Play It Again at The Purple Fiddle

That's why The Purple Fiddle has a no-smoking policy and limits the alcohol to wine and beer. In fact, the broad beer selection includes 65 different brands from across the world, including Bass Ales from Britain and Zatec from the Czech Republic. For local tastes, The Purple Fiddle sells Mountain State Brewing Company beer on tap.

But don't lap up the lager without sampling from the menu with its tasty, health-minded items. You can order Cajun gumbo, veggie chili, sandwiches (we love the Sethster with bacon on pita bread), and wraps.

Head for the Hills
Hidden in the West Virginia mountains, The Purple Fiddle was just the retreat from the Washington, D.C., daily grind that John needed.

A former photographer for The Washington Post, he wanted to escape the smog of suburbia. "I didn't take well to all the road rage and tension," he admits. "And I didn't like who I was starting to become."