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Jordan Wright
May 11, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 L to R) Meeya Davis as Amber, Nikiya Mathis as Cassan, Caroline Clay as Gio, Afi Bijou as Zambia and Tonye Patano as Clementine in Katori Hall’s The Blood Quilt – Photo by C. Stanley Photography. Earth, wind and fire blew into town for the world premiere of The Blood Quilt now at Arena Stage. Written by Katori Hall, who based the story on the Gullah Geechee culture of Sapelo Island, and directed by Kamilah Forbes, this soul-wrenching play, filled with the tears, anger and laughter of a family divided by distance and psychological baggage and held together by the power of sisterhood.
Four sisters, Clementine, Gio, Cassan and Amber, and Cassan’s daughter, Zambia, gather together on the windswept island of Kwemera, one of Georgia’s Sea Islands, and the African word for “endure”. The scene is the ancestral cottage of the Jerrnigans and home of their recently departed mother – – a woman they both revered and feared. Each summer the women craft a new quilt, stitched together from clothing and rags handed down from family members. Woven into these quilts are their deepest memories, gut-wrenching hardships and personal failures. It is within these stitches that they tell their truths in a story as old as time and as foreseeable as the circle of life.
 (Clockwise from left) Tonye Patano as Clementine, Meeya Davis as Amber, Caroline Clay as Gio, Nikiya Mathis as Cassan and Afi Bijou as Zambia in Katori Hall’s The Blood Quilt – Photo by C. Stanley Photography. To provide the foundation for this story, it is important to know that hundreds of years ago Geechee culture, as it is called, arrived by boat from West Africa onto these remote Georgian islands. Slave ships bore men and women who were sold off to work on the islands’ rice plantations. After the Civil War some of the freed slaves stayed behind, becoming landowners and raising many more generations. The dialect they spoke is still heard today and is echoed throughout the play.
Within this mysterious world spiritualism, mythology and shibboleths run deep, influenced by the stars and the sea. These traditions provide a singularly rich backdrop for this comic-drama, recalling the evocative film Daughters of the Dust that drew on the African-centric Gullah culture of North Carolina.
Much of the Geechee’s mysterious customs and rituals are threaded throughout this deeply affecting tale reflecting a legacy of memories embodied by the fabric scraps incorporated into the quilts. The play turns around the question of who will inherit the one hundred precious quilts. And therein lies the rub.
Set Designer, Michael Carnahan, has created a breathtaking stage set that features a simple cabin set beside a shoreline. An arc of waist-deep water frames the proscenium and patches of crazy quilts hang from the rafters. Delicate Spanish moss sways over the rooftop and the whole is bathed in a roseate hue, courtesy of Lighting Designer, Michael Gilliam. Snippets of old time gospel music are sung in harmony, and the classic “I’ll Fly Away” evokes the contrasting confluence of church combined with tribal culture.
 (L to R) Tonye Patano as Clementine and Meeya Davis as Amber in Katori Hall’s -. Photo by C. Stanley Photography. Clementine (Tonye Patano), who takes direction from the natural world, is the eldest. Assuming her new role as matriarch, she shushes and bosses her younger siblings, insisting they carry out what she believes their mother would have wanted. “Mama was my god,” she reminds them. But her interpretation is not borne out by their mother’s will. Meeya Davis plays Amber, “Perfection is my shield and my protection,” she reveals. A successful Hollywood attorney and Harvard grad, she has been given the responsibility of reading the will. Davis gives a razor-sharp performance with elegance and wit to match Patano’s commanding presence.
 (L to R) Caroline Clay as Gio and Afi Bijou as Amber, with Nikiya Mathis as Cassan, in Katori Hall’s The Blood Quilt – Photo by C. Stanley Photography. Caroline Clay soars in the role of Gio, a tough talking, beer-guzzling cop cursed with a chip on her shoulder as wide as the sea. Why, we wonder, is she so angry? Cassan (Nikiya Mathis) has brought her daughter Zambia (Afi Bijou) who is a hijab-wearing, political activist just beginning to spread her wings. Bijou proves she is well up to the challenge of playing against such seasoned actors in a role that calls for her to be the polar opposite of the others.
The cast is as tightly woven together as the quilts they covet in this haunting and hugely comical play filled with the ghosts of the past, the challenges of modern life, and the guidance of an ancient culture imported from an Africa they never knew.
Highly recommended.
Through June 7th at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St., SE, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information call 202 488-3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.
 Dr. Joan Gaither in front of one of her quilts * * Be sure to wander through the theatre to view the seventeen spectacular contemporary quilts created by Dr. Joan Gaither of Baltimore. These exquisite quilts use appliqué and trapunto stitching on lush velvet and brocade to tell a modern story. They will be on display throughout the run of the show. I had an opportunity to meet Dr. Gaither during press night and query her about the meaning of her quilts and the importance of this show. “Quilting comes from the soul. I’m not a traditional quilter, although I believe each quilt can hold and tell an entire story. The images I use celebrate those stories. I try to do that in such a way that they become American stories, because I believe we all share a common history.”
Jordan Wright
May 6, 2015
 Scanning the course Whisk and Quill was delighted to accept an invitation to attend the 90th running of the Virginia Gold Cup last weekend in The Plains, Virginia, as a judge for their prestigious tailgate competition – – a hard-fought and entirely subjectively-judged contest pitting talented and sophisticated entrants against those of the same stylish stripe. The competition for this blue ribbon event was sponsored by the Silver Diner ( See my previous article on Silver Diner ), who kindly sent one of their chefs, Chris Hiller, to join us in our efforts.
For the first time in 25 years, I abandoned my own well-heeled guests for three-and-a-half hours to swan around the rolling hillside lapping up bourbon cocktails, swooning over caramel cake and taste-testing an exotic Indian biryani. I swear on the memory of my beloved Brazilian horse, Beija-Flor, it felt like I ran the length and breadth of the entire steeplechase course…though gratefully it was devoid of any water or brush jumps, and more to the point, I did not have to wear a saddle.
The main parameters were that the offerings be homemade, and that the entire tailgate set-up should reflect a theme. Unfortunately some of the unnamed entrants had chosen to scoff at the memo. Our four judges were astounded to see Costco cookies and sandwiches, still in their plastic tubs, side-by-side with veggies and dip from the local Safeway. May the saints preserve us! And may the best horse win.
 The Bee People For the most part these concepts were highly original. Some were delightfully equine-themed. The “Bee Calm and Carry On” group had little bees on everything – – from cupcakes to a honeyed bee skep cake. The hostess was eager to point out that all offerings included at least some honey, including the Honey Punch and the whiskey bourbon shooters. Yes, whiskey and bourbon combined – – a delicious, if not incendiary, alternative to cough medicine. The ladies were attired in yellow and black, some striped, and host Eddie Batten was gotten up in a tan beekeeper’s suit complete with antique fogger.
 Shanti Williams greets guests “A Trip Around the World” welcomed us with ‘passports’ – – a printed menu of the afternoon’s delights. Cutouts of the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Statue of Liberty adorned the table and we found Greek, Indian, French and German influenced dishes prepared by local private chef, Shanti Williams of Ruther Glen, Virginia whose Duck Confit Sliders with Cranberry Jam and Fennel & Celery Root Slaw were an especially big hit.
 Sylvia Sosa’s Pink & Green theme Sylvia Sosa chose “Pink & Green” as her theme and carried it out to the nth degree with horsey cut-out sandwiches sporting pink saddles tied with bakery twine and cupcakes decorated with horseheads and horseshoes. It certainly was one of the prettiest tables we visited.
 Tiffany’s goes country Jen Dominick brought Tiffany’s from city to country with an Audrey Hepburn cutout gracing a 20-foot table. Guests clad in classic Tiffany-colored turquoise and white apparel drank from silver mint julep cups (plastic, but very chic nonetheless). Her bespoke parting gifts for guests were tiny chocolates in precious blue boxes with white satin ribbons. It was all very posh, don’t you know.
 Karen Gilbert and guests Two competitors stole the show. Hostess Karen Gilbert of “Crystal Horseshoes” who served the most amazingly tender short ribs, “fully loaded” potato salad and super divine sandwich on a roll with her Hot Brown Sliders; and Jackie Deschamps who rocked a “50 Shades” theme.
 50 Shades Pink & Black theme Jackie’s choice of a fabulous shocking pink-and-black color theme coupled with sumptuous food – – poached salmon with hollandaise, shrimp kabobs, and an assortment of delicious homemade cakes – – matched the charming hospitality and elegant demeanor she and her guests showered upon us. It may be true that we were influenced by such niceties as offering up a welcoming chair, personally serving us separate plates for entrees and desserts, and bringing round a refreshing drink, if only for the three minutes we allowed for our “I-hate-to-eat-and-run” visits.
 Caramel cake from 50 Shades Racing around over hill and dale, like horses navigating jumps on a steeplechase course, we managed to visit all twelve competitors. We tasted and sipped, chatted up strangers and debated the merits of the competitors; coming up with the premise that, when every last little thing was taken into account, it was all about homemade fare, a soupçon of creativity and old-fashioned, heartfelt Southern hospitality. We are in Virginia after all.
 One of the award-winning hats in front of the Steward’s Stand In the end it was a photo finish, with “50 Shades” leading by a nose, followed by “Crystal Horseshoes”, who had driven 100 miles round trip to find their tabletop white horse, and “A Trip Around the World”, coming away with a very respectable third.
Thanks go out to each and every competitor. See you in the fall when we’ll do it all over again on October 24th.
 Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders – from The Seasoned Mom
Ingredients:
1 package of King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (split)
¼ cup of mayonnaise
12 slices of deli turkey
12 pieces of cooked bacon
6 slices of Gruyere cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup canned pimientos (diced)
½ cup butter (cubed)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. garlic powder
Directions:
Spread mayonnaise on the roll bottoms. Layer with turkey, bacon, a few bits of pimiento and both cheeses. Replace tops. Arrange sandwiches in one layer in a greased 9-inch-square baking pan. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring for one to two minutes, until tender. Whisk in brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved. Pour butter sauce over sandwiches.
Cover with foil and refrigerate for several hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until nicely browned.
Honey Punch – adapted from the Food Network
Dissolve ½ cup honey in ½ cup boiling water. Let cool, then pour into a pitcher. Add the juice of 2 lemons, 2 cups of apricot or peach nectar, and 1 cup of vodka, gin, bourbon or whiskey. Chill. Before serving add a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider (Try the all-natural ‘Alpenglow’, made in Virginia from Shenandoah Valley apples.) and float lemon slices in the pitcher.
Photo credit – Jordan Wright
By Cary Pollak for Whisk and Quill
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts
In January Crave American Kitchen and Sushi Bar, a Minnesota-based chain, opened its newest outpost in the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The restaurant is living up to the ambitious expectations set for it by its Twin Cities parent company, Kaskaid, Inc. Kaskaid has created four restaurant concepts since its inception in 2007 and Crave may be its most successful, with four branches in Minnesota and a total of ten nation-wide so far, popping up in locations from the Las Vegas area to Austin, to Coral Gables and more.
At a recent dinner featuring some of the newest additions to their seasonal menu, the able staff proved that American and Japanese cuisines can fit together as comfortably as cherry trees at the tidal basin in Washington. Each course seemed like a natural precursor to the next.
The evening started out with a few specialty cocktails. The ‘Crave’ is a blend of Stolichnaya ‘Razberi’, Chambord, pineapple and Domaine Chandon Brut. If you are going to name a cocktail after your restaurant, you may as well pour my favorite California sparkling wine in case the Russian vodka and the fine raspberry liqueur don’t make enough of an impression. The ‘Angry Dragon’, a happy combination of Bacardi Dragon Berry rum, lychee, cranberry and citrus zest, was another option. In addition to these Crave creations, Bar Manager Jordan Harrington is in the process of concocting specials just for the Bethesda branch, such as a Sweet and Spicy Mojito and an Egg White and Blueberry Fizz.
 Crave General Manager Michelle Went has a firm grip on the Angry Dragon Our cocktails were followed by an exquisitely crafted sushi platter, that I pondered whether to devour or leave as an undisturbed work of art. Among the choices presented were the ‘Rainbow Roll’, the sushi chef’s version of a California roll, topped with four different types of fish, and the ‘Bamboo Bite’ which had tempura shrimp wrapped in sushi rice, crowned with overlapping slices of avocado, and decorated with a thin cross section of jalapeno. Adorning the platter were pieces of pickled ginger placed together like rose petals and wasabi molded into the shape of a leaf. Hand-sliced cucumber and apple slices were shaped into fans.
 Sushi platter ‘The Caterpillar’, sporting a fuzzy top made of bits of fried batter soaked with cranberry and beet juices, features spicy tuna, roe, cucumber, mango, avocado and sweet ‘Unagi’ sauce made with soy sauce, sugar and sake. Its whimsical appearance did not detract from its fresh and complex flavor.
 The Caterpillar Even after this delightful introduction, the main courses easily held my interest. Seared scallops with curry, caviar, arugula and papaya gastrique, showcased large scallops sliced horizontally. Grilled Mahi Mahi came served on a bed of red rice, with red pepper curry sauce, and banana fig butter. Medallions of certified Angus beef (which amounts to less than 8% of all beef produced in the U.S.) were accompanied by potato purée, pencil-thin grilled asparagus and a smooth demi glace. Each course was expertly paired with a wine chosen from the glass enclosed wine room.
 Medallions of Angus beef Executive Chef Joel Hassanali, a Trinidadian, explained that the chef at each Crave restaurant can create 25% of what goes on to the menu. Look for dishes that will reflect the chef’s Caribbean origins and his experiences growing up in the restaurant owned by his parents.
 Executive Chef Joel Hassanali Small tastes of a number of desserts were brought to the table – – fluffy coconut cake, enhanced by an infusion of coconut syrup and fresh coconut, and small parfaits presented in a decorative serving piece that held them up like horses on a merry-go-round.
 Coconut cake and parfait-like dessert choices These delicious bites included French Silk Chocolate Mousse, Tiramisu, Lemon Meringue and Salty Caramel Mousse. Everything is made in-house, down to the artistically decorated dark and white chocolate candy pieces atop some desserts that looked as though they popped out of a Godiva box.
I opted for the lemon meringue, a newcomer to the regular menu, and a particular favorite of the chef’s. I thought I noticed shreds of toasted coconut in my first spoonful, but soon realized my taste buds were not confirming what my mouth was feeling. Thin shreds of lemon zest were punching up the tartness to balance out the sweetness. Digging deeper into the glass cup, I discovered another surprise – – cheesecake filling.
Negotiating with the other guests for a taste of their desserts, was not an option. Clearly my dinner partners had fallen in love at first bite. Seems as though I’ll have to return for more taste testing. As if I needed an excuse…
www.cravebethesda.com.
Photo credit: Cary Pollak
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Jordan Wright
April 27, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Brendan Quinn (Jesus), Jennifer Lyons Pagnard (Florence), Gayle Nichols-Grimes (Olive), and Philip Krzywicki (Manolo) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography Neil Simon’s long-running, ever-popular play The Odd Couple has had more reincarnations than an Indian mystic. First there was the Broadway premiere in 1965. Art Carney of The Honeymooners fame was the obsessive-compulsive neat freak, Felix Ungar, and Walter Matthau the slovenly, devil-may-care, Oscar Madison. (You’ll recall Jack Klugman later replaced Matthau in the TV role.) In 1968 Matthau was brought back for the film version with Jack Lemmon, the two reprising their roles in 1998 for The Odd Couple II. Meanwhile The Odd Couple TV series starring Randall and Klugman ran for five years in the early to mid-70’s.
In the 80’s another TV version came onto the landscape – – The New Odd Couple with two black actors, Ron Glass and Demond Wilson. And, drum roll please. This February, in its latest television reincarnation, Matthew Perry plays Oscar. People just can’t seem to get enough of this disparate duo.
Backgrounding these many productions was Simon’s female version for the stage. Written in 1985 he cloned the personalities of Oscar and Felix, breathing new life into them as Olive Madison (the female Oscar) and Florence Ungar (the female Felix). The play too is set in 1985, a time of women’s liberation, the re-examination of traditional female roles and changing sexual mores. It all seems so old hat now.
 Elizabeth Replogle (Renee), Michelle Fletcher (Mickey), Kat Sanchez (Sylvie), and Natalie Fox (Vera) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography I must confess that the stuff of American sit-coms is not really my cup of tea. Friends insulting friends in the most jovial sort of way, and gleefully backstabbing them when they leave the room, is not my idea of charming and witty humor. I didn’t like The Three Stooges either, if that tells you something. But if The Golden Girls gave you belly laughs, then this will be right up your alley.
Florence is in the throes of a divorce and Olive has already been-there-done-that when she takes her in as a roommate. The unhappy duo is oil and water, struggling to maintain their friendship through the hard times and hysteria, of which there is entirely too much to bear. Are we bonding yet?
 Gayle Nichols-Grimes (Olive) and Jennifer Lyons Pagnard (Florence) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography In addition to Olive (Gayle Nichols-Grimes) and Florence (Jennifer Lyons Pagnard), there are Mickey (Michelle Fletcher), Sylvie (Kat Sanchez), Renee (Elizabeth Replogle) and Vera (Natalie Fox). Later on we meet Olive’s two hot-to-trot Spanish neighbors, brothers Jesus (Brendan Quinn) and Manolo (Philip Krzywicki) – – one sloppy, one neat – – what a surprise.
All in all the cast throws out some lively, if stale, one-liners, “Everything you do irritates me”, “I can’t even have dirty dreams! You clean them up”, and “She’s changed our nice game into the Christian Science Reading Room”. It keeps the audience happy and the actors working.
As to weighing this production on its merits, I give kudos to Set Designer MYKE for creating a believable 1980’s era living room for Olive’s Manhattan apartment, the scene of all the action; Costume Designer Ceci Albert who has dug deep into the wardrobe trunks for plenty of polyester and pearls for the six women in the cast; and note another fine performance by Michelle Fletcher, this time as the tough-talking cop.
Through May 16th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street. For tickets and information call the box office at 703 683-0496 or visit www.thelittletheatre.com
Jordan Wright
April 22, 2015
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts
A fresh breeze blew into town last night and she was wearing rhinestone-encrusted cat eye glasses out to there, and a hot pink fringe gown glittering with Swarovski crystals. Yes, you guessed it – – the internationally infamous, dearly beloved, barb-slinging insultress known familiarly as Dame Edna. Trashing more Washington politicos than the Drudge Report at election time, the saucy senior can take down Jesus and the apostles in one slanderous swoop, “they wore the 50 shades of gray badly,” she sniped to an audience of devotees.
 Dame Edna – Photo credit Craig Schwartz Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye – The Farewell Tour (A meditation on loss, gender, climate change, gay marriage and ethnicity) takes on these weighty issues with showbiz and razzmatazz. Barry Humphries, who first channeled Mrs. Edna Everage in 1955 in Melbourne, Australia, is no stranger to the double-entendre. A veteran of Broadway and London’s West End theatres, the Tony Award-winning performer has been dazzling and dishing with faithful fans for over half a century.
Directed by Simon Phillips, the glitzy two-acter opens with film clip cameos of Hollywood celebs. Stars as disparate as Charlton Heston, Kelly Osbourne and Hugh Jackman describe their run-ins with the naughty grandma as the glam goddess tells tales of her shabby Australian past, her dysfunctional children and her husband’s prostate “murmur”. Hoofing is provided by four leggy dancers who surround the mauve-haired wonder with giant purple ostrich fans. Move over Florence Ziegfeld!
 Dame Edna with giant purple ostrich fans – Photo credit Craig Schwartz Jonathan Tessero is the production’s Musical Director & Onstage Accompanist and Wayne Barker and Andrew Ross provide the tunes for the caterwauling songstress who describes herself as “the quintessence of kindness”. Never have scandal and sarcasm been such great pals.
In the second act choreographer, Eve Prideaux, turns to Bollywood as Dame Edna describes her spiritual adventures in an ashram. “It’s a trailer park for the soul,” she moans as the dancers swirl around her in gold-edged saris.
 Dame Edna and Bollywood Dancers – Photo credit Craig Schwartz But the real howls come when, as in years past, she singles out unsuspecting audience members. Claiming to be clairvoyant she tells one, “I believe in past lives and you look as if you might have been something.” Ouch! It hurts so good. To a group of elderly audience members she calls out, “Oh, the seniors are still here! Someone must have topped off their medication.” The zingers fly fast and furiously. You gotta keep up. She is as outrageous as she is captivating and as endearing as a child with Asberger’s (her diagnosis, not mine).
Highly recommended for death-defying irreverence.
In town for a limited run at The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004. Performance Schedule is as follows. Tuesday, April 21st – Thursday, April 23rd at 7:30pm, Friday, April 24th at 8pm, Saturday, April 25th at 2pm and 8pm and Sunday, April 26th at 4pm. For tickets and information call 202 628-6161 or visit thenationaldc.com or www.dameednafarewell.com
Jordan Wright
April 20, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 At The Shack My plan to spend a weekend in Staunton (pronounced “Staan’-tun”, please and thank you) was hatched last year when I heard of a young chef who was gathering a national reputation for imaginative food served up in a tiny brick building he calls, The Shack. Since then chef and restaurateur, Ian Boden, has lit up the food world garnering awards and tons of ink in his zeal to use Virginia farm products in both imaginative and delicious ways.
But as with all trips, the more you research the region where you’re headed, the more it evolves into a journey that will lose all sense of being scripted – – which is exactly what happened and which I highly recommend. The plan was to head out mid-morning Friday and drive straight to Staunton. That plan went straight out the window when I realized all the fun places we would pass along the way. Here’s what I recommend.
From Route 66 take Route 17 to Delaplane and Three Fox Vineyards where owners, Holli and John Todhunter, echo their love of all things Italian. In the barn-style tasting room you’ll find mostly Italian varietals from estate-grown grapes. Relax in a hammock or claim a game of bocce ball.
 The Long Branch Foundation – The spiral stairwell A few miles away just off Route 50, is the 200-year old mansion and gardens of Long Branch Plantation. Hard by the blink-and-you’ve-missed-it sweet little hamlet of Paris, lies the recently restored “noble mansion crowning a rising ground…” as American author Washington Irving described it in 1853. It is worth a tour of its period architecture and antique furnishings and a chance to learn about its horse retirement facility.
 Lots to choose from at the Locke Store – Katie Shapiro at the Locke Store in Millwood Just across 50 and a short drive along Millwood Road is the Locke Store in Millwood, VA. The original general store, founded in 1836, is now a food emporium chock-a-block with craft beer, wine, locally raised meats and cheeses, and tempting baked goods by pastry chef, Katie Kopsick Shapiro. Choose from homemade quiches, pot pies, salads, cakes, fruit pies and sandwiches on bread made from flour ground at the Burwell-Morgan Mill – – a restored flour mill across the street where you can have your picnic alongside a babbling stream. On the next street over is The Red Schoolhouse where 4,000 square feet of antiques and collectibles await the discerning buyer.
 The Red Schoolhouse Antiques Getting on 81 from there was a cinch and we soon arrived in Staunton and checked into the Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, a centrally located Colonial Revival hotel built in 1924 and recently remodeled. From our room we could see the Mill Street Grill below – – a handy spot for a quick dinner before curtain up at the Blackfriars Playhouse around the corner. If you’re looking for fancier fare try Zynodoa, a local favorite in a modern setting with upscale dining.
 Oysters Rockefeller at the Mill Street Grill The playhouse is part of the American Shakespeare Theatre, a year-round performance venue fashioned after 17th century English theatres. Here Shakespeare’s plays are offered with on-stage seats for chosen audience members. I’ve been here several times and always enjoyed a rousingly entertaining production by seasoned actors. Be sure to get there early for the mini-concerts before the play.
 Blackfriars Playhouse at the American Shakespeare Theatre – Photo credit Lauren D. Rogers Another purpose of my visit was to tour Joel Salatin’s 550-acre Polyface farm in nearby Swoope and on Saturday morning that is where we began our day. The author, speaker and farming guru is a legend for his sustainable farming practices and was featured in the film Food, Inc. Chefs and eco-aware farmers hang on his every word and the farm itself is a testament to Salatin and his humane animal husbandry practices. You can see the pigs, cows, chicken and sheep in their grassy habitats or shop for meats and cider in the farm store.
 Hoop House and The piglets at Polyface farm The night before we noticed a huge building with plate glass windows. Old cars were posed like fashion models and I was determined to see what it was all about. So before lunch we meandered over to find what is being billed as ‘the largest garage in the South’ – – a cavernous 27,000-square foot, former Ford dealership housing an amazing collection of cars in a 1911 building. Located on South New Street, the museum is owned by Bruce Elder an avid collector who sells and restores antique and classic cars. Roaming (and gasping in awe) through the three-story building, we came across dozens of beautifully restored cars including a 1924 Model T, a 1925 baby blue Rolls Royce Twenty (this one sported a price tag of $80k), and some notable Nascar winners like a 1953 single seat vehicle called ‘The Lincoln Special’ – – a Dreyer Champ car that ran on a dirt track. The museum is a car fancier’s fantasyland.
 1924 Model TT Lunch at the Pampered Palate Café was a lovely respite. The quaint spot on East Beverley Street specializes in homemade soups and sandwiches and is surrounded by tons of interesting stores, art galleries, breweries, a wine tasting room, a glass-blowing studio, and shops featuring local handicrafts.
 Glass blowing – Artisan works at Sunspot Studios From there we walked to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum. A fascinating and illuminating museum with exhibits detailing the history of our 28th President though his life and times. On display are hundreds of Wilson’s personal objects including his roll-top desk and 1919 Pierce-Arrow presidential limousine. A recent addition is a walk-through trench that trembles with the sounds of a real battlefield from World War I. Beside the museum sits the Presbyterian Manse, Wilson’s birthplace. The three-story brick home is filled with Wilson family heirlooms and antiques, and a guide is there to describe daily home life in the mid-19th century.
 1919 Pierce-Arrow presidential limousine Afterwards take a relaxing 45-minute guided tour around the city by trolley. Departing from the Visitors Center, it’s a terrific opportunity to see the historic homes and churches (a jaw-dropping 78 by last count) that abound as well as Mary Baldwin College, whose campus is smack dab in the middle of town. During the tour your guide will describe the many exquisite buildings ranging from Gothic, Greek and Renaissance Revival to Dutch Colonial, Chateauesque and even Italianate, many of which were designed during the Victorian-era by renowned architect Thomas Jasper Collins. In fact the town’s splendid architecture was one of its most surprising aspects.
 Palladian stained glass windows grace this former Masonic headquarters At last it was time for our long-anticipated dinner and the stated reason for this pilgrimage and we stroll a few blocks from the hotel to find what appears to be a 1950’s one-story structure along a quiet road. Once inside, we shed any preconceived notions of what a restaurant should look like and trusted in the chef, even though the place looks more like a pop-up or a way station for twenty-six mismatched chairs and seven tables that have lost their home. Still, it’s cozy and unpretentious and quite serious about its mission – – a 180-degree turn from the greasy, calorically-weighty cooking of Southern style restaurants. Here sauces are lightened and cooking methods respect the fresh ingredients. Expect to taste dishes you thought you knew, but here are elevated to an appreciative art form.
 Inside The Shack In a relatively short time, Boden has joined the ranks and emerging cooking style of the New Southern Cuisine trumpeted by famed chefs like Edward Lee of Atlanta, Georgia and Sean Brock of Charleston, South Carolina – – accomplished chefs who have taken familiar Southern dishes and reinvented them, made them better, more interesting and more alluring. We are talking deepened flavors and soul-stirring deliciousness.
 Escolar Lettuce Wrap – Berkshire pork at The Shack A paper menu with the date on top lets you know that the menu is at the whim of the chef, the season and the farmers he trusts. Though I can assure you these preparations will not be on the menu when you arrive, you can luxuriate in the thought of them as I have in this writing. You get to have your own experience with whatever ingredients Boden is playing around with on that day.
We tried nearly everything on the menu, and found some favorites – – Winter Vegetable Salad with farro, bitter greens and chickweed, dressed in a barrel aged maple vinaigrette; Escolar Lettuce Wrap, a raw fish paired with cracklin’s, house made kimchi, miso and key limes. Entrees that sang to us were the Berkshire Pork Loin with country ham fried rice, spinach purée and delicata squash topped with fava bean shoots; and King Salmon with roasted crosnes (a tiny spiral-shaped tuber), Brussels sprouts and lady apples in a red wine butter sauce. Desserts that made us swoon were Sorghum Cake with brown butter apples, buttermilk whey and bay leaf; and a madcap fling with a sweet treat called ‘Junk Food’ which turned out to be a slice of oatmeal cream pie plus a cruller and a blondie.
 Creamy Heirloom Grits – Wagyu Beef at The Shack After a good night’s sleep we returned for brunch. And, why not? When you have reveled in the best there is, why not revel again? I state my case for the Biscuits and Rabbit Gravy, the Wagyu Oyster Steak with rosemary pistou, and the Creamy Heirloom Grits served in a cast iron pan. There is no shame… just glory and a sharp sense of wanting to return.
 Demonstrations at the Frontier Culture Museum Before heading home one last stop beckoned – – the Frontier Culture Museum, a place passed countless times while driving down 81 towards the Blue Ridge Mountains. This open air, living history museum reflects the early German, West African, Irish and British pioneers who bravely brought their trades, farming methods, and building styles to rural America. Authentic costumed docents roam the farm sites and pretty wooded acres, instructing guests on how settlers lived and thrived in the Shenandoah Valley in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It is a highly educational experience with hands-on opportunities. You will learn that a number of these historic homes were brought over piece-by-piece from the Old World and reassembled here. You can easily spend two hours here but plan on at least three. You wouldn’t want to miss seeing the heritage breed horses or holding a baby lamb. In good weather a picnic purchased in town would make for the perfect day.
To plan your trip around upcoming cultural events in Staunton go to www.VisitStaunton.com.
![[Window Title] Microsoft Windows Search Indexer [Main Instruction] Microsoft Windows Search Indexer has stopped working [Content] Windows is checking for a solution to the problem... [Cancel]](https://whiskandquill.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/spinner-blacksmith.jpg) Spinning wool – Blacksmith at the Forge Photo credit – Jordan Wright
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