AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

Hanging Out

IN GREAT FALLS, VIRGINIA

Heading to Washington DC to renew my husbands EU passport was quite a long drive from our mountain home. We broke it up by visiting relatives along the way in Tennessee and Virginia. Cousins on my mother’s side have always made their home in the Virginia suburbs around the DC area and they had just finished and moved into a new house in Great Falls.

I had never heard of or visited the area before so I was excited to plan a trip and catch up with them. I loved their contemporary farmhouse home and was charmed by the little town square with all the shops and restaurants they had to choose from in a very walkable neighborhood.

ARRIVING FOR DRINKS

The traffic along 81 was unbelievable the day we were trying to get to Great Falls. Stops and starts made for an extra hour or two on the drive so we were happy to get in near dark where my cousin and his British wife had lovely gin and tonics waiting for us.

When I say lovely it really doesn’t capture just how good these drinks were. I’m not much of a fan of gin anymore. I used to love martinis but tired of it along the way and drifted to less strongly flavored vodka. These two elements have brought me back into the G&T family.

Bloom London Dry Gin is so floral and flavorful which was highlighted by the Fever-Tree product of elderflower tonic. This tonic is so good it works with vodka and other liquors just as well as it does gin. I felt the drink was so tasty overall that it made you want to sip and savor much more slowly.

I am still experimenting with the many uses of the tonic and Fever-tree also has Pink Grapefruit, Distillers Cola, several flavors of Ginger Beer and Ale along with Lemonade. Check out their website for the products as well as hip recipes for their use in drinks for your upcoming holiday parties. Thanks Cuz for sharing some great tips with me for my readers! 😉

Once we had our drinks down they put a fabulous meal on the table grilling steak kebobs with fresh veg from my cousins gardens and pots that included some amazing small sweet tomatoes that just exploded with flavor in your mouth. Paired with fresh warm bread and butter the simple meal was a perfect ending to the day.

FARMHOUSE CHIC

The next morning I got up early to enjoy the sunrise on the front porch where my cousin gets the perfect light for those tomato pots I spoke about above. The porch has a lovely view of their front yard where she continues to plant the landscape she has designed for them and for many other customers.

When the heat of the sun became too much I retreated to read on the back porch which also overlooks the trees and plants that have been lovingly planted to provide the much needed shade as years go by. While I was reading, the church bells began to softly chime a sweet hymn I readily recognized.

When finished, the clock chimed the time and my cousins told me it does so at particular times of the day such as for drop off and pick up times at the local school. It reminded me of my days at university when I lived in the dorm across from the campus square with a similar clock. The bird feeders were a morning area of action drawing my attention to all kinds of colorful specimens fighting over the seeds. Their home is peaceful, quiet and beautifully designed-we enjoyed our stay.

GREAT FALLS VILLAGE CENTRE

After breakfast, we decided to make a run to the small Village Centre for a look around. While it is very walkable even from the house, we drove and found parking with no trouble. The design and signage along with a charming gazebo set the tone.

An artist atelier was not open on the Monday we visited but a look-see in the window displayed some beautiful things on offer. Services like physical therapy and jewelry repair mean longer rides to other areas of town are unnecessary. There are also a good assortment of restaurants offering Italian, English Pub, Asian and Indian and more.

My cousins decided they wanted to pick up sandwiches at one of the restaurants to pack as a picnic for a visit to Great Falls Park; one of the most visited Federal parks in the state. So we grabbed some Italian subs, chips and drinks and drove on over to find us the perfect spot to enjoy our lunch.

GREAT FALLS PARK

The drive into the park was interesting with private homes on hills with a view to the breathtaking falls that have named this little town. Parking was easy and we found a nice table across from an obvious family reunion that was loud and having fun with their games.

After finishing our picnic we took a walk to the observation deck for some great pics of the falls. They create some very challenging white water rafting as well as some tricky hiking opportunities. While this park could use some federal funds for repairs and gardening, I could still see why it is so popular with visitors and it helped to be able to pick up some mango popsicles at a vendors window on the way out.

BOLLYWOOD BISTRO

After changing and catching up on some news while having some more of those gin and tonics, we talked about our dinner choices and decided Indian was a must. Bollywood Bistro was just a short drive from the house and since we were all still masking up we went early hoping the restaurant would be at its least busy.

FIRST COURSES

The interior was contemporary and colorful with only a small amount of kitsch which I really liked. It smelled nice and spicy with Indian music playing softly in the background. We sat in a nice booth and ordered some samosas and assorted pakoras as a first course with the appropriate sauces and chutneys.

Once I tasted the tamarind and mint sauces I knew I was in a place just like my favorite spot in Atlanta that is no longer around. Lightly fried goodies dipped in spicy sweetness was so good with onion, potatoes, peas and cheese. We couldn’t have asked for better and the menu offered a very nice house white wine to go with all if you didn’t want an Indian beer.

Next up was lamb shank vindaloo, chicken korma, yellow lentils and smoked eggplant along with orders of rice and garlic naan bread. This gave us a good feel for the chefs prep of different meats as well as vegetable dishes. All were delicious with that cooked all day tenderness and just the right amount of spice. The bread was buttery with bits of roasted garlic and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro which made the perfect scoop for sauces. The best part? Enough for leftovers for a midnight snack or lunch the next day.

CONCLUSION

I think you can see why even a short visit to this charming town can be a wonderful experience with plenty of opportunities to see incredible sights, discover some new tricks for gin and tonics and eat some of the best food around. Plan a visit soon why don’t cha?

If you enjoyed what you read, you might also enjoy other posts under Edible Fare. There you will find restaurant reviews, recipes, foodie tips and best spots to eat in a variety of cities. I also put emphasis on food and art experiences in my travel posts under Explore the World. Until next time…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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