So how did I come to be in Winston-Salem? Each fall for the last 10 years, I get together with my former mentor – a women 15 years my senior who taught me the survival skills in the male dominated auto industry in the late 70s. She lives midway between Nashville and Knoxville, Tenessee so we literally draw a 300 mile radius around each of these cities and pick a place we’d like to visit. I fly to either Knoxville or Nashville, she picks me up and we drive to our planned destination and spend four days catching up, seeing the sights, enjoying the cuisine, wine, art and culture of the area. We have occassionally drawn the circle aound Atlanta, since she has a sister who lives there, can drive down, spend the night and pick me up from the Atlanta airport. In this way we have been able to leisurely explore places like Memphis, Ashville, Lexington, Nashville, Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah and Birmingham. So that’s how we ended up in Winston-Salem – it’s in the circle and a new place we had never visited.
We stayed at the Hotel Indigo in downtown Winston-Salem, an art deco inspired boutique hotel located in the historic Pepper Building with easy access to local restaurants, bars, shops and art galleries. Although its roots are in the tobacco industry, Winston- Salem is downplaying this heritage, instead highlighting its arts, education and tech scenes. Nonetheless, one of its most iconic buildings is the former headquarters of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, constructed in 1929 by the same architects that designed the Empire State Building two years later. This 21 story art deco building was sold to a developer in 2009 and has been refurbrished for mixed commerical and residential use. Still referred to as the Reynolds Building, it is now on the National Register of Historic Places. When lit, its beauty and form immediately catch the eye.
Winston-Salem’s temperate climate is ideal for grape growing; the Yadkin Valley surrounding the city is one of North Carolina’s largest vinticultural areas, home to over 45 wineries. The choice of which to visit was a hard decision! We drove 45 minutes west of the city towards the town of Hamptonville to Shadow Springs Vineyard. This family owned winery offered 16 different wines and one mead in a brand new tasting room that overlooked a small lake and 15 acres of vineyards. We quickly realized we would need to pace ourselves – the standard tasting was 7 pours for $10. Our sommelier, who was also the owner, shared the history of the 10 year old business. Originally a tobacco plantation, she and her husband bought the land, converted to vineyards and began making wines. Eventually, they built a tasting room and expanded to a winemaking facility that blends vintages for several of the surrounding wineries.
With more alcohol in our systems than expected after one tasting, we drove to the nearby town of Elkin for lunch. Our sommelier recommend dining at The Southern on Main Street, a cafe in a historic building specializing in simple, fresh cuisine made with local ingredients. Complete with gingham table clothes, fluffy biscuits, fried chicken, collard greens and an assortment of homemade pies, we had an authentic southern dining experience. Afterwards, we wandered down the street to a large open air ‘junk’ shop with an eclectic selection of new and used merchandise. From mismatched china sets, to bird and turtle lawn decorations, to collections of pig figurines in all sizes, to slightly tarnished vintage costume jewelry, this store was a treasure trove. I must admit, I bought my mom a metal outdoor candle ‘cage’ for her upcoming birthday.
Leaving Elkin, we drove past acre after acre of vineyards. The views were exquisite; the green vines, with a touch of red from roses (that served as pest barometers) against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a cloudless sky, were breathtaking.
Our next stop was Raffaldino Vineyards and Winery in Ronda. Reminiscent of a Tuscan villa, this tasting room and popular wedding venue was perched atop a hill with expansive views of the surrounding mountains.
The winery was without patrons (after all it was a weekday afternoon), so we had the undivided attention of the sommeliers. Wine, weather, our personal stories and eventually politics were discussed over a glass of wine. We ended our tasting tour here – nothing like good wine and conversation to close the day.
Winston-Salem has a small, but vibrant art district. To support its artists, the Downtown Arts District Association hosts a first Friday of the month evening Gallery Hop. Streets are closed to traffic, galleries and shops are open for extended hours, there are food stalls and performing street artists. Artists are on hand to showcase their work and demonstrate their craft – whether painting, sculpting, jewelry making or glass blowing. Several galleries, like the Piedmont Craftsman Center, display and sell work from a variety of local and regional artists.
Some of the glass blown pieces were absolutely stunning!
One of Winston-Salem’s iconic general stores, Mast, was also open during the gallery hop. In business since 1883, the store today still has the look and feel of bygone days. The shelves are packed with ‘everything one needs in life’. In fact, Mast’s brand promises, “Quality goods for the living, coffins and caskets for the dead!”
Although no coffins or caskets were in sight, we did see three floors of footware, clothing, accessories, outdoor items, kitchen gadgets, personal care products, toys and an entire wing of candy – bins of hard sweets, baskets of suckers, tubs of licorice, in every possible imagined flavor.
Another innovation we spotted in multiple areas around the city was the Art-o-Mat machine. Playing on the area’s tobacco legacy, the local arts organization has converted cigarette dispensers into art dispensers. Rather than spending $5 on a pack of cigarettes, one can choose an object de artes from a local artist – this might be a piece of jewelry, a small painted magnet or miniature ceramic piece. Located in hotels, (Hotel Indigo had one prominently displayed right near the main elevator), museums, restaurants and other public venues, this conversion reinforces the city’s transition from tobacco to arts, education and tech.
The city’s largest festival of books and authors was ongoing during our visit. Sponsored by Bookmarks, a literary arts nonprofit organization and independent bookstore whose professed mission is to ignite the love of reading, this event connects the community with local, regional and international authors. It features multiple panel discussions, community book conversations, children’s events, writing workshops, local vendors and exhibitors and numerous book signings. It is a book lover’s dream with plenty of opportunities to browse and buy all types of books, meet the authors and hear about new works. We couldn’t have found a better way to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the city if we tried!
We opted to visit another winery on our last evening to enjoy time outdoors. A short 20 mile drive west past Lewisville took us to Medaloni Cellars, a more casual venue than the others we had visited. The parking lot was packed; this proved to be a popular place to enjoy a glass with friends and family.
We found an open table in the barn, ordered a glass of wine and toasted another successful trip. For ten years, we have never ended a trip without deciding where to meet the following year. Pulling up maps on our phones and drawing the ‘circle’, we discussed possibilites…
And decided on Roanoke, Virginia – fall, 2020.