Snow Schmo

Well the blizzard of 2009 put a small damper on Dee's winter trip schedule. She missed DREAMGIRLS and Italian dining at Cinghiale, but I plowed through and made it( just barely) to Cheestique!

Cheesetique is located on Mount Vernon Ave. in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandra, VA. I love Alexandria and Del Ray is so quaint. Mount Vernon Ave. is a strip of mostly small restaurants and Cheesetique is a wine and cheese shop located in the middle of all the small town action.

Cheesetique has a variety of well organized wine, cheeses, and meats and they also serve food(sandwiches and such.) The BEST part about Cheesetique is their wine and cheese classes held 3 or 4 time a month.

The class that I attended was the wine and cheese pairing class. We sampled a variety of 6 or 7 wines and several cheeses. The staff is highly knowledgeable and I loved how they vividly described the different wines and explained how they are made.

I highly recommend visiting Cheesetique if you live in the MD, DC, VA area. My friends and I are already discussing when to venture to the next class. The cool thing about the owner, Jill Erber, is that she has a new class theme for each month so Cheesetique classes will be different every month. Oh and don't forget to take some goodies home with you as the shop is open after the classes. My family enjoyed the wine and stinky cheese I brought home. Thanks Cheesetique for a terrific start to the holiday!

Suzanne

Photo Courtesy of http://www.cheesetique.com/

Baltimore Holiday Spectacular & Friendly Farm Restaurant

Baltimore MD is one of my favorite places to visit especially during the Christmas holiday season! There aint nothin honey like visiting the 34th street Christmas lights and Cafe Hon to get me in the spirit!

This year I am taking my group to the Baltimore Pops Holiday Spectacular. No matter which season it may be, the Pops never dissappoint!

For dinner, we will be going to the Friendly Farm Restaurant in Upperco MD. The restaurant is in a farm house that was established in 1959. All the food is served family style. After dinner we will do some shopping at the farm's gift shop and country store.

Stay posted to see how goes and for my Sunday review of the Broadway show DREAMGIRLS at the Hippodrome and dinner at Cinghiale in Baltimore.
Photos courtesy of http://www.bsomusic.org/ & http://www.friendlyfarm.net/

Country Christmas Day 9

Day 9- Touring Kruger Toy & Train museum in Wheeling and heading to my Alma Mater, Fairmont WV. Lunch at Muriale's 32 yr old family owned and operated Italian restaurant. Click here to read more about the history of the restaurant and to see all the awards they have won! Great service, great atmosphere, and great food!

Back to DC!!! So glad to be home. Besides a few disappointments, the Country Christmas Tour went extremely well. If I had to pick my favorite part of the trip... I'd have to choose the Biltmore estate. The estate is a must for any season! The Biltmore should be on everyones 'bucket list.'

Next up... relax and prepare for holidays with family. Stay posted for two more holiday day trips to Baltimore MD.

Photo courtesy of http://www.toyandtrain.com/

Country Christmas Day 7&8

Wonderful, Wild, Wheeling, West Virgina

Day 7&8- Spa Spa Spa, Yes Yes Yes pleeeeeease! Oglebay's Resort is where were staying and they have a new spa. The resort is beautifully decorated and newly renovated! Escape here to upscale and intentionally rustic/elegant suites. The resort supports the town and is great for all seasons especially outdoor activities such as hiking in the summer. Great vacation spot, we'll definitely visit here again!

Dinner was buffet style and it was really good for a buffet. The entertainment was a baby grand piano player. He was excellent and all of this took place at the Wilson Lodge in the resort.

Festival of Lights guided tour was spectacular. Unbelievably, kids from high schools in the area design and set up this phenomenal light display in the 3,000 acre National Park. The high school kids are so talented that they are used as guides for other light festivals. Every year they design and set up new light displays in the park! The gift shops at the resort are very nice too, a must see/shop if you have time. The Oglebay mansion is a self guided tour and beautifully decorated by all community volunteers. What a great community here in Wheeling!

Young Chef and Owner Dave Wohlfeil owns the hoppin Metro Citi Grille and it deliciouso! There is no website for the place because its under construction and I cannot believe I found this hidden treasure because its definitely off the radar; however its a Wheeling favorite!!! 30 % of people in Wheeling are sadly unemployed, but Metro Citi Grille is busy as busy can be! The risotto and blue cheese pan seared snapper was to die for and the steaks were amazing!

The Legendary Wheeling Jamboree is re-opened so the theatre should generate lots of money and jobs for the community. Jerry Seinfeld is visiting Wheeling soon to perform at the Jamboree theatre! I hope he enjoys Wheeling, WV as much as this girl!!!

Photos courtesy of http://www.oglebay-resort.com/

Country Christmas Day 5&6

Renfro Valley, Kentucky... Country to the Core!

Day 6- Kentucky artisan center was beautiful and full of mountain made crafts, but it was very very very expensive! Lunch at the Grille was a very a nice and quick Cafe style set-up. Perfect!!!

Renfro Valley Village Mountain Gospel was beautiful, if you could picture the best church worship service you've ever been to, this would be that times 10.

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame was small but interesting, we learned much about country music history. Renfro Valley is a very very poor area. However; the people made money off of their country music. They sang out of barns and that's how they generatined followers and money. I have so much admiration and respect for country music and it's roots after visiting this museum!

Dinner was at Renfro Valley's historic lodge's Bordin' House restaurant for some home cookin. Unfortunately, the food was really bad and the gift shops were terrible, worse than a dollar store!

The Christmas in the Valley Show was original and they had children cloggers that stole the show!

The whole experience of Renfro Valley brings you back in time to the very roots of country music. I would do this trip again, but instead of the Boardin' House for dinner, I would do dinner at Berea College. Click here to read about the university where students work to pay their tuition, its such an awesome program!

Photos courtesy of http://www.renfrovalley.com/

Country Christmas Day 3&4

Day 3- Gaylord Opryland Resort, dinner at Water's Edge Marketplace for their international and Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Grand Old Opry House.

Dee is actually disappointed about this day in Tennessee. The premium rooms were not up to par. The bathrooms were dirty. Her word not mine, "I will definitely stay somewhere else next time!"

The international buffet felt like a herd of cattle because there were so many people! The Christmas spectacular was NOT comparable to the show in New York, so if you have ever seen the show in New York you will be highly disappointed with the Grand Old Opry House show.

Overall, Dee would not return back to the Opryland Resort! That's why we do this people so you don't make the same mistakes! Do not follow the bus to the Gaylord Opryland Resort and save your money honey!

photo courtesy of http://www.gaylord-opryland-resort.com/

Country Christmas Day 2

It's only day two and I am already missing Dee!!! I am glad everything is going smooth on the tour and her group is having a blast! She called last night to check on my grandaddy and to update me on her country adventure.

Day 2- Asheville Trolley Tour, Lunch in historic Hendersonville NC, Biltmore Christmas Candlelight Tour and Candlelight dinner at Stable Cafe.

There is so much to do and see at the Biltmore estate! The estate at Christmastime is always so incredibly breathtaking. The estate hires 40 men to place the tallest of their 40 trees(35 ft) in the mansion. They do this three times during the season to keep the Christmas tree fresh! The estate hires a full tree decorating staff to place all the mesmerizing decor on the evergreen! There are no photos or video allowed in the estate; however you have to see the sight for yourself... beauty beyond words.

Lunch in Hendersonville was fun! We found this retro soda shop called, Mike's on Main St. There is no website, but you can click here for reviews on Urban Spoon.

For dinner we went to the stable Cafe which is right on the estate property and located in, what do ya know, a stable!!! The Vanderbilt stable has all of the original brick and the food was good, not as well prepared as Savoy, but good. There chicken with Kale and Gnocchi was yum! The best part about the Stable Cafe is the ambiance and attached wine and gift shop. Another plus about the cafe is that you can see the front entrance of the estate while dining!

Leaving for Tennessee y'all. You have got to visit the Biltmore at least once in your life, truly magnificent!

Photos courtesy of www.biltmore.com

Country Christmas Day 1

Yeehaw Y'all!!!!

As you may know, Dee is not advanced enough yet in the cyber world to write her own blog, let alone blog from the road... so surprise surprise, I am blogging for her while she heads down south for a 9 day Country Christmas Tour!!!

Day 1- Asheville NC, Inn on Biltmore Estates and Dinner at Savoy

Thank heavens that the only accommodations on the Biltmore Estate is the luxurious 4 star hotel, The Inn on Biltmore Estates! Here we will experience Biltmore Estate living up close and personal with magnificant mountain views, fine dining, flawless service, and carefree transportation around the 8,000 acre estate.

"Regret nothing in matters of love and food," Eric Sheffer, proprietor

Chef and owner of Savoy restaurant and martini bar Eric Sheffer is committed to impeccable food and service at his very busy Ashville restaurant. Savoy is a must if you every travel to Ashville and reservations are a must too because Savoy is known to have a full house every day of the week! Click here to see a menu. The Fillet Mignon is melt in your mouth and all the seafood is fresh and deliciously prepared. Dee's favorite part of the meal was dessert which was the lemon cake with goat cheese cream, fresh local blueberries, and pine nut brittle, AMAZING!!!

Photos courtesy of www.biltmore.com & www.savoyasheville.com

Award Winning Hershey Hotel Sunday Brunch & Hershey Sweet Lights Tour/Hershey PA

Who says you actually have to enter the Hershey Park for a fun and exciting trip to Hershey PA??? And who says that Hershey PA is just fun for the kids??? Not I, read below and travel to Hershey PA this season to see for yourself!!!

First stop was the award winning Sunday brunch at The Hershey Hotel. In his many world travels, Milton S. Hershey noticed that the guests who did not tip well were often placed in the corners of restaurants. "I do not want any corners," he said, upon the construction of his flagship restaurant, the Circular Dining Room. (http://www.thehotelhershey.com/)
Believe me there is NO cutting corners at this fine dining establishment! The service is impeccable and the elaborate display of food is mouth watering. A favorite among my group was the chocolate bread pudding. I don't even like bread pudding and I couldn't get enough. The food is absolutely worth every morsel of the price. Click here to view the prices and the menu.

All Aboard!!! Next destination was the historical Hershey Trolley Works. We journeyed through America's sweetest town on an old fashioned trolley car. The inspirational legacy of Mr. Hershey unfolds in a unique entertainment experience. Tours depart in Hershey's Chocolate World.

On the way out of town, the tour bus drove through the Hershey Sweet Lights holiday drive-thru spectacular. The light displays were amazing and so bright. It really puts you in the holiday spirit!

Traveling to Hershey is perfect for a day trip, like the one I planned and it's perfect for a weekend too! The park has many fun attractions, but you can do adult and kid friendly activities without going into the park! I hope you make it out to Hershey before the season ends. Take the kids or go with your special someone or a friend, but whatever you do make sure to tell them your traveling with me;)

Dee

Jersey Boys National Theatre/Washington DC

"Don't worry baby," is what I sang to myself last night as I trekked to DC in the rain. Why??? I caught the evening show of Jersey Boys at the National Theatre. I saw the show in NYC with Dee and her lovely group, but no no no that wasn't enough for me!!!
Jersey Boys is my all time favorite musical documentary. The show is comical, engaging, and it's based on the true story of how Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons came to be one of the biggest American pop sensations.
John Lloyd Young won the Tony Award in 2006 for his role as Frankie Valli in NYC and honestly, no one can compare to his performance(except for the real Frankie Valli himself). However; Matt Bailey of the DC cast, stole the show in his role as, Tommy DeVito! You won't be able to, "take your eyes off of him."
Definitely go and see the show before it leaves the area in December. If you live somewhere else, click here to find a show near you! Jersey Boys is not appropriate for children; however to all the ladies out there in virtual world, this may be the only musical where your special man will stay awake! "Oh what a night!"
The New York times has a fabulous article on the musical Jersey Boys. To view, click here.
Photo Courtesy of Jersey Boys official website
Suzanne

Fiddler on the Roof/Baltimore Marriott Brunch

Last weekend, Dee took a group to have brunch at the Marriott(Baltimore Inner Harbour) and watch Fiddler on the Roof at the Hippodrome Theatre. First things first, brunch is $23.95 with champagne and mimosa's included. The service was good and the brunch is always all you can eat.

Now on to the importance of this post... Fiddler on the Roof is one of my families all time favorite musicals. I grew up in a Jewish and Italian home and musicals were a huge part of my childhood. Instead of watching cartoons, I grew up watching Bye Bye Birdie and My Fair Lady.

One of the first songs that I learned to play on the piano was, "If I were a Rich man" from Fiddler. So as one can imagine, I was very upset when I found out that my mom did not include me on this trip. So upset in fact, that I cried...

I was listening to Broadway XM Radio, a Fiddler song came on and I started to ball. My friends think I'm crazy because I called up a few of them to ask if they'd travel to Boston with me next weekend. "The show is playing there," I cried.

They were like, "ummmmmm NO."

Why am I so sad you may be asking yourself??? Well, if you love Broadway as much as I do, you may know that Topol(the main characters real name) who plays Tevye in the musical is retiring. This Tony winning Israeli is amazing and I wanted to be there for his farewell!

Now my mother, being the kind and supportive women that she is, felt terrible about not inviting me to the show. In her own words, "I was sick sitting there during the show without you" and then she proceeded to sing the words, "biddy biddy bum" while shuffling around the kitchen.

Then I gently reminded her about how she took my entire homecoming and prom wardrobe to consignment during college and I proceeded to describe the devastation that my daughters will experience when they find out "mommy" only has pictures of her special frocks!

Yesterday, I got an email from my mother in the morning, "Sue, do you want to see Dream Girls with me in December?

"No thanks," was my reply.

Luckily, I got another email from dearest Dee yesterday afternoon, "Sue, Fiddler is playing at National Theatre this winter, just saw the announcement on the website. Merry Christmas! Love, Mom"

Merry Christmas & Shalom!

Suzanne

*Photos above courtesy of France-Merrick Performing Arts Center

Brandywine Autumn Adventure

Every year I go to Brandywine Valley and it still manages to take my breath away!
For those of you who don't know Brandywine is where southern Chester co. Pennsylvania meets northern Delaware and it's only about 2 hours from Washington DC. This trip is convenient for a weekend adventure or just for the day. If your going for the day, make sure that you wake up early so that you can pack a lot in because there is so much to do and see. When you visit Brandywine you will discover natural beauty, history, art, antiques, mansions, gardens, and a unique brand of country hospitality. So as you can see, I highly recommend this trip for all seasons, but especially for the fall!

Our first stop was the Montchanin Inn for breakfast. We ate at one of their dining facilities called Krazy Kats. Krazy Kats is housed in renovated blacksmith shop. The decor is whimsical and the food is delicious! For breakfast, I recommend the buttery brioche french toast with Vermont Grade A maple syrup.

Next stop we headed north for the Brandywine River Museum . The museum exhibits American art in a 19th century gristmill (used to ground grain into flour) and is internationally known for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of the Wyeth family members. Inside the museum, you will find a fine collection of American illustrations, still life, and landscape paintings. Outside of the museum, you will see the view of the Brandywine River. Simply amazing!

Lastly, we visited Longwood Gardens for their chrysanthemums festivities. Longwood Gardens originated as the 300 yr. old home for garden lover Pierre S. DuPont. The Gardens are perfect for all seasons and all ages; however I especially love visiting in the fall for the Great Pumpkin Display, which is perfect for children and families. Make sure that when you visit the gardens you make some room for dessert. The cafe in the conservatory makes scrumptious homemade tarts!

I hope you take the time to visit Brandywine on your own. Remember you can always travel with me. I am just an email away dee.massi@pgparks.com or suzannekahn81@gmail.com. Please comment on this post if you have any questions. Happy Fall!
Dee

Catoctin Mountain & Fredrick Fun

Once again I took my mother's lovely day trip advise and this time headed to Catoctin Mt. for some hiking fun! I am not what one may call the "outdoorsy" type of gal, but I am the traveling "on a budget" type of gal.

My closest friends and I headed to Thurmont MD. where the only known landmark for an 'out of towner' is the fact that the Presidents escape (Camp David) is somewhere in the vicinity. The website for Catoctin Mountain Park is not very well organized. I actually had to call the Park Headquarters for the GPS address. Which is 14707 Park Central Rd. Thurmont MD. 21788.

The hiking trails were layed out fairly well. We chose a moderate hike to Cunningham Falls. The weather was beautiful and there were a lot of park visitors out and about. Our hike ended at the waterfall which was crowded, but pretty. Did I mention the visitor center bathrooms were clean??? Well, they were!

We would have went to a local farm for hot apple cider and fresh pears, but we were way too hungry so we headed to our next POI...

Shopping and Dunch(dinner and lunch) was in downtown Fredrick, which by the way is not the best place to go on a Sunday because a lot of the restaurants and shops are closed.

Now if you know me, you know that I am EXTREMELY picky about antique/vintage stores. If they smell funky or appear cluttered, it takes me less than 2 seconds to escape. Tiara Day was the exact opposite of a vintage nightmare. The buyers scour Europe and North America for a unique mix of glamorous and romantic new and vintage finds. My favorite budget buy was the magnets(picture above). I thought that the saying this magnet displayed, describes how I feel about the outdoors quite perfectly!
Other stores I recommend are Muse, this small shop carries everyday items with a handcrafted fresh and funky twist, Lipstick and Spurs is an urban cowgirls dream come true, Simply Beautiful is a boutique which only hosts the finest for home, baby, and self. Lastly for the campers, who would actually stay overnight in Catoctin, The Trail House on S. Market St. is sure to meet your every outdoor need!

In downtown Fredrick there's an array of food. The Washingtonian fall guide recommends, The Tasting Room(Zaggot Rated), which is closed on Sunday and little too pricey for a day trip. My mom recommends Isabella's Taverna and Tapas Bar(the Esparragos Fritos con Salsa Alioli is amazing),but are group was in the mood for something more on the hearty hiker side so we stopped by Cafe Nola (also Zaggot Rated) however; they were closed too! I would like to go back to Cafe Nola. The restaurant looked like a really laid back lunch spot.

We finally found fare at Griff's. The food wasn't outstanding, but they did have oysters and yummy crab dip so we were as happy as little clams, oh and did I mention spiced rum cider!!! Make sure you have Captain next time Griff's!!!

Overall, our day trip to Western Maryland was a success! Being with great friends makes every trip on a budget worthwhile. Love you girls! Oh and stay posted for my mom's first post on her Brandywine Autumn Adventure.
Suzanne

Trip Tip

Dee hasn't done a trip to NC in awhile. I know she has a southern trip coming up in December to visit the Biltmore Estate http://www.biltmore.com/ in Ashville NC. I am going to Charlotte this weekend to visit my daddy. My mom needs to take a group to Charlotte soon. There is so much to do! I will keep my eyes out for fun trip ideas for her while I'm there.

In-expensive Trip Tip...

Start off your weekend by going to GGG (Georgetown Gallery Gaze). Friday the 16th from 6-9 is the launch for this fall event. On the streets of Georgetown, gallery owners extend their hours to showcase the work of local artist and artisans. http://www.georgetowngallerygaze.com/.
If you want dessert and don't want to wait in a ridiculous line for a trendy cupcake, go to Thomas Sweet http://www.thomassweet.com/ for the best frozen yogurt and fudge. For the best healthy cookies and non-alcoholic beverages go to my favorite healthy fast food spot Wisey's on Wisconsin. Last time I was in there they were giving away free coupons for their cookies. No joke their chocolate chip cookies put Mrs. Fields to shame!
Suzanne

Bus Followed (Literally)

I decided to take my mom's inexpensive day trip advise and go to Shenendoah National Park. I picked up my friend with coffee and snacks in tow and had the whole day planned so that I could blog about it.

Weather Detour...

It was drizzling in MD and VA yesterday morning. As we were discussing plan B options we both looked up and the sign on the bus ahead read, "Fairfax Fall Festival October 10th" Guess where we ended up???

The annual festival was really fun! The streets were closed off and vendors galore were set up along the Main St. I loved watching the little pooches dressed up in sweaters and the little kiddies running around in face paint. The local food was yummy and the live music was pretty cool.

Of course my favorite part of the day was finding the best local artisans.

Tomboy Jewels was my fave, I mean besides a five year old, who likes jewelry that is ultra girly??? Not me, not me!!!

Eli Burnham established Tomboy Jewels http://eliburnhamdesigns.com/store.asp in 2004 and now works from home in Silver Spring MD. She showcases her work and the work of other designers at the Montgomery Farm Women's Co-op in Bethesda on Saturdays(which I love by the way) and the Eastern Market in DC on Sundays(which I double love). I also love how Eli puts her Jewelry on the ears of famous portraits! Such a neat added touch. Photo of Eli and her jewelry above by Greg Lubin http://www.jefflubin.com/.

My other favorite artist was P. Carter Carpin http://www.pcartercarpin.etsy.com/. Her originals and prints are great for a children's bedroom or a beautiful classroom(like mine). While on etsy, you mustn't leave the site without checking out my favorite artist in the world, Marley Ungaro http://www.marleyungaro.etsy.com/. Her new 2010 Hearts and Crafts calendar is so delicious!!! Great for Christmas/teacher gifts.

I was so impressed by the Fairfax fall festival that I almost went for round two in Clifton VA, for Clifton Day http://www.cliftonday.com/.

Maybe next year...

Suzanne

Product of Travel

The owner of Hudson Coffee Traders emailed me about the tea. The brand doesn't start with the letter "M", but I was close...

Harney and Sons are "local" out of Millertown, NY. They use whole tea leafs in their sachets, not leaf "dust" that is typically found in "bags" and their silk sachets are designed for optimal steeping. They are vacume wrapped to keep the oxygen out and are fresh each time they are opened.

I will never drink another brand of tea again. Thanks Hudson Coffee Traders!
http://www.harney.com/
Suzanne

Trip Ideas

A couple weeks ago I went to a beautiful wedding in the Catskills. On the way we stopped in Woodstock NY and NO the concert field is NOT in the town of Woodstock. The field is about 1 hr. and 45 min. away from the main drag.

As one can imagine, there are lots of hippy stores in town; however I was surprised to see many cute boutiques and restaurants! The lady who owned this adorable shoe boutique 'Soul Mates' told us that the actual Woodstock field was worth visiting. The museum is supposed to be awesome!

If I ever venture back to Woodstock, I would want to return to Tinker St. The boutiques, restaurants, and shops are one of a kind! Check out Sweetheart gallery http://www.sweetheartgallery.com/. They had the coolest knobs for drawers and cabinets that were handmade by TEMA. You can't find those at anthropology plus I think the pulls are actually made it Woodstock. Their jewlery and pottery was cool too.

The Gilded Carriage is another shop I would return to. A photo of the store is up above. Very unique and special kitchen/gift shop. Watch out Williams-Sonoma!

Man cannot survive on bread alone, but if you're in Woodstock you should definitly check out this local bakery http://www.breadalone.com/.

Lucky for us gals, Woodstock just happened to be having their sidewalk sale and flea market. One of the store owners said that the town has a sidewalk sale every fall and spring!

I am trying to convince my mom to do a trip there in the spring. She asked me where her group should stay and I told her to check out the Emerson Resort and Spa http://www.emersonplace.com/.

If you're going on your own or with your family, you should stay at the Full Moon Resort http://www.fullmoonresort.com/. That is where we stayed for the wedding. Full Moon is super rustic so if you're looking for that type of get-away, then Full Moon is definitely the spot!

On the way home from our weekend in the Catskills we stopped for coffee. The GPS took us to Hudson Coffee Traders in the quaint town of Kingston. Their chai tea latte was amazing. The sweet owner said that she wishes she could take credit; however the brand of tea they use is to die for. I cannot remember the brand, but I think it starts with the letter M. I must find out!!! I will find out!!!

Suzanne

Trip tip

Looking for some fall color and an inexpensive day trip on the east coast?
Head to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

http://www.visitshenandoah.com/

For an inexpensive breakfast or lunch, get a "Picnic to Go" at the Big Meadows Lodge.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner indoors, try the Skyland Resort.

Stopping for dinner on the way home? Head to Sweetwater Tavern in Centerville VA. The food will not disappoint! Great bar area and exceptional service.
Dee