Hallowed Ground

I’m writing from Washington, D.C., this week. It has been a while since I visited, and the city remains impressive and stately and all that, but it’s also mildly depressing.

Maintenance of the sidewalks and Metro stations seems to have slipped, and the unsightly security barriers on virtually every block are truly hideous. (On the other hand, the ability to walk all the way around the White House is a step in the right direction.)

On the way into town from Reagan National Airport on the Metro, on a whim, I decided to get off at Arlington National Cemetery. I was prompted by a couple of interesting facts that I had read recently about the place, and I wanted to “connect the dots.” It has been a very long time since I visited Arlington, and it is an awesome and inspiring place, at once somber and hopeful.

Yet Arlington was not always a cemetery. It was the family home of Robert E. Lee—more accurately, it was the historic home of the family of his wife, Mary Custis Lee. She inherited the 1,100–acre estate from her father, George Washington Parke Custis, whose grandfather, by adoption, was George Washington. During the Civil War, the Lee estate was rapidly overtaken and subsequently seized by Union troops, and it served several purposes during the war.

The land did not become a cemetery in any thoughtful way; rather, in the heat of the war, and the heat of the boggy summers prevalent here, many people died in the area. It was simply a field expedient to bury them close to where they fell, and Arlington was centrally located.

Union General Montgomery C. Meigs pushed to create Arlington National Cemetery, using a variation of eminent domain and wartime powers to take ownership of the land. Through a variety of legal and other battles after the war, ultimately ending up in the Supreme Court, the Lee family wrested ownership of its estate back from the federal government. Of course, by that time, thousands of people had been buried there, so the place was slightly less desirable than it once had been. The government bought the property back from Lee’s son, and the rest is history . . . literally.

In the City

I revisited a place that I used to frequent when I was in D.C. regularly, Kinkead’s.

Housed in a refurbished brownstone, it’s a nice place to get away from all the craziness in the district, with quiet nooks and crannies conducive to conversation. And, unlike most high-end restaurants here, prices are not over the moon, especially for lunch. (I’m not usually a big flounder fan, but I tried it on the recommendation of the waiter, and I’m tearing up just thinking about it. Fantastic.)

In closing, I recommend that everybody, at least once when they visit D.C., make a pilgrimage to at least one of the great old hotel institutions in town. The Mayflower is the lesser-known, but more accessible of the two. Within a couple of blocks of the White House, The Willard is famous for its political past, having served as Abraham Lincoln’s home for a time. At both hotels, maybe enjoy late-afternoon tea, and you might see some famous politicos, and you can eavesdrop on the political deal-making that’s undoubtedly going on there.

Swiss Cheese and Wine

Actually, the title is slightly misleading. Swiss cheese, everybody knows about. Swiss wine? That’s a little bit of a surprise.

After a visit to the International Olympic Museum in Lausanne (a disappointment, really), you are dangerously close to the beginning of the Lavaux Vineyard Trail. This 20–mile trail takes you from Lausanne through some of the most picturesque Alpine scenery you’ll ever see to the famous and austere Chateau de Chillon. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can hike the well-marked trail from beginning to end.

I tend to subscribe to the old saw among traditional wine-makers, which says that “white wines would be red if they could.” But this part of Switzerland is famous for its Chasselas, a crisp, usually fruity white that wakes up your mouth with every sip. The wineries are fairly early in their exploration of red wines, but I did enjoy a couple of pinot noirs that were quite good, in a less-than-complex way.

Some excellent wineries dot the trail, including in Chablais and Vully. My favorite, though, is not on a lot of maps. Pierre-Andre Larpin & Fils in Bursinel offers excellent white and red wines that are obviously hand-crafted with care. But what elevated my visit was the friendliness and openness of the proprietors. They spoke no English, and my French is only passable, yet we managed to communicate. A young man explained that he had just taken over the vineyard from his father, who was retiring after making wine for many years. His mother insisted on feeding us lunch, while his wife thrust dessert after dessert upon us. It was a superb way to spend an afternoon—drinking wine with fourth-generation winemakers, reveling in an elevated view of Lake Geneva.

Last time I was there, I stayed at the Hôtel Real in Nyon, an outstanding “base camp” just across Lake Geneva from Evian, France. The hotel is a little modern for my tastes, but the rooms offer good value and copious space, and the views over the lake are spectacular. Plus, the back of the hotel faces onto the Old Town, the medieval part of the village. You can wander to your heart’s delight on cobblestone streets, past old horse fountains and up to the local chateau. Look out for traces of the original Roman settlement of 2,000 years ago.

Switzerland is one of my favorite places, so I could go on and on. But I’ll stop here so I can write about the famously neutral country (with some dark secrets!) in the future.

Side Note: If you ARE interested in Swiss cheese, visit any auberge in the Alps and get them started on the topic of local cheeses. You will learn a lot about how different the flavors are depending on where the cows are grazing, how they are treated and the like. Fascinating for the uninformed like me.

U.S. Oxford

I have written several times about the United Kingdom, partly because I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Anglophile, and partly because my work takes me there regularly. However, this week’s post is about “the other Oxford” . . . Oxford, Mississippi, (which was named for the famed British institution).

One tends to conjure up a variety of clichés about the Deep South, but “Bohemian” would probably be pretty far down the list for most people. Yet Oxford manages to be that, probably because it is home to Ole Miss—the University of Mississippi to the uninitiated—which mashes up young people, arts, academia, and football-mad alumni.

Given the town’s pride in its literary bent, you might consider a visit to Rowan Oak, William Faulkner’s home. It’s just south of The Square, which is adjacent to Ole Miss. I’m not sure the place would make most towns’ lists of attractions, but in addition to its literary connection, it is a beautiful example of plantation architecture.

If you have just a couple of days to spend in Oxford, the good news is that—for a town with a population of 19,000—you will find a good selection of places to eat. In fact, you could satisfy your food needs without ever leaving the influence of James Beard Award winner John Currence.

• The Big Bad Breakfast certainly is the former adjective but not the latter. I asked about the bacon, which is superb, and the secret appears to be Tabasco sauce . . . but should we trust a chef who gives away his secrets?

• The newly opened Snackbar offers a nice bridge between breakfast or brunch and dinner, with a casual bistro feel.

• Finish the day at City Grocery, where you can drink and enjoy comfort food until they pour you back into your beret and send you on your way.

BE WARNED: Oxford has some strange blue laws, including one that makes it illegal to sell refrigerated beer. If you’re hankering for a cold one, or if the Oxford establishments are closed, it’s a fairly short drive to Waterford, where you can enjoy killer ribs at the Betty Davis Grocery—a dive and a half. (Unusually, Betty Davis has neither phone nor Web site, so just get to Old Oxford Road and follow the staggering masses to 3359.)

For a traditional weekend pastime, it’s hard to beat an Ole Miss clash. With four home games left, including tilts against perennial powers Tennessee and LSU, you should be able to make a game. The Grove is the on-campus green where tailgating begins Friday night for Saturday games and continues into Sunday. Despite the rowdiness, you are expected to show up wearing a collared shirt, tie, and sport coat, or end up feeling low-brow. Pip, pip dude!

Poe’s Baltimore

I’m as much of a bandwagon jumper as the next person, and with the Vikings being 5–0, I thought I would cover the home towns of the purple’s next few opponents.

Baltimore comes to the Twin Cities this week—and it’s a great city to visit.

Most visits to the city start at the Inner Harbor. A seaport for 300 years, the place fell on very hard times, only to be re-created in the last 25 years into an example of “good development.” If you only have a short time in Baltimore, this is the place to go—it has shops, restaurants, museums, and an aquarium. If the water taxis are running, they offer a great way to build a plan of attack for what you want to see in the Inner Harbor.

Baltimore is famous for its seafood and, fortunately, I can recommend one place where you can stay AND enjoy some amazing food that’s uniquely Baltimorean. Abarcrombie Fine Food and Accommodations features just 12 rooms and a small restaurant, but if you can get in, do it. For dinner, the sweet corn bisque and “breakfast for dinner” (ahi tuna, potato pancake, hollandaise, and poached egg) are superb.

Throughout October, the city is hosting a series of arts-related events under the banner of Free Fall Baltimore. More than 300 events are planned during the 31 days, and all of them are free. Attractions range from museums to music, from modern to ancient, and from crafts to churches.

One attraction that’s great to visit anytime is the Baltimore Museum of Art, which is participating in Free Fall this year. Its featured exhibit is titled, “Baltimore Inspired by Poe.” The museum is displaying rare items by artists such as Gauguin and Manet that were inspired by Poe’s literary works.

For those in a more macabre frame of mind, the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe hovers over the city, and he’s finally getting a proper sendoff. Born 200 years ago, Poe was found shortly before his death at age 40, disoriented and wandering the streets of Baltimore. He was buried with no fanfare and only a handful of people attended.

This year, the city is rolling out the dead carpet, with many special events planned. Unfortunately, you just missed a series of funeral-related events that included a viewing of his body, followed by a formal procession and funeral.

To come full circle, the name of Baltimore’s NFL team is taken from one of Poe’s most famous poems, “The Raven.”

Inner Harbor photo courtesy of Iracaz.

Palm Reader

The recent dreary weather got me thinking about one of the few places in Florida where I might consider spending more than a short vacation. Palm Beach County is one of the largest counties east of the Mississippi River, and it offers more diversity and interest than much of the rest of Florida.

You can enjoy memorable accommodations, a wide array of terrific food . . . and, of course, you can lounge on the county’s 47 miles’ worth of beaches. The area is slightly more grown-up than much of Florida, so it’s a good place to catch up on those trashy novels you just can’t seem to find time for at home.

One of my favorite warm weather resorts is the Brazilian Court. Despite its name, the Brazilian has a more Mediterranean feel, very cool and understated. Plus, the food at the hotel’s Cafe Boulud is some of the best “hotel food” I have enjoyed anywhere.

It’s also worth a visit to The Breakers. Newly refurbished to the tune of $250 million, the place has been restored to its late-1800s grandeur and truly is amazing, with more historic connotations than most places in the Sunshine State. The scale of the common rooms will blow you away, and the service is unparalleled; I attended an event there once where there were FOUR servers for every guest. Neither my plate nor my glass was ever empty.

For a very different experience, visit the Hotel Biba. It’s actually two experiences in one. Inside, the place is modern and vibrantly colored; outside, it’s very Zen-like and calm. Strange, but relaxing. . . . Sorry, did I nod off?

For a standalone eatery, consider the Amici Ristorante and Bar. Palm Beach is big on the “society thing,” and this is one of the local hubs for being seen. The food is Italian and quite good, but the main reason I mention the place is that I enjoyed one of the weird experiences that make travel interesting. I was in the area for business and stumbled upon Amici. About halfway through my meal, a wandering harpist—yes, you read that right—started entertaining us. The guy rolled his huge instrument around the dining room for some time; this may have been a one-time thing, but it has always stuck in my mind.

Palm Beach is one of the few places in Florida about which I have memories that last. Think of the sun and sand as the rain and cold start up again this weekend.