Weekend Wanderings: DC Architecture

If you're interested in architecture, you probably find DC a fascinating city. There's easily 150 years of architectural styles to be found just driving the streets and you can usually tell when a neighborhood had it's heyday by the architecture of the building. Sometimes it takes a new set of eyes to see what you've been driving past for years. Embassy Row (Massachusetts Avenue, NW) can be especially fascinating. It's the street that made me say I wanted to live here when I was just six years old! Here are just a few examples I found driving through the city on a sunny Saturday.

Weekend Wanderings: Lancaster Co., PA (pt. 3)

Our last day in Lancaster County, we wandered into a little town called Strasburg, PA. Not having visited Strasburg, I didn't know that it was a destination for train lovers. But if you like trains, there's plenty for the train lover to do - including the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the Strasburg Railroad or the National Toy Train Museum.

I very much enjoyed the architecture of this little dot on the map. We spotted a fantastic Victorian home as we were driving into town - just down the street from a much older stone home. Many of the homes on Main Street have what look like barns behind them - possibly a remnant of the Amish heritage of the area?

The downtown area has several lovely shops as well as the obligatory ice cream shop (you're either going to find ice cream or pretzels when visiting this area). You could choose to take an Amish Neighborhood Tour. And just down the road is a fantastic antique shop, called the Strasburg Antique Market.

So if you do visit Lancaster County, especially if you enjoy trains, I'd recommend you drop by Strasburg!

Weekend Wanderings: The Naval Academy in Annapolis

Another wonderful place to visit as you wander through Annapolis is the Naval Academy. Although the architecture reminds me a lot of Paris (apparently the architectural style got around), it's a place to feel the roots of America. From the row of Officer's housing bedecked with American, Naval and/or Marine flags to the rows of future Naval Officers marching through the Yard, it's a place to feel proud of your country and the women and men who serve to protect our freedom.

If you've never been, I'd suggest trying to catch one of the public walking tours, which can be arranged through the Visitor's Center. A schedule of tours can be found here about halfway down the page. The tour takes a little over an hour, but it gives substantial history of the architecture and history of the Academy. Of course, there are special tours for members or former members of the armed services available as well.

If you don't have time or the inclination to take the tour, it's lovely to just walk through the campus. You'll have to show ID to get on the grounds, but once through security you can walk at will during the day - we had no trouble as we wandered.

The Naval Academy Chapel is at the heart of the campus and the dome of the Chapel can be seen across historic Annapolis. The chapel has incredible stained glass windows and the John Paul Jones - one of America's first Naval heroes - crypt lies inside. You can visit the Chapel from 9-4 Monday through Saturday and then Sunday afternoon except when services, weddings or other special events are being held.

There are many other structures and monuments to explore - including the oldest American military monument, the Tripoli monument. The architecture is a photographer's dream. And during the school year, there's a sea of white uniforms worn by a new generation of Americans committed to our future. "Oh beautiful, for Patriot dream, that sees beyond the years..."

Weekend Wanderings: Road Trip to Asheville, NC!

One of my favorite places to visit is Asheville, NC. Not only is it the home of my mother's guild, the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild, but it is also the home of amazing shops and galleries. And then there's Biltmore.

We wandered down to Asheville for a weekend getaway in early Spring to celebrate our anniversary. The folks at the fantastic Cedar Crest Inn gave us a deal on a weekend package that included a romantic dinner, champagne, flowers and tickets to Biltmore. The Inn itself is a wonderful place to see because the same craftsmen who worked on Biltmore also worked on the Inn in their spare time. The carved wood crown molding, stained glass windows and intricately tiled fireplaces are amazing. The hosts are wonderfully welcoming and the food is delicious!

I'd visited Biltmore house as a child and remember to this day my first glimpse of the library. It was breathtaking and fulfilled every dream I'd ever had of buildling my own library some day (surprise, surprise I also love books). The conservatory is full of light and beauty, the dining hall is stately and the indoor swimming pool you have to see for yourself. They continue to open new rooms as they work to restore the house, so return visits always provide more to see and do.

After spending most of one day at Biltmore house, we spent some time in Biltmore Village meandering around the shops. The antiquing in this area is in plentiful supply, but I'd ask the guys at the Inn for the "local" places as the deals are better and the opportunities for treasure hunting more plentiful!

We had to make the trek to the Folk Art Center, the Guild's headquarters. They often have guild members demonstrating heritage crafts and there is a museum as well as the Allenstand Craft Shop on site. SHHG has a Guild Fair in July and October that we used to do with Mama and visiting the shop brought back many memories of those fairs as many of my mother's peers are in the historical exhibit!

There are plenty of things to see and do in beautiful Asheville - especially if you're an art, history or architecture lover!