As soon as I open the car door, it hits me. A delightfully humid whiff of briny ocean air. The man in front of me’s unloading his car and I see a boogie board and black mesh bag filled with neon-colored shovels and buckets. It becomes obvious to me: people
It's no secret that I love the beach. I love everything about it: from the salt-laden air to picking crabs to the natural symphony of lapping waves. But my home, located right outside of Washington, D.C., makes it a little hard to easily get to a beach. To get my
I sit in a stone nook inside a very warm, dimly-lit room. In my nook, I'm secluded as I stare, transfixed, at the glittering walls that surround me. Blue mosaics sparkle as tiny overhead lights slowly change from white, to blue, to green. The scent of lavender dances all around me, pulling
Earlier this year, my grandmother gave me a stack of her already-read Southern Living magazines. As I leafed through them, glancing at the recipes and decorating tips, I was stopped in my tracks by one article, The South's Grand Resorts, Revisited. The article highlighted four of the South's most historic and luxurious
I created my 55 Places Bucket List in 2008, long before I heard of Volt Restaurant and chef Bryan Voltaggio. Like many others, I jumped on the Volt bandwagon after Voltaggio's successful 2009 run on Top Chef, where he was runner-up to his younger brother, Michael. Both supremely talented, Bryan's thoughtful precision battling
This 4th of July, I was lucky enough to have a 4 day weekend. That meant there was plenty of time for local travel adventuring! Here are a few photo highlights from my holiday... THURSDAY, JULY 4 [caption id="attachment_4154" align="aligncenter" width="360"] The view from Old Rag - an 8 mile hike in Shenandoah
Last Saturday night, I had the opportunity to take a cruise from Alexandria out on the Potomac to enjoy the DC sights. It was a balmy, June night and the breeze from the boat's movement kept me cool despite the seemingly inescapable DC humidity. The night was special for another reason:
Growing up, I visited Maryland's Calvert County beaches just one time each summer. My great-Uncle Tip and great-Aunt Ann would host dozens of guests to celebrate summer in a most traditional Maryland way: a crab feast! It was so long ago that my memories are hazy. Images float to mind, of picnic
On a warm spring evening, I left DC and headed 3 hours north to the historic town of Wayne, Pennsylvania. I had plans to spend just one night there before venturing further south to explore the expansive gardens of the Brandywine Valley. I knew that Wayne was developed as part
Solomons Island is one of my favorite spots in Maryland to see the sun set. You're sure to get an amazing view pretty much wherever you can see the water, but I recommend finding a spot along the wooden boardwalk that separates the town's main street (Solomons Island Road) and the
Trip Overview: This DC Road Trip takes you into the heart of Virginia's picturesque Rappahannock County. Farm-fresh produce stands, artisans, wineries, taverns and hidden-gem natural wonders are along every mile of the route as you drive out of the city and towards the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Total Mileage: Around 180
As a devout reader of the Washingtonian’s annual “100 Very Best Restaurants” edition, it’s safe to say that I’m a bit of a foodie-in-training. After 10+ years of living, working and playing in DC, I’ve eaten at my fair share of notable places. Rather than compile a list of my top
