Archive for the ‘Fine and Casual Dining’ Category

The 2012 National Book Festival- Part I: Getting There

Friday, September 28th, 2012

What with one thing or another,  it’s been a busy fall on the Eastern Shore of Virginia so we had been on again-off again about going to Washington DC for this year’s National Book Festival, held on the National Mall,  Sept. 22-23,  about a 4 hour drive  from the Eastern Shore.   But I did make hotel reservations,  just in case,  leaving plenty of time for cancellation if need be.  Naturally, it was at the 11th hour,  Thursday the 20th,  that everybody previewed their Friday- through- Monday schedule, thereafter declaring  the week-end a “go”.  This  meant commencing a hyperactive search for books by the authors we love who would be autographing their books at the Festival, checking  to see which books we  already had and which would need to be purchased in route at my favorite Barnes and Noble in Virginia Beach.   There is a book sales  tent at the Festival which offers the latest books from the scheduled authors but that involves standing in a line so I prefer to bring everything with me that I want autographed.  ( Also, if it’s a favorite author, I usually have some of their earlier books which I like to try to get signed as well.) As this was our 5th Festival,  I pretty much had everything down to a science.  Pack the books in a big rolling cooler with a long pull handle– the cooler is a great place to sit while in line, it holds important extra stuff like umbrellas & trail mix,  if it rains it keeps the  books  dry, etc.  In fact,  my # 1 piece of advice to a prospective Festival-goer—- best to come with a  combo chair-storage container- book protecting  cooler on wheels !

I had optimistically planned to leave the Eastern Shore  by 9 am.  Silly me  !  Finally pulled out of the driveway about 11:30 in a two car convoy,  Eldest Daughter and boyfriend in one car,  moi, hubby and two grandkids in another, ready for great adventures on the road.   Which in this case meant a first stop at COSTCO  in Virginia Beach to get  another GPS  because mine was acting a little weird and I would never try to drive in Northern Virginia/D.C. without one.  Which makes me wonder, how did we ever get around without a GPS ?  I still have a couple of old D.C.  map books sitting on the top of a bookcase and I still consider myself  proficient with a map, but really, as heavy traffic zooms by on I-495, with crazy drivers darting in and out,  cars plunging  for off-ramps, crowding in from on-ramps,  all at 65-75  mph,  I just can’t imagine how we ever managed to get anywhere safely and on  time without a GPS  !  Anyway, walked out of  COSTCO about 1 pm but by then the kids were  hungry.  Of course !   So,  off for a quick  lunch at Panera’s about a mile away and finally, about 2 pm, we were actually, definitely,  on the road to D.C.  So much for my original fantasy of a 9 am start !   After about 50 inquires of  “how much longer ? ”  and 2 pit stops, by 7 pm we were checking into our hotel in Arlington,  just a hop-skip-jump across the river from the National Mall, tired, hungry but excited.

For dinner  I had already planned to try Ray’s Hell Burger ,  the very casual burger place that  I had read President Obama had taken Vladimir Putin to for  burgers and fries, figuring that if it’s good enough for the President and the Russian  head of state,  then it was good enough  for the 6 of us.  And the kids love hamburgers.   But what I hadn’t reckoned with was how popular it would be on a beautiful Friday night.  Good Golly, Miss Molly !   Jammed inside, jammed out on the patio, a pretty long  line to belly up to the window and order.  But finally, order we did, snagged a table out on the patio and waited for our food, which arrived surprisingly fast.   The burgers were indeed delish, perfectly char-grilled on the outside, nice and moist inside, snuggled into a top quality bun.  In my case,  also topped with cheddar, grilled fresh mushrooms, grilled sweet red onions, all accompanied by Ray’s excellent homemade  “5 cheese”  mac and cheese, sweet potato fries and crunchy slaw.  Was it worth the wait ??    Final Answer:  Absolutely terrific burgers,  just don’t go on a Friday night unless you’re prepared to wait or unless you are with the President !   By dinner’s end,  we all were  exhausted and totally ready for a good night’s rest before heading across the Potomac River to the 2012 National Book Festival the next day. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Cape Charles,VA Historic District Condo For Sale

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

In the heart of  the little coastal town of  Cape Charles, VA  lies its charming Commercial Historic District.  The original buildings generally date back to the early 1900’s and  most  have been fully renovated, ready to do  yeoman’s service for another 100 years… at least !    And on the prime western end of the Mason Avenue’s  Commercial Historic District, Blue Heron Realty Co. has three beautifully designed commercial space condos for sale,  ranging in size from 1100 to 1500 sq. ft.    Absolutely perfect for a multitude of commercial uses,  from virtually any type of office office to most retail uses,  these three spaces are very attractively priced, ranging from $120,000 to $150,000.  Each condo offers excellent  street visibility and signage as well as  one of the best  locations in downtown Cape Charles, only 2 blocks to the beach.

If you already own a small business or are thinking of starting a business, you may wonder if owning your office or shop space  instead of renting  it offers  many benefits.  My personal opinion is a resounding Yes!   The first and most important is that owning  gives you greater control and stability for your business which results in  better control over your own destiny.  Assuming that you have confidence in  your business, there is a great deal of security in owning rather than renting your business space.  No more big rent hikes !   No need to worry about the possibility of  an  announcement that the landlord is selling the building  and suddenly the terms or even the actual renewal of  your lease is in question.  And  you are not paying off someone else’s mortgage, you are building up equity for yourself so at the end of the day if  you  sell,   your money comes back to you instead of your landlord.   Appreciation in value is important as is the ability to be able to also sell your physical premises should you decide to sell your business which might be very beneficial to the deal.  And any renovations you do over time accrue fully to your benefit, not to the landlord’s.

All three of these commercial units are on the ground floor of an attractive  three story mixed-use brick building constructed in 1901.  The building’s  second floor consists of 2 large residential condos,  the 3rd  floor boasts a 3000 + sq. ft. penthouse  with a double veranda overlooking the town and its colorful harbor.  All three commercial units are currently in use as office space.  the 1100 sq. ft. units are  professional offices– a dentist and a chiropractor,  each of whom rotate between multiple offices,  practicing  one or two days per week in Cape Charles.  Each unit is currently configured with a reception area,  several office or treatment rooms and a bathroom so clearly easy to convert to other types of office use or even retail if desired.

And it would be hard to beat the small town ambiance of Cape Charles if you are looking to open a business in a friendly coastal area.  In fact, the June, 2012 issue of  Southern Living Magazine named Cape Charles as one of its “Best Little Beach Towns“, quite an honor.  As it’s just a short walk to the beach from these condos,  a quick stroll on the boardwalk would be great for keeping the waistline trim.   Drop in at the beautiful Cape Charles Coffeehouse for a quick cup of  coffee on the way to the office.   ( The Coffeehouse  also has a great lunch menu, with one of the best chicken salad sandwiches ever.  And for dessert, don’t miss  Roberta’s luscious coconut cake with cream cheese icing and lemon custard filling.  Absolutely delectable, unbeatable this side of the moon !  )  Or walk  just a half block to Kelly’s Pub for lunch, home of a lip-smacking good char- broiled burger accompanied by the best dill pickles, straight from New York City.  Or try Rayfield’s Pharmacy’s  honest-to-goodness old- fashioned soda fountain lunch counter featuring, among other items,  a really delicious BLT, overstuffed with  plenty of  B and nice ripe T.    And yes, of course,  they do have milkshakes, sundaes, and ice cream sodas, chocolate’s the best !   Banking ?   Walk to the credit union just two blocks away.  Odds and ends ?   If  the hardware store doesn’t have it, just don’t you worry,  they’ll order it.  Need a bottle of  wine for dinner ?  Stop in at Gull Hammock on the way home, where by the way, each  Friday they have a new shipment of Prize’s homemade bread, sinfully good, especially the cinnomon raisin sourdough. Want to take a client to a fine dinner ?  Five minutes away you’ll find Aqua Restaurant  overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, home to excellent  food in a beautiful setting.  Need some decor ideas ?  Try your nearby neighbors at  Best Nest,  209 Gallery or  Stage Door Gallery.  The point being that within Cape Charles’ quaint Historic District, instead of having to let your fingers do the walking,  you can have the pleasure of getting out and about, among your friends, neighbors and fellow business owners,  doing errands and business the old-fashioned way–person to person.  For more information on  buying  your own business condo, call Blue Heron Realty Co., 757-678-5200 or 757-331-4885.

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

Cape Charles VA, Named A “Best Little Beach Town” By Southern Living Magazine, Is A Great Place For A Relaxing Vaction

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

There is a reason why the June, 2012 isssue of  Southern Living Magazine names  Cape Charles, Virginia as one of  their “Best Little Beach Towns“– because it REALLY  IS !    I know, I know, that’s a non sequitur.  But Cape Charles really is the best little beach town in Virginia  and we  invite you to decide for yourself  if you agree with Southern Living and moi.  To that end,  I want to introduce you to  Cape Charles’ newest vacation rental– Seahorse  Retreat, presided over by Sindbad, the biggest, baddest, most bejeweled seahorse I’ve ever seen and his friends.

Located in the heart of the historic area, Seahorse Retreat is a second floor unit in a lovely historic brick building, circa about 1900.  Truly a cozy haven for two,  it features a beautifully decorated living room furnished with overstuffed, comfortable furniture,  dining room with seating for four and a  bedroom featuring a brand new and totally comfy king- sized bed, deliciously soft sheets, fat down type  pillows.  A  full  kitchen with dishwasher,  built-in microwave and ceramic top range completes the ensemble. ( Well, of course,  there’s  also a bathroom.  What to say about a bathroom ?   It’s there,  it works, the bathmat and shower curtain are both a seafoam color  matching the fun painting on the wall, etc. …..)  But the piece de resistance is the veranda. Step through the door onto the veranda and you enter the world of small town coastal living as on the sidewalk below,  folks are taking leisurely strolls down Mason Avenue to shops, to galleries, to restaurants,  to the beach.  Personally, I find people watching  lots of  fun !   And as the veranda overlooks  the Cape Charles harbor,  it’s perfect for relaxing at sunset,  as everything from a big yacht to a little Boston Whaler  glides  into port  at twilight from a day out on the Chesapeake Bay.  ( Boating is such hard work but someone has to do it….. )

Although Seahorse Retreat has already been booked through April, 2013, I might mention that in general, Fall really is a great time to visit the Eastern Shore so check out our other Vacation Rentals at www.blueheronva.com/vacation_rentals/ In fact,  October is one of  my favorite month here,  blue, blue skies, huge white puffy clouds, soft sea breezes, still warm but not hot, Indian Summer usually nearly until Thanksgiving.   Starting right after Labor Day things get a bit quieter but there’s still more than plenty to do.  The beach, of course,  ( that’s why it’s  the  “best little beach town”  ).  The Cape Charles town beach features sparkling, soft sand, the better to relax in a beach chair,  feet bare,  book in hand, ice cold tea in the cooler.   Tide pools for beachcombing and wading, swimming perfect further out, a long boardwalk for just strolling– just a few of the reasons why the Cape Charles beach is so great.

At the tail end of the Boardwalk you’ll find a long handsome fishing/crabbing/boat watching  pier.   Of an evening the pier is lighted and the reflections of these many small lights mirrored in the waters below, together with the  moonlight which casts a net all around, nearby channel markers blinking bright red or green,  the  lights in the homes along Bay Avenue twinkling a soft yellow in the distance, tangy air tinged with salt, all synthesized into a lovely experience.  Actually, the pier at night is really one of my favorite places in Cape Charles, quiet but with always something interesting doing on–  fish or crabs  plopping into a bucket, the very last boats of the evening steaming in to the harbor, way out on the Chesapeake Bay maybe a big cargo ship or cruise ship, lights very faint on the horizon,  passing by on its  way from  Norfolk to Baltimore, snatches of soft conversation or laughter echoing across the water.  Definitely, when you visit, do not miss a walk out on the pier in the evening.

A to Z, from antiques to zesty clam dip, there is so much to do on the Eastern Shore of Virginia it’s hard to even know where to begin.  Festivals, birding, wine trail, boating, biking, deep sea fishing, crabbing, clamming, horseback riding, kayaking, visiting museums and wildlife preserves, and the list goes on.  Within the town itself, visit the cute little shops, full of  unique gift items  or stop in at Best Nest, a favorite of mine and  the go-to place for nautical home furnishings and decorations.  Four art galleries offer a tremendous variety of  local art–  from paintings to sculptures to lovely jewelry and more, you’ll find something that cries out,  take me home, take me home with you !  Over at the Marina Village Shops you’ll find  the art studio of  Thelma Peterson, one of the Shore’s most renown painters,  famous among other things for  her paintings of the Coast Guard stations, now gone, but which long stood proud out on our off-shore  Barrier Islands.  What’s the most fun way to get to the Marina Village Shops ( and Aqua Restaurant right next door, but we’ll come to that later) ??  By golf cart, naturally.

Cape Charles is the only town I know of  in Virginia where golf carts are street-legal within the town limits. Nothing like seeing the town from the low & slow, green & lean perspective of a golf cart.  It’s easy to rent one for just a day or for your entire stay.  Of course, the reason the Cape Charles was granted this privilege was that two of the best golf courses on the East Coast are located on the Eastern Shore, the  Bay Creek  18 hole Arnold Palmer and 18 hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses. So if you’re a golfer, a great treat is in store because although these fabulous  courses are private, for a limited time the public can pay greens and cart fees to play them.

And then there is our regional food and wine, led by fine dining at Aqua Restaurant whose seafood is second to none.  Located at Marina Village Shops, Aqua is right on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.  Dinner at Aqua at sunset is a mighty fine thing and you won’t want to miss it or their luscious crab cakes and Eastern Shore style clam chowder.   Clear at the other end of the spectrum is The Shanty,  located right on the new marina in Cape Charles’ harbor.  Brand new and a replica of the old-fashioned crab shacks of old,  The Shanty is the place for steamed Chesapeake Bay hard shell blue crabs- order by the half or full dozen. Served with corn on the cob and an excellent cole slaw plus a roll of paper towels to mop up the juices,  the crabs are the star of the show.  And they offer a mighty fine grilled burger as well.  Another favorite is Kelly’s Pub, owned by Gene Kelly who offers great pub food all the time, live music most week-ends and absolutely the Shore’s best  St. Paddy’s  Day menu. Slainte’.

So if you’re looking for a terrific vacation spot, away from the “bright lights-loud music” crowd, consider  Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Call us at 757-678- 5300  about a weekly vacation rental for next year at cozy Seahorse Retreat in historic downtown Cape Charles.  Now taking  bookings  for availability starting May 1, 2013. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134  Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)

Little City By The Sea- Lunch In Wachapreague, VA

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

Wachapreague, Virginia, AKA  “Flounder Capitol of the World”,  AKA  “Little City By The Sea”, is also the home to  the  Island House Restaurant,  one of  Virginia Eastern Shore’s most picturesque waterfront dining spots.  Located on our seaside, along  the salty banks of  a deep inlet from the Atlantic Ocean,  not far from some colorfully named towns like Horsey, Painter and Modest Town, Wachapreague is a tiny Victorian-era  town.  Tiny as in population 232 per  the last census.  Although it’s  known East Coast-wide  for superb  fishing and its super-popular annual “Marlin Catch and Release”  tournament,  for my husband,  its main claims  to fame  are  the fabulous crabcakes and elegantly presented , fresher than fresh, soft shell crabs served at the Island House.

Which brings us to last Sunday, a  sunny and warm but not too warm day, perfect for a little drive and a late lunch.  And  hubby had a hankering,  a hankering that he felt could only be satisfied by a  sauteed lightly in butter,  aromatic with “Old Bay” spice,  flecked with tiny pieces of chopped parsley,  served only when golden brown,  delicious to the very last morsel, big fat crabcake from the Island House.  Served with  the crunchiest coleslaw ever, fresh green and purple cabbage sliced paper-thin,  their creamy house slaw dressing drizzled on top, self-toss at the table,  making their coleslaw the best  around these parts.  And who was I to deny such a hankering,  I who could so easily envision some of their  sweet potato wedges,  deeply orange, sprinkled lightly with sugar, an appetizing  aroma  wafting up from a  smidgen of cinnamon  ?    Yep, let’s do it.

The sea and seafood and the visitors who come for  same are  the lifeblood of Wachapreague, thus the little marine-oriented businesses you pass driving in on Main Street– the  bait and tackle shops, a detached garage converted to a colorful ocean-going kayak  shop,  a couple of  bed and breakfasts,  a quaint little general store, decorative decoys painstakingly handcarved. Down the little side streets,  a mixture of Victorian homes and traditional style cottages,  some for sale.  And along the shoreline facing Atlantic Avenue,  a busy marine railway, a large public boat ramp, a big private marina,  the smaller Town marina,  the weathered cedar-sided Coast Guard station and VIMS, the renown Virginia Institute of Marine Science,  which has pioneered so many of the state-of- the- art  clam and oyster aquaculture practices used not just in Virginia but nationwide.

And of course, smack-dab on  the inlet’s shores stands the  Island House Restaurant, tall and proud, sporting weathered cedar shingle siding, ready to delight the senses.  And not just taste but sight, smell and feel.  An al fresco lunch on one of  its multi-level waterfront decks yields not just a delicious meal but a chance to bask in the sun, soft and tangy sea breezes tickling across the skin,  fish jumping and  geese honking as they head down the inlet, boats passing to and fro as they return to or launch from the boat ramp,  shorebirds soaring and calling nearby, the  faint glitter of sand on Cedar Island far away.   We especially love the sight of  boats in the distance as they travel the narrow channel which winds through the great swaths of deep green marshland,  creating the optical illusion that  they are not really floating in water but  instead actually glide  along on the  grass itself.  This is  because, as you gaze towards the horizon, you can no longer see the blue inlet waters, only the great salt meadows of  fertile  green marsh grasses stretching on and on and on,  a truly beautiful sight, and as   boats  head back in from the Ocean they seem to be just sliding across the grass, white on green,  towards  port.  But enough about fish and geese,  boats and marshgrass,  lunch was served,  time to savor those crabcakes and sweet potato wedges.

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

Attending A Speech By The Secretary of State Turns Into A Little Adventure

Monday, May 28th, 2012

On April 3rd,  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton travelled  to Norfolk, VA  to tour  NATO’s  Allied Command Transformation headquarters and  to afterwards  deliver a policy speech at  the World Affairs Council 2012 NATO Conference Dinner held at the  Sheraton Waterside hotel.  I had been lucky enough to snag three tickets before the event was completely sold out.  WOW ,  I said to myself, as a person interested in world affairs, this is going to be really interesting and exciting  !   And so it was,  in both expected and most unexpected ways.

 

 

The first thing I decided was that the occasion was a good excuse to treat myself to a dressy new outfit.  Life on the Eastern Shore of Virginia is  wonderfully casual  and most of the time I’m  attired in a sporty pair of comfortable  cotton or corduroy chinos,  blouse or sweater.  So  I combed Macy’s and Nordstrum’s  for a zippy new outfit  to wear to the dinner,  finally found something I liked, not perfect but quite satisfactory.   Next, deciding on a plan for the day itself.   The Sheraton has a lovely dining room overlooking the water at Norfolk’s Waterside Festival Marketplace  and I thought that since the formal dinner in the ballroom would likely not be well underway until about 7:30 it would be fun to have  lunch there.  So I got the agreement of   Husband and Eldest Daughter to leave the Eastern Shore by 1:30 pm which would put us at Waterside by about 2:30 pm.  Plenty of time for a very relaxed lunch and a little walk around the promenade before the reception began at 5pm, with the Secretary’s  speech scheduled to start about 6pm.   Well,  guess who just getting  into  the shower at 1:30 ????   Not me, not Hubby…. yes, it was Eldest Daughter.  Needless to say, her tardiness  threw the entire timeline off  kilter so instead of enjoying a nice relaxing glass of wine and lunch at Waterside, watching the boats cruising up the Elizabeth  River as planned, we ended up with a fast tuna cosmo at Zeros  Sub Shop !  I won’t say more about that except that I could have bitten nails in half with my bare teeth………   And little did I know it was but  an omen of what was yet to come.

Arriving at the Sheraton, which looked grand,  flags flying, water shimmering in the background, I  pulled out my camera, took  off the lens cap, focused, depressed the shutter button and ….. nothing.  Tried again, still nothing, looked at the screen, plenty of battery life, and anyway I always carry an extra hot battery.  Oops,  a little message… no DS card inserted, then remembered that I had given my currently in-use chip to my assistant to download some property pics the previous day.  Obviously I had neglected to retrieve  it.  Now, for the first time in memory, I was at a function that I very much wanted to photograph but no way to do it !   OK,  OK,  not to panic, rummage, rummage through my camera bag for another chip because I always  carry an extra chip. Well, apparently not always because, unbelievably, not one was to be found.  Now, time to panic !   The nearest place to buy an SD chip was at least a mile away,  the car had already been whisked off  to heaven knows where by the valet parking guy, it would be at least a 30 minute ordeal to reclaim the car, run to the mall,  park,  buy the chip and get back  to the hotel.  My husband thought we should try the  Sheraton’s gift shop before leaving the hotel, so trot, trot,  fast walking to the gift shop.  And there it was,  hanging on a peg board,  all by itself,  the very last one,  wrapped in the usual impenetrable packaging,  a shiny new 4 gig SD card,  to my rescue.    The irony of all this is that I am a person who at all times, well apparently not at all  times,  has at least one extra brand new camera chip on hand because I never delete photos, I just pop in a new chip.  Only problem that day being that all the extra chips were apparently sitting in my photo case,  in my desk drawer….. back on the Eastern Shore.  ( I will leave it to your imagination to guess how many blank camera chips I now have tucked in reserve in my camera bag ! )

Because of security reasons,  all  registration for this event was on-line and the tickets were not mailed out in advance but had to  be picked up at the event.  Security for the Secretary was clearly very tight, the hotel was filled with lots of uniformed officers,  a bomb sniffing dog was on patrol and  a slew of plain clothes Diplomatic Corp Security Service types  seemed to be everywhere.   By the time we finished at the gift shop,  two lines were already forming in front of the ticket pick-up tables.  We got in line, quite a long line,  for those whose last names  began with A-K,  picture  ID’s  in hand,  ready pick-up our tickets and progress to step two which was a new line to move up the stairs, through the metal detector, complete a bag search and then on to the reception.  Kapow !  More bad news struck —  they couldn’t  find our tickets.  First,  no relaxed lunch, then no camera chip and then, NO TICKETS  !!!!!

The ticket issue was  truly serious because everyone had been advised in their confirmation email that  absolutely —  NO  ticket, NO  entry.   The World Affairs Council charge d’ affairs,  a lovely calm lady named Gabrielle  Blake  was summoned.  She re-confirmed that all three of us were on the computer print-out list of attendees,  had all the remaining envelopes  reviewed again, then had the  envelopes for the L-Z  line   searched to see if our envelope had gotten mixed up with  their batch.  No such luck….  We were asked to step out of  line and wait to see what could be done.  ( While waiting, Eldest Daughter spotted Kathy Lewis, the hugely popular and respected talk show host  from  WHRV, Norfolk’s NPR station,  went over and introduced herself.   Ms. Lewis was kind enough to pose for a picture with her.  In fact,  she was pretty funny, said she hoped that my photo  would  make her look  skinny, as like many of us, she is fighting the  Battle of  the Bulge. )

About 10 minutes later,  Gabrielle was back.  Let’s speak to the security folks,  she suggested,  see if they can waive the  “must show a ticket”  requirement  since you clearly are  on the computer attendee list.  So, trot, trot, trot over to the line by the stairs.  Gabrielle  spoke with the  guard at the bottom of the steps,  who then radioed  for his supervisor.   The supervisor came, listened to the explanation,  indicated he would be right back.  In the meantime, one other couple in the same ticketless situation was joined up with us to wait for the resolution to  the problem.   The five of us waited patiently.  In the meantime, Gabrielle had to leave  us to go deal with another issue.  Finally,  2 gentlemen from the  Diplomatic Security Service detail came down  to speak with us but they needed to also speak with  Gabrielle and get her assurances as to our bona fides.  So…… Radioing for Gabrielle, the  return of Gabrielle,  the re-check of our ID’s.  Finally, one of the Diplomatic Corp Security Service fellows came back, motioning  for  us to follow him.   Follow the leader as the 5 of us  wound behind him,  through the lobby,  around to a set of  back elevators where he zipped us up to the reception floor,  stationed us at  the head of the metal detector line.  There  we were finally processed through, then wanded,  purses searched and at long, long last,  released to begin to enjoy this special  evening.

  But was that the end of our travails ?   No indeedy, once we left the reception and moved into the ballroom to our pre-assigned table we immediately realized that one of the other people  assigned to this table had either the flu or a terrible cold, he was  just coughing almost non-stop, politely into his napkin, but much coughing none  the less.  My husband  is quite susceptible  to getting serious lung complications from respiratory aliments and I just didn’t want to take any chances.  So, off to ask if  somehow, someway, somewhere,  could someone  possibly get us moved to a different table ?   Located  a hotel manager who, after  telling  us that only Gabrielle could authorize a move to another table ,  made a quick call to her.  Like the Fairy Godmother,  Gabrielle  quickly re-appeared.  Athough I know she probably couldn’t even believe that she was dealing with yet  another issue involving us,  Gabrielle was once again  super  nice and very understanding.   Fortunately, she had 3 extra tickets ( out of  the 780 total event seats)  that she had been holding back for emergency use and so  was  able to switch us from our current table to the table designated for  those tickets.     Absolutely perfect, problem solved.

Since the tale of this mini-adventure  has stretched on and on,  with regard to the remainder  of the evening,  I shall merely say we had a great time.   Secretary Clinton’s  speech on the on-going role and importance of the transformation of NATO and its role in America’s  security was interesting and very well received.  Norfolk, VA is the important location of the Supreme Allied Command for North America for NATO and the audience was jam-packed with military, political and local dignitaries, all dressed to the nines.  Dinner afterwards was surprisingly good given that 780  guests had to be served simultaneously, kudos to the Sheraton banquet manager.  Our  other  table mates, ( nobody coughing in this group) including a fellow who previously had been commander of a  submarine,  were  quite interesting,  all and all,  a very good ending to an unexpectedly adventurous  day.

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

Eastern Shore Hospice’s 5th Annual “Corks and Forks” Fundraiser A Complete Success

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

The  Hospice and Palliative Care of the Eastern Shore  organization pulled off yet another great fundraiser party a few weeks ago.  Held once again at Aqua, a fine dining restaurant overlooking the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, VA, the party was just getting into full swing as we arrived.  The great thing about Aqua’s  as a venue for a large party like this is that it is such a beautiful building- from its  long wall of picture windows overlooking the Bay to the amazing translucent bar that appears to be a long stream of liquid gold  to  the fabulous irridescent aquamarine tile covered columns,  Aqua’s offers  terrific ambience for any event. Kudos unlimited to Dickie Foster for building this fine restaurant !

Wine glasses and plates in hand,  we began a slow circuit  of the various food stations, each seemingly with more delicous offerings than the last.  First stop, the Oyster Station.   And not just any oysters, but three wide trays of  ice,  each proudly holding a specific type of Eastern Shore VA  grown beauty.   A  tray of  fat Chincoteage oysters, a tray of salty Seaside oysters and  a tray of tender Bayside oysters,  each  plump and glistening in its briny juice,  ice-cold and with a dash of Mingonette Sauce,  ready to be downed in one great sluurrpp !   My husband loves oysters but I took a pass, concentrating instead on the accompanying sparkling wine from the Scharffenberger Winery in Mendicino, California,  which was also ice cold and absolutely luscious.

Next stop,  the Chicken Satay/Grilled Shrimp Station whose offerings were being paired with  Savigonon  Blanc.  The chicken was grilled to perfection and served with a slightly spicy Thai chili sauce on the side.  The chili sauce was quite good,  although I personally am partial to a peanut sauce with satay,  particularly a sauce made with whole peanuts freshly ground in a food processor rather than made with the chunky peanut butter called for in lots of recipes .  ( However,  if one is in a time crunch,  Smucker’s  brand Chunky Peanut Butter is a top-of-the-line substitute.)   And as my husband was quick to remind me, it’s nice to do things differently from time to time.   Although they were offering both an oaked and a steel vintage of the sav blanc,  I didn’t try either because I was working on my second taste  of the Scharffenberger’s.  It  worked perfectly with the chicken so  I figured,  if it aint broke, don’t fix it……. or some such adage.

Onward and upward to what turned out to be, side by side,  my two favorite stations of the evening.   First station offered  an Italian antipasto,  Kalamata olives, fresh mozzerella and chunks of artichoke hearts transformed  into finger food with skewers and also  mini-mini sandwiches,  styled as  “Turkey Reubens”,  wafer thin smoked turkey with a dab of cole slaw, tucked into small wedges of crusty Italian bread, very, very nice.   Next door to that tasty group was a station featuring sausage chunks atop a bed of ratatulle as well as teriyaki meatballs, both very well prepared although I would have enjoyed  a bit more of  the delicious sauce over the meatballs.  The wine paired with the meatballs and sausage was my very favorite of the night-  an aromatic red Zinfandal from the Big Sur region of  California,  Peachy Canyon Vineyard’s  “Incredible Red”, a wonderful pairing,  a wine with plenty of heft to work well with those spicy meats.

By now the sun was almost setting and we moved to Aqua’s outdoor  veranda to sit for a bit, just relax and  enjoy the sunset and the gentle breezes  blowing off the water.  It was an idylic waterfront scene,  the sun slipping deep to the west, despite the cloud cover trying to paint  the Chesapeake’s waters in pastel shades of  pinks and gold,  a few last  boats cruising in off the  Bay, heading for their marina moorings,  waves lapping at  Aqua’s soft sand beach, candles glowing golden on the tables, perfectly lovely,  absolutely.  We waited until the sun had slipped below the horizon before heading back inside for a bite at the  Dessert Station,  a brie en croute with fig preserve and house made chocolate nut clusters,  paired with a late harvest dessert wine. Yummy !  From there, off to peruse the display  of  the  many donated  “Silent Auction” items.

“Corks and Forks” is an important  fund-raiser for Hospice with proceeds going to its Fragile Hearts Children’s Grief Camp,  a camp to be held at YMCA’s Camp Silver Beach this year for children dealing with grief and loss, a truly worthy cause.   And funds are raised not just through the ticket sales  but also through the donations of various items from local artists and the local business community to be sold at the Cork and Fork’s   “Silent Auction”.  This year the prime objets d’ art were  paintings  by well-known local artists  Willie Crocket,  Thelma Peterson and Clelia Sheppard and a ceramic  by Vesna Zidovec.  Other donated items included various types of gift baskets,  getaway packages, concert tickets, jewelrey and  sculpture.   All in all,  something for everyone to be interested in.  The countdown to the end of the auction was lively, with folks darting to enter their latest bids on their favorite items.  Some disappointed sighs were heard  the winners were announced but all in all,  loads of fun for everyone.  This post would not be complete without mentioning the music by the Russell Scarborough Jazz Trio.  I am a big fan of jazz and these three guys can really get down, they are wonderful and added a great deal to this delightful evening,  chalk up another winner by the Eastern Shore Hospice organization !

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

The Wearing O’ The Green- Four Great Eastern Shore Picks For Authentic Irish Food On St. Paddy’s Day

Monday, March 12th, 2012

Well, it’s rolling  around again- another St. Paddy’s Day celebration coming up.   Although my ancestors were primarily Norwegian and German,  I really love  Irish music and dancing.  And definitely enjoy some of the traditional Irish foods.   Fortunately, some authentic  Irish food is  served here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.   When I was a girl, about 100 years ago,  my parents sometimes watched the Lawrence Welk show on Saturday evenings.  I would never have admitted it to my friends, it would have been soooo  not cool,  but I loved his Irish tenor, Joe Feeny,  who would often sing  beautiful Irish songs.  Joe could really hit those high notes !   My favorite was  his rendition of  “Danny Boy“,   which I hoped might find on YouTube, but no such luck.   So I’ll have to settle for Feeny’s  performance of Galway Bay   as  my official 2012 St. Patrick’s Day song.

Now that the music has been designated,  time to decide where to enjoy an authentic Irish dinner.   Fortunately,  Virginia’s Eastern Shore has  at least four excellent restaurant choices that I know of,  scattered geographically from Cape Charles VA  to Onancock, VA to partake of  foods traditional to the Emerald Isle.

Cape Charles:

Kelly’s  Gingernut Pub located at 133  Mason Avenue in the heart of the Cape Charles historic area.  Call for reservations at 757-331-3222.  As one may have guessed, the Kellys are Irish and there’s a big shebang every March 17th– big !  Irish music will be played all day long and there will be a live band starting about 9pm on the night.  Kelly’s will be serving among other traditional dishes,  corned beef and cabbage,  Sheppard’s Pie  as well as  Bangers and Mash with their delicious gravy.  Guinness of course, plus  Kelly’s also serves a very tasty Irish coffee,  the secret of which is to not stir after the heavy cream has been added.     SLA’INTE’     www.kellysgingernutpub.com

Nassawadox:

Machipongo Clam Shack–  Located at  6468  Lankford Hwy.,  Nassawadox, VA . Call 757-442-3800  for reservations. Even though the  name doesn’t sound too Irish  let’s not forget that the Irish have a lot of coastline and traditionally eat a lot of seafood- i.e., cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O.  And Machipongo Clam Shack’s chef  has a tradition of preparing traditional ethnic food for various holidays.   Definitely corned beef and cabbage will be on their menu and live music will be on their  stage from 6-8pm on St. Patrick’s Day.    SLA’INTE’  AGUS   TA’INTE’  !    www.thegreatmachipongoclamshack.com

Belle Haven:

The ESO Art’s Center in Belle Haven is sponsoring ” A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration”.   Located at  15293 King Street, Belle Haven. Call for reservations 757-442-3226.   A traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner will be served starting at 6pm.  Starting at 7:30 pm,  the Celtic Band, the Leigheas,  will be playing live Irish music.   www.esoartscenter.org Should be loads of fun for all ages !    GO   N-EIRI   AN   T-ADH  !

Onancock:

The Blarney Stone Pub– Located at 10 North Street, Onancock. Reservations at 757-302-0300.  Blarney Stone is a traditional Irish Pub and never more so than on St. Paddy’s Day.   Try a O’Caseydilla, a Great McGruff sandwich, an Emerald Isle salad, a  Pot O’ Gold  starter,  or maybe a Mick Burger or the Irish Fisherman dinner.  Definitely Bangers and Mash and Sheppard’s Pie on tap for St. Paddy’s Day.   CEAD  MILE  FA’ILTE     www.blarneystonepubonancock.com

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

Valentine’s Day 2012 On The Eastern Shore of Virginia– Some Dining Possibilities

Friday, February 10th, 2012


 

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so if you want to take your “Babe” out to a special dinner,  it’s  time to spring into action and make those reservations !   Or if you’re  cooking him or her a special meal,  time to decide on the menu.  There are lots of great places  to choose from for a romantic dinner here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore— everybody seems to be having  some wonderful specials for this upcoming  occasion.  Here are a few of our favorite picks:

In or very close to the town of Cape Charles:

Aqua’s Restaurant,  located next to the Bay Creek Marina.  Overlooking the Chesapeake Bay with gorgeous waterviews, very romantic indeed.  Starting  Friday  February 10th through February 14th,  Aqua is offering  a special Valentine menu  which includes a shared appetizer, soup or salad,  an entree and a shared dessert priced at $65.00 per couple.  Lots of choices including  Steak Dianne and a vegetarian entree. For reservations call 757-331-8660.

Kelly’s Gingernut Pub– Located in a renovated bank building  on Mason Avenue,  Kelly’s offers  a fun atmosphere and great food, a favorite of locals.  For Valentine’s,  Kelly’s is offering several specials including grilled Australian lamb with mushroom rissotto  and  blackened Pacific salmon with goat cheese mashed potatoes.  Desserts include chocolate dipped strawberries and  a special Creme’  Brulee.  Yum ! For the full  special menu and for reservations, call 757-331-3222. www.kellysgingernutpub.com

Sting Ray’s–  Also known as “Chez Exxon”,  Sting Ray’s is located in a big red barn- like building right on Route 13   just a few minutes south of Cape Charles.  But don’t be fooled by the rustic exterior– written up by Southern Living magazine,  Sting Ray’s offers delicious seafood and some of the best home style southern BBQ ever !  For Valentine’s  they are offering Lobster Thermador  for just $15.99.  A  petite filet mignon and their famous Crab Imperial is also on the menu.  For the full menu, call 757-331-250. www.cape-center.com

In the town of Eastville:

The historic Eastville Inn, a lovely building which dates back to the early 1770’s,  will be re-opening  on February 8th.  For Valentine’s,   the Inn will be offering a special menu including Surf and Turf  with appetizer, salad, entree and dessert for $59.95 per couple.  Call for details and reservations at  757-678-5270.

In the town of Onancock:

Mallard’s on the Wharf–  A cozy waterfront restaurant located in the historic Hopkins Store  right on the Onancock Harbour overlooking the colorful Onancock Creek inlet.  Especially gorgeous at sunset with boats heading in and out from the Chesapeake Bay,  Mallard’s is home to  Johnny Mo,  ” The Singing Chef “.  This year Mallard’s is offering  “Valentine’s  Dine and Demo”  where Chef  Mo demonstrates  the preparation of  the exact four course menu being prepared in the kitchen.  Johnny Mo recently returned from a stint as a guest chef in Jamaica  so the dinner theme  is Jamaican but the special menu details will not be available for a day or two.  Call for reservations and more details -757-787-8558. www.mallardsllc.com

Inn and Garden Cafe’–  A luscious sounding  five course meal starting with an appetizer of  that famous aphrodisiac, Oysters Rockefeller,  followed by Cream of Leek soup,  followed by Goat Cheese with arugula and a Cranberry reduction, an entree of FiletMignon with Lobster Thermidor and, for dessert, Creme’  Brulee infused with Grand Mariner.  Wow,  sounds scrumptious,  priced at $45. per person. Call 757-787-8850 for reservations. www.theinnandgardencafe.com

 

The Charlotte Hotel– As usual, an Oh so very cleverly designed menu with lots  of delicious choices including an appetizer of  heirloom cheddar tartlett with sweet pepper escabeche,  a wild mushroom stuffed breast of chicken with gorgonzola and red wine risotto and a warm cherry tart with almond ice cream,  all items priced a la carte.  For reservations call 757-787-7400.  www.thecharlottehotel.com – their Valentine menu can be viewed on-line.

Planning to cook for your honey at home ?  Haven’t decided on a menu yet,  maybe use a little help, a few suggestions  ?   Click on www.splendidtable.publicradio.org  on Sunday, Feb 12th  and they will have their Valentine menu and recipes ready to download.  Splendid Table,  heard here locally at noon on Sundays on NPR,  bills itself as ” the show for  people who love to eat “, which  pretty much describes everyone in my family,  including moi.  Not only does  Splendid Table  feature great interviews with a wide and diverse variety of folks involved with food,  including chefs, farmers, vintners, cookbook authors, etc., etc.,  it  also offers wonderful recipes  and suggestions for jazzing up old recipes,  on-air and on the website.  Last year I cooked their Valentine entree — Feast for Lovers–  roasted pork tenderloin with black olives and orange.  It was scrumptious and my husband also loved the leftover pork sliced for a sandwich the next day.  If you’re cooking but don’t want to bake,  call the Corner Bakery, 757-757-4820. They are featuring  a melt-in-your-mouth heart-shaped  cake for 2 and also giant chocolate covered strawberries.  Yellow Duck  Bakery Cafe’ , 757-442-5909 also has wonderful sweets for your Valentine sweetie as does Kate’s Kupboard  757-442-7437,  Kate’s is also home to some totally awesome dinner rolls.

So make your reservation,  grab your Honey by the hand,  say “I’ve  got you,  Babe”  and have a  wonderful, wonderful  Eastern Shore Valentine’s  dinner. 

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

ttp://youtu.be/EUtofZzEnbA

 

On The Eastern Shore of Virginia, January 1, 2012 Dawned Auspiciously Bright And Beautiful

Friday, January 6th, 2012

There may have been  blizzards  raging across other parts of the US  but here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, January 1, 2012 dawned as a bright and beautiful day which,  ever the optimist,  I took as a sign of good things to come for our area this year !   And it was particularly auspicious for our plans for the day which were to go to Williamsburg  for brunch and a walk  through the  historic area before they take down the Christmas decorations in Colonial Williamsburg’s Restored Area.   Clear blue skies, temps forcast for the mid-60’s — who could ask for anything more for a New Year’s Day stroll  down cobblestone streets in the historic area, a living museum harkening  back to the early 1700’s  ?

Setting off about 11 am, we breezed right along.  Views  from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge were spectacular, water shimmering in the morning sun, seemingly thousands of seabirds out to greet the New Year, soaring gaily above the Bridge, calling to their fellow revelers,  diving for a  fine fishy feast for the holiday.  Out on Rt. 64 west, the roads were nearly traffic free, likely thanks to the ever-popular Rose Bowl parade and we made excellent time, arriving at the luxurious  Williamsburg Inn well in advance of our 1 pm brunch reservation so we took a moment to just sit and relax,  soaking up some sun outdoors on the Inn’s peaceful back patio overlooking  the golf course.

The Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn is a truly beautiful dining room, filled with soft light streaming in from a full wall of windows running along one entire side, beautifully decorated , lovely and quiet,  just a wonderful restaurant to celebrate the arrival of the New Year,  a  surprise treat from my very thoughtful husband.   But they really outdid themselves with a spectacular brunch buffet,  a true foodie’s delight.   After ordering a bottle of Virginia wine, a  Barboursville  Chardonay, we set off for  the Cold Salads Station where my husband helped himself to some Eastern Shore oysters on the half shell, salty and flavorful, straight from our pristine waters, shucked before his very eyes, while I sampled the marinated shrimp, perfectly chilled,  a smige of Ceasar salad and a tiny wedge of Stilton cheese.   There were so many delicious hot offerings at the Hot Foods Station I had to circle  around twice before I could decide on what to try first whereas hubby loves breakfast and opted right off the bat for  a  slice of  the shrimp, scallop and sausage fritatta, some eggs benedict served with choron sauce and the  grilled fingerling potatoes with carmalized onions.

     

Following  the long-time  southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck,  I started with some black-eyed pea and ham chowder, smoky and delicious,  followed by 3 cheese ravioli in a sauce of oyster mushrooms, a slice of  breast of duck and a slice of cold prime rib, sliced paper-thin, served with with horseradish cream, all  accompanied by a salad of wild greens and spinach dressed with a luscious vinaigrette,  everything pairing well with our chardonay.   Hubby was back at the Cold Salads Station for another little bit of the  Scottish smoked salmon, which he declared “the best I ever ate” and some of the  Caesar salad.  For my final go-round ( before dessert),   I visited the elaborate Carving Station, opting  for a thin slice of beef  fillet, piping hot, rare and juicy,  along with some of the roasted potatoes.   Even though we  had been taking care  to only have very small tastes of everything, we were both getting pretty full.  But…… I never miss a wonderful dessert if I can help it so I just had to visit the Crepe Station for one of the little crepes, made while you watch, topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of rich caramel sauce.  And I did save room for what I was pretty sure would be the piece’ de resistance,  the Bananas Foster.  Was I right or was I right ??    Expertly wielding  an omelet pan,  Chef’s assistant  Michael Ellis made the best Bananas Foster that I have ever had,  possibly  that I may ever have,  a supreme combination of  banana slices, spices, sugars and rum  flaming nearly to the sky and then dying down into a simmering ambrosial concoction, poured over a creamy scoop of rum raisin ice cream,  the perfect end to a very special  meal.

And then,  off  for our stroll through the historic area, an absolute necessity after all those  Regency Room calories !   For those not familiar with the Colonial Williamsburg  historic  area,  it is the amazing restoration and re-construction of  many of the most important buildings that existed in Williamsburg during the Colonial era including  the Capitol building, the Governor’s Palace and the Bruton Parish Church.  As the capitol of  colonial Virginia, Williamsburg  was a well-known and very important city,  really the center of  commerce and government of the colony as well as the location of most respected college of that era,  the College of William and Mary,  alma mater of  George Washington and  Thomas Jefferson,  among its many  famous graduates.  In the early 1930’s,  John D. Rockefeller and his wife created the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation  ( www.history.org ) , whose mission was and is to re-create a Colonial era town and educate visitors about life in that period, to be in effect a living museum for  that period of American history.   Re-enactors work and dress in contumes  of the period and speak to visitors about Colonial customs, all of  which is always a lot of fun.  Holiday traditions of the era are observed which is how the door and window decorations of  Williamsburg have come to be so famous.

     

Virtually every  house in the Restored Area is decorated by a  wreath made  only of material which would have been available and used by residents of that time.  Boxwood, cedar and pine woven into roping,  decorated with fruits, seed pods, plant materials, shells, cloth, etc.  which are the allowable materials for the beautiful wreathes desplayed each year in the Foundation’s  blue ribbon door contest.  Numerous books and articles have been written on how to make a Williamsburg style natural wreath, no plastics, no doo-dads,  just raw materials straight from Mother Nature,  fashioned into a festive, eye pleasing decoration.  It’s  such an easy drive from the Eastern Shore to  Williamsburg and we try to come every year  during the holiday season to see the decorations,  usually eating  in one of the authentic period taverns which serve a menu of 1700’s holiday fare. Sunday happened to be a day when all the horse drawn carriages, elegant reproductions which according to one of the drivers were handmade in Austria ( except for the wheels,  which are fashioned by  Colonial Williamsburg’s very own wheelwright) and cost in the vacinity of $250,000 apiece.  That’s a pretty steep price but  they are truly gorgeous and a 15 minute ride for 4 people costs about $15/ person so it doesn’t take too many years to amortize the investment.  At any rate, there’s  always something new to see in Williamsburg and its   a wonderful way to kick off a brand new year .

   

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

“Echoes Of The Past”– The 16th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner In Cape Charles, VA

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Every year for the last decade and a half, the Northampton County VA Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a wonderful holiday event– the Holiday Progressive Dinner in Cape Charles, VA  (although the 2010 Dinner was held in Eastville, VA ).   This delightful event features a “soup-to-nuts”  meal progressively served at about 10 historic  Victorian homes and sites throughout the town.   The Chamber outdid itself this year by including  even more entertainment — seven theatrical vignettes recreating a visit in 1886 to Cape Charles by US  President Grover Cleveland  were added to the normal fare of excellent food and musical entertainment. Eldest Daughter, Middle Daughter,  a friend and I had tickets for the earliest group, the “Santa Group”,  with a kick-off  time of 3:30 at  Art’s Enter’s Palace Theater.  There we received our red badges, programs and started off with the evening’s first appetizer, a chili-glazed beef  kabob with Virginia peanut dipping sauce.   Then, a quick and easy walk  to Site # 2, the Bay Creek Railway Car, a fully restored vintage car originally used between 1915 and 1940’s, where  Vignette # 1 began,  a  cordial conversation between Alexander Cassatt  ( brother to the famous painter, Mary Cassatt) and Wm. Scott, founder of Cape Charles, as they prepared  to board for a railroad  trip from Cape Charles to New York.   Then,  boarding the railway car ourselves, we sampled our second appetizer, a rich Scottish smoked salmon with tomato aioli and creme fraiche, served on dill focaccia,  prepared by Aqua Restaurant.  Although I am not a huge fan of smoked salmon, this was moist and melt-in-the-mouth luscious, a 4 star.

Next,  a walk to the fully restored vintage 1950’s ranch home on Monroe Avenue owned by Tom and Kathy Bonadeo for the pasta course. a pasta primevera in alfredo sauce, prepared by Little Italy Restaurant.  The pasta was accompanied by sparkling cider or nice local wines from Holly Grove Vineyards in Franktown,VA   and the very pleasant musical entertainment by Sarah Scott, flautist.

From there  we were off to another home on Monroe Avenue, the well-known Kellogg House, a Flemish bond brick Colonial Revival, definitely one of the finest homes ever built in Cape Charles. Vignette # 2, starring Blue Heron’s own David Kabler,  told the story of  the exciting news of President Cleveland’s impending visit. Afterwards, a broth-based vegetable crab soup prepared by Machipongo Clam Shack was served,  piping hot and very tasty, quite welcome after our little jaunts around town.

Off next to  the newly opened Fig Street Inn,  located at the corner of Tazewell Avenue and Fig Street.   Originally built by one of Cape Charles’ prominent families, the Wilson family, owners of the town’s first department store, this home is located on land purchased from the estate of Cape Charles founder, Wm. Scott. The house needed substantial renovation when purchased by the current owners and they have done a marvelous job, it looks just resplendent  dressed in its holiday finery.  The Vignette here starred  Trina Veber  ( AKA Mrs. Santa from the Grand Illumination presentation) and  Linda Spence,  society ladies getting ready to meet their husbands and hear more news about President Cleveland’s  Cape Charles visit.  Afterwards,  a salad course of mixed greens with almonds, feta and cranberries was served, tossed with a tangy apple cider dressing,  everything crisp and tasty, prepared by the Exmore Diner, an Eastern Shore landmark.

From the Inn, a quick walk  up Tazewell Avenue to the home of  Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dougherty, built on land purchased directly from  Wm. Scott in 1883.  This lovely home still retains one of the original hitching posts remaining in Cape Charles and lo and behold,  a real live horse, a miniature, was hitched there, quietly nibbling at the grass and in general ignoring all the fuss around it.  Wines from Chatham Vineyards, a fine local winery, were served with a trio of cheeses and apple  slices in a pretty presentation  from  Gull Hummock Gourmet Market, located in in downtown Cape Charles,  after the Vignette which featured  Thomas Dixon and Wm. Fitzhugh, both prominent in Cape Charles society, planning a hunting trip out to our Barrier Islands which would likely include President Cleveland.

And a zip-zip across the street brought us to the beautiful Tazewell Avenue 1920’s home of  Mr. and Mrs. John Schulz. Mr. Schulz , a former Navy pilot, employee of Voice of America and foreign correspondent has many unique art pieces from around the world which he was kind enough to expound upon for our group.  After a tour of the home we were treated to music of the season played by the dynamic duo of  Malcolm, on violin,  and Carol Russ, on accordion.  It’s always a treat to be nearby when Malcolm and Carol play.  ( In fact,  they added greatly to the ambiance of  Blue Heron’s period- attire party aboard the tall ship Kalmar Nychol this past June. )  The  entree’ was served here,  a succulent  presentation of braised duck in a port wine reduction accompanied by goat cheese mashers and asparagus spears,  expertly prepared by Kelly’s  Pub located on Mason Avenue in historic downtown Cape Charles.

And last but not least,  dessert at Heyward Hall,  individual apple rum cakes, expertly  prepared by Amy B. Catering,  served with aromatic coffee brewed by the Eastern Shore Coastal Roasting Co., both enjoyed while being entertained by the mellow harmony of  Eastern Shore’s own  Acclaim Barbershop Quartet.  And then who should stride out on the stage to deliver a strong  “thank-you for your hospitality” speech ??   You guessed it,  the final Vignette of the evening featured President Grover Cleveland  congratulating the gathered Cape Charles citizens on their vision and foresight in developing the railroad and planning for the new steamer which would carry passengers and rail cars across the Chesapeake Bay.   With that speech, the  2011 Progressive Dinner Tour concluded for the “Santa Group” although about 10 or so later groups, presumably named after his reindeer, were wending their way through.   It was a lovely night, the food was great, as was the entertainment– and we managed to work off  at least a few calories as we strolled from site to site on a beautiful December’s evening.

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