With parades, carols, and lots of old-school personality, these villages are steeped in history and tradition.
ABINGDON
VIRGINIA
If Frank Capra had made a Southern version of It’s a Wonderful Life, he might have set it in Abingdon, Virginia, with its tree-lined Main Street, scenic Blue Ridge setting, historic Martha Washington Inn & Spa, and legendary Barter Theatre.
TAKE A STROLL
Abingdon’s entire 20-block downtown district is on the National Register of Historic Places, with some homes and buildings dating all the way back to the 1700s. In December, as you meander along Main Street, Plumb Alley, and Valley Street (they run parallel to each other), you’ll see charming old structures trimmed with festive holiday greenery.
SEE A PLAY
As the State Theatre of Virginia and the nation’s longest-running professional theater, the Barter claims an impressive list of alumni, including Gregory Peck, Ernest Borgnine, Patricia Neal, and Kevin Spacey. Find performance dates and times at bartertheatre.com.
EAT & DRINK
Start off at Zazzy’Z Coffee House, where the Holiday Blend is a much-anticipated town favorite (zazzyz.com). Get baklava with a side of history at Balkan Bakery (located inside Zazzy’Z). Owner Angela Cvetkovski serves Eastern European delicacies with centuries-old recipes like Cherry Strudla as well as Spinach and Feta Burek (thebalkanbakery.com). At BoneFire Smokehouse on West Main Street, order a juicy pulled-pork sandwich (facebook.com/bonefire smokehouseabingdon). The Tavern Restaurant serves hearty dinners in Abingdon’s oldest building. Enjoy an after-dinner cordial selected for you by chef Joe Fugo (abingdontavern.com).
GO SHOPPING
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017-Ausgabe von Southern Living.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017-Ausgabe von Southern Living.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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Forging a Legacy - A Fredericksburg, Texas, couple is creating a new class of heirloom cast-iron cookware
When Jay Mallinckrodt pitched the idea of crafting cast-iron cookware to his wife and business partner, Heather, in 2020, she was hesitant. I immediately said no, she recalls with a laugh. But I finally agreed as long as we made something that we would actually want to use ourselves. Like many others during the initial throes of the pandemic, their multigenerational family operation, Heartland Enterprises (which specializes in machining parts for jet engines and gas and oil equipment), was seeing a lull. “No one was flying; no one was drilling, says Jay. So we had time to try something different.
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Oktober Feast!
While I respect your right to serve spooky food in October, you won't find any gory grub at my house this month. Instead, I'm hosting a gathering that's inspired by biergartens across the pond. The focus of the menu is a fondue made with Gruyère cheese and crisp Riesling-like beer-cheese dip but more elevated. It's served with a smorgasbord of dippers such as smoked sausage, grapes, apples, and a few amped-up store-bought snacks, like Mustard-Glazed Pretzel Bites and Smoked Paprika Potato Chips. (Just one taste, and you'll want to add this spice to every bag you open.) Pour yourself a Cider Shandy, and get ready for a good time. Prost, y'all!
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