Harvest at Victoria Valley Vineyard

The past two weeks have been hectic, but not too busy to gather the ripe muscadines from the vine in the backyard. Last year the boys didn’t notice them until it was too late and I had already made a batch of jelly, but this year it’s a free-for-all, and my dreams of grape pie have vanished along with the sweet, succulent berries; luckily I’ve managed to pluck a few before they’re all gone...

The harvest season for muscadines runs into early October, similar to that of grapes here in the Northern Hemisphere. While most of the grapes grown in the Upstate are the native muscadine, there is a winery within an easy drive of Greenville that grows mostly French varietals and produces merlots, cabernets, and blends – Victoria Valley Vineyards.

The Jayne family has been growing grapes and making wine in the Upstate since 2004. The founders, Les and Vicki Jayne, moved to South Carolina from wine country in Ontario, Canada some 32 years ago. They invested in eight French varietals of vines, and in the early 2000s discovered a 47-acre property for sale just north of Scenic Highway 11. The majority of the state of South Carolina does not have the elevation and soil structure to grow grapes, but at 1,300ft in elevation, Victoria Valley Vineyards has both; the winery is on the wine trail that stretches into North Carolina’s mountains.

Victoria Valley has a small annual production, with the focus on sales and tastings at their location just east of Table Rock State Park. The cafe and shop is housed in a beautiful chateau overlooking the vineyards and Table Rock Mountain, and a visit should include a stop on their open-air terrace which is dog (and family!) friendly.

For a taste of Victoria Valley, enjoy a wine tasting at the bar; select 5 wines for $8, including a souvenir glass. Or settle in at one of the tables on the terrace and work your way through a ‘tasting tower’ of five wines ($10, also includes a souvenir glass). We ordered appetizers to keep the kids busy while we tasted; a full lunch menu is available until 3pm after which a small plates & desserts menu takes its place.

A tour of the winery can be arranged by calling ahead. We descended into the dark chill of the lower floor where the oak barrels were lined up, the red wines ageing in those, while the whites await in their stainless steel barrels in the next room. The oak barrels might be from Illinois, but the sights and smells of the winery took me right back to the cellars of Bordeaux, and I savored the slight scent of oak before heading back upstairs.

The proximity of Victoria Valley Vineyards to Table Rock and Highway 11 makes it a perfect stop on an exploration of the Upstate this fall. Whether exploring one of the State Parks or the Jocassee Gorges, or admiring the fall color on a ride down Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11, plan a breather at Victoria Valley. Buy a bottle of wine to open on the terrace or make a selection to bring home with you, but be sure to keep an eye out for more on their harvest festival, which is coming up in the first weeks of October…

Two years ago the Jayne family terraced and replanted the front vineyard, and for the first time planted a couple of rows of muscadine vines. Victoria Valley might be among the rare wineries in South Carolina with French varietals and Vinifera wines, but now that they’ve been in the Upstate a dozen years, they’re becoming as native as the muscadine... For more on Victoria Valley, visit www.victoriavalleyvineyards.com, their facebook page, and Instagram.

Chihuly Nights at Biltmore

If you haven’t yet been to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to see the Chihuly exhibit, you have until the first week in October to see this captivating art installation, the first art exhibition in Biltmore’s historic gardens, and the first garden exhibition of Chihuly’s works in North Carolina.

Solo d'Oro (2017)

Electric Yellow and Deep Coral Tower (2017)

Artist Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor, famous for his environmental artwork. We have our very own Chihuly piece right here in Falls Park – Rose Crystal Tower – although it is constructed of Polyvitro instead of glass (see my post Chihuly Comes to Greenville).

Pergola Garden Fiori (2018)

Red Reeds (2017)

  

We opted for Chihuly Nights tickets, as they include an evening visit to Biltmore as well as daytime admission the day of your evening visit or the following day to the Gardens, Conservatory, Antler Hill Village & Winery, the shops and the restaurant. The only difference between a day and night ticket really seems to be your entry time into the Biltmore House; an evening tour is self-guided and restricted to the First Floor.

Paintbrush Tower (2014)

Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds (2015) outside the Conservatory

You will want to tour the house, as Laguna Torcello II is located in the Winter Garden. It is the only piece located inside the Biltmore House; Sky Blue and Cobalt Fiori is located just outside the main entrance.

Laguna Torcello II (2018)

Sky Blue and Cobalt Fiori (2017)

Portions of the exhibit can be found along the Pergola, in the Shrub Garden, in the Walled Garden and Italian Garden, and in the Conservatory. The centerpiece, Sole d’Oro, is located on the Esplanade, and two more pieces can be found in Antler Hill Village: Alabaster and Amber Spire Towers & Turquoise and Erbium Fiori.

Sole d'Oro (2017)

The orchids in the Conservator almost showed up the Chihuly chandeliers...

Burnished Amber, Citron, and Teal Chandeliers (2017) - one of two in the Conservatory

  

Our visit was made even more interesting by a summer thunderstorm. Not only did we have the gardens to ourselves, the colors seemed more lush and vibrant. In addition there were some fantastic skies serving as a backdrop to the Châteauesque residence.

We saw the storm coming a long way off

Float Boat (2017) and the Italian Garden

  

If Sole d’Oro is the centerpiece, the sculptures in the Italian Garden are a crescendo – the five works are floating in the ponds, water lilies and koi living among them.

Niijima Floats (2018) and the resident carp among the clouds

Fiori Boat (2017), Neodymium Reeds with Fiori Verdi (2014) in background

It was here that I definitely noticed the Italian influence on Chihuly's work. One of the pieces is titled Palazzo Ducale Tower, and it is the oldest in the exhibition. The initial phase of Chandelier exploration culminated in his Chihuly over Venice project, and the ceilings that could not support chandeliers challenged the artist to create towers. I wrote about Venice, Palazzo Ducale and the Murano glassblowing legacy in my post Venice and Lido, Italy.

Palazzo Ducale Tower (1996) in he Italian Garden is the oldest piece in the exhibition

A visit to Biltmore in the coming months offers the Chihuly experience alongside the landscape architecture of Frederick Law Olmstead; it is no wonder that it has taken nearly two years of preparation to host this exhibit, and it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that is worth the trip.

Red Reeds (2017)

Sole d'Oro (2017) as seen from the Statue of Diana

Pulvertornis, Rīgas powder tower

With so many of our friends and family members in Rīga for the Song & Dance Festival, I wanted to highlight one of the more memorable structures in the Old City, Pulvertornis. The Powder Tower was originally part of the defensive system of the town, but can easily be toured this day and age as it houses the Latvian War Museum.

The tower first makes an appearance in historical records in 1330, in those days known as the Sand Tower in reference to the sandy hills opposite the tower. After the Swedes attacked in 1621 not much was left other than the basement. It was on this foundation that the Powder Tower was built, a horseshoe-shaped construction with walls as thick as 10ft in parts facing outwards from the city center (bricks were an expensive choice, and so the wall facing inward was built of wood). The name Pulvertornis refers to its use as a powder storage facility since the 4^th century, although there were also 11 cannons in the tower and a “cannonball catcher,” a ceiling between the 5^th and 6^th floor made of three layers of oak and pine logs. At one point the tower housed a prison, and until around 1883 it was used for the storage of weapons.

When the city’s fortifications were dismantled some years later (see the nearby Zviedru vārti, the “Swedish gate” one of the few remainders of the 17^th century medieval fortification walls), the tower was abandoned. In 1892 the student fraternity Rubonia made a proposal to the city government to utilize the structure as their fraternity house, and the city agreed; in addition to needed repairs, the fraternity would have to pay a symbolic 1 ruble/year in rent. (Fun fact: according to Wikipedia, the fraternity sold the pigeon poop they removed from the tower for 612 rubles, a large sum in those days.)

Among the improvements made to the building were replacing the wooden wall facing the city with a brick façade and adding a roof somewhat resembling that of the present day. However during WWI the fraternity was relocated to Moscow along with the Rīga Polytechnic Institute, and in 1916 the tower was opened as the Latviešu strēlnieku pulku muzejs (the Latvian Riflemen's Regiment Museum) which was renamed the Latvian War Museum in 1919.

There is no admission to visit the war museum, one of the oldest and largest in Latvia. The museum’s mission is to “reveal to the public the complex military and political history of Latvia, with particular emphasis on the 20th century, during which the Latvian nation had to fight for its independence twice.” A significant portion of the museum’s collection consists of military and political artifacts from the 20^th century, and permanent exhibits include WWI, WWII, the illegal Soviet occupation and the restoration of independence in 1991.

While geared more towards adults than children, kids will find portions of the museum interesting and possibly less frightening than other history museums in the city. The walls still contain cannonballs, bricked in to commemorate the Second Northern War, and the costumes/armor, weapons and historical trivia might be of interest to them while the adults do some more in-depth reading. We found it interesting to explore the interior of what is an icon of the Vecrīga streetscape, and the lack of admission meant we could duck in when our schedule allowed. I definitely recommend a stop at the War Museum for first-time visitors to Rīga, as it provides a comprehensive look at the history of this 800 year old city in an easily-digested format.

The Black Lagoon and Wakulla Springs

Billed ‘strange and mysterious waters,’ a 6,000-acre sanctuary is hidden away in a quiet corner of the Florida panhandle, 30 minutes from Tallahassee and more than an hour from St. George Island. However the unique cinematic history as well as its incredible geographic features convinced us to make the trip to Wakulla Springs State Park, and we were so entranced that we are already making plans to return!

The deepest part of the spring is just beyond the buoy

The heart of the park is Wakulla springs, one of the largest and deepest in the world. The freshwater springs are a result of the unique geology created by the prehistoric seas that once covered the area; when the seas retreated they left behind sandy soils over limestone, and when water eats away at the limestone, holes develop. The result is called ‘karst,’ and the holes and tunnels (resembling Swiss cheese) are linked in an enormous underground cave system that serves as the aquifer for the region. The freshwater springs are 185 feet deep with a flow rate of 250 million gallons of water per day.

Several underwater scenes for the 1954 horror movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon” were filmed in Wakulla Springs, as well as Tarzan movies from the 1930s, “Return of the Creature,” “Night Moves” and “Airport 77.” The clear water of the deep spring along with the tropical vegetation growing along the Wakulla River (and the alligators that go with it!) make for ideal filming conditions. If you take the boat tour your guide might point out some of the spots utilized most frequently in filming.

One of the River Tour boats making the rounds

One of the boys’ favorite portions of our visit was the boat tour. When the water is clear enough, the Park offers glass-bottom boat tours over the spring itself, however on our visit rainfall (with higher nitrogen levels) and the invasive & exotic species of hydrilla and algae had teamed up to create a dark water day; on these days visibility in the basin is too low to permit the glass-bottom boats to operate. However, the 3-mile River Tour operates 365 days a year (with exceptions for extreme weather) taking visitors up the river among the giant bald cypress trees to see alligators, native birds, turtles and other wildlife up close. The morning of our visit dozens of alligators were taking advantage of the warm day to sun themselves on the banks, and a manatee was seen on its way out to the coast to feed; the gentle giants cruise the waters in the summer, and a pod has been known to winter around the springs where the water stays a constant 70° year round.

See it?

The tour guide was very knowledgeable on the flora and fauna of the park, but also the historical aspects. Archaeologists have uncovered giant Mastodon bones and evidence of inhabitants dating back more than 14,000 years in the area! A complete mastodon skeleton recovered from the spring is on display at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee.

Clockwise from left: white ibis, hooded mergansers, male anhinga (during breeding season flesh around the eyes turns bright emerald green), double -crested cormorants and the common gallinule

The river boat tour presented an opportunity to get up-close views (and identification) of wading birds, anhingas, grebes, ducks, and many others.  A number of species breed and raise their young in the waters of Wakulla River, and migratory species travel through from fall through spring. For boat tour pricing please see the Wakulla Springs website.

A cooter sunning itself among the cypress knees

It isn’t necessary to take the boat tour to see the spring, however. The deepest spot is adjacent to the swimming area, and a dive tower allows for viewing the spring and a two-story perch to plunge into the cool waters. The historic tower used to be four stories; I will admit jumping off the bottom level provided enough excitement for us, and swimming/jumping is at your own risk – no lifeguards are present. Also, swimming and snorkeling are limited to this designated swimming area (alligators!), and although scuba diving is allowed at some designated sinkhole areas, the Wakulla Springs are off limits.

Then and now. Historic photo source here

Another way to see the park is on the 9 miles of trail, either on foot, bicycle or horseback. The Nature Trail leads through southern hardwood and maple-cypress forests, with several state and national champion trees along the way. The entrance to the Cherokee Sink trailhead is on Hwy 61 two miles south of Hwy 267, and leads 1.4 miles to an 80 foot deep sinkhole lake. On the Riversinks Tract of the park visitors can hike the Bob Rose Trail, which follows the cave system and showcases karst features such as dry and wet sinks, swallets, and collapsed caves. On our visit we stopped at Sally Ward Spring, the reason why the area is called Wakulla SpringS, not spring; the second, 18ft deep spring is located near the park entrance and flows into the Wakulla River just downstream of its sister spring.

Placards throughout the park describe the biological, historical and other features that make Wakulla Springs so unique. It was shortly after Edward Ball purchased the property in 1931 that the Historic Wakulla Springs Lodge was built, and period furnishings include a grand piano, marble checker tables, a massive fireplace and the lodges only TV. The Spanish-Moorish style mansion (Mediterranean Revival architecture) is two stories with 27 rooms, lavished with pink and grey marble (including one of the world’s longest marble counters in the gift shop), and cypress beans and ornate hand painted ceilings grace the grand reception room. Upon Ball’s death in 1981 the property went to the State of Florida, and today the Lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Natural Landmark. Even if you’re not staying/dining in the lodge, plan to stop in, if only to see “Old Joe,” the 11’2” stuffed alligator that was a longtime resident of Wakulla Springs before it was illegally killed in 1966.

Visitors should definitely plan on spending the whole day at Wakulla. We utilized picnic tables for lunch, swam for several hours, toured the grounds, took the boat tour and still had multiple things we wanted to do before we left. In the immediate vicinity of the Park you’ll find other points of interest as well, including state capital Tallahassee, St. Mark’s Wildlife Refuge and the St. Mark’s Lighthouse (on the Forgotten Coast Lighthouse driving tour), the world’s smallest police station in Carrabelle (plus stop here for coffee!), and the National Forest. That evening our route would take us to a favorite spot for Apalachicola Bay oysters back on St. George Island, and the next day we would be on our way west through Apalachicola and St. Joe, to Panama City Beach.

Christmas at Grove Park Inn

Hansel and Gretel would not miss this Christmas extravaganza, as it showcases dozens of ginger bread houses and holiday decorations galore! Luckily you don’t have to worry about the waistline, because this is a feast for the eyes, not the stomach… The charming Grove Park Inn in Asheville is a seasonal delight you won’t want to miss this holiday season, and who knows – once inspired, maybe you’ll find yourself building a gingerbread house with the kiddos!

This article can also be found on Kidding Around Greenville.

The Annual Gingerbread Competition at Asheville’s Grove Park Inn

While you may have missed your chance to participate in the famous gingerbread house competition at the Grove Park Inn this year (the deadline to enter the 24^th Annual Competition was November 4^th), you still have plenty of time to plan a visit to this historic Asheville venue; not only will you have the opportunity to view the gingerbread house winners, but the whole family can get into the holiday spirit!

The gingerbread houses are as diverse as they are amazing; on our visit last year we saw everything from clock towers to sleighs to igloos to skate parks. The entries must be constructed entirely of edible materials with the exception of the base, but the ingenuity in construction is simply remarkable. There are four entry categories: adult, teen, youth and child, and entries are judged on overall appearance, originality & creativity, difficulty, precision and consistency of theme. This year judging will take place on November 21^st, and the winning entries in each category (plus the 2^nd and 3^rd place finishers) will be on display starting tomorrow and running until January 5^th, 2017 in both wings of the main floor. You’ll find a map at the information desk in the lobby – yes, the Grove Park Inn is an expansive enough venue that you need a map!

There is no admission charge to view the display, although there is a $10/car parking fee. Half of this fee goes to local non-profits; the list of not-for-profit partners that will benefit from this year's donations can be found here. The Omni Grove Park Inn invites guests not staying at the resort to view the display Sundays after 3pm and Mondays through Thursdays. For more information on hours and the gingerbread competition visit the website, and make sure to keep a lookout for entries from the Upstate; last year an entry from Greer placed second in the teen category, while a Greenville entry in the child category received an honorable mention.

Holiday Decorations

As you walk through the hotel viewing the gingerbread competition winners you’ll see more than a few Christmas trees decorated in all sorts of motifs. My boys’ favorite part of the visit was discovering the elaborate ornaments on these themed trees, deciding on their favorites, and planning which decorations we should have in our home. The giant Christmas tree in the lobby is a perfect place for that family photo, the entire Great Hall filled with the smell of the giant evergreen.

The enormous fire places in the Great Hall are adorned with wreaths, heat radiating out to warm those seated in the area.  Last year there was a gingerbread house in the hall, built by the pastry department. The ingredients included 50 pounds of egg whites, 440 pounds of powdered sugar, 220 pounds of red fondant and 400 pounds of bread flower! Visitors could purchase hot beverages and gingerbread from the gingerbread house, and then settle into the giant rocking chairs near the fireplace with hot chocolate to enjoy the holiday bustle.  Spend a little more time than just a couple of minutes in the rocking chairs – sitting by a roaring fire in a relaxing chair is part of the mystique of the Inn that should not be glossed over.

The grounds

 The original Grove Park Inn was built in 1913 and over the years has grown to encompass a golf course, spa, sports complex, 5 restaurants, 3 bars and a café. To truly appreciate the scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains it is worth stepping out onto the veranda, or even descending down into the gardens and spa area.  This descent via outdoor stone staircases is also a good use of the kids’ extra energy; ask them to take a photo of the Inn from the lowest level...

The view of the front of the hotel is also quite grand, and after imagining the long-ago sound of horse-drawn carriages rattling across the cobblestones you might want to take a short stroll. From the front of the hotel up to Sunset Mountain is a short hiking trail that is appropriate for all skill levels and ages that will let you work off whatever delectable you may have bought at the Inn, but will also let you appreciate the spectacular natural setting of the Grove Park Inn. Then, as you set off on the drive home take a minute to determine whether you should enter next year’s Gingerbread Competition – or once more return as a spectator to this wonderful annual event.

See Ruby Falls!

Chattanooga is about a four/five hour drive from Greenville, depending on which route you take; too far for a day trip but close enough for a weekend road trip. I’ve had my eye on the Tennessee city as a possible destination for some time based on feedback from friends who had made the trip, and although I had driven through it many times on my way from Chicago to Georgia (when I lived southeast of Atlanta) I knew very little about this town rapidly gaining popularity among outdoor enthusiasts. With the grandparents in town we decided to head west to the “Scenic City” to see what we could see.

Our first day in Chattanooga was a cold, dreary, rainy January day. The plan was to visit the attractions on Lookout Mountain, but seeing as the only thing that could be seen from the summit were clouds, we opted to stay indoors. Well, sort of.

In 1928, Leo Lambert and a team of excavators found a breathtaking waterfall located 1,120 feet below the surface of Lookout Mountain. They were attempting to drill an entrance to a cave off the Tennessee River that had been sealed when a rail line was built, and instead encountered a previously unexplored opening. Crawling into this chasm the team discovered an underground waterfall, later named after Lambert’s wife, Ruby. Opened as a public attraction in 1930, Ruby Falls draws thousands of visitors each year.

We parked and entered the “Cavern Castle,” constructed entirely of limestone excavated in the 1920’s when installing the elevator. After purchasing our tickets we waited for the next tour to begin, and soon we were assembled near the elevators to start our descent into the heart of the mountain.

From the elevators it is about ½ mile through a narrow, winding path to the falls. Interesting stalagmite and stalactite formations were marked and illuminated, some more interesting than others. It was about 60˚F underground, warm enough that we could leave our winter coats in the car, and the passage was well-illuminated albeit rather uneven, the largest hazards being a stumble or a bump on the head for us taller folk (or the need to use the facilities, as the closest restroom is back on the surface!). Vilis rode in the backpack carrier, a tight squeeze in a few places but still preferable to carrying him on the hip, and the guide was chatty and knowledgeable while a short video emphasized the historical points of the cave. Finally, some 40 minutes later we arrived at the falls.

Ruby Falls is illuminated by a light show which is automatically turned on and off for the various groups. When we arrived it was off, the waterfall audible but not visible. Once the light show started we had about 5 minutes to jockey for position at the railing to take photographs and admire the falls – then the lights went off and the guide started herding us back. In my opinion the ticket prices to this attraction are rather steep, and although I understand that there must be a high overhead for all employees, insurance, lighting etc., I feel that we should have had a little more time at the falls – it was disappointing to feel rushed. The light show also means that you don’t get the view of the waterfall that is shown in the brochure – instead it is fluorescent purples and pinks and blues – also beautiful, but more emphasis placed on the theatrical rather than natural wonder.

Upon emerging aboveground we climbed the tower to see if the weather had cleared. It hadn’t. However, we had a great view of the solar panels that power LED light show. If it wasn’t raining we could have spent some time on the playground, but as it was we headed down the mountain to find lunch. Ruby Falls has snacks for sale, a ziplining adventure, gem mining for kids and various other side attractions, and they offer special events such as lantern tours, holiday lights and even weddings – see website for details.

While there are dozens of caverns and caves in the region, Lookout Mountain is the only one with such a spectacular waterfall. According to the website, it is the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public. In addition to the great views of the Tennessee River valley, Ruby Falls is on the National Register of Historic Places, a rather famous attraction for almost 100 years. However, the passage to the falls was mostly excavated, so although there were some interesting natural formations, the cave itself didn’t compare to other caves we’ve visited (such as the Cave of Antiparos) – it was the waterfall that made this attraction. Finally, if it weren’t for the super-short time at the falls I would recommend this as a must-see in Chattanooga, however based on our experience I instead suggest this as a rainy-day adventure or an excursion offering something different once you’ve exhausted the outdoors options available on Lookout Mountain.