Boone Hall is one of the oldest working plantations in America. Since its founding in 1681, it has produced a range of goods from cotton to pecans and been owned by a cast of colorful characters from an early English settler to a Georgian prince. The plantation is named for its first owners Elizabeth Patey… Read More Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens in South Carolina
Chicken Cacciatore is classic Italian comfort food. The word cacciatore means hunter, and the style of cooking means a dish that is hearty with lots of earthy vegetables and some wine. I’ve updated my Grandma Carbone’s recipe here. I use a combination of breasts and thighs; you can use just thighs if you prefer, but… Read More Chicken Cacciatore
Looking for an easy breakfast to eat before (or during!) your morning Zoom meeting? I put this simple recipe together because I wanted something quick but protein-packed. To make it flavorful with minimal prep, I’ve used a blend of fresh herbs; you can mix up your own favorites. If you want something heartier, you can… Read More Breakfast in a Mug
Road-trip season is here, perhaps this year more than others. After months of lockdown, we’re ready to see new places and old friends. In early July, I jumped into my silver sedan and headed down the east coast to visit friends who’d recently moved to South Carolina. It was absolutely wonderful, a much-restorative break after… Read More How to Plan a Road Trip during Lockdown
The Winery at La Grange in Haymarket, Virginia, features 5.6 acres of vineyards and a three-storey, red-brick, 18th-century manor house with a small garden blooming with pink hydrangeas. With our commonwealth inching toward reopening, a friend and I decided to head out to Prince William County and enjoy the bucolic setting. We decided on the… Read More Reopening Report: Winery at La Grange
Lafayette Square is a seven-acre public park directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. It is one of the most meaningful areas in American history, where citizens have lived out the freedoms protected by the First Amendment amid statues of the men who won our independence from Great Britain. The Park and its surrounding… Read More Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
Northern Virginia began reopening under Phase One last Friday, and two friends and I made plans to meet for our first restaurant get-together in three months. We settled on Carlyle, an American mainstay located in the Village at Shirlington, an open-air neighborhood retail area featuring boutique shops and midscale restaurants, in the Washington, D.C., suburb… Read More Restaurant Report: Carlyle in Shirlington
Is there anything better than cookies in brownie form? Soft, chewy, yummy–and easy to bake. If you’re like me, your pantry becomes a haven for the left-over mix-ins from past recipes–chocolate chips, candy bits, chopped nuts, mini-marshmallows. The list goes on. And if you’re like me, you can’t bear the thought of waste. What do… Read More Use-What-You-Have Cookie Bars
