Enjoy a traditional colonial plantation holiday dinner at Gunston Hall, the home of founding father, George Mason.

Dine tavern-style, by candlelight, on items such as traditional   turkey and dressing, Virginia ham, dressing, and of course, home made pie.

For more about Gunston Hall, check out my Oct. 12, 2007 post.

Plantation Christmas Yuletide Dinner at Gunston Hall
Gunston Hall Plantation
10709 Gunston Road 
Mason Neck, Virginia 22079  (map it)
703-550-9220

Dates and Times – Friday, December 12, 2008 at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 13  at 4:30, 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets – Adults – $39.95 , children 10 and under – $19.95. Beer and wine is extra. Dinner includes admission to Plantation Christmas. Call 703-550-9220 for reservations. Parties of ten may reserve a private table.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Franconia-Springfield – Blue line, then a 12 mile cab ride.

Parking – Free parking is available.

Image – from personal collection   ©2008, Jon Rochetti  _________________________________________________

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Over the centuries flamenco has evolved from folk dancing to a form of passionate performance art.

Ballet Flamenco José Porcel, from Spain, will perform a combination of traditional and modern flamenco works, which combine influences from Gypsy, Arabic, Jewish and Indian cultures.

Principal dancer José Porcel, has performed with some of the world’s greatest flamenco dancers.

Ballet Flamenco Jose Porcel
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030 (map it)

Dates and Times – Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2008, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets – $22.00, 36.00, $44.00. Call the box office at 703-993-2787 or use the online order form.

Parking – Paid parking is available on the Visitor Parking Deck, located directly adjacent to the Concert Hall. Free parking is available in Lot K, across the pond from the Concert Hall.

Nearest Metro subway station – Vienna/GMU station – Orange line, then a 20-30 minute cab/bus ride.

Image: Flickr dancer _______________________________________________

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In 1955, Orsen Wells adapted the classic story and created a play-within-a-play, Moby Dick Rehearsed,retelling the story of an American theatre company at the end of the 1800s, rehearsing a new play, Moby Dick.  The cast, unhappy with the blowhard director’s selection, is forced to reluctantly improvise characters with only minimal stage design and limited props.  The actors must rely on their ability to tell a story using emotion, gesture and mime. But gradually, the story and the characters develop.

Wells’ “theatre of the imagination”, is a production of pure, raw theater, allowing the audience’s imagination to voyage along on the hunt for Moby Dick.

Moby Dick Rehearsed – The Acting Company
The Center for the Arts
George Mason University Concert Hall
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030 (map it)

Date and Time – Saturday, April 5, 2008, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets – $17.00, $26.00 & $34.00, and are available online.

Parking – Paid parking is available on the Visitor Parking Deck, located directly adjacent to the Concert Hall. Free parking is available in Lot K, across the pond from the Concert Hall.

Nearest Metro subway station – Vienna/GMU station – Orange line, then a 20-30 minute bus ride.

Image – The Acting Company, poster art by Kevin Sprague.

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Here we are two years later, and GMU has made it to the NCAA tournament, ranked number 12th.

Tonight, the Patriots (23-10), go head-to-head against 5th ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (24-7) in the South Regional game in Denver.

Mason is on a three game winning streak, with the Irish having lost its last game to Marquette by 10 points.  But they haven’t lost two in a row all season.

Two of Mason’s seniors that were on the team that went to the Final Four are still playing, adding some maturity and understanding of the tournament pressure. 

Defense is key for the Patriots, as the Irish like to run a fast-paced game with high scoring.

The odds makers have the Irish as 6½ point favorites.

The game is televised on CBS tonight, starting at 9:40 p.m.

Go Patriots!!

Image -Flickr – game, fan ______________________________________________

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Militia Muster: Prelude to Revolution

Additionally, you can take a tour of Mason’s home, walk the plantation grounds overlooking the Potomac River and visit other reconstructed buildings, including the kitchen, laundry, milking house and smokehouse.  Forty-five minute guided house tours are conducted every 30 minutes.  Tours cover the life and times of George Mason as well as the day-to-day lives of his family, servants and plantation slaves alike.

Militia Muster: Prelude to Revolution at Gunston Hall 
Gunston Hall Plantation
10709 Gunston Road
Mason Neck, VA  22079

Driving directions 

Date and time
November 11 & 12, 2006
Militia Muster: Prelude to Revolution, hours – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Gunston Hall daily hours – 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Admission
Adults – $8 (seniors $1.00 off)
Kids – grade 1-12 – $4.00 and pre-school kids are free
Veterans and active military admitted free over Veteran’s weekend

Online discount coupon good for $1.00 adult admission  

Photo credit: flickr   

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