The 1933 Essex Terraplane used by gangster John Dillinger in 1934 is housed in the Convention Center in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

Dillinger's 1933 Essex Terraplane in Richmond Virginia

Property of the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington, DC, the gangster’s getaway car will be on exhibit until late in 2012.  The dashing red vehicle is valued at over $150,000, though slightly damaged by two slugs that are still in the front cowl panel.

Car buffs, history buffs, crime buffs, and the just plain ole curious will want to stop by Richmond’s Convention Center to check it out!  It’s in the 3rd Street corridor of the Exhibit Hall Building.

For more of Richmond’s secrets, ask your innkeeper at Richmond’s premier bed and breakfast!

The Virginia Motor Trend International Auto Show takes over the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Friday March 11 and extends through Sunday March 13th.

Ferraris take center stage at 2011 Virginia Motor Trend International Auto Show

Sizzle comes in the form of a collection of Ferrari’s complete with their snazzy looks, high speed, and high price tag.  The Ferrari’s are being shown by Ferraris on the Vine.  And, there’s the opportunity to explore the new or redesigned 2011 models of  Buick Regal, Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Volt, Dodge Durango, Ford F-150, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia Denali, Honda CR-Z Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Equus, Hyundai Sonta Hybrid, Jaguar XJ, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus LS, Mazda2, Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, Scion tC, Subaru WRX, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Sienna, Volvo C70, and Volvo S60. 2012 Pre-Production models of Ford’s Focus and Mustang Boss, Buick LaCrosse eAssist and Verano, and Chevrolet’s Sonic and Camaro Convertible will be on display.

If ever-escalating gasoline prices have you looking for a vehicle with alternative fuel options, the Plug-In Volt and an assortment of Gas/Electric hybrids will be on the floor including those by Cadillac, Ford, GMC, Honda, Lexus, Mercedes, and Toyota.  Best of all, they are all in one place so you can compare without driving from dealer to dealer.

The next generation of in-car technology will be on display in select models.  Advanced technologies like accident avoidance sensors, parking assist, built-in WiFi, streaming bluetooth audio, satellite TV, and other gee-whiz features will be found in some vehicles on display at the show. These in-car technologies are expected to make driving an automobile safer and more entertaining than ever before.  Check out the 2011 Ford Explorer with inflatable rear seat belts to provide extra protection to adults and children riding in the back seat.

The auto show is open from 10 AM to 10 PM on Friday and Saturday and 10 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. Tickets are $9 for adults, with discounts available for seniors, military, and children. E-Mail coupons are available as well. So check out the wheels at the Greater Richmond Convention Center!

The 2011 Virginia Wine Expo opens Friday, February 25 and runs through Sunday, February 27 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.  Tickets are on sale now!

4th Annual Virginia Wine Expo in Richmond 2/25/2011 through 2/27/2011

Friday night opens with the Virginia Governor’s Cup Grand Tasting. Join the Governor as he announces this year’s outstanding Virginia wines from the 350 wines being showcased by the 60+ Virginia wineries. Reserve wines will be served on Friday only and Richmond’s finest chefs will be serving small plates to give ticket holders a chance to sample some of Virginia’s finest food and wine.

Saturday and Sunday present the opportunity for a walk-around grand tasting between 11 AM and 6 PM. Virginia’s wineries will have set up booths and will be offering tastes of their wines. Whole Foods Market has stocked a cheese pavilion for your enjoyment; and select vendors will be offering unique items for purchase.  Throughout the event, wines will be available for purchase by the bottle for on-premise consumption or to take with you.

But check out the seminar schedule; there just might be one or two or three you might want to catch. Wine and food pairings top the list, from the traditional wine and cheese, through wine and ethnic cuisines, to wine and chocolate.  You’ll even find a wine and burger pairing seminar on Sunday!  The seminars will be conducted in a separate break-out room to eliminate the distractions and noise of the general show floor. Seminar Schedule.

TIP: The Wine and Chocolate pairing will combine Democracy Vineyard’s wines with Gearhart’s Fine Chocolates, those fabulous handmade chocolates of premium chocolate, local sweet cream, and pure butter. These are the chocolates offered to guests of our downtown bed and breakfast on arrival on their welcome tray.  If you need a gift to take home for the babysitter or the pet sitter, perhaps an 8-piece or 16-piece box of to-die-for chocolates, Gearhart’s is conveniently located on Libbie Avenue near Grove Avenue, right here in Richmond and will have a vendor booth at the Virginia WIne Expo.

Richmond Magazine is the sponsor of Saturday night’s Sparkling and Sweets which will feature 29 sparkling wines and desserts from Richmond favorite restaurants, caterers, bakeries and shops all to the sweet mellow sounds of jazz. The event begins at 9 PM and extends until midnight.

Tickets are required for the Governor’s Awards, the Grand Tasting (special weekend pass also available), for the seminars, and for the Saturday evening Sparkling & Sweets.  Some events even have non-drinking tickets at a reduced price for that designated driver in your party. Or there’s always Bio-Taxi!

So, you don’t have to travel the highways and by-ways of Virginia to taste a wide assortment of Virginia’s fine wines – just come to Richmond Feb 25 -27, with your tickets to the 4th annual Virginia Wine Expo – it’s all in one place! Wine, Food, and Dessert!  Hope to see you there!

Pat Daniels & Mike Rohde, Innkeepers and Hosts, The William MIller House Bed and Breakfast

Got cabin fever from this hard winter? In central Virginia, spring can’t be very far away, when the Maymont Flower and Garden Show is right around the corner.

Maymont Flower & Garden Show is at Richmond's Convention Center February 10 through 13 - Don't miss it!

You’ll get two shows for one admission: The Mac Events Home Show – Richmond and the Maymont Flower & Garden Show.  More bang for your buck!

The Greater Richmond Convention Center is the site February 10 through 13 for the Maymont Flower and Garden Show.  The theme this year is “Gardens on Broadway” and will offer the latest in horticulture, seminars, gardens and garden accessories.  Best of all, the marketplace will be filled the latest trends in gardening goods including books, gifts, antiques, gadgets, native and exotic plants, artwork and everything imaginable from vendors gathered from across the country.

The Maymont Flower & Garden Show attracts thousands of flower and garden lovers each year.  So, mark your calendar today!

Inspiring seminars given by local and nationally recognized speakers covering a wide range of topics, including creative garden design, plant selection, organic gardening and everything else in between are on the seminar schedule.  For example, Mark Viette, celebrity gardener who joined his parents in the family business (the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery) will tape his weekly gardening segment for “Down Home Virginia” airing on 34 cable stations in Virginia and available nationwide at the show.  Dr. George Longest, renowned authority on George Gillette and his famous Virginia gardens is also on the schedule.  Arthur Chadwick, columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, who presented Martha Stewart with a Cattleya orchid named for her on her TV show, will discuss Cattleya orchids in one seminar.  Whatever your gardening focus, there’s bound to be a topic  and speaker of interest.  Schedule and Speakers.

Stroll through the garden displays, all centered on the theme “Gardens on Broadway,” featuring sounds of water, an artful mix of planting materials, serene settings, native plants, vibrant color, elements of fantasy,  and the use of herbs to create your own ideal garden. “42nd Street” by Rock Creek Innovations will bring New York’s 42nd Street, creatively landscaped, to the show to welcome visitors to Broadway!  Inspiration is all around you!

Show hours are Thursday, February 10th 1 – 9 PM; Friday and Saturday February 11th and 12th 11 AM to 9 PM; and Sunday February 13th 11 AM to 5 PM. Get your Tickets Now!

Free parking and shuttle service is available from the Diamond Parking Lot.  Alternatively, there is paid parking available at the Convention Center parking facility at 3rd and Marshall or any of the other facilities with over 4,600 spaces nearby.

The co-located Mac Events Home Show – Richmond features ideas for your home including remodeling solutions, the latest in interior design trends, furnishings, basic home maintenance to major renovations, and access to home professionals who can make your dream come true. Terry Haas, featured real estate agent from the TV show “Designed to Sell” will host a seminar offering insight into the ways attendees can transform their homes into stand-out properties in a very tight market by staging their home and making low-cost improvements.

Don’t forget both of these events are included in the price of one admission ticket! It’s a great way to discover the hidden potential in your garden and your home!

Need a place to stay? We hope you’ll select Richmond’s best bed and breakfast inn as a home base for your weekend in-town.

Just minutes away from Richmond’s premier bed and breakfast lodging, the Virginia Wine Expo will celebrate fine wine and gourmet food during the weekend of February 26th through 28th.

Taste Virginia's Finest Wines at the Virginia Wine Expo Friday Feb 26th through Sunday Feb 28

More than 60 Virginia wineries and several of the commonwealth’s top chefs will gather at the Greater Richmond Convention Center for tastings, showdowns, and pairings. More than 350 Virginia wines will be available for sampling and for purchase.  For more information, check out the event’s website for a detailed schedule of event highlights like the Ports and Madeira tasting, Virginia versus France showdown of Cabernet Franc, or pairings of Virginia wine with spanish tapas. Tickets purchased online are eligible for a $10 discount!

Events are on-going all weekend long, so make your plans today to check out our inn‘s availability and make it a weekend getaway!  You won’t want to miss a single event and we’re in walking distance of the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Just a reminder to make your plans now to visit the Maymont Flower and Garden Show at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in downtown Richmond, Virginia just a little more than a mile from our Richmond VA Bed and Breakfast THIS WEEKEND!

Maymont Flower and Garden Show brings spring flowers to Richmond February 18 through 21 2010

When the Flower and Garden Show arrives, area residents know that Spring is just around the corner.The theme of this year’s flower and garden show is GLORIOUS GARDENS GREAT AND SMALL. The show is celebrating its 21st anniversary by offering the most up-to-date information on horticulture, eleven fabulous display gardens, top-quality seminars by television and radio stars and local gardening authorities, and a marketplace packed full of must-have’s. There’s even an opportunity to win a trip to the famed Chelsea Flower and Garden Show in London in May 2010.  So save February 18 through 21 and get your advance tickets on-line at garden show tickets.

For a list of  the seminars and super speakers scheduled to be in attendance, see Maymont

We have a full house of guests, so we can’t offer you the opportunity to make a weekend of the fun!  But, there is always something happenin’ in Richmond and our Fan District inn is just the place to stay.  Remember we feature a hearty gourmet breakfast that is the talk of the town and sure to stick to your ribs!

Make your plans now to visit the Maymont Flower and Garden Show at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in downtown Richmond, Virginia just a little more than a mile from our Richmond VA Bed and Breakfast. As the city of Richmond awaits its next snowstorm, area residents know that Spring is just around the corner. The theme of this year’s flower and garden show is GLORIOUS GARDENS GREAT AND SMALL. The show is celebrating its 21st anniversary by offering the most up-to-date information on horticulture, eleven fabulous display gardens, top-quality seminars by television and radio stars and local gardening authorities, and a marketplace packed full of must-have’s. There’s even an opportunity to win a trip to the famed Chelsea Flower and Garden Show in London in May 2010.  So save February 18 through 21 and get your advance tickets on-line at garden show tickets.

For a list of  the seminars and super speakers scheduled to be in attendance, see Maymont

Make it a weekend, stay with us at the William Miller House Bed and Breakfast! You’ll get a hearty gourmet breakfast to take you through the day, evening wine hour, and comfy beds to rest your weary toes!