Caite Hamilton

February is the month of love, but forget the cards, flowers, and candy—we want hot chocolate. MarieBette feels that too, with its annual celebration of Hot Chocolate Month: a different flavor each of the month’s 28 days, from cheesecake to chipotle chili. Don’t forget the (housemade!) marshmallow.

Strawberry, peach, or classic lime, there’s nothing fancy about the margs at Guadalajara—and that’s what keeps us coming back (well that, and the half-price special on Mondays and Wednesdays). Frozen or on the rocks, we’ll grab the salt-rimmed goblet with both hands and never let go.

Want to be queen for a day? Dinsmore House gets us one step closer, with its two-hour afternoon tea. Offered for parties of eight, the elegant affair includes charming tea sandwiches, housemade scones and pastries, all with a pretty pot of tea in the West Main inn’s tasteful dining room. Pinkies up, y’all.

Ever noticed the big chalkboard at Decipher Brewing? It’s called the Dead Drop Board, and it’s filled with the names and industries of folks who someone thinks deserves a beer. To add your friend’s name (or an occupation, like “teacher” or “first responder”), just buy an extra pint and have them add it to the […]

No judgment if it’s your style to buy the whole cake and eat it yourself, but for those with a little more, shall we say, restraint, Albemarle Baking Co. has finally answered the call. Now serving: cake by the slice, from carrot cake to chocolate torte.

When Marian Bayker got into breadmaking, she knew she’d be milling her own flour as part of the process. “It seemed like an obvious choice,” says the Althea Bread owner. “My mother had been doing it for years. She used to buy big five-gallon buckets of wheat and milled them on a little steel burr […]

One way to be sure your wedding photos are tops? Take your party higher—to Raven’s Roost overlook on the Parkway. A $60 permit will afford you westward views of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley, and a romantic spot to say “I do.” Bonus for adventurers: Hike up to Humpback Rocks post-ceremony.