When searching for wines, I would see the name "Robert F. Pliska & Company Winery" come up, but I could never find much information. I had emailed the only email I could find, and they said I could possibly get my hands on a bottle at Anderson's Corner in Romney, as they don't really produce anymore.



I was dying to add it to my collection, and I dug until I found just two bottles left at this Romney shop. I bought one for my mantle. But then I wanted to dig to find out more about the winery. Here's what I've been able to find:

Unlike larger wineries, Pliska uses old-fashioned, craftsman techniques to create its Mountain Mama apple wine, other fruit wines and semi-dry table wines. For many years the winery has been helping to support an onsite home for handicapped adults - West Virginia Off the Beaten Path, 7th: A Guide to Unique Places

Robert F. Pliska Winery was founded in 1975 by Robert F. Pliska and R. Elizabeth Haley-Pliska. Robert was a management philosophy professor and held a master's in enology, while Elizabeth had been a healthcare professional. Together they decided to found a winery with a distinctively Mediterranean style. According to The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, Pliska has "shown the most potential" among West Virginia wineries. The popular award-winning 160-acre winery is actively involved with handicapped individuals. A portion of its proceeds benefit Homes for the Mentally Handicapped. And its wines have been served in the American Embassy in Paris. 

White Wines:

• Aurore - a semisweet, light white wine. Grapy. Nice
• Ridgerunner Gold - off-dry white table wine.

Red Wines:

• Foch - medium-bodied, classic red. Nice fruit. Good finish.
• Ridgerunner Red - off-dry, medium-bodied red.

Fruit Wines:

• Mountain Mama - semisweet, golden apple wine. Good aroma and taste. Nice - East Coast Wineries: A Complete Guide from Maine to Virginia

Guesthouse Lost River is a fabulous B&B located in Lost River - just a couple hours outside DC and Baltimore.

They get folks from all over to this unique, beautiful retreat nestled in the hills.

Their restaurant has received numerous awards, and it's been on my bucket list for quite some time. They're also known for their pop-up donut Sundays, which I'm dying to try.



The restaurant is beautiful, and the menu has so many delicious options.



Ultimately, I went for the Agnolotti Rucola - spinach & ricotta agnolotti, lemon, ricotta cheese, fresh basil & local organic Arugula. And for dessert - a maple pecan creme brulee! Mmm. Have you been?

Star Mercantile is an antique shop, local goods store and restaurant all wrapped up into one.

They even have the shop across the road which has even more goodie inside.

But I stopped by quickly to get some snacks for my upcoming train ride later in the day.

You order at the counter, find a seat, then they bring your food.

The menu features hearty breakfasts, broasted chicken, hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches.

For something portable, I went for "The Patwich," -- Not your ordinary grilled cheese. Made with potato bread, cheese, butter & love.


While waiting for it to cook, I looked around at the local products, antiques and more. This was perfect for my trip!

Here's a quick snap of the Trough, where we saw three eagles!



And the last state park I had to check off my list.

The Lost River Trading Post is a unique spot that combines art, local goods and tasty snacks.

With the trademark red cow out front, this shop truly has a little bit of everything, and I was excited to explore it.

While looking around, I found antiques, jewelry, blankets and more.

There's even a fine art gallery.

At the cafe portion, they have frittatas, coffee, biscuits, sweets and even falafel.

The latter sounded perfect for my scenic train ride later in the day.

And, it's a little unexpected and unique! What's your favorite item here?

I headed over to the Lost River area to check off the last state park on my list.

And while in the area, of course I wanted to check out some local fare.

One place that I recently heard of was the Wardensville Garden Market + Bakery.

The Wardensville Garden Market + Bakery is a nonprofit farm that employs local youth, encouraging their entrepreneurial spirit through small-scale sustainable farming in an education-rich environment. Our goal is to enhance the knowledge of local youth by teaching them how to run and sustain a successful small business, and by offering opportunities to pursue new career paths, through classes and scholarships.  We reinvest 100% of every purchase and donation made back into the program to hire and inspire even more young people (ABOUT).

How cool is that? The bakery is really cute and known for these gigantic cinnamon rolls. They even had free samples of cookies!


As I was getting ready to leave, I saw the entire other half of the place - the market!



It's such a cute space with some great local products.


Have you been here yet? What's your favorite item?