Virginia Mountains - Vistas, History, & Wineries

[giradman]

I’m sure the food was delicious.

Yes sir, the 'eats' have been quite outstanding! I've had 3 salads at the resort so far and all seemed to be fresh picked that day - so, was reading up on the 'herb garden' pictured in a previous post (and duplicated below) - found the description in the quote on the Homestead's website and a listing of the many items grown and used by the resort's chefs. Looking forward to another salad which I probably would never have said as a youngster - Dave

Located near the Spa, the Chef’s Garden features dozens of herbs, vegetables and flowers, all organically grown and completely edible. The Chef’s Garden is Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. This means that we use techniques like co-planting, strategic architectural planting and have a variety of plants to maximize the space to produce a crop that is beautiful, practical and safe to eat. With our four-season climate we have also implemented succession planting so that after one crop is harvested, another is planted in the same space, maximizing the growing season.

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[giradman]

Falconry at the Homestead

Yet another of the many activities at the Homestead Resort - yesterday afternoon we were 'rained out', so returned this morning w/ several other couples and three kids to learn about Falconry and to watch a bird of prey 'in action' - brief description below first quote. Linda was our 'falconer' - she has 12+ years experience and trained for 2+ years under another experienced falconer (see second quote) - check the link for many more details about the state and federal laws regulating the training and keeping of raptors.

Once Linda retrieved a bird from the building - a Harris Hawk - she released the raptor which was on the lookout for 'prey' w/ its keen vision (see last quote) - the hawk would return to her gloved hand by seeing a small piece of chicken. Each of us in the group was able to hold the bird on a gloved hand/wrist - combo pic of Susan and I, but not as cute as the two small boys (3 & 5 years of age). We really enjoyed this activity of a 4000 year old 'sport', usually of royalty in the past - the Homestead offers several more advanced levels of falconry which we would certainly consider on a return visit. Dave

Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small and larger animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey to these birds. There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an Austringer (German origin) flies a hawk or an eagle (Aquila or similar). In modern falconry, the red-tailed hawk, the Harris's hawk, and the peregrine falcon are some of the more commonly used birds of prey. The practice of hunting with a conditioned falconry bird is also called hawking or gamehawking, but the terms falconer and falconry now apply to most use of trained birds of prey to catch game. (LINK above)

Training raptors (birds of prey) is a complex undertaking. Books containing hundreds of pages information and advice by experienced falconers are still rudimentary at best. Many important details vary between individual raptors, species of raptors and between places and times. The keeping and training of any raptor is strictly and tightly regulated by U.S. state and federal laws. Anyone in the USA who is interested in flying raptors must seek out a state and federally licensed falconer to sponsor them through an apprenticeship period lasting two years at a minimum, and often considerably longer. (Source)

Birds of prey have excellent eyesight. Scientists estimate that they can see two to eight times better than humans. With good eyesight often come big eyes. And, indeed, raptors’ eyes are very large compared to the size of their heads. If our eyes were the same size as a raptor’s in proportion to our skulls, we would have eyes as big as oranges! Since most raptors are hunters, they must be able to see their prey, sometimes from great distances, and calculate just the right moment to strike. In fact, scientists have shown that some raptors can spot medium-sized prey from at least 1 mile (1.6 km) away. That would be like spotting a rabbit across more than 17 football fields lined up in a row! If that weren’t impressive enough, birds of prey must be able to maintain focus on their prey while in fast pursuit and as they close in. (Source)

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[giradman]

Serenity Garden - An Afternoon of Relaxation

After our falconry activity and a 'salad' lunch at Jefferson's Restaurant (again just superb greens and possibly picked that morning?), we spent the afternoon relaxing in the Serenity Garden briefly described in the quote below from the resort website - pics from the web. The Octagon Pool was relaxing w/ the actual comfortably hot spring water - then to the hot tub - and finally a couple of times in the pool - rested under an umbrella lounge chair and did a little reading - drinks and light lunches can be purchased. There are also some indoor amenities, including various types of saunas, aroma chair, and lockers w/ full bathroom facilities. This was Susan's second time, so I had to try the historic spring water pool at least once. The spa also offers a WIDE variety of massages and other treatments (expensive!). Dave

P.S. Of course, adults only! (18 y/o is the minimum age)

Enjoy the various features of the garden, including our geothermal Octagon Pool fed by two hot springs rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium with a temperature range of 96-97 degrees. These same waters source the naturally pressurized Deluge Shower and the popular River Reflexology Walk with stones carefully placed to soothe and massage the 15,000 nerves in your feet. At the center of the garden is the beautiful blue Infinity Pool, heated to 85-92 degrees and the intimate hot tub which is maintained at 103 degrees. Let your tensions fade away and your muscles unwind in the Finnish sauna while your body rids itself of toxins.

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[giradman]

Food - Last Two Dinners

Just including our evening meals for those who may be viewing this thread and may decide to visit - your main eating options are numerous at the Homestead Resort, a 'limited' (looking at the menu) Italian restaurant at the famous Cascades Golf Course, and the handful of places in the Village.

Our first two dinners are described previously - on the third night we picked Sam Snead's Tavern (renamed Snead's 1912 Steak w/ management change) in the Village (pics below of the outside and our table - cozy woody cabin look filled w/ Sam Snead memorabilia) - we shared a dozen Beausoleil oysters (see below) - took a chance 'in the mountains' but tasted just fine! Susan had the Ribeye steak medium rare and was in heaven (we've been eating bison filets and elk tenderloin at home, so the extra fat/marbling made her pleased); I had the trout caught 30 mins right up the road and one of the best I've eaten in the mountains.

For the golfers viewing this thread, Sam Snead was a local born near Hot Springs (see short Wiki bio) - he did at one time own the restaurant and then his son was the proprietor; now under different management. As many may know, Snead was a professional golfer (and a caddy at the Homestead golf course as a youngster) - he holds many records, but most famously is at the top for most wins, i.e. 82 on the PGA tour (see chart) - Tiger Woods may tie and surpass that number soon, if his health and desire stay well?

On our last night (and anniversary day), we were planning to eat at the elegant Dining Room in the resort but Susan was not happy w/ the menu, so we returned to the Les Cochons d'Or in the Village, a few doors down from Sam's place - again we had the Choptank Sweets oysters from Chesapeake Bay - Susan had an excellent veal loin and I their special for the night, pan seared fluke (i.e. flounder) - then shared the lavender vanilla panna cotta w/ pistachio cake, macerated strawberries, & meringue - we were both happy with our change of restaurants for the evening. Dave

Beausoleils are farmed in floating trays in Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick, which is about as far north as you can push a virginica oyster (only Caraquet is farther). Suspended just below the surface, gently jostled by the waves, they never touch the sea floor. Half the year they grow in floating bags near the surface, enjoying as much warmth and food as the Canadian coast has to offer. When Canada’s dark winter sets in, they are suspended in deeper waters to ride out the ice. Because of their carefully controlled, rocking, uncrowded environment, Beausoleil shells are always perfect. Not big—it still takes them four years to reach a 2.5-inch cocktail size—but well groomed, and so uniform they almost look stamped out by machine. The white shells have a classy black crescent. The flavor is refined and light, like a Caraquet, but with a bit more brine, and something of the yeasty warm-bread aroma you get with good Champagne. (Source)

Born in Ashwood, Virginia, near Hot Springs, Snead began caddying at age seven at The Homestead in Hot Springs. He worked as an assistant pro at The Homestead at 19 and turned professional in 1934. Snead joined the PGA Tour in 1936, and achieved immediate success by winning the West Virginia Closed Pro tournament. In 1936 he won two matches at the Meadow Brook Club, earning a $10,000 prize. This gave him the money he needed to start playing professionally full-time.[4] In 1944 he became head pro at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and maintained ties to Hot Springs and The Homestead all of his life. During the winter, he was head pro at the Boca Raton Resort from 1956–1969. Each spring he returned to the Mid-Atlantic, stopping at The Masters Tournament on his way back to The Greenbrier. (Source)

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[suenc]

Homestead - New Trip in July 2019!

Well, looking back in this thread, I had just a few posts on this historic resort in western Virginia nestled in the Allegheny Mountains quite near the West Virginia border and probably the more famous Greenbrier Resort. Susan and I will soon be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary here w/ good food and drink and some less strenuous activities compared to our previous visits, e.g. none of the longer trails anymore.

Below as an introduction are some pics of the front entrance for checkin and the back - the Spa-Pools (indoor and out w/ spring water)-Fitness Center to the far right. The Omni chain has taken over the resort and will report later on some of the changes made since this is a recent acquisition. The pics are a combination from the web and some of my own, including the two panoramic images taken late yesterday afternoon. More to come - Dave
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One of my favorite places, historic and Southern. Some of the furnishings are still a bit worn, but Dave reminded me that they may be genuine antiques.

 

[suenc]

Serenity Garden - An Afternoon of Relaxation

After our falconry activity and a 'salad' lunch at Jefferson's Restaurant (again just superb greens and possibly picked that morning?), we spent the afternoon relaxing in the Serenity Garden briefly described in the quote below from the resort website - pics from the web. The Octagon Pool was relaxing w/ the actual comfortably hot spring water - then to the hot tub - and finally a couple of times in the pool - rested under an umbrella lounge chair and did a little reading - drinks and light lunches can be purchased. There are also some indoor amenities, including various types of saunas, aroma chair, and lockers w/ full bathroom facilities. This was Susan's second time, so I had to try the historic spring water pool at least once. The spa also offers a WIDE variety of massages and other treatments (expensive!). Dave

P.S. Of course, adults only! (18 y/o is the minimum age)


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I was surprised that there were so many kids in residence. Children in pools can be a little “distracting,” so I was happy to find this adult oasis. I wish I had taken a photo of Dave lounging in the pool, the picture of relaxation!

 

[suenc]

Food - Last Two Dinners

Just including our evening meals for those who may be viewing this thread and may decide to visit - your main eating options are numerous at the Homestead Resort, a 'limited' (looking at the menu) Italian restaurant at the famous Cascades Golf Course, and the handful of places in the Village.

Our first two dinners are described previously - on the third night we picked Sam Snead's Tavern (renamed Snead's 1912 Steak w/ management change) in the Village (pics below of the outside and our table - cozy woody cabin look filled w/ Sam Snead memorabilia) - we shared a dozen Beausoleil oysters (see below) - took a chance 'in the mountains' but tasted just fine! Susan had the New York strip medium rare and was in heaven (we've been eating bison filets and elk tenderloin at home, so the extra fat/marbling made her pleased); I had the trout caught 30 mins right up the road and one of the best I've eaten in the mountains.

For the golfers viewing this thread, Sam Snead was a local born near Hot Springs (see short Wiki bio) - he did at one time own the restaurant and then his son was the proprietor; now under different management. As many may know, Snead was a professional golfer (and a caddy at the Homestead golf course as a youngster) - he holds many records, but most famously is at the top for most wins, i.e. 82 on the PGA tour (see chart) - Tiger Woods may tie and surpass that number soon, if his health and desire stay well?

On our last night (and anniversary day), we were planning to eat at the elegant Dining Room in the resort but Susan was not happy w/ the menu, so we returned to the Les Cochons d'Or in the Village, a few doors down from Sam's place - again we had the Choptank Sweets oysters from Chesapeake Bay - Susan had an excellent veal loin and I their special for the night, pan seared fluke (i.e. flounder) - then shared the lavender vanilla panna cotta w/ pistachio cake, macerated strawberries, & meringue - we were both happy with our change of restaurants for the evening. Dave




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I usually avoid steakhouses—too much fat, and often mediocre quality meat. However, my ribeye at Sam Snead’s was the best I’ve had in recent memory. Cochon d’Or dishes were creatively prepared. And yes, after I deanded a Dining Room reservation, I was unimpressed with the menu, and canceled my reservation in favor of a second dinner at Cochon d’Or.

 

[suenc]

Historic Tour - Lunch at Casino - Walk Along Old Golf Course - Falconry

Despite this being our fourth or fifth trip to the Homestead Resort since the mid-1980s, we had never taken the free historic tour of the building (see synopsis in quote), so our morning activity. The tour lasted 90 minutes and included the history of the building(s) - in the 1901 fire, the spa, casino, cottages and Virginia Hotel were saved; reconstruction started almost immediately with the tower completed in 1929 (the tower clock is still keeping the right time - see last pic below). A variety of rooms are part of the tour, including the Lobby Bar w/ the President's portraits (next post).

We then had a light lunch at Woody's in the Casino - followed by a walk on a road/golf cart path along the Old Golf Course passing the tennis courts, the driving range (plenty of balls in the fairway), and finally returning to read the correct time on the nearly 100 year-old tower clock. Dave

P.S. in the afternoon, we signed up for the Falconry attraction but rain started - so will do in the morning and post back - looks like a lot of fun! We did have the complimentary afternoon tea.


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Afternoon tea is hardly genteel, since there are long lines to pick up the offerings, cafeteria-style. However, I love any kind of afternoon tea (as long as it doesn’t spoil my dinner).

 

[suenc]

Falconry at the Homestead

Yet another of the many activities at the Homestead Resort - yesterday afternoon we were 'rained out', so returned this morning w/ several other couples and three kids to learn about Falconry and to watch a bird of prey 'in action' - brief description below first quote. Linda was our 'falconer' - she has 12+ years experience and trained for 2+ years under another experienced falconer (see second quote) - check the link for many more details about the state and federal laws regulating the training and keeping of raptors.

Once Linda retrieved a bird from the building - a Harris Hawk - she released the raptor which was on the lookout for 'prey' w/ its keen vision (see last quote) - the hawk would return to her gloved hand by seeing a small piece of chicken. Each of us in the group was able to hold the bird on a gloved hand/wrist - combo pic of Susan and I, but not as cute as the two small boys (3 & 5 years of age). We really enjoyed this activity of a 4000 year old 'sport', usually of royalty in the past - the Homestead offers several more advanced levels of falconry which we would certainly consider on a return visit. Dave






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I wouldn’t mind trying more falconry in the future. I had never even thought of such an activity before. By the way, we may look chubby in the photos, but our shirts were puffed up with areezes from the hawk’s flaping wings. lol

 

[giradman]

Well, Susan has chimed in w/ a bunch of posts and seemed to have enjoyed the experience - we just might have to go back in the near future? Dave

 

[giradman]

Return to Keswick Hall - August 2023 - boy have not posted here in 4 years - COVID likely! Began this thread back in August 2015 with our first visit to this Charlottesville resort (about a 3 1/2 hr from our home) - a multi-million dollar renovation was completed in 2020 w/ a spa addition opening on 2022 (Susan has an appointment tomorrow morning) - plenty of other changes (see link if interested), including the addition of a free-standing restaurant called Marigold, run by renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten; so far, we had a great dinner last night and a wonderful light lunch today after a visit to the fitness center.

Images below mostly mine from yesterday on our arrival plus a few from the web. The resort has expanded from 40+ rooms/suites to 80 and the decor is much lighter (whites/beiges) and modern (for those interested, go to the beginning of this thread and compare the old vs. new appearances). There is now an infinity pool and the Pete Dye designed golf course looks in great shape (stopped playing golf a while back). Due to Susan's issues w/ mobility we will not be going to the many places as on our initial visit, so reviewing the first 4 or so pages from the start of this travelogue will provide a great overview of Charlottesville and its many offerings. Dave

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[giradman]

Keswick Vineyards

After the fitness center and a light lunch at Marigold (starters - an excellent seasonal gazpacho soup - nicely chilled and made from locally sourced tomatoes, berries, etc.), we visited a nearby winery, Keswick Vineyards - I had a small flight of four white wines (two chardonnays, viognier, and a viognier blend) and Susan had a pina colada-pineapple wine slushy (her now usual selection, if available). I bought a bottle of their 2021 'Keswick' chardonnay - the other was tasty but aged in stainless steel and not as complex.

Now 8 years since I've tasted any Virginian wine so more to visit (but now buying lightly these days) and want to do a little research on the current status of this state's wines - an upcoming post. Dave

P.S. Keswick has a putt-putt golf course w/ a wine barrel motif - (however, post-rain and wet) - last 2 pics.
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[giradman]

VIRGINIA WINE - UPDATE!
Wine making in Virginia dates back to the founding of the colony at Jamestown in 1607. The importation of European grape varieties (Vitis vinifera) was attempted but failed in part because of the lack of understanding of grape disease and pests, especially phylloxera - American root stock is resistant to this insect and the solution in the late 19th century was the grafting of European vines onto native American roots. Presently in the state, "Vitis vinifera varieties represent 75% of total production, French hybrids varieties account for nearly 20% of total wine grape production, while American varietals make up only about 5% of the total. (Source)"

Some of the grape varietals include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Merlot, Vidal Blanc (a hybrid), and others. A red grape making a 'comeback' is Norton (see quote below). Grapes are grown throughout Virginia (see maps below) for a total now of around 5000 acres - there are 10 wine growing regions in the state and 8 AVAs (American Viticultural Area - see second quote below); the definition of an AVA is rather broad and does not have the often extensive regulations defined in a number of European countries, such as France and Italy.

The pics below are all from the web - the 'green' map is a wine trail that includes the Shenandoah Valley and Monticello AVAs and ends in the Charlottesville-Barboursville area extending west into the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Parkways. The Middleburg AVA in northern Virginia near Washington, D.C. is of historic importance with the resurgence of American wine in the 1960s and 1970s - we've never visited the area (a kick in the head!) although in the early 1970s I lived in D.C. for 2 months during my radiology residency and had a car - in fact, I was reading back then about Meredyth Vineyards (now defunct) and sampled their excellent Chardonnay - should have made a day trip! The last 5 pics of a handful of beautiful wineries found in the state. Dave

Norton, is grown in the Midwestern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, northeastern Georgia. DNA data are consistent with 'Norton' being a hybrid with ancestry including V. aestivalis and V. vinifera. Norton was first cultivated in Richmond, Virginia, and is the official grape of the State of Missouri, and is considered the cornerstone of the Missouri wine industry. Daniel Norton first purveyed the Norton cultivar during the early 19th century from his vineyards in Virginia, USA. (Source)

An American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is a specific type of appellation of origin used on wine labels. An AVA is a delimited grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that distinguish it from the surrounding regions and affect how grapes are grown. Using an AVA designation on a wine label allows vintners to describe more accurately the origin of their wines to consumers and helps consumers identify wines they may purchase. (Source)

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[giradman]

An Interesting Outside Wall Arrangement at Keswick Hall

While walking to the Fitness Center, the stone wall has an interesting arrangement of plants (the bocce court is on the other side) - this morning a lady was pruning the plants - now looks like trellising of grape vines but not correct - she told me the plants (about 8 on the wall) are pear trees trained in that fashion. Quite attractive - Dave

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[Jupiter7]

An Interesting Outside Wall Arrangement at Keswick Hall

While walking to the Fitness Center, the stone wall has an interesting arrangement of plants (the bocce court is on the other side) - this morning a lady was pruning the plants - now looks like trellising of grape vines but not correct - she told me the plants (about 8 on the wall) are pear trees trained in that fashion. Quite attractive - Dave

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That method of training fruit trees is popular over in Europe and we call it Espalier.