Ravens Nest Coffee 254 E Davis St Culpeper VA 22701

Centrally located in downtown Culpeper, Virginia, Raven’s Nest Coffee House offers coffee, assorted coffee drinks, tea, breakfast, sandwiches, pastries, and cobbler.  Their exceedingly clean restrooms impressed me especially for those with a young child or even a baby to accompany them.  Their breakfast casserole and cobblers earn high marks.  Sandwiches also available for breakfast, lunch and dinner as long as supply lasts.  If you are on a strict eating regimen, calling ahead to clarify their sandwiches and any other daily fare might be advisable to phone number 540-827-4185.   Cozy atmosphere with high stools and lower seating options at tables offer enough choice for everyone whether your party includes a baby stroller and/or a walking cane.  Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

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.

Graces Mandarin 188 Waterfront St National Harbor MD 20745

Red, gold and many other textures and colors in this restaurant are a feast for the eyes.  Their plentiful meals feed your stomach. I just missed out on their lunch menu, so I paid dinner menu prices.  Honey chicken cost $22.00 as of the summertime with rice included.  If you’re on a budget, call ahead 301- 839-3788 and find out at what hour their lunch menu prices end so your party plans accordingly.  Was it worth $22 plus tax and tip for a splurge meal?  Absolutely.  Two diners might prefer splitting an entree especially if one of you is a light eater who also wants dessert.

Servers bring a hot towel for every guest to wash your hands.  I wish more restaurants followed this practice.  It was an elegant touch to an already relaxing meal.  If you’ll have the opportunity to be there for a meal on weekends or during holiday times, call ahead about reservations policies.  A baby shower, wedding shower or even a birthday party would be lovely here.

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

Blackstone Coffee Company 10341 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22553

Every time I visit here, I leave with new knowledge.  To continue my learning, I typed in their website: http://www.blackstonebeans.com

and saw a slide show on coffee roasting then read about various types of coffee under their beans headline. The personalization available at an independent coffee shop brings new meaning to the word community; you’re not just another customer.

Blackstone Coffee Company now has homemade Moon pies in two flavors. I chose their biscotti(almond; other flavors available individually or in gift packs), but Blackstone Coffee Company also carries cinnamon rolls, muffins and other treats to add a good mix to your freshly roasted coffee drink or tea of choice.

On Sundays, their store opens at 8am and closes at 2pm, so while you’re making a stop at the grocery store across the street for the milk you ran out of at breakfast, stop and indulge in a coffee drink and sweet as a treat. Other Days Hours: Monday through Thursday from 6am-3pm, Friday from 6am-7pm, and Saturday from 7am-5pm. Their phone number is 540-710-7577. (In case their hours have changed, please call their store directly.)

All Rights Reserved and copyrighted 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed 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.

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.

Trattoria Nerone Italia Florence Italy Via Faenza 50123 Firenze di bondi srl 95r-97r

Delicious does not even begin to describe their food here.  Chicken with Tuscan white beans and antipasti plate with prosciutto and salami, pasta dish, and the greatest cannelloni ever made this place a worthwhile dining option for the food and the service.

There’s a cover charge of 1,50 Euros per person and you pay for acqua either still or bubbly.  This cover charge is typical in Italy.  I look forward to eating here again.  Right before walking in here, a lady said she knew the owner and this was one of her favorite places.  Their tables and chairs are quaint country yet plenty comfortable.

Reservations not taken so get there early.  For menu information call 04820500488 with a global phone.  Their e-mail is trattorianerone@yahoo.it

2009 All rights reserved by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed Virginia real estate salesperson for Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Tags: kidfriendly restaurants, Italy, Florence Italy restaurants, travel