june-2010

STORIED STAYS
For a true “living history”
vacation, spend your
sleeping hours in colonial
accommodations.
THE FIFE & DRUM INN
Themed rooms at this downtown
Williamsburg B&B are decorated
with historic memorabilia, which
will put guests in a colonial state of
mind—especially when they hear
the musket fire from the nearby
Historic Area.
441 Prince George St; 888-838-
1783; fifeanddruminn.com
MARKET SQUARE TAVERN
The 11-room Market Square is just
one of 26 colonial-style accommodations
located throughout the
Historic Area. Thomas Jefferson
rented rooms and Patrick Henry
opened an account here the day
after he was inaugurated as the
first governor of the Commonwealth
of Virginia. Duke of Gloucester St;
757-253-2277; colonialwilliams
burg.com
NEWPORT HOUSE
BED & BREAKFAST
This reproduction of a 1756 mansion
by colonial architect Peter Harrison
is completely furnished with
authentic décor (plus electricity and
plumbing). Enjoy colonial breakfast
recipes and practice colonial dancing
in the inn’s ballroom on Tuesday
evenings. 710 S Henry St; 757-229-
1775; newporthousebb.com
PROMOTION
Q&A WITH
TOM MCDERMOTT
OWNER OF BLUE SKY CAFÉ AND CATERING
NEWPORT NEWS/WILLIAMSBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
By Jessica Carlson
How did you get into the catering and restaurant business? “I first
went into business in 1993, operating a concession and catering business for
a few area golf courses. We concentrated on providing very high quality food
at reasonable prices. Over the years, we have catered thousands of events and
fed millions of people, including every sitting Virginia governor, senator and
local congressman.”
What is distinctive about the cuisine in the Newport News area? “For
more than 400 years, this area of the world has been renowned for the bountiful
seafood offerings from the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. We
take our seafood very seriously in this area, and I try to do my best to ensure
that our menu consists of the finest crab, tuna and oysters available.”
Blue Sky Café is not your typical airport restaurant. People come to
dine there even when they aren’t flying. How have you managed to
draw such a following? “Our goal is to provide guests with a positive experience
in a venue where you typically might not expect one. While our location
requires us to offer a lot of comfort food, we try to give guests a taste of what
the area has to offer. We specialize in fresh local seafood, and our crab cakes
are some of the best you will get anywhere.”
When you’re not making crab cakes at Blue Sky Café, where do you
like to go out to eat? “I like to support small, locally owned businesses. If
I’m in downtown Hampton, I go to the Taphouse. In Newport News, I usually
go to Mike’s Place.”
What do you like about living in Newport News? “Newport News is in
the center of America’s birthplace, and the history here is absolutely overwhelming.
History plays a part in our everyday lives. It was neat as a kid going
down to Yorktown to go fishing right where Washington defeated Cornwallis.”