The Magic of ‘The Nutcracker’

If the show can go on, a flicker of hope will too When I was a little girl, there were few outings more magical than a trip to see the Nutcracker ballet. My sisters and I dressed in our Sunday best and climbed the narrow staircases of the posh theater. We held our breath whenContinue reading “The Magic of ‘The Nutcracker’”

Magical Metalwork

  I recently posted about Virginia’s rapidly expanding Artisan Trail Network. It was an piece about why these trails are important and how to use them. But I have so much more to share from my time on the Smith River, Monticello and HeART and Soil of the Shenandoah Valley trails. So today, a longer look at one artisan studioContinue reading “Magical Metalwork”

Encountering Art

   This week, I want to let you in on a little secret: The corner of Virginia that I live in, the one with rolling mountains and gorgeous sunsets and dozens of shades of green, well, it boasts some incredible artisans as well. I’m talking time-honored blacksmiths and renowned potters, award-winning brewers, cutting-edge vintners. Yes,Continue reading “Encountering Art”

A Hankering for Honey

Right around mid September in these parts the heat of the summer winds down, and for those who keep bees, it’s the perfect time to gather that golden elixir they’ve been nurturing for months. So the beekeepers haul out their equipment and prepare for a sticky weekend of cutting open portions of their hives — not too much, mindContinue reading “A Hankering for Honey”

Eating My Way Through Virginia’s Wine Country

  For four days I lived someone else’s life.      I drove along country lanes connecting horse farms and wineries and estates, and ate multi-course breakfasts, lunches and dinners cooked by celebrated chefs often working just a few feet away from where I dined.      I stayed at resorts and in manor housesContinue reading “Eating My Way Through Virginia’s Wine Country”