Charlottesville, Virginia

Greensboro, NC -- I'm out of action today, nursing an extremely sore throat from the weekend. I thought that I would take this short time to inform you about my recent travels to Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville is a quaint, colloquial town located in the center of Virginia. It is rich with history being the birthplace of both U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. After a quick 3 hour trip from Greensboro, we arrived at the UVA campus. The campus and town themselves are very artsy. The rhythms and melodies of Dave Matthews Band's music echo their hometown -- groovy, artistic, and playful.

After rising early at the Cavalier Inn, a former UVA dormitory, my group quickly traveled to the great Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson. The 45 minute tour was very inciteful about Jefferson's life, inventions, thoughts about slavery, etc. The house was well thought out when it was constructed. After a lunch break and short drive down the parkway, we reach "Mishe's Tavern." Owned by a Revolutionary War soldier, this famous tavern provided a sanctuary for overnight travelers to relax and have a beer. There wasn't much to the bar and quarters, but the place was chock-full of Revolutionary era antiques. Toured out, we headed over to Jefferson's own vineyard, "Jefferson's Vineyard." The name of the vineyard is a bit ironic because Jefferson himself attempted to make wine, but his efforts were ultimately fruitless (pun intended). Nevertheless, the vineyard had a well decorated tasting room and patio to enjoy some fine wines. To top the day off, we headed downtown to sample the best dishes of Charlottesville. Sticking to the wine theme, we tried "Sipps" and left satisfied. All of the restaurants downtown open up to a brick-paved street, which is cornered off for pedestrians only. So, many of the restaurants, like ours, had tables set-up in the middle of the street.

Jefferson's Monticello (rear)

We had to squeeze in the final piece of the "President's Pass" on Sunday morning, which was "Ash Lawn," the home of James Monroe. Ash Lawn was a little further out from Charlottesville, but our intimate tour group (2 people and our group) made the trip worthwhile. Our knowledgeable tour guide walked us through the original home of Monroe. The home was very similar to Jefferson's -- old, beautiful, well-restored, etc.; it just didn't have all of the inventions. As the tour guide put it; "in Charlottesville, there are three levels; 1. God; 2. Jefferson; 3. Everyone else." Well said. Our trip concluded with a self-guided tour of The Rotunda at the UVA. Jefferson designed the Rotunda as the centerpiece of the campus. Further, it was a symbol to bring faculty, staff, and students together. All three of Jefferson's strongest attributes are on display in this town: 1. Political; 2. Religious (freedom); 3. Intellectual (UVA).

Monroe's Ash Lawn (side)

If you haven't been to Charlottesville before, and you're a bit of a history buff, this place is one for you. It's a perfect weekend getaway.