Lunch With Bilbo Bagins ~ Washington Chronicles

After kayaking for four and a half hours on the Potomac on Sunday morn, Will and Mel decided that it was time to refresh our bodies at Bilbo Bagins Restaurant Cafe in Old Town Alexandria and then refresh our minds at the Torpedo Art Center on the waterfront.

Old Town Alexandria, quaint historic town just on the other side of the Potomac River from Washington, DC., reminded me very much of a New England village. Dating back to 1749, Alexandria’s riverfront was an important colonial port during the colonial, revolutionary and Civil War periods. Today, Old Town Alexandria is a revitalized waterfront with cobblestone streets, colonial houses and churches, museums, shops and restaurants.

I was thrilled about eating with one of my favorite Hobbits.  The prospect of seeing a bar/restaurant fashioned as a shrine to The Shire - a place where hobbits would eat their stew and po-taters, while gulping down little pints of ale, sounded like the perfect place for us to chow down.  I wasn't disappointed.  Inside, the cafe has a slightly old-fashion, mystical feeling to it. It was just vaguely Middle Earth without being overwhelmingly cheesy.  I counted just 4 items on the menu that were related to "Lord of the Rings".

Right away, the wait staff brought us menus and a large basket of the most scrumptious warm raisin bread.  It was really tough deciding what to order from the extensive menu because everything sounded good after the morning exercise, and in the end, we ordered sandwiches and soup.

Finishing our late lunch we walked over to the Torpedo Art Center. 

"The Torpedo Factory Art Center is one of the largest visual arts centers in the U.S., consisting of three floors with 84 working studios, 5 galleries, 2 workshops, the Art League School and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. This popular attraction is a great place to find unique gifts and decorative items for your home.

Built during World War I as a munitions factory, the Torpedo Factory, is today the centerpiece of Old Town Alexandria, located along the docks of the Potomac River on the lively waterfront that also includes a marina, shops, public parks, restaurants and residences. In 1974, a group of local artists and the City of Alexandria, Virginia converted the building to serve as an art center showcasing a wide variety of mediums including, painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, stained glass, fibers, printmaking, and sculpture. The artists invite visitors to watch them at work and ask questions about their creative processes." from About.Com:Washington, DC

It was a unique joy to walk around some amazing studio/gallery spaces with working artists happy to talk about their work.  They had no objections to me taking pictures.

Reminds me of my kindergarten classroom...no wonder I felt at home walking from one studio to the next.

I loved the sculptured staircase to the second floor.

I loved all the colors, shapes and textures I found in a weaving studio....

Once again, Mel, Will and I were playing the "Sears Catalog Game" ....if you could choose one thing to bring home with you today, what would it be?  I found my piece in this artist's studio.....

Needless to say, I only have a picture of "My picture".