Near Wintergreen
Route 664 Close To Reeds Gap
Nelson County, Virginia
After more than 3 years of work Will and Lilia Fenton’s dream of opening The Fenton Inn has come true. This past Wednesday evening the couple held an open house at the inn that is reminiscent of a “Stylish European Village.” The village style inn features an onsite bakery, gift store, meeting room, gym, spa room and more.
Photo Courtesy of Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : Will Fenton (left) shows Ben Holmes of Nellysford one of the spectacular views looking toward the mountains from one of the bedrooms. Wednesday – August 17, 2006
An open house was held Wednesday evening of this week to give folks in the area a firsthand look at the finished product.
It’s truly amazing!
Check out more of the photos from our tour in our gallery below.
Will Fenton (L) chats it up with BRL Publisher Yvette Stafford during the open house held this past Wednesday – August 17, 2016
Will Fenton showing off one of the many bedrroms at the inn.
Each door at the inn displays something unique. The wood used to make the doors came from trees harvested off the property.
The view from the 3rd floor of the inn looking down into the courtyard of the cobblestone lined street.
One of the many charming bathrooms at The Fenton Inn.
Folks checking out the European village feel of the inn during the open house this past Wednesday – August 17, 2016.
Many quaint shops line the village street at the inn.
Tommy Bruguiere, JR from the Nelson County Board of Supervisors looks over the village street at the inn while owner Will Fenton (center) chats with BRL Publisher Yvette Stafford during the open house.
The views from all around the grounds at the inn are breathtaking.
The inn also includes its own private theater for guests staying there.
The village street leading up to the bakery. On the far right Lilia Fenton (co-owner) talks with Ben Holmes of Bold Rock Hard Cider in Nellysford.
The unique drawbridge at the inn.
Dima Holmes of Wintergreen Real Estate stops to snap a photo of the unique drawbridge at the inn.
The breakfast room at the inn that overlooks the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains.
The breakfast bar at the inn.
The views from the inn are incredible.
A small outdoor garden as seen from one of the upper floors of the inn.
Will Fenton (in blue shirt) talks with guests during the open house of the inn this past Wednesday evening – August 17,, 2016.
Photo by Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : The craftsmanship on each of the doors is unique to every room.
Photo by Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : The formal dinine and meeting room.
Photo by Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : The inn’s main sign out front crafted from wood harvested on the very property where the inn was built.
Photo by Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : A private patio and hot tub area out back.
Photo by Dima Holmes – Wintergreen Real Estate Company : A private massage / spa room.
For over a decade (make that a dozen years next year!) we’ve been highlighting events across the area in our calendar section. And, we make it mighty easy too!
Just visit our online events calendar here, to see all of the current and upcoming events across the area. You don’t have to be just in Nelson, because we know county lines and geographical boundaries aren’t where people stop!
Wintergreen Resort
Nelson County, Virginia
It was an afternoon of clapping, foot stomping, and singing at the 11th Annual Blue Ridge Mountain Music Festival held at Wintergreen Resort this past Saturday. Wintergreen Performing Arts holds the event each August.
Above, Martha Spencer with Whitetop Mountain Band clogs across the stage at the 2016 Blue Ridge Mountain Music Festival at Wintergreen Resort, Virginia on Saturday – August 13, 2016
Blue Ridge Life Publisher Tommy Stafford was back as the emcee of the event. This marked his 10th year on stage introducing the musicians.
Above on of the many jam sessions held throughout the day in a nearby tent. It gave local musicians, amateurs and pros alike, the chance to play in a laid back atmosphere.
The lineup of entertainers at the 2016 BRMMF.
Members of the James River Cutups do a sound check.
The James River Cutups at the 2016 BRMMF
The James River Cutups at the 2016 BRMMF
Volunteers with Wintergreen Performing Arts helping out in the ticket booth.
Set against a beautiful mountain backdrop, volunteers with Wintergreen Performing Arts helping out in the ticket booth.
The James River Cutups at the 2016 BRMMF
Jim Clark listens to the music. He’s the coordinator of the 2016 BRMMF hosted by Wintergreen Performing Arts.
Folks take a break for some food and drinks during the 2016 BRMMF.
Jimbo Carey chats it up with folks before jam sessions started for the afternoon.
Folks take a break for some food and drinks during the 2016 BRMMF.
The Whitetop Mountain Band takes to the stage during the 2016 BRMMF
From backstage, The Whitetop Mountain Band during the 2016 BRMMF
The guys at Katz Audio were amazing on keeping the sound just right!
BRL Publisher Tommy Stafford (L) and emcee of the 2016 BRMMF stops for a photo with CBS-19 Charlottesville Reporter Jaclyn Krivitsky during the BRMMF.
Jimbo Carey who’s helped organize every one of the festivals is interviewed by Jaclyn Krivitsky of CBS-19 Charlotesville.
Seldom Scene warming up before their performance at the 2016 BRMMF
One of the many jam sessions held throughout the day.
Beautiful skies for the 2016 BRMMF
Hard to believe in a few months this will all be covered in snow and skiers!
Breathtaking backdrop for the 2016 BRMMF
Dale Weigel, President of Wintergreen Performing Arts, thanks, sponsors, musicians, volunteers, and folks in the audience for making the festival one of their favorite events!
The James RIver Cutups seen from backstage at the 2016 BRMMF.
Seldom Scene doing a sound check at the 2016 BRMMF.
Jimbo & Kim Carey getting ready to take the stage at the 2016 BRMMF.
Katz audio helping set up for The Green Hills String Band featuring Jimbo & Kim Carey with Pete & Ellen Vigour.
The Green Hills String Band featuring Jimbo & Kim Carey with Pete & Ellen Vigour on stage at the 2016 BRMMF.
The Green Hills String Band featuring Jimbo & Kim Carey with Pete & Ellen Vigour on stage at the 2016 BRMMF.
Head to Dunlop Pavilion at Wintergreen Resort for bluegrass mountain music all day long on Saturday, August 13!
Featuring:
2:00 & 5:00 pm Seldom Scene
1:00 & 4:00 pm Whitetop Mountain Band
Noon & 3:00 pm James River CutUps
6:00 pm Pete and Ellen Vigour & Kim and Jimbo Cary
Photos by Martha Hayman : Blue Mountain Brewery was a busy place during this week with their annual hop picking and harvest. The fun continues later this month at BMB’s Barrel House in Arrington.
Our friends over at Blue Mountain Brewery held their annual even just a few days ago.
Above, more photos from Blue Mountain’s annual hop harvest.
If you didn’t get a chance to make it to the Afton location, not to worry. They will be having another hop harvest at Blue Mountain Barrel House August 19th from 11AM-7PM. 2 hours of volunteering earns you a t-shirt and lunch, along with live music during picking.
Photos By Tracy Watts : This past weekend the folks over at Misty Mill Hops in Lowesville at Rockmill Farm held their first hop picking.
Lowesville
Amherst County, Virginia
This time of the year you begin seeing hop picking everywhere. The latest to join the movement are the folks over at Misty Mill Hops in Lowesville. This past weekend their held their first Hops Picking.
According to Misty Mill, “organically grown Cascade hops are going to be at their prime two weeks early this year!”
The Misty Mill website says:
Misty Mill Hops is located at historic Rockmill Farm in Lowesville, VA. Rockmill Farm is a circa 1824 Greek Revival Plantation home where legend claims Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry hid from the pursuit of Tarleton’s raid at the Old Rock Mill located on the property. The mill was allegedly named from the patriot’s cry of “meet me at the old rock mill.” Only the stone foundation remains. Bordering Indian Creek and Piney River, the farm and the mill were once located on the old stage coach line to Lexington which once was a major thoroughfare from Charlottesville to Lexington.
The website goes on to say, “They are currently growing one and a half acres of Cascade hops comprising of 720 crowns and 300 lavender plants.”
Afton
Nelson County, Virginia As we first told you weeks ago, considerable resistance was met when RVCC accepted a $20,000 grant from The Dominion Foundation. The same company promoting the Atlantic Coast Pipeline through Nelson and surrounding counties. After a unanimous decision by the RVCC board to return the grant to the Dominion Foundation, the outpouring from the community was tremendous. More than $ 20,000 was received to meet the criteria from The Perry Foundation for their matching grant.
In an official release on Tuesday afternoon RVCC’s Executive Director Stu Mills spread the good news.
“We wanted to give everyone a quick update on the Green Initiative, since our August 1 donation date has now come and gone!
And it’s really good news.
Your amazing pledges have been turning into donations for the past couple of weeks, and we’re happy to report that we now have more than enough cash to cover the check that we sent back to the Dominion Foundation on July 21st. Even better, we surpassed the $21,317 threshold we needed to match the Perry Foundation’s challenge grant, so we forwarded all the paperwork to them just two weeks ago. And long before we expected it, their check arrived in our mailbox last Thursday!
We still have a small number of pledges that are outstanding, but we’re confident that most of them will be honored, since several people are on vacation right now. We’re very hopeful that when all the donations are complete we will have enough funds to complete this phase of the Green Initiative, including the lead-paint abatement project that involves the repair and re-painting of all of the fascias and soffits on the original building. That is a long-held dream of mine, and I know it’s shared by the Building & Grounds Committee, the Board and the rest of the staff!
To honor your pledge –or to make one – please drop a check by the office or in the mail made out to RVCC, and please be sure to put “Green Initiative” in the memo line. Or, you may pay by credit card or PayPal here in the office or on our website at this link: http://rockfishvalleycommunitycenter.memberlodge.com/donations Just ‘mouse-over’ Membership/Donations, click Donations and scroll down to the donations form on the page. Again, please be sure to enter “Green Initiative” in the donation designation box.
We hope to get started on the windows replacement phase of the project very soon, so keep your eyes open when you visit over the next couple of months. With any luck, we’ll have this beautiful old building sealed tight as a drum (and a lot prettier!) by the start of cold weather!
Finally, all of us here at the Rock want to thank you – our community – for helping to guide us and sustain us through these very challenging past couple of months. You’ve totally made believers out of a few of us skeptics who underestimated your resolve to meet a huge challenge by opening your wallets and your hearts. Your generosity and commitment to community is unprecedented in our history.”
That is very good news!
Thanks to everyone and looking forward to seeing the project get underway!
Photo By Michelle Lee Boggs : In spite of some heavy downpours this past weekend the Blues Festival at Blue Mountain Barrel House carried on with lots of fun!
Arrington
Nelson County, Virginia As Tommy has been mentioning all week, pesky thunderstorms with heavy rains have been hitting just about every afternoon. But, that didn’t stop the fun during Saturday’s Blues Festival at Blue Mountain Barrel House.
Thanks to Michelle Lee Boggs for sharing some of her photos with us!
Before the dinner folks were treated to signature cocktails mixed with VDC’s whisky.Veritas Vineyard & Winery co-founder Andrew Hodson (center) talks to attendees at the Friday night Whisky Farmhouse Dinner with the Virginia Distillery.Andrew Hodson co-founder and owner of Veritas Vineyard and Winery (left) chats it up with Dima Holmes of Wintergreen Real Estate Company in Nellysford, this past Friday night – July 29, 2016 during the Whisky Farmhouse Dinner with the Virginia Distillery.
Here’s what folks were treated to:
First Course: Free Union Grass Farm Whisky Barrel Stave Smoked Liver Pate, Cornbread Crouton, Peach Butter, Verjus Fresnos, Ancho Broth and Tangerine Sprouts
Second Course: Hanover Melon Salad, Local Spinach, Whisky Mustard, Hickory Syrup, Ham Emulsion, Basil Ice
Third Course: Sherwood Filet Mignon over Grilled Nectarine-Corn Farro Salad, Baby Kale, Whisky-Bacon Jus, Annatto Oil
Fourth Course: Peach Upside Down Cake, Whisky Syrup, Sweet Corn Ice Cream, Vanilla Crunch, Mint Oil
Additionally of the dishes were perfectly paired with wines from Veritas along with Virginia Distillery Company whisky.
Check out all of the photos from Friday night’s event here in our Facebook album below.
