Romance/Getaway Series #56 - Segway of Richmond

About Segway of Richmond:

Segway of Richmond is now open in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Located in the historic Columbian Building in Shockoe Slip, Segway of Richmond brings a full line of world-class personal transporters for guided tours of downtown Richmond, Segway rentals and individual purchase.

Take a Tour. See the sights and learn some history with your own guide and a short lesson.

Rent a Segway for an hour or a week, go explore on your own after a short lesson.

Buy a Segway. Be green and glide the machine to work or around the city, at the beach, or on the farm.

Build the Team. A great team building activity for your next off-site. Call them to schedule.

Segway® PTs are environmentally friendly short-distance transportation alternatives. Because they're battery operated, you can save thousands on fuel, insurance, maintenance, and parking. Recharging the batteries costs about what you would spend on a daily newspaper.

My Thoughts:

I had seen people riding Segways around Philadelphia, Annapolis or around the mall like in the movie "Mall Cop," but I never thought I would have the guts to try them myself.  I'll be the first to admit that these look like fun, but the concept of the Segway made me nervous, and when I found out they don't have brakes I was thinking "What have I gotten myself into?"...but...that didn't last long.

Segway of Richmond had a great guide named Buzz, and he took time to train each of us individually, and he was committed to making sure each individual on the tour felt 100% comfortable on the Segway before our tour started. We probably spent about 15-20 minutes just practicing on the Segways, and it's not as hard as you may think.

The concept of the Segway is that it runs based on pressure. If you put pressure on your toes you move forward. If you place pressure on your heals you move backward. If you are level and balanced then you won't move at all....pretty easy concept to grasp.  Once on the Segway I felt very comfortable and caught on quickly, as did everyone else in our tour group.

The Advantages of this Segway Tour:

1. A truly unique way to see the sights - Richmond Capitol building (above), St. Paul's Church, American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, Canal Walk and more.

2. Informative and entertaining

3. The tour provides you with some amazing photo opportunities around the city of Richmond

4. Getting to enjoy the great outdoors while participating in this tour (unlike a bus/car tour)

The Disadvantages of this Segway Tour:

1. If the weather doesn't cooperate you could get rained out

2. Since the Segway is operated based on the concept of pressure, it does put pressure on your feet and joints and could cause back/joint pain after awhile (at least for me it did), so this may not be the best option for someone with medical problems/joint issues

Regardless of the disadvantages I would definitely book a Segway tour again in the future. It was so much fun, and one of the highlights of our time in VA. I think that children and adults would both enjoy this tour!

 

For more information or to book a tour, visit: http://www.segwayofrichmond.biz/View.aspx?page=home

Many thanks for Chad for this amazing opportunity!!!

Romance/Getaway Series #55 - Maury Place at Monument

About the Maury Place (from their website):

Welcome to Maury Place at Monument, a Virginia bed and breakfast. Your innkeepers, Mac Pence and Jeff Wells, have lived on Monument Avenue in Richmond’s Museum District for over ten years. Jeff and Mac opened Maury Place in October 2008 after two years of preparation, renovating the property, attending aspiring innkeepers conferences, and consulting with experts. The innkeepers live on the property, on the third floor.

Mac and Jeff hope to offer a unique luxury experience to their guests. Their vision is to create a space where people can relax and renew their spirits. The is décor is modern and elegant, but not formal, combined with luxury amenities and service that is relaxed and comfortable. Guests enjoy breakfast each morning on the innkeepers' best fine china. 

 

 

 

The Maury Place at Monument has five suites available to guests, one of which being the Pathfinder Suite where we had a chance to stay. This suite had a king bed, fireplace and private balcony, but that's not all that it had. Our room, and I understand from speaking to the other guests at breakfast, and the other rooms have unique items you don't find at typical hotels or other B & B's, such as a sound machine, a book clip-on lamp, air purifiers, five shower head system, and more. 

One of the things you notice after spending any amount of time here is their thorough attention to the details.  Down to the unique dishes (china of former presidents - photo below) they serve breakfast on, this B & B has put thought into every inch of space. One thing to note, which we have not seen anywhere else, is that if you need to be on the road early, they offer "breakfast-to-go" for your convenience - yet another way they put the guests first and aim to please.

 One of the things I enjoy about  B&B's in general is that you always seem to find something in common with the other guests as you sit around the breakfast table. The weekend we stayed we met other individuals in the education field, but they were also all dog lovers and owners who very much missed their pup who was left at home....thankfully the owners have two dogs - Chico & Lucy (pictured below), who are let out after breakfast, if the guests don't mind. All of the guests we dined with welcomed a chance to meet the owners' dogs, as we were all missing our own dogs by then.

In addition to their obvious attention to details, their property is absolutely pristine and beautiful, from their garden in the front to the B & B, to the state of the guest rooms, to the back yard with its bistro area and water fountain and beautiful pool and hot tub.

Generally when I visit a new location I have some positive and negative feedback, but I cannot find anything to negatively critique here. The facility and grounds were beautiful, customer service was excellent, breakfast offered just the right combination of flavors and textures (which can be made according to your particular dietary restrictions), location was close to restaurants, museums and other attractions. I would give this location the highest review, and would definitely go back!

For more information, or to book your visit, please go to: http://www.mauryplace.com/index.html

disclaimer: stay provided for review, but opinions stated here are honest and not swayed by compensation

Romance/Getaway Series #54 - Richmond Canal Cruises

Oftentimes when we visit a new city we try to take a tour, but we've already done the bus tours and the walking tours, so we decided to try some new tours, like the Canal Cruise.

About Venture Richmond Canal Cruises:

Join Richmond Canal Cruises for an informative 40-minute historically narrated tour of private charter of the James River and Kanawha Canal along Richmond’s Historic Canal Walk in one of our covered boats, which accommodates up to 38 passengers and departs on the hour from the Turning Basin, between 14th and Dock streets on Virginia Street. Richmond’s canal system first started in 1789 after George Washington lobbied the General Assembly to proceed with his vision of a canal and turnpike system that would connect the harbors of the east to the trade and market opportunities west, all the way to the Rocky Mountains.

 

My Thoughts:

Learning the story of the canal and the locations along the canal was interesting. One of the items we learned about (pictured above) was a box, where a slave mailed himself to a northern state to escape slavery. He was in this box for 27 hours, and at one point during his trip his box was placed upside down, as no one knew a human was inside the box. The cruise was informative and started punctually, but I did have a few qualms with the tour. My first issue is that the address provided on the pamphlet was not found by GPS so we drove around trying to locate the ship dock, and finally found it, so locating this is a challenge. My second reservation about this tour is that after my husband and I boarded the boat it was basically full, but they squeezed another 2 families onto the boat causing the boat to be tight and cramped with no room to even sneeze, which made the tour less pleasant, and this could have been avoided. Other than that, we had a great experience, and for $6 a ticket, it's a steal.

For reservations and information, contact (804) 649-2800 or (804) 788-6466.

http://www.venturerichmond.com/experiences/canalcruises.html

disclaimer: tickets provided for review

Romance/Getaway Series #53 - Julep Restaurant

About this Restaurant:

Amy Cabaniss, the proprietor, opened Julep’s New Southern Cuisine in July, 2003. She has beautifully remodeled the oldest commercial building in the city of Richmond, located in the heart of the historic river district, originally built circa 1817 as a lumber house by Charles Whitlock. Over the next half-century it housed a candle and soap factory, a brewery, a cigar-box maker, a produce market and a locksmith.

Julep’s has already been named one of Richmond’s “Top Seven Sensations” by Richmond Magazine. The professional and friendly staff, elegant atmosphere and charm of this historic building create a hospitable setting as you savor a fresh mix of flavor that captures the flare of Atlanta, Charleston, New Orleans and Savannah.

My Thoughts:
I have never been to Richmond before so I was very curious to see how their restaurants compared to other major cities I've been in such as Philadelphia, DC, Baltimore etc, and I'm happy to report that they more than measure up, or at least Juleps did. Julep doesn't look like much from the outside, as it's a corner location on a seemingly run down street, but inside offers so much more. Stepping inside Julep's you realize it is more than meets the eye with it's two-level seating with spiral staircase, exposed wood beams/bricks and beautiful hardwood flooring. I enjoy and appreciate architecture and keeping the integrity of a building, so I loved seeing all the natural elements, while still keeping the atmosphere of the restaurant classy and romantic. On top of the cozy chic setting, the menu has much to offer. Of the many menu items below were the items I had a chance to try: Crab Bisque, Pork Special of the night, Bacon Wrapped Filet, Chocolate Pecan Tart and Creme Brulee.  Starting off the meal with the crab soup was the perfect selection. It was creamy with such vibrant flavors, and I would have made that my meal if I could have, my husband agreed. My filet was cooked to perfection and full of natural juices and flavors; a perfect combination. My husband had the pork special, and he had no negative feedback to provide, so that's always a plus. At the conclusion of our meal we tried the creme brulee and chocolate pecan tart with home-made vanilla bean ice cream, which were the ultimate endings to the meal.

Sweet Water Crab Bisque with Shiitake Mushrooms, Fresh Thyme and Lemon-Basil Oil:

 
Pork Special:

Creme Brulee:

Grilled Petite Angus Filet Mignon wrapped with Applewood Smoked Bacon, served with Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Beer Batter Onion Rings and Julep’s House Made Steak Sauce:

I do want to provide an honest review, so I also want to share about a problem we had while dining. Due to some strong storms and humidity some moisture had built up in the restaurant causing the condensation to drop off parts of the ceiling, but as soon as we brought it to our server's attention it was remedied immediately, so I have no qualms with their level of service and would still recommend Juleps whole-heartedly.

Advantages:
1. Food to rave about! The flavor combinations and quality of the food were fantastic.
2. Ambience/Atmosphere - if you want a rustic yet modern and romantic location this is perfect!

Disadvantages:
1. The part of town where Julep's is located appears a bit run down which may prevent people from dining here, but the food makes up for it
2. Since Juleps is located in town, it only offers on-street parking, so finding parking may be a challenge
For more information, to view menus or to make reservations visit their website: http://juleps.net/

disclaimer: compensation provided for this review, but information provided here is completely unbiased and truthful

Romance/Getaway Series #52 - Gaylord National

Gaylord Hotels™ is a pioneer in the hotel and convention industry with a collection of four upscale, meetings focused resorts found near Nashville, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Dallas, Texas; and Washington, D.C. Every Gaylord property celebrates the geographical heritage of the destination in which it is located with regional themes and attractions designed exclusively for that resort. The company's hallmark – "everything in one place" - provides meeting attendees and leisure travelers with convenient onsite access to award-winning dining options, quality spa and fitness facilities, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping and resort activities.

The newest monumental addition to the national capital region, the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, made its long-awaited and elaborate debut on April 25, 2008. Just minutes from famous museums, monuments, and other attractions the Gaylord National is 10 mintues from Old Town Alexandria, 15 minutes to the U.S. Capitol and 20 minutes to Georgetown.  With over 470,000 square feet this location provides meeting space, convention rooms, overnight accommodations, restaurants/bars, shops, entertainment and more.

Fun Facts:

If you wanted to spend one night in each of the 2,000 guest rooms at Gaylord National, it would take you more than five years to reach your goal

The pastry oven has a double-Gemini oven that can cook more than 800 rolls in less than five minutes

The entire property features a total of 10 million square feet of drywall, which equals 312,500 sheets. If you stood these drywall sheets end to end, they would stretch 473 miles, or halfway from Washington D.C. to Chicago.

My Thoughts:

With the pool, gym, restaurants, bars, local attractions/events, on site gift shops, spa, rooftop lounge, game room, harbor, town shops and room amenities, there is definitely not  a lack of things to do and see. I had a chance to visit the Gaylord National and was very impressed with the size of the facility, the vast options, and the decor of the guest rooms. Our room was lined with a leather-like material which was very modern yet warm and inviting. Many of the rooms and suites boast a fantastic view of the harbor, through the Gaylord's atrium.

Advantages:

1. Wealth of activity choices while staying at the Gaylord

2. Food quality was excellent at the Pienza Italian Market for brunch - omelette station, fruits, bagels, cereal, yogurt and more

3. Beautiful view and location - harbor and town within walking distance

Disadvantages:

1. Parking is quite a distance from the hotel, and potentially from your room location, but they do offer valet parking which is a plus.

2. If you are looking for a quiet quaint location where you feel removed from everyday life, this is not the location for you. It's full of people and activity at all times, but there are spots where you can go for some peace and quiet such as the spa.

This would be an ideal location for a waterfront wedding ceremony or reception. Make your vows against the backdrop of their beautifully manicured gardens and the historic Potomac River. Or, walk down the aisle inside their gleaming glass atrium—an "outside" venue with zero chance of rain. You can find more information on their packages here: http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national/weddings-banquets/index.html?intcmp=gn-lnav-wed

To book a stay or for more information, visit their website here:

http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national/

disclaimer: stay was provided for review

Romance/Getaway Series #51 - Bond45 Restaurant

About Bond45:

Already a landmark in New York's theater district, Bond 45 - A New York, Italian Steak and Seafood House traels from the city that never sleeps to the spectaculat National Harbor!

Bond 45 serves up a genuine Italian experience including real American 'firsts' such as A Roman mozzerella bar and cheese focaccia from Liguria, Pantondo, and a new Antipasti bar.

My Thoughts:

Upon arriving at Bond45 it's clear that it's a hip and happening place. There was a line of people waiting for a chance to dine here, which is usually a good sign. Even with a reservation we waited about 10 minutes for a table, so a very busy place on a Friday night. 

We ordered Mamma Perla's lemon chicken, 8 oz. filet, tirimisu and chocolate gelato. The chicken was tender, juicy and fully of flavor. The filet was also tender with charred edges which added to the texture combinations of the tender steak and crisp edges. The dessert options were displayed on a tray, which I always enjoy. It's nice to know what the desserts look like before committing to one.

The advantages of eating here are:

1) Their unique menu - mozzarella and prosciutto bar is something I have not seen anywhere else.

2) The friendly, courteous and knowledgeable staff

3) The atmosphere and ambiance. You are able to walk through a portion of the kitchen on the way to your table, which gives the feeling of being part of the process.

The disadvantages of eating here are:

1) It's a busy place, so you may have to wait for a bit, but most restaurants that are well liked are worth the wait, as this one is. Even though there may be a wait they are very accommodating by providing drinks while waiting, and if dessert takes too long, they bring out freshly baked cookies to hold you over.

2) The tables are very very close to one another. I was able to overhear about 4 conversations from surrounding tables, which was a bit awkward.

Overall the mood was celebratory and fun, the food was tasty and the experience was a good one.

For more information, visit their website: http://www.bond45.com/Bond_45_steakhouse_menus.html

disclaimer: meal provided for review