Golf in Mr. Jefferson's neighborhood, Charlottesville, Virginia.
LINKS April 2006
© Dale Leatherman 2006
Opening the drapes over the French doors of my Keswick Hall room, I stared out into a driving rain. Conceding that my tee time was a washout, I proceeded to Plan B. Armed with a map and an umbrella, I set out to discover why Thomas Jefferson described Charlottesville, Virginia, as the "Eden of the United States." U.S. Presidents James Monroe and James Madison also chose to live here, and recent arbiters are equally charmed. Among other accolades, the city of 40,000 has made Money magazine's "100 Best Places to Live" list four years running.
My exploration of Mr. Jefferson's neighborhood began at his home, Monticello, the hilltop estate that so vividly reflects his passion for architecture, agriculture, and horticulture. The neo-classical mansion he designed was a 19th-century marvel, with skylights, great expanses of glass, open-air living spaces, and many clever conveniences. Thanks to sensitive restoration of the house, outbuildings and gardens, the estate is an effective time warp, looking as if the master just stepped out for his morning ride.
A half-mile from Monticello I toured and lunched at the circa 1784 Michie Tavern, the sort of place where Jefferson would have met with his neighbor, James Monroe, to discuss farming and affairs of state over a hearty midday meal. I couldn't pass up a tasting at the nearby Jefferson Vineyards, where in 1773 Jefferson initiated what is now a booming Virginia wine industry.
The rain continued, but I pressed on to the University of Virginia, which Jefferson designed in his 70s after retiring from public service. His "Academical Village" lies at the heart of a vibrant campus known simply as "The Grounds" by locals. The white-domed Rotunda, patterned after Rome's Pantheon, faces a terraced lawn bordered by rows of Federal-style houses (faculty housing), connected by colonnaded walkways and tiny Lawn Rooms where exemplary fourth-year students live. Judging by the messages scribbled on the rooms' note boards, student life hasn't changed much: "Derek is a hottie." "Good luck on the thesis." "Party tonight!" Edgar Allen Poe's room is here, a Spartan shrine to a student who probably was not considered a "hottie" in his day.
Chilled and hungry, I hustled back to my cozy room at Keswick Hall. The massive Italianate building was built as a private home in 1912 and evolved into a country club and then a hotel. Since acquiring the property in 1999, Orient-Express Hotels has renovated the hotel's 48 guest rooms, added a new restaurant, bar and swimming pool, and is revamping the Arnold Palmer golf course, centerpiece of a pastoral 600-acre estate.
That evening, seated next to a crackling fire in the hotel's elegant Fossett's restaurant, I enjoyed delectable beef tartare, foie gras, seared sea scallops and canolli, each course served with perfectly matched wines. Chef John Brand, highly touted by food critics, has my vote, too.
Sunshine prevailed the next morning as I played the Keswick course, a 1930s layout redesigned by Palmer in 1992. New back tees have been added, stretching it to about 6,800 yards. A pleasant ramble through hilly terrain spiced with lakes, streams, wetlands and big oak trees, the course is almost always in view of stately Keswick Hall and distant mountains. At round's end, the Keswick Club offers respite in the bar, restaurant, spa and/or indoor pool.
That afternoon I checked into 200 South Street Inn, two late 19th-century homes nicely restored and furnished with English and Belgian antiques. Many rooms have fireplaces, and there's a cozy common area for continental breakfasts and afternoon wine and cheese parties. I walked the two blocks to the Downtown Mall, a bustling pedestrian promenade lined with shops, galleries, restaurants and bookstores. Charlottesville is a book-loving town. Thousands attend the annual Festival of the Book in March, and several well-known authors, including John Grisham, Tami Hoag and Rita Mae Brown, live in Albemarle County.
Another local is Sissy Spacek, whom I noticed at a table near mine in the Bizou, a comfortable bistro with old movie posters and a menu featuring dishes such as cornmeal-crusted catfish quesadilla and grilled quail salad. I browsed the Mall, lingering in several galleries. Most, like the Sage Moon, feature works by local artists with national reputations. That evening I treated myself to plump fresh oysters on the half shell and a big helping of steamed mussels with a mug of local Starr Hill brew at the chic Blue Light Grill and Raw Bar.
The next morning I was back on the golf trail—actually, the new Monticello Golf Trail that links Keswick with two other outstanding golf resorts--Wintergreen and Boars' Head--and an exciting new golf club, Poplar Grove. . . .
Contact me to read the entire story or to discuss second rights or a rewrite. daleatherman@cs.com