Search for an All-Clad Skillet leads to History Crawl and one Tasty Pot Roast!

Before we chat about my weekend and a pot roast I know

you'll want to make right away, we must revisit this wall

in my kitchen... Because once again, and hopefully for the

last time, I've found another plate rack I think is just right!

Now, the last time we discussed this wall, I'd decided to relocate my

collection of Martha books onto the wall above the cabinet I refer

to as the bean chest to help make way for another plate rack I found!

Despite the considerable effort to hang that plate rack, I never showed

it to you because, as soon as it went up I knew it was terribly wrong

for the space. However, I'm quite sure I have nailed it this time with

this little beadboard number I picked up at The Red Collection!



So... Shortly after I put my kitchen back together last week I received an

e-mail from the Williams-Sonoma Outlet in Leesburg, Virginia letting

me know about their store-wide, 40% off sale... And, even if you know

nothing about me at all, you know I cannot resist an extra sale going on

at one of the Williams-Sonoma or Pottery Barn Outlet Stores! Of

course, driving five hours to shop a WS Outlet is a subject that must be

suggested gently and diplomatically if it's ever going to have a chance...



So, I asked if there might be any other reason my sweetie might want

to travel to the Northern Virginia area this weekend. And boy, did he

come up with a quick list! As fast as you could say 40% off All-Clad, he

rattled off Natural Bridge, Lee Chapel, Stonewall Jackson House

and, Montpelier! When I asked how my shopping trip was suddenly

turned into another of his history crawls, he replied, Just lucky, I guess!



So off we went! First stop... Natural Bridge, Virginia!



From the moment we arrived I wondered why we'd never visited before!



And, I also immediately knew we'd be back to explore the caverns too!



The best part for me was the wonder and

surprise of it all since I didn't know what to expect!



My curiosity was rewarded because what we found, just beyond the bend

of a scenic walk, was so much more beautiful than I could have imagined!



This spectacular natural bridge, which is included as

one of the seven natural wonders of the world!



How cool is that?



Standing in this spot we could hear cars zipping across the span!



One of the guides told us of a water fall not far from the front gate...



So we set out to find it!



It was a wonderful walk on a gentle, level path...



With plenty of things to discover and explore!



For one of us the stroll got a little long after he realized the

estimated mile to the waterfall was actually a bit over two miles!



Still, there were plenty of interesting things

along the way to distract and hold his attention!



Not the least of which was the beautiful falls at the end of our journey!



It wasn't so bad... Besides, there was a bus waiting to

take us back to the gift shop where they have really

nice bathrooms where we could freshen up!



As I said, this won't be our last trip

to Natural Bridge... Those caverns are on my list!



The next stop along the way was Lexington, Virginia

where we found Stonewall Jackson House!



My favorite spot was here, in the Jackson's kitchen garden!



This is my favorite way of learning history... At its source! Stonewall

Jackson was quite an interesting fellow! You can learn more, here



Following our tour of Stonewall Jackson House and Garden, we headed

down the road a little to Lee Chapel at Washington Lee University!

What a beautiful campus and chapel!



The centerpiece on the stage of the chapel is a statue of Lee, in uniform,

asleep on the battlefield - The Recumbent Lee by Edward Valentine



When Lee died in 1870, he was buried beneath the

chapel, where his body remains to this day...



I love this little chapel... With its exterior Victorian brick architectural

design and calm, white interior, it's easy to see why Lee loved it too!

Another absolutely worthwhile stop on our way to Leesburg!

Lee Chapel continues to play an important role in the modern operation

of Washing and Lee University. The chapel seats 600 and freshmen are

brought here to listen to a lecture about the school's famous honor system!



The argument that Lee opposed slavery helped maintain his stature

as a symbol of Southern honor and national reconciliation...



Evidence that Lee opposed slavery included his support of the work by his wife and

her mother to liberate slaves, the success of his wife and daughter in setting up an

illegal school for slaves on Arlington plantation and, freeing of Custis' slaves in 1862!



Additionally, it was General Lee who petitioned slave-holders in

1864-1865 to allow slaves to volunteer for the Army with

manumission (freedom) offered as a reward for outstanding service!

All very fine reasons for this permanent tribute to a truly great American!



In the basement of the chapel we found the Lee Family Crypt and museum



The museum is very nicely done!



With lots of interesting artifacts to pour over!



It's an interesting look into the minds and ambitions of great people!



Another very worth-while stop along the way...



With the only regret being a lack of more time...



Even General Lee's horse rests here, just outside the chapel doors...



After Lee Chapel, we took a peek into another church just 100 yards south...



This is inside Grace Episcopal Church...



Which was later renamed, Lee Memorial Episcopal Church

Our history-crawl completed for the day... It was finally my turn!



And, as if it had waited just for me, I found the perfect All-Clad skillet!



Adopted... And, without hesitation!



Along with a few dozen other goodies...



Just too darn good to pass up!



As I did the happy-dance to the check out, my Fitbit began to vibrate,

letting me know it was happy I reached my 10k step goal for the day!

Following a late dinner with great friends, it was time to check in

at our hotel for a little rest before day two and, our return home!

Although I prepared a list of antique shops between Middleburg and home

that is a mile long, I woke up deciding that we simply had to make time...



For Mr. Lincoln!



The last time we stood here, we were with mom and dad...



A bit more fantastic during that trip, but fantastic nonetheless!



As it always is during our trips to DC, I'm happiest when we

arrive very early or very late while things are still relatively calm...



Speaking of calm... No visit to our family cemetery, at the foot of the Blue

Ridge Mountains, is complete without popping into The British Pantry



So many fun things!



And, reasons to be glad that we drove...

So that we could drag home as much as we want without luggage worries!



Of course, I had to send my dear friend Amy a few of these

photos to let her know I was thinking of her over in the UK!

And, I had to take along some of these

biscuits to enjoy on the way home too!



A peek into the refrigerator made me very glad I brought a cooler!



 

Very glad, indeed!

After picking through the pantry and a visit to both Dawson-Bridge family cemeteries...



It was time to load up and head off in search of Rectortown, Virginia...

This area is rich with family history on my husband's side...



His grandmother's maiden name was Rector and, one

of his ancestors served and fought with Mosby's Rangers...



Which meant finding this historical

marker and exploring Rectortown was a must!



It's a sleepy little town to be sure...



With the smallest Post Office I have ever seen!



See what I mean?



Super cute inside...



Except for the literature on the walls, it appears time has stood still here!



After Rectortown, we headed over to Orange, Virginia. Home to...



James and Dolly Madison's magnificent estate, Montpelier!

Sadly, as wildly popular as she was, Dolly Madison was left destitute in

the years following her husband's death. Not only was she forced to sell

the contents of their lovely home, in 1844, Dolly sold Montpelier as well!



Aside from a very few items the Montpelier Trust has managed to locate and

repurchase, there is not much in the house that belonged to the Madison's...

In the time since Madison owned Montpelier, it has seen nine

different owners and as many, if not more, remodeling projects!



Fortunately Montpelier's last owner, Marion DuPont-Scott expressed a wish

that her heirs would transfer it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation,

since she felt it was, “appropriate ... to restore the mansion house in such a

manner as to conform as nearly as possible with the architectural pattern which

existed when said property was owned and occupied by President Madison."



And so, with her gracious gift and sweet wish finally

fulfilled in September 2008, Montpelier stands today as it did...



In James and Dolly Madison's time!



As happy as I always am to travel and explore more of the East coast, I am

always more happy to come home! And while we didn't pull into the drive

until well after eleven o'clock Saturday night, I couldn't wait to hop on my

bike at 7AM for a 9-mile ride around Salem Lake and then hit the market for...



Everything I needed to prepare a pot roast for my sweet Virginia tour-guide!



Putting my new All-Clad, 3-quart skillet to good use, of course!



While I'm much more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of cook,

since I was already asked by my Facebook friends for my recipe, I'll

share it with you! This is a 3.5 pound chuck roast, browned on both

sides in olive oil w/four cloves garlic, minced. After the meat browns...



I usually move it to my slow-cooker or

one of my LeCreuset Dutch Ovens...



However, since I have Wolfgang Puck's new pressure cooker...



Let's pressure cook! Added to the roast is: 2 cups vegetable stock

and 1 can (11 oz.) V-8 juice. Plus, 4 stalks of celery, 4 large carrots

and two medium yellow onions, all chopped into medium chunks...

I added a handful of thyme and parsley from my garden and then set the

timer for 60 minutes. After an hour, I added 2 pounds of Black Gold

Farms red potatoes, quartered and 10-12 mushrooms, cut in half!



After another thirty minutes under pressure...



Dinner was served!



I hope you enjoyed my crawl through Northern Virginia history as

much as I did and that you'll try this roast... It's delicious, I promise!