You know as Brett and I prepared to open Belle Grove Plantation, we have worked hard to “research” places to eat for our guests. Yes, it is a true “hardship” to go to these fabulous restaurants and sample all these great foods. But we do it for the good of our guests. And nothing is too good for them!

But during the week, while I am here alone, I like to go to one of the local diners for breakfast. It gives me a chance to enjoy seeing and talking with others. Not that I don’t get visitors at the plantation. But this is a little more laid back and casual. And since I will be cooking others breakfast soon, it is nice to have someone make it for me now.

I started out going to a place located in Port Royal called Hornes. It is a landmark diner on the corner of Route 17 and Route 301. The staff there is wonderful and the food is good. But I found another place that I have been drawn back to over and over again.

This little diner is called Howard’s Bakery and Restaurant. It is located in King George (about 5 or 10 minutes away from Belle Grove) along Route 3. Now I tried to do some research on the history of Howard’s, but of course there isn’t much on the internet about it. What I did find is that it had changed hands a few times over the past 40 plus years. It once was called Clift’s and then Shirley’s and now Howard’s.

To see it today, you wouldn’t give it a second glance.  The outside isn’t flashy and it is saddled up next to a car garage. But as Brett and I have learned through our travels, looks can be very deceiving.

Inside you will find what you would expect of a small town diner. Booths, tables and a lunch counter in a small room. No fancy decorations and no frills. The only decorations for July is the banner of American Flags hanging in the front windows and the paper party decorations for the 4th of July.

I have come to know the staff at Howard’s and they have come to know me. I come in and have a sit and they walk over with my morning beverage before I even sit down. Talk about a good memory! Then they ask me if I am going to have the same breakfast as last time, which I always seem to do. Then she starts writing it down as she repeats each items from before. It is as if I just ordered it! You think about the number of faces they see and to remember a single order is just amazing! How many places in the larger cities do you know that remember you name, let alone your order from two or three days before!

Over time, I have come to understand the back lunch counter is where it is at. Howard’s isn’t just a diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is where the locals come to meet and talk. It reminds me of the coffee houses and taverns in Colonial America. This is where the citizens of our new country would go to get news of what was going on. That holds true to Howard’s. One of the first times I came in, just after moving up in April, I was at the lunch counter to pay for my breakfast. There sat two gentlemen enjoying their meal. As I stood waiting for the cashier, one of the gentleman asked me how the bed and breakfast was coming. Now mind you, I have never met this person before, never seen him, and yet he knew who I was and what I was doing in King George. I am learning that news and gossip travels faster here than on Headline News television.

Today, almost every time I go in, I see someone that I know or meet someone new. I hear about what is going on in King George as I sit alone in my booth enjoying my breakfast. You can’t help but eavesdrop in a room this size. But I see the same faces almost every time. And believe it or not, it is comforting. It is great to know that Small Town America is still alive and well. That a  pleasant “hello” from a stranger is a sincere greeting and that stranger won’t be a stranger for long.

Yes, Howard’s food is good. Best Down Home Cooking you can wrap your lips around. But it isn’t just the food, its the people inside that makes this place somewhere you don’t want to miss. Cracker Barrel doesn’t have anything on this Small Town Diner.

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As I was staying at the plantation several weeks ago, I had the chance to visit two local restaurants in the area. If you visit the area, these are some wonderful places to stop and eat.

My first stop was with Brett at Fujiya House, a Japanese Steakhouse. It is located in Fredericksburg in the Central Park area. Just so you know, Central Park is a shopping and dining mecca.  With hundreds of places to shop and eat, you never run out of choices.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love Asian Food. So I love trying new places to see how good they are. This Japanese Steakhouse was really good.

The inside is open and inviting with what I have come to expect from a Hibachi style restaurant. Grills and a Sushi Bar with tons of fun watching the chef cook our food.

No sushi for me this night. Brett and I both had a steak entree with Brett adding scallops and I added shrimp. Our meal started with a clear chicken soup and was followed by a salad with a ginger house dressing.

Brett ate his scallops so fast, I couldn’t get a picture of it!

With a colorfully decorated room, this was a fun place to enjoy a dinner out.

You can visit Fujiya House’s website at http://fujiyahouse.com/ to see more of their wonderful restaurant.

Our next stop was in Colonial Beach, Virginia. Colonial Beach is located just 20 miles from Belle Grove and it’s beach is on the Potomac River. There are several restaurants there and some wonderful artists that have shops in the downtown area.

We decided to visit Seaside Thai and French Restaurant. This is a “fusion style” restaurant that combines Thai and French Cuisine. We have eaten here before and loved it so it wasn’t a hard choice to go back.

The restaurant is in an older Dutch style home, but is decorated wonderfully.

We started out with a Thai appetizer called “Satay”. This appetizer is skewered and grilled chicken served with a special Seaside House Peanut Sauce and Cucumber relish. This relish is to die for! I could have eaten it and been just as happy!

Brett and I both ordered the same entree, Bistro Filet Mignon. This wonderful steak was cooked to perfection and was served with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce with a side of Roasted Herb Potatoes and Vegetables.

But we didn’t stop there! We decided to order dessert!

Brett had a bowl of Coconut Ice Cream…

I had a Fried Banana drizzle with sweet honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with Vanilla Ice Cream!

It was all very wonderful! Brett and I agree this is a great place for dinner and will be returning soon!

You can visit Seaside’s website at http://www.seaside-va.com/ to see more of their wonderful food!

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The James Madison Museum

After we finish visiting with the Madison’s at Montpelier, we headed over to Orange, Virginia. Orange is just five miles from Montpelier. We have stayed here several times before. If you have been following the blog, you might remember the Holiday House Inn and Mayhurst. But this time we wanted to go to the first bed and breakfast we stayed in, Chestnut Hill Bed and Breakfast.

Before we made our way there, we made a stop at The James Madison Museum, another attraction in Orange that we enjoy seeing. At this museum, you can see items from James and Dolley Madison as well as others from contemporaries of theirs. The museum as has exhibitions that they carry for a limited time. On this visit, we wanted to see the Victorian exhibition.

Dress, Jacket and Cape

Dark blue taffeta with velvet trim and decorative buttons.

Worn by Miss Mildred Ann Bond when she wed Mr. Edward Virgil Huffman on January 10, 1886

Chair

This chair was owned and used in the White House by President James Buchanan

Shoes

2 Pair of High-Top Shoes

(left) two-toned black leather with grey/green brushed leather buttons

(right) black leather and black satin lace-ups

Doll

16 piece composition with bisque head, brown human hair wig and brown glass eyes.

Manufactured by Guttmann & Schiffnie (1897-1924)

The doll has original undergarments and wearing a period party dress

Carriage Parasol

Black silk parasol with lace covering and fully lined; Chinese ivory handle not carved or engraved. Carriage parasols were smaller and could be folded by sliding the brass fitting.

Hump-Back Dome Trunk

The dome lid trunk allowed for the packing of bulky items such as lady’s hat and it prevented other trunks from being put on top. The pictures are ancestors of the lender. Circa 1870s

Deck Chair

Early version of the folding lawn chair, it is hinged to fold in a number of positions. It was made in 1876 of walnut and caned back and seat with beautifully carved sunburst and flower petals.

To see more of the exhibition,

you will need to hurry to the James Madison Museum in Orange.

It is here for just a short time.

http://www.chestnuthillbnb.com/

After our visit to the museum, we headed to Chestnut Hill Bed and Breakfast. We were excited to see our favorite innkeepers, Troy and Kathleen. Most people don’t know this, but they have been mentoring us since the beginning. We first spoke to them shortly after seeing Belle Grove for the first time. It is these two wonderful people that we come back to with questions and who have helped guide us with their experiences. Brett and I can’t tell you what wonderful examples they have set in helping others reach for their dreams, just as they have gotten theirs. Brett and I hope we too will be able to help guide others as they have us.

Chestnut Hill is a wonderful B&B that sits at the top of a small hill. Many may not know this of Chestnut Hill, but this historic home was purchased by Kathleen and Troy through a city auction for just one dollar. But to see it today, you would never know that it was in such bad need of repair! Wonderful rooms and a grand breakfast await the tired travelers. In the evening, they serve some of the most delicious appetizers along with their wine social!

We arrived just towards the end of the wine social and had the chance to meet several wonderful guests who would also be staying at Chestnut Hill with us. We met people from Hampton, Stafford and Richmond. But it isn’t unusual to see couples from across the United States staying here.

http://www.elmwoodcatering.com/_index.php

For dinner we headed over to our favorite place in Orange, Elmwood at Sparks. We have been here three times now, but you wouldn’t know that if you saw us enter. We were greeted by staff who knew who we were and got a wave from the open kitchen from the Executive Chef, Randy Cooper. This time we set at the back counter so we could watch the kitchen staff at their craft. To see some of their food leaving the kitchen, it was just too beautiful to eat!

We started our dinner with our favorite, Shrimp and Grits! I just love Chef Randy’s version of this classic Southern dish. Being back by the kitchen, I was able to pull together the recipe for Belle Grove!! What a great dish to serve to our guest!!

We were able to order our favorite entrees, Wild Mushroom Pasta for Brett and Filet Mignon for me. These are the same dishes we have ordered each of the time we have come. Believe me, they have several other wonderful dishes, but we just love these entrees!

For dessert, we ordered Sweet Crepes with Port Butter Sauce, Raspberry Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream. We should have started with dessert!! Wow! It was just so good that we could have licked the plate if it had not been bad manners.

Our Room at Chestnut Hill B&B

Chestnut Hill B&B

Chestnut Hill B&B

After a great night’s sleep and filling breakfast, we sat down for a quick conversation with Kathleen and Troy. As other guests came to say good-bye, it was funny to see each couple lingering in the hall as if they just didn’t want to leave.

Funny, we had the same feeling.

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Hurley watching a Christmas Show

With the loss of my mother last month, the one holiday I was dreading most was Christmas. Being that the emotions were still really fresh, I knew that it was going to be really hard getting through it without a lot of tears. So I asked my family if they would help me out this year by not making Christmas a big holiday as we always do. All I can say is I love my family. They sacrificed the decorations, the Christmas cards and the huge meal I always cook each year to help me make it through without being a basket case.

I can’t say I didn’t cry this Christmas Season. One that caught me off guard was when we were visiting the BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville for lunch just before we went to Montpelier for the Candle Light Tour. The weekend had been really nice. It was the first weekend we had gone away since my mother’s death and I was doing pretty well. As we sat talking and enjoying our meal, we could hear Christmas songs in the restaurant. All of a sudden the song, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” came on. I fought really hard. I tried to ignore it. I tried to focus on something funny at the table. I even looked around to see if I could focus on someone else almost in an attempt to draw a smile out of myself. But it wasn’t going to happen. Before I could stop it, tears started flowing. I allowed them to and tried to do it in a way that no one would notice. A few minutes later, Brett looked up and realized that I was crying. It only took a second I think for him to understand why. As I wiped the tears away, I tried to smile and said that I was sorry, the song just got me. The song ended and I was okay again.

But since we didn’t have the huge meal of years past, I wanted to do something special for my family who give up so much for me. So I made reservation at one of our high end restaurants in Virginia Beach. At first, I wanted to go to Ruth’s Chris Steak House, but I was a little late in getting the reservation. So instead we decided to go to McCormick and Schmicks. It was really a wonderful time. We brought my father and my son’s girlfriend along for the evening. If you haven’t tried it, you need to go. The food was out of this world.

But don’t worry, by next Christmas we will be in the plantation and will have lots of wonderful decorations and celebrations. New Years is coming and I have a traditional New Year’s dinner planned at home! It’s a new year and a new chapter that we will be starting soon.

McCormick and Schmick
Virginia Beach, Virginia

McCormick and Schmick
Bar

McCormick and Schmick
Dining Room

Meet the Family

Pawpaw and Tyler

Tyler and Leah, his girlfriend

Alexa and Brett

Brett and Michelle

STOP!

If  you are hungry, don’t go any further! 

You have been warned! 

Shrimp Kisses
Shrimp stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese and wrapped in Bacon. It is served on a bed of corn with red and green peppers and a touch of cayenne pepper.

Crab Soup

Chicken and Wild Mushroom Cajun Pasta

Shrimp and Andouille Macaroni and Cheese

Parmesan Encrusted Chicken with Lemon Butter and Capers. Served with Linguine Alfredo and Roasted, Marinated Grape Tomatoes

Ultimate Seafood Platter
with Shrimp, Scallops, Salmon and Stuffed Shrimp. Served with Mash Potatoes and Vegetables.

Stuffed Shrimp
Served with Mash Potatoes and Vegetables.

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A big announcement coming soon!

Elmwood at Sparks

After we arrived at Holladay House Inn, we knew where we wanted to get dinner. In October we had come to Orange, Virginia to celebrate our anniversary and had eaten at Elmwood at Sparks Restaurant. So we knew how good it was and looked forward to another great meal.

Just as before, we made last minute reservations through our bed and breakfast, Holladay House Inn. With little notice, we were able to get in within minutes, even though they were very busy. We are even able to sit at our original table as we had for our anniversary. We were greeted by the waitress that helped us before and remembering her name I greeted her with it. She was surprised that I remembered. I have to say our last visit had been such a wonderful delight that it wasn’t hard to recall those that made it so good. Kristen got our drinks and allowed us time to read over the menu.

Kristen
Elmwood at Sparks

We quickly knew just want we wanted. I ordered a starter of Shrimp and Parmesan Grits with Shallots, Herbs, Tomatoes and Chardonnay Butter, which I enjoyed the last time I came and a Filet Mignon with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Vegetables. Brett ordered the Creamy Mushrooms and Penna Pasta Roasted Red Peppers, Parmesan, Belchamel, Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts which he had the last time as well.

Shrimp and Parmesan Grits with Shallots, Herbs, Tomatoes and Chardonnay Butter

Filet Mignon with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Vegetables

Creamy Mushrooms and Penna Pasta Roasted Red Peppers, Parmesan, Belchamel, Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts

As we waited for our starter, the Chef Cooper peeked out from behind the counter which was very close to our table and asked us how our Bed and Breakfast was coming. We were very surprised since we had only been there once before and were not local residence or business. How wonderful that he remembered!

The food was out of this world as it had been before. After we finished we ordered a single dessert of Crepes with Maple Butter Sauce and Pumpkin Ice Cream. As we finished, we spoke to Kristen and enjoyed the very special customer service she offered. We left wishing that they were closer to us so we could enjoy their wonderful food, gracious customer service and warm atmosphere more often.

Crepes with Maple Butter Sauce and Pumpkin Ice Cream

The Sparks Building is a historic two and one half story Federal period commercial and domestic building that was built around 1830 for James Forbes. There has been some exterior alterations with include the construction of modern store front; the Sparks Building still retains much of its original material. The Sparks Butchery & Deli was located on the west side of the building in 1902.

When Chef Randy Cooper opened Elmwood at Sparks, the cafe had formerly offered a deli menu. Executive Chef Randy Cooper was trained in classical French and New American cuisine at Johnson & Wales University. Over the past fourteen years Chef Cooper has worked in many prestigious restaurants including Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado as Chef de Tourant; Boar’s Hear Inn as Chef de Cuisine; Ivy Inn as Sous Chef; Glenmore Country Club as the Fine Dining Chef, and most recently, as the Executive Chef of the Grille at Prince Michel Vineyards, receiving the coveted Four Diamond AAA rating.

Looking for those who are dedicated to natural and sustainable farming and seeking the best of local ingredients, Chef Cooper has quickly made Elmwood at Sparks a local favorite. Using his southern heritage along with his training, Chef Cooper will frequently change his menu to reflect the season and availability. Chef Cooper also showcases his ability to sift from a casual lunch stop to a fine dining restaurant in the evening. It is the evening menu that Chef Cooper culinary skills shine.

www.elmwoodcatering.com

Whether Chef Cooper is offering a lunch menu, dinner menu or a catered event, according to his web site he stands by his philosophy that “It’s all about the food – whether customers want to grab a quick sandwich to take back to the office or dine here. Using the best products, I use my menu to offer quality dishes.”

Breakfast at Schooler House Bed and Breakfast
Fredericksburg, Virginia
www.theschoolerhouse.com

After a really good night sleep at Schooler House Bed and Breakfast, Brett and I decided to enjoy part of our day in Fredericksburg. We woke around 8:00am when the air kicked on and brought with its cool air the wonderful smell of French Toast. It didn’t take us long to get ready knowing we were about to enjoy another delicious breakfast.

After breakfast, I spent a few minutes talking Bed and Breakfast with the innkeeper, Andi, while Brett enjoyed playing with Enzo, her Inn puppy. It is hard to believe we were just there two weekends ago when you see how much Enzo has grown.

Enzo
Schooler House Bed and Breakfast

After we packed and said our good-byes, Brett and I headed over to Kenmore Plantation, located right in the middle of Old Towne Fredericksburg. Kenmore was the home of Fielding Lewis and his wife, Betty Washington Lewis. Betty was George Washington’s sister. You may remember the last name “Lewis” from our visit to the Inn at Warner Hall. Fielding was the younger son of John Lewis and Francis Fielding. Fielding was born at Warner Hall. Fielding was a successful merchant in Fredericksburg and was appointed Commissary General of Munitions during the American Revolutionary War.

Kenmore Plantation
Fredericksburg, Virginia

This Georgian Mansion was completed in 1776 on their 1,300 acre plantation. This plantation produced a combination of tobacco, corn and wheat and had more than 80 slaves. One of the most impressive features is the remarkable decorative plaster work on the ceilings and walls in many of the rooms on the first floor. This plaster work was done by the same artist that did the plaster work at Mount Vernon.

During the Civil War, this mansion was used as a Union hospital after the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. It would be used later by Union troops on their way to Richmond at the close of the war. Today, you can still see scars from the Civil War on the mansion. Lodged in one of the outside walls is a cannon ball.

Cannon Ball from the Civil War
Kenmore Plantation

At Kenmore, the tour guide kept referring to the different sides of the exterior as the Carriage Entry and the Riverfront Entry. Just like Belle Grove, Kenmore was built with its main entry facing the Rappahannock River. It doesn’t sit as close to the river as Belle Grove. It is about five or six blocks back from the river. But I like the name of the side that carriages would have entered. So instead of calling the side of Belle Grove facing the Plantation, the Plantation Side, we are going to call it the Carriage Entry. It just sounds more appropriate. So when you arrive at Belle Grove, you will come in on the Carriage Entry and will have to drive around the Bowling Green to reach the door.

The tour started in the visitor center where we had a chance to see portraits of the family and furniture from the Lewis time period. There was also a model of what Fredericksburg looked like during the Lewis time period. How things have changed.

These chairs are from the family of Mildred Gregory, first cousin to Betty Washington Lewis. They were given as a gift to Kenmore in 1928 by the Daughters of 1812. The Daughters of 1812 just recently toured Belle Grove in June 2012.

These earring of topaz, silver and gold (1770-England) belonged to Betty Washington Lewis and were passed down through the female line of the family. You can buy a copy of these at Kenmore.

We then went to the house and toured the main floor. As you enter through the double doors on the Carriage side, you enter the Receiving Hall. It isn’t as large as our Main Hall at Belle Grove, but was very impressive with its winding staircase and architectural details. We then viewed Betty’s room on the main floor. The plaster work was just beautiful!

Kenmore Plantation
Fredericksburg, Virginia

From there we moved to the main formal parlor where they would have entertained guest and would have had wonderful meals.

Then into the ladies parlor which was called the Season’s Room. In the plaster work in this room, you can see each of the seasons. We also viewed a lesser room Fielding would have used as an office to conduct business.

At the end of the tour, Brett and I walked around to the Riverfront Entry to view the walking garden. It was a well laid out garden with wildflowers throughout. There was also a small sitting garden that was separated by a small wall.

Riverfront Entry and Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Riverfront Entry and Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Kenmore
Riverside

From here, we headed by down Route 3 (Kings Highway) towards Port Conway and our favorite plantation, Belle Grove. We drove in and were again greeted by the family of wild turkeys. They were standing on the edge of the tree line that separates the church and Belle Grove.  We pulled up to the entry gate just to view the house. We decided not to go any farther, but enjoyed the view that many guest will see as they come in.

We headed over to Port Royal and stopped just across the River at one of our favorite restaurants, River Haven. We took our favorite seat by the back window with a view of the river and Belle Grove. As we ate a quick lunch, we were able to watch a pair of Osprey, (maybe James and Dolley) flying over the river looking for fish. I had never seen them dive for a fish, but had the wonderful treat of seeing it happen three times! It was a wonder to see.

After just one more look across the river at Belle Grove, we headed home. It was a great celebration weekend filled with wonderful sights. Now we have a new chapter to write. We are looking forward to filling this chapter with the excitement of bringing Belle Grove Plantation back to life.

Stain Glass Artwork in the Orientation Center
Mount Vernon

Wow what a great couple days! After signing our contract, Saturday we headed up to Washington D.C. to see Mount Vernon. We had a couple of goals in visiting the home of George Washington. First we had heard that the gardens were grand. We hoped to gather some ideas for layouts and plants that will help us plan our gardens at Belle Grove. Second, being a Virginia Plantation home that was built in 1735, we could also get some ideas for the furniture and designs of the interior of a colonial home. We also wanted to visit so we could recommend it as a place to go while our guests are visiting our plantation.

I had been to Mount Vernon twice before, but this was Brett’s first visit. It has been years since I had gone and a few things had changed since my last visit. One thing I remembered was how tricky it can be finding it. All I can say is I don’t know what I did before GPS! Thankfully when we arrived, we were able to find a parking space pretty close to the entry.

When we walked into the Orientation Center, we were first greeted by life size statues of General Washington, Martha and their grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis (Nelly)at age 6 and George Washington Parke Custis (called “Wash” or “Tub”) at age 4. The first thing we did was measure Brett against General Washington’s 6’2” frame. One thing we did notice was how much shorter Martha was. She was only 5’5”.

From there we headed to the front entry gate. This has to be the best place to first view Mount Vernon. As we walked in and started around towards the Upper Garden, we found a sign that talked about the grassy area in the circle at the front of the house. This area is called the “Bowling Green”. By definition, a bowling green is a finely-laid, closely-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls. Now I don’t know if they played lawn bowls, but I love the name they use for it. We have a similar area in front of Belle Grove. All this time, I have been just calling it the grassy area in the circle. Now I think we are going to follow suit and call it our bowling green. Who knows, maybe we can learn how to play lawn bowling and have some fun at the plantation!

As we rounded the circle, we came upon some very large trees. Each of these trees were marked with the time that they were planted. I couldn’t believe it! Some of these trees were planted during the same time period when Belle Grove was built! What wonderful pieces of living history to see and touch! If only these trees could talk, what story they would have!

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

The Upper Garden was our first stop. This garden had a dual purpose. It was both beautiful and productive. It features three large planting areas with wide paths. The beds are edged with short boxwoods. Just inside this edging was a ten foot wide border of fruit trees, shrubs, roses, annual and perennial flowers. The center section was where vegetables were grown and would supplement the production of the Lower Garden. The most formal section of the Upper Garden is a set of boxwood parterres, which incorporate the French fleur-de-lis as a major design element.

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

From here we made our way across the bowling green to the right side of the house. Here we walked to the river view of the manor home. Mount Vernon sits on a high bluff that overlooks the Potomac River and across the river to Maryland. The porch extends the full length of the manor house and offers a large area to sit and enjoy the cool breezes that come up from the river.

River View
Mount Vernon

River View
Mount Vernon

River View
Mount Vernon

Weathervane
Mount Vernon

We then made our way back to the side of the house where we viewed several of the dependencies. One of the first ones Brett wanted to see was the Smokehouse. He commented that it was just a little bigger than the one at Belle Grove. We also peeked into the Wash House and Coach House. What a beautiful carriage General Washington had! The one that was shown wasn’t owned by Washington, but was an example of what he had.

Smokehouse
Mount Vernon

Wash House
Mount Vernon

From here, we started down a steep hill towards the Tomb of the Washington. Also by this point, we had started getting a little hot. The day was very hot (around upper 80s to lower 90s) and quite humid. As we walked down, I started thinking about what a walk back up this was going to be. When we arrived at the tomb, there really weren’t too many people there. It was very quiet and peaceful. The two sarcophagus were simple white marble and the lid of General Washington’s decorated with an eagle and shield. General Washington had been buried earlier in another tomb until this tomb could be built according to his will.

Tomb
Mount Vernon

Tomb
Mount Vernon

George Washington’s Tomb
Mount Vernon

Martha Washington Tomb
Mount Vernon

After the long hike back up the hill from the tomb, we headed over to the Lower Garden. The Lower Garden or Kitchen garden is where many varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs were grown. The high brick walls were used to create a warm environment that extended the planting season and would have kept the wildlife out of the garden. The garden was placed on a slope so it had to be terraced to create two flat planting areas and would have a southern exposure.

Fruit and Vegetable Garden and Nursery
Mount Vernon

Fruit and Vegetable Garden and Nursery
Mount Vernon

After walking the Lower Garden, we were pretty hot and headed back over to the start of the manor house line. We were about 30 minutes before our tour time, but were allowed to go ahead and enter the line for the manor. As we made our way up, we came upon a sign that talked about the exterior walls of Mount Vernon.

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

The mansion is made of wood, but was treated to look like stone. Long pine boards were grooved and beveled to create the appearance of masonry. Then the boards were varnished and painted. Before they dried a fine sand was thrown on the wet paint. This rustication technique was used on the mansion in 1757-1769, just a few years after Mount Vernon became his home.

Mansion
Mount Vernon

Mansion
Mount Vernon

As we made our way through the line, we were given a chance to see the Servant’s Hall just to the left of the mansion. From there, we walked along the covered arched walkways towards the house. It is from this walkway you can see the outside of the palladian window of the formal entertainment room.

Servant’s Hall
Mount Vernon

Covered Archway
Mount Vernon

Covered Archway
Mount Vernon

Outside view of Palladian Window
Mount Vernon

Inside Formal Dining room / Entertainment Room
Mount Vernon

When I last visited Mount Vernon, several years ago, the tour was done in groups and was only in the main level of the mansion. Today, the tour was more of the line that you walk through from the entertainment room, to the river view porch, back into the main hall where you see two bedrooms, a small parlor and dining room. Then its upstairs to three bedrooms, on with a portrait of Marquis De Lafayette. Lafayette visited Mount Vernon on his visits to America. From here, we made our way through another bedroom, which at first I thought might be the Washington’s room since it was the only bedroom that we had been allowed to enter and walk through. But just on the other side was another bedroom, which had been part of an extension General Washington had added to Mount Vernon. Then it was back downstairs and into the private study of General Washington. After about 20 minutes, the tour was over.

Lafayette

Brett and I have been to several of the Founding Father’s homes. Of the three that we have seen, Monticello, Montpelier and Mount Vernon, only Mount Vernon had left me feeling like there was so much more information and history that was not mentioned during the tour. The mansion had tour guides staged at different points along the walking tour. They all seemed to have about three or four statements that they made over and over. When I wanted to stop and ask a question, the tour guide seemed a little baffled by my question (the question was in the entertainment room and I asked if the plaster accents were colonial or were they added sometime later in the Victorian period?) I was told they were colonial and he walked away before I could really get any more questions out. Also because there was a long line of people behind me, I didn’t feel like I could stop and ask too many questions, even though I really wanted to. I did find out that the mansion is 9200 square feet. Belle Grove is just 1200 shy at 8000 square feet.

After the tour, we were hot and a bit drained, so we headed back over to the Museum and Education Center. Here we could have gotten more information I am sure than what we got inside the mansion. But at this point we were to tired to make it through. It will have to wait until another day.

“Martha Washington”
Mount Vernon
(Isn’t it cool how the sunlight looks to be shining directly on her?)

All in all it was a really good visit. The gardens gave us more ideas and we now have a name of our grassy area. When we have guest come to Belle Grove, when we recommend Mount Vernon, we will offer the following advise:

• Plan an early and all day event. With the traffic you can run into on Highway 95, your travel time from Belle Grove to Mount Vernon could be from one to two hours depending on the traffic.
• Plan your visit ahead of time. Know what you want to see and where you want walk.
• Wear comfortable tennis shoe. The hills are not kind to flip flops.
• Try to plan your trip in cool weather. The heat and humid were very hard on us and Mount Vernon doesn’t offer many places to get out of the heat.

We decided to stay the night in Fredericksburg at the Schooler House Inn. We arrived just long enough to drop our belongings off and head over to an Italian Restaurant Brett wanted to try. This restaurant called “Ristorante Renato” is located on William Street in Fredericksburg. It is a cozy semi formal restaurant in an older building. We arrived in blue jeans and the other guests were casual or blue jeans as well.The decor was just a little dated and the waitstaff were all in tux shirts and bow ties, but the food was really good.

The Schooler House Bed and Breakfast
Fredericksburg, Virginia
www.theschoolerhouse.com

Ristorante Renato

Ristorante Renato
www.rrenato.com

We started out with an Antipasti Misto for two with prosciutto, salami, mushrooms, mozzarella, olives, anchovies, shrimp, and marinated vegetables. Then we had a house salad followed by our entrees. Brett ordered his favorite Italian dish, basic spaghetti with meat balls and mushrooms added. I ordered Agnolotti (or Ravioli). The raviolis were white pillows filled with baked spinach in a cream cheese sauce. When I got my dish at first I was a little disappointed that it was only four small raviolis, but after eating them, I see why. They are so filling! And the taste was out of this world! I have never had a ravioli that simply dissolved in your mouth! I would eat that every night if you asked me! At the end of the entree we decided no dessert for us tonight. Both dishes filled us and satisfied our taste buds.

Antipasta Misto
Ristorante Renato

Spaghetti with Meatballs and Mushrooms
Ristorante Renato
(Can you tell someone loves cheese?)

Agnolotti (or Ravioli)
Ristorante Renato

Agnolotti (or Ravioli)
Spinach filling
Ristorante Renato

As we made our way back to Schooler House Bed and Breakfast, we made a quick trip to the river to see the paddle boat that is docked downtown. It is small river boat the offers a meal and trip down the Rappahannock River. We are going to have to schedule a trip on this soon! I don’t know how far down river it goes, but it would be so cool to furnish a dock for it to come to Belle Grove!

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Rappanhannock River
down river towards Belle Grove
Fredericksburg

We headed back up Caroline Street and made one more stop for the night at the Virginia Wine Experience store. Here you can find Virginia Wines from 80 vineyards represented of the over 200 vineyards of Virginia. One of our favorites is Ingleside and I knew that they carried one of our favorite wines, “Sweet Virginia Rose”. This red is a sweeter dessert wine that is a pleasure to enjoy. With bottle in hand, we arrived at Schooler House.

The Virginia Wine Experience
Fredericksburg

We got ready for the night and settled in for a glass of our “Sweet Virginia Rose”. As Brett caught up on his college football scores, I grabbed one of the many books that Andi, the innkeeper offers guest to enjoy. I picked up a book on “Ghost of Fredericksburg and the surrounding area” . I was kind of hoping to see Belle Grove or one of the other plantation in the book. But the closest it got was a story about John Wilkes Booth. An hour or so later, Brett and I snuggled down in our warm and very comfortable bed and quickly fell asleep.

Ingleside Vineyards
Sweet Virginia Rose

To be continued…

Rose Hill Plantation

Wow, what a weekend we have had! First let me give a little update on our progress. As of Friday, the property manager informed us that he had been guaranteed by the attorney that we would have our long overdue contract. Today is Sunday and we still don’t have it. Argh! Let’s hope we will get it on Monday. (fingers crossed) Also just a reminder, the plantation is not open to the public yet. If you happen to be in the area, please don’t drive back to the house. The caretaker and his family are there and we don’t want them over run with visitors… yet.

On Saturday, we had an appointment at 11am at the plantation with our landscapers, Arrowwood Landscape Design (www.arrowwoodlandscape.com) to discuss the grading of the property around the house, bluff and driveway. We are also working up the design for the landscaping around the property and putting in sidewalks. At the same time, we had the owners of Enon Hall in White Stone, Virginia ( www.enonhall.com ), Bill and Gay stop by and we showed them the plantation.

Gay’s Chow Chow Relish

Gay brought us a really nice surprise, homemade Chow Chow. If you aren’t familiar with Chow Chow, it is a Southern recipe for a type of relish. It can be made with green tomatoes, cucumbers or cabbage. Its main ingredient is hot peppers. The ingredients are all chopped up and pickled in vinegar.  It’s kind of a sweet and hot favor. I grew up eating it on collard greens, but you can add it to anything from greens to beans to hot dogs to anything you want. I don’t have a good recipe for it, but after tasting Gay’s Chow Chow, I might have to see if I can entice her to giving it up. (Thank you Gay!) Another good thing about their visit was that Bill has the name of a local contractor that works on restoring old dependencies and is going to get us his name. Our poor dependencies, they are in bad need of some attention.

Back wall of the Summer Kitchen
Please don’t forget to help us Save these priceless treasure by visiting our site at
http://www.indiegogo.com/bellegroveplantation. A small donation will help us restore and preserve the history at Belle Grove Plantation!

After our appointment and time we spent share Belle Grove with Bill and Gay, we headed over to another plantation on the other side of the Rappahannock River called Rose Hill Plantation. This plantation has also been called Gaymont Plantation. The house of this plantation was originally built in 1797 by John and Elizabeth Pratt Hipkins. You may remember their names from “A Father’s Love” post. John was who bought Belle Grove in 1790 from Captain Francis Conway. In 1791, he built the center section of our current home for his daughter, Fannie Hipkins Bernard and her husband William Bernard. You can see Rose Hill Plantation from the Riverside of our house on a hill across the river. I always say that when John placed his house there, it was to watch over Fannie.

When John passed away, the plantation passed to his grandson and namesake, John Hipkins Bernard and his wife, Jane Gay Robertson Bernard. When John Bernard took possession of Rose Hill, he renamed it Gaymont in honor of his wife, Jane. The recent owners decided to change the name back to the original when they purchased it. John Bernard and his wife, Jane, traveled quite a bit in their life time. When they visited Europe, they brought back furniture and items as well as ideas for their landscaping. Of the four children of Fannie and William Bernard, John Hipkins Bernard was the last surviving member.

Rose Hill Entry
For more picture of Rose Hill not shown in this posting, please visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Belle-Grove-Plantation-at-Port-Conway/

I was lucky a few weeks ago when I went to Ferry Farm to come across the entry to Rose Hill and found two workers there. They were able to give me the name of the caretaker, who I contacted about seeing Rose Hill. Douglas took time out of his busy Saturday to come and walk us around the plantation. I didn’t know at the time, but we couldn’t have had a better guide.

View from Rose Hill’s front yard

Rose Hill Main House

As we pulled up to Rose Hill’s main house, our jaws must have scraped the floor. The main house sits on a hill that overlooks the river valley. What a beautiful view it has! To the back of the house, there is a large, I mean really large English walking garden laid out.

Rose Hill – This is only half of the English walking garden! I couldn’t get the whole thing in the picture!

To the left of the house, you could see a small brick house, which we learned later was their Summer Kitchen. It later serviced as the caretaker’s house. Woodson Jones was a African-American caretaker of the Bernard’s. He lived in this one room house, which has only one fireplace and a small loft, with his wife and twelve, yes I said twelve, children. He and his wife lived there until his death in 1925 at the age of 72. He was so loved by the family that they allowed him to be buried in the family cemetery on the plantation. His grave site is in the cemetery, but is sectioned off by fence to keep it separated from the family.

Small House (was Summer Kitchen) that belonged to Woodson Jones

Douglas had be friends with the last owner of Rose Hill for many years. The last owner was James Patton. His wife, Frances Bernard Upton Patton was related to John Hipkins Bernard. James Patton took Rose Hill (then still called Gaymont) and work tirelessly to bring back all the family furniture and items that he could. He also worked to restore Rose Hill to what it was before. Rose Hill had burned in 1958, and all of the house that remained was the frame of the house. During the fire, the family had been able to get most of their belongs out before the fire destroyed them. By the time of his death, he had filled all but one bedroom with the Bernard belongs. He had also compiled the family history which is now preserved at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. James and Frances passed away with no children. James gifted Rose Hill to the Preservation Society of Virginia, who were to safe guard it and to sell it as one whole piece, furnishing and all. Today, you can see the fruits of James’s labor.

Rose Hill’s Fron Doors

As Douglas walked us through the house, he was able to tell us story about some of the furnishing and décor. In the dining room, the wallpaper was from another home. It was going to be trashed until James Patton saved it and brought it to Rose Hill. In the library, you can see all of John Hipkins Bernard’s books that he collected in his lifetime. The painting in the library is of the USS Virginia. It was purchased and brought to Rose Hill by the current owner.

Rose Hill’s Dining Room

Close up of the wallpaper

Rose Hill’s Main Hall going back to the Music Room
Does the arch look familiar? Our arch in our Main Hall is the same. Could they have had the same builders? Our house was built in 1791 and Rose Hill was built in 1797.

Rose Hill’s Music Room

Rose Hill’s Main Hall from Music Room to Front Door

Rose Hill’s Library. All these books belong to the Bernard Family

Rose Hill’s Library

Rose Hill’s Library – The painting is of the USS Virginia

Our first big surprise at Rose Hill came in the first bedroom. There we saw the painting of Sarah “Sallie” Bernard Lightfoot. I have a copy of that painting, but never knew where the painting was. You may remember that I also have copies of Fannie Hipkins Bernard, William Bernard II, his wife Sarah Dykes Bernard and Jane Gay Robertson Bernard.

Rose Hill – Original Painting of Sarah “Sallie” Bernard Lightfoot, daughter of Fannie Hipkins Bernard and William Bernard. She was born at her grandparent’s home before moving to Belle Grove with her mother and father in 1791.

Our next big surprise came upstairs in the last bedroom. There on the wall, I saw two prints of a man and woman. As soon as I saw the woman, I knew it was Jane Gay Bernard from her other painting I have. But I wasn’t sure who the man was. I told Brett; wouldn’t it be so cool if it is John Hipkins Bernard? I have long searched for his picture, but have never been able to find one. This is really unusual since he was such a well-traveled and educated man. Douglas told us to look on the back of the print, since he knew James Patton was good about noting who painting were. There we saw it was indeed John Hipkins Bernard! Our long lost picture! I was so excited!

Rose Hill – John Hipkins Bernard, son of Fannie Hipkins Bernard and William Bernard. John was born at Belle Grove Plantation and died at Rose Hill Plantation.

Rose Hill – Jane Gay Robertson Bernard, wife of John Hipkins Bernard. Rose Hill was renamed in her honor as Gaymont by her husband.

After our tour the house and small brick house to the side, we walked back to the front of the house. I took the steps, made of four mill wheels, which Douglas said were original to the plantation, down to the lower terrace to take some pictures of the house. As I started back to the steps, I looked down and there at my feet was a plate shard! It was larger than the ones I had found at Belle Grove and from the markings looked like a Flow Blue plate or saucer. I walked back up to Brett and Douglas and showed them. When I went to hand it to Douglas, he told me to keep it! I said I couldn’t because it belonged to this plantation. But he told me that the owners wouldn’t mind if I took it with me. I was so excited! If it dates to the time I am thinking, it could have belong to the daughter of John Hipkins Bernard!

Rose Hill – Caretaker’s home and former Summer Kitchen

Rose Hill – Mill Wheel Steps

Rose Hill – Front view from second terrrace

Rose Hill – Plate Shard found. The markings look like Flow Blue.

From there we walked down the drive to a grove of large Tulip Poplar Trees that from their looks were ancient old soldiers that have been watching over this plantation for years! I almost tripped and fell as I walked under them, looking up through their out reached “arms”. It was so breath taking! As we passed through them, Douglas told us that there are pictures of Civil War soldiers sitting under them eating their meals.

Rose Hill – Tulip Poplar Tree

After we passed through the trees, we head down a slope into a wooded area. Here we came to the family cemetery. As we walked through, I saw names like Bernard, Lightfoot and Robb. I knew these names from my research of Belle Grove. The first person we came across that I knew was France Bernard Upton Patton. She was James Patton’s wife. Then we saw James beside her. We also saw the fenced off area with Woodson Jones. Then we saw them, John Hipkins Bernard and his wife Jane Gay Robertson Bernard! I just knew they were here! I had known that John Hipkins, his wife Elizabeth Pratt Hipkins, France Hipkins Bernard, William Bernard II, Eliza Bernard (Fannie’s youngest daughter) and five of William Bernard II’s infant children were buried at Belle Grove. But we had never known where John Bernard and his wife Jane were.

Rose Hill Cemetery

Rose Hill Cemetery – John Hipkins Bernard

Rose Hill Cemetery – Jane Gay Robertson Bernard

As we drove out, my heart was so full. It was such a great day for us. The house give us some inspiration on how to decorate our plantation and it filled in holes of my research to help us come closer to knowing these families that curved out Belle Grove. We could have been more appreciative of the time Douglas gave us!

Once we left Rose Hill and grabbed some lunch in King George, we had some time to kill as we waited for our son and his girlfriend to arrive. Our son, Tyler wanted his girlfriend, Leah to see our plantation. So with an hour or so to kill, I dropped Brett off at Belle Grove and yes, headed out to a new antique store! It’s call A Unique House and it is located in King George, Virginia.

http://www.auniquehouse.com/

It is an antique mall with lots of things to see. The most important thing was the level of service I got at this store! Most antique malls, you just walk around and never see anyone. But the owner came up as I was browsing and asked if there was anything I needed. I thanked him and said no. He then asked me if I would like something cold to drink. With it being 100 plus outside, I have to say I was a little thrust. He ran and got me a bottle of water, for free, that had been allowed to ice up inside! What a welcome that was! And what a surprise at the customer service level! I did get to look for about an hour and Score! I found a tea pot, ten butter pats and four tea cups! What else could have made this day more perfect?

Butter Pat Plates

Belle Grove – Our son Tyler and his girlfriend Leah on the Plantation side front portico

When I got back to the house, we walked the kids through the house and grounds. While we were up on the Riverside balcony, I was able to capture some pictures and a video of our new babies! Yes, James and Dolley our resident ospreys have two babies. They are big enough now to peak out of the nest and be seen. Earlier in the day, while the landscapers and Bill and Gay were at the plantation, we saw two eagles come in towards the nest. It was a tense time as Dolley flew over and sat on the nest and James challenged the eagles. Finally James was able to lead the eagles away from the nest and all were safe.

Belle Grove – Our baby ospreys

Belle Grove – Our baby osprey
Check out the video of the babies on our Facebook page!

After we finished at the plantation, we head with the kids over to Port Royal for some dinner. We have found one of the best new restaurants in the area! It’s called River Haven.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/RiverHavenVA

River Haven – Steve and Dave, owners

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia

It just opened in March and we have had several opportunities to eat there. Dave and Steve, the owners, were two chefs from Fredericksburg that decided to open this place. Their food is to die for! For dinner I had the Supreme Macaroni and Cheese, made with three cheese, penne pasta, and applewood bacon and bread crumbs. Brett had a Crab Melt on an open face English muffin and fries. Tyler had Stuffed Flounder with Scalloped Potatoes and Cheese. Leah had Pull Pork BBQ with Baked Beans and Cole Slaw.

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia – Tyler’s Stuffed Flounder and two side orders of Scallop Cheese Potatoes

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia – Brett’s Crab Melt and Fries

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia – Leah’s Pulled Pork BBQ, Baked Bean, Fries and Cole Slaw

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia – My Supreme Mac and Cheese. You can’t tell it, but this bowl is huge!

And you couldn’t beat the view of the Rappahannock River and our plantation just across the way! We have jokingly considered a ferry that travels to and from our places so they can deliver their food for us!

River Haven – Port Royal, Virginia – Just to the left of the window, you can see a little of Belle Grove Plantation.

As we drove home, hearts and stomachs filled, I just couldn’t image any better day than this. That was until we got up the next day and decided to go look at antique furniture in Gloucester, Virginia and ended up somewhere new.

More tomorrow on our Sunday surprise!

Just imagine pulling up to our two hundred and twenty-one year old plantation home to spend two beautiful nights in one of our Master Suites overlooking the plantation and the river. Each of the Master Suites will be filled with period style furnishing matching the period that the family for whom the room is named lived at Belle Grove Plantation.  After you arrive, join us at 5pm sharp for a Wine and Cheese reception with local Virginia wines and hors d’oeuvres.

Sample a traditional Mint Julep while taking in the view of the Rappahannock River from the riverfront portico.  Afterwards, take a stroll around the property with Brett and Michelle and learn about the history of Belle Grove Plantation from its beginnings in 1670 to the birth of James Madison to the Civil War and John Wilkes Booth. Afterward return to your room with a turndown service and a night cap of Port Wine and a special Belle Grove snack.

Blueberry Oatmeal Streusel French Toast with Warm Maple Rum

You and your companion will wake to a gourmet three-course breakfast served in the formal dining room or you can choose to have a private breakfast on the balcony overlooking the river. You can spend your day relaxing and reading in our library, or go exploring the local history of George Washington, Robert E. Lee or the Civil War Battlefields of Fredericksburg. You may also chose to enjoy tasting the delights of Ingleside Winery or a quiet gourmet dinner at River Haven Restaurant overlooking the Rappahannock River.

Return for the Wine and Cheese Reception and then a quiet evening watching the sunset over the river from the Riverfront balcony.

What could be better than this? How about all of this for free?

Here is your chance!

Today we will be launching a fund-raising campaign in an effort to save the three outbuildings you may have read about in the previous post. We truly believe these buildings are worth the time and effort to save because they hold the past of this plantation. Built around the late 1700s, they could reveal life for the plantation families and slaves that lived here from 1791 to the present. With their restoration and preservation, we will be able to preserve and present that history to future generations to come.

Here’s what you need to do to enter:

Please visit our campaign site at

http://www.indiegogo.com/bellegroveplantation

and read over our information for the campaign. Once you have made your donation, claim one of the “perks” we have set up. You can only claim one. Once we receive your information, we will register you for the drawing. We will send you via email the ticket numbers for your records. Please make sure you include your email address and phone number so we can call you if you win! We do not share any information and do not add you to any email list.

The drawing will take place on August 25, 2012. We are hoping to be able to open Belle Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast in September, 2012.

Our goal is to raise $30,000 with this campaign with an ultimate goal of raising a total of $200,000 with future fund raising campaigns. This will help us restore and preserve these valuable pieces of history. We will also be using the funds to make some improvements to the grounds.

How you can help us?

You can help us by sharing the word to others. Please consider sharing this post with your readers on your blog and on Facebook.

We have to have at less two contribution within the first two days of the campaign in order to be added to Indiegogo’s browser.

Another way to help us is to visit the campaign site as many times as you can and by commenting on the campaign. By doing so, we will accumulate “points” with Indiegogo. If we receive enough “points” they will feature us on their home page. As all of you are aware, by being featured on the home page, we will get much needed exposure for our campaign. This will help us greatly!

We really appreciate your donations!

Remember all donations great and small will make a difference! We will record the names, city, state (and country) of those who donate to our campaign. The name of each contributor will go on a list that will become part of the New History of Belle Grove Plantation. Once we have finished the restoration, three copies of this part of the new history will be made. One copy will be retained at Belle Grove, the second will go to the King George County Historic Society and the third copy will go to the Virginia Historic Society to be archived as part of the permanent history of Belle Grove Plantation for future generations.

James Madison

Become part of the history of Belle Grove Plantation that includes the birthplace of James Madison and the trail that John Wilkes Booth and his Union pursuers traveled!

Thank you for your support and generosity.

(NOTE! We will be adding a video of Belle Grove Plantation soon to the Indiegogo site)

Brett and I are so overwhelmed with the interest in Belle Grove Plantation! The warm comments and words of encouragement have meant a lot to us as we work towards opening this beautiful and historically important home. We appreciate each of you and appreciate you joining us on this journey!

Thank you just doesn’t seem enough at times.

There were several questions that we received through your comments so we thought we would answer some of them here so everyone would know.

Question One:

Is the plantation open now?

Driveway from the entry gate to main road

Answer:

No, it is not open to the public yet. In fact we don’t even live there yet. We travel up on the weekends when we need to do anything or just to visit it. There is a caretaker there, but they do not allow the public to come and see. So we ask that you please wait before you try to come and find it. As soon as we are able, we will allow our friends to come and see it. Please stay tuned…

Question Two:

When are you going to open?

Plantation Side Portico

Answer:

We are hoping to open in September, 2012. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. So that is a soft date at best right now. We will know more once we are able to get started on site and see what needs to be done and how long it will take. We are working on what we can now so hopefully it will cut the time down. Believe us, we can’t wait to open!

Question Three:

Are you planning on doing weddings?

View from the Riverside Portico out to the river. The old fountain will be removed. This will be where a bride steps out to walk down the aisle to her future husband.

Answer:

Yes! We have already started working on collecting vendors to assist us in becoming the venue of choice for weddings! And what a great place to start your life together!

Question Four:

What is there to do in this area?

Grapes on the Vine at Ingleside Winery 2011

Answer:

Where do we begin? We have many attractions in the area from

• Wine Tasting
• River Tours of the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers
• Great Places to eat
• Historic Sites within minutes in King George and Westmoreland Counties, plus Historic Fredericksburg is just 20 minutes away! Washington D.C. and Baltimore are both about 75 to 90 minutes away!
• Country Club Golf Course within 5 minutes of the Plantation
• River Tubing and Kayaking in Fredericksburg
• Fishing Tours
• And much more!

Question Five:

Are you going to have any public festivals?

Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival at Stratford Hall
September 22nd and September 23rd

Answer:

Yes! We are looking to have several throughout the year. We are planning the following in the coming year:

• Wine and Arts Weekend
• Wine and Antiques Weekend
• Happy Birthday Dinner with James and Dolley Madison
• Founders Day Weekend
• Titanic Tea
• Paranormal Weekends
• Thanksgiving Dinner
• Christmas Time at Belle Grove Plantation
• Christmas Tea
• Wine and Hot Air Balloon Festival
• Civil War Weekend

Question Six:

How many rooms are available?

The Turner Master Suite

Answer:

There are four rooms in the main house, two Master Suites upstairs and two Junior Suites downstairs. Each of the rooms is named for the families that came before as a way to honor them and their contributions to the rich history of Belle Grove Plantation. Each of the rooms will be furnished with antiques and reproductions that fit the time period when each family lived at Belle Grove Plantation. These are the names of the rooms and the period that they will be furnished in:

• The Madison Master Suite – 1751 to 1836 – Upstairs
• The Turner Master Suite – 1839 to 1893 – Upstairs
• The Conway Suite – 1670 to 1790 – Downstairs
• The Hipkins-Bernard Suite – 1790 to 1839 – Downstairs

We have plans in the future to add cottages in the style of a plantation cabin. These too will be named after families with period pieces too!

Question Seven:

Are you pet friendly?

Hurley

Answer:

This one was a hard one for us. As you know we love our dog, Hurley. Unfortunately, we will not be able to open the house to pets. However, once we get our cottages built, we will have pet friendly cottages available. We love animals and we look forward to meeting more furry friends in the future.

Question Eight:

Will you allow children?

Our Children, Tyler and Alexa. 2010

Answer:

In the Main House, we will allow children ten and older that are adult supervised and well mannered. Once we open the cottages, we will allow children under ten in the cottages.

Question Nine:

Will there be historic tours?

Iron Rods that still hang in the Summer Kitchen Fireplace

Answer:

Yes, we are planning public tours of Belle Grove Plantation once we open.

Question Ten:

Will you have a restaurant there at Belle Grove Plantation?

Formal Dining Room with archway to Second Dining Room.
The Second Dining Room will be used as a Tea Room and Sunday Brunch Room

Answer:

No, we will offer a full gourmet breakfast each morning to overnight guests. We will also have Wine and Cheese, with Mint Juleps every evening at 5 sharp for overnight guests. On Sunday, we will open Belle Grove up to the public for Sunday Brunch by reservation only. Overnight guests will have the option to skip breakfast on Sunday and eat Sunday Brunch instead.

For meals outside of these, we can recommend several wonderful places to go both close to us and in outlying areas.

These are just a few questions and I am sure there are going to be even more as time goes by. Please feel free to ask them! We welcome them. You can also email us at virginiaplantation@gmail.com  if you would like to ask them privately.

Please keep a close eye on future posts! We have a very special surprise that will be posted soon! If you are thinking about coming to see us, this post will help you get here!

Please make sure you “Like” us on Facebook and “Share” the Belle Grove page!

Thank you for all the fun we have had getting to know you! We can’t wait to meet each of you in person and share this beautiful and historic home with you!