Banjo for Dummies by Bill Evans - Our friend and fellow banjo instructor Bill Evans wrote the first "For Dummies" foray into the world of acoustic music. There is lots of good information in this book and it is an entertaining read. We at the Murphy Method don't agree with everything between the covers (you should skip the bits with tablature!) but it is a great reference and should be in every banjo picker's library.
Nancy Shephard House Inn - Our mandolin instructor and good friend David McLaughlin runs this historic bed and breakfast in Winchester, VA. The building, from the early federal period, was painstakingly restored by David and his mother Nancy, for whom it is named. It is a gorgeous place to stay, and where else can you get a former Johnson Mountain Boy to cook your breakfast in the morning?