EAB Designs

Historic Monuments

This weekend, we visited Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA.   Established in 1847, it was designed in a rural garden style and given the name "Hollywood" from the many holly trees on the property. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it's the final resting place of two Presidents (James Monroe & John Tyler), as well as Jefferson Davis and thousands of Confederate soldiers.  Its rolling hills and winding paths overlook the James River and you can walk through the beautiful grounds and ponder history.

 

A Day of Wine Tasting

Happy May Day!  I hope you all enjoyed a beautiful spring weekend!

On Saturday, we headed out early in the morning to drive to the Frederick Wine Trail, (in Maryland) for a day of wine tasting.  We had never been wine tasting before but were happily meeting up with friends who happen to be wine enthusiasts. We enjoyed driving down country roads and taking in the beautiful rolling farmland which surrounds the family-owned wineries.

The buds had sprouted and the fresh spring grape leaves had just begun to unfurl along the vines.

Time flew by as we chatted with our friends and enjoyed the wine tasting.  After visiting the second winery we decided to stop for lunch and discovered a fabulous restaurant.  If you're ever in the area, I would highly recommend Drover's Grill and Wine Co. - the crab cakes were excellent!

We visited four wineries in all, stopped in at a great bike shop to look at tandems, and then enjoyed another delicious meal in downtown Mt. Airy.  When the day was over, it truly felt like we had taken a little vacation. (Thanks Pete and Kathy!) Oh, and we also came home with three bottles of wine.  Cheers!

The Gardens of Monticello

On Saturday, we visited this beautiful home perched atop a hill in the Piedmont of Virginia - Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

 

My favorite part of the interior of the home is all of the gorgeous windows and doors with antique glass.  (Sorry, no indoor photography is allowed.)  However, my favorite thing to do when visiting Monticello is to roam around the gardens, specifically the vegetable garden.

 

The last time I visited Monticello it was in the early spring when the seedlings were just being planted, so it was nice to return at the end of summer.  I could spend all day just gazing at the garden and vineyard.  Guests are welcome to enter the gardens and walk wherever one pleases.

 

I love the simple, but elegant, garden markers used throughout all of the beds.

There were lots of brightly colored cockscomb and even some grapes drying on the vines.

We had a beautiful day - perfect for exploring the grounds.

The University of Virginia

Our last stop on our college tour trip was the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, VA.  UVA was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and he designed the original campus around an academical village.  At the head of the lawn is this stately Rotunda which housed the library.

  

On each side of the Rotunda are Pavilions, which housed faculty, and rows of student rooms.  A different subject was taught in each Pavilion.  Today, professors still live in these Pavilions, and a small number of 4th year students receive the privilege and honor of living in the original dorm rooms on the lawn, complete with fireplace.

 

We have two more Universities to visit, but I think our daughter has already narrowed down her top three choices.  It's hard to believe that in just eight more months she'll be receiving notification letters in the mail....it truly feels like it was only yesterday that we enrolled her in Kindergarten.

Colonial Williamsburg

After visiting the College of William and Mary, we walked a short distance to revisit a favorite place of mine, historic Colonial Williamsburg.  Laid out as a model capitol in 1699, Williamsburg took the place of Jamestown as the seat of colonial government.  The historic area today is a step back in time to an 18th century community.

 

 

Homes, shops, taverns and exhibition buildings line the historic streets and are surrounded by hundreds of gardens.  A visit, later in spring time, would find the gardens filled with beautiful flowers.  My most favorite time to visit is in December, when the doors display beautiful holiday wreaths made from fresh evergreens and fruit, and candles are lit in each window.

 

Guides and hostesses, in period costume, greet you at the exhibition buildings which feature blacksmiths, bakers, carpenters and merchants.

Of course, I am most happy outdoors peeking into the side and back gardens. Put me amongst boxwood gardens, pea gravel or brick-lined paths and I want for nothing more!

It's always been a dream of mine to live in a white house with black shutters and in colonial Williamsburg there are plenty I could move right into.

 

At one end of the main street there are modern shops and restaurants.  We love to visit Wythe Candy Shop which has delicious chocolates made on the premises.  I never leave without treating myself to a large pecan milk chocolate turtle. Definitely worth every calorie!

Our next, and last, stop on our three day college tour trip was the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and I'll share pictures from there tomorrow.  Can you name some notable alumni from UVA?....... Katie Couric, Robert and Ted Kennedy, Edgar Allen Poe, Woodrow Wilson and Tina Fey!

College Tours - The College of William and Mary

We enjoyed the last few days visiting potential colleges with our daughter. First stop was The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.  The college was founded in 1693 and is the 2nd oldest college in the nation.

 

It is a beautiful campus filled with brick lined pathways and charming historic buildings.  It was raining when we arrived, but it let up just in time for our tour.

 

 

The most recently constructed buildings blend beautifully with the historic ones.

 

The Wren Building - the oldest college building in the United States.  Each graduating senior walks through the Wren Building to signify their departure from William and Mary.

Our daughter loved the college and will definitely apply there next fall. Once our tour was completed, we headed across the street to revisit historic colonial Williamsburg.  I'll share pictures of our visit there tomorrow.  And for our trivia buffs..... what is the oldest college in the nation?...... Harvard.

My Trip to California in a Nutshell

My time in California flew by and the best part was getting to spend time with my family.  My sister and favorite brother-in-law picked me up from the San Francisco airport and we headed right to Fisherman's Wharf to visit Boudin Bakery, famous for their sour dough bread. I was surprised to discover that it was actually colder in California than in Virginia!  Good thing I brought my wool coat along with me.

 

The sour dough bread bowl with clam chowder, at Boudin's, was just as delicious as I remember.  I wish could have brought home some of these uniquely shaped bread loaves.

 

After lunch, we visited the Buena Vista Cafe, home of the original Irish Coffee in the United States.  They are still using the same recipe which was created back in the 50's.  I'm not even a coffee drinker, but boy was it delicious!  The perfect treat for a chilly day.  Bar tender, Larry Nolan, who has been serving these drinks for over twenty years, entertained us with amazing card tricks.  My brother-in-law snapped this picture of my sister and I.  I'm the tallest and only brunette in the family.  My sisters and brother are all blonds, so I'm the black sheep of the family.

 

Next stop was Britex Fabrics, with 4 floors of beautiful fabrics and trims. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside.  We couldn't spend much time there, but I did come home with this beautiful rose/apricot iridescent taffeta with appliqued flowers on it.  I'm having fun deciding what to make with it.

 

A trip to San Francisco would not be complete without a ride on the cable car so we hopped on and rode it to the end of the line.

   

Knowing, I love hand-made paper and use it in my picture frame designs, my sister made sure that my day in San Francisco included a stop at Flax Art & Design on Market Street.  I have ordered from them on-line before, but it was a treat to visit their store.  They are well known for their beautiful papers and have over 7,000 in stock.  There are aisles of flat file cabinets and I tried to peek into as many drawers as I could.  I did find some unique paper and arranged to have it shipped back home.

 

The morning after our visit to the city we all drove down to Southern California for my other sister's wedding.  Sorry, no photos yet, but I'm hoping I'll have some to share with you soon.  I'm so happy I was able to be there on her special day.

I did want to share a beautiful gift - a Sorrelli bracelet -  that my sister gave me before I left.  She purchased it from a favorite store of mine where she lives called "I Love Paris."  Isn't it wonderful when a sister knows you so well?  I just love the bracelet!

Welcome Autumn!

Spent the first day of Autumn in the charming, historic town of Fredericksburg antiquing with a dear friend.  The shops' windows were creatively decorated for the season. 

Walking along the elegant tree lined streets, you'll find shops offering antiques, collectibles and a variety of gifts and home decor.  I came home with lots of unique vintage rhinestone jewelry which I can't wait to use on some new designs.

After a few hours of shopping, we headed to Eileen's Bakery and Cafe to enjoy a delicious lunch and apple tart.  The cafe is located in a former church on Caroline Street.

The Model A Restorers Club (MARC) tour was in town that morning and we were able to take a close up look at the beautifully restored Model "A" Fords.

What a perfect day to start my most favorite season of the year.  Welcome Autumn!

Tudor Place - Georgetown

My husband was able to take Friday off, so we headed into Georgetown.  The weather was perfect and our first stop was Tudor Place, an historic house and garden.  Martha Peter, the granddaughter of Martha Washington, was the first mistress of Tudor Place in 1805.  Six generations of the Peter family lived in the home up until 1983.  At that time, a foundation was created to preserve the site and in 1987 it opened to the public.  The rooms are completely furnished and there are over 100 objects which personally belonged to George and Martha Washington.  Since we were the first to arrive, we were the only two people on the house tour and we also had the gardens to ourselves.  Both are so beautiful!

 

 

 

  

After leaving Tudor Place, we walked along many of Georgetown's residential streets. I love the architecture and the colorful flowers and boxwood gardens surrounding the gorgeous houses.  Climbing red roses adorn the doorway on the house on the right.

 

A visit to Georgetown would not be complete without lunch in a favorite cafe, Patisserie Poupon.  My husband had not been there before and I knew he would love it as much as I do.  Their outdoor patio reminds me of the French cafes we visited in Paris.  The food is delicious.  I highly recommend the savory tomato quiche, followed by any of their delectable pastries!  You'll burn off all those calories walking up and down the hills.

 

After lunch we stopped in a favorite store, Moss & Co.  If you haven't been it's located at 1657 Wisconsin Avenue.  My friends refer to it as "the Julie store" because I love everything in it - antiques, French linens, glassware, topiaries, furniture, garden salvages, home decor and interesting quirky objects too.  Mostly, lots of inspiration wherever you look.  So, after eleven days of rain, it was great to head out on a Friday field trip and enjoy a perfect day!

Weekend Outing to DC

We're lucky to live in a small town with a hometown feel, but only 30 minutes west of Washington, DC.  On Saturday we took the metro into the city to view the cherry blossoms along the path at the tidal basin.  The trees, a 1912 gift from Tokyo, burst into spectacular pink flowers each spring.

After walking along the path, we headed over to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The museum recently reopened after being closed for renovations.  First must see was Julia Child's kitchen.  The kitchen is actually enclosed with plexiglass, but I was able to get a few good pictures with no flash.  She had an extensive collection of pans and small kitchen gadgets, many of which she kept in open cupboards or hanging on the walls.

The First Ladies' inaugural gowns are also on display in the museum, but unfortunately the line was much too long.  (Will definitely return to see that exhibit and much more.)  But, we were starving and headed over to a favorite restaurant of ours, Rosa Mexicano.  If you live in the area, or near one of the other locations (NY/GA) you should treat yourself to their fabulous modern Mexican food.  We love the guacamole they mix fresh at your table-side.  Lots of fun!

Flea Market Finds

 

Thought I'd share a few things I came home with on Saturday.  At the first booth I visited, I discovered this adorable Noritake children's porcelain tea set, from the early 1930's.  I just love the beautiful shape of the little teacups, the garlands of roses and forget-me-nots, and the beautiful shade of pink.  I think I'm going to use the two little platters as jewelry holders.  The owner was so sweet and offered the set for only $14.

 

My next find was an 1871 edition of the Lives of the Queens of England, Vol. VI, which covers Queen Elizabeth.  I originally purchased it thinking I would use the pages for my journal creations, but now I may want to read it.  On sale for 50% off, I took this home for $10.

 

The front page has a wonderful image of Queen Elizabeth.

 

There were beautiful vintage rhinestone earrings and brooches everywhere you looked.  Unfortunately, all of them were priced too high to use for my craft needs.  However, at one booth I spotted a few boxes that said .50 each, or 25 for $10.  With the help of my sweet husband, we dug through the boxes and came up with these beauties.

 

 

My last purchase of the day was an original deed, dated 1886.  I've used it as a backdrop for the above pictures.  I loved the the beautiful penmanship in brown ink (and of course, the pink lines).  A dear friend found it for me and asked the seller to hold it.  Thank you David!  It came home with me for just $5.

 

Introducing Mr. Darcy

   

 

 

 

I'm beginning the New Year in the right direction, quite literally.  My sweet husband gave me a GPS navigation system for my car.  This will come as a huge relief to my friends who receive my calls for help as to whether I should turn left, right, north or south.  It's true, I have no sense of direction and hate reading maps.  For those of you who may not be familiar with these systems, the user is able to select the voice that gives the turn by turn directions.  I, of course, chose the male voice with the British accent.  Henceforth, my new GPS system shall be referred to as "Mr. Darcy" from my favorite Jane Austen novel, Pride and Prejudice.  I sense I'll be going on many new field trips in the coming year, always accompanied by my personal travel assistant, Mr. Darcy.