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Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
‘There's a menace, an edge to life in America that wasn't there before. And the possibility of dark stuff'
Night after night on the drive from the White House to the family home in McLean, across the Potomac in Virginia, Zbigniew Brzezinski would recall the events of the day into a recorder as he watched the city slip by from the rear window. He couldn't have known it then, but he was speaking to an unlikely future lunch companion and a collaboration he would not live to see. Edward Luce, now the Financial Times' US national editor and columnist, was a schoolboy in England when Brzezinski was at the peak of his influence as national security adviser to Jimmy Carter during the crowded, significant four years between 1977 and 1981 of international crisis and diplomacy. 'I got a radio for Christmas in 1979,' recalls Luce when we meet. 'And I remember running into my parents' bedroom on Boxing Day and telling them the Russians invaded Afghanistan. I had a pretty bad impression then of Brzezinski as an ultra-hawk, which was not a rounded impression of him. I knew of him, but not in the way people knew about Kissinger. I mean, John Cleese was referencing Kissinger in Fawlty Towers.' Brzezinski was a counterweight to Henry Kissinger in the fraught cold war decades: never as famous, not as quotable, but just as consequential. He and Kissinger passed through Ellis Island within six weeks of one another, as adolescents, in 1938. It was the beginning of what Luce describes as a 'frenemyship', with a cinematic arc covering seven decades. The Brzezinski family gave Luce the transcriptions of those recordings when their father died, in 2017, aged 89. To the end, Brzezinski, a precocious Polish emigrant who arrived in Washington via Harvard to become the pre-eminent Sovietologist of the era, remained a fiercely independent thinker – and a Washington outsider. READ MORE Edward Luce. Photograph: Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Fortunately for Luce, he was an immaculate keeper of records. Part of him always mourned his Warsaw childhood, and he developed an intense friendship with Pope John Paul II. Brzezinski's children also gave Luce full access to their father's letters and papers and their blessing to write an unauthorised biography. Luce was hooked, and understood that as well as immersing himself in contemporary histories, he was, as he writes, in 'a race against the actuarial clock' with Madeleine Albright and president Carter among the 100-odd interviewees he sat with in the twilight of their lives. 'It is obsessional,' says Luce, hopping on to the couch in his livingroom on a dazzling Saturday afternoon. Luce is a sprightly 56, quick to find humour and slightly bleary from a Friday evening book-publishing party held in his honour. His wife, Niamh King, who is Irish and director of the Aspen Strategy Group, says the most dedicated guests drifted back here, to their home in Georgetown, to prolong the night. She makes coffee and sets down a plate of Cadbury's Fingers, a treat she correctly predicts an Irish guest will appreciate – and shares the name of the store that stocks them. In the acknowledgments, Luce includes an exchange that became an in-joke during his four years spent on the book: at the dinner table, Niamh asks him to pass the salt. 'SALT 1 or SALT 2?″ comes the absent-minded reply. The term – referencing the strategic arms limitations talks – is a useful metaphor for the vanished world of high geostrategy to which Luce returned. 'It is apocryphal,' he says of the dinner table story. 'But what does Trump call it? Truthful hyperbole. Yeah, it is obsessional. Any other reading is an opportunity lost. It is a vast subject covering about 90 years. You need to include the rivals to Brzezinski and what their Sovietology was: you can't understand him without understanding his context. But it is inexhaustible. You either write a biography properly or not at all. And I felt it was not irrelevant to what happens today.' Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski arrives to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2007. Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters The subtitle to Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski is America's Cold War Prophet. Brzezinski's steadfast view- that the Soviet Union would collapse under the weight of its distinct internal nationalities – was borne out. But his reputation was welded to that of Jimmy Carter. The men could hardly have been more different – the laconic southern Baptist and the bright, abrasive son of Polish aristocrats. They shared an intellectual hunger, a thriftiness that one reviewer described as 'comical tightfistedness' and, perhaps, too, an aloofness that did not go down well in Washington. 'That was a big mistake,' says Luce of the Carters' decision to keep their distance from Washington society events. 'Carter thought the people he was shunning were snobs – but they thought he was being snobbish by spurning them. And there was a sort of preachiness about Carter that really rubbed them up the wrong way. Carter was the first real modern outsider president. The way to fix that was to dive in and immerse yourself. There was a bit of Obama there, too – an impression of being supercilious and above-you-people. Which is not good politics.' After losing the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan, Carter found himself, as Luce writes, 'an orphan of history, disavowed by his party'. But Brzezinski also found himself in the wilderness through the 1980s. 'Yeah. He was really cast out. And he did a lot to get himself cast out. He was extremely rude to people. And his memoirs were ill-advised. He really did lionise himself and take down everybody else – except for Carter,' says Luce, laughing. 'And it was strange – he was actually very generous intellectually with people he thought were worth it. He usually attacked arguments, not people. But that memoir did him an enormous amount of damage. And he was a pariah amongst Democrats for years. The fall of the Soviet Union redeemed him. He was a superstar again. But he was a very restless soul. He was at his best having battles. So he didn't bask in any glory. In the 1990s he got very involved in Bosnia, and that is where Clinton used him. He was very pro-Nato. He really saw through Putin post-9/11 and was a really incisive critic of what was the establishment view. He was not part of the establishment – even in his grandest, most vindicated autumn years, he never was. And I think that is a good thing.' By then, Luce had moved from India, where he was a correspondent with the Financial Times, to Washington, where his weekly columns are frequently scathing of the current administration. He occasionally met Brzezinski for lunch in various haunts and came to like the senior man, who was generous with what Luce calls a 'deep fund of historical memory'. [ No limits? Why the United States could be on the verge of a constitutional crisis Opens in new window ] So Luce has had a busy May, double-jobbing as both guest at the recent FT Spring Festival, where he spoke with the newspaper's editor, Roula Khalaf, about his biography, before turning public interviewer to Steve Bannon. That event closed the show in front of a packed auditorium. The crowd was giddy: evening drinks loomed and Bannon excels at provocation, drawing murmurs of polite outrage when he cheerfully declared the recent papal conclave rigged and predicted that Trump would run for – and win – a third term (the constitutional limit is two terms). Luce has lived in the US for two decades and has travelled enough of the country to understand the reasons why the Maga faithful have come to see Trump as a messianic figure. 'Yes, I can. And as I said to Bannon: I agree with half of what you are saying. The diagnosis is good. But ... habeas corpus being suspended does not follow 'this is a plutocracy'. He is correct. It is a plutocracy. And the Left is too much a part of it. They are the cognitive and managerial elites who don't want to upset their part in the firmament. And until they get fire in their belly – and it has to be populist – then Trump or Trump-like figures are going to win or have a really good chance, assuming the system is free and fair next time. But Bannon understands that people hate the establishment in America and have pretty good reason to. And with Trump, it is not that people believe what he says. It is that him lying to them sounds more authentic and truthful than the Democrat blow-dried, focus group-tested, risk-averse talking points that so many of them campaign on.' Recently, Luce and Niamh found themselves chatting about the sense of unease they both detect in Washington now. His first experience of the city was as a speechwriter for Larry Summers, who was an avid FT reader, in the carefree 1990s. 'Summers and Greenspan and Rubin and these people – what were they called? 'Masters of the Universe' by Time magazine. When I came back here, the Pentagon was the department, not the treasury. It was a fortress mentality, and a very different town to the one I left. Less pleasant. But nothing like today. Trump has been the real change. Ten years ago, when your plane touched down in Dulles or DCA [Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport], you were coming home. Because we had been here for so long. And you would relax. Now I just tense up wherever I am coming in from. There is a menace, an edge to life. Not just in Washington, but in America, that just wasn't there before. And the possibility of dark stuff. I guess what schoolkids must feel when they do shooting drills. You are suddenly aware of something.' If Kamala Harris won ... in some ways it would have been darker than what we are going through now. I think the country would have broken down For the first time, he finds his 'heart skips a beat' going through emigration as a green-card holder. It is just six months into the new administration. It is impossible to predict the state of the nation in 2028. And there are no heavyweight strategic thinkers of Brzezinski's ilk to be found in government in Washington any more. Luce's biography, which has received uniformly dazzling notices, is a salute to a vanished age of intellectual and moral rigour. Luce's daughter Mimi, in a welter of school exam study, pops in to say hello. Luce describes his family background as 'privileged, quite posh ... not moneyed'. His father, Baron Richard Luce, was lord chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth. During the royal funeral, Ed and his father were guests on the popular MSNBC show Morning Joe, co-hosted by Joe Scarborough and Brzezinski's daughter, Mika: the hosts are a couple. Luce walks across to the bookcase and finds a photo-still of the television appearance. He had advised his father about video-link decorum. 'Just: please don't put the iPad up your nose.' His father paid no heed and then delighted in telling the hosts that Ed had been expelled from school in his younger days. 'It was excruciating,' says Luce cheerfully. 'But it was good television.' Then US vice-president Kamala Harris shakes hands with her presidential rival Donald Trump during a debate last September. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty London will always be home, even if Britain, post-Brexit, feels 'very Lilliputian and kind of grey'. But still, there were times last year, with the political atmosphere truly poisonous and the election forecasts see-sawing between Trump and Kamala Harris, that the family 'were seriously considering, if Kamala Harris won, we could actually move to London'. 'In practice, it would have been the Weimar Republic on steroids,' he explains. 'In some ways it would have been darker than what we are going through now. I think the country would have broken down. So, the Trump victory was the least-bad outcome in terms of social stability and the worst in governance. There would have been violence.' Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America's Cold War Prophet is published by Simon & Schuster in the US and Bloomsbury in the UK. Ed Luce will appear at the Dalkey Book Festival on Friday and Saturday, June 13th and 14th
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Richest Places In Virginia As Revealed By Latest Census Data
Modern townhomes in the historic city of Alexandria and the waterfront property along the Potomac ... More River in northern Virginia. The greater Washington, D.C. area, especially along the Potomac, is home to many of the wealthiest cities in Virginia. In recent studies, U.S. states have been analyzed in order to identify the richest cities there. Several of these studies examined states in the U.S. South, such as the wealthiest cities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, and many others in the region. Here, it is Virginia's turn to receive this analysis. Read on and find out what the richest city in Virginia is, as well as the top 20 wealthiest places in the state. To define the 'richest city in Virginia,' data was sourced from the Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (which is the latest data available), including median household income, mean household income, median home value, and median property taxes paid, and then analyzed and scored each one of these factors, assembling a list of the top 20 richest cities in Virginia. In order to fully comprehend the figures, there are some important things to note about Census data. The Census Bureau measures median household incomes up to $250,000, with households earning more being denoted as '$250,000+'. The Census does this also with median home value, which goes up to $2 million, with everything above that being expressed as '$2,000,000+'. Lastly, the same limits apply to measuring median property taxes paid, which go up to $10,000 and any amount above that is denoted as '$10,000+'. This makes the mean household income particularly useful in this analysis of the wealthiest cities in Virginia. Unlike median household income, the Census Bureau provides mean (or average) household income with exact values for every city in Virginia. All four of these metrics were scored, summed up, and then ranked by the cities' combined scores. Another aspect of the Census to point out, and is particularly relevant to Virginia, is the Census-designated place — CDP. The Census, more or less, treats CDPs as cities — their terminology is 'place' — and this list will treat these places the same way. So, if you see a place on this list that you don't consider or isn't considered a city, it's because of the Census Bureau's geographical designation of them as 'places.' Below you'll find a table detailing the top 20 richest cities in Virginia and their respective dollar figures for each metric: The No. 1 richest city in Virginia is probably not that well-known compared to the wealthy cities in the Washington, D.C. area. Keswick is a small town east of Charlottesville, where the University of Virginia is located. Part of the reason Keswick may not be well-known is it only first appears as a census-designated place in the 2020 U.S. Census. This town is mainly residential, with a mixture of large farms, estates, middle-income, and low-income housing. Over the years, it has gained wealthy residents. The median household income in Keswick is over $250,000. Its average household income is the highest in the state, at $538,732. The median home value is almost $1.117 million. Fortunately for residents here, the median property taxes paid are comparatively low, at $4,559 per year. The second richest city in Virginia is Great Falls, which falls within the wealthy radius of Washington, D.C. Great Falls is northwest of D.C. and northwest of Dulles International Airport, with its northern border formed by the Potomac River. Great Falls is a sizable town, with nearly 5,000 households. Like the No. 1 richest city, the median household income exceeds $250,000, while the mean household income is just a tad under $400,000. The median home value is roughly $1.342 million, while Zillow's figure is over $1.7 million. Unsurprisingly, the median property taxes paid per household is over $10,000. The No. 3 richest city in Virginia is in between Great Falls and D.C. — McLean. This is a fairly large city, with 17,133 households, making it three times bigger than Great Falls. Like Great Falls, it lies along the Potomac River. Its income figures are very similar to those of Great Falls. The median household income is over $250,000. The average household income is $364,591, which is a little over $30,000 less than in Great Falls. The median home value, according to the Census Bureau, is about $1.305 million; according to Zillow, it's almost $1.460 million. Connected to the high home values is the high property taxes. The median paid is over $10,000 per household. The majority of Virginia's wealthiest cities can be found in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This has been the case for a long time. What has changed is that this wealthy radius has pushed farther out. Towns that are up to an hour outside D.C. now fall into this wealthy circle. Plus, there are towns in more rural areas of Virginia that have witnessed an injection of wealth as people have looked for new markets to plant themselves.
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
WILL Interactive Wins TELLY Awards for Groundbreaking Immersive Training
POTOMAC, MD, UNITED STATES, May 28, 2025 / / -- WILL Interactive has earned two honors in the 46th Annual Telly Awards, which recognize excellence in video and television across all screens. The awards celebrate WILL's continued innovation in immersive, interactive training and mark national recognition for two standout programs: ● Common Ground Industrial (CGI) received a Telly in General–Education & Training in the Immersive, Interactive & Mixed Media category. ● Cyber received a Telly in Craft–Use of Interactivity in the Immersive, Interactive & Mixed Media category. These programs were among more than 13,000 entries submitted globally and judged by a panel of leaders from top media platforms, production companies, agencies, and networks, including Roku, ESPN, NASA, Hearst, LinkedIn, and more. Award-Winning Programs at a Glance Common Ground Industrial (CGI) CGI is a first-of-its-kind immersive training program created for manufacturing and industrial workforces. Built using WILL Interactive's proprietary interactive movie format, the program teaches essential skills in communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution. Users become the lead characters in realistic stories and learn how to make good decisions regarding safety concerns, interpersonal dynamics, and management pressures in industrial environments. Cybersecurity WILL's course revolutionizes cybersecurity training by sharing immersive stories about actual events. Users are placed in dynamic scenarios involving phishing, ransomware, and insider threats. With multiple decision points and branching narratives, participants learn not only what to look out for but also how their choices affect broader organizational security. This program strengthens awareness, accountability, and proactive defense strategies across the workforce. 'Winning two Telly Awards is an honor,' said Sharon Sloane, CEO of WILL Interactive. 'They recognize and validate that learning makes a more positive and lasting real-life impact when it's fun, challenging, and thought-provoking by depicting real-world events and complexities.' About the Telly Awards Now in its 46th year, The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all platforms. This year's winners include some of the world's most respected brands. In addition to WILL Interactive, other Telly winners include Pixar, Microsoft, MTV, Telemundo, and NASA. According to Telly Managing Director Amanda Needham, 'Our industry is experimenting with new technologies like never before, shaping truly compelling stories to draw attention to some of the world's most pressing issues.' Explore all 2025 winners at About WILL Interactive WILL Interactive is the world leader in immersive training for improving human decision-making and on-the-job human performance. For over three decades, WILL has delivered award-winning, story-based training based on real events that help solve real-world challenges in compliance, safety, inclusion, cybersecurity, leadership, and culture. WILL's Interactive Behavior Modification System has been proven effective in nine independent studies and are trusted by hundreds of leading organizations, including the U.S. Government (DOD, DOS, TSA, USDA), National Football League, Mercedes-Benz, Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Yale New Haven Health, Hospital Sisters Health System, Disney and over 500 others. Explore WILL Interactive at For media inquiries, please contact Sharon Sloane at [email protected] or call 301-983-6006. Sharon Sloane WILL Interactive +1 301-983-6006 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
I've Lived in Virginia for 30 Years—and This Peaceful Peninsula Might Be the State's Best-kept Secret
The northernmost of Virginia's three peninsulas, the Northern Neck is a tranquil escape on the Chesapeake Bay. The Tides Inn offers a serene experience with activities like bird-watching and oystering. Head to Willaby's for riverfront dining, Adrift for creative, locally sourced meals, and Merroir for oysters directly from the farm. Explore the natural beauty at Hughlett Point, go hiking at Belle Isle State Park, or take a boat tour with Sweet Sea Charters. Though there's not much in the way of nightlife on the Northern Neck, Camp provides live music and a social between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers on the Chesapeake Bay lies a Virginia escape that offers tranquility in spades. To cross the bridge to the peninsula known as the Northern Neck is to leave behind modern life for a place seemingly unmoored by its demands. The birthplace of George Washington, James Madison, and James Monroe, the Northern Neck is steeped in history. And, at times, it can feel stuck there, too. The region's 1,100 miles of shoreline outnumber its roads and traffic lights combined. And, its density of roughly 50 people per square mile is less than half of one percent of areas upstream on the Potomac. On 'Northern Neck time,' there's no rush, and the sooner you embrace the region's slower pace of life, the sooner you'll benefit from its effects. It's this relaxed atmosphere that lured chef Devin Rose back to the area in 2018 to open his dream restaurant, Adrift. After growing up in his father's Northern Neck restaurants, Rose left to further his culinary training, then returned to bring the food he loves to the place he loves. Few have better insight into the area's secrets and places to eat. Here's our guide to the Northern Neck region in Virginia. Arguably the jewel of the Northern Neck, The Tides Inn underwent a restoration in 2021 that created a living shoreline with a boardwalk around the property. 'What they've done over the past few years is pretty amazing,' said Rose. Ashore, understated elegance, a spectacular setting, and earnest hospitality conspire to ensure guests unwind in luxury. The inn evokes such a sense of serenity that it tempts one never to leave their Adirondack chair perched above the water. For more active guests, a full-time ecologist, horticulturist, and artist offer experiences like oystering, bird-watching cruises, and pinot and painting art classes. Vacation rentals line the Northern Neck's shores, many with beautiful views and private boat docks. But if you're someone who plans travel around food, the place to book is just over the bridge in the Middle Peninsula. The restaurant Merroir is so alluring that some people spend a whole day there, alternating between oysters, beers, and more oysters. Fortunately, The Oyster Bed, a three-bedroom rental home with excellent guest reviews, is just steps away. As a bonus, guests enjoy access to Merroir's boat docks. Rose suggests starting the day at The Local in Irvington, mingling with locals over custom-blended Blanchard's coffee and a breakfast sandwich or avocado toast. In the next town over, White Stone's Chesapeake Doughnut Co. also serves Blanchard's coffee, along with classic and creative doughnut flavors and tasty sandwiches on homemade biscuits or buns made from doughnut dough. Lee's Restaurant, located in Kilmarnock, has been run by the same family for 80 years. 'It's like stepping back in time,' says Rose. 'And I mean that in the best possible way.' The waitresses call you 'honey' while refilling your sweet or unsweet tea. Order some delicious fried pickle fries, fried spicy green beans, or fried seafood. And at an old-school place like this, wedges of homemade pie for dessert are a must. Throwing parties in college is how William Barnhardt discovered his love of hospitality, and he has run Willaby's ever since—for more than three decades. Sit inside or out at the riverfront pub, which even boasts its own beach. Choose from comforts like Ma's Oyster Stew and seafood sandwiches, and keep an eye out for the live music schedule. And don't leave without an order (or two) of the signature chargrilled oysters. If you prefer to cook, Miss Mary Seafood makes it easy. Seafood runs in the blood of co-owners Tony Ferguson and Lisa Carol, who source from an unrivaled network of local fishermen to offer what Rose calls the freshest seafood in town. They know how to cook it, too, and are happy to advise. 'She's a personality,' said Rose. 'She would do anything for her customers.' It doesn't get more local than this White Stone shop, which sells produce from its nearby farm and other farms that share its sustainable, 'beyond organic' practices. Rose says the 'awesome staff' can help you build a meal from some of the same ingredients he uses at his own restaurant. Or, you can leave the cooking to the shop. For its rotating array of prepared foods, like soups, salads, quiches, hand pies, and stews, the market relies on French Culinary Institute graduate Joe Merolli, whose resume includes NYC's Le Bernardin. Rose's restaurant, Adrift, is the must-get reservation on the Northern Neck. Here, Rose serves whatever inspires him from the local ingredients he brings in each week. 'Fresh is essential' is the mantra he learned while working at The Inn at Little Washington, and it now forms his own cooking philosophy: 'fin to scale, nose to tail, roots to leaf.' On a mission to elevate the palates of locals and visitors, Rose knows some diners move faster than others. So, if raw oysters with kimchi-apple sorbet are not your thing, there are options for more conventional tastes, like Italian Night on Tuesdays and Burger Night on Wednesdays. It's no hyperbole to say cousins Travis and Ryan Croxton single-handedly revived Virginia oystering, a once-bustling industry that was nearly extinct when the Croxtons launched Rappahannock Oyster Co. in 2005. Their oysters are now served at top spots around the country, but there's nowhere better to enjoy them than the restaurant at their oyster farm. At Merroir, diners can gaze at the river while enjoying seafood plucked from it. 'Watch the sunset here,' said Rose. 'It's a beautiful location.' The Tides Inn's renovations also transformed its time-worn dining room into Salt & Meadow, a dazzling restaurant that opened in 2024 with a new look and culinary approach. Wall-to-wall windows and a fresh color scheme of blue hues are designed to bring the outside in for a coastal vibe. New executive chef Kyle Perkins stresses local sourcing and fresh ingredients, including the addition of the property's own farm. 'I love what Kyle is bringing to the community,' said Rose. Even better, you don't have to be an inn guest to enjoy Salt & Meadow's beautiful setting while enjoying a drink at the bar or a meal in the restaurant. Serene enough for a threatened insect species—that could be the marketing pitch for this 104-acre natural area preserve on the Chesapeake Bay. The northeastern beach tiger beetle's inability to endure human disturbance has wiped it out everywhere except three remote corners of the U.S., one of which is Hughlett Point. The state's method to protect the beetle from humans is its parking lot, which fits just 11 cars. When the lot is full, the preserve is full. After a short hike through a loblolly pine forest to the beach, there's a feeling of near-complete detachment from the rest of the world. 'I can't put it into words,' said Rose. 'Go and you'll understand.' For those who prefer more activity, Belle Isle State Park's hiking trails, fishing, and bike and kayak rentals await. With seven miles of shoreline, the 892-acre park has plenty of space to explore tidal wetlands interspersed with farmland and upland forests. The Northern Neck is surrounded by so much water, it would be a shame not to spend time on it. That's where Sweet Sea Charters comes in. When she's not mentoring aspiring female sailors, Morgan Fraczkowski is escorting guests around waterways on Sweet Aria, her 33-foot Endeavour. Guests can choose a package experience or design a custom tour that might begin with a pickup from a coastal Airbnb or marina, and then include sightseeing, waterfront barhopping, or dolphin-watching. To top it off, the yacht serves Boat Boxes with food prepared by Rose himself. For Rose, nothing feels more like the Northern Neck than the drive down Route 695 to its eastern tip, Windmill Point. The road transitions from pine trees to bayberries to marshland until reaching a small beach. Rose says the drive itself is worthwhile, but if you go during the summer, there's a tiki bar to reward those who find it. Though there's not much nightlife on the Northern Neck, Camp may be the closest thing. On weekends from the spring through fall, the private event venue opens to the public. Huddle around fire pits under the stars while enjoying live music, food, and drinks. While the Northern Neck never feels crowded, summer is its busiest time. Late spring and early fall offer optimal tranquility. Early November brings the nearby Urbanna Oyster Festival. While 50,000 people swarm Urbanna for the festival, the Northern Neck is a good base away from the festival crowds, just short trip across the Rappahannock. Remote escapes, by definition, are hard to reach, but the Northern Neck is accessible from a few cities. Richmond is roughly 76 miles west and Norfolk 88 miles south. There's also water everywhere for those who travel by boat. But once on land, you'll need a car. There's no public transportation, not even taxis or ride-share apps. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
25-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I've Lived in Virginia for 30 Years—and This Peaceful Peninsula Might Be the State's Best-kept Secret
The northernmost of Virginia's three peninsulas, the Northern Neck is a tranquil escape on the Chesapeake Bay. The Tides Inn offers a serene experience with activities like bird-watching and oystering. Head to Willaby's for riverfront dining, Adrift for creative, locally sourced meals, and Merroir for oysters directly from the farm. Explore the natural beauty at Hughlett Point, go hiking at Belle Isle State Park, or take a boat tour with Sweet Sea Charters. Though there's not much in the way of nightlife on the Northern Neck, Camp provides live music and a social atmosphere. Nestled between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers on the Chesapeake Bay lies a Virginia escape that offers tranquility in spades. To cross the bridge to the peninsula known as the Northern Neck is to leave behind modern life for a place seemingly unmoored by its demands. The birthplace of George Washington, James Madison, and James Monroe, the Northern Neck is steeped in history. And, at times, it can feel stuck there, too. The region's 1,100 miles of shoreline outnumber its roads and traffic lights combined. And, its density of roughly 50 people per square mile is less than half of one percent of areas upstream on the Potomac. On 'Northern Neck time,' there's no rush, and the sooner you embrace the region's slower pace of life, the sooner you'll benefit from its effects. It's this relaxed atmosphere that lured chef Devin Rose back to the area in 2018 to open his dream restaurant, Adrift. After growing up in his father's Northern Neck restaurants, Rose left to further his culinary training, then returned to bring the food he loves to the place he loves. Few have better insight into the area's secrets and places to eat. Here's our guide to the Northern Neck region in Virginia. Aerial view of the hotel and marina at The Tides Inn. Arguably the jewel of the Northern Neck, The Tides Inn underwent a restoration in 2021 that created a living shoreline with a boardwalk around the property. 'What they've done over the past few years is pretty amazing,' said Rose. Ashore, understated elegance, a spectacular setting, and earnest hospitality conspire to ensure guests unwind in luxury. The inn evokes such a sense of serenity that it tempts one never to leave their Adirondack chair perched above the water. For more active guests, a full-time ecologist, horticulturist, and artist offer experiences like oystering, bird-watching cruises, and pinot and painting art classes. Vacation rentals line the Northern Neck's shores, many with beautiful views and private boat docks. But if you're someone who plans travel around food, the place to book is just over the bridge in the Middle Peninsula. The restaurant Merroir is so alluring that some people spend a whole day there, alternating between oysters, beers, and more oysters. Fortunately, The Oyster Bed, a three-bedroom rental home with excellent guest reviews, is just steps away. As a bonus, guests enjoy access to Merroir's boat docks. Al fresco dining tables at The Tides Inn. Wayne E. Chinnock/The Tides Inn Rose suggests starting the day at The Local in Irvington, mingling with locals over custom-blended Blanchard's coffee and a breakfast sandwich or avocado toast. In the next town over, White Stone's Chesapeake Doughnut Co. also serves Blanchard's coffee, along with classic and creative doughnut flavors and tasty sandwiches on homemade biscuits or buns made from doughnut dough. Lee's Restaurant, located in Kilmarnock, has been run by the same family for 80 years. 'It's like stepping back in time,' says Rose. 'And I mean that in the best possible way.' The waitresses call you 'honey' while refilling your sweet or unsweet tea. Order some delicious fried pickle fries, fried spicy green beans, or fried seafood. And at an old-school place like this, wedges of homemade pie for dessert are a must. Throwing parties in college is how William Barnhardt discovered his love of hospitality, and he has run Willaby's ever since—for more than three decades. Sit inside or out at the riverfront pub, which even boasts its own beach. Choose from comforts like Ma's Oyster Stew and seafood sandwiches, and keep an eye out for the live music schedule. And don't leave without an order (or two) of the signature chargrilled oysters. If you prefer to cook, Miss Mary Seafood makes it easy. Seafood runs in the blood of co-owners Tony Ferguson and Lisa Carol, who source from an unrivaled network of local fishermen to offer what Rose calls the freshest seafood in town. They know how to cook it, too, and are happy to advise. 'She's a personality,' said Rose. 'She would do anything for her customers.' It doesn't get more local than this White Stone shop, which sells produce from its nearby farm and other farms that share its sustainable, 'beyond organic' practices. Rose says the 'awesome staff' can help you build a meal from some of the same ingredients he uses at his own restaurant. Or, you can leave the cooking to the shop. For its rotating array of prepared foods, like soups, salads, quiches, hand pies, and stews, the market relies on French Culinary Institute graduate Joe Merolli, whose resume includes NYC's Le Bernardin. Rose's restaurant, Adrift, is the must-get reservation on the Northern Neck. Here, Rose serves whatever inspires him from the local ingredients he brings in each week. 'Fresh is essential' is the mantra he learned while working at The Inn at Little Washington, and it now forms his own cooking philosophy: 'fin to scale, nose to tail, roots to leaf.' On a mission to elevate the palates of locals and visitors, Rose knows some diners move faster than others. So, if raw oysters with kimchi-apple sorbet are not your thing, there are options for more conventional tastes, like Italian Night on Tuesdays and Burger Night on Wednesdays. It's no hyperbole to say cousins Travis and Ryan Croxton single-handedly revived Virginia oystering, a once-bustling industry that was nearly extinct when the Croxtons launched Rappahannock Oyster Co. in 2005. Their oysters are now served at top spots around the country, but there's nowhere better to enjoy them than the restaurant at their oyster farm. At Merroir, diners can gaze at the river while enjoying seafood plucked from it. 'Watch the sunset here,' said Rose. 'It's a beautiful location.' The Tides Inn's renovations also transformed its time-worn dining room into Salt & Meadow, a dazzling restaurant that opened in 2024 with a new look and culinary approach. Wall-to-wall windows and a fresh color scheme of blue hues are designed to bring the outside in for a coastal vibe. New executive chef Kyle Perkins stresses local sourcing and fresh ingredients, including the addition of the property's own farm. 'I love what Kyle is bringing to the community,' said Rose. Even better, you don't have to be an inn guest to enjoy Salt & Meadow's beautiful setting while enjoying a drink at the bar or a meal in the restaurant. Kayaking during sunset in Belle Isle State Park. Sarah Hauser/Virginia Tourism Corporation Serene enough for a threatened insect species—that could be the marketing pitch for this 104-acre natural area preserve on the Chesapeake Bay. The northeastern beach tiger beetle's inability to endure human disturbance has wiped it out everywhere except three remote corners of the U.S., one of which is Hughlett Point. The state's method to protect the beetle from humans is its parking lot, which fits just 11 cars. When the lot is full, the preserve is full. After a short hike through a loblolly pine forest to the beach, there's a feeling of near-complete detachment from the rest of the world. 'I can't put it into words,' said Rose. 'Go and you'll understand.' For those who prefer more activity, Belle Isle State Park's hiking trails, fishing, and bike and kayak rentals await. With seven miles of shoreline, the 892-acre park has plenty of space to explore tidal wetlands interspersed with farmland and upland forests. The Northern Neck is surrounded by so much water, it would be a shame not to spend time on it. That's where Sweet Sea Charters comes in. When she's not mentoring aspiring female sailors, Morgan Fraczkowski is escorting guests around waterways on Sweet Aria , her 33-foot Endeavour. Guests can choose a package experience or design a custom tour that might begin with a pickup from a coastal Airbnb or marina, and then include sightseeing, waterfront barhopping, or dolphin-watching. To top it off, the yacht serves Boat Boxes with food prepared by Rose himself. For Rose, nothing feels more like the Northern Neck than the drive down Route 695 to its eastern tip, Windmill Point. The road transitions from pine trees to bayberries to marshland until reaching a small beach. Rose says the drive itself is worthwhile, but if you go during the summer, there's a tiki bar to reward those who find it. Though there's not much nightlife on the Northern Neck, Camp may be the closest thing. On weekends from the spring through fall, the private event venue opens to the public. Huddle around fire pits under the stars while enjoying live music, food, and drinks. Colonial Beach is located at the northern tip of Virginia's Northern Neck and is one of the few remaining small seaport towns on the Potomac River. David Lipshaw/Virginia Tourism Corporation While the Northern Neck never feels crowded, summer is its busiest time. Late spring and early fall offer optimal tranquility. Early November brings the nearby Urbanna Oyster Festival. While 50,000 people swarm Urbanna for the festival, the Northern Neck is a good base away from the festival crowds, just short trip across the Rappahannock. Remote escapes, by definition, are hard to reach, but the Northern Neck is accessible from a few cities. Richmond is roughly 76 miles west and Norfolk 88 miles south. There's also water everywhere for those who travel by boat. But once on land, you'll need a car. There's no public transportation, not even taxis or ride-share apps.
