The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast is in Rocky Mount Virginia. Small town charm in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We are just 15 miles to MP121 off The Blue Ridge Parkway. We're at the start of The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail...This ain't your grandma's house. Privacy, Elegance and Great Coffee!
June 30, 2009The Dixie Bee-Liners are an intriguing story. Rumor had it Buddy Woodward was musical director for an off Broadway show and Brandi Hart was the understudy who memorized every part. The fiddler, Renee Johnson, still a teenager, had graduated from the country's only bluegrass program at East Tennessee State. The group supposedly found its guitarist, Jonathan Maness, though an internet want ad, and the banjo player, Sam Morrow, was from England, a long way from Appalachia. All of these rumors were answered once and for all during the interview.
When the group pulled up at our studios, a polite and smiling young man (Jonathan) bounced into the lobby to announce their arrival. We soon discovered the whole group carried their southern hospitality with them, including Sam the English banjo player. Not only were they pleasant, they were thirsty. It was a hot day and in their hurry to be on time they had run out of water. During a time in the music business when extensive contract riders might demand Jagermeister and Jarlsburg cheese, it was refreshing to know that plain old water was the Bee-Liners only request. There's a message in the experience about this kind of music and the people who play it.
The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast has permission from Brandi Hart to play the music of The Dixie Bee-Liners for our guests. They are fantastic and if you have the opportunity to see them live they will knock your socks off. They have a new CD just released called Susanville. You can buy it on Amazon.com here or from their website www.dixiebeeliners.com/
VIRGINIA IS FOR DIXIE BEE-LINERS LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
"Shelor’s Insistent, Driving Banjo Style" and "Henderson is top-notch finger-pickin."
at The Jefferson Center in Downtown Roanoke. Wayne Henderson and Sammy Shelor Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8:00pm Buy tickets hereMEET VIRGINIA - SHE KICKS GRASS!
Sammy got an early start with the banjo, when his grandfather fashioned him a banjo from an old pressure cooker lid when Sam was only four years old. His other grandfather then issued a challenge, promising to buy him a real banjo if the young Shelor would learn to play two songs. Sam met that mark in short order, and with the help of a family devoted both to him and to bluegrass music, he soon found himself entered in contests at fiddler’s conventions near his home in southwestern VA.
By age ten, he was performing in local bands and became a full time professional musician when he graduated from high school, joining The Heights Of Grass at age 19. That band eventually morphed into The Virginia Squires, and brought Sammy into contact with banjo legend Sonny Osborne, who helped shape the young picker’s approach to working as a pro banjo player. Sonny also showed Sam the importance of using a quality instrument, and introduced him to the sound of the pre war flathead Gibson banjos that are now so highly prized by banjo players all over the world.
Since becoming a member of Lonesome River Band, Sammy has been featured on dozens of successful recordings, both with LRB and as a guest player. His solo project, Leading Roll, is still a popular title in the Sugar Hill Records catalog and his work on Knee Deep In Bluegrass for Rebel Records helped that project earn the Instrumental Album Of The Year award from the IBMA in 2001.
As a testament to Sam’s prominence and influence in the banjo world, he has his own signature Sammy Shelor banjo fingerpicks, and a signature model banjo produced by Huber Banjos. His influence on amateur and semi-pro pickers can be demonstrated by a casual walk through the parking lots or jam sessions at any bluegrass event, where licks and phrases which Sam has added to the repertoire are heard alongside those contributed by Earl Scruggs and JD Crowe. Learn more about Sammy Shelor and The Lonesome River Band here
Wayne Henderson's top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia; his guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of "Masters of the Steel-String Guitar", and in seven nations in Asia.
In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about 20 instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson, a good friend who sometimes stops at Wayne's shop in Rugby, VA, to pick a few tunes, owns a Henderson mandolin. He said, "That Henderson mandolin is as good as any I've had my hands on. And that's saying a lot, because I've picked up some good ones."
Some of Henderson's instruments are intricately decorated but are most respected for their volume, tone, and resonance. Blues guitarist John Cephas said that Wayne Henderson "is probably the most masterful guitar maker in this whole United States." There is a waiting list for Henderson's guitars made up of the "famous (and not-so-famous)". Wayne Henderson is inducted into The Blue Ridge Hall of Fame along with Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, The Carter Family, Tommy Jarrell, Dolly Parton etc. Visit Wayne's website here
The Jefferson Center is located in Downtown Roanoke, just a 25 minutes drive from The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast. Consider dining in downtown Roanoke prior to the show - there are plenty of fantastic restaurants near the Center in the Square - Farmer's Market area. VIRGINIA IS FOR PICKIN' GRASS LOVERS Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
Characters tell the story of moonshining in Franklin County. Learn how they made it and why - and some of the more amusing consequences. Actors & interpreters speak about Prohibition, local barrooms, likker makers and drinkers. Ride a vintage tour bus, stopping at 18 scenes around town. Automobiles and folks in period dress dot the streets. See our replica moonshine distillery & let a veteran of the trade tell you how it operated. Meet folks from both sides of the law, hear from the most famous lady rum runner of her time and hear "church women" decry Demon Rum. It's not against the law to talk about making liquor - and that's what we do! 5th annual tour. Choose your departure time for an approximate 1 1/2-hour tour. Rain or shine. A mini fair included this year with vendors offering items associated with local liquid industry.
Book your stay at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast - the Moonshine Express cruises right past this bed and breakfast - in fact some notorious characters can be found directly behind on High Street.
Just for props - a movie is being filmed by John Hillcoat currently based on the best seller by Matt Bondurant"The Wettest County in The World." A fascinating true story if you are interested! Click here for more info.
VIRGINIA IS FOR MOONSHINE LOVERS Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
The fictional Dwight Schrute B&B Beet Farm is ever so popular on Trip Advisor. Has anyone ever really been to Schrute Farm? Nope. Read the 643 reviews here, like "Schrute Farm Beets the Hilton."
Guaranteed we won't make you hoe a beet field, nor have you stay contemplating making it out alive. Schrute Farm made the news as it has over 600 Trip Advisor Reviews and is a fictional Agritourism Bed and Breakfast Farm Stay. Welcome to Schrute Farm - Video salute below.
Information from PopEater Article Here and NY Times article Here Click here for the ORIGINAL OFFICE TRIP ADVISOR CLIP - Funny is an understatement.
VIRGINIA IS FOR REAL B&B LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
We had two breakfast seatings this morning here at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast. This weekend was NASCAR in Martinsville, so we had a houseful of delightful guests. We Love Our Guests! Variety of Guests is the Spice of an Innkeepers Life! Two rooms who won the prize for driving the furthest were from Ontario Canada.
One of the guests from Canada enjoyed this dish so much that I showed him the Claiborne House Biscuit Egg Bake in the oven for round two and gave him a copy of the recipe. I figured I will share it here as well. I have no photos - with a full house two seatings - the first at 730am which means innkeepers are up at 6am prepping breakfast - there was no time for photos. It is on the list!
This is very colorful to serve in the dish family style, precutting and serving it plated is not as attractive, so toss on some garnishes like a strawberry fan or kiwi half. I served this with rosemary salt and pepper potatoes and ham slices. Start with fresh fruit and delicious coffee!
Claiborne House Biscuit Egg Bake
Ingredients
6 Biscuits (frozen variety work well)
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lb cooked and crumbled bacon (use a packet of bacon bits or ham if you prefer)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Separate biscuits. Cut each biscuit into fourths; arrange in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, tomatoes, onions, chilies, salt, pepper and seasoning blend. Pour over biscuits. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes. Makes 8 Huge or 12 Large Servings.
VIRGINIA IS FOR BISCUIT LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
Opening this weekend (Sat March 27th) in downtown Roanoke.
You know the location, 22 Kirk Avenue - same as the Kirk Avenue Music Hall. Parking is easy, location is great and it sounds like too much fun!
This Saturday at The Shadowbox come dressed as your favorite Big Lebowski character as they Celebrate The Dude. From the Coen Brothers, makers of O Brother Where Art Thou - this box office flop The Big Lebwoski now has a faithful cult following. It is rated "R" for adults only.
Starts at 7pm, White Russians (The Dude's favorite drink), Costume Contests and Wii bowling (The Dude's favorite past time).
Guests often ask us what our favorite restaurant is, and that is hard to explain without explaining. If you have come into The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast from driving all day - then we really don't want to send you on a super long drive to find our favorite burger joint or CA Style Mexican restaurant.
The one thing our guests always ask is "Where do we find the southern country cookin'?" and when they arrive on a Sunday and I reply "Uh I think KFC has a chicken pot pie" they are not amused. Okay, so sometimes I try to be funny. Tony is funnier, let's face it, anything with an Aussie accent sounds funny.
In our foyer I have a restaurant list. I have a couple questions for you before I give my answer. Are you starving and dehydrated from hours on the road? Have you been driving more than 3 hours today to get here? If so, then I will recommend a place nearby that is walkable and offers homey home cookin'.
Let me be clear, this is not romantic getaway/date-night material. Don't expect her to be in the mood for smoochin' after your eating liver n onions.
THE HUB RESTAURANT is a family owned and operated little diner just behind us one block. Country cookin' is their specialty. Plate dinners, with country ham, pinto beans, and banana puddin’... You get the idea. I would give you their website but they don’t have one. Until Dec 2009 (just a couple months ago) I was hesitant to recommend The Hub as Virginia was NOT non-smoking, you know they grow tobacco in our county right? So when you walked into this small diner with “three booths and a liars table” where “everything is fried including the ice water” you would walk into a haze of tobacco smoke. But since then, after 50 years of ownership in one family it has now taken on new life! The Harrell Family now owns and operates The Hub.
We do recommend walking to The Hub. Two things to keep in mind – 1) they are CASH ONLY. Yes, this is a small town. 2) They close at 8PM and are closed on Sundays. Yes, this is a small town. So get here before 8pm and as Tony says "You're laughin' "
The Hub is open Mon-Fri 7am to 8pm, Saturday 630am to 8pm. 540.483.9303 245 North Main Street in Rocky Mount VA 24151
(PS “Three booths and a liars table” and “everything is fried including the ice water” is from my favorite author Philip Gulley’s Harmony Series, apparently they have a “HUB RESTAURANT” in Harmony Indiana as well, as he describes it to a T. I asked Philip if I could use those lines and he said he would be happy for me to use it!)
VIRGINIA IS FOR AMERICANA LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
Now that Spring has sprung the animals are coming out of their dens and roaming around to feed, you may see Black Bears in Blue Ridge Country. Most in these parts have never even seen a live bear, as they are shy and prefer to live their lives in private. They are solitary creatures except for dwelling with their cubs and the annual summer breeding season.
However, just a few years ago we made national and world news when a 345 lb bear wandered into our Hospital here in Rocky Mount - a couple blocks from The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast, and perhaps had wandered down our street to get there.The bear was in season and the automatic hospital doors just opened - swoosh swoosh and in it went. My sister called from Ireland after seeing it on the BBC. If you think I am telling tales here is the BBC article itself. Yes, little ol' Rocky Mount sure gets around!
Just today our local reporter Morris Stephenson for the Franklin News Post said there was a big bear spotted out on Route 40 near Ferrum. These are not grizzlies, but black bears and they can be large! Males usually exceed 300 lbs.
It is illegal to feed bears in Virginia - so if you are out hiking or picnicking in one of the Blue Ridge Parkway picnic grounds, please refrain from feeding them and endangering yourself.
Hiking at dawn or dusk may increase your chances of meeting a bear.
Use extra caution in places where hearing or visibility is limited, such as brushy areas, near streams, where trails round a bend and on windy days.
Reduce your chances of surprising a bear on the trail by making noise, talking or singing.
Make sure spouse or hiking partner are close to you or within your sight at all times.
Leave your dog at home or have it on a leash.
There are no definite rules about what to do if you meet a bear. In almost all cases, the bear will detect you first and leave the area. Unprovoked bear attacks are very rare, and have never been documented in Virginia. If you do meet a bear here are some suggestions:
Stay calm. If you see a bear and it has not seen you, calmly leave the area. As you move away, make noise to let the bear discover your presence.
Stop. Back away slowly while facing the bear.
Give the bear plenty of room to escape. Bears rarely attack people unless they feel cornered or provoked.
Do not run or make any sudden movements. Running could prompt the bear to give chase, and you cannot outrun a bear. If on a trail, step off the trail and slowly leave the area.
VIRGINIA IS FOR WILDLIFE LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
We had three different guest rooms this weekend hike Sharp Top near Peaks of Otter in the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Why did they hike it? It has a gottasee factor of 3.5 out of 4!
Where is Sharp Top and how do you get there?
Sharp Top is near Peaks of Otter on The Blue Ridge Parkway. If you have been on the BRP you will know there is virtually no signage, this is part of the beauty of America's Favorite Drive. You must look at the roadside mile post markers to navigate. To hike Sharp Top you will need to go from The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast and take the BRP North to Mile Post 86. As a point of reference, Roanoke/Highway 220 MP marker is MP121.
Go North to MP 89 and park at the Peaks of Otter Recreation Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is a visitors center there - a great place to buy an ice cream after a long hike!
Sharp Top will reward you with 360 degree views. You will climb from 2,535 feet at the trailhead clear up to 3,875 at the summit. The length of this hike is 1.5 miles each way - so round trip is 3 miles total. The scenery is spectacular, the air as fresh as can be, and a challenge for those not in shape, or an easy hike for those fit hikers. They have a shuttle bus if you prefer to only hike back down. Meet Virginia - she's accommodating!
Bring a wind breaker or fleece as the top of the summit is exposed to the elements, so what might have seemed like a sunny warm down at the trail head could be a little blustery at the top, especially in non summer months!
Once at the summit you will have a 360-degree view over The Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont to the East (on clear days Bedford and even Lynchburg are visible) and the Shenandoah Valley to the West (Remember Roanoke is the foot of the Shenandoah Valley), with the Allegheny Mountains and West Virginia far to the West beyond that. Grab your camera as you will want to capture this scenery and bring it home with you!
Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary is this year - click here for more details - we have plenty to celebrate! If you would like The Claiborne House to pack you a picnic lunch for your hike - click here and you can add on to your reservation. The lunch is a gourmet meal from Edible Vibe in Rocky Mount - our Rock Star Caterer John Schopp.
VIRGINIA IS FOR SHARP TOP LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net
