Welcome to Brooklyn from Rochelle Woodward on Vimeo.
On our way to Charlottesville, from Abingdon, we stopped at Rockbridge Vineyard, which is a little over an hour outside of Charlottesville. We tried a variety of wines in their tasting room, which is free to the public. I especially appreciated this wine tasting because most of the wines were dry. In fact, nine of the 11 wines that Rockbridge currently offers are dry. I am acquiring a larger palate for dry wines, and have grown to enjoy a full-bodied, dry red to accompany a meal. We bought the Tuscarora Red, which is only $10. The Tuscarora Red compliments a wide range of meals, especially Mediterranean food. It offers berry flavors and is medium-bodied.
I recommend that you stop at Rockbridge for a wine tasting, buy a bottle or two, and walk around the vineyard. The farm and vineyard are on a renovated 1800’s dairy, and the view of the rolling hills is beautiful.
Rockbridge Vineyard | www.rockbridgevineyard.com
35 Hill View Lane, Raphine, Virginia | 1-888-511-WINE
A NOTE ON VIRGINIA WINE:
I had no idea that Virginia was not only a beautiful state to drive through, but has over 140 wineries. Thomas Jefferson even attempted to grow European grapes at Monticello from 1774 to 1816, but it wasn’t until the 1970’s did Virginian winemakers succeed with grape variety experimentation.
For information about Virginia wine and wine trails, visit www.virginiawine.org.
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When in Charlottesville, it is helpful to be acquainted with the town’s “districts”: the Downtown Mall, The Corner, Belmont, & The University of Virginia campus.
Here are a few stops we made while rambling through Charlottesville:
Blue Mountain Brewery and Hop Farm
www.bluemountainbrewery.com
9519 Critzers Shop Road, Afton, Virigina
540-456-8020
If you haven’t noticed by now, Nick and I love to drink. Not just to drink, but to drink great beer, wines, and liquors of different varieties and from interesting places. Fortunately, our host in Charlottesville, Sean, had the foresight to take us to Blue Mountain Brewery and Hop Farm, located in Afton, Virginia (about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville).
We each ordered the Sampler, Blue Mountain’s flight of all 6 drafts for $5. We all were not enthusiastic about the lighter beers in the flight, but the darker beers offered a few unique twists. I enjoyed the experience of Blue Mountain Brewery, which offers a view of the farm and a pleasant atmosphere, but I was a bit disappointed with the beer.
Of the flight, my favorite was #6, the Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout. I don’t think I would particularly enjoy a full pint of this beer (due to it’s sweet and strong flavor), but I do appreciate it’s taste. “It smacked me upside the head,” Sean said. This beer is aged in oak bourbon barrels from the Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky, which explains my reaction to the initial sip. I immediately thought, “This tastes like liquor,” but I could not pinpoint the specific liquor. I liked the unique taste of this beer - what a great idea to utilize the flavors trapped in the oak barrels!
Para Coffee | in The Corner
A colorful little coffee shop that offers decent espresso (which is hard to find), and friendly baristas behind the counter. I recommend getting the bran-raisin muffin, which is the best I have had in quite a while (great muffin top, moist inside, and filled with carrot and raisins!). Serves Shenandoah Joe coffee and has free wi-fi.
Miller’s | in the downtown Mall
Stop by Miller’s to people-watch outside while sipping on a $2 PBR draft.
Beer Run | Belmont (above)
Since Beer Run lacks the yuppies and undergrads of typical Charlottesville bar clientele, this is Sean’s favorite bar. Beer Run is the best of many worlds; it is a beer store, a coffee shop, a restaurant, and a bar. The beer store has so many different beers that you are sure to find something new, and the bar is a great hang out spot. I especially liked our bartender, who poured me a Guiness with a giant D in the head to represent Durham.
South Street Brewery | downtown
South Street is a bit more upscale, with a selection of microbrews to accompany their meals.
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SEAN’S PICKS FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE
Since Sean has lived in Charlottesville for a few years now and I trust his judgment, I took note of his top picks for Charlottesville that we were unable to see:
The best area to hang around is Belmont, which is about a mile from downtown. Stop in at La Taza for coffee, go to Mas for tapas or Bel Rio for American fare. Afterward, grab a drink at The Local. “If I am going to put my nice shirt on,” Sean said, “I go to Ten.” Ten is a posh sushi restaurant which just happens to a favorite of Dave Matthews, a UVA alum.
Asheville is a wonderful city. It is laid back, is full of great restaurants, has a creative flair, and offers picturesque mountain views. I enjoy simply walking around downtown Asheville, and over the past week Nick and I have visited quite a few restaurants and shops. Below is a quick list of every place - click on a business name to visit their website.
Jack of the Wood :: 95 Patton Avenue
Their Green Man microbrews hit the spot, there is live music playing every week, and bar food to fill your belly. The bar is smoke-free, by the way, which is a bonus in my book.
Zambra Spanish Wine and Tapas :: 85 W Walnut Street
This restaurant is a bit pricier than our trip budget allows, but fortunately Matt, a friend who happens to work at Zambra, took us out. I was excited to have a tasting of various menu items. We sat in the back, where luscious pillows cushioned us as we laid back while enjoying our meal. It was great. I do remember coming to Zambra years ago with my family. The night we visited, belly dancers danced throughout the restaurant. If you visit Asheville, make sure to stop in for at least a couple tapas and a drink.
12 Bones Smokehouse :: 5 Riverside Drive
If you visit Asheville, at least three or four people will tell you that 12 Bones needs to be a stop on your trip. Nick and I split a barbecue plate with cornbread, collard greens, baked beans, and cole slaw. I love the atmosphere - sit down to a picnic table of your choice (each with it’s own napkin dispenser), and chow down on your meal, which is served on a round aluminum tray.
One Love II Jamaican Restaurant :: 42 S Market Street
Great Jamaican food. Nick and I split the jerk chicken large plate (around $11) accompanied with collard greens, rice, and cornbread. I was too chicken to try the oxtail stew, but the option is there, along with curried goat.
The Noodle Shop :: 3 SW Pack Square
It was so cold at the beginning of the week, and a steaming hot noodle bowl was exactly what I needed. Nick and I split a bowl of noodles (around $6.50), and it was served split for us. The meal was wonderful.
Early Girl Eatery :: 8 Wall Street
This is a well-known restaurant famous for it’s brunch. Early Girl Eatery serves local meats and other eats, offering a homey ambiance perfect for a weekend meal. I have heard that Sunny Point Cafe is even better than Early Girl Eatery, so I plan to scope out the competition for breakfast. Check out the comments for my verdict.
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Pisgah Brewing Company :: 150 Eastside Drive, Black Mountain, NC
Check out Nick’s post: Pisgah Brewing Co. Brewery, Black Mountain N.C. He gives this beer rave reviews!
The Thirsty Monk :: 92 Patton Avenue
The Thirsty Monk offers a great selection of Belgian (and other) beers on tap. I especially appreciated their menu. Its detailed beer descriptions helped me in my decision, and the half-pint option for each beer are convenient for us light-weight customers! Get the spicy nuts to share to accompany your beer. And for you mommies and daddies, head to The Thirsty Monk on Tuesdays, 4pm-7pm, for Babies ‘n’ Beer night. It may sound like an odd combination, but I think it is a great idea.
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Chocolate Fetish :: 36 Haywood St
Need I say more? Ok, I will then - dark chocolate covered caramels (and I’m talking about a chewy caramel… not some liquid excuse for caramel).
French Broad Chocolate Lounge :: 10 South Lexington Avenue
I hung out at FB Chocolate for a few hours this week, sipping on my lavender and honey “Liquid Truffle” while using their free wi-fi. For those of you who have had European hot chocolate, this is what to expect at FB Chocolate - thick and rich (yet with a few flavor twists).
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Frugal Backpacker :: 2621 Hendersonville Rd
After walking in a snowy city, I started to realize that my cold toes needed wool socks. So we headed to the Frugal Backpacker. The Frugal Backpacker offers outdoor gear at discounted prices - don’t expect SUPER discounts (I think I am an even more frugal backpacker), but you will definitely save a little extra cash.
Curtis Wright Outfitters :: 5 All Souls Crescent
Nick bought these awesome gloves at Curtis Wright Outfitters in Biltmore Village. Its a fly shop (or you could even call it a boutique), but also carries useful items for a trip such as ours. Nick’s gloves, made by Choti, are mittens that fold over to allow you to use your fingers. Not only are your fingers available, but the thumb piece is foldable as well. AND… they’re windproof.
Three Dog Bakery :: 21 Battery Park
I just browsed this store, but I couldn’t resist writing about it. Look at these “pastries” - these are dog treats! The “chocolate” you see is carob, and they are all sugar free.
Amazing Savings :: 3018 Us 70 Hwy, Black Mountain, NC
It’s amaaaaazzzing! A great place to stock up on discounted health-food, but make sure to check the expiration dates before making your purchases. Nick and I plan to buy some staple items here before leaving Asheville.
2,000 FOOD BLOGGERS FLOCK TO FOODBUZZ FUELING
1000% ANNUAL GROWTH AND CREATING THE THIRD
LARGEST ONLINE FOOD PROPERTY
San Francisco – April 23, 2009: Foodbuzz announced today that is has surpassed 2,000 food bloggers in its online food community. These partner food blog websites, when combined with the foodbuzz.com “hub” website, reached 6.7 million people per month according to third-party traffic measurement service Quantcast. This ranks Foodbuzz as the third largest online food property after less than two years of operation. (See Quantcast Media Planner.)
“Our goal is to be the number one online food community by promoting the talent, enthusiasm and knowledge of food bloggers around the globe,” said Ben Dehan, founder and CEO of Foodbuzz. Of the top three properties, Foodbuzz is the only true community that combines social networking for foodies with food content search for everyone. “Both our monthly users and page views grew over 1000% in 2008, and we are on pace to reach the number one spot within the next 12 months”, said Mr. Dehan.
Foodbuzz digs deep into the “long tail” of food publishing to discover and promote thousands of small, yet high-quality, food bloggers. “We are providing a platform for food bloggers to pursue their passion in a community that nurtures and encourages the sharing of quality food and dining content daily,” said Ryan Stern, Director of Publishing. Foodbuzz offers these bloggers a compelling solution for building their traffic, connecting with like-minded foodies, and making money. Foodbuzz has exclusive advertising relationships with partner bloggers which provide brand advertisers the reach and share-of-voice they need to effectively engage the food community.
About Foodbuzz
Based in San Francisco, Foodbuzz is a global online food community of over 2,000 food bloggers connected by the foodbuzz.com “hub” website. In the past month, this community reached 6.7 million people and 33 million impressions according to Quantcast. Foodbuzz.com provides a full suite of social networking features enabling foodies to interact and share their food experiences. With over 900,000 high-quality food blog posts in its searchable database, foodbuzz.com is an essential resource for everyone interested in exploring the world of food. Foodbuzz is a 2009 Webby Awards Honoree!
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Each and every time I return to the triangle, the first place I try to get to is the Philly Steak Factory in Durham. I also think to myself, that it will be good like I remember.... and then I take a bite, and it is never like I remember. It is always 100% better, and I try to figure out why I don't go more often.
My order always seems to be taken by the same guy each time (the owner) which gives it a great community feel. 
We got 2 whole (Philly Steaks) with fries and a drink. They have other items from salads, to Pitas, but I've never bothered to try anything else. I'm sure they are amazing but, if it isn't broke, don't fix it.
Above is some great hand chopping going on.
As Joel and I tasted our fresh made sandwiches, we both remarked out loud how it was better than we remembered. I vow to be back, soon, very soon.
Although it takes awhile to eat, as you can see from the pictures, it isn't possible for this to a bad tasting dessert. Enjoy.
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