Dinosaur Run

On a sunny spring day off, Elijah and Kim struck out on a one-day adventure to Martinsville's Virginia Museum of Natural History, one of those places on the "been meaning to visit there" list. The museum, small but glowing with newness, was a fun place for a toddler visit. There's an indoor playstructure called Discovery Reef on which Elijah enjoyed climbing, and the dinosaur skeletons on display wowed him.

In the main lobby, you'll find several large fossil exhibits, and off to the side, the best permanent stop seems to be a gallery of taxidermied animals. There are also view-able paleontology labs, and while there was no work being completed today, Kim can imagine fascinated elementary children staring in the window. Downstairs, there are a few live animals in the teacher resource center. Elijah most enjoyed Shelton the turtle who he quickly described as "turtle swimmin'".

If you are heading there with a young child, we recommend going NOW. A nifty animal exhibit called Animal Secrets is about to go off-display, and while we are sure that the next exhibit will be fun, too, the current display is very child-friendly. Elijah amused himself in the exhbit space for quite a while, particularly playing with the river model and the "life size" Eagle's nest. The exhibit changes May 7--go while you can!

Relevant links:
Virginia Museum of Natural History

Alleghany's Best Bridge

Looking for something laid back and slightly outdoorsy, we headed to Humpback Bridge, Alleghany County's covered bridge. The bridge wayside was a great place for Elijah to get out and run around--an in less fickle weather, it makes an excellent picnic spot, too. Even on a blustery day, there were folks fishing, and in the summer, you'll find folks swimming, too. It's also an interesting place to read local graffiti. While we opted for a quick trip and were then on to visit family, it would be easy to combine a trip to the bridge with a trip to Falling Springs Falls or Gathright/Lake Moomaw's recreational areas.

If you go, you'll be driving just beyond Covington past the Rosedale area. If you need to GPS it, use an easier address such as the nearby Covington Episcopal Boys' Home. While you are in the area, eat at our favorite restaurant in that neck of the woods: Cucci's. You must have some of the turnover sauce!

And Roanoke Becomes Irish...

In recent years, St. Patrick's Day has become a big day to celebrate in Roanoke. Events include an extensive community parade and a vendor area. Kim and Justin had been once before to the vendor area and again, largely on accident, when driving through downtown, but such a beautiful day and an invitation from good friends made this year's festival irresistible. Downtown Roanoke was positively vibrant!

The parade event included entries from community groups like the Parrotheads, many a Girl Scout Troop and animal rescue league, various vehicles, businesses, groups with political positions, pipes and drums bands, the local roller derby league...you name it! Elijah was thrilled with the entire show for its approximate 90 minute duration.

The vendor area was more general than Celtic, but we did visit the Celtic Tides stand where Kim and Justin were introduced to two new sodas: Red Lemonade and Irn Bru. We also made it to the Taubman's community day and to Horizons, a new restaurant on the market. Market businesses were reaping the benefit of the crowds, something we love to see.

If you go, be prepared for crowds and barriers that make traversing the area a bit more difficult. Otherwise, enjoy the community feel of the event, expecting to bump into friends and neighbors. It makes a great day to eat and shop locally as well. Local businesses to visit in the market area include On the Rise bakery, La De Da women's boutique, Beads Indeed jewelry crafting store, and Chocolate Paper gifts.

Relevant Links:
Roanoke St. Patrick's Day Celebration

A Little Bit of Lexington

Lexington is a great place for a quick daytrip from Roanoke, especially when the weather is nice. On a spring-like February day, we snuck off for a nice walk through town and some history research time for Justin.

It's always a simple pleasure to walk from shop to shop in the town, especially when you take in the Victorian Parlor and Shenandoah Attic. In those stores, spend time with the personable, warm owners as you browse. These days, there are a number of restaurants, too--most of which are non-chain.

We typically walk up to Lee Chapel and the Virginia Military Institute Museum, both which feature some interesting collections and are both housed in buildings with churches. Lee Chapel's museum has been retooled recently to focus on Wasington and Lee University history and includes classroom artifacts, and the VMI Museum is in the process of updates as well. At the VMI, don't miss Jackson's horse: yep, Stonewall's actual horse hide, mounted, is there. On a more serious note, Kim is always moved by the display of military medals for those cadets who "died on the field of honor," one of which is her classmate Josh Hurley, Alleghany High School '97, VMI '01. If you visit in a museum mood, also see the Stonewall Jackson House (closed part of the winter season) and VMI's Marshall Museum.

If you go, we think the best place to park is in the visitor's center free lot and that a walk from the center through town helps you feel oriented. The town is pleasantly walkable.

Relevant Links:
Shenandoah Attic and Victorian Parlor
VMI Museum
Lee Chapel and Museum

Relevant Twitter Handles:
LexingtonVA

Art Venture? Our Pleasure!

One lazy Roanoke Saturday, Kim decided to take Elijah to the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke. We came back with a membership! Art Venture, the museum's kid-friendly art creation space, was wide open, and our toddler got a kick out of the stamps, making a 2-D "piece" featuring a goose and some pigs. He also made a frame for our fridge and was given paper "binoculars" for exploring the galleries upstairs. Our visit upstairs was brief but pleasant. On the Saturday of our visit, a local brass quartet was playing music in the lobby--a nice unexpected treat. We also picked up a nifty coloring book for kids called Be the Artist, a great freebie for kids 5-10 provided by Advance Auto Parts. In the gift shop, we found a good balance of logo items like Christmas ornaments coupled with reasonably-priced art pieces by regional artists(including some wearable art).

If you go, consider a walk around Downtown Roanoke before or after your visit. If you are with a toddler, he or she might really enjoy Roanoke's nearby trains! At the museum, you are within a stone's throw of Hotel Roanoke, the Roanoke City Market, and Center in the Square.

Relevant Links:
Taubman Museum of Art

An Eclectic Day in Greensboro

Feeling the need for a little spring travel, Kim encouraged the family to drive to Greensboro, NC, for the day.

We'd been looking forward to taking in the International Civil Rights Center and Museum since it opened in February 2010. The museum is housed in the former Woolworth store building where the 1960s sit in occurred. Several of the art deco store features remain and are a delight to see. The museum's focal point--the lunch counter itself--is hallowed, presented on its initial footprint. It is much larger than we expected, and as Justin aptly put it, it is pretty amazing that it was never moved given the context of the 1960s south. There are also some interesting artifacts in the museum, including a "two-sided" Coke machine made for segregated waiting rooms and of which there are thought to be only 10 in existence (the other 90that were made having been destroyed, apparently, by Coke itself). We really, really appreciate the sprit of the museum, but we would make two critiques: 1) there seemed to be a need for coordination of the multiple tours scheduled on the day of our visit, and 2) we wish the museum would focus on the Greensboro location and local history more definitively in its mission, as the international idea seems broad for now. If you go, expect a guided tour, seek to educate yourself on the museum artifacts by means other than simply reading placards (buy the newspaper supplement describing the museum opening in the gift shop for help), and allot significant possible wait time if you do not schedule your visit with the museum itself.

Following our visit, we headed a few blocks up to Greensboro's Mellow Mushroom--yum! Mellow Mushrooms are such classy pizza joints! We spent only about $20 and had a fresh-made pizza we "designed" along with a yummy soft pretzel appetizer, and Elijah got to sit in a tie-dyed high chair. This Mellow Mushroom location is decorated in a hip gothic style with several throwbacks to old churches including ornate lettering and a pulpit-like hostess stand. Great place to take in lunch!

On the way back up 220, we stopped at Edward McKay Used Books and More, quite an impressive bookstore. Some perks? Inexpensive prices, fun atmosphere, well-organized collection that takes pains to separate "lay" from "professional" books, T-shirts and tote bags for sale... If Kim could add anything, it would just be a postcard to buy! Several families in the children's section were talking about allowing their children to pick a certain number of books per trip to the store, much like one might do by giving a child $5 at the Dollar Tree. What a great idea--with much better results likely!

Continuing our drive, we made a brief pit stop at Mt Tabor United Methodist Church's Talking Mural exhibit as we neared the Virginia state line. The exhibit signs have always intrigued us, and today, we drove by beyond its operating hours (10-4, Monday-Saturday) but found it open anyway. The people of the church have made their house of worship a rest stop of sorts, complete with a playground for kids. They offer an audio drama of the life of Jesus whenever you stop in, and the congreation takes welcoming you seriously: there are even specially-decorated tissue boxes in each pew. The site has a clear evangelical goal but did not strike us as "pushy."

Relevant Links:
International Civil Rights Center and Museum
Mellow Mushroom
Edward McKay Used Books and More
Talking Murals of Mt Tabor United Methodist Church

Relevant Twitter Handles:
GoGreensboro, EdMcKayBooksGBO

Merry Christmas, Williamsburg!

By far, one of the most beautiful Christmas sites in Virginia is Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg's creative decorations demonstrate ingenuity in as much as they are attractive. A walk through the colonial area (which does not require a visitor's pass) is an inexpensive delight that lasts long into the season, as Williamsburg marks Christmas through Epiphany (January 6). The tours offered by the Foundation help one to appreciate the "how" of the decorating--and encourage walks off the beaten path--and are valuable if time permits. If you have visitor's passes, visit the Rockefeller home sporting its 1950s Christmas decor, too!

Now, Christmas visits are also possible at gorgeous Busch Gardens Williamsburg, a real festival of Christmas lights in Christmas Town. The park, which is open in the late-day/evening seasonally, impressed us with a twinkling Peace on Earth display and a skycar ride over above thousands of holiday lights. Elijah enjoyed the Christmas on Sesame Street show, a perfect length for a toddler's attention span. We hit a small artic animal exhibit called Polar Pathway right before park close, resulting in sharply-reduced wait times and good "look time" for a young child. Know that Christmas Town is a time for taking in shows and decor more than rides.

If you go, know that you will also encounter outlet shopping in the Williamsburg area, adding to the holiday potential of such a trip. Merchants' Square in the colonial area boasts specialty store shopping including an upscale toy store and the Peanut Shop of Williamsburg, a great place to snack on samples and buy stocking stuffers. Additionally, there's excellent Christmas ornament shopping at Bassett's and Christmas Mouse. As frequent visitors to the area, we recommend eating at Food for Thought, a unique American restaurant, and Milano's, a quiet Italian place, both on Richmond Road. For lodging, try Colonial Williamsburg's Woodlands (nice walk to the historic area), the economical Governor's Inn (quick walk to Merchants' Square), or Embassy Suites Williamsburg (for a less-pricey suite-style room).

Relevant Links:
Colonial Williamsburg
Busch Gardens Williamsburg