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At less than a four-hour drive, Lexington offers many activities

August 25, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

TAMAR ALEXIA FLEISHMAN

For The Herald-Dispatch

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Lexington, Va., may be the soul of the South.

Washington, Jefferson, Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson all stayed here. Nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, Lexington is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and incredible scenery. At a drive less than four hours from Huntington, you'll find lots of activities at all price points.

WHERE TO STAY: The national chain hotels are outside the historic district, including the Best Western on N. Lee Hwy. From there, it's an easy drive right over the Maury River and it's very close to Cafe Michel.

For a B&B experience, there's scenic Riders Rest (www.ridersrestbandb.com), where bikers -- and their muddy boots -- are welcome.

WHERE TO EAT: My dad taught me that places with lots of truckers are reliable and reasonably priced. Berky's Restaurant at Lee-Hi Truck Stop (www.leehi.com) is open 24 hours and is decorated with antique toy cars. Order signature dishes like Northbound -- with eggs, corned beef hash, grits and biscuits for $6.99. Weekends feature prime rib and seafood buffets.

Outside the historic district, which has plenty of parking, is Café Michel (www.michelcafe.com). Café Michel is a lively place, with a mix of Southern, French and continental cuisine. Many of the offerings are straight from the local farmers' market. Entrees are in the $15 to low $20s price range.

The Southern Inn (www.southerninn.com) has been a family-owned, in-town institution for more than 75 years. With an elegant ambiance and continental cuisine with Southern touches, even humble eggs and cheese are elevated to a new level. It is open for lunch, Sunday brunch and dinner. The Southern Inn serves classic cocktails and an extensive non-alcoholic cocktail list.

Locals and tourists both love the Pink Cadillac Diner (4347 S. Lee Hwy.), open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

For chocolates that were just rated No. 1 in a blind taste test by the Wall Street Journal, go to Cocoa Mill (www.cocoamill.com). They make everything on-site, including white chocolate bark studded with red hots. Nearby Buena Vista -- a little old railroad town -- has a wonderfully sophisticated wine shop, Uncorked (www.uncorked-va.com) and very friendly service.

WHAT TO DO: There are decades of military history and tradition at Virginia Military Institute (www.vmi.edu), with tours and two museums where "Stonewall" Jackson taught and where Gen. George Marshall attended school. Next to VMI is Washington and Lee University (www.wlu.edu). See Lee Chapel -- where Gen. Robert E. Lee and his family are buried. The chapel also houses a museum.

One of the seven natural wonders is Natural Bridge (www.naturalbridgeva.com). It's a rock formation that actually forms part of US Highway 11. The stunning complex includes cafes, gift mall, museums and walking trails. At night, there's a Biblical drama of creation performed by the light of the moon. Nearby Natural Bridge on U.S. 11 S., is Foamhenge, an exact recreation of Stonehenge. It's kitchy, it's free and sometimes they have festivals.

Goshen has more free fun, with gorgeous access to the Maury River - shallow enough for swimming surrounded by mountains.

A fantastic venue for live music and shows is Theater at Lime Kiln. This outdoor site houses a few different places where performers do their thing in a romantic atmosphere. During intermission they grill hamburgers and hot dogs to order.

For an experience you likely won't forget, head to Virginia Safari Park (www.virginiasafaripark.com). Ride in their vehicle or yours and the world's wildest creatures poke their heads in.

One of Lexington's crown jewels is the Virginia Horse Center (www.horsecenter.org). People come from all over the world for everything from rodeos to dressage to live music and vendors.

Events

Harry Connick Jr.
8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Award-winning jazz artist Connick will perform part of his "A Holiday Celebration" tour. Tickets, visit www.theclaycenter.org or...

Erik Meyers
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20-23. Enjoy a fast-paced, high-energy comedy show. Meyers has been a regular on 98 Rock...

MU Theater: "The Glass Menagerie"
8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 19-22. Tennessee Williams' 1944 drama "The Glass Menagerie," his self-described "memory play," has been considered...

Capital City Art and Craft Show
...

Festival of Trees and Trains
Saturday, Nov. 22-30. Questions, call 606-324-3175.

4th annual Holly Berry Festival
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, in the lobby. Featuring hand-made items designed and made by local and area crafters and a book sale. Sponsored by the Marshall...

Ashland Christmas Parade
...

World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions
3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, in the coliseum. Tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or any Ticketmaster box office.

51st annual Model Railroad Show
5-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28-30. Featuring model railroads, hobby shops, memorabilia sales, railroad books, new and used...

Planetarium Show: "Reason for the Season"
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; noon and 2 p.m. Sunday, starting Nov. 28. Questions, call 304-561-3570 or visit www.theclaycenter.org.

Movies

Showtimes

The Dark Knight

Released 18-Jul-08. Runs 150 min.

With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace

Showtimes

The Haunting of Molly Hartley

Released 31-Oct-08. Runs 86 min.

In this tale of spell binding suspense, something evil lurks just beneath the lush surfaces of teenaged girl's private school world-and it holds the rights to her very soul. Now, on the eve of her 18th birthday, Molly Hartley is about to discover the truth of just who, or rather what, it is she is destined to become.

Rated PG-13 for strong thematic material, violence and terror, brief strong language and some teen drinking

Showtimes

The Metropolitan Opera: La Damnation de Faust

Released 22-Nov-08. Runs 165 min.

Fathom presents the excitement of The Met: Live in HD on the Big Screen! The LIVE transmission of Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust" will be shown for one day only on Saturday, Nov 22 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT in select theatres nationwide. Robert Lepage, one of theater's most imaginative directors, applies his artistry to Berlioz's contemplation of good and evil. Using ethereal projections, Lepage has created a vision for "La Damnation de Faust" that seamlessly marries art and technology. Marcello Giordani stars in the title role opposite Susan Graham as Marguerite and John Relyea as Méphistophélès. James Levine conducts this rarely staged masterwork.

Rated

Showtimes

The Secret Life of Bees

Released 17-Oct-08. Runs 109 min.

Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence

Showtimes

Appaloosa

Released 19-Sep-08. Runs 108 min.

When two gunmen, Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, arrive in Appaloosa they find a small, dusty and lawless town suffering at the hands of renegade rancher Randall Bragg. Bragg has not only taken supplies, horses and women for his own, but also has left the city marshal and a deputy for dead. In Bragg they find an unusually wily adversary who raises the stakes by playing with emotions. It is now up to Cole and Hitch to stand against the actions of the renegade rancher, which have already taken their toll on the town.

Rated R for some violence and language

Showtimes

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Released 3-Oct-08. Runs 85 min.

Chloe, a diamond-clad, bootie wearing Beverly Hills Chihuahua enjoys her luxurious lifestyle so much, she hardly notices Papi, a hilarious Chihuahua who happens to be crazy for Chloe. But when the most pampered pooch gets lost in Mexico with only a street-wise German Shepherd to help her find her way home, Papi heads south of the border--joining forces with a motley crew: three dogs, two humans, a sly rat and a nervous iguana--to rescue his true love.

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements

Showtimes

Body of Lies

Released 10-Oct-08. Runs 128 min.

"Body of Lies" is based on "Washington Post" columnist David Ignatius' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris, who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman and the collegial, but perhaps suspect, head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation--and his life--on the line.

Rated R for strong violence including some torture, and for language throughout

Showtimes

Bolt

Released 15-Nov-08. Runs 96 min.

For super-dog "Bolt", every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue - at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet - a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions -- a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino -- Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero.

Rated PG for some mild action and peril

Showtimes

Changeling

Released 24-Oct-08. Runs 140 min.

Los Angeles, 1928: On a Saturday morning in a working-class suburb, Christine said goodbye to her son, Walter, and left for work. When she came home, she discovered he had vanished. A fruitless search ensues, and months later, a boy claiming to be the nine-year-old is returned. Dazed by the swirl of cops, reporters and her conflicted emotions, Christine allows him to stay overnight. But, in her heart, she knows he is not Walter. As she pushes authorities to keep looking, she learns that in Prohibition-era L.A., women don't challenge the system and live to tell their story. Slandered as delusional and unfit, Christine finds an ally in activist Reverend Briegleb, who helps her fight the city to look for her missing boy.

Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language

Showtimes

Eagle Eye

Released 26-Sep-08. Runs 118 min.

Jerry Shaw and Rachel Holloman are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations--using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening--and more importantly, why.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and for language

Showtimes

Fireproof

Released 26-Sep-08. Runs 122 min.

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband. Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks. As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the books daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened. While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?" When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And, "with God's help" he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife. But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now, Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.

Rated PG for thematic material and some peril

Showtimes

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Released 24-Oct-08. Runs 100 min.

Seniors Troy and Gabriella face the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High's talented ensemble.

Rated G

Showtimes

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 89 min.

Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed planesort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all--the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place--but is it better than their Central Park home?

Rated PG for some mild crude humor

Showtimes

Max Payne

Released 17-Oct-08. Runs 100 min.

Max Payne is a maverick cop - a mythic anti-hero - determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murders of his family and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal.

Rated PG-13 for violence including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language

Showtimes

Nights in Rodanthe

Released 26-Sep-08. Runs 97 min.

Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her--a wayward husband who has asked to come home and a teenaged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and Dr. Paul Flanner arrives. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality

Showtimes

Quantum of Solace

Released 14-Nov-08. Runs 106 min.

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 is determined to uncover the truth. He and M interrogate Mr. White who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined. Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where Bond encounters the beautiful but feisty Camille, and she leads him to Dominic Greene, a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organization. On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land. As Bond gets closer to finding the man responsible for betraying Vesper, he must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organization.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content

Showtimes

Role Models

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 95 min.

Danny and Wheeler trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie redirect his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie's new mentor wasn't an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center's ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.

Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity

Showtimes

Saw V

Released 24-Oct-08. Runs 88 min.

In the fifth installment of the "Saw" franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But, when his secret is threatened, he must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.

Rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity

Showtimes

Soul Men

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 103 min.

The two remaining members of the popular soul band, The Real Deal, from the 1970s, Floyd Henderson, now a retired businessman, and ne'er-do-well, ex-convict, Louis Hinds, take a road trip to the Apollo Theater for a musical tribute to their recently deceased front man, Marcus Hook. As they travel cross country in a series of adventures and misdventures, they air old grievances about 30-year-old betrayals and learn the music's still in them.

Rated R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity

Showtimes

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D

Released 19-Oct-07. Runs 76 min.

A holiday tradition continues this Halloween when Tim Burton's classic, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," makes a return to the big screen in stunning Disney Digital 3D (tm). Audiences will get closer than ever to Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, as he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally, a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters--Lock, Shock and Barrel--to help him kidnap Santa Claus. Jack eventually realizes his mistake but has to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can make things right and restore the Christmas holiday. Fueled by an unforgettable Grammy® nominated soundtrack, Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas," combines the Oscar® nominated artistry of stop-motion animation with state-of-the-art digital technology to create a unique and entertaining movie-going experience that has become annual holiday event for the entire family.

Rated PG

Showtimes

Traitor

Released 27-Aug-08. Runs 110 min.

When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations Officer, Samir Horn. A mysterious figure with a web of connections to suspect organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down. The inter-agency task force looking into the case meets with Carter, a veteran CIA contractor who seemingly has his own agenda and Max Archer, a fellow FBI agent. The task force links Horn to a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a man without loyalties--or something far more complicated. Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue.

Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences, thematic material and brief language

Showtimes

Twilight

Released 21-Nov-08. Runs 120 min.

"Twilight" is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Wash., she doesn't expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella's soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for--a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward and Bella do when a clan of new vampires--James, Laurent and Victoria--come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?

Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality

Showtimes

W.

Released 17-Oct-08. Runs 129 min.

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that George W. Bush is one of the most controversial public figures in recent memory. In an unprecedented undertaking, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is bringing the life of our 43rd president to the big screen as only he can. W takes viewers through Bush's eventful life--his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to Bush's decision to invade Iraq.

Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, some alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing war images

Showtimes

Zack and Miri

Released 31-Oct-08. Runs 101 min.

Lifelong friends and roommates Zack and Miri are facing hard times and a mountain of debt. When the electricity and plumbing get cut off, they seize upon the idea of making a homegrown porno movie for some quick cash, enlisting the help of their friends. The two vow that having sex will not ruin their friendship. But, as filming begins, what started out as a business proposition between friends turns into something much more.

Rated R for strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language

Dining

GOOD EATS: China Garden remains lunch habit for downtowners

November 19, 2008 @ 08:40 PM

HUNTINGTON -- First opening its doors nine years ago under the ownership of Tian Duan Zheng, the China Garden Buffet has become a lunch habit for many students and workers in downtown Huntington.

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