Month: March 2018
Location: Richmond
My biggest fascination with Richmond had been the fact that
the city had rich history, especially having been the capital of the “Confederacy”. There was even a ‘Confederate White House’, that I was looking forward to
visiting. I had not planned it this way,
but I found out that I would be in Richmond on what was called a “Time Travelers Weekend”. Happening once a year, on the Saturday and
Sunday of my visit, 19 museums and historic homes would open their doors to the
public for free. All that I required was
something called a “passport”, which
was essentially a blank sheet of paper with 20 squares; I suppose for stamps. I looked up the places that they had on the
list and some of them I would have visited in any case. One place asked for a “RSVP” and I said that I would stop by some time on Saturday. With that set, I was ready to go to Richmond.
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| Which entrance do I choose? |
I arrived on Friday morning at 10:30 am and took a ride into
town and to my hotel. I wasn’t there for
long and after dropping of my bag in a room with unusually tall ceiling, I
headed out to get some brunch. I had
selected a place called “Lunch. Supper!”
and when I arrived there, I saw 2 entrances.
I picked one and found myself in an elegant looking place which looked
like a cozy “pub”, complete with a
fireplace. But it was also quite
empty. The lady asked if I was there for
lunch or breakfast and at first, I thought that she was asking so as to give me the
correct menu. But then I realized that
if it was lunch that I was seeking, this would be the place and for breakfast I
would have to go next door. That
explained the 2 entrances. I said that I
wouldn’t mind a spot of breakfast, at which she said that it would be a 30-minute
wait. I suspected this to be some sort
of a “power play” since this half of
the place clearly needed customers. But
I did not budge and sure enough, in less than 5 minutes I go a text that my
table next door was ready.
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| The museum looked great from the outside |
While I have called the earlier room “elegant”, this one looked like a diner. I got seated at the counter-top, meaning that
I could watch everything that was going on in the kitchen. I had done my research on this place and the
thing to order was called “Trainwreck”,
which could easily have been called “Kitchen
Sink”, since it had everything that makes breakfast great and some
more. After I done some amount of
justice to the dish, I was ready for the afternoon and the first place on my
list was called ‘Science Museum of
Virginia’. It was in the vicinity
and so I was going to walk there. It
took me to a busy street which looked to have some construction in progress and
very soon I arrived at a magnificent looking building.
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| The "Foucault Pendulum" |
The architecture, with its dome, brown stone and pillars,
would have made museums in New York or Chicago proud. Well, on the interior, not so much. It started off well with a grand hall with a
tall “Foucault Pendulum”, which is an
attraction in most “science museums”. I also seemed to have picked a day where all
the schools in the state were visiting because there were lots of kids…lots of
screaming kids. But this wasn’t the main
problem that I had with the place. For all
its grand exterior and the entrance, there wasn’t much substance to this
place. I went down to the lower level
and the biggest attraction was the stairs that made musical sounds as you
stepped on them and the fact that you could see yourself on a screen. There was a gallery with some “hands-on” experiments, including one
with “blimps” which users could
control and fly through some rings.
There was also an outdoor area with a train carriage, which for whatever
reasons the kids found attractive.
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| The best attraction of the museum - a full size "Stealth Bomber" |
I came back upstairs to the main hall and the biggest
attraction here – seriously, the biggest – was a full-sized “Stealth Bomber” plane, which was
mounted from the ceiling, and only after walking under its wide wing-span could
I appreciate its scale. But that was by
far the only major thing here, though there were other fun activities for kids
I suppose, like information on weather and even a running track where kids
could line up and race as soon as the buzzer went green. This was a way to test their reflexes as well
as their speed. I walked through the
hall and then went to the upper level, which was a corridor with information on
ecology, and that was it. It had taken
me less than an hour, less than 30 minutes to check this place off the list.
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| The fantastic murals |
Next stop was another museum nearby, this one called ‘Virginia Museum of History and Culture’. The walk took me through what appeared to be
residential neighborhood and brought me to another impressive looking building.
This time the interior did it justice.
The museum was laid out in a manner such that a visitor could proceed on
a self-guided tour through the various galleries, the first of which was as
magnificent as they come. It was a dark
room with just the right amount of light shining on 4 giant murals that took up
almost the entire wall space on either side.
The murals depicted 4 different “Civil
War” battle scenes over 4 seasons, with some of the top “Confederate” military brass of the
south in each of the paintings. The rest
of the museum was about Virginia’s art and history and had various rooms with
replicas of the past, such as storefronts of various business’ – not unlike
other “History Museums”.
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| It was a very good "History Museum" |
I had received an email from ‘Agecroft Hall’ the place which I had “RSVP’d” to as a part of the “Time
Travelers Weekend”. They offered me
some time slots for a tour and requested that I either call or reply. I noticed that while this was for a free
30-minute tour, I could pay for a full 60-minute experience. Since I wanted to know more, I called the
lady whose number was in my mail and she said that the longer tour covered the
full house, whereas the shorter one just did a few rooms on the lower floor. I gave her my preferred time and
asked if it would be okay for me to arrive and then decide upon the right tour
and she said that would work.
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| The impressive 'Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' |
With that settled, I proceeded to my next destination, ‘Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’, which
was right next door. As I approached it,
I saw another building, which was a memorial to the “Confederate” soldiers, being another reminder of the historical
significance of this city. The museum
itself was a good-looking building with a nice lawn and a pond. It was also very respectable on the inside,
with numerous galleries dealing with both, classical as well as contemporary
art. Plus, there were sprawling
sculpture galleries, some that wouldn’t be amiss in ancient Europe. I enjoyed my stay here and while I could have
walked about in the gardens outside, I had other places to get to.
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| The soon to be crowded 'Cary Street' |
I navigated through a mile of residential neighborhood and
emerged on what can only be described as the social hub of Richmond, with all
its bars, restaurants and boutique shops.
This was called ‘Cary Street’,
and all the businesses were in buildings shaped as houses, and colorful ones at
that. I was going to a place called ‘East Coast Provisions’ and it turned
out to be a trendy little place that specialized in fresh seafood…well at least
oysters. There were just 2 other folks
besides me and after refreshing myself with a “Mojito”, I was ready for the evening.
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| Waiting for 'The Stables' to open |
A few blocks away from this street was my next stop called ‘The Stables’. I arrived there just as they were about to
open, and in fact had to knock on the door to be let in. There are people who close bars in the early
hours of the morning. I’m the guy who
opens them! I got the meaning of their
name once I looked at the drink list, where each cocktail’s name had something
to do with horses. I ordered one called “Bascule” and got into a conversation with
the lady behind the bar, as well as the chef and the owner. They took pride in their food and I mentioned
that unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to avail of that in this trip. I mentioned my liking for good cocktail
places and the names they recited were already on my list. They did tell me that one of the bars needed
a password to get in and that I should check their “Facebook page” for clues.
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| At 'The Jasper' |
With that knowledge and a good cocktail in me, I returned to
‘Cary Street’ to visit a bar which
had opened a few weeks ago and which was already a hit with the locals. It was called ‘The Jasper’ and while I arrived just a couple of minutes after it
had opened for the evening, there were already people in there. Now, this looked like a classic “speakeasy” bar with its décor and the
bartenders. I ordered a drink called “Quoit Club Punch”, which was described
as, “Official drink of Richmond’s most
popular 19th century social club.
Crafted by the good sir, Jasper Crouch”. While it was good, it read better. By the time I was done, this place was full,
as was the street outside.
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| The trendy 'Belle' |
Across the street was a place called ‘Can Can Brasserie’ and it was a good old fashioned “French Bistro”; a very popular one at
that. I found one empty spot at the bar
and got myself a drink called “Dunce Cap”
and a snack. Even though it was strong,
fortunately I was a little better than a “dunce”
when I left. I called a ride and I had been correct in my estimation that this was the “party street” of town. I was going more towards the downtown area
where my hotel and other office buildings were located, to a place called ‘Belle’. Like the earlier places, this was
full and I was fortunate to get a seat.
The area behind the bar comprised of tiny silver and white tiles, giving
this place a great look. They made good
drinks and decent food, because I ordered “Pimento
Cheese Beignets” and they were outstanding.
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| Night was setting in |
A few blocks away was a place called ‘Graffiato’ and I got there just as the twilight faded into
night. The place was full, and I looked
at the drink menu which was decent without looking special. I ordered a drink and immediately realized
that there was another page with more interesting looking cocktails. So, I asked if I could change my order, but
they said that they had already prepared my earlier cocktail. I said that I
would still pay for it but wanted to order something called “A few of my favorite things”. That was a good choice and yes, they did
charge me for both the drinks. Across
the street was ‘Maple and Pine
Restaurant’ and that was my last stop before dinner. The interior was bright and trendy and
another popular spot. If one thing had
been consistent this evening, it was the fact that people in Richmond enjoyed
going out. I grabbed a drink at the bar
and then it was time for dinner.
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| Dinner at 'The Jefferson Hotel' |
One of the better hotels in the city was ‘The Jefferson Hotel’, and the
restaurant therein came highly recommended.
It was called ‘Lemaire’ and I
suppose it was French inspired. The
hotel looked fancy and the restaurant was elegant, without being morose like
the one in Albuquerque. Both, the drink
called “Shape Shifter”, as well as
the food were good, as was the service.
I was planning to walk back the few blocks to my hotel and I passed by
another set of establishments that were hosting the evenings revelries. I stopped at a place called ‘Pasture’ for a night cap which was
aptly called “Richmond”. With that, it was time for bed.
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| Searching for 'Lulu's' in the alley |
I wasn’t in a lot of rush the next morning since my first
stop was for brunch. I was going to a
place called ‘Lulu’s’ and finding
that place with the maps wasn’t easy.
That was because it wasn’t all the streets around it were in some stage
of construction. My driver dropped me
off and I had to go down a narrow path with wire fence on one side. I saw the place and while there wasn’t much
fanfare outside, the interior was busy. I
got a seat at the bar and they had a wide selection of brunch specialties,
including some of their own creations. It
wasn’t a bad choice and then I had to figure out the right location for a
pickup since no car was coming in this alley.
I was going over for my scheduled tour at ‘Agecroft Hall’. As can be expected, the estate was away from
downtown in a quite neighborhood. The
house itself looked fantastic and it felt like I was transported to Europe. As I learned later, it was meant to evoke
that sentiment since this was a “Tudor Manor
House”, that was originally built in 15th century England. In the early 1920’s, Mr. Thomas C. Williams,
Jr., a wealthy entrepreneur from Richmond, purchased the house in England. He then proceeded to dismantle it and transfer
components in crates to the US and reassemble it over here. While a few changes were made, for example,
this was much smaller and had modern conveniences, the spirit of the original
was still maintained. I guess if you
have the money, why not!
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| 'Agecroft Hall' |
I went inside to check-in and while I had a spot reserved
for the 30-minute tour, I asked about the extended one. Well, since today was a “free tour day”, no one besides me was foolish to pay for one. I didn’t want to be the only person doing it, and so I decided to stick with the
shorter tour. While we would be visiting
some rooms on the lower level, the upper floor was off limits today. While I waited for the tour to start, I
walked about in the gardens, which were excellent. It was also a nice day to be doing that. The tour of the actual house started with a
short video presentation and then we were let into what was called the “Great Hall”, which it indeed was. The most notable thing in here was the large
window pane, which was original and had survived the transport from
England. We saw a couple of other rooms
and then that was it. It was a flavor of
what this place was about, and while I would have liked to have seen
everything, this would have to do.
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| The gardens at 'Agecroft' |
I was headed back into downtown to go to ‘White House and Museum of Confederacy’. The building was in downtown and unlike the
one in Washington DC, this one had buildings all around it and could have
passed of as a normal house. It was also
much smaller, and the main entrance was quite nondescript. The roads around were blocked off for all but
Government vehicles and that wasn’t because of this museum, but I suppose there
were some existing government offices here.
I went inside the adjoining building and while it was on the list of “free sites” for this weekend, the
gentleman charged me a hefty sum, and only later did I realize that unless I
had asked, he wouldn’t have volunteered to tell me that I could have gotten in
for nothing. Well, completely my fault
since I always say, “If you don’t ask,
you will never know”!
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| The other 'White House' |
The entry included a tour of the ‘Confederate White House’, a visit to the ‘Museum of Confederacy’, which was in this building, an entry to
the ‘American Civil War Museum’, which
was a mile away and another museum which was 2 hours away. Well, I wasn’t going to do the last one –
though I could visit anytime over the next year – and I would go to the other
one after this. I had some time before
my tour and so started with the museum, which was small, but quite robust in
its collection of memorabilia and stories.
There was also a lecture on one of the battles, but I skipped that and
after walking about for a bit, came to the assembly point for the tour.
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| The room where Jefferson Davis held war-strategy meetings |
It was a decent sized group and we went next door and
entered the house. I haven’t been to the
main one, but this 'White House',
while I am certain was grand for its time, looked quite simple when you
consider that the “President of
Confederacy” lived here. But, it was
also during the war and we heard stories about Jefferson Davis’s life and all
that happened to him and his family before, during and after the war. As our guide took us through the various
rooms, he spent time telling us about the history and stories associated with
that room, be it Davis’s war strategy meetings, or his kid’s playtime. It was a fascinating insight into their life
and while it seems like a glamorous position to be in - a President after all –
the amount of stress he must have felt during those years was incredible. Plus, he was considered a traitor by the “Union” and so the end of the war wasn’t
that pleasant either.
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| The site of 'Tredegar Iron Works' |
After the tour of the house, I came back and finished my
exploration of the museum, before calling a ride to the next site. A mile away was the ‘American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar’, which was located
on the site of a pre-war plant – ‘Tredegar
Iron Works’. Now on the “National Registry of Historic Places”,
this was a continuation of the “Civil
War” story, including perspectives from either side as well as the “African-American” community. I arrived at a site which looked very much
like an abandoned Industrial facility.
The museum was inside a building whose interior was indeed like a plant,
but now modified as a 2-floor gallery. No
photography was allowed inside – not sure why – and that was a shame since it was
a good layout that I would have liked to capture as a souvenir. It wasn’t just the layout; the content was
really good. They did a great job
educating the public as well as honoring the soldiers and other participants of
the war.
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| The 'Rogue' minus "Gentleman" |
Next door to the museum was another building which was not
affiliated, but housed some exhibits related to the mill. I did not spend much time here and called a
car to come pick me up. I was going to a
place called ‘The Rogue Gentleman’,
though when I arrived there I found out that they had dropped the word “Gentleman” from their name. Whatever the name, they were known for their
cocktails and I got something called “Hidden
Lotus”. It was in a neighborhood
away from downtown and was a nice bright spot with trendy décor. I walked over to a nearby place called ‘Saison’ and now we were talking. These folks took their cocktail making
seriously and I was talked into ordering a stiff one simply because I loved its
name, “Nemesis Of The Mortals”. I mean, come on! Based on the effect, it surely did its job.
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| Looked like even the staff had not heard of this "speakeasy" |
Nearby was a theater called the ‘Hippodrome’ and they claimed to have a “Speakeasy bar”. I went
there and was directed to a sorry looking bar and judging by the fact that no
bartender showed up despite me being there for some time, this was a “speakeasy” even as far as the staff
were concerned. After a while I gave up
and left. I took a ride to a place
called ‘Heritage’, which was a
popular restaurant that made some mean drinks.
Sticking with my “bold” titled
drinks, I got one called “I Ain’t Afraid”. The place was filling up fast and for good
reason. It looked like a good place and
would probably have made for a nice dining choice. But, I had other plans and so set off for my
next stop.
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| At 'The Roosevelt' |
I took a ride to another part of town to a place called ‘The Roosevelt’. While it sounds like a fancy hotel, it was a
restaurant inside what looked like a house.
And yes, it was full. visited, it was that they were full. Yeah, folks in Richmond like going out. I got a seat at the bar and could watch all
that was going on while enjoying a cocktail called ‘Lunar Effect’. I was in a
residential neighborhood and walked over a few blocks to a place called ‘Dutch & Co’. It looked like a nice establishment and the
drink, which was called “Earl Grey Vieux
Carre”, was elegantly presented.
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| For a "secret bar", it was well known |
There was one last stop that I needed to make prior to
dinner, and that was at the place which required a password. It was called ‘Grandstaff & Stein’ and earlier in the day I had visited their
‘Facebook’ page and found out that
the password for the week was “Brown
Plaid”. It was a few blocks away and
I walked over and entered to find a small room with a lady at the desk. I gave her password, upon which she opened
the giant bookcase and let me in. I had
expected a small and quiet place, but this was large and noisy. Apparently, this was the easiest password to
get in Richmond and based on the crowd in here, there wasn’t anything secret
about this place. I was lucky to get a
seat, and ordered “Border North Old
Fashioned”, which was sickly sweet and perhaps not the best choice. I was ready for my dinner and so put on my
jacket and with my earphones in, opened the backend of the bookshelf to emerge
outside. While I saw the step on the
inside to climb up, I missed the one on the other side to get down and so in a
very inelegant way, I sprawled on the ground, though my earphones stayed in. Talk about stumbling out of a bar. I am sure the lady at the desk has seen it
all.
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| The "world famous" soup |
I was still feeling the fall as I walked over to the
restaurant for dinner. It was called ‘Bookbinders Seafood & Steakhouse’
and was rated one of the top places on several lists. The interior was nice and the staff
friendly. As if I hadn’t learned a
lesson from my fall, I got another cocktail – once again because of the name, “Sidecar Johnny”. The menu looked great and I couldn’t pass up
on something called “Bookbinders World
Famous Snapper Soup”. Not sure about
the rest of the competition, but this was very good. Plus, it came with a small container of “Sherry” which I could add to my soup as
per taste. I enjoyed my dinner here and
after what had been a long – and somewhat painful – evening, I got a ride back
to my hotel and fell into bed.
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| The huge estate at 'Maymont' |
It was a beautiful day and I was headed to another mansion
visit, this time to a place called ‘Maymont’. Once again, this was located away from
downtown and I was dropped off in front of a building, which was far from
impressive. However, this was just entry
for their park and the real deal was behind them. I exited from the back and a grand sight awaited
me. When people talk about sprawling
estates, this is what they are describing.
The house was visible in the distance, but to get there one had to cross
rolling hills. This was a 100-acre
property and based on the map that I had been given, it would have taken me
better part of the day to cover it. To
my right was a “petting zoo” and as
much as I would have loved to have visited it, I set off for the house. The path took me down and up and sideways and
it took me almost 10 minutes to get to the house.
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| The mansion |
Fortunately, I had remembered to get my “passport”, meaning I could get on the tour for free – and a
customized stamp on my “passport square”. There was some time remaining and so I went
outside and strolled about in the gardens and visited the “Carriage House” which housed some of the earliest automobiles. Prior to starting on the tour, we were
encouraged to see models of the “servants
quarters” and while photography was permitted inside the mansion, it wasn’t
over in this area. Sometimes logic
escapes me. We started outside the
mansion with a brief introduction of the place.
The mansion was built in 1890’s by Major James Dooley and his wife
Sallie, both of who were wealthy Richmond natives. The interior was a nod to the “Gilded Age”, and while not quite like
the ones in Newport, this mansion was as grand as they come. Each room had its own unique style of
decoration, including a room where Sallie “received”
guests. The legend is that Sallie often
invited local women over for tea and the proper etiquette was to not over
indulge and always leave after a short while.
Lifestyles of the rich and famous!
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| The magnificent "Swan Bed" |
The upstairs was a lot simpler, which was typical of most
mansions. The occupants always wanted to
show off their opulence to the guests and since they never left the lower
level, there was no need to have the upper floors as lavish. However, Sallie’s room did have one of the
most remarkable beds that I have ever seen.
It was shaped like a swan and the attention to detail probably made this
one of the most expensive pieces of furniture in the house. There was also a grand “stained glass window” behind the staircase and that would have
made any museum proud. It was a very
good tour that combined the highlights of the mansion with the story of the
family that lived here.
I left as soon as we were done and since there was a long
trek to get back to the “Visitor’s
Center”, I called my ride on my way there.
I was headed back to downtown and my driver kept
cursing at the voice on “GPS” that
was asking him to take a different route. He was arguing that he had lived
in Richmond longer than the disembodied voice!
We should perhaps have followed the directions since it took forever to
get there. I was going to popular brunch
spot called ‘Millie’s Diner’. As I entered inside, I saw a place bursting
at the seams. There was some sort of a
system, but since no one was taking down names, I thought that if I wanted a
spot, I would have to fight for it.
Eventually, I did get a spot and after that everything was fine. The servers were some of the friendliest I
have encountered, and the owner was whimsically putting down ketchup and
condiments on plates as if it were a fine dining establishment. I ordered something called “Devil’s Mess”, which tasted better than
it looked.
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| The courtyard of 'Poe Musuem' |
One of the “free”
attractions this weekend was nearby, the ‘Edgar
Allan Poe Museum’. Although I had
not read Poe as an adult, I do remember reading a “children’s version” of some of his horror stories. Yeah, there’s a paradox if there ever was
one! I walked over to the museum, which
resembled a small house, and was given a map for a self-guided tour. The museum was in one of the oldest houses in
Richmond – from mid-18th century – and there was a central courtyard
with a few separate buildings around it.
It was all very old, and some areas could pass off as creepy attractions
at “Halloween”. The museum housed some of his original
manuscripts, letters and other personal belongings; as well as stories about
his childhood and youth. It was an
interesting place to visit and while I could have spent a lot of time studying
the texts, I had another place to get to.
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| Where's the dome? |
One of the places that I always try to visit in any State’s “Capital” is the ‘Capitol Building’. I was
following the map on my phone and looking out for the typical dome. There were several tall buildings surrounding
the building, which meant that my first glimpse was only when I was close to
it. Surprisingly, there was no dome and
it looked more like the ‘White House’
– the one in DC – rather than a ‘Capitol’. There was a hill with pristine lawn leading
up to the foyer, but the entrance was in the basement and I had to go down some
stairs to find it. After passing through
the security I found the main desk where the lady told me that the tour was
just about to start. I was right on
time.
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| There it is |
The tour was led by a very distinguished looking gentleman
and there were a lot of people who would be joining this morning. We learned that the building was designed by
none other than Thomas Jefferson, who amongst other things was an
architect. As we walked through the
building, our guide told us the story of this building’s evolution to what it
was today. Also, there was indeed a
dome, but it was inside the grand hall and not visible from the exterior. Our guide – who was perfect person for a
historical tour – pointed out the busts of former Presidents and other
dignitaries who were from Virginia, further emphasizing the importance of this
State in the Nation’s history. The tour
took over an hour and I excused myself prior to conclusion since there was one
thing that I just had to do before leaving for the airport.
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| 'Penny Lane' entrance |
When I had looked at the map of Richmond, I had noticed a
pub called ‘Penny Lane’ near my
hotel. They advertised themselves as “A touch of Liverpool in Richmond” and
while that referred to the street in Liverpool, for me the words “Penny Lane” are much more than
that. It is a nod to your childhood, a
reminder of simpler times and one of the best songs about “home” that ever was. There
have been others about nostalgia, but Paul sings this like a celebration rather
than a sad remembrance. But man, does it
tug at the heartstrings. There was no
way I would leave Richmond without going there.
There was no doubt that this was a “English
Pub” when one looked at the interior, with its “street signs”, “football
banners” – the one that’s played with the foot and not hands – and an
occasional picture of the “Fab Four”. I could see some locals who looked like they
had just returned from a match and while I had my beer, I wondered if any of
them were “bankers”, “firemen” or “barbers”. I really do love
this song.
I returned to my hotel to pick up my bag and then left for
the airport. These 3 days had been
fantastic, and this had been one of my better visits during these travels. This city has so much history and I had a
chance to learn a bit of it. But it has
also evolved into a place that young people can identify with. The food and the bar scene are outstanding
and rivals its cousin in the north. I
would certainly like to come back and visit some of these places again. Next time, if I visit ‘Grandstaff & Stein’, I will even remember that there is a step
as you exit.
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