Bistro Bethem 309 William St Fredericksburg VA 22401

Chicken prepared with the right amount of seasonings served with braised greens atop penne pasta with three cheese sauce.  Every bite delicious and tender.  Homemade bread served with a pastel bread plate in one of these hues: light green, light yellow, or peach.  A balsamic vinegar, olive oil and light spice plate for dipping their homemade bread was served prior to the meal. Their iced tea delights and has no bitter undertones.  To keep  the freshest ingredients on the menu, each menu has a daily date printed on it.  Scallops or another seafood/fish, wild game, poultry, cheese plate, wines, bar drinks, bar seating, appetizers, coffee, and desserts (homemade ice cream and many other treats) worth indulging complete their menu of gourmet offerings for discerning diners.  They strive to buy local ingredients and some items are organic.  For weekends and even during the holidays, consider calling ahead to phone number 540-371-9999 to inquire about reserving a table.  This is a restaurant not to miss whether you’re a local or traveling through town en route to another destination. Bistro Bethem’s website is http://www.bistrobethem.com .

Attentive servers, glowing candlelight at every table,  local art showcased on the light, creamy yellow walls with delicate bronze stripes and sage green trim around the front windows layer beautifully with wood floors laid on the diagonal.  Even their powder room, extremely clean, draws attention to family photographs and magazines on an elegantly decorated table.  Details matter most at this place and great care by chefs, hosts and servers handle the meal preparation and delivery so diners eat and savor their food, drinks, and dessert from beginning to end.  Too bad this experience ends.  All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA. Reach Sherrie at 540-903-0212 or sherriebh@yahoo.com .

Barboursville Gift Gallery Rt 20 Constitution Hwy near Rt 33 VA

Their white road sign intrigued me, so I stopped in this gift shop filled with gifts ideas for you or someone special covering every inch of this store.  Located in Barboursville, Virginia, sitting one mile North of Route 33 on Route 20 on a country lot in a peaceful setting.   A butter churn from Louisa, lamps made of wood, handmade beaded necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, paintings of all sizes in different mediums, vases, and more abound. If you’re looking for a certain type of item(s), call their delightful shopkeepers, Sarah and Ernie Memery at 540-832-3312, for suggestions.

Alpaca yarn skeins, rugs, teddy bears, scarves, mittens, gloves, hats and cards with pictures of alpaca provide unique gift options.  Have you touched alpaca?  It’s so soft and cuddly feeling.  There’s also pictures of a lily and other flowers by the alpaca farm people.

While there I met a painter setting up her collections.  What an honor to meet a painter in person.   Their card says: “many works by local artists and open Thursday-Sunday 10am-6pm or by appointment.”

So before your designated driver drives you to Barboursville Vineyards, Horton Vineyards and/or Burnley Vineyards, shop here.

All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA.

Cakelove 160 National Plaza Dr National Harbor MD 20745 DC VA

For those people who love cakes and prefer “cakes (baked) from scratch” and cupcakes in various flavors with smooth, creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness and tartness mixed in, then Cakelove is the place to order your next birthday, wedding, anniversary, Thanksgiving, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah and baby shower cakes for special occasions.  Then whenever you need something sweet yourself, drive, metro, walk,bike or hail a taxi over to a Cakelove store or to the Love Cafe.

There are  locations in: Washington, DC at 1506 U Street, Love Cafe at 1501 U Street NW in DC, 935 South Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, MD, 4150 Campbell Avenue in Arlington, VA, Tysons I Lower Level in McLean, VA at Tysons Corner and this location in National Harbor, MD.  For the latest location information, including hours of operation and cake flavors available, please visit their website at: http://www.cakelove.com .  Last visit I paid $5 for one slice of moist, slightly spicy carrot cake with the most perfect frosting but keep in mind prices change.   In case you’re a red velvet cake fan, Cakelove bakes red velvet cakes.  Cakelove’s National Harbor store with a few tables with chairs inside is small but their cakes are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted unless you’re related to or friends with a pastry chef. When visiting their National Harbor location, remember parking on the street is not recommended since their security force diligently checks their parking meters and writes tickets.  There are two parking garages and then you won’t need to keep checking your watch to avoid a ticket.

Obviously if your only objective is to pick up a cake, then on-street parking might work, but be forewarned about the parking tickets.  Also, I’m unable to visit just one place at National Harbor.   Walking over to the water leads you to spectacular views of the Potomac River.  Then there are other shops including Godiva for chocolate lovers and even a beach with large sculptures for the kids to climb on (at their own risk of course). National Harbor truly embraced the idea of a place for all people to gather together in larger, public spaces but also in separate, smaller spaces to spend time with people they love both indoors and outdoors.

All Rights Reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA.

Carytown Teas 24 South Nansemond St Richmond VA 23221

Inviting, cozy, and an unassuming elegance encompass the Carytown Teas storefront.  Their sand-colored toile wallpaper in their restroom is lovely and classic.  A couch for sitting and sipping their teas is located along one wall.  This place smells fragrant and the taste of their teas are fresh and involve all of your taste buds.

If you prefer or live outside of the area, their website store (http://www.carytownteas.com) allows for easy ordering and they have e-mail (sales@carytownteas.com ) and phone number (804-358-8327) contact information for any questions.  Pictures and tea descriptions assist you in finding the best selection for you or your gift recipients.  Tea accessories are also available to order online.  There are black, green, mate (yerba), oolong, rooibos, pu-erh (means matured according to their tea list), tisane, and white teas to choose from instore and online; variety abounds. Last I read, all of their teas were organic and fair trade.

When ordering loose leaf teas, order some paperlike tea bags (usually two sizes) and a steeping ball option.  This way your loose lead teas can still be portable in the paper bags put inside a small, reusable, sealable container or brewed at home with a steeping ball.

If you enjoy adding soy milk, organic milk, almond milk, rice milk or cream to your tea of choice, ask if the tea blend you’re ordering will curdle or not.  It’s not enjoyable to have this happen.  With rooibos and green teas a lot of times there are all sorts of other flavors (especially citrus flavors such as lemon) added that might cause your tea to curdle.

If you take any herbal, vitamins or prescription medications, consult with your health care practitioner(s), doctor(s), nutritionists and/or pharmacist(s) before deciding on any item to supplement/change your eating and nutritional plans.  I’m not a doctor, herbalist, nutritionist, pharmacist or medical practitioner of any kind.  Any tea you try or order for yourself or anyone else is at your/their own risk.  All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, Virginia.

Henrys 310 E Main St Charlottesville VA 22902

Located on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall (park your vehicle at the Market Street Parking Garage) below a pizza parlor and accessible by an elevator, Henrys reminds me of a diner with a large variety of menu items, white painted interior and happily chattering servers.  Their mac and cheese compared to the best bowl I ever ate in Boston while their chili and coleslaw also made my taste buds satisfied and my stomach  close to full.  Hot open-faced roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy  makes me hungry as I write this.  Order a slice of pie for dessert. Their phone number is 434-295-7550 and they are open Monday through Saturday.

2009 All Rights Reserved by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Restaurant Eve & Wine Bar 110 South Pitt St Alexandria VA 22314

A trendy place to sit and sip wine or your favorite beverage of choice while eating finger foods such as grilled cheese $6 and having a rhubarb dessert $10.50.  Their restaurant had not opened for dinner, so I ate from their limited but pleasing bar menu.  Their GLS Morgadio $14 was a nice white wine to complement my meal.    This summertime visit means prices might have changed.

I loved this place and had conversations with a few other diners so other diners and staff are equally welcoming.  Attire here was on the dressier side even in the wine bar.  I was pleased my only option was not a bar stool.  There are some small tables with well-cushioned small benches.  The narrow passageway you enter to get to the door on the side of the building is an oasis and very peaceful yet lovely with greenery.  Their website is http://www.restauranteve.com and their phone number for restaurant reservations is 703-706-0450.

All rights reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty in Stafford, Virginia.

Daily Grind 10123 Jefferson Davis Hwy Rt 1 Fredericksburg VA 22407 Cosners Corner

This coffee house and cafe has food for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus sweets such as pound cake and many other options.  They have their coffee blends roasted specifically for their store.   Their Harney and Sons teas please tea drinkers who are often neglected at other coffee shops when some non-English or non-German brands I won’t mention are on their menus instead of higher-quality teas.

Plenty of seating options abound from stools and chairs to couch and even club chairs.  There are toys for children and some smaller tables and plugs for laptops plus wifi access.   Their breakfast sandwich on a croissant with turkey, cheddar (other choices available), and eggs plus a southwest type sauce was delicious.  A comfortable ambiance  and engaging staff really put this coffee house and cafe at the top of my list.  Then add clean bathrooms and this place really shines.

Daily Grind Coffee House and Cafe’s Phone number is 540-834-0157.

All rights reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty in Stafford, Virginia.

National Museum of American Indian 4th St & Independence Ave SW Washington DC 20560

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is my favorite museum and place to eat.  Their eating area has indoor and outdoor dining options with water features, waterfalls, tables, and lots of greenery.  Everything about this place was done with the minutest attention to details and their environment cannot be beat anywhere.  I wish more restaurant owners and managers would visit here and learn more about creating beautiful (real plants no silk fakes here), accessible, and all-age friendly spaces. Sherrie’s gravatar photo was taken here.

Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20560
phone: 202-633-1000 or 202-633-6700

website: http://www.nmai.si.edu

Taking the metro is highly recommended unless you happen to have a downtown parking space in your DC work building or if you have a handicap permit.  There’s a Smithsonian metro stop.  Visit http://www.wmata.com/accessibility/metrorail.cfm for accessibility,  elevator information and for links to other parts of metro’s main website.  Unfortunately, metro escalators break often as do their elevators, so if you need help with accessibility, call their phone number and read more on their website before taking your trip.  I love the metro and believe they do an excellent job with the volume of ridership but planning ahead and making some phone calls a few days or even hours before your departure Also, bring at least one person along with a good cell phone connection to improve your experience venturing into downtown DC.

All rights reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.  Cell/Text: 540-903-0212