This weekend, my parents invited us to go with them to Paint Bank, Virginia. It’s a small town in the mountains that has been historically preserved. It truly is like stepping back in time. There’s a general store, a gas station, a restaurant, an inn (complete with a detached caboose as a guest cottage) and a …
Last weekend, we went to the Peaks of Otter right at peak season for the leaves changing colors. Southwest Virginia is so beautiful and never more so, in my opinion, than the fall. We actually took the bus up the mountain, which takes you close to the peak of Sharp Top and then you hike …
I just held a baby tiger!!!!!!!!!!!! How cool is that? I was so excited I could hardly stand it. I don’t think they are many opportunities to do that, especially here at home, so I was thrilled that we could do this. A local zoo, Natural Bridge Zoo, has two new baby tiger cubs. Zeus, …
I had lunch today at Salem’s newest restaurant, Blue Apron Restaurant & Red Rooster Bar, on their opening day. I checked in on Foursquare and a friend commented that Foursquare should have a badge for “first person through the door at every new restaurant.” So, guilty as charged, but I was excited to try it. …
There is a new Puerto Rican restaurant that just opened in Roanoke and we went to try it out tonight. There used to be another Puerto Rican place in Roanoke called El Coqui, but it didn’t make it. Puerto Rican Paradise is at 5301 Williamson Road in the former Blueberry Hill location. When we …
I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of El Cubanito in Salem for the past month. I went for lunch today, on their second day open and yesterday for breakfast on opening day. They are on the corner of College Ave. and 7th. (Just past Andrew Lewis Middle School) The place is really cute — …
There’s a new Mexican restaurant in town (and it’s not the new Rancho Viejo). It’s called Xinachtli and it’s conveniently located across the street from my office at Roanoke College on Main Street in Salem. Xinachitli is an Aztec word that means seed and is pronounced like Shee-nach-lee. They are open for breakfast and lunch, …
We went to Meze World Cafe again last night and I just love their food. Meze means a selection of small plates or dishes served in the Meditteranean or Middle East. Meze is the sister restaurant to another favorite, The Isaccs, in Raleigh Court. They have all organic meats and vegetables, which is wonderful. Erick …
Our friends, Dustin and Crystal, invited us to go to the Daylily and Wine Festival in Fishersville, Virginia this weekend. It was held at Viette’s Gardens. We had never heard of it, but it was really fun. My favorite part was walking back to the car without stepping in dried up cow pies. No, not …
We recently went to a German restaurant called Edelweiss in Staunton, Virginia. I was excited to try something different, but I wasn’t terribly impressed. However, I’m not sure if that’s the restaurant or the fact that I’m not wild about German food. The place was nice and had a fun atmosphere–a guy playing an accordion, …
