Virginia is for Bloggers!

We were looking to for a quick getaway from Connecticut this upcoming Memorial day weekend (2018) and Williamsburg, Virginia fit the bill.

I lied (smile) here’s what really happened:  just under 2 years ago we attended the Travelers GHO Tournament in Cromwell, CT where my S.O. James purchased an unlimited golf resort vacation package.

and we looked up and discovered time was running out…

so we finally just got around to using it (double smile).

We flew out of Bradley Airport on a Sunday morning with a couple we invited – James’s golfing buddy Bill and his gf Kathy.

Since we flew (and it was not a direct flight) we departed from Hartford, CT to Charlotte, NC then caught our connecting flight an hour later from Charlotte, NC to Newport News, VA.   From there we rented an SUV and drove the 40 or so miles to Williamsburg, VA.

The SUV we rented – a Kia Sedona

As I mentioned,  we departed on our 4 day mini-vacation on the last Sunday in May so that it would include the Memorial Day Monday holiday and we would use up less of our “vacation” days.

By the way, our golf resort vacation package included 4 days/3 nights of unlimited golf, a large town home with 2 full bedrooms, 2 full baths (the master bedroom had an ensuite bathroom with a shower and jacuzzi tub), wall to wall carpeting, a sunroom, open-design kitchen, dining area, living room, wet bar and a BBQ grill outside in the grilling area.   The Kings Creek Plantation resort vacation package had all of the amenities you would expect:  outdoor Adult swimming pools, outdoor Children’s swimming pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, sauna, indoor heated swimming pool for the family, tennis court, basketball court, take-out restaurant, fitness center, WiFi, golf package, Business Center, Aquatic Center and Trading Company.

The Townes

The Townes, where we were stayed,  were described as such: “…luxury town home living, your home away from home.”   They did not disappoint… http://www.kingscreekplantation.com/resort/townes.aspx

The Welcome Center and Concierge at the resort as well as our lovely town home

 

Unlimited Golf

As luck would have it, Memorial Day Monday turned out (weather wise) to be a perfect golf day for James and Bill.

 

You have to squint but there they are on the Greens at the Colonial Heritage Golf Club in Williamsburg, VA

 

Dining Out (in and around) Williamsburg, VA

As it turned out, it was mostly rainy and/or unbearably humid all 4 days we were there (I’m thinking even Connecticut had better weather (smile).   So our dining choices were utmost on our mind…

 

Delicious Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap with golden fries at Oceans & Ale Seafood Restaurant

 

Delicious Salmon over fresh watermelon and blueberry salad with ahi tuna at Second Street, An American Bistro

 

Good wine at Second Street, An American Bistro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delicious salmon and green beans and tossed salad at Fat Tuna Grill and Oyster House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cocktails and Apps in the bar area at Opus 9 Steakhouse

 

Historic Colonial Williamsburg

The hardest part about going to historic Colonial Williamsburg downtown is finding a place to park.  However, once you are situated, everything is within walking distance, including the stunning and beautiful campus of William & Mary, the second oldest institution of higher education in the country.

 

The campus of William & Mary

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

Colonial Williamsburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hampton Roads Vineyard & Winery

I was curious to see what the Williamsburg, VA’s wine trail was all about so we chose this particular vineyard and winery partially based on the fact that we had to catch the James River Ferry to get there!

 

Hampton Roads Vineyard and Winery – a picturesque winery – to get there we had to catch the James River Ferry

 

Wine tasting – 6 wine samples for just $8 dollars  – 3 white and 3 red including a refreshing wine slushy (and the souvenir Hampton Roads glass) at the end!

 

Wine tasting – 6 wine samples – 3 white and 3 red including a refreshing wine slushy (with the souvenir Hampton Roads glass) at the end!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shopping for Souvenirs

While the men golfed on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, Kathy and I went shopping for souvenirs.

R.P. Wallace & Sons General Store (our first stop) just so happens to be Williamsburg’s oldest gift shop.

 

R.P. Wallace & Sons – Williamsburg oldest gift shop – now in its 99th year of business!

So we blinked and it was Wednesday!

The 4 days flew by as much of our time was spent on travel.   However, what I discovered, was that Williamsburg, VA  is still the perfect place to decompress and unwind.   That’s because of it’s historical character, beautiful topography and back-in-time feel.  In my mind, it is most definitely a must see!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate on the Beach

It’s getting close to Memorial Day, the unofficial start of Summer, which means that me and my S.O. James will empty my car trunk of Winter gear and re-pack with the good stuff–Summer items like portable beach chairs, beach umbrellas, beach bags with sunblock, towels, beach blankets, etc.  We keep my car trunk filled up (not his as it is chock full of golf gear) like this all Summer long as you never know in New England when a beach day will appear.  We both love the beach and look forward to laying out on our image imagebeach chairs with my cooler filled with ice cold water, adult beverages and snacks and sneak dips in the ocean when the heat gets to be too much.  We are truly ‘Chocolate on the Beach’  as we are blessed with skin tones that are ‘Hershey bar’ chocolate, especially in contrast to the bright sunlight of the beach.  For as long as I can remember I have been a fan of the beach.  I grew up in a small town on the shoreline of Connecticut where we had 5 beaches, so it was natural and a beautiful thing to spend as much time as possible at the beach.

Plus my mother loved the beach when she was alive and made it a point to pick up her beach pass at the town hall in Groton the start of every Summer.  So one of the ways me and my siblings honored her when she passed almost 6 years ago was to have the bench she so often sat on at Eastern Point, her favorite beach in Groton, named after her.

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I think of her often but especially today as it is, after all, Mother’s Day…a day when I am reminded of her goodness.  I was one of seven children and although I came from a large family,  my mother had this special and unique way of making me feel as much love from her as if I were her only child.  And we all felt that powerful love.  I consider this one of the many gifts that God blessed her with and completely understand why she was nicknamed ‘Care Bear’  at her church, Walls Temple AME Zion in New London, CT.

Jean Anna Tinsley Hollis
Jean Anna Tinsley Hollis

So Happy Mother’s Day to all and a special Happy Mother’s Day to my mother Jean in Heaven.