Last year for my wife’s Elaine and my 45th anniversary, I decided to make our entire celebration a surprise. After researching destinations far away, I opted for a staycation in Roanoke, highlighted by a sojourn at the Black Lantern Inn. We enjoyed that experience so much that once again, I chose a surprise local anniversary adventure.
Crystal Spring Grocery
Our first stop was around noon at the Crystal Spring Grocery in South Roanoke.
“We offer a variety of experiences,” says Devon Steiner, creative manager. “We’re a hand-crafted grocery, but we are also a wine shop, a lunch restaurant, and we offer catering. We host a chess club on Wednesday evenings, free wine tastings on Thursdays, pottery classes and a space to host private events.”
“In the evenings you will find house-made prepared meals that guests can take home and reheat easily. Some of our best selling items are CSG bolognese, Yard Bull Meats smoked chickens on Thursday and Friday evenings, and frozen Billy Pies Pizzas out of Richmond.”
Elaine and I were interested in a boxed lunch. Steiner related that some of Crystal Spring’s most popular offerings in that regard are their Pimento Cheese & Black Forest Ham, Roast Turkey, Swiss and cranberry mayo sandwiches, as well as their Mezze platter and seasonal salads.
After perusing the extensive menu and with input from head chef Matt Lintz, Elaine selected the Smoked Chicken Salad while I selected the Roasted Seasonal Vegetables. The homemade biscuits also tempted us, so we took them to go as well. We then headed for the Roanoke Mountain Day Use Area, found a picnic table and shade tree, and relished our lunch.
Shirley’s B&B
After lunch, we drove about 15 minutes to Shirley’s B&B, operated by Cheryl and Jeff Bennett, named in honor of the latter’s grandfather who once operated Shirley’s Hotel in Hico, West Virginia.
The couple’s B&B endeavor is the classic second career venture, as Shirley is a retired nurse and Jeff owned a collision repair business. The B&B itself is in its second iteration, having served first as the Bennett’s family home.
“One guest described our place as having “a rustic elegance,’” Cheryl said, “which I think is accurate. We have a log home and a swimming pool, both of which are pretty unique in the B&B field. All of our suites have automobile themes which is unusual, too.
“For example, one room has an antique headlamp that has been repurposed as a coatrack. In other rooms, there are oil cans and pictures of Jeff’s cars. The six rooms are all around 900 square feet, have couches and sitting rooms, and complimentary wine and beer are available.”
Breakfasts are an important aspect of any B&B, and this certainly is the case with Shirley’s. Multiple meal options exist, but fresh fruit and homemade yogurt and granola are standard.
Entrée options include various bacon, ham, potato, and egg dishes as well as quiches, eggs benedict, waffles, and pancakes. In short, as Cheryl proclaims, every guest can have an individualized breakfast plan.
Montano’s International Restaurant & Gourmet
For dinner, I chose Montano’s, where we have been dining since we were newlyweds. General Manager Jamie Graham touts the charms of a restaurant which opened in 1969.
“We’re proud to have served meals to generations of Roanokers, giving them their favorite items while also expanding their culinary adventures,” he says. “We like to say that we have something for everyone. Our New York style deli offerings are very popular as are our steaks and seafood. We order Grade A prime steaks and our seafood arrives fresh daily.”
Owner Marty Montano says the restaurant’s Italian subs are legendary. Other signature dishes include the Traditional Spanish Paella, Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, and various Italian entrees such as the Chicken Cacciatore. Elaine and I’ve always been impressed with Montano’s service and Montano agrees.
“Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to retain great staff,” he says. “Many of them have been with us for years. For example, manager Lenore Campbell has been with us for 50 years. We’re also quite proud of our special events such as live jazz sessions, trivia nights, Wednesday’s Oysters and Wine Night, Saturday’s live jazz and our supporting local artists.”
For dinner, I chose one of my favorite entrees, Broiled Flounder with baked potato, house vegetables and salad. For Elaine, Marty recommended the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with Cajun spices, craft beer, Worcestershire fresh herbs, butter, plus crusty bread. My wife was thrilled with the suggestion, enjoying the “just right spiciness.” The owner also recommended the Maple Roasted Butter Pecan Gelato for dessert, which was full of flavor and creaminess.
Back to Shirley’s
After dinner, we returned to Shirley’s and found a “Happy Anniversary,” note awaiting us – a nice touch. We stayed in the Ansted Room, and the many automobile-themed items evoked a pleasant nostalgia, especially the Mobilgas pump and numerous pictures of antique cars.
The rooms maybe the largest for any B&B where we’ve ever saved, and the king-sized bed was delightful.
Breakfast the next morning more than fulfilled expectations. We both asked for Cheryl to whip up a veggie quiche with fried potatoes, preceded by a fruit and yogurt parfait and pecan bread.
Her promise about customizing a breakfast for every guest was observed once again when a gentleman asked for “two piece of French toast and an egg over easy.” We had never visited a B&B that offers such individualizing of meals as Shirley’s.
But the best part of our 46th anniversary celebration was when Elaine asked me to plan another surprise getaway next year.
