Recently my mom and I went on a weekend long girls trip, something we are trying to do every couple of years. In honor of what would have been my late Grandma’s 99th birthday (Aug 9th), we took a trip back in time to Abingdon, VA. A small town about 3 hours north of Charlotte, Abingdon is rich with history and theater, good eats, and antiques shopping.
Arriving midday Friday, we checked in at “the Martha“. The AC unit had broken in our reserved room so we got upgraded to a quaint suite on the top floor! Built in 1832 the Martha Washington Inn was originally home to General Robert Preston. Nearly 30 years later the home was purchased for $21,000 and turned into an upscale women’s college, and named after first lady of our nation, Martha Washington. It served as a college for 70 years through the Civil War and Great Depression, where it was also used as a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers. In 1935, the Martha was opened as a hotel and has hosted Eleanor Roosevelt, President Harry Truman, Lady Bird Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Elizabeth Taylor. The grounds are centered around a beautiful fountain, lush with bright flowers and large trees. It was calm and peaceful.
Another jewel of Abingdon is the Barter Theater. My grandma once told stories of the Barter Theater, the longest running professional theater in the nation, opening in 1933. It was called the Barter Theater because during the Depression, people could trade goods for a ticket to the show, or “ham for Hamlet”. On Saturday, we were fortunate to see one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen, Exit Laughing. It had us laughing so hard our cheeks hurt. Coupled with a sentimental message of always living life to the fullest, it was a heart warming reminder of why our girls trip tradition is so important.
The remainder of our weekend was filled with a lot of walking, admiring the beauty and history of this small town, antiques shopping, and a lot more eating and drinking. Our first stop for lunch on Friday was 128 Pecan, a quirky small restaurant right off Main Street, with THE BEST spinach artichoke dip (hint: there was bacon in it). The food was comforting and delicious. We strolled back down the brick paved Main Street and popped into Anthony’s Desserts where I had a key lime tart and my mom had a chocolate peanut butter cookie. Needless to say, a quick swim in the hotel pool was needed after that. We rounded out Friday with dinner at Sisters, the hotel restaurant. Bubbly rose’ and braised short rib were our top choices and we were not disappointed.
Saturday was ate our way through the town (again) but fortunately our 15,700 steps were able to negate some of it, at least we hoped. We enjoyed a grand breakfast complimentary of the hotel, followed by a tasty lunch (and dinner too, because it was so good) at The Peppermill. For lunch, a fried green tomato BLT with sweet potato fries, and for dinner, cheese ravioli with veggies and balsamic reduction! MmmMmm!
After the matinee showing of the play, we managed to squeeze in a special tea party for two. Hosted at the inn, we drank hot tea and enjoyed petits fours and mini sandwiches, pinkies raised, of course.
Anther highlight of the trip was the neat trinkets and memories we found in the many antique shops we visited. Saturday morning we started the day with an early visit to the local farmer’s market, where we picked up some locally made beef jerky and jewelry. We topped off the weekend with olive oil tasting, art galleries, and an international food shop.
Overall, we had an amazing trip and enjoyed all that Abingdon had to offer. Bursting with history and beauty, this small town was just what we needed for a fun, relaxing, and food-filled getaway. I was so lucky to share this trip with one of my best friends for life and I know Grandma was smiling down!
charlottecajunqueen.com 