Fairfield Inn By Marriott Charlottesville

Um....yeah. Red wine, pinot noir, is my new friend. Got rowdy with Aaron and Luca. Kelly and Ed made an appearance as well. Went to the UVA vs William and Mary because we got free tickets from a gentleman named Davies. He had walked in on us smoking and could not have been any cooler. And even though UVA lost we had fun anyway. Lots of ...

As we left Albany driving towards Charlottesville, i kept thinking how absurd it is that I have yet to ramble in my own backyard. I've lived in New York for years and yet, I've never traveled south of Philadelphia! Our first stop was Shepardstown, a beautiful college town with

Ooook, I am done with the summer research program! I gave my presentation for the last once time today at the Rotunda in front of all the faculty members and graduate students! I have finished packing! We all gathered in Mary's room and got all sentimental... but peace!

I just had an amazing weekend. It was like, pure joy.

Friday evening, a couple of the interns left to go home or visit a boyfriend. A graduate student wanted to take the rest of us to an ice skating rink. Hmm, no. Maybe if Jude Law invited me for a romantic stride at Rockefeller Center... otherwise, no. I opted out by saying that ice skating is bad for my ankles (true story) and went to the gym instead. One ...

My brother and I just bought a roundtrip ticket to Lima, Peru for mid-August!!! Thank you, thank you-- I have been dying to travel. I will for sure be blogging my 3-week trip in South America, my 6th continent.

But before that, 2 more weeks in Virginia...

... there. But other, more pressing issues needed my attention at that time, such as dorm parties and the quest to find the perfect brand of beer. I always dreamed of returning someday and "doing it right," i.e. spending more than 10 hours in any one location and visiting multiple countries. After the children were born, I dreamed of “doing it right” and, at the same time, showing them why I love Europe so much.

Fast forward to ...

We had spent Wednesday night at Curt's parents house in Maryland so that we would be able to get an earlier start on Skyline drive.  The weather started out great, however as we got closer to Shenendoah National Park the sky looked like it was going to break open and begin pouring...not exactly what you'd want when your plans were to go hiking & take in the view from Skyline Drive. 

We stopped for ...

... in Paris and so he redesigned the house over the period 1796 to 1809 transforming it into a three story 21 room mansion. He was a keen gardener and the grounds reflect this passion. On return to downtown Charlottesville we walked the University of Virginia streets and found an iconic eating spot in the form of the "Virginian Restaurant" founded in 1923. Full of people, character, good food and great informal service we enjoyed the meal and finshed with a serve of pecan pie.

... perfect day! We visited one of his vineyard sites from 1774 which is now a commercial winery (Jefferson Vineyard) and tasted some excellent wines. Then we drove by the historic Michie Tavern, established in 1784, served as the social center of its community and accommodated travelers with food, drink and lodging. Today, visitors encounter the Tavern's past through a historical ...

flew down i-81 at an idiotic speed in a torrential downpour with my friend right behind me with his Sunday school kids. slowed down before crossing a black and white and slowly pulled away from him. considering the rain, surprised he didn't pull us. guess he figured if we were stupid enough to drive that fast...