Our Anniversary at the Bridge

Justin and Kim celebrated our 5th anniversary with some time away at Natural Bridge and the charming Natural Bridge Hotel. We were a bit delayed getting out of town (OK, our anniversary really was on July 30), but we enjoyed our little respite right up I-81. The hotel is a classic with a nice dining room and reasonable room rates, particularly for a non-chain. Its character is historic, and if you go, don't miss the display of old Natural Bridge souvenirs off the lobby.

We slid down to the Bridge itself for one of the area's attractions we've never seen: the nightly Drama of Creation show. Using Genesis 1 as narrative and varied pieces of hymns and classical music as accompaniment, the show is a relaxing way to end the day and a throwback to days of simpler entertainment. During our visit, it was quite well-attended.

The Bridge museums are quite varied--and we'd recommend them all in their quirkiness. For this trip, we selected the Toy Museum is a nifty low-budget museum where visitors are guaranteed to want to touch each exhibit. Its layout has been recently revised with less emphasis on history and more emphasis on toy type.

We ate at the Pink Cadillac, an impressively-retro, very casual local diner a short drive from the hotel. Also good for dinner? The Natural Bridge Hotel Buffet--but make reservations, especially on weekends and holidays. On this trip, we ate breakfast at the hotel (less crowded and still good). We also ran up 81 antiquing, heading to the Lexington Antique Mall (great for furniture and recent-tiques), buying lots at the Factory in Verona (always enjoyable), and discovering Shenandoah's Alpha and Omega had closed (too bad). Kim spent a small fortune on postcards that helped her plan some upcoming Halterman weekends, planting the seed for a trip to Lancaster, PA, to see the life-size Tabernacle.

Related Links:
Natural Bridge Hotel and Family of Attractions
Pink Cadillac Diner
Factory Antique Mall

Another Labor Day in Bedford

For two years in a row now, Justin and Kim have gone to bed on Labor Day Friday with intentions of driving to Richmond on Labor Day Saturday. Each time, Saturday has become an opportunity to sleep in with a day trip to Bedford instead. This year, we took Don and Nita to the D-Day Memorial and to Liberty Station for lunch. Kim is not usually one on gardens, but the flowers--and the accompanying butterflies and bees--were beautiful at the memorial this year. At present, the controversial Stalin bust remains installed as well, providing an interesting stop for conversation. If you are in Bedford, Liberty Station is always an appropriate stop for lunch. Kim recommends the quiche of the day or the fried green tomato BLT. After lunch, do an antique shop or two in Centertown--Bob's is the best local stop for postcards, and Bella Books has some reasonably-priced books creatively displayed with some serious collectibles.

Following Bedford, Justin, Kim, and Elijah drove out to Downtown Moneta. Downtown is actually a new, upscale-looking mini-mall with the typical small businesses. The Mayberry Antique Mall there includes an outpost for one of our favorite dealers When Toys Were Fun and also has an area featuring Black Dog Salvage.

Keep driving a bit, and you'll find the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Elijah thoroughly enjoyed the grounds here, especially the very large pigs on the site's farm. The interpretation at the site is set for an upgrade, as the visitor's center is being improved at present. If you are interested in tourism history like Kim is, do some research on how this site came to be preserved, comparing and contrasting to Mount Vernon and Monticello.

If you are in the area for very long, Trinity Ecumenical Parish, one of Kim's favorite churches, is nearby, home to a Presbyterian-Episcopal-Lutheran congregation. We hear the Westlake Country Club Friday night buffet is back--and yummy--as well.

Related Links:
National D-Day Memorial
Booker T. Washington National Monument