Virginia's Eastern Shore's Location On The Eastern Seaboard
One of the nice things about living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia is how easy it is to go elsewhere. Sort of an oxymoron thought process– it’s good to be here so I can go elsewhere. But it’s true ! Virginia’s Eastern Shore is actually within a half day’s drive of many of the great spots on the East Coast, it’s the perfect place to buy a property which is a home base for get-a-way trips to lots of exciting events and places. About six hours from my office door to emerging from the Holland Tunnel onto Canal Street in Manhattan.. .. dim sum in Chinatown is calling to us. ( And we love the roast pork buns and coconut buns at Maria’s Bakery on Mott Street. ) About three hours to Charlottesville and the beautiful vistas of the Blue Ridge mountains and some of Virginia’s finest wineries ( www.monticellowinetrail.com ). About four hours to Baltimore, site of Inner Harbor and its fabulous aquarium and of course, Annapolis is nearby. And let’s not forget about Virginia’s Golden Triangle, the historic towns of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, so close, only an hour and a half away ( www.historictriangle.com ), always lots of interesting things going on there. Over the Christmas holidays we nearly always visit Colonial Williamsburg ( www.history.org ) to enjoy the bonfires, fife and bugle corps , the nightly Illumination of the Christmas Tree, the stunning all -natural decorations, topping it off with a fabulous dinner at the Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn.
Moonlight Illuminates The U.S. Capitol and The Festival Tents
I could wax on and on about places to visit within a half day’s drive but this post is supposed to be about going to the 2010 National Book Festival. www.loc.gov/bookfest/ This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Festival, held annually in Washington D.C., sited out on the National Mall, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress. It will be the second time we have attended, having had a marvelous time at last year’s Festival we are really looking forward to going again. I had learned about the Festival some years ago but as September is a busy month in real estate, it’s really a difficult time to get away for several days. But last summer when I read about the 2009 Festival, so many authors, fiction and non-fiction, that I truly love and admire were scheduled to appear that it was simply impossible not to go ! ( Actually, once I discovered that Ken Burns, John Irving and John Grisham would be there, speaking and autographing their books, I can assure you that wild horses couldn’t have dragged me away. ) Irving’s novels, especially Garp, Owen Meany and Cider House, have long been favorites. ( Couldn’t really get into Son of the Circus but I met a fellow while standing in the long, long Irving book signing line who thought it was his best work and had re-read it six times. So I’m going to give it another shot this winter.) And who doesn’t like John Grisham — his work is so popular that he must be a multi- billionaire by now ! My husband and I both admire Ken Burns and so I toted four copies ( one for us, three for gifts ) of Burns’ then brand new National Parks book to be autographed — trust me when I say that after standing for almost two hours in his book signing line, ( in a light drizzle, no less, thank Heaven I brought those little yellow rain ponchos ), those four copies of National Parks seemed to weigh four hundred pounds and my arms had stretched four feet. ( I know it is better to give than to receive but the three people who got a signed Ken Burns book for Christmas owe me a new arm. )
The 2010 National Book Festival Poster
At any rate, the 2009 Festival, which was a two day event, also featured acclaimed authors Nicholas Sparks, Lee Childs and Daniel Silva (both of whom I particularly enjoy ), Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Judy Blume, Sue Monk Kidd, Jon Meachum ( whose book American Lion I had just finished reading ) and Gwen Ifill, the excellent moderator of PBS’ Washington Week, plus many other novelists, poets and non-fiction writers. About a thirty-fecta of literary talent, all in the very same place on the very same week-end. Can you believe it ??? Thank-you, Library of Congress !! Anyone who truly loves books and reading can appreciate the real thrill of attending the 2009 National Book Festival and seeing, hearing speeches by and getting books autographed by some of ones favorite authors . So although, for me, the 2010 Festival doesn’t have the same star power, my husband and I, a daughter and a friend are all looking forward to leaving the Eastern Shore, making that easy trip to spend the week-end in Washington DC and hearing Ken Follett, Scott Turow, Anchee Min, Michelle Norris of NPR and David Remnick speak and getting them to autograph their books for us — and yes, I’m thinking Christmas as well. ( A signed, first edition copy of a book by the giftee’s favorite author makes a great Christmas present, especially when it comes with the story of how the giftor stood in line forever in the sun/rain/dark of night, feet aching, just to get it autographed especially for them. ) So let’s hear it for books, authors and the brick and mortar book stores like Barnes and Nobles and Borders who hold the world within their four walls ! And let’s hear it for living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, so centrally located that a whole other lifestyle dimension is opened by the ease with which you can get away to so many other places ! Applause, applause, applause, ad infinitum !