| Overview
- Charming Loudon County |
Overall
Rating: 
|
| |
|
Just
outside of Washington, DC, you'll find
charming Loudon County, home to the annual
America's Cup of Polo invitational tournament
and a surprising number of great wineries,
such as Fabbioli Cellars and Willowcroft
Farm Vineyards.
Equestrians--you'll
find plenty of places to board and ride
horses, as well as tack shops for much-needed
gear. For those of us who don't know a
pony from a zebra, there are plenty of
great walking and biking trails, too,
as well as shops to rent bicycles. Personally,
I chose to burn the calories from all
the rich southern food I ate with America's
favorite sport--shopping. |
| |
|
| Hotel
- Lansdowne Resort |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| I'm
enamored with this luxury resort's weekend-long
food and wine camp, which includes interactive
cooking classes, excellent meals and an
herb-and-wine pairing led by expert sommelier
Mary Watson in the hotel's secluded herb
garden. While I was there, I Mary showed
me my favorite herb trick--how to make a
'diet' peppermint patty by combining chocolate
mint leaves and stevia. |
| |
|
| Hotel
- Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Owner
Ellen Goldberg makes you feel right at home
in this cozy bed and breakfast in historic
Middleburg. There are plenty of good reasons
to stay here, including the food and comfy
atmosphere, but I'm especially happy that
pets are welcome. |
| |
|
| Attraction
- Doukenie Winery |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Bring
a picnic lunch to the bucolic grounds of
this Hillsboro winery, then step into the
tasting room for some of Virginia’s
best wines. The most interesting one I tried
was a sweet blend of Merlot and raspberry
wine that tastes amazing with chocolate. |
| |
|
| Attraction
- Breaux Vineyards |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| I
enjoyed a tasting of some of Virginia’s
finest vino at this idyllic winery in Purcellville.
Their 2002 Meritage--a blend of Merlot,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc--was
the Official Meritage of America’s
Cup of Polo 2007. |
| |
|
| Attraction
- Winmill Carriage Museum |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Ever
read a book and wonder what a hansom cab
looked like, or watch Oklahoma! and wonder
about the surrey with the fringe on top?
I saw some of the world’s finest examples
of horseless carriages on display at this
small but worthwhile museum in Leesburg. |
| |
|
| Attraction
- Leesburg |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| The
downtown historic district of Leesburg offers
plenty of cute shops and eateries, including
the famous Mighty Midget barbecue restaurant,
where patrons line up for real Southern
cooking at its sloppiest. |
| |
|
| Attraction
- Middleburg |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Lots
of old-fashioned, independent shops make
downtown Middleburg a great area to walk
around. I especially love The Fun Shop—a
maze of a store that’s got something
for everyone. And don’t miss Mello
Out, a little café that offers tasty
sandwiches and homemade marshmallows dipped
in chocolate. |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- Mom’s Apple Pie Bakery |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| This
little shop in Leesburg makes old-fashioned
treats to die for. It helps that the fruit
for its pies is grown locally. The day I
was there, we had sweet-tart strawberry-rhubarb
pie made from berries picked that morning.
(If you’re looking for strawberry
pie out of season, you can be sure that
the strawberries were immediately frozen
after picking for the best flavor.) If you
get hooked, don’t worry—they
ship! |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- Tuscarora Mill |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Known
to the locals as “Tuskies,”
this Leesburg restaurant is actually set
in a renovated 19th century grain mill.
Specialties like shrimp and grits a tasting
of lamb manage to be simple and amazing
all at once. |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| I
can’t wait to go back to this romantic
spot, set in a glass greenhouse in the middle
of nowhere. The result is a 360-degree view
of the gorgeous countryside. At night, the
owner tells us to think of it as a 1000-star
restaurant. The chef here does amazing things
with locally grown food, such as sweet basil
pesto vichyssoise and pan-seared duck breast
with seasonal vegetables. |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- Willow Creek Farm |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| The
restaurant is huge, but it doesn’t
feel that way when you’re sitting
in one of its many fancifully themed individual
dining rooms and bars. (My favorite has
old-fashioned carriages hanging from the
ceiling.) The appetizers and traditional
crab cakes I had for dinner here were sublime. |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- Lightfoot Restaurant |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Gorgeous
architecture and an innovative menu make
this Leesburg restaurant a must for anyone
visiting the area. The specials I had were
fresh and seasonal. I especially love the
Peking duck quesadillas with water chestnuts,
basil and shiitake mushrooms. |
| |
|
| Restaurant
- Pacific |
| Overall
Rating:
|
| |
| Located
in Sterling, this Hawaiian-themed restaurant
gave me the impression that I’d just
stepped off a cruise in the Pacific. Order
a round of tasty tropical drinks, then try
entrees such as the mahi mahi with almond
crust. |
| |
|
| Trip
Connect Link |
