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Fun Travels Across the United States

VIRGINIA

NEWS -- Note: Cities and Towns, in alphabetical order, follow the News

The Inn at Willow Grove Debuts As Virginia's Newest Five-Star Retreat in the Heart of Horse & Wine Country (For details scroll down to Orange, below)

The Great Outdoors Brings Virginia to Mind -- And This Year Celebrate the National Park's Anniversary!

When the term “the Great Outdoors” was coined it must have been with Virginia in mind. The Commonwealth’s inspiring landscape, including coastal beaches, rolling hills, majestic mountains and rivers and streams, is a haven for families looking to relax and reconnect in the beauty of nature. Hikers, paddlers, swimmers, stargazers, geo-cachers and nature lovers of all ages come to Virginia to completely connect on a memorable vacation. 2011 has two major milestones that will have outdoor enthusiasts eager to plan a trip.

Shenandoah National Park and the Virginia State Parks system, each celebrate 75th anniversaries. Special programs and events and free admission days highlight activities perfect for families who want to shake off the stresses of everyday life and share the enjoyment of nature together.

When he dedicated Shenandoah National Park in 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke for his and future generations when he said that visitors would find an experience “good for their bodies and good for their souls.” Today the same inspiration is present more than ever as the park enables its guests to be in the midst of nature and to immerse themselves in the freshness of the air and the beauty that surrounds them.

More than 500 miles of hiking trails (all but a few miles of which are pet-friendly) wind through nearly 200,000 acres of protected land, traversing woodlands and meadows and offering breathtaking views as well as encounters with wildlife and natural vegetation. Good options for family lodging, from hotel rooms to cabins or camping, abound along with restaurants and service areas.

The most recognizable feature of Shenandoah National Park is the two-lane road that runs its length. Skyline Drive meanders 105 miles from end to end and features 75 overlooks, many with expansive views of the Shenandoah Valley or Piedmont. Parking areas give quick access to trails leading to waterfalls or nature areas.

The National Park Service offers a bounty of ranger-led programs for adults and children. The excellent Junior Ranger program brings kids, parents and park rangers together for adventure hikes exploring wildlife, habitats, native plants and insects. Communities neighboring the park are hosting special events throughout the year. It’s just one of the ways for families to share an unforgettable experience in a special place.

Virginia’s State Parks also had their beginnings in 1936. From an original six parks the system has now grown to 34 parks found in nearly every corner of Virginia and have been honored as the best state parks in America by organizations such as the National Sporting Goods Association.

The state parks encompass a variety of environments from sand beaches of the Atlantic to the high mountains of far western Virginia, from Civil War battlefields to railroad beds-tuned bike trails and from bald eagle sanctuaries to an abandoned gold mine. Though each park offers its own special experience each is maintained in keeping with the quality expected of America’s best state parks.

One of the first features of Virginia State Parks was rustic overnight cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. All but one of the original cabins remain in use, having been upgraded with modern facilities, and are among the most requested cabins in the park system. Now more than 260 climate controlled, fully furnished cabins are in the parks and include kitchen equipment, bedding and towels. Most have fireplaces. Ten parks have large family cabins with multiple bedrooms and baths, perfect for reunions.

But being outdoors is what makes the Virginia’s State Park experience superior. Many parks have beautiful lakes with swimming areas, canoe and boat rentals and excellent fishing. Family hiking trails run along lakeshores and through woodlots and meadows providing a great chance to see a multitude of wildlife species. For those who love camping the parks offer more than 1,700 camp sites from rustic to those equipped with electric and water hookups.

Certain parks are in a class by themselves. Caledon Natural Area on the Potomac River is home to one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles on the East Coast. A five-mile gorge traverses Breaks Interstate Park in far Southwest Virginia, giving it the nickname “Grand Canyon of the East.” Fairy Stone State Park is named for the small cross-shaped mineral formations rarely found in such abundance elsewhere. New River Trail State Park may be the longest and narrowest in the country, measuring 57 miles long and averaging 80 feet in width as it parallels the New River along a former railroad bed now turned into a popular biking trail. A real railroad line goes through Natural Tunnel State Park, utilizing the namesake naturally formed tunnel to get through the mountain.

The parks host a variety of special events and festivals throughout each year. On this special year the state parks will celebrate 75 years on June 18 with free admission and cake.

The state parks also maintain a highly trained professional staff of park rangers adept at assisting guests in making the most of their experience. The rangers also host special nature and wildlife programs that are family favorites.

Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation and 2011 is the year for families to get out together and share the wonders of the great outdoors in Virginia. For more information on Shenandoah National Park and Virginia State Parks, visit www.Virginia.org. Call 1-800-VISITVA for a free Virginia Is For Lovers Travel Guide and highway map.

New Virginia Initiative Celebrates Women in the Arts

The Taubman Museum of Art is just one of the numerous venues for Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts. Virginia's status as a destination for those who love the arts receives a special boost this spring with the launch of Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts, a statewide celebration of music, dance, theater, literary and visual arts. The first statewide initiative of its kind, Minds Wide Open focuses on plays, choreography, compositions, paintings, photography or films created by women or featuring women as the primary focus. Performances and exhibitions will occur at venues throughout the Commonwealth.

Virginia has been the birthplace or home of some of the most beloved women artists. Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline and Shirley MacLaine are American legends. Daphne Reid has delighted audiences as both an actress and director. Photographer Sally Mann, artist P. Buckley Moss and writer Rita Mae Brown are celebrated as among the very best of their medium. Their legacy is shared by women throughout Virginia whose talents inspire those around them.

Love of art and of travel has always been among the best reasons to visit Virginia and each year the Commonwealth seems to add new venues to its existing collection. In Richmond the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts reopens in the spring of 2010 after the completion of a dazzling expansion project. Norfolk's Chrysler Museum of Art houses a gorgeous collection of portraiture and Tiffany glass. The new Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke is a work of art in itself and houses paintings and sculpture by famous names. In Alexandria, the Torpedo Factory Art Center houses the working studios of more than 80 artists.

Performing arts have a home throughout the Commonwealth and draw audiences from around the world. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts hosts the biggest names in music. The new Richmond Center Stage complex is a multi-venue facility for theater, music and dance. In Abingdon the historic Barter Theatre is where actors such as Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine and Gregory Peck got their professional starts. The mountain music venues of The Crooked Road - Virginia's Heritage Music Trail are found throughout Southwest Virginia and are packed for each performance.

Special arts events can be found throughout Virginia at nearly any time of year. The Richmond Folk Festival and the Virginia Arts Festival are filled with song and dance while the Virginia Film Festival and the Virginia Festival of the Book draw film and literature enthusiasts from all over. Each June Virginia Beach's Boardwalk Art Show Festival brings thousands to the beachfront. Lorton, in Northern Virginia, is one of several Virginia cities with a monthly Art Walk.    

Combining the arts with visits to Virginia's wineries, historic sites, wonderful restaurants, great cities and memorable small towns makes for the best of vacations or getaways and helps connect hearts to what's really important. For trip planning information visit www.Virginia.org or call 1-800-VISITVA for a free Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide.

The destinations below are just a glimpse of what the state has to offer visitors seeking grand winter retreats.

Virginia's natural beauty is astounding year-round. In the winter, cabins and cottages are especially cozy family retreats. Consider the Cabins at Crabtree Falls in Nelson County, with an 1800's log cabin or two contemporary mountain cottages; each is fully equipped and accommodates up to eight people.

Luray/Page County was just named the Cabin Capital of Virginia and it's easy to see why, with nearly 600 throughout the area. One stunning example is the luxury cabins of Appalachian Adventure Lodging. Each three bedroom site is built for comfort, with fireplaces and hot tubs. Enjoy the natural setting just outside of Shenandoah National Park and also near Luray Caverns.

Experience the serenity and scenery of Chestnut Creek Cabins in Galax, Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The six authentic log cabins have large porches with rocking chairs and outstanding views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each little retreat has a kitchen, living area with fireplace, bedroom and bath. Breakfast is included and delivered to the cabins each morning.

Don't be afraid of the Growling Bear in Massanutten, Virginia. It's a cedar A-frame home nestled on the mountain side in Massanutten Resort. Growling Bear has three bedrooms, three baths and two stone fireplaces. This is ideal for active families who love to ski, golf, hike and fish.

Vacation at 3,200 feet at Mountain Laurel Lodge atop Warm Springs Mountain. This luxury lodge in Bath County, Virginia has views that extend for 50 miles over the Alleghenies and across the Shenandoah Valley. Families can gather in the great room with a beamed cathedral ceiling and fireplace for board games and hot cocoa.

Enjoy the serenity of Virginia's seaside escapes for winter getaways. The pristine nature of Virginia Beach's Sandbridge area, with incredible beachfront homes, is perfect for large family gatherings. Wake up each day to the sound of the ocean before visiting nearby attractions or taking a winter whale watching excursion.

Plan a vacation on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and experience the charm of Virginia's Eastern Shore at Bay Creek Resort and Club. The resort homes are completely equipped and furnished for fun. Enjoy golf, boating, nature walks, antique treasure hunts, sunset dining and cozy evenings, all with the ease and informality that build traditions and fond memories.

Make vacation history with a getaway at one of Virginia's historic homes. Go back in time at the Farmhouse at Mill Creek in southwest, Virginia. This 200 year-old log farmhouse has historic charm with modern comfort. Enjoy nearby hiking and biking trails in Damascus, as well as shows at The Lincoln Theater in downtown Marion.

Make Miriam's House in Rappahannock County home for the holidays. This three bedroom historic house sits on a 328-acre "green" estate in the Northern Virginia region. Families can hike and fish without leaving the premises - it's like having a private state park. Take advantage of catering, maid and massage therapy services and a multitude of attractions including horseback riding, antiquing and fine dining.

Virginia's resorts range from indoor waterparks to winter sports havens to golf fanatics heaven. There are nearly 20 all-in-one resorts in Virginia where families can spend a week and never have to worry about where to dine or how to keep busy, as it's all found within the resort. Visit www.Virginia.org and search Places to Stay to see the complete list of resorts for families in Virginia.

Go to www.Virginia.org to search for vacation rentals. Look under "Places to Stay" for complete listings by region across the state. Each listing includes a link that shows nearby attractions, restaurants, shopping and more. Visit nearby museums, magnificent caverns, trails, music venues and other destinations to round out the perfect winter retreat.

The Past Comes Alive as the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center Unveils the Catherine W. Jones McKann Center (For details check below under Fredericksburg)

Cultural Passions Run Deep in Virginia -Travelers seeking a brush with authenticity find it in Wayne Henderson and Virginia’s Crooked Road

Wayne Henderson grew up in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, where the sounds of traditional country music are a way of life, and a personal passion for him. His ability to transform wood into masterful acoustic guitars caught the eyes and ears of Eric Clapton. Ten years later, between jam sessions, concert dates at Carnegie Hall and delivering mail, Henderson finally finished building Clapton’s guitar – and the legend was born.

Henderson, now a master luthier, has given up life as a mail man and puts all his energy into crafting guitars. Although the waiting list for “a Henderson” is measured in years, he is as humble and grounded as ever. His passion doesn’t end with building guitars. He performs across the country and thrills serious bluegrass fans each June at the Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival at Grayson Highlands State Park. “My passion is certainly seeing a piece of wood come together and hear what I can hear come out of it,” explains Henderson. “When I play music, it’s like, I think, wonderful therapy. I can’t think of much of anything that makes you feel any better.”

Musical therapy like Henderson’s lives along The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail – one of Virginia’s a rich, cultural heritage destinations where visitors enjoy a brush with authenticity. Travelers who crave something real, meaningful and pure are finding their way to Virginia. The Old Dominion’s cultural traditions are as diverse and beautiful as the people who keep them alive – from the hollers of Appalachia to the tobacco barns of Southern Virginia to the crab shacks of the Chesapeake Bay. These are the places where visitors can touch, feel, see and be something extraordinary, even if only for a moment. Places like historic Jackson Ward in downtown Richmond, where legends such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Lena Horn and Cab Calloway performed and legendary soul food entices visitors today. On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, adventurous travelers dive head first into their obsession for seafood on the Life as a Waterman tour. Learn everything there is to know about crabbing from fishermen on Tangier Island whose families have been crabbing since the 1600’s. \

For more information, contact the Virginia Tourism Corporation, 901 East Byrd Street, Richmond, VA 23219-4048; (804) 545-5500, FAX (804) 545-5501 or check web site www.virginia.org

Tobacco History in Virginia

Visitors will see the culture of tobacco in Southern Virginia, from the mansions of Millionaires Row in Danville to the Prizery, a historic tobacco warehouse transformed into a performing arts center in South Boston. The Prizery’s tobacco heritage exhibit offers an honest examination of the role tobacco played in Virginia’s earliest years.
Ready for a brush with authenticity? Go to Portraits of Passion on www.Virginia.org to watch Wayne Henderson build a guitar and start planning trip to Virginia.

Maps Available for Capt. John Smith’s Trail York River Trail follows explorer’s footsteps

A new set of maps to help today’s travelers explore the route of Captain John Smith’s adventures along the York River and its tributaries is now available. The boat and partial auto tour along the York, Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers was developed to complement America’s 400th Anniversary. The route includes 36 recreation sites, historic places and museums between Zoar State Forest and Yorktown.

“The John Smith interpretive maps on the York, Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers provide an excellent addition to the existing John Smith maps on the James River,” said Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Director Joseph H. Maroon. “Both maps were produced by DCR through a close working relationship with the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Virginia Council on Indians and are the first to be developed along the newly designated Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trial. The maps will help to make the history and natural resources of the region come alive for trail users.”

The trail is divided into three maps – one for each river – each a day trip for boaters and motorists alike. In addition to a narrative that tells the story of John Smith and his travels along the York River and its tributaries, the maps provide travelers with information on the amenities available at each site and the location of boating ramps. The maps also provide information on the Indian settlements that were noted on Smith's early maps of the area.

Maps of the trail are currently available at York River State Park, the Yorktown Victory Center, the York County Historical Museum and the Gloucester Visitor Center. By mid-July, maps will be available at sites along the route and from Virginia Welcome Centers and regional visitor centers. Individuals can also obtain maps through DCR's online store. To order, visit www.dcr.virginia.gov and click on “State Parks” then “Visit Online Store.”

In addition to the map, the www.johnsmithtrail.org web site is being updated to provide links to attractions, restaurants, tours, lodging, and other visitor amenities along the trail to help you plan your visit.

Free Virginia/Maryland Civil War Trails Map

History buffs will find Virginia a great destination for Civil War history. Now you can experience more than 500 Civil War sites throughout Virginia and Maryland -- many not previouosly marked or interpreted -- with the help of a new map and guide from Civil War Trails, a 13-year-old organization that began with a single trail in Virginia and grew to a multi-state initiative. The free Virginia-Maryland Civil War Trails Map includes close-up maps of cities and regions in which multiple sites exist along with a text summary of the war in the Mid-Atlantic. Also included is contact information for the Civil War Trails organization and for state and regional tourism offices. Sites with important Civil War history are marked by interpretive waysides telling the stories of what happened and why, who was involved, and why it was important. Maps are ably supplemented by roadside directional signage making it easy to create impromptu side-trips or plan one's own driving itinerary.

The free map can be obtained by calling the Virginia Tourism Corporation at 1-888-CIVILWAR or by checking web site www.Virginia.org/civilwar. More information can be obtained on the Civil War Trails web site www.civilwartrails.org, including downloadable maps and audio files.

Free Virginia Bicycling Trails Map

If you love to bicycle while on vacation, Virginia's new trip-planning guide is perfect. The Commonwealth has released its first statewide bicycling map, Bicycling in Virginia, a full-color map geared to both avid and leisure cyclists. It includes a statewide map of bicycle trails, regional insets, and a guide for riding safely and legally in Virginia. It's a great guide to the hundreds of miles of trails that can be enjoyed by families, couples, groups of friends, or bicycling clubs. There are 838 miles of the U.S. Bicycle Routes (Routes 1 and 76) running through the state and can be found nearly everywhere weaving through green spaces in the midst of urban settings, to pastoral woodland routes and winding mountainside trails.

Seven featured trails or trail systems are highlighted in the map's regional insets. These include the Virginia Capital Trail, linking Jamestown, Williamsburg and Richmond, the Virginia Creeper Trail, one of Virginia's most popular, running from White Top Mountain to Abingdon; the Tobacco Heritage Trail, connecting South Hill and Brodnax in Southern Virginia; U.S. Bicycle Route 76 and the Blue Ridge Parkway, running along the mountain range south of Waynesboro; the Heart of Appalachia Bike Route, a picturesque Southwest Virginia trail between Coeburn and Burkes Garden; the New River Trail, a riverside route connecting Galax, Fries and Pulaski; and the Northern Virginia Trail Network, highlighted by the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park.

Each inset contains a thorough narrative describing trail highlights, notable features, and things to see and do along the way. A handy elevation guide for each of the seven featured trails gives riders a chance to determine what to expect before starting out. Many miles of Virginia's bicycle trails are laid out on the abandoned beds of old railroad lines, providing grades manageable for most bikers. The Virginia Creeper Trail is the best-known of these while others include the New River Trail, the Tobacco Heritage Trail, and portions of the Northern Virginia Trail Network.

For more information, check web site www.Virginia.org/bikemap. The web site contains information on special events, lodging, dining, attractions and things to do as well as up-to-date weather forecasts for each locality.

Bicycling in Virginia is available at all Virginia Welcome Centers and at local visitor centers. You can also obtrain the map and a Virginia Travel Guide by checking www.Virginia.org or by calling 1-800-932-5827.

Virginia Shopping - Tips for Enjoyable, Stress-free Gift Buying Getaways-

Virginia, the state that's for lovers, shopping lovers especially, has ten tips to help people add some passion to their shopping with enjoyable, stress-free gift buying getaways.

Tip #1: Shop a Different Century
Virginia is an American history icon with destinations and exhibits stretching back 400 years. Take a trip to Virginia's historical sites and shop for gifts from a different century. From Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg to the Museum of Frontier Culture in Staunton, the extensive gift shops at Virginia's historical sites offer four centuries of the ultimate gift ideas for history buffs everywhere.

Tip # 2: Ditch the Car
Save some gas money and parking hassles and ditch the car. Virginia is full of great places to walk from shop to shop for unique gifts. Check out Carytown, Richmond's' mile of style'. The shops on Cary Street sell vintage clothing, works of art, antiques, boutique bags and accessories. Other great places to put it in park and stroll from shop to shop include Old Town Alexandria, which offers free on-street parking for visitors, historic downtown Roanoke, and quaint Middleburg in Northern Virginia.

Tip #3: Wine to Warm the Spirits
Take an enjoyable shopping trip through some of Virginia's most scenic areas with a visit to Virginia's wineries. The state has more than 130 wineries that are perfect places to shop for wine lovers. Many Virginia wineries and vineyards hold open houses and special events during December. After tasting some of Virginia's award-winning wines, purchase a bottle or two and engraved glasses for an ideal wine gift package. Don't forget to pick up extra bottles to bring to all those holiday parties. Check out www.Virginia.org/wine for more information about winery events and specials.

Tip #4: Food for Thought
Shopping for someone who loves food? If so, visit the Virginia destinations known around the world for specialized food items. Along Smithfield's charming Main Street, visit the antique and home décor shops before purchasing an authentic Smithfield Ham. In nearby Suffolk along Route 58, purchase authentic Virginia peanuts direct from the source. Or head to Virginia's Eastern Shore to pick up snack mixes, She Crab soup and Sting Ray Bloody Mary mix from the Blue Bay Crab Company in Melfa. For a complete list of Virginia food gift ideas visit www.shopvafinest.com.

Tip #5: Shop Main Street
Virginia is home to Main Street America and these gorgeous small towns across the state hold some of the best shopping spots around.  Visit Virginia's Main Street communities such as Staunton, Culpeper, Lexington, Warrenton and South Boston for quality, unique gifts at locally-owned shops. Virginia's Main Street communities will make visitors feel right at home and offer historic hotels and B&Bs for enjoyable holiday shopping getaways. For a complete list of Virginia‚s designated Main Street communities go to www.Virginia.org/mainstreet.

Tip #6: Add Culture to Your Cart
Virginia's museums cater to interests ranging from the Civil War to gardening to bluegrass music. Gifts from Virginia's museum gift shops show a touch of class and personalization. For the mountain music lover, stop in the Ralph Stanley Museum gift shop in Clintwood for Stanley CDs and Crooked Road apparel. Check out the shop at the American Civil War Center at Tredegar in Richmond for the Civil War buff in the family. Marine life fanatics would love a gift from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach. Green thumbs will delight in the gardening gifts at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. With more than 700 museums, Virginia is a treasure trove for unique holiday gifts.

Tip # 7: Package of Memories
Virginia's travel destinations offer packages and special deals that make for incredible holiday gifts and memories to last a lifetime. Virginia travel packages combine lodging, dining, activities and extra perks that offer excellent value and entertainment. www.Virginia.org is the best place to search for Virginia travel packages geared towards couples and families.

Tip #8: Buy an Original
Visit Virginia's artisan havens to purchase a one-of-a-kind keepsake that will be cherished for years. Virginia's artisans offer their crafts at centers and shows throughout the year and especially during the holiday season. Find fine art, pottery, baskets, sculpture and more at places such as the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, the Cave House in Abingdon, the Jacksonville Art Center in Floyd and the Southern Virginia Artisan Center in Martinsville. For a complete list of artisan centers and craft shows in Virginia go to www.Virginia.org.

Tip #9: Pamper Yourself and Loved Ones
What better way to erase stress and find decadent gifts than with a visit to one of Virginia's world-class spas? After enjoying a relaxing treatment and massage, pick up special lotions, soaps, scented oils and gift certificates for the ultimate in indulgent gift-giving. Places like the Spa at Colonial Williamsburg, the Spa at Poplar Springs, and Boar's Head Inn Spa in Charlottesville feature products made especially for their services and available for purchase in their shops.

Tip # 10: Give the Gift of Love This Season
Virginia is for Lovers is one of the oldest and well-loved tourism slogans in the world. Put this famous brand under the tree this year for travel lovers on the list in the form of a t-shirt, wine glasses, coffee cup or even a dog leash. Take a virtual trip to the Virginia is for Lovers merchandise shop at www.Virginia.org/shop or visit the nearest visitors center for gift ideas.For the latest report on foliage for Shenandoah National Park, check web site clik.virginiainteractive.org

Virginia Restaurants Cultivate Culinary Excellence from the Farm

Serious travelers as well as serious country cooks have always known that a great meal is closely tied to having a great garden in the backyard - and, as recent consumer research by the Travel Industry Association of America showed, Virginia is one great backyard for
traveling and eating. TIA's report revealed that consumers rank Virginia among the top 15 food-related destinations in the United States.Culinary travelers recognize that Virginia restaurants are designing entire menus around the finest local ingredients at their peak of
flavor.

In the summertime, juicy homegrown tomatoes cry out to be paired with freshly caught catfish. In the fall, butternut squash and pumpkin are right at home nestled next to roasted game and chicken. Choosing everything from homegrown produce to Virginia-raised meats to local cheeses and wines, diners can savor combinations of tastes like no other region in the country.

Fresh-Picked Menus

Virginia restaurants offering an emphasis on local foods range from crystal and candlelight to casual neighborhood bistros to trendier, ultra-sleek environs. Many blend fresh picks from the garden with organically raised meats, then pair Virginia's renowned wines with dishes for the full regional dining experience.

ARLINGTON

Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview

Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview, housed in a striking contemporary structure created by the same architectural firm that renovated the Louvre Museum in Paris, is located at 1121 North 19th Street, Arlington, VA, 22209. Room rates start at $339 and special weekend packages are available.

For more information and to make reservations, call 703-351-9170 locally or toll free at 866-505-1001 or visit www.hotelpalomar-arlington.com. 

Domaso, Rosslyn's Newest Restaurant, Is now Open

Domaso Trattoria Moderna, located on the fourth floor of Hotel Palomar Arlington, has opened in the rapidly evolving Rosslyn area with a menu showcasing a modern interpretation of native Northern Italian cuisine that boasts fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farms. Acclaimed Executive Chef Massimo Fedozzi, who has worked in some of the world’s most notable restaurants in London, Monte Carlo and New York City, will entice diners with a menu featuring homemade pastas like Tortelloni, oversized ravioli filled with potatoes, crispy pancetta, goat milk butter and shaved Pecorino, and entrees incorporating traditional Italian ingredients like Gamberoni, grilled Jumbo shrimp with buckwheat polenta and lemon sauce and Costola di Vitello, a grilled veal chop, roasted cipolline and smashed parsnips.

Evocative of a modernized Italian castle, Domaso’s 14-foot vaulted ceiling and long, open dining room creates a chic, metropolitan atmosphere. A curving stone wall, stacked like a stone quarry in the Italian country side, winds past the bakery and extends into the 145-seat dining room. The glassed-in bakery, where pastries and artisanal breads are hand-crafted during the day, doubles as a private dining room in the evening. Designed by the San Francisco-based Puccini Group, the dining room at Domaso features an exhibition kitchen where guests can watch Chef Fedozzi and his cooks at work. The dining room offers a view of Georgetown in the distance and Domaso also offers seasonal outdoor seating on the 66-seat terrace.

Domaso’s lounge will be a destination place as well, with a sleek marble-top bar and a large communal table. Guests can enjoy a casual bar menu of shareable dishes such as Carrozza, fried mozzarella sandwich with bagna cauda, or Zucchini e Carciofi, fried shoestring zucchini and baby artichokes, shaved parmigiano reggiano and roasted tomato pesto.  The cocktail menu was designed by renowned master mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout of San Francisco’s famed Harry Denton’s Starlight Room. 

A native of Genova, Italy, Chef Fedozzi’s style of cooking is inspired by his early teacher and mentor Chef Gualtiero Marchesi, the father of Italian nouvelle cuisine and the first Italian to win 3 Michelin stars. Chef Fedozzi was offered the opportunity to come to the United States in the early 1980s and successfully headed the kitchens at restaurants in New York, the Midwest and Florida. During the course of his culinary career, Chef Fedozzi has received numerous honors and awards including a Four-Diamond restaurant rating from AAA, three stars from the Mobil Travel Guide and recognition in 2003 by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences as “one of the finest chefs in the world.”   

Domaso offers a stellar wine list to complement the cuisine with a wide selection of Italian offerings. The restaurant’s wine program is enhanced by Domasoteca, a gourmet wine and cheese shop located on the ground floor level of the hotel, which will be opening in January 2008.  Domasoteca will feature a wide selection of wines, including organic and biodynamic selections, with an emphasis on Italian and local Virginia wineries. For those looking to expand their knowledge of food and wine, Domasoteca will also offer a full calendar of expert-led wine and cheese tastings and wine dinners. Additionally, visitors to Domasoteca will be able to purchase Domaso’s signature artisanal house-baked breads; a wide assortment of pâtés, salamis and spreads, as well as Latini and Rustichella boutique dried pasta products; and a wide variety of wine accessories.

Domaso is open for breakfast, dinner and cocktails, and for lunch service. The Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview will also feature Domaso’s cuisine for all catering services provided by the hotel. 

ABOUT DOMASO

Domaso at the Hotel Palomar is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, dinner is served from 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. daily. Breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Monday – Friday; 7:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. The bar opens at 11:30 a.m. daily and closes at 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and at 11:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The restaurant is located at 1121 N. 19th Street, Arlington, VA 22209. Domaso is the exclusive caterer for the Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview.  Reservations are recommended. To contact the restaurant, please call (703) 351-1211. 

BEDFORD

Millstone Tearoom

Locally grown organic vegetables and Virginia meats are served at this cozy dining room off the Blue Ridge Parkway. (540-587-7100)

CAPE CHARLES

Aqua

Striking blue tile work and a spectacular Bay view set a sleek, sophisticated mood at this Eastern Shore seafood venue serving fresh local catches and complemented by homegrown fruits and veggies. (757-331-8660)

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Boar's Head Inn

A highly trained culinary team presents full-fledged gourmet cooking classes, as well as private instruction for birthdays and other special events. (434-972-2229, 800-476-1988)

First Colony Winery

The relationship between food and wine is the focus of monthly gourmet cooking classes at this award-winning winery. (434-979-7105, 877-979-7105)

CHESAPEAKE

Simply Culinary Cafe

Once in a while I happen upon places that's serve delicious fresh-brewed coffee (both regular and decaf), cappachino, and fantastic tasting cheesecake. Simply Culinary Cafe is just the spot for these delectables. Each morning the resident chefs bake the Chesapeake Gourmet cheesecakes in different flavors -- Expresso-Chocolate-Baileys Cheesecake, Caramel-Apple Cheesecake, Toasted Almond Cheesecake, and others. I had the Expresso-Chocolate-Baileys and have been spoiled for life! The 10" cheesecakes can be pre-sliced, if you wish, or are available by the slice, and are packaged if you wish to take them home. The bakery case is also always filled with other amazing creations that you won't find elsewhere.

In addition to the good java and assortment of cake and pies, you'll find world class kitchen tools in the gift department; you can rent space to hold private dinners; or develop your culinary skills, at any level, in the 600 square foot studio kitchen. Cooking classes are offered to beginners or seasoned home cooks by resident instructors, as well as chefs from local restaurants who are willing to share their secrets, techniques and recipes. This state-of-the-art kitchen is fantastic, and while here taking one of the many courses, you'll be learning the same things that are taught in top culinary schools.

Cooking classes are approximately 2 1/2 hours each, and participants always get to eat the food that they prepare. Classes are limited to 16 students, so it's advisable to call early to reserve your spot. Monthly, one class is offered for kids under 16. For a schedule of classes, check the web site below.

If the cooking classes don't appeal to you, you may want to buy a home expresso machine. If so, you'll be taught how to use it.

Located at 717 Eden Way North, Suite 610, Chesapeake, VA 23320; 757-214-9231 (at Towne Place at Greenbrier). For more information check web site www.simply-culinary.com.

CLARKSVILLE

Cooper's Landing Inn and Traveler's Tavern

This charming 1830s inn located in a quaint lakeside town combines seasonal vegetables and fruits from the area with high quality beef and seafood. (434-374-2866)

EASTVILLE

Eastville Inn

Affordable Chesapeake Bay seafood dominates the menu at this inn and restaurant on the Eastern Shore. (757-678-5745)

FAIRFAX

Official Visitors Center opens at Tysons Corner to offer free planning advice

Visit Fairfax, the tourism agency for Fairfax County, celebrated the official opening of the Fairfax County Capital Region Visitors Center* located on the second level of Tysons Corner Center, one of the most heavily trafficked malls in the nation. The official opening occurs just in time to help residents plan for visitors this holiday season and county political and tourism leaders gathered to hang stockings, while Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly and FX The Tourhound, Visit Fairfax’s basset hound mascot, welcomed the “first visitor” to the center. Also on hand for the official launch: Fairfax County Supervisor Linda Smyth, Visit Fairfax Chairman Mark Carrier, Visit Fairfax President and CEO Arnie Quirion, Visit Fairfax Director of Visitors Services Sue Porter and Tysons Corner Center Marketing Manager Lynn Blacker.

To kick off the holiday season, the new Visitors Center will be handing out free candy canes to every child who visits.  Besides offering maps, directions and brochures on the many unique attractions located in Fairfax County and the Washington Capital region, the new Visitors Center will serve as the holiday headquarters for Visit Fairfax’s “Relative Rescue” program, a free service offered during the November and December holiday season that makes planning activities for visitors easy. With the “Relative Rescue” program, the expert staff at the Visitors Center can help residents and their friends and families plan an entire personalized itinerary of things to see and do in Fairfax County and the Capital Region. The Visitors Center will also provide details about holiday events taking place in Fairfax County or even make hotel and restaurant reservations. 

The Visitors Center is one of Visit Fairfax’s Visitors Services initiatives designed to improve the visitor experience and increase visits to Fairfax County.  Another initiative under the Visitors Services umbrella is the recently introduced Ambassador Program designed to make front line tourism and hospitality staff experts on the stellar offerings of the county. Created for hotel, restaurant and attraction employees, this program aims to increase employee knowledge of all there is to see and do in Fairfax County and the Capital Region USA, thereby allowing them to offer visitors a tourism experience that exceeds expectations and encourages repeat visits.     

Visit Fairfax is a non-profit organization in charge of the county’s tourism promotion and is directed by many of the county’s top tourism and hospitality leaders.  

For more information, visit www.fxva.com.

*the Visitors Center is also referred to as the Fairfax County Community Services Center

FLOYD

Oddfellas Cantina

Serving a fusion of Latin, Southern and vegan cooking, this cozy neighborhood eatery and music spot works with local organic growers and Virginia seafood as well as preparing savory meatloaf and rib-eye steaks from locally raised buffalo. (540-745-3463)

FREDERICKSBURG

History lives on in Fredericksburg, Virginia through the stories of its people. Fredericksburg, Virginia, home to some of the most devastating battles in Civil War history, has announced the opening of the Catherine W. Jones McKann Center at the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center. A simple wooden door, marred by the bullet of a Union soldier. Diaries and letters written by battled-scarred soldiers for their frightened families. A collection of Civil War guns and weapons on display for the first time in more than a decade. The new Catherine W. Jones McKann Center joins the existing Town Hall in housing, exhibiting and interpreting the collections of the Fredericksburg Area Museum.

The opening of the museum also precedes the anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg, which occurred December 11-15, 1862 and is widely known as one of the most devastating battles in Civil War history. New museum exhibits draw heavily on this famed event, showcasing artifacts and stories from battle. A series of exciting new exhibits are now on display. Fredericksburg at War explores and represents the personal stories of Fredericksburg residents shattered by war. The exhibit specifically focuses on the tragedy and aftermath of the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg.

The Johnson Gun Collection, a collection of Civil War era guns and armaments, also is on display. Not So Current Currency, housed in the original bank vault, explores a rare collection of historic money, both paper and coin. Portal, Passage, Power: An American River Town displays artifacts associated with the history of the Rappahannock River. Railways and Roadways discusses transportation: the canal system, introduction of the railroad and the first highway system. The galleries above the bank's main lobby house feature objects that depict the area's 20th century history.

The Fredericksburg Area Museum hired the services of exhibit firm Quatrefoil to create new exhibits that combine the Museum‚s collections of regional historic objects and artifacts in a creative and exciting new format. The new exhibits detail historical events, as well as heavily draw on the personal effects that the Civil War had on area residents.

The McKann Center is housed in the historic 1927 Planters Bank building, which was acquired by the museum in 2004, in response to the museum‚s growing need for space. Prior to the opening of the McKann Center, the Fredericksburg Area Museum only displayed 15 percent of its collections. GWWO, Inc; a Baltimore-based architecture firm managed the renovation and transformation of the former bank building into a modern museum facility that maintains the exquisite and intricate architectural features of the original structure.

A Learning Center devoted to student programming, a new state-of-the-art collections storage area, and a new Gift Shop are also part of the new center.
The mission of the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center is to collect, interpret and present the history and the culture of the Fredericksburg region. The Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center is centrally located in downtown Fredericksburg at 1001 Princess Anne St., Fredericksburg, VA. For additional information, please visit the museum's Web site at www.fredericksburgareamuseum.com.

The Fredericksburg Area, which includes the city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Spotsylvania and Stafford, is a classic blend of modern life with small town charm. The area is conveniently located along I-95, between Washington and Richmond and is unlike any other in America. The city of Fredericksburg features a variety of chef-owned restaurants, numerous art galleries, a wide range of specialty shops, and one of America‚s most authentic, historic downtowns. Stafford is host to George Washington‚s boyhood home, Ferry Farm and Belmont, the residence of famous artist Gari Melchers. Spotsylvania is not only the site of 4,400 acres of Civil War battlefields; it is also boasts the beautiful Lake Anna Winery. The Fredericksburg Area rests on the banks of the picturesque, pristine Rappahannock River. For more information, visit www.VisitFred.com.

HAMPTON

If you love vacationing near the water, you'll love Hampton. Located in Southeastern Virginia between the cities of Williamsburg (Jamestown) and Virginia Beach, this destination boasts over 100 attractions within a 30-minute drive, including the Cousteau Society U.S. Headquarters, the Virginia Air & Space Center, The American Theatre, and St. John's Church, the oldest continuous English-speaking parrish in the United States. In 2007, Hampton will also play a major role in the Jamestown Celebration.

What else is here? The Hampton University Museum (the oldest African American Museum in the U.S.), Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe (the site where Confederate President Jefferson avis was imprisoned), harbor cruises, and plenty of outdoor recreation. Festivals include the Hampton Jazz Festival, Hampton Blackbeard Festival, and Hampton Bay Days.

For more information, contact the Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau, 1919 Commerce Drive, Suite 290, Hampton, VA 23666; 800-487-8778; or try web site www.hamptoncvb.com

Mariners' Museum

The Mariners’ Museum latest exhibition, the America’s Cup: There Is No Second Place, takes maritime and history enthusiasts sailing through 148 years of the America’s Cup. Visitors travel from the first race in 1851 to the New York Yacht Club’s loss in 1983 after 132 victorious years of defending the Cup, up to 1995 when New Zealand took the Cup home. Through 134 photos, paintings, engravings, lithographs, and artifacts,

The Mariners’ Museum captures the true essence of the America’s Cup in its new exhibition.

Highlights include the skylight from the schooner yacht America, for which the Cup was named; the stern section from the yacht Volunteer; sixty-five images from the Edwin Levick Collection; and current Cup contender images taken by Daniel Forster.

In addition, the museum’s collection is composed of more than 35,000 maritime items including ship models, scrimshaw, maritime paintings, decorative arts, intricately carved figureheads, navigational instruments, working steam engines, and more. Permanent galleries include Defending the Seas, Age of Exploration Gallery, Chesapeake Bay Gallery, Crabtree Collection of Miniature Ships, Great Hall of Steam, Ship Models Gallery, Small Craft Collection, “William Francis Gibbs: Naval Architect” Gallery, plus a research library and archives house.

For further information, call 800-581-7245 or 757-596-2222; send e-mail to info@mariner.org., or check the website at www.mariner.org.

HILLSVILLE

Southwest Virginia Farmers' Market

This state-owned facility is open each spring until December offering fresh locally grown produce and related products, such as jams, honey and jellies. (276-728-5540)

IRVINGTON

Tides Inn

Chesapeake Bay fish and oysters, Virginia pork, in-season produce and many Virginia wines by the glass are offered throughout this classic waterfront resort, including aboard their posh 1920s touring yacht. (804-438-5000, 800-843-3746)

KESWICK

Keswick Hall at Monticello

Imagine you are the chef's apprentice at a luxurious mansion as sources are revealed for the finest local ingredients. Individual and group classes include cooking with chocolate and preparing for a fabulous dinner party. (groups 434-923-4370, individuals 434-923-4372)

KILMARNOCK

Rose's Crab House and Raw Bar

Casual Northern Neck seafood setting for Chesapeake Bay fish, clams, crab and oysters. (804-436-8439)

LEESBURG

Lansdowne Resort

The resort's executive chef and sommelier offer food and wine demonstrations with indispensable culinary tips and secrets. Guests can sample favorite dishes and enjoy a wine-pairing demonstration. (877-509-8400, 703-729-8400)

Tuscarora Mill

Located in a 19th-century grain mill in Leesburg for more than a decade, the "Tuskies" menu always features seasonal specials tied directly to local produce and meats (703-771-9300)

LEXINGTON

Southern Inn Restaurant

The best local ingredients are combined to create contemporary dishes on a changing menu that features everything from rainbow trout to peak-of-season pears to locally ground grits. Nineteen Virginia wines are featured, including four by the glass. (540-463-3612)

MIDDLEBURG

Hilltoppers Restaurant --

at The Goodstone Inn & Estate provides superb cuisine and attentive service. An impressive wine cellar dining room features an extensive selection of vintages from Virginia and around the world, and a large, exquisite Virginia Hunt Scene Mural commissioned by The Goodstone Inn. The scene captures an equestrian moment of the storied Annual Middleburg Hunt, which takes place on the estate.

Wireless Internet access is available throughout the premises. Recreational opportunities abound, including a unique outdoor pool nestled within the Wisteria and ivy-covered ruins of the estate's original early 19th century mansion, an all-season Jacuzzi, walking and hiking trails, mountain biking, stables for boarding guest' horses, canoeing, in-room spa treatments, and superb shopping, antiquing, and dining opportunities in beautiful and historic Middleburg, Virginia.

In season, noted equestrian activities include the Middleburg Spring Race Meet at nearby Glenwood Park (April), the Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup at Great Meadow (Spring and Fall), and the annual Middleburg Hunt (December), which proceeds directly through the estate.

The Goodstone Inn offers the charming ambiance of an 18th century country estate with the convenience, luxury and service expected by 21st century guests. For more information on The Goodstone Inn & Estate, Hilltoppers Restaurant, or to make reservations, please call 540-687-4645 / 877- 219-4663 or visit www.Goodstone.com.

The Goodstone Inn & Estate is recommended by the Conde Nast Johansens guides www.johansens.com, and is a member of the prestigious Andrew Harper Q Club www.andrewharper.com and "Small Luxury Hotels of the World" collection www.slh.com

NEWPORT NEWS

Bill's Seafood House

Virginia oysters, shrimp, crab, flounder and trout prepared any-way-you-like-it are served family-style near the Mariners' Museum. (757-595-4320)

NORFOLK

Vintage Kitchen

Stunning views of the Elizabeth River provide the backdrop for old-world cuisine with modern artistic twists capitalizing on Virginia's freshest ingredients and finest wines. (757-625-3370)

Todd Jurich's Bistro

Culinary excellence at this gracious setting is tied heavily to the use of local, seasonal ingredients such as yellow fin tuna, crab and collards. An expansive wine list features many Virginia wines, some by the glass. (757-622-3210)

ORANGE

The Inn at Willow Grove Debuts As Virginia's Newest Five-Star Retreat in the Heart of Horse & Wine Country

Nestled in Virginia's horse and wine country and at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is an exceptional, new property called The Inn at Willow Grove. Here discerning guests may enjoy unparalleled, five-star services infused with world-class designs, historic 18th century architecture, fine wines and culinary masterpieces.

The hamlet of Orange, Virginia, is home to this stately Inn which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has lavished its impeccable social standards since 1778. Most recently it operated as the well-known Willow Grove Inn for 22 years until its doors were closed and it was sold in 2009.

The Inn's new owners embarked on a multi-million dollar restoration and expansion project that has stroked this antebellum property back to life, prepping the 37-acre, plantation-style estate to become one of the top destinations on the east coast. The extensive renovation included a complete refurbishment of existing facilities in the process creating 14 designer guestrooms and cottage suites and stellar event spaces.

Interior designs showcase an ìurban meets plantation-vibe infused with crisp, savvy and elegant decor while still maintaining a sense of surrounding and heritage. Every inch of the Inn has been refurbished and each room is now a picture of luxury with entirely new fixtures, refinished hardwood floors, Anichini linens and unique furnishings. Many of the rooms and suites also include wet-bars, gas fire places, Jacuzzi soaking tubs, private sitting rooms, serene porches and cozy king-size beds. All accommodations are outfitted with flat screen televisions and complimentary WiFi. Textiles used throughout mix leathers with burlap and stripes with graphics. Exceptional art work combines modern with classical, naÔve with contemporary.

A state-of-the-art kitchen annex has been constructed to service Vintage, a 50-seat restaurant and tavern under the direction of Executive Chef Jason Daniels who has worked in top culinary venues throughout the South. Epicureans and oenophiles alike will delight in gourmet adventures focusing on farm-to-table cuisine and local artisanal products. Vintage boasts an extensive wine menu showcasing an array of Virginiaís premier wineries, as well as west coast and international vineyards.

Alfresco areas throughout the property have also been architecturally enhanced lending the ideal locale for weddings, small corporate retreats and special celebrations. Reflecting pools, ponds, formal herb and flower gardens, outdoor gas fire pits and lanterns surround the Innís exteriors, providing peaceful and picturesque settings.
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Smokehouse Spa is housed in a historic cottage on the Innís grounds. The intimate spa provides a potpourri of relaxing body and facial treatments.

Nearby activities include, among others, wine tastings at local vineyards, antiquing, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, hiking, nature treks, fishing, steeplechase races and tours of historic sites.

The Inn at Willow Grove is ideally situated just a few short hours by car from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Richmond and Philadelphia. Charlottesville Airport is located 45 minutes from the Inn. Nightly rates at The Inn at Willow Grove are from $295 to $695 on weekends and holidays with special rates available mid-week.

For additional information on The Inn at Willow Grove or to book reservations, please visit www.innatwillowgrove.com or call 540-672-7001.

RAPHINE

Wade's Mill

Learn to whip up perfect biscuits, breads and cakes in an unusual setting. This 1750s working grist mill is the charming locale for classes using the mill's stone-ground flour. (800-290-1400)

RESTON

Vinifera, Reston’s first wine-themed restaurant, to bring “city chic” to the suburbs

Vinifera (vahy-nif-er-uh) Bistro & Wine Bar, a new urban-chic, wine-themed restaurant opened in Reston in May 2008, and serves innovative American cuisine with global influences, showcasing seasonal, local and sustainable products.   The restaurant’s bar area, designed as a modern neighborhood gathering spot, will offer more than 200 local, domestic and international wines, in addition to signature cocktails and microbrews that can be paired with the restaurant’s appetizer, entrée and small plate offerings.

Vinifera is named after the vine species that produces over 99 percent of the world's wines today. “Since we are so close to Virginia wine country, we thought it would be appropriate to open Reston’s first wine-themed restaurant,” said General Manager Sami Zeitoun. The restaurant will offer more than 24 wines by the glass served from a cruvenet, a tap–like system that prevents opened wines from changing flavor due to oxidation. Wines will also be available by the half glass, allowing guests to explore Vinifera’s extensive offerings.  

To carry out the concept, Zeitoun selected Matthew Mohler, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, as executive chef. Mohler served as a sommelier at Chevy Chase Country Club in addition to having experience working under Yannick Cam at Le Paradou and Culinary Olympic team member Eric Neari. Most recently, Mohler was the executive sous chef for the Goodstone Inn and Estate, a small luxury property in Middleburg, Virginia,

Utilizing local and organic ingredients whenever possible, Vinifera will offer over 20 small plates, such as Local Chicken Wrapped in a Crepe with Oregano Cream, and bistro style entrées such as Rooibos Tea Crusted Tuna with savoy cabbage and green olives. Lunchtime offerings include sandwiches, salads and entrées as well as bento boxes featuring delicacies such as Spinach and Radish Salad, Miso Poached Rockfish and Eggplant stuffed with ricotta, garlic and basil, accompanied by Forbidden Rice.

Located in the soon-to-open Westin Reston Heights, the restaurant will be accessible directly from the street. “Many people who live in Reston have had to drive into the city for a top-notch culinary experience,” said Zeitoun. “We are excited to bring the fashionable city dining experience to Reston-area residents.”

The contemporary dining room is designed to look elegantly fashionable, with warm and flattering lighting accents. Wine cabinets and displays carry the wine theme throughout the restaurant. An outdoor patio that seats 70 will also open when weather allows.   Private dining will also be available.

Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro will serve breakfast, lunch & dinner. Hours of operation are: start of the day (breakfast) 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. sustenance (lunch), 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. dinner. The restaurant is located in the Westin Reston Heights at 11750 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191. Dress is casual chic.

RICHMOND

Xu Bing: Tobacco Project

This exhibit explores the production and culture of tobacco as seen through the eyes of one of China’s most renowned contemporary artists. Using tobacco as both a material and a subject in which to explore a wide range of issues, Xu Bing’s work pertains to topics from the global trade to the exploitation of tobacco. Xu Bing’s interest in “tobacco culture” extends to the historical impact of China’s large-scale exportation of tobacco products from the United States that began in the late 19th century. By exploiting the complex connections between people and tobacco, his project alludes to issues of human culture and of tobacco as a medium of social exchange.The artist visited Virginia tobacco farms, warehouses, cigarette factories and museums to reseach his work for this exhibition.  Altogether, this exhibition spans 12 years and surveys one of his most ambitious undertakings.

Presenters will include Xu Bing, Alex Nyerges, VMFA Director, and John Ravenal, VMFA Sydney & Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art. Guests will be invited to preview the exhibition before it opens to the public on September 10. The speaking program and refreshments will be in Evans Court followed by the preview in the Evans Court Gallery. Complimentary parking will be available in the VMFA parking deck. 

Xu Bing: Tobacco Project will be on view at VMFA through December 4, 2011 and then will travel to the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Ct, opening Jan 2012.
 
The museum is located at 200 N Boulevard, Richmond, 23220

With an exciting lineup of special exhibitions, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts brings the world to Richmond in the form of great art representing the span of world cultures. VMFA is internationally recognized for its ambitious special exhibitions drawn from the world’s finest public and private art collections, as well as the museum’s permanent collection.

NOTE: Exhibitions are subject to change. For the latest information, please visit www.vmfa.museum/exhibitions. General admission is always free. Some special exhibitions require an admission fee.

Vision from the Congo
Through December 11, 2011
Free admission
This special two-part installation of sculpture bears witness to the vitality of Congolese art from the past and the inspiration it provides to artists in the present. The first section features four sculptures by artists from the Pende culture, of the Congo’s Kwilu and Kasai regions that relate to the wrenching disruptions experienced by the Pende in the early 20th century during the Belgian colonial period. The second part of Visions from the Congo features life-size sculptures by contemporary African American artists Renée Stout and Alison Saar, both of whom draw from African art and culture in creating their works. This installation is curated by Richard Woodward, VMFA curator of African art and complements the exhibition Environment and Object – Contemporary African Art at VCU’s Anderson Gallery.

The Majestic and the Mundane: Landscape Photographs by Ansel Adams and Lewis Baltz
Through March 2012
Free admission
Ansel Adams and Lewis Baltz occupy opposite ends of the landscape photography spectrum. Adams’ series Portfolio Three: Yosemite Valley features pristine, sublime views of the waterfalls, trees, and mountains of California’s treasured national park. In San Quentin Point, Baltz turned his camera on a far more prosaic subject: a wasteland littered with trash and located between the infamous San Quentin prison and one of the wealthiest suburbs in California. This exhibition brings these two series into dialogue and explores each artist’s highly differentiated photographic perspective as well as their shared concern for the environment.

Nature Reined: The Paintings of Clarice Smith
Through December 11, 2011
Free admission
Clarice Smith is an established Virginia artist who has exhibited in America and Europe for three decades, most recently at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. This exhibition – in the Mellon Focus Galleries – is selected to complement the works in the adjacent Mellon Collection and includes paintings of horses and horse-racing and still lifes, two of the most persistent themes in Smith’s work.

Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb
November 19, 2011 – March 11, 2012
Ticketed, VMFA members free
Drawing on a selection of ancient Egyptian antiquities from the British Museum’s internationally famous collection, this blockbuster exhibition explores the life, mummification and afterlife of the Egyptian priest Nesperennub. With more than 100 objects, including human and animal mummies, a gilded mask, jewelry, canopic chests, monumental stone sarcophagi, statuary and tomb lintels, the exhibition immerses the visitor in the life and death of Nesperennub, a temple priest. An accompanying 3-D film presentation uses the most advanced scanning technology to take the spectator on a journey that unwraps the mummy of Nesperennub in vivid detail and reveals the secrets of life and death in ancient Egypt.

Elvis at 21
December 23, 2011 – March 18, 2012
Free admission
Fifty-seven dramatic 1956 photographs taken by Alfred Wertheimer of Elvis Presley on the brink of international superstardom, including intimate images taken in Richmond during a visit for a performance, will be included in Elvis at 21. Photographs feature the recently revealed “mystery woman,” now a grandmother living in Charleston, S.C. Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services, the exhibition shows black-and-white photographs taken by Alfred Wertheimer of a baby-faced Elvis just as his career began, but before he was a recognizable rock-and-roll icon

The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy
January 21– April 15, 2012
Free admission
The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy, an exhibition of 37 of the extraordinary Mourners of the Dukes of Burgundy from the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, France, will be shown at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts January 21, 2012 through April 15, 2012, on the final leg of a multi-city U.S. tour.

Making History: 20th-Century African American Art
March 31 – June 10, 2012
Free admission
An innovative collaboration between VMFA and VCU’s Museum Studies graduate program, this student-organized exhibition features approximately 40 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by renowned and lesser known 20th-century African American artists. Drawn from the local collection of Margaret and John Gottwald, the exhibition explores black artistic production and patronage at mid-century through work once associated with the Barnett-Aden Gallery (1943-1969), a pioneering and influential private gallery located in Washington, D.C.—among the first with an integrated stable of artists and patrons. A cross-section of art by internationally acclaimed Elizabeth Catlett, 96, forms the core of the exhibition.

Maharaja: The Last Kings of India (working title)
May 19 – August 19, 2012
Ticketed, VMFA members free
As the only East Coast venue, this exhibition brings Virginia objects from the 18th century, which represent a time in which the Mughal Empire collapsed and great era of the maharajas began. The exhibition will open with this period of chaos and adventure and will close at the end of British rule in 1947 when Indian princes ceded their territories into the modern states of India and Pakistan. The exhibits themselves will be both Indian and European and will include paintings and photography, textiles and dress, jewelry, jeweled objects, metalwork and furniture. Highlights will include a royal procession, complete with standards and full-size elephant and horse form dressed with textiles and trappings. Other important works include jewels from important princely collections and a massive silver horse-drawn carriage. Courtly material from 18th and early 19th century India and many works of miniature painting and textiles will be drawn from the V&A’s own rich collection.

Ongoing Special Exhibitions:

The Jewels of Jean Schlumberger
Through November 18, 2011
Ticketed, VMFA members free
Tiffany and Co.’s celebrated jewelry designer, Jean Schlumberger (1907-1987), was born in Alsace, France. During the 1920s in Paris, Schlumberger's genius was quickly recognized and his original and eclectic designs became the rage among his friends, including Marina the Duchess of Kent, Diana Vreeland and the famed dress designer, Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1956, Jean Schlumberger joined Tiffany & Co., where he had the freedom to create beautiful and fantastic jewelry and objects. This exhibition,drawn from VMFA’s collection, showcases some of his most wonderful creations.

Tristin Lowe: Mocha Dick
Through November 27, 2011
Free admission
Tristin Lowe’s colossal sculpture Mocha Dick is a 52-feet-long recreation of the real-life albino sperm whale that terrorized early 19th-century whaling vessels near Mocha Island in the South Pacific. Mocha Dick, described in appearance as “white as wool,” engaged in battle with numerous whaling expeditions and inspired Herman Melville’s epic Moby Dick (1851). Lowe worked with the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia to make the sculpture: a large-scale vinyl inflatable understructure sheathed in white industrial felt.

VMFA Statewide Exhibitions:

Van Gogh, Lichtenstein, Whistler
Piedmont Arts Association, through September 25
University of Mary Washington, Through December 11, 2011

Goya, Dalí, Warhol
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, through September 26, 2011
Daura Gallery, Through December 9, 2011
Radford University, January 19 – March 2, 2012

Civil War Redux
Piedmont Arts Association, Through December 31, 2011

Fleeting Glimpse
Piedmont Arts Association, Through December 31, 2011

The Actor’s Image
Reynolds Homestead, January 4 – February 2012

VMFA Studio School Exhibitions:

Studio School Faculty Exhibition 2011, Through October 21, 2011
Different Perspectives in Painting, October 28, 2011 – January 12, 2012
Green: The Color & Concept, January 30 – March 2, 2012
Developing Family: Photographs of Three Generations, March 9 – April 12, 2012
The Art of Collage & Assemblage, April 20 – June 1, 2012
The Alchemy of Pots & Prints VII, June 8 – August 17, 2012

VMFA Pauley Center Exhibitions:

Big Pink Paintings: Abstract Paintings 2008-2011, through November 13, 2012
Lure: Photographs by Pam Fox, November 19, 2011 – March 18, 2012
Recent Work by Janet Grahame Nault, March 24 – July 22, 2012

Amuse Restaurant Exhibitions:
Layers: Paintings by Steve Griffin, through November 6, 2011
Finish.Line.: Paintings by Ed Dolinger, November 7, 2011 – March 4, 2012
Recent Paintings by Shaun Whiteside, March 5 – July 8, 2012 

VMFA at Richmond International Airport:

Faces of Sustainability: Photographs by Jason Horowitz, through October 31, 2011
Middle Ground: Paintings by Loie Hollowell, November 1, 2011 – February 27, 2012
Recent Paintings by Jeff Majer, February 28 – June 25, 2012

About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

With a collection of art that spans the globe and more than 5,000 years, plus a wide array of special exhibitions, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is recognized as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. The museum’s permanent collection encompasses more than 23,000 works of art, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside Russia and one of the nation’s finest collections of American Art, Art Nouveau and Art Deco. VMFA is home to acclaimed collections of English Silver and Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, British Sporting and Modern & Contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened its doors to the public after a transformative expansion, the largest in its 75-year history. Programs include educational activities and studio classes for all ages, plus fun after-hours events. VMFA’s Statewide Partnership program includes traveling exhibitions, artist and teacher workshops, and lectures across the Commonwealth. VMFA is open 365 days a year and general admission is always free. For additional information, telephone 804-340-1400 or visit www.vmfa.museum.

$150-Million Expansion at VMFA Is Largest in Museum's History

Since May 1, 2010, everything about the museum is bigger, brighter and more welcoming. Space has been doubled for major traveling exhibitions and has increased total space for the permanent collections and exhibitions to 134,000 square feet. In addition , major expanses of glass allows natural light to pour into the heart of the museum and also welcomes visitors with a look at three floors of art and activity inside.

The new James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing, designed by architect Rick Mather, gives a thrilling, glamorous stage from which to welcome visitors and to display more of the museum's global collection and present important special exhibitions.
The $150-million expansion project is the largest in the museum’s history and re-orients VMFA’s main entrance to the Boulevard for the first time in decades.

The McGlothlin Wing is the primary feature in the museum’s redevelopment of its 13 1/2-acre site. The master plan knits together new elements – the McGlothlin Wing, the E. Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden, the Mary Morton Parsons Entry Plaza, and a new landscaped parking deck – with the original Georgian-style museum and three other historic buildings on the museum’s grounds.

Indiana-limestone and glass cover the exterior of the wing, which will provide spacious new galleries for permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, an art education center, conservation studios, a library, a gift shop, and restaurants.

The expansion was designed by London-based Rick Mather Architects in partnership with a Richmond architectural firm, SMBW, which recently completed projects for additions to the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia (with WG Clark and Bill Sherman) and Luck Stone’s new corporate headquarters in Goochland. The project is the first major U.S. commission for Mather, an American who has designed striking modern additions to a number of Great Britain’s most venerable cultural institutions. His most recent project, a new building for the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, opened in November.

The new VMFA wing is named after its principal donors, native Virginians James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin. An exhibition of their promised collection of paintings, sculpture and works on paper from their preeminent American holdings will inaugurate the new building, as will a showing of selections from a recent major acquisition of German Expressionist works from the Ludwig and Rosy Fischer Collection.

As visitors enter the three-story Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Atrium at the heart of the wing, they will step into a soaring interior washed with natural light and paved in dark granite. Described by the architect as a “main street” within “a city in miniature,” the dramatic space allows light to penetrate the interior of the museum, and it connects the new wing to the existing museum. The new Margaret R. and Robert M. Freeman Library, gift shop, Best Café and galleries open onto the atrium, and all key circulation paths pass through it.

A large-scale commissioned painting by internationally known artist Ryan McGinness, who was born and raised in Virginia Beach, will hang in the entry concourse. The painting is his first museum commission, and its 200 colorful and densely layered images are based on works in the VMFA collection.

From the atrium, stairways and glass-walled elevators take visitors either below to the 12,000-square-foot special-exhibitions galleries and lecture hall or above to two levels of new permanent-collection galleries. Aloft, five glass-sided aerial walkways span the atrium and connect the galleries in the new wing to those in the existing building.

On the second floor of the new wing will be the McGlothlin Galleries of American Art. Two bridges connect these galleries to another devoted exclusively to 21st-century art. Two more bridges connect to the original building’s newly transformed Sydney and Frances Lewis galleries that showcase VMFA’s collection of mid to late 20th-century art. Still another bridge on the second level connects holdings in the new wing of Ancient American art, along with a collection of Native American art on loan from Robert and Nancy Nooter, to galleries in the existing museum presenting Greek and Roman art and Chinese art.

On the third floor, the James W. and Georgina M. Rawles Galleries of Indian Art will feature important works from South Asia. Also on the third floor are conservation studios – now more than doubled in size to nearly 10,000 square feet and washed by northern light – the Claiborne-Robertson Board Room, and a restaurant. The restaurant’s outdoor balcony offers a view of the sculpture garden. A glass-enclosed bar overlooks the atrium interior’s aerial walkways and main street as well as the sculpture garden.

Two walkways on the third floor lead to the previously existing museum and the world renowned Sydney and Frances Lewis Collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco and the Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon collection of French painting and sculpture.

Two new period installations will add still more drama to the new wing. In the South Asian galleries, an elegant, white-marble pavilion from Rajasthan, India, will be on view. The 19th-century pavilion, with central fountain intact, measures approximately 14 by 27 feet and weighs 27 tons. It stands 9 1/2 feet tall. VMFA Director Alex Nyerges says the majestic structure will be the only Mughal-inspired architectural space in an American museum.

In the American galleries, the recently-acquired Worsham-Rockefeller Room will be on view. The bedroom is from the posh 1880s New York City home of native Richmonder Arabella Yarrington Worsham Huntington. (She later sold the house to John D. Rockefeller Sr., who left the interiors largely intact.) The Aesthetic-movement room was a gift from the Museum of the City of New York.

Nyerges says VMFA’s charter and its status as a state institution of higher learning drove the expansion of its campus and the design of the new wing. “We have also recently completed a comprehensive assessment of our services in dialogue with our statewide partners and are implementing enhancements to our statewide offerings for Virginians in their own communities.”

The project was funded by a major capital campaign. The Commonwealth of Virginia provided $50 million, with the balance of $100 million coming from a $1-million federal grant and $99 million in gifts from private donors and foundations.

"An Enduring Legacy: Paintings Acquired Through the J. Harwood an Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Art."

Ongoing during VMFA expansion construction
Selections include works by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Charles Caryl Coleman, Jasper Francis Cropsey, Charles Sprague Pearce, Severin Roesen, William Wetmore Story, Henry Ossawa Tanner, John Trumbull and Benjamin West.

British Sporting Art Collection is Now On View Again at VMFA

The internationally significant Paul Mellon Collection of British Sporting Art is back on view after a year’s absence at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The reinstallation features 85 paintings and seven sculptures – more works than were previously displayed and some that have not been permanently shown before, including two by George Stubbs, two by Ben Marshall and one by James Seymour.

Dr. Mitchell Merling, VMFA’s Paul Mellon Curator and head of the department of European art, says many of the paintings are now accompanied by longer labels explaining the works and their significance. “We have been able to more coherently organize the collection, while respecting Mr. Mellon’s vision,” he says. New emphasis is also placed on comic aspects of British sporting art, he adds.

Alex Nyerges, VMFA’s director, says the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Mellon Collection “is the most important international collection of British sporting art, primarily because of the wide range of artists and subjects.” He says the collection includes paintings, drawings, watercolors and prints reflecting both the variety and the quality of a uniquely British school of art during its heyday, from 1700 to 1850.

Mellon, who lived in Upperville, Va., was VMFA’s longest serving trustee. He died in 1999 at the age of 91. All of the works on view were given by Mellon.

It was in 1960 that Mellon introduced equestrian art as a new subject to American audiences when he helped organize and was a prominent lender to a VMFA exhibition, “Sport and the Horse.” In 1985, he gave the museum a major collection of English 18th- and 19th-century paintings, drawings and prints, many of the sporting art genre.

The two paintings by Stubbs (1724-1806) that have not previously been on permanent display are both oils on canvas. They are “A Dappled Grey Hunter with Two Foxhounds beside a Lake,” 1759-60, and “Tiger,” circa 1769-71. Five other Stubbs works are included in the reinstallation. Merling says Stubbs brought a scientific approach to his work and actually dissected horses to more fully understand their anatomy.

Benjamin Marshall (1768-1835), who “created works with appealing naturalism and informality,” Merling says, is represented by four works. Two of them, both oils on canvas, have not been permanent displayed before. They are “Colonel Henry Campbell Shooting on a Moor,” circa 1806, and “Noble, a Hunter, Well-Known in Kent,” 1810.

The father of British Sporting Painting, John Wootton (1682-1764), is represented by three works, among them “A Bay Horse Got by the Leedes Arabian,” a circa-1715 oil on canvas. Wootton was the first to create horse portraits in a monumental manner, often making references to classical statuary, Merling says.

The comic aspects of British sporting art are represented by a popular favorite from the Mellon Collection, “Portrait of an Extraordinary Musical Dog,” before 1805, by Philip Reinagle (1749-1833). Other amusing aspects of the genre are seen in paintings by John E. Ferneley Sr. (1782-1860) and John Collett (1725-1780).

Merling says he hopes that visitors will learn to admire the artists’ variety and their efforts to represent reality, “gain an appreciation for the ideal notion of a community of sportsmen, and, following in Mr. Mellon’s footsteps, learn to appreciate the intelligence and physical beauty of horses and other animals.”

VMFA’s British Sporting Art Collection has been off view for a year while the museum presented several exhibitions dedicated to Mellon’s memory.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is on the Boulevard at Grove Avenue. The galleries are open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. VMFA is an educational institution of the Commonwealth of Virginia and in 2008 celebrates 70 years as a leader in statewide arts education. Admission to the museum is free, although there may be a fee for special exhibitions. For additional information about exhibitions and programs, telephone (804) 340-1400 or visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Web site, www.vmfa.museum.

A dramatic glass wall will signal the mission of the expanded Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by showcasing works of art and revealing public activity inside. The insulated-glass wall on the east façade will be 40 feet high and 72 feet wide and will cover 2,880 square feet, an expanse greater than a tennis court.

Those passing by the museum will be able to see activity inside the museum’s triple-story atrium - a “main street” that will connect the new wing with two existing wings. In addition, skylights will allow natural light into the atrium and surrounding spaces. VMFA Director Alex Nyerges says the enormous glass wall will “blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces,” make the museum a more welcoming place, and pioneer a new ideal for celebrating culture in public spaces.

A glass-enclosed stairwell on the north façade will also draw attention to a new main entrance. The entrance and forecourt will re-orient VMFA access to the stately Boulevard, one of Richmond’s main thoroughfares. At night, the atrium and stairwell will glow, giving the museum the appearance of a beckoning beacon. Some of the glass panels are so large that only a few firms in the world are capable of manufacturing them, according to Richard Woodward, VMFA’s senior deputy director for architecture and design. The panels are being made by Eckelt Glas of Steyr, Austria. Shipments have begun arriving in Richmond, and the glass panels will be installed between July and November.

Individual panels as large as 8 by 16 feet will be held in place by concealed stainless steel supports. The objective, Woodward says, is to achieve “a smooth surface without visible mechanical fittings.” From the inside of the expanded museum, visitors will be able to look east over Richmond’s historic Fan District neighborhood and towards downtown.

In his design for the addition to the nation’s largest and oldest state art museum, London-based architect Rick Mather also included large expanses of glass on the west façade that will allow visitors to view a new 4-acre sculpture garden and the early-20th-century residential neighborhood just west of the museum’s campus.

All told, the expansion exterior will be clad in 10,000 square feet of insulated glass and 22,000 square feet of limestone. Some 500 tons of steel and 20,000 cubic yards of concrete will support the structure. Topping out for the steel roof structure is expected in the late summer or early fall of this year. Then, construction will continue on the building’s façades and interior, leading to an opening in late 2009, museum officials say.
The project will add more than 165,000 square feet of space to the existing 320,000-square-foot museum. The expansion increases the museum’s gallery space by 50 percent.

The interior of the addition will establish circulation corridors that will connect the new and existing buildings so that visitors may move throughout the museum without retracing their steps. Museum officials say this will enable them to organize the VMFA collections in even more meaningful ways. A new 600-car parking deck, also part of the project, is already in operation. The 170,000-square-foot facility accommodates more than twice as many automobiles as the museum’s former surface lot. The majority of the former surface lot is being reclaimed for the new sculpture garden, a portion of which will cover the roof of the parking deck with a landscaped slope.

More information on the project, plus a photo gallery, is available online at www.vmfa.museum/expansion_photos.html. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is located at 200 N Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220-4007

Benjamin West painting, monumental urn, two works from India, Robert Lazzarini sculpture are also added to VMFA collection

A 16th-century Florentine painting of the Virgin and Child by Francesco d'Ubertini Verdi - called Il Bachiacca - has been added to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collection. Experts call it the Renaissance artist's masterpiece.

Also new to VMFA are a late-19th-century oil on canvas by American expatriate artist Charles Sprague Pearce and a rare 18th-century genre scene in oil on canvas by Benjamin West, known to art historians as "the father of American art."

The museum trustees have also approved acquisitions including an American early 19th-century monumental urn, watercolors from India depicting the creation of the universe and a female figure after her bath, two light-based works by living American artists, and a signature work by contemporary American sculptor Robert Lazzarini.

The oil on panel by Il Bachiacca (Florence, 1494-1557) is a large painting, nearly 6 feet tall. "The Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist," from about 1540, is the artist's "best-preserved large-scale figural composition and is also his masterpiece," says Dr. Mitchell Merling, head of VMFA's European art department and the museum's Paul Mellon Curator. He says the altarpiece "fills a major gap in our museum's European collection."

Il Bachiacca counted the Medici among his patrons, and like Raphael he was trained by Pietro Perugino. VMFA's new acquisition presents elements of both High Renaissance and Mannerist styles and demonstrates the influence of Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo.

Merling says research indicates the painting most likely came from Florence's Roselli del Turco palace, formerly the residence of the Borgherini, an influential family of the period and major early patrons of the arts. "The scale, the excellent quality of the pigments and the expensively dressed Madonna all point to this work's origin as a private altarpiece for a wealthy Florentine family," he says.

The painting was purchased in part through the museum's Glasgow Fund.

Charles Sprague Pearce (American, 1851-1914) was among many American artists who settled in France in the second half of the 19th century. A Boston native, he moved to Paris and became a key figure in expatriate circles, exhibiting in the Paris Salon nearly every year from 1876 to 1906. In 1884, he moved to France's Picardy region, where he lived for the next three decades.

The Pearce painting, an oil on canvas, was a prizewinning and well-known picture in the artist's day, and "the work continues to impress in its ambition, accomplishment and painterly delights," says Dr. Sylvia Yount, VMFA's Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art.

Benjamin West (1738-1820), a Quaker from Pennsylvania, was the first American artist to train in Europe. He succeeded Sir Joshua Reynolds as president of London's Royal Academy in 1796. His students included notable American artists such as Charles Wilson Peale, Gilbert Stuart, Samuel F.B. Morse, Thomas Sully and John Trumble. This led historians to call him the father of American art.

West was known for history and religious paintings and portraits produced for King George III and other powerful patrons. The painting now at VMFA, "Three Ladies Making Music," 1798, is a rare genre scene that reveals another side of the revered and canonical artist. Yount calls it "an idealized image of aristocratic English domestic life." The painting, which is 13 by 18 inches, contrasts starkly with VMFA's 1769 history painting by West, "Caesar Reading the History of Alexander's Exploits."

"Three Ladies Making Music" is "an auspicious addition" to the museum's 18th-century American holdings, Yount says. It was purchased through VMFA's Cochrane Fund.

The museum's new monumental urn was made at the Tucker Factories (active 1826-38) of Philadelphia between 1827 and 1831. It represents the dual poles of taste in early 19th-century America and is decorated with Neoclassical motifs and dramatic pictorial scenes in the concurrent Romantic style. It stands 21 inches tall.

The two painted scenes on the urn are likely based on period engravings, Yount says. The urn is one of the six largest and most elaborate pieces of porcelain known to have been produced at the renowned Tucker Factories. The bronze handles were designed and cast by the equally acclaimed Cornelius & Company firm (Philadelphia, active 1827-31). The urn, too, was purchased with funds from VMFA's Cochrane Fund.

Two watercolors from India were added to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collection. One is titled "The Creation of the Universe: Vishnu and Lakshmi on Sesha, the Cosmic Serpent, Floating on the 'Multitudinous Seas'" and was executed about 1770-75. The other is titled "A Lady after Her Bath, Holding a Lotus Bud that She Has Received from a Winged Messenger" and dates to the early 1800s. The first is from Guler or Kangra in the Punjab Hills, and the latter is from Jaipur in India's Rajasthan region.

"The Creation of the Universe" depicts an important episode in Hindu myth - the moment when Lakshmi arouses Vishnu from his slumber by tenderly massaging his feet. The well-known and widely published miniature painting -- in opaque watercolor and gold on paper - measures about 11 by 8 inches and is "a work of the very highest aesthetic quality - a widely recognized masterpiece of the later Pahari school," says Dr. Joseph M. Dye III, VMFA's curatorial chair and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art.

"A Lady after Her Bath" depicts "the passionate and sometimes bumpy 'progress' of love," Dye says. The heroine of the painting eagerly awaits the arrival of her hero, whose imminent appearance is signaled by the lotus bud. "The aching loneliness and intense longing that she feels for her lover are indicated by the completely empty architectural spaces around her," Dye says. "Will her hero come? Only time will tell."

The opaque watercolor and gold on paper measures about 20 by 14 inches was given to the museum by Friends of Indian Art, a support group, with the purchase supplemented through VMFA's Robert and Ruth Fisher Fund.

"Skulls" consists of four three-dimensional sculptures that resemble distorted human skulls, ranging in size from 4 by 14 by 6 inches to 19 by 3 by 4 inches. The artist uses resin, bone and pigment to mimic reality, but his versions are torqued and skewed. "Skulls" was purchased through VMFA's Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund.

For more information, contact the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220-4007

ROANOKE

Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center

Imaginative and practical culinary training is available at this landmark Tudor-style hotel. Classes for couples include preparation of romantic meals, instruction on grilling and barbecuing, cooking lighter fare and preparing for the holidays. (540-985-5900)

ROSSLYN

Chop’t Creative Salad Company opens first Virginia location in Rosslyn

Chop’t Creative Salad Company opened its third location in the Washington metropolitan area on March 24th in Rosslyn. The first Chop’t location in Virginia, the Rosslyn store followed the Chop’t opening day tradition started by co-founders/owners Tony Shure and Colin McCabe of offering lunch “on the house” on opening day to everyone who visits the store at 1735 N. Lynn Street until the last bit of lettuce was gone.
While Chop’t is already well-known for their salads, guests can also enjoy a forkless dining option with their salad sandwiches, which consists of any of the chef designed or custom crafted Chop’t salads wrapped in grilled honey whole wheat flat bread.  Guests can enjoy any of the 11 chef designed salads such as the Steakhouse with romaine lettuce, grilled steak, fried onions and tomato tossed with the recommended steakhouse blue cheese dressing (made with Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and extra blue cheese) or custom craft their sandwich from the over 60 “choppings” available.

In addition to their regular menu, all area Chop’t locations are currently offering three new seasonal salads and salad sandwiches: the Kebab Cobb with romaine lettuce, Greek chicken kebabs, red onions, peppers, feta cheese, and pita chips; the Thai Cobb with romaine, cabbage slaw, grilled chicken, peanuts, carrots, radishes; and the Rocky Mountain Cobb with romaine, grilled chicken, dried cranberries, walnuts, and blue cheese. The salads are rotated out seasonally.

The energizing and bright décor in this colorful restaurant takes on a sunny feel with a worldly mix of Brazilian, African and Caribbean reggae playing in the background. As patrons near the front of the line, the high-quality ingredients are easy to view with an array of fresh “choppings” laid out before them and open-front refrigerators that house the restaurant’s five lettuce offerings. The rapid-fire chopping of the mezzaluna (half-moon) knife creates a show at the three salad stations; patrons can request how much or how little the salad should be chopped. 

Chop’t offers salads and salad sandwiches that are “as healthy as you want them to be” with a choice of five lettuces, over 60 kinds of ingredients, and 26 homemade salad dressings. In addition to their Washington DC area locations, Chop’t has 3 locations in New York City, where their emphasis on high-quality ingredients and quick service has earned them a loyal following that includes celebrities such as Matt Damon, Hillary Swank and Sheryl Crow.

Chop’t Creative Salad Company is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., on Saturdays from 11::00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.; and will be closed on Sundays. Chop’t will offer take-away, delivery and catering services. The restaurant is located at 1735 N. Lynn Street, Rosslyn, VA. Other area Chop’t restaurants are located at 1300 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington D.C. 20036 and at 730 7th St N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001.  

For more information about Chop’t in Rosslyn, go to www.choptsalad.com or call (703) 875-2888.

Recognized as the company that created the boutique hotel concept and an innovator that helped revolutionize the boutique hotel experience in the nation’s capital, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announces the opening of its first “ground up” property in the Northern Virginia suburbs of DC.

The 154-room luxury lifestyle hotel, Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview, is slated to open in Fall 2007 in the rapidly-evolving Rosslyn area of Arlington, Virginia. The hotel, a sophisticated, artful sanctuary situated on the scenic Potomac River, is just minutes from DC’s fashionable Georgetown district. The opening of the hotel is expected to help further spark the renaissance of Rosslyn into a vibrant destination.  

Owned by JBG Companies, CIM Group and Brookfield Properties and managed by Kimpton, Hotel Palomar Arlington will be housed in the stunning Waterview Towers, designed by the internationally-acclaimed Pei Cobb Freed & Partners; the architectural firm renowned for its dramatic expansion and modernization of the Louvre in Paris. As one of the tallest buildings in the region, the hotel will offer breathtaking views of the water and the Washington skyline.

Inspired by the hotel’s striking contemporary structure as well as its expansive views of the Potomac River, renowned Beverly Hills designer Cheryl Rowley created the vision behind its sleek, modern interiors. In keeping with the hotel’s theme of “art in motion,” artistic flourishes and original artwork will be found throughout, from the intricate pewter ironwork grill that adorns the soaring two-story glass entranceway, to an eclectic and colorful collection of object d’art in the lobby, featuring the works of both nationally-renowned and local artists, such as Mary Early, a sculptor known for her abstract three-dimensional works.

Adding to the experience, Hotel Palomar Arlington will pay homage to “the art of food,” with a dramatically styled restaurant, Domaso, offering Northern Italian cuisine that will showcase ingredients from local farms. A gourmet wine and cheese shop, Domasoteca, will present an extensive selection of wines with an emphasis on Italian and local Virginia wineries, and will offer expert-led wine and cheese tastings.

The artistic touches carry into the guest rooms, which will feature a soothing palette of neutral tones warmed with vivid splashes of tangerine, tailored furnishings, and beds swathed in luxurious Frette linens created exclusively for Kimpton. In addition to cutting-edge amenities such as flat panel LCD TVs, DVD/CD players, iPod iHome docking stations and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi internet access, the Hotel Palomar Arlington will provide guests thoughtful amenities such as mini-binoculars for gazing at the spectacular skyline. Dog and cat lovers will appreciate that their beloved pets will be equally welcomed to the Hotel Palomar Arlington, and treated to their own special amenities upon arrival.

Guests will have the option of enjoying in-room spa services or utilizing the hotel’s spa treatment rooms, and can unwind after a massage at the hosted nightly wine hour in the living room/lobby. Personal training by appointment will be available in the hotel’s on-site fitness center, and in-room yoga, Pilates and meditation channels and equipment are available 24 hours a day. For those seeking the ultimate in pampering, 24 custom “Spa Suites” will feature Fuji soak tubs and Elliptical machines, providing the option to work out without leaving the room. The hotel will also feature 3,200 square-feet of elegant meeting space that can be customized for social and business events, including the Opus Boardroom, with dramatic wall-to-wall windows, and built-in multi-media capabilities.

Hotel Palomar Arlington at Waterview is located at 1121 N. 19th Street, Arlington, VA 22209. Room rates will start at $339 and special weekend packages will be available.

For more information and to make reservations, call 703-351-9170 locally or toll free at 866-936-1001 or visit www.hotelpalomar-arlington.com. 

ABOUT KIMPTON

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the first and leading collection of boutique hotels throughout the United States and Canada. Founded by Bill Kimpton in 1981, privately held Kimpton Hotels offers services and design elements focused on care, comfort, style, flavor and fun. Every Kimpton hotel reflects the energy, personality and pulse of its location, history and architectural style. Each property features personalized guest services, comforting in-room amenities, specialty rooms and suites, and provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through affiliated top-rated destination chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton takes pride in its commitment to social responsibility and leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare programs. In addition, Kimpton demonstrates a unique dedication to its female guests with the Women InTouch program, offering comfortable and safe environments, in-room fitness and wellness options as well as the company's unique "Forgot It, We've Got It" honor bar, providing essentials that women travelers may have forgotten at home. Among the company's newest properties are the Hotel Palomar in Washington D.C., which opened in July 2006, and the Hotel Palomar Dallas, which opened in August, 2006. Additional projects are underway in Southern California, Texas, Florida and Virginia.

For more information, please visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.

ABOUT JBG

Headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, JBG is an active developer, owner and operator of office, residential, retail and hotel properties. Founded in 1960, JBG has established a reputation as one of the leading real estate companies in the Washington metropolitan area. More information on JBG can be found at the company’s website: www.JBG.com

SHENANDOAH COUNTY

If you haven't been to Shenandoah County yet -- plan on going as soon as possible because there's so much to see and do. Some highlights include:

The Native American tribes must have been the first to discover these caves -- for arrowheads and other artifacts have been found in and around the cave. In the 1750s, the Hupps were among the many Dutch (German) immigrants moving south along the "Great Valley of the Shenandoah. Eventually, they setttled just north of what is now Strasburg, Virginia and while exploring their property, they discovered a large cavern lying on the crest of what would become known as "Hupp's Hill." The caverns are considered the oldest documented in Virginia. The Hupps took advantage of the cavern's constant 54 degrees F. temperature to store food and, periodically, their friends and neighbors would visit the beautifully decorated cavern rooms and corridors where it was lighted with scores of candles and lanterns.

Supposedly the caverns once were the refuge of escaped slaves who made their way to freedom as well as Hupp family servants and children who wanted to play hooky for an hour or two. From 1861 to 1865, Hupp's Hill was in the center of several great battles of the American Civil War, including Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek (Fall of 1864). These caverns also saw the passage of thousands of soldiers of the Northern and Southern Armies. After World War I the caverns were acquired by Bruce Hupp of Strasburg, an heir to the Hupp estate. Paths were then built, electric lights installed, and the caverns were opened for tours on May 30, 1922.

The caverns are found within limestone of the Edinburg Formation, which was deposited in the sunny, shallow seas of the ordovician Epoch, nearly 425 million years ago. But, the actual age of the caverns, and the length of time which it took for them to form, is at least several million years ago.

Crystal Caverns is located on US Route 11, one mile south of Exit 298, Interstate 81. It is 1/2 mile north of Strasburg, Va., near the intersection of I-66 and I-81. Guides will describe the natural and historical significance of the caverns.

Head over to Fort Valley Stable for a memorable trail ride for the whole family. Gentle horses go over scenic, wooded mountain trails for 1, 1-1/2 hour and half and full lday trail rides.

For more information, contact Fort Valley Stable, 299 South Fort Valley Road, Fort Valley, VA 22652 or call toll free at 888-754-5771, or go to web site www.fortvalleystable.com.

Here you'll find award-winning wines, gorgeous mountain vistas, and a storybook setting in the Shenandoah Valley. Enjoy the views from the winery's deck at the site that has been farmed since the 1700s. The first grapes were planted in 1982 and included the varieties Chambourcin, Chardonnay, and Videl Blanc. These original plantings have been enhanced with the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Frnc, and Traminette.

The charming Europen architecture of the winery building is the perfect setting for the continental special events, cuisine and celebrations.

Hours: Open year round, Wed-Sun, 11-5.

Wine tours and tastings and gourmet light fare are offered; visit the gift ship and art exhibits; or plan a wedding or other celebration here.

Check web site www.northmountain vineyard.com for year round special events, and for more information, write to North Mountain Vineyard & Winery, 4374 Swartz Road, Maurertown, VA 22644; 540-436-9463.

In the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, which is the perfect setting for a winery, stands Shenandoah Vineyards. In this ideal growing environment, grapes are protected from frost in the spring and allowed to fully ripen in tbe fall - therefore broadening quality parameters and enabling optimal quality selection at harvest time.

The vintners of Shenandoah Vineyards are experts in wine making, and combine old world techniques with modern technology to produce a variety of great wines. Varietal wines incude Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition, you'll find Shenandoah Blanc, Cabernet Blanc, and Shenandoah Ruby. Stop in, walk grassy pathways separating the rows of gnarled vines, and take a tour of the winery. Learn the intricacies of winemaking from harvest to bottling.

Housed in a red barn dating to the Civil War, the winery sits atop an old stone foundation which serves as the aging cellar. An upper story deck adjoining the barn offers a sweeping view of the mountains. Following the tour and tasting, browse the gift ship where you'll find many wine-related gifts as well as select items from area artisans.

Be here for the Annual Harvest Festival held the first Saturday after Labor day, and join in the fun for the entire family. Hear music, taste good food, do some grape stomping, enjoy the arts and crafts, wine tasting, tours and a wine maker seminar. Take the children, too, because there's special entertainment for them.

The Annual Dinner takes place the Saturday following the Fourth of July. This is when wine tasting, dinner, and nice summer breezes and the stars come out. Reservations are required.

Christmas Open House is held the first full weekend in December. Partake in the refreshments, hot mulled wine, and wine and gift specialities.

And, if you have a special event coming up, Shenandoah Vineyards can host it.

Hours - March-November, 10 am to 6 pm. From December to February, 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

For more information: 3659 South Ox Road, Edinburg, VA 22824; 540-984-8699; e-mail: shenvine@shentel.net.

Shrine Mont, located in the quiet village of Orkney Springs, has been here since the 1920s, and is a conference center of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The Center's property covers 1,000 acres and adjoins the George Washington National Forest. Visitors come here for prayer and reflection, rest and relaxation, and to take in the beauty of the streams, flowers, and wildlife. The cathedral was built with the help of local men in 1925, with each of its stones pulled by horse or rolled from the mountain that is closeby. The baptismal font was originally a dugouot store used by Indians to grind corn, and today the Shrine is the site of regular weekly worship from mid-March through mid-November, and is available for groups and conferences.

While here, check out --

The Virginia House-

formerly known as The Orkney Springs Hotel. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it has white clapboard siding and tall windows and is four stories high. The 96,000 square-foot structure was built in 1873 and restored in 1987. Inside is a large Dining Hall, several meeting rooms and offices, a third floor Ballroom, and the entire building is wrapped in porches with many rocking chairs.

The Springs -

Orkney Springs was settled because there was plentiful water from the underground springs. In the mid-1800s work began on the original Orkney Springs Hotel and the mineral waters became a tourism attraction. People would visit the springs to 'take the water," by bathing and drinking from the seven natural springs. Today there are three springs on Shrine Mont property that are visible. The Orkney Spring is located on the left as you begin the Shrine Mont Circle. The Tea Spring is inside the Circle itself, and Bear Wallow Spring is directly across from the Virginia House by the pond.

Tucker Lodge -

The hospitality center for the upper part of Shrine Mont is Tucker Lodge, and consists of the Tucker Dining Room, which seats 300, and serves its meals family style. There are two lounge areas - Brown Hall, with a fireplace, and Art Hall, home to the artwork of John Douglas Woodward (1846-1924), the uncle of Shrine Mont's founder. The Bird Cage is the round-screened porch in front of Tucker Lodge, and is a favorite rocking space for those who want some quiet.

Camps -

Shrine Mont is host to several types of summer camps for chilren and youth, ages 8-18. The camp programs feature Christian community living, fellowship, mountain air, outdoor exercise and nutritious food. It's in operation from late June through mid-August and serve as a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.

Hours: Shrine Mont opens in early spring and remains open through the second Sunday of November.

Recreation: There are two covered pavillions, basketball and tennis courts, shuffleboard, horseshow pits, a soccer field, a volleyball pit, hiking, two lakes for fishing, and lots of porches with lots of rocking chairs. There is also a state of the art swimming pool.

For more information contact Shrine Mont,, 221 Shrine Mont Circle, Orkney Springs, VA 22845; 540-856-2141, or web site www.shrinemont.com

Stonewall Jackson Museum

This is a hands-on Civil War learning center and battlefield park that is part of an estate established by George F. Hupp in the 1750s. Hupp's Hill commands breathtaking views of Strasburg, the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain (with the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian Mountain in the far background). The hill and the manor house to the south were used by contending forces throughout the Civil War. Confederate entrenchments and Federal gun positions can still be seen on the grounds.

In the hands-on Learning Center, visitors can handle the museum's reproductions of Civil War weapons, uniforms, saddles and toys, to experience the era in a unqiue way. Children can try on period costumes, clumb into a soldier's tent, ride wooden horses complete with authentic cavalry saddles and bridles. "Discovery Boxes" offer children a chance to explore a historic topic through games, puzles and artifacts.

With its children's summer camps, folkways workshops and living history demonstations, the Stonewall Jackson Museum continues to advance the Wayside Foundation's mission "to encourage and enhance the public appreciation, enjoyment and knowledge of American history and arts."

Hours: 10 am to 5 pm daily, year-round. Children under 6, free.

For more information contact Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill, 33229 Old Valley Pike, Strasburg, VA; 540-465-5884 or check web site waysideofva.com.

Note: Crystal Caverns is at the same site.

Bryce Resort

Play tennis on the lighted courts, enjoy Coleman's at Bryce dining in the main lodge with a slopeside view, Braxton's Bar Room also in the main lodge, or the Coleman's Express & Tiki Bar on Fairway Drive. Play golf, go grass skiing, visit Lake Laura, rent a boat, go fishing, play miniature golf, go mountain boarding, mountain tubing, or take a sightseeing lift ride.

For more information contact Bryce Resort at 1982 Fairway Drive, Basye, VA 22810; 1-800-821-1444, or check web site www.bryceresort.com

The Shenvalee Golf Resort

Set in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, the Shenvalee offers a relaxing golf vacation. The main attraction is the 27 hole PGA golf course with uniquely arranged front nine holes, that first opoened to the public in 1927 by men wielding picks and shovels and using horse-drawn wagons to transport excavated dirt. The 'back nine" holes were added in 1963, and an additional nine holes were carved out of the Valley in 1992. There is also a large putting green, tennis courts, and a wel-stocked pro shop featuring products from top-name club and clothing manufacturers.

In addition to the golf, there's swimming, sightseeing, antiquing, and plain relaxation. Or, go to the pool.

For more information call 540-740-3181, e-mail shenvale@shentel.net, or go to web site www.shenvalee.com. The Resort is located at Route I-81 and U.S. Route 11 in New Market, VA.

Creekside Campground

Open year round in scenic the Shenandoah Valley, this campground offers full hookups (30 & 50 amps) and cable TV; RV sites to accommodate fifth wheels, slide-out & coaches to 40 plus feet; picnic tables at all RV and tent sites and campfire rings; disposal sanitary dump station; clean modern rest rooms; and is nestled along Stoney Creek. The campground is within walking distance into the historic town of Edinburg with antique and novelty shops; there's a pavilion for use by clubs and groups; pets are permitted on leash only; and there are many attractions nearby within 30 minutes or less.

Located: 2.5 miles off Interstate 81 at 108 Palmyra Road, Edinburg, VA.

For more information call 540-984-4299 or e-mail cscamp@shentel.net

The Hotel Strasburg

Offers food, lodging and turn of the century nostalgia, with a quaint pub, casual fine dining restaurant, Sunday brunch, 29 antique filled lodging rooms (some with Jacuzzis), banquet and conference facilities, golf packages, anniversary packages, theatre packages, and more. Close to Belle Grove Plantation, golfing, Skyline Drive, Wayside Theater, Scenic Drive on Route 11, George Washington National Forest, Civil War Battlefields, museums, biking and hiking, fishing and canoeing, and much more.

For more information contact The Hotel Strasburg, 213 South Holliday Street, Strasburg, VA 22657; 888-763-8327.

SMITHFIELD

Olde Towne Curb Market

This busy growers market operates May through August and offers specialty items September through November. (757-357-3502)

STRASBURG

Crystal Caverns (See Shenandoah County, above, for a complete description)

STAUNTON

Staunton Grocery

The culinary philosophy at this downtown Staunton dining experience is to combine Virginia ingredients at their peak of freshness in adventurous and innovative dishes. Diners can savor local pork, beef, chicken, produce, cheese, herbs, ham, baked goods, tea and even locally roasted coffee in a modern, yet casual, setting. (540-886-6880)

SYRIA

Graves Mountain Lodge

Made-from-scratch comfort food like pot roast, catfish and country ham is served up with local vegetables at this rustic mountain retreat. (540-923-4231)

TAPPAHANNOCK

Lowery's Restaurant

No fuss, family-style seafood is the fare at this Virginia institution. (804-443-2800)

VIRGINIA BEACH

Enticing Aromas of Coastal Cuisine Fill the Virginia Beach Air This Spring

When Mother Nature springs up from hibernation in Virginia Beach, the sun shines its rays upon your skin, cool breezes rustle the newly bloomed trees and scents of all things delicious begin to waft through the air.  Warmer temperatures elicit sumptuous coastal cuisine the resort city is renowned for – a rich culinary style with fresh seafood from the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay mixed with organic produce straight from local farms. Inside the resort city’s nearly 300 restaurants, many locally-owned and operated, chefs are creating their own signature dishes and serving fresh ingredients indigenous to the region. As the weather warms, many restaurants open up their outdoor patios so diners can devour fabulous cuisine while enjoying the splendid spring temperatures.

For information on travel in Virginia Beach please visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.comor

Savor Every Bite, Every Sip, Every Moment with the Brand New Coastal Food Tours of Virginia:Coastal Food Tours of Virginia, a series of guided epicurean adventures, with themed itineraries and mouth-watering cuisine. Visitors can choose from a list of progressive meals, culinary events, pub crawls and corporate team-building programs, which fuse together history, architecture and cuisine in several different venues and neighborhoods. Options range from a three-hour progressive walking tour to a five-day epicurean immersion with visits to various restaurants, farms and vineyards throughout Coastal Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, the Eastern Shore and Smithfield. Planned itineraries include the Virginia Beach Boardwalk and Farmers Market Tours, as well as the Historic Norfolk and Harvest Feast Tours. During each itinerary, visitors will stop at various restaurants throughout the area to sample and savor the succulent seafood and produce that comes from this bountiful region. Prices start at $57 per person. Visit www.coastalfoodtours.com for more information.
 
Work Up An Appetite as You Kayak Through Back Bay Wildlife Refuge: One of themost unique dining experiences you will find in Virginia Beach is by kayak. Take a leisurely, unforgettable two-mile paddle as the sun sets through Back Bay Wildlife Refuge to Blue Pete’s Seafood Restaurant for an evening of deliciousness on the water. Don’t hesitate to indulge - your return trip is by van, so dig in! The tour begins at Surf & Adventure Company’s headquarters along Sandbridge Road and all equipment is provided. Each tour is $45 per person, and the cost of dinner is not included. Tours are available Sunday through Thursday. To schedule a tour, call 1-800-695-4212. For more information on the kayak dining tour visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com/visitors/things-to-do/or www.surfandadventure.com. 

Enjoy Spring’s Freshest Produce from Roadside Stands and Farmers Markets

With warming temperatures, local farms start harvesting the choicest crops.  From March through June, locals and visitors alike can stop at farms or roadside stands to pick up strawberries, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, spring onions, carrots, new potatoes, beets, spinach, lettuce, kale, radishes and sugar snap peas, all home-grown in the famed resort city. The Virginia Beach Farmer’s Market's open year-round and offers seasonal treats and a wide variety of organic selections as well as plants, flowers, jams, jellies, a dairy store, a butcher shop, gifts, an organic grocery and a restaurant. Located a mere six blocks from the oceanfront, the Old Beach Farmer’s Market's open each Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Pick-your-own-produce is also offered at various farms throughout the city for such items as strawberries, blueberries and peaches.

Tempt Your Taste Buds All Spring Long With Delectable Events and Festivals:

The warmer weather always brings a wide variety of events and entertainment to the resort city – many that focus on food! On April 30, during the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic, taste different variations of the event’s namesake from restaurants throughout the area and help choose a winner. On May 14, sample over 75 different wines from around the world, savor delicious food and dance to the music of local bands all while overlooking the boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean during Neptune’s Spring International Wine Tasting. During Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-29, celebrate Virginia Beach’s farming community and the deliciousness of plump, fresh strawberries during the 27th Annual Pungo Strawberry Festival. Prepared in over 50 different ways, crowds of more than 120,000 strawberry-lovers enjoy activities such as a pie-eating contest, race car exhibits, live entertainment on four stages, a parade, livestock sale and show, pig races, military display, youth art show and unique arts and crafts. For a comprehensive list of Virginia Beach events, visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com.
 
Try A Twist On An Old Favorite With Blue Crab Mac-n-Cheese from Zoës Steak & Seafood:

Enjoy a Virginia Beach favorite in your own home with this “Blue Crab Man-n-Cheese” recipe by Executive Chef Jerry Weihbrecht.  In 2003, Weihbrecht came to Virginia Beach to become Zoës Executive Chef, and has since won numerous awards including First Place in the Hampton Roads 2009 Platinum Plates Awards and the 2010 Santé Restaurant Award. For more information on Zoës Steak & Seafood or Executive Chef Weihbrecht, visit www.zoesvb.com.

Blue Crab Mac-n-Cheese
Ingredients:
? pound unsalted butter (two sticks)
? cup flour
4 cups whole milk
? to ? pound shredded white American cheese
? tablespoon dusted Parmesan (the sprinkle kind)
1 to 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 pound cavatappi pasta cooked al dente and drained
? pound lump backfin crabmeat, or your favorite crabmeat to taste

Directions:
Heat butter and flour in a saucepan over low heat, constantly stirring, to make a light, loose roux, about 3-4 minutes, or just until it melts.
In a separate pot, heat the milk until it is medium-hot, but not scalding. Add the heated milk to the roux and whisk over medium heat until it is thick and smooth.
Add the other ingredients, except the noodles and crabmeat, and mix well. Add the sauce to the cooked noodles and mix well. Stir in the crabmeat. If desire, brown the top under a broiler.
Makes 12-14 servings.
  
Virginia Beachentices visitors to “Live the Life” year-round! Located in the southeastern corner of the state, Virginia Beach is four hours southeast of D.C. by car and within a day’s drive or less from two-thirds of the U.S. population. For visitor information, call 1-800-VA-BEACH (800/822-3224) or visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.comfor online trip planning.

Surf Rider Restaurant (Hampton, Virginia Beach, Norfolk) -

This Hampton Roads-area chain serves fresh local seafood in a casual setting. (757-497-3534)

Lynnhaven Fish House

This landmark, resort-area spotoverlooks the Chesapeake Bay and boasts one of the largest selections of fresh local seafood in the area. (757-481-0003)

Rockafeller's

Rockfish, flounder and yellow fin tuna are caught daily and served up in a lively, casual setting. (757-422-5654)

The Swan Terrace at the Founders Inn

Diners enjoy Smithfield ham, local oysters and other seafood as well as seasonal produce throughout this menu inspired by Colonial dishes. (757-366-5700)

WACHAPREAGUE

Island House Restaurant

The house favorite is crab cakes at this casual restaurant overlooking the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore. (757-787-4242)

WASHINGTON

The Inn at Little Washington

Sumptuous and decadent doesn't begin to describe this world-renowned inn and restaurant. A palette of locally grown produce and meats is always on the artfully crafted menu for an unforgettable culinary experience. (540-675-3800)

WILLIAMSBURG

Williamsburg Farmer's Market

Travelers to Colonial Williamsburg can take home a taste of Virginia at this conveniently located market in Merchants Square. (757-259-3768)

WINCHESTER

One Block West

The culinary focus of this relaxed, yet elegant, bistro is to seek out the finest Shenandoah Valley ingredients at their peak of freshness and pair them with the best Virginia wines. All ingredients are carefully selected by the chef and prepared to perfection in dishes such as roasted breast of duck with Bosc pear and grilled lamb loin chops with pesto. (540-662-1455)

For more information on these restaurants with fresh-picked menus, go to
www.Virginia.org/Fresh-Picked.

For more information on Hotel Palomar Arlington visit www.hotelpalomar-arlington.com. 

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