestled into woods on the front side, the rear of the home is balanced on sparkling, rolling dunes, nothing but sand and swaying sea grasses for hundreds of feet, ending only at water’s edge, where a view of infinite blues takes over the eye’s focus. The house itself, designed by its architect owner, Tom Goffigan, an Eastern Shore native, now transplanted to the bright lights of L.A., is long and narrow, basically one room deep in many places, but each of these bright and airy rooms enjoy fabulous views of sparkling waters, glistening sands and golden sunshine. What more could be asked of such a pristine setting ? My favorite room was the screened porch, full house wide, built- in window seats spanning one entire end, framed with wide cedar cross posts forming a soothing pattern, breezes flowing through, laden with the tangy sea aromas. Outside, a long, low slung boardwalk zigzags unobtrusively from the house to the end of the dune line, providing an easy path to the beach and protecting the fragile dune vegetation from being trampled. This is a very handsome home, decorated with all sorts of Eastern Shore memorabilia, old maps, photos, antique fishing reels, a very restful space indeed, a great home to end our tour with. From there, after making a quick stop at nearby Nottingham Farm Market to pick up some tender, picked-that-morning-fresh local asparagus for dinner, ever so yummy grilled with lemon butter, we set out for home, a delicious spring treat in hand, the end of an interesting day. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr.,Machipongo VA)

Tags: 80th Annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia, Chesapeake Bay real estate, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Garden Club of the Eastern Shore, Garden Week in Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Virginia historic homes
Posted in Entertainment, Gardening, Historic Homes, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns | No Comments »

May Is Barbeque Month On Eastern Shore Virginia – Make Way For Savory & Delicious

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

Actually, May is BBQ Month nationally but I like to think we really do it up brown ( pun intended ) here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. For such a slender little peninsula as ours, I think we’re lucky to have several luscious BBQ places here on the Shore, ( a special shout-out here to StingRays ), plus easy access to several more in nearby Virginia Beach, Whitner’s BBQ being my personal favorite in Tidewater. And a really well-known place, Pierce’s BBQ near Williamsburg, try to stop there to bring some carryout whenever we visit the historic area, at least 2 or 3 times a year. But some of the most delicious BBQ might be the homemade stuff, slathered with the family ” secret sauce”, ( the South being legendary for its love of BBQ and just about everyone has their special sauces and methods of cooking ), and served with time-honored favorite side dishes.

The flavor of the very first BBQ sandwich I ever had in Virginia surprised me completely, being used to what I now think of as typical Kansas City type tomato based sauces. Anyway, shortly after we moved to Virginia I was at a business meeting in Richmond where many of the other attendees were locals. When lunch break rolled around, they suggested what was described as a ” great BBQ place” nearby, which sounded good to me. At first bite I was surprised, not because it was so tasty, because I’d had many tasty BBQ sandwiches, but because it appeared to have no sauce, a “special sauce” being the holy grail of good BBQ. But , as promised by the group, it was really delicious, chopped pork, tender, moist, very flavorful. I told our server that I really liked it but wondered why it didn’t have any sauce. Honey, you aren’t from Richmond are you, said she, well, not only was I not from Richmond, I was brand-new to Virginia. Which is no doubt why I failed to recognize the premier BBQ sauce of Richmond, VA, boiled vinegar Sooey Sauce. Consisting of just vinegar, salt, a smidgen of sugar, black pepper and red pepper flakes gently simmered together for about 15 minutes and left to rest for at least 5-6 hours before tossing into fork tender pork which has been slow cooked in a smoker or covered grill and then coarsely chopped. As one can likely guess, this is now one of my very favorite BBQ sauces for chopped pork. Ribs, of course, are a different matter entirely and we’ll deal with ribs shortly.

So to make sure we are observing BBQ Month properly, very important indeed, we are going to turn a combo Mother’s Day/Dad’s B-Day party into a little cook off/pot luck, complete with whipping up several new and different sauces to evaluate. I am planning to try two great sounding sauces from amazingribs.com, the Chris Lilly Spiced Apricot Sauce and the Tennessee Holler Whiskey Sauce, both rib sauces. The plan is to grill the ribs, mopping them with the vinegar sauce to keep them moist on the grill, then glazing each rack of ribs with a different finishing sauce. Of course, a great BBQ isn’t just about the ribs, it’s about the accompanying side dishes. In fact, as I’m writing this little post, I have one ear tuned to NPR’s Sunday afternoon show, America ‘s Test Kitchen, and Chris Kimball is discussing the history of cornbread and the differences between Southern and Northern styles of cornbread. No question in my mind which is better, Southern style wins hands down. Made with almost no sugar and very little flour, just good ole yellow stone-ground cornmeal, eggs and buttermilk, it’s something you can sink your teeth into. Topped with a smear of butter and an ample drizzle of honey, now that’s a cornbread so delicious I don’t even feel guilty about abandoning my Northern roots to declare it the winner. And you must have cornbread at a BBQ, wouldn’t seem right without it, plus crunchy coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad with plenty of celery seed, fried apples and, of course, creamy, gooey mac and cheese. And at our house, either green beans or collards to help balance out all that starch ! So, we’re planning to do our part to celebrate BBQ Month 2013, hope everyone else is ready to enjoy this savory and delicious outdoor food. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed agent with Blue Heron Realty Co, 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA )

Tags: Eastern Shore of Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, National BBQ Month, Souther style cornbread, StingRay's Restaurant, Whitner's BBQ
Posted in Entertainment, Fine and Casual Dining, Just Having Fun, Regional Foods & Wine | No Comments »

Attending Cherry Blossom Festival 2013- In Virginia Beach VA

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

View of the two spans of the 17 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel connecting the Virginia Eastern SDhore to the Virginia mainland.

The Beautiful Chesapeake Bay Bridge Seen From Fisherman’s Island area

Early April is the time of year when we usually look forward to going to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. Unfortunately, this year we were not able to go. About three weeks ago, when I was bemoaning to a friend that scheduling conflicts were going to prevent us from going to DC, she mentioned that nearby Virginia Beach, VA also has a Cherry Blossom Festival, why not check it out ? There won’t be the fabulous blooms along the Tidal Basin, the National Mall or Parkway Drive said she, but it might still be interesting and fun. I took her advice and after some research found to my surprise that 2013 marked the Virginia Beach 9th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Who knew ? Anyway, that Saturday dawned bright and sunny, most welcome after all the spring rain we’ve had this year, a little breezy but expected to be near 60 degrees, a very pleasant day. So after lunch we decided to go for it, jumped in the car, zipped over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, waves sparkling in the afternoon sun, making a bee line for Redwing Park , about an hour’s drive from our house, planning to get there in time for most of the program, including the Taiko ensemble’s performance. (Another little plug for life on the Eastern Shore of Virginia is how close we are to the Hampton Roads area which is the 32nd largest metro area in the US. It’s like having your cake and eating it too– enjoy a low-key, relaxed rural feel here on the Shore but be able to access virtually every known metropolitan amenity in less than an hour in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, etc. Love it, love it, love it ! )

Taiko Drums At The Virginia Beach Cherry Blossom Festival

I was especially looking forward to the Japanese drums, called Taiko, which are really amazing, nothing like what we are used to as drums in a regular band. A Taiko drumming performance is something really special. Construction of these drums dates back to feudal times, many are very large, made from beautifully grained wood, highly polished, often about the size of barrels, most actually sit horizontally and can be played simultaneously by two drummers, one on each end. The rhythms are hypnotic, with point and counterpoint, played in long mesmerizing “songs” Historically, these drums were often used on the battlefield because their loud “voices” could communicate over long distances. Taiko were also frequently used in religious ceremonies in Buddhist and Shinto temples which had really fabulous drums, usually fashioned from trees with huge diameters, resulting in amazing drums with faces 10 to 12 feet across. Drums like this could not be easily moved and were played only by men who received special permission from the monks. The first time I ever saw a Taiko performance was about a hundred years ago, in the Japanese Pavillion at EPCOT. I was just transfixed by the “song” of the drums and their mesmerizing beat– in fact, I went around for days with the beat from one particular “song” replaying over and over in my head. Taiko drumming is quite demanding, not only because of the physical strength needed to control the depth of sound and the tempo changes, but also for the sheer physical endurance required. Certainly I wasn’t expecting professional quality taiko from the Virginia Beach group, called Soka Tiako, but they sounded great and looked quite colorful in their costumes, garnering lots of applause when their number was completed.

Dancing the flower dance at the Festival

Flower Dance At Cherry Blossom Festival

Lots of other terrific performances of traditional Japanese music and dance in addition to the Taiko were offered all afternoon. Among the most interesting was a group from Old Dominion University who played the koto, a zither type instrument about six feet long, with 13 strings, which creates the high pitched sound I most associate with Japanese music. The koto looks incredibly difficult to master and in speaking to one of the performers just before the show, I was assured that it is indeed difficult to master, even more so outdoors which involves a knack for playing while breezes ruffle one’s music sheets. The performers all wore traditional garb, kimono with obi, gorgeous and colorful. In fact, quite a few folks in the audience, both men and women, wore traditional garb which gave the whole event a very authentic feel. One of my other favorite performances was by the Virginia Beach Okinawa Sanshin-Kai band which played traditional three string lutes and featured a very sweet, almost ballet-like dance by a mother and her young daughter, both wearing beautiful kimono and elaborate “flower” hats symbolizing the first blooms of Spring.

For martial arts fans, various groups from around the city offered martial arts demonstrations throughout the afternoon including karate, judo and some a very proficient kobudo with impressive moves with the traditional swords. I personally am not into any of that but a lot of applause went their way from folks who are. Shopping is more my style and I enjoyed seeing some of the little gift items for sale in the tent area. The most popular item seemed to be a selection of colorful parasols, attracting gals and girls alike. In addition, the origami and calligraphy demonstrations were fun, lots of folks crowding around to get their names written in Japanese by some volunteers who were amused as they tried to write names like Henrietta and Martha in characters. A local rescue group for Akita’s was on hand with two of their charges, a handsome grey and a placid sand colored dog–I had just recently seen the Richard Gere film “ Akita” ( based on a true story) and we all agreed that it was a real tear jerker of a movie. Who can even imagine a depth of loyalty that would compel a dog to wait outside a train station each night for 9 years, waiting for his owner who was long dead ? Wow !

Tori gate at RedWing Park in Virginia Beach

Tori Gate in Miyazaki Garden at Redwing Park

Reflecting Pool At Miyazaki Garden

Apparently part of the impetus for the planting of the lovely cherry trees at Redwing Park, as well as for the creation of the Festival itself, was that about 14 years ago Virginia Beach established a “Sister City” relationship with the city of Miyazaki , Japan. This special relationship resulted in many cross-cultural exchanges and eventually in the city’s construction of Miyazaki Garden, a lovely traditional Japanese strolling garden, as well as the planting of hundreds of ornamental Japanese cherry trees in the Park. The trees were only in about 25% bloom that Saturday due to the cooler than normal Spring this year, but that was enough to see how gorgeous they were going to be this year. Miyazaki Garden was beautiful though, an early blooming tree leaning over a reflecting pond was the site of much photo taking, prompting me to take pics of people taking pics. All in all, as my friend forecast, it wasn’t the National Mall and it wasn’t the Tidal Basin, but the Virginia Beach, VA 2013 Cherry Blossom Festival was definitely quite nice and we’re glad we went.

( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA. )

Tags: Cherry Blossom Festival, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Eastern Shore of Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore
Posted in At the Beach, Climate and Weather, Crafts, Entertainment, Gardening, Just Having Fun | No Comments »

A New Cape Charles Vacation Rental Home, Introducing “Beach Villa”

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Sand beach at "Beach Villa", a Cape Charles VA vacation rental home

Relax on the soft sand beach at “Beach Villa” on Eastern Shore Virginia

We get a lot of calls here at Blue Heron Realty Co. for a vacation rental home with lots of seclusion but with lots of amenities too and that’s usually a hard order to fill. However, we have just acquired “Beach Villa” as a Cape Charles VA area vacation rental. This exquisite villa style home, sleeping 10, offers water views galore plus old world charm and the use of its 37 acres with beautiful Virginia Eastern Shore Chesapeake Bay waterfront. Best of all, Beach Villa offers a gorgeous sand beach, private to the owners and their rental guests, offering wide soft, soft sands, glittering in the golden sun, perfect for relaxing under a beach umbrella, book in hand, some sweet Southern-style ice cold tea in the cooler. And as you wade from the beach into the Bay, the salty Chesapeake waters start out quite shallow but gradually reach swimming depth so bring your mask and snorkel to check everything out. Surrounded on two sides by a pristine little freshwater lake, imagine waking up in the serene environment of this home to the calls of seabirds overhead and waterfowl out on the lake. Love jogging ? Imagine the pleasure of making lazy circuits around 37 acres surrounded by such natural beauty. Surely this is a vacation opportunity extraordinaire.

Aerial view of "Beach Villa", a beachfront home near Cape Charles VA

“Beach Villa” offers old world charm on 37 acres near Cape Charles VA

With 3 bedrooms and 3 and a half baths plus a day bed in the sunroom, there is plenty of room to catch up on some sleep in this nearly 4000 sq. ft. home. Large great room with living and dining room groupings plus a gourmet kitchen make conversation with your group a breeze. The gas log fireplace in the living area is perfect for cool fall evenings. Sliding glass doors lead from the great room to the spacious fieldstone patio overlooking beautiful flower beds, the lake and the Bay, the perfect spot for a steaming cup of morning coffee. Paneled den and enclosed sunroom provide additional space for just relaxing, letting the mind and body unwind in this gorgeous setting. First floor master suite, so convenient, with a master bath which includes jacuzzi tub with marble surround. Everything about this home is top of the line, you will not be disappointed by selecting this home for your vacation.

Aqua Restaurant at Cape Charles offers fine and casual dining on the Chesapeake Bay

Be Sure To Try The Delicious Seafood At Aqua Restaurant During Your Stay

Nearby amenities include Kiptopeake State Park, Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge and the Rails to Trails jogging/biking trail. The historic little Victorian town of Cape Charles is less than 10 minutes away and offers restaurants, shops, art galleries, marinas,boat ramps, train rides, special events, holiday parades, etc., as well as Palmer and Nicklaus Signature 18 hole golf courses. The Eastern Shore of Virginia is a terrific spot for a relaxing, low-key vacation, for what we like to call ” Simply Relaxing The Shore Way“. From A for Artist Galleries to Z for Zesty clam dip, there is nearly an endless list of things to do and see here on the Eastern Shore. Savour sunset strolls on the beach, kayak to our unique off-shore Barrier Islands, charter a deep sea fishing trip, treasure hunt in our antique shops, attend a live performance at the Palace Theatre, ride horseback along waterfront trails, explore our little coastal towns, visit a local winery, get wet clamming, enjoy a superb seafood meal at Aqua Restaurant, see the artifacts of yesteryear at the Barrier Island Museum. ( By the way, the Tall Ships Cape Charles Festival will be held this year the weekend of June 14-16, an exciting event for adults and kids alike. Three tall sailing ships will be in port offering open deck tours and day sails, the Navy’s USS Tornado will also offer tours, individual owners will be there with their sailboats, skipjacks and antique “buy boats”, the harbor will be bursting with great stuff. Plus loads of other activities are part of this Festival, it’s a really fun-filled event. ) But whatever you do, memories of your Simply Relaxing Eastern Shore Vacation will stay with you forever. To reserve your week at Beach Villa, email us at easternshorevacations@blueheronva.com or call 757-678-5277. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Tags: "Beach Villa" vacation rental, Aqua restaurant Cape Charles Virginia, Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, Cape Charles vacation rental homes, Cape Charles Vacation Rentals, Chesapeake Bay waterfront home, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Kayaking, Nature, Palace Theatre Cape Charles Virginia, Tall Ships Cape Charles Festival, Vacation Rentals on Eastern Shore Virginia
Posted in At the Beach, Boating, Entertainment, Fine and Casual Dining, Golf, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns, Vacation rental homes | No Comments »

Aqua Restaurant- Still Delightful, Delicious, De-lovely

Thursday, April 4th, 2013

Aqua Restaurant Easter Brunch

Having scheduled the family Easter dinner for Saturday, which came off quite well, including trying a new ( new to me anyway) version of ham from costco which everyone loved, an excellent Applewood smoked full length de-boned ham which had been cut in half vertically rather than horizontally, we had decided that brunch at the “new” Aqua would be just the ticket for Sunday. After a winter’s hiatus, which included a change in ownership, a bit of re-decorating and some staff changes, I was curious to see if the beautiful Aqua Restaurant, which overlooks the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore of Virginia just re-opened on Friday, had retained its old charm. And more importantly, its fine flair for preparing regional cuisine. I hoped for the best but feared for the worst as we walked through the door on Sunday but, happily, my fears were for naught as the answer to my first question was a resounding “Yes, Shelly Cusmina is still the head chef.” So, off to a good start in its new iteration, still, as Cole Porter would say, ” Delightful, Delicious, De-lovely.”

Aqua is well known for its tradition of delectable Southern-style cuisine for holiday brunches and Sunday’s food definitely did that tradition proud. If Paula Deen had been there she would have said that they had outdone themselves with this luscious meal, nary a foot put wrong. Although Aqua’s regular lunch and dinner menus are geared towards fine dining, emphasizing the fresh seafood from our Chesapeake Bay region, its brunches often feature some classic Southern dishes that don’t appear on the set menu, including some of the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted, smooth, really creamy. And an ode should have been written to the fried chicken, that’s how good it was, crisp flakes of crunchy coating, mouthwatering tender chicken , accompanied by plenty of spicy Crystal hot sauce. ( You might be a Southerner if you can’t really enjoy fried chicken without an ample sprinkling of pungent hot sauce, preferably Crystal or Texas Pete brand. ) And rounding out the “must-have” trifecta of mac and cheese and fried chicken is, of course, a mess of collard greens. Now the important thing about collards (besides needing to be cooked until very tender ) is that they must be “well seasoned” which is a catch-all description for the rich peppery ham flavor that proper collards are supposed to have. Adding little chunks of smoked country ham or smoked side meat is the best cooking method to give collards the sort of sweet-salty tangy flavor that no holiday table in Virginia is truly complete without. And speaking of not complete, light as air biscuits are also a must serve, in Aqua’s case, feather-light sweet potato biscuits.

There was, of course, a separate omelet station stocked with choices of just about every ingredient one could wish to be added to a fluffy omelet. I’m not really a breakfast person so brunch for me might as well just be called lunch but Hubby is just about the opposite and prefers the breakfast side of a brunch. In addition to the omelet station, a huge poached salmon cleverly decorated with cucumber slice “scales” accompanied by a mellow dill sauce, pan-fried Yukon potatoes, mini- sausage links, fluffy blueberry pancakes, bagels and rich flaky pastries were available for the breakfast foodies. Plus gorgeous fruit trays filled one end of a table, offering a wide selection of fruit including some very tempting strawberries, gorgeous, vivid red with an amazing bouquet and ambrosial Hawaiian pineapple slices, literally dripping with juice, a whole array of delights. It was a lovely event, enjoyed in good company, proving once again that a meal at Aqua’s is still “Delightful, Delicious, De-lovely ” ! (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7135 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA. )

Tags: Aqua restaurant Cape Charles Virginia, Cape Charles Virginia, Chef Shelly Cusmina, Eastern Shore of Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Southern style food, Virginia Eastern Shore
Posted in Entertainment, Events In Cape Charles, Fine and Casual Dining, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns, Regional Foods & Wine | No Comments »

A Wee Bit O’ The Irish On Virginia’s Eastern Shore

Tuesday, March 12th, 2013

It’s getting to be that time of year again, the time when we enjoy a wee bit o’ the Irish here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Neither Hubby nor I have any Irish roots nor have we ever been to the Emerald Isle but we love all things Irish. Well, maybe not all— can’t stand smoky pubs, bitter Guinness stout, carrageen moss in food, potatoes mashed with kale or cabbage, called colcannon, etc. But I do love the color green— shamrock green, apple green, sea green, olive green, forest green, all great. The concept of leprechauns and pots of gold at ends of rainbows is truly delightful. And we both really enjoy Irish hardshoe dancing, the amazing sounds of the bodhran, the Irish frame drum, and of course, the favorite drink of the Irish …… tea ! ( Did you think it was beer ? Somewhere I read that the Irish are the world’s biggest tea drinkers, with a per person average of 6 cups a day and that, by law, all restaurants and pubs must serve tea during all open hours. Little trivia, just sayin.)

So, March 17th is fast approaching, the day when I always like to indulge my taste buds with a little Irish cuisine and atmosphere. Haven’t decided yet whether to do Shepherd’s Pie at home or to go out to one of our two Eastern Shore authentic Irish Pubs, Kelly’s Gingernut Pub or The Blarney Stone, both of which serve mouthwatering food accompanied by live traditional music on St. Paddy’s Day.

Kelly’s, located 3 blocks from the beach on Mason Avenue in the historic district in Cape Charles, VA is always a great choice, with some of the Shore’s best fish and chips served daily. On St. Paddy’s Day they go all out with traditional favorites– Corned Beef and Cabbage, a savory Irish Stew served with soda bread, Cottage Pie, a salmon dish, mussels, etc. , all well prepared and scrumptious. And of course, a pint or two of the good stuff with which to wash it all down would be in order, all the while toe tapping to some real Irish jigs.

In Onancock, on North Street, just 3 blocks from the Town Wharf, the Blarney Stone also offers up some great choices. The Pub Steak is great, served with a medley of pan fried potatoes (which I like even better than chips ). Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish and Chips are served everyday. But on St Paddy’s Day, other traditional dishes are added to the menu– obviously Irish Stew, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Salmon with Champ, Coddle maybe even Skirts and Kidneys or Bubble and Squeak ( despite the weird name, Bubble and Squeak is really quite tasty ). Plus The Blarney Stone boasts that it has 17 authentic brews on tap, something for every thirsty someone.

So, choices, choices. Good to have, not so easy to make. Home, Kelly’s, Blarney Stone ? ? But nearly a week till The Day, so plenty of time to decide where to go, what to do. As they say, hard choices but someone has to make them. ( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA )

Tags: Blarney Stone Irish Pub Onancock VA, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Irish food on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Kelly's Pub Cape Charles VA, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, restaurants of the Eastern Shore
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Time To Start Planning Your Eastern Shore Summer Vacation

Thursday, February 28th, 2013

Charming Historic Cape Charles

We just finished adding a new house, “Seahorse Retreat” to our vacation rental roster (see them all at www.blueheronva.com/vacation_rentals/ ) when it occurred to me that planning an Eastern Shore Virginia summer vacation in the near aftermath of a record breaking blizzard on the East Coast is reminiscent of one of my favorite childhood books. Anyone who has read “The Little House On The Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder will likely remember the winter delights described of pouring over seed catalogues, winds howling outside, fire crackling inside, planning the spring garden, imagining the delights of fresh cantaloupe, tomatoes, sweet corn. It was a necessary task but it was also pure, unvarnished pleasure, mentally transporting them to a future time of warm weather, outdoor breezes and chunks of crisp, cool watermelon. Meanwhile, the reality was that Pa would soon have to wade out into the driving snow, through Lord knows how many heavy drifts, to get to the barn to milk the cows, holding on to the rope stretched between the house and the barn so as to not get disoriented, lost and frozen to death within 40 feet of the front door. I loved those books about settling the West, practically wore them out with re-reading, especially “Farmer Boy”, what a wonderful world it seemed to be. And I longed to be able to have a big piece of apple pie for breakfast, just like Almanzo almost always did, redolent with sweet spices and covered in heavy cream. But, different time, different place, and in general, pie was not allowed on my childhood breakfast table. ( Happily, now that I am nearly 100, I can have pie for breakfast if I want to. So let it be known that from time to time, for breakfast both Hubby and I do indulge in a thick slice of Kate’s Kupboard’s delicious apple pie, fresh from her warm and cozy Belle Haven, VA bakery, topped with an ample wedge of sharp cheddar, gently heated in the toaster oven, accompanied by a fresh cup of steaming hot vanilla hazelnut coffee. And I won’t even disclose how old I was before it finally dawned on me that I didn’t have to continue to eat the crusts on my bread if I didn’t want to, such is the force of habit of childhood instruction. )

But, mea culpa, I digress. My original point being that the actual planning of one’s vacation is a necessary task, but one that brings a lot of pleasure. Deciding where to go is certainly the first step and deciding what house to pick is great fun. I want to give a shout out to the Eastern Shore of Virginia as a great vacation place and to Blue Heron Realty Co’s vacation rental homes as the cream of the crop ( Review them at www.blueheronva.com/vacation_rentals/ ) depending, of course, on the desired atmosphere. If one is looking for bright lights, loud music, thousands of people on the beach,salt water taffy and souvenir shops every step of the way, Virginia’s Eastern Shore is not the place.

Visit our scenic beaches

On the other hand, if what you’re longing for is a place for total relaxation in a low-key coastal area, with plenty to do if you want to but if you feel like just hanging around the front porch, book in hand, iPad at the ready, then you can count on the Eastern Shore as a terrific place. I can guarantee no bumper to bumper traffic, horns blaring, no overcrowded sidewalks, no blankets 2 feet in every direction from yours on the beach.

Our Pristine Barrier Islands

Just a beautiful, relaxing area, little historic towns to explore, sparkling low density beaches to enjoy, cool blue waters to swim, plenty of boat ramps and fishing piers to try out, miles and miles of coastline to kayak, our off-shore pristine Barrier Islands to explore, the freshest of succulent seafood to savor, Palmer and Nicklaus golf to keep you swinging, horseback riding through country trails to indulge your inner cowboy, an easy pad to launch a Williamsburg/Busch Gardens day trip from if the mood strikes, cute shops, terrific restaurants for fine or casual dining and friendly people. From A for “Antiquing” to Z for “Zesty clam dip”, you can have a memorable vacation on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, it’s Simply Relaxing The Shore Way.

Seahorse Retreat

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to 2 of the Blue Heron Realty Co. new vacation rental homes–– “Seahorse Retreat” and “Sun and Sand“. “Seahorse Retreat” is a charming, cozy nest for two, beautifully decorated in a — you guessed it, a seahorse motif.

Sun & Sand

A second floor walk-up unit located right in the heart of the Cape Charles historic district, it offers 1 bedroom with comfy king-sized bed, a well outfitted full kitchen, separate dining room and a living room which opens onto a veranda with views of the Cape Charles harbor. And it’s only about a block to the beach and boardwalk. “Sun and Sand” is a 4 bedroom, 4 full bath West Indies style home of nearly 3000 sq.ft. , with some views of the Chesapeake Bay. Comfortable coastal style furniture, a king sized bed in the master suite, queen sized in the others. Within easy walking distance to a sparkling soft sand beach, it also offers access to a large swimming pool/tennis courts complex and is within 5 minutes one of the Shore’s finest waterfront restaurants. More information on reserving these and other prime vacation rental homes is available on the Blue Heron Realty Co. website, www.blueheronva.com, select Vacation Rentals on the Listings pull-down menu or side navigation bar. ( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA )

Tags: Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, Blue Heron Realty Co. Vacation rental homes, Cape Charles vacation rental homes, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Kayaking, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Real Estate, Vacation rental homes on Eastern Shore VA, Virginia Eastern Shore
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Lovely Single Story Eastern Shore Waterfront Home With Contemporary Flair For Sale

Saturday, January 26th, 2013

On the Eastern Shore, lovely Virginia waterfront homes near the Chesapeake Bay are not unusual but many of those homes are of a traditional style and the majority of them are two story, albeit many with total living on the first floor. But for the growing number of folks looking for a waterfront home in Virginia who are absolutely set on acquiring a single story home, this new listing could be just perfect. One of the features important to many of our clients when looking for a waterfront home is being able to open the front door and say “wow” as they look from the foyer, across the living area and are immediately treated to a glorious view of the water– this home gets a ten- out- of- ten on that score !

A few years ago, this lovely 3 bedroom, 3 bath home was renovated with three goals in mind– 1) opening up the floor plan to have larger, light-filled rooms and 2) creating water and nature views from every possible angle and 3) adding an additional, more spacious master bedroom suite. Definite success on every goal ! Walls of windows frame scenes of the sparkling blue waters, several new sets of sliding glass doors facilitate an easy flow between the indoors and the outdoors and the spacious new master suite also offers more privacy as it is located on the opposite side of the home from the guest bedrooms. During renovation, the kitchen, highlighted by custom cabinets and granite countertops, and dining room were opened up and combined into the living room. The resulting great room is simply spectacular ! A large skylight centered in the main living area was added, offering defused natural light which spreads throughout the entire great room. The fireplace adds additional cheer. Hardwood in the great room transitions seamlessly to custom terracotta tile in the sunroom.

Outside, lots of great nooks for entertaining a group or just a best friend. Located on a gentle knoll overlooking a colorful saltwater inlet from the Chesapeake Bay, one of my fav outdoor spots on this property is a little landing on the path down to the dock and boathouse. It’s a tiny landing, just big enough for two Adirondack chairs. But it’s so close to the water and offers such a tranquil feeling that you want to just sit and relax in those chairs forever ! In addition to this little landing, there is also a attractive flagstone patio and full-house length deck with a cozy separate little portion of deck which wraps around to the new master suite. So— lots of places to enjoy the outdoors which is great because our very mild climate allows for lots of outdoor activities during most of the year. Lots of mature landscaping and bird-friendly shrubs attract a variety of songbirds year-round and of course blue heron and other wading birds stroll the shoreline, keeping a sharp eye out for a quick fishy snack. For boaters, a dock with large boat lift. The boathouse, which is a rarity here, offers plenty of kayak storage for that tremendously popular sport, both facilitate easy access to the Chesapeake Bay which is literally just around the corner. And for those who love fishing, a real fishing hot spot dubbed “The Cell” is quite close by. For gardeners, a large garden area with lots of colorful plantings, a veggie bed, birdhouses galore and a cute potting shed is enclosed by a white picket fence, a real oasis of natural serenity.

For anyone looking for a gorgeous waterfront home featuring an open floorplan, top of the line materials and great indoor-outdoor entertaining potential, this home could suit to a T. Check it out on in the “Boating Properties” section of the Blue Heron Realty Co. website at http://www.blueheronva.com/property.php?print=propid=1253 ( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA )

Tags: Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, boating in the Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay homes, Chesapeake Bay real estate, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eastern Shore Virginia real estate, Fishing, Kayaking, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Real Estate, waterfront home for sale
Posted in Birding, Boating, Entertainment, Gardening, Just Having Fun | No Comments »

Life and Real Estate on the Eastern Shore of Virginia