Norfolk and Virginia Beach

It is definitely too hot to try to go somewhere and spend the entire day outside. So, George had found a place he wanted to visit in Norfolk. George and Shirley are camped about 20 miles from us and decided to go along on the trip. We drove over to Rowena's which is a small shop that makes all kinds of scrumptuous pound cakes, jams, and sauces and has a wonderful little tea shop. Rowena's began in 1983 when friends and family urged Rowena Fullinwider to sell her jams and cakes which were already favorite gifts and charity bake sale items. Today, Rowena's is a million-dollar business that ships its foods nationwide and overseas. The tour begins in the retail store. All four of us went crazy, taste testing the different cakes and sauces. I had called yesterday to see if they would give us a tour of the facility. We had found them in the book George got for Christmas last year titled "Made in America". It has been very useful and we have found many companies that offer tours of their facility that we wouldn't have known about if it wasn't for the book.

George taste-testing the jams

Rowena has two extra large mixers which originally belonged to the sailing vessel, U.S.S. United States and you could make a meal licking one of their huge beaters. They are especially proud of the two enormous six-shelved rotating ovens that can cook 25 large cakes or 240 small loaf cakes in an hour. After the cakes are cooked, they are hand wrapped, labeled and put into the freezer. Rowena also bakes for certain restaurants and people by contract (Paula Deen is one of those who contract her to bake pound cakes for her restaurant).

We've got our hats on and are ready for the tour!

The tea room was very charming and serves teas, sandwiches, fruits, and of course Rowena's cakes and jams with her specialty being carrot jam. It was so good, that Shirley and I both bought a jar to take home. While we were there, Rowena came in and introduced herself and we had a nice talk with her and her husband, whom we called Mr. Rowena, but I believe his first name was Bill. As we left the shop, Daphne took a picture of all four of us in front with the mermaid and "Mr. Rowena".

After leaving Norfolk, we drove over to Virginia Beach. Once again, it is very crowded and there are very few spaces to park unless you want to pay $10 - $20. We walked down to the Atlantic Ocean, took a few pictures, picked up some sand for my shell collection from all the different beaches we have visited, and headed back home. The homes were definitely much nicer than any of the other coastal places we had visited, though. It was definitely too hot for us and we enjoyed stopping off at George and Shirley's motorhome and having a nice cold drink before we came home.

Tomorrow is going to be our last day of sightseeing in the Williamsburg area as we want to take Saturday to rest up a bit and get all those household chores done. Join us on our last day in Colonial Williamsburg and see what we find. We've been alerted that the Britsh are coming to take over the colony, so it should be exciting! Hugs to all of you!!!