Globe Corner Blogs

First woman (very slowly): He called to say that they been in the sun for three hours… He said they’d be like lobsters!
Second woman (in the same manner): Well…Some people like lobsters!
(Overheard on the Potomac River beach)

For those of us who appreciate history, sun, beaches, and wine but aren’t heading to Côte d’Azur, Greece, or Croatia this year, I highly recommend visiting…The Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Southeast of the United States still remains for me a largely unexplored area, and although I have been traveling to the Richmond area of Virginia regularly, there is always something inspiring, curious, and quite often endearing to see and experience.

My latest trip turned out to be a delightful journey, relaxed and peaceful. The good times started in Colonial Beach, and specifically at the Wilkerson’s Seafood Restaurant, where I tried a seasonal dish: soft shell crabs. After the meal my friend and I headed down the Potomac River to find a quiet spot on the beach and watch the waves. The town of Colonial Beach is tiny, so tiny in fact that if you want to get around and do not have your own car, you can rent a golf cart. You are bound to see a lot of those riding around carrying kids, or an occasional older police woman patrolling the area.  Make sure you disembark and take a close look at Alexander Graham Bell’s house (now a small hotel), because it indeed looks like a candy house. I bet staying there for a couple of days is a thrill!

After catching some sun we gave in to the temptation for a sip of wine, and stopped at one of the major wineries in that part of the state – Ingleside Vineyards. That was where I first spotted numerous merchandise with the “Wine a bit. You will feel better” slogan. Do try their Blue Crab red and blanc, quite amazing light table wines, and don’t forget the glass, it is free with the tasting.

Westmoreland Berry Farm was our next stop, since we had kids in the car craving ice cream more than we, the adults, could crave anything at all in this life. Well, in the section talking about farm’s ice cream and shortcakes, the official brochure actually states that we “will never experience anything as good as this again.” This may sound just a tad spooky, but it’s totally believable. Their delicious sundaes aren’t either heavy or too sweet because they are made from milk rather than cream with fresh seasonal berries. We settled down with a couple of those to watch the low, far away mountains in the mist of a sunshower, and the goats. Yes, the goats. They were spectacular when climbing a special walk – over a bridge to a feeding area about eleven feet above the ground.

The next day was almost entirely devoted to the visit to Monticello, the beloved dwelling place of Thomas Jefferson. Quoting him, “…all my wishes end, where I hope my days will end, at Monticello”. This place needs no advertising. It is made for seeing and admiring, since it took Jefferson forty years to finish the house. A manifestation of his numerous talents, Monticello is surrounded by gardens and has a functioning plantation that is meticulously maintained, just as Jefferson wanted it to be. The place is best visited early in the morning -  that way you are likely to catch smaller groups, which will make touring the house much more pleasant. After the visit, make sure to pick up a copy of “The Jefferson’s Bible.” A child of the Enlightenment Age, Jefferson has cut out all the supernatural parts to see how the story might look like from a strictly rational point of view. Well, that did downsize the volume to roughly one hundred fifty pages. It is amazing that his version has survived through the ages.

On the last day of my trip I ventured to visit two more wineries. Only two more out of more than one hundred forty! Well, I guess I will have to come back soon. Do try Vida, the award winning dessert wine of Cooper Vineyards (believe me, you will favour it even if you are not a sweet wines fan). And definitely do stop at GrayHaven Winery, the sweetest, most relaxing place I have seen in a long time. It hosts a South African food and wine festival that attracts thousands, and also happens to be the filming site for the movie called The Attack of the Vegan Zombies (hitting the movie festivals soon). Speaking of wine itself, try their reds, they are absolutely gorgeous – medium bodied, earthy, dry and tart. Very South African!

Read more: Eastern US, Food & Wine, Travel, Virginia


Nastia was born in Russia, and probably that's the reason why she is so inexplicably attracted to the coldest parts of the world, such as Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Alaska and Canada. The more it snows out there - the better. Although would she be even thinking about all that cold if she hadn't first enjoyed Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine?

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